SACRAMENT

day, and see whether they convey the idea of a day of rest. Do not our servants and our cattle seem to be almost as fully occupied on that day as on any other? And, as if this was not a sufficient infringement of their rights, we contrive by needless entertainments at home, and needless journeys abroad, which are often by choice and inclination reserved for this very day, to take up all the little remaining part of their leisure time. A sabbath day's journey was among the Jews a proverbial expression for a very short one; among us it can have no such meaning affixed to it. That day seems to be considered by too many as set apart, by divine and human authority, for the purpose not of rest, but of its direct opposite, the labour of travelling, thus adding one day more of torment to those generous but wretched animals whose services they hire; and who, being generally strained beyond their strength the other six days of the week, have, of all creatures under heaven, the best and most equitable claim to suspension of labour on the seventh."

SACRIFICE

word sacramentum, which signifies an oath, pa ticularly the oath taken by soldiers to be tr to their country and general-The word adopted by the writers of the Latin church denote those ordinances of religion by d Christians came under an obligation of obedien to God, and which obligation, they supposed equally sacred with that of an oath. (See Vex Of sacraments, in this sense of the word testant churches admit of but two; and its easy to conceive how a greater number can made out from Scripture, if the definition da sacrament be just which is given by the church of England. By that church, the meaning d the word sacrament is declared to be "an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual ga given unto us, ordained by Christ hi means whereby we receive the same, and a de to assure us thereof."-According to the D ticn, baptism and the Lord's Supper are certainly sacraments, for each consists of an outward and visible sign of what is believed to be an inward These are evils greatly to be lamented; they and spiritual grace; both were ordained by Clint are an insult to God, an injury to ourselves, and himself, and in the reception of each does the an awful example to our servants, our children, Christian solemnly devote himself to the serves and our friends. To sanctify this day, we should of his Divine Master. [See BAPTISM, and Lendi consider it, 1. A day of rest; not, indeed, to ex- SUPPER.] The Romanists, however, add to the clude works of mercy and charity, but a cessation number confirmation, penance, extreme unction, from all labour and care.-2. As a day of remem-ordination, and marriage, holding in all seven brance; of creation, preservation, redemption.- sacraments. [See POPERY.] Numerous, how 3. As a day of meditation and prayer, in which ever, as the sacraments of the Romish church are, we should cultivate communion with God, Rev. a sect of Christians sprung up in England, early i. 10.-4. As a day of public worship, Acts xx. in the last century, who increased their number, 7; John xx. 19.-5. As a day of joy, Is. lvi. 2; The founder of this sect was a Dr. Deacon. Ps. cxviii. 24.-6. As a day of praise, Ps. cxvi. According to these men, every rite, and every 12, 14.-7. As a day of anticipation; looking phrase, in the book called the Apostolica Cot forward to that holy, happy, and eternal sabbath, tutions, were certainly in use among the apostles that remains for the people of God. See Chand themselves. Still, however, they make a distant ler's two Sermons on the Sabbath; Wright on tion between the greater and the lesser sacsthe Sabbath; Watts's Holiness of Times and ments. The greater sacraments are cly tra Places; Orton's six Disc. on the Lord's Day; baptism and the Lord's Supper. The lesser Kennicott's Sermon and Dial, on the Sabbath; no fewer than ten, viz. five belonging to bugtisa, Bp. Porteus's Ser. ser. 9. vol. i.; Watts's Ser. exorcism, anointing with oil, the white armath ser. 57. vol. i.; S. Palmer's Apology for the a taste of milk and honey, and anointing Christian Sabbath; Kennicott on the Oblations chrism or ointment. The other five are, of Cain and Abel, p. 184, 185. of the cross, imposition of hands, andis of ha sick, holy orders, and matrimony. This however, if not extinguished, is supposed to in its last wane. Its founder puldashed, in 1740 his full, true, and comprehensive view of Chr tianity, in two catechisms, octavo.

SABELLIANS, a sect in the third century that embraced the opinions of Sabellius, a philosopher of Egypt, who openly taught that there is but one person in the Godhead.

The Sabellians maintained that the Word and the Holy Spirit are only virtues, emanations, or SACRAMENTARIANS, a general name functions of the Deity; and held that he who is given for all such as have held erroneous op in heaven is the Father of all things; that he de-respecting the Lord's Supper. The term is ch scended into the Virgin, became a child, and was applied among Catholics, by way of repro born of her as a son; and that, having accom- the Lutherans Calvinists, and other Protesta plished the mystery of our salvation, he diffused himself on the apostles in tongues of fire, and was then denominated the Holy Ghost. This they explained by resembling God to the sun; the illuminated virtue or quality of which was the Word, and its warming virtue the Holy Spirit. The Word, they taught, was darted, like a divine ray, to accomplish the work of redemption; and that, being re-ascended to heaven, the influences of the Father were communicated after a like manner to the apostles.

SACOPHORI, a denomination in the fourth century, so called, because they always went clothed in sackcloth, and affected a great deal of austerity and penance.

SACRAMENT is derived from the Latin

a

SACRIFICE, an offering made to God on altar, by means of a regular minister; a knowledgment of his power, and a payment of homage. Sacrifices (though the term is times used to comprehend all the offerings ma to God, or in any way devoted to his servi honour) differ from mere oblations in this, that a sacrifice there is a real destruction or change of the thing offered; whereas an oblation a simple offering or gift, without any such chan at all: thus, all sorts of tithes, and first fran and whatever of men's worldly substance secrated to God for the support of his w and the maintenance of his ministers, are odio ings, or oblations; and these, under the Jews law, were either of living creatures, or de

SACRIFICE

SACRIFICE

things: but sacrifices, in the more peculiar sense | § 2,] that "sacrifices were looked upon as gifts, of the term, were either wholly or in part con- and that the general opinion was, that gifts would sumed by fire. They have, by divines, been have the same effect with God as with man; divided into bloody and unbloody. Bloody sacri- would appease wrath, conciliate favour with the fices were made of living creatures; unbloody, of Deity, and testify the gratitude and affection of the fruits of the earth. They have also been the sacrificer; and that from this principle prodivided into expiatory, impetratory, and eucha- ceeded expiatory, precatory, and eucharistical ristical. The first kind were offered to obtain offerings. This is all that is pretended from naof God the forgiveness of sins; the second, to tural light to countenance this practice. But, procure some favour; and the third, to express how well soever the comparison may be thought Thankfulness for favours already received. Un- to hold between sacrifices and gifts, yet the opi der one or other of these heads may all sacrifices nion that sacrifices would prevail with God must be arranged, though we are told that the Egyp- proceed from an observation that gifts had pretians had six hundred and sixty-six different vailed with men; an observation this which Cain kinds; a number surpassing all credibility. Va- and Abel had little opportunity of making. And rious have been the opinions of the learned concerning the origin of sacrifices. Some suppose that they had their origin in superstition, and were merely the inventions of men; others, that they originated in the natural sentiments of the human heart; others imagine that God, in order to prevent their being offered to idols, introduced them into his service, though he did not approve of them as good in themselves, or as proper rites of worship. "But that animal sacrifices," says a learned author, "were not instituted by man, seems extremely evident from the acknowledged universality of the practice; from the wonderful sameness of the manner in which the whole world offered these sacrifices; and from the expiation which was constantly supposed to be effected by them:

if the coats of skin which God directed Adam to make were the remains of sacrifices, sure Adam could not sacrifice from this observation, when there were no subjects in the world upon which he could make these observations." [Kennicott's second Dissert. on the Offerings of Cain and Abel, p. 201, &c.]

But the grand objection to the divine origin of sacrifices is drawn from the Scriptures themselves, particularly the following, Jer. vii. 22, 23:] "I spake not to your fathers, nor commanded them, at the time that I brought them out of Egypt, concerning the matters of burnt-offerings or sacrifices; but only this very thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people." The ingenious writer above referred to, accounts for this passage "Now human reason, even among the most [p. 153 and 209] by referring to the transaction strenuous opponents of the divine institutions, is at Marah, [Exod. xv. 23, 26, at which time God allowed to be incapable of pointing out the least spake nothing concerning sacrifices; it certainly natural fitness or congruity between blood and cannot be intended to contradict the whole hook atonement; between killing of God's creatures of Leviticus, which is full of such appointments and the receiving a pardon for the violation of Another learned author, to account for the above, God's laws. This consequence of sacrifices, and other similar passages, observes, "The Jews when properly offered, was the invariable opinion were diligent in performing the external services of of the heathens, but not the whole of their opinion religion; in offering prayers, incense, sacrifices, obin this matter; for they had also a traditionary lations: but these prayers were not offered with belief among them, that these animal sacrifices faith; and their oblations were mademore frequentwere not only expiations, but vicarious commuta-ly to their idols than to the God of their fathers. tions, and substituted satisfactions; and they called the animals so offered [their arz] the ransom of their souls.

"But if these notions are so remote from, nay, so contrary to, any lesson that nature teaches, as they confessedly are, how came the whole world to practise the rites founded upon them? It is certain that the wisest Heathens, Pythagoras, Plato, Porphyry, and others, slighted the religion of such sacrifices, and wondered how an institution so dismal (as it appeared to them,) and so big with absurdity, could diffuse itself through the world. An advocate for the sufficiency of reason [Tindall] supposes the absurdity prevailed by degrees; and the priests who shared with their gods, and reserved their best bits for themselves, had the chief hand in this gainful superstition. But it may well be asked who were the priests in the days of Cain and Abel? Or, what gain could this superstition be to them, when the one gave away his fruits, and the other his animal sacrifice, without being at liberty to taste the least part of it? And it is worth remarking, that what this author wittily calls the best bits, and appropriates to the priests, appears to have been the skin of the burnt-offering among the Jews, and the skin and feet among the Heathens."

Dr. Spencer observes [De Leg. Heb, lib, iii,

The Hebrew idiom excludes with a general negative, in a comparative sense, one of two objects opposed to one another, thus: 'I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.' [Hosea vi. 6.] 'For I spake not to your fathers, nor commanded them, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices; but this thing I commanded them, saying, Obey my voice." [Lowth in Isaiah lxiii. 22, 24.] The ingenious Dr. Doddridge remarks, that, according to the genius of the Hebrew language, one thing seems to be forbidden, and another commanded, when the meaning only is, that the latter is generally to be preferred to the former. The text before us is a remarkable instance of this; as likewise Joel ii. 13; Matt. vi. 19, 20; John vi. 27; Luke xii. 4, 5; and Col. iii. 2. And it is evident that Gen. xlv. 8; Exod. xvi. 8; John v. 30; vii. 19, and many other passages, are to be expounded in the same comparative sense. [Paraph. on the New Test., sect. 59.] So that the whole may be resolved into the apopthegm of the wise man, [Prov. xxi. 3:] "To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice." See Kennicott, above referred to; Edwards's History of Redemption, p. 76, note; Outram de Sacrificiis; Warburton's Div. Leg. b. 9. c. 2; Bishop Law's Theory of Rel. p. 50 to 54; Jennings's Jewish Antiq. vol. i. p. 26, 28;

RELICS

the emperor Theodosius the Great was obliged to pass a law, forbidding the people to dig up the bodies of the martyrs, and to traffic in their relics.

RELIGION

Relics are forbidden to be used or brought into England by several statutes; and justices of peace are empowered to search houses for popisa boks and relics, which when found are to be da fared and burnt, &c. 3 Jac. I. cap. 26.

and theft; for all sorts of means, and all sorts ef attempts, in a cause of this nature, were con sidered, when successful, as pious and acceptable to the Supreme Being. Besides the arguments Such was the origin of that respect for sacred from antiquity, to which the Papists refer in vi relics, which afterwards was perverted into a dication of their worship of relics, of which the formal worship of them, and became the occasion reader may form some judgment from this art of innumerable processions, pilgrimages, and mi-cle, Bellarmine appeals to Scripture in support racles, from which the church of Rome hath of it; and cites the following passages, viz. E derived incredible advantage. In the end of the xiii. 19; Deut. xxxiv. 6; 2 Kings xii. 21; ninth century it was not sufficient to reverence 16, 17, 18; Isa. xi. 10; Matt. xi. 20, 21, 22; departed saints, and to confide in their interces- Acts v. 12, 15; xix. 11, 12. sions and succours; to clothe them with an The Roman Catholics in Great Britain do imaginary power of healing diseases, working acknowledge any worship to be due to my, b miracles, and delivering from all sorts of calami- merely a high veneration and respect, by whard ties and dangers; their bones, their clothes, the means they think they honour God, who they apparel and furniture they had possessed dur- say, has often wrought very extraordinary par ing their lives, the very ground which they had cles by them. But, however proper this vene touched, or in which their putrified carcases were tion and respect may be, its abuse has been so laid, were treated with a stupid veneration, and great and so general, as fully to warrant the supposed to retain the marvellous virtue of heal-jection of them altogether. ing all disorders, both of body and mind, and of defending such as possessed them against all the assaults and devices of the devil. The consequence of all this was, that every one was eager to provide himself with these salutary remedies: consequently great numbers undertook fatiguing and perilous voyages, and subjected themselves to all sorts of hardships; while others made use of this delusion to accumulate their riches, and to impose upon the miserable multitude by the most impious and shocking inventions. As the demand for relics was prodigious and universal, the clergy employed the utmost dexterity to satisfy all demands, and were far from being nice in the methods they used for that end. The bodies of the saints were sought by fasting and prayer, instituted by the priest, in order to obtain a divine answer, and an infallible direction; and this pretended direction never failed to accomplish their desires: the holy carcass was always found, and that always in consequence, as they impiously gave out, of the suggestion and inspiration of God himself. Each discovery of this kind was attended with excessive demonstrations of joy, and animated the zeal of these devout seekers to enrich the church still more and more with this new kind of treasure. Many travelled with this view into the eastern provinces, and frequented the places which Christ and his disciples had honoured with their presence; that with the bones and other sacred remains of the first heralds of the Gospel, they might comfort dejected minds, calm trembling consciences, save sinking states, and defend their inhabitants from all sorts of calamities. Nor did these pious travellers return home empty the craft, dexterity, and knavery of the Greeks, found a rich prey in the stupid credulity of the Latin relic-hunters, and made a profitable commerce of this new devotion. The latter paid considerable sums for legs and arms, skulls, and jaw-bones, (several of which were Pagan, and some not human,) and other things that were supposed to have belonged to the primitive worthies of the Christian church; and thus the Latin churches came to the possession of those celebrated relics of St. Mark, St. James, St. Bartholomew, Cyprian, Pantaleon, and others, which they show at this day with so much ostentation. But there were many who, unable to procure for themselves these spiritual treasures by voyages and prayers, had recourse to violence

RELIEF, a species of Dissenters in Setand whose only difference from the Scotch established chth is the choosing their own pastors. They were separated from the church in the year 173 occasioned by Mr. Thomas Gillespie being de posed for refusing to assist at the admission of a minister to a parish who were unwilling to receive him. When Mr. Gillespie was deprived of his parish, he removed to Dunfermline, and preached there to a congregation who were at tached to him, and vehemently opposed the law of patronage. Being excluded from the cocomanion of the church, he, with two or three other ministers, constituted themselves into a tery, called the Presbytery of Relief; wiling afford relief to all "who adhered to the constit tion of the church of Scotland, as exhibited b creeds, canons, confessions, and forms of wors 4They are unwilling, it is said, to be reckon ceders. Their licentiates are educated under the established church professors, whose cerca they acknowledge. Many of their people re the Lord's Supper with equal readiness in the established church as in their own. The rea synod consists of about sixty congregationes, ala about 36,000 persons.

T

RELIGION is a Latin word, derived, acces ing to Cicero, from relegere, "to re-c but according to Servius and most modern marians, from religare, "to bind fast. the w Ciceronian etymology be the true one, religion will denote the diligent study of wh pertains to the worship of God; but, acces to the other derivation, it denotes that o which we feel on our minds from the retain which we stand to some superior power. word is sometimes used as synonimous with but, in a practical sense, it is generally co as the same with godliness, or a life deta the worship and fear of God. Dr. Dou thus defines it: "Religion consists in the m tion of the will for God, and in a constant avoid whatever we are persuaded he wo approve, to despatch the work he has ass in life, and to promote his glory in the ha of mankind." [See GODLINESS.] The

RELIGION

RELLYANISTS

that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testainents are indeed the word of God."

RELIGIOUS, in a general sense, something that relates to religion. It is also used for a person engaged by solemn vows to the monastic life; or a person shut up in a monastery, to lead a life of devotion and austerity under some rule or institution. The male religious are called monks and friars; the females, nuns and canonesses.

tion of all religion rests on the belief of the exist ence of God. As we have, however, already considered the evidences of the divine existence, The religions which exist in the world have they need not be enumerated again in this place; been generally divided into four, the Pagan, the the reader will find them under the article Ex-Jewish, the Mahometan, and the Christian; to ISTENCE OF GOD. which articles the reader is referred. The vaReligion has been divided into natural and re-rious duties of the Christian religion also are vealed. By natural religion is meant that know-stated in their different places. See also, as conledge, veneration, and love of God, and the prac- nected with this article, the articles INSPIRATION, tice of those duties to him, our fellow-creatures, REVELATION, and THEOLOGY, and books there and ourselves, which are discoverable by the right recommended. exercise of our rational faculties, from considering the nature and perfections of God, and our relation to him and to one another. By revealed religion is understood that discovery which he has made to us of his mind and will in the Holy Scriptures. As it respects natural religion, some doubt whether, properly speaking, there can be any such thing; since, through the fall, reason RELLYANISTS, or RELLYAN UNIVERis so depraved, that man without revelation is BALISTS, the followers of Mr. James Relly. He under the greatest darkness and misery, as may first commenced his ministerial character in conbe easily seen by considering the history of those nexion with Mr. Whitefield, and was received nations who are destitute of it, and who are given with great popularity. Upon a change of his up to barbarism, ignorance, cruelty, and evils of views, he encountered reproach, and was proevery kind. So far as this, however, may be ob-nounced by many as an enemy to godliness. He served, that the light of nature can give us no believed that Christ as a Mediator was so united proper ideas of God, nor inform us what worship to mankind, that his actions were theirs, his obewill be acceptable to him. It does not tell us dience and sufferings theirs; and, consequently, how man became a fallen, sinful creature, as he that he has as fully restored the whole human is, nor how he can be recovered. It affords us race to the divine favour, as if all had obeyed and no intelligence as to the immortality of the soul, suffered in their own persons; and upon this perthe resurrection of the body, and a future state suasion he preached a finished salvation, called of happiness and misery. The apostle, indeed, by the apostle Jude, "The common salvation." observes, that the Gentiles have the law written Many of his followers are removed to the world on their hearts, and are a law unto themselves; of spirits, but a branch still survives, and meets yet the greatest moralists among them were so at the chapel in Windmill-street, Moorfields, blinded as to be guilty of, and actually to counte- London; where there are different brethren who nance the greatest vices. Such a system, there- speak. They are not observers of ordinances, fore, it is supposed, can hardly be said to be reli- such as water-baptism and the sacrament; progious, which leaves man in such uncertainty, fessing to believe only in one baptism, which they ignorance, and impiety. [See REVELATION.] On call an immersion of the mind or conscience inte the other side it is observed, "that, though it is in truth by the teaching of the Spirit of God; and the highest degree probable that the parents of by the same Spirit they are enabled to feed on mankind received all their theological knowledge Christ as the bread of life, professing that in and by supernatural means, it is yet obvious that with Jesus they possess all things. They inculsome parts of that knowledge must have been cate and maintain good works for necessary pur capable of a proof purely rational, otherwise not poses; but contend that the principal and only a single religious truth could have been conveyed work which ought to be attended to, is the doing through the succeeding generations of the human of real good without religious ostentation; that to race but by the immediate inspiration of each in-relieve the miseries and distresses of mankind, dividual. We, indeed, admit many propositions as certainly true, upon the sole authority of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, and we receive these Scriptures with gratitude asthe lively oracles of God; but it is self-evident that we could not do either the one or the other, were we not convinced by natural means that God exists; that he is a being of goodness, justice, and power; and that he inspired with divine wisdom the penmen of the sacred volumes. Now, though it is very possible that no man, or body of men, left to themselves from infancy in a desert world, would ever have made a theological discovery, yet whatever propositions relating to the being and attributes of the First Cause, and duty of man, can be demonstrated by human reason, independent of written revelation, may be called natural theology, and are of the utmost importance, as being to us the first principles of all religion. Natural theology, in this sense of the word, is the foundation of the Christian revelation; for, without a previous knowledge of it, we could have no evidence

according to our ability, is doing more real good than the superstitious observance of religious ceremonies. In general they appear to believe that there will be a resurrection to life, and a resurrection to condemnation; that believers only will be among the former, who as first fruits, and kings and priests, will have part in the first resurrection, and shall reign with Christ in his kingdom of the millennium; that unbelievers who are after raised, must wait the manifestation of the Saviour of the world, under that condemnation of conscience which a mind in darkness and wrath must necessarily feel; that believers, called kings and priests, will be made the medium of communication to their condemned brethren; and like Joseph to his brethren, though he spoke roughly to them, in reality overflowed with affection and tenderness; that ultimately every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that in the Lord they have righteousness and strength; and thus every enemy shall be subdued to the kingdom and glory of the Great Mediator. A Mr

REPENTANCE

REPROOF Murray belonging to this society emigrated to means of repentance is the word, and the mins America, and preached these sentiments at Bos-ters of it; yet sometimes consideration, sanctifer ton and elsewhere. Mr. Relly published several works, the principal of which were, "Union." "The Trial of Spirits." "Christian Liberty." "One Baptism." "The Salt of Sacrifice." "Antichrist resisted." "Letters on Universal Salva"The Cherubimical Mystery." REMEDIAL LAW. See Law, and article JUSTIFICATION.

tion."

REMONSTRANTS, a title given to the Arminians, by reason of the remonstrance which, in 1610, they made to the states of Holland against the scrtence of the synod of Dort, which condemned them as heretics. Episcopius and Grotius were at the head of the Remonstrants, whose principles were first openly patronized in England by archbishop Laud. In Holland, the Calvinists presented an address in opposition to the remonstrance of the Arminians, and called it a counter-remonstrance. See ARMINIANS and DORT.

afflictions, conversation, &c. have been the instr ments of repentance. The blessings connected with repentance are, pardon, peace, and everlast ing life, Acts xi. 18. The time of repentance i the present life, Is. lv. 6; Eccl. ix. 50. The m and obedience, Zech. xii. 10. The necessity f dences of repentance are, faith, humility, pray the mis ry it involves us in here; the command repentance appears evident from the evil of a given us to repent in God's word; the promises made to the penitent: and the absolute incapabl ity of enjoying God here or hereafter without See Dickinson's Letters, let. 9; Dr. Owen en ve 130th Psalm; Gill's Body of Divinity, arte Repentance; Ridgley's Body of Divinity, c tion 76; Davies's Sermons, ser. 44. vol: Case's Sermons, scr. 4; Whitefield's Sermon, Saurin's Sermons, ser. 9. vol. iii.; Robins Translation; Scott's Treatise on Repeaterer probrious terms, or attempting to expose to ins REPROACH, the act of finding fauit in o my and disgrace. In whatever cause we engage however disinterested our motives, however landpect. But it becomes us not to retaliate, but to able our designs, reproach is what we must ex

brought against us be groundless. If we be reproached for righteousness' sake, we have no reason to be ashamed nor to be afraid. All good men have thus suffered, Jesus Christ himself especially. We have the greatest promises of support. Besides, it has a tendency to humble us, detach us from the world, and excite in us a desire for that state of blessedness where all reproach shall be done away.

DESTINATION.

REMORSE, uneasiness occasioned by a consciousness of guilt. When it is blended with the fear of punishment, and rises to despair, it constitutes the supreme wretchedness of the mind. REPENTANCE, in general, is sorrow for any thing past. In theology it signifies that sor-bear it patiently; and so to live, that every charge row for sin which produces newness of life. The Greek word most frequently used in the New Testament for repentance is Tv, which properly denotes an after-thought, or the soul recollecting its own actings; and that in such a manner as to produce sorrow in the review, and a desire of amendment. Another word also is used (Tμμ.,) which signifies anxiety or uneasiness upon the consideration of what is done. There are, however, various kinds of repentance: as. 1. A natural repentance, or what state of being abandoned to eternal destruction, REPROBATION, the act of abandoning, or is merely the effect of natural conscience.-2. A and is applied to that decree or resolve which national repentance, such as the Jews in Baby-God has taken from all eternity to punish sinarts lon were called unto; to which temporal blessings who shall die in impenitence; in which sense were promised, Ezek. xviii. 30.-3. An external is opposed to election. See ELECTION and Prerepentance, or an outward humiliation for sin, as in the case of Ahab.-4. A hypocritical repentance, as represented in Ephraim, Hos. vii. 16.—a person's face. It is distinguished from a re REPROOF, blame or reprehension spoken to 5. A legal repentance, which is a mere work of mand thus. He who reproves another, port the law, and the effect of convictions of sin by it, out his fault, and blames him. He who rep which in time wear off, and come to nothing.mands, affects to punish, and mortifies the of 6. An evangelical repentance, which consists in fender. In giving reproof, the following rus conviction of sin; sorrow for it; confession of it; may be observed: 1. We should not be forward hatred to it; and renunciation of it. A legal and in reproving our elders or superiors, but rather t evangelical repentance are distinguished thus: remonstrate and supplicate for redress Wat 1. A legal repentance flows only from a sense of the ministers of God do in this kind, they do by danger and fear of wrath; but an evangelical re- special commission, as those that must give pentance is a true mourning for sin, and an earn- account, 1 Tim. v. 1; Heb. xiii. 17.-2. We est desire of deliverance from it.-2. A legal re- not reprove rashly; there should be proof her pentance flows from unbelief, but evangelical is reproof.-3. We should not reprove for sig always is the fruit and consequence of a saving matters, for such faults or defects as proceed from faith.-3. A legal repentance flows from an aver-natural frailty, from inadvertency, or mistake sion to God and to his holy law, but an evange- matters of small consequence.-4. We shal lical from love to both.-4. A legal repentance never reprove unseasonably, ordinarily flows from discouragement and despondency, but evangelical from encouraging hope.5. A legal repentance is temporary, but evangelical is the daily exercise of the true Christian.6. A legal repentance does at most produce only a partial and external reformation, but an evangelical is a total change of heart and life,

The author of true repentance is God, Acts v. 31. The subjects of it are sinners, since none but those that have sinned ean repent.

398

The

as to the time, t

place, or the circumstances.-5. We should in the gentlest terms.-6. We should not af prove mildly and sweetly, in the calmest manbet to be reprehensive: perhaps there is no one na sidered more troublesome than he who delights a finding fault with others. In receiving repr it merely because it may come from those who it may be observed, 1. That we should not re not exactly on a level with ourselves - W should consider whether the reproof given be