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which, they say, has obliged many in its application entirely cointhousands of private Christians cident with the same term as apto withdraw from the parish plied by Christians to the subdichurches, and join their society. visions subsisting among themIn most of their congregations selves. We, if I mistake not, invathey celebrate the Lord's supper riably use it of those who form setwice in the year; and they cate-parate communions, and do not chise their young people concern-associate with one another in reliing their knowledge of the princi-gious worship and ceremonies. ples of religion previously to their Thus we call Papists, Lutherans, admission to that sacrament.- Calvinists, different sects, not so When any of them fall into the much on account of their differen-. sin of fornication or adultery, the ces in opinion, as because they. scandal is regularly purged ac- have established to themselves cording to the form of process in different fraternities, to which, in the established church; and those what regards public worship, they of the delinquents who do not confine themselves; the several submit to adequate censure are denominations above mentioned publicly declared to be fugitives having no inter-community with from discipline, and are expelled one another in sacred matters. the society. They never accept a High church and low church we sum of money as a commutation call only parties, because they have for the offence. They condemn all not formed separate communions. clandestine and irregular marri- Great and known differences in ages; nor will they marry any opinion, when followed by no expersons unless they have been pro- ternal breach in the society, are claimed in the parish church on not considered with us as constitwo different Lord's days at least. tuting distinct sects, though their The constitution of the Anti- differences in opinion may give burgher church differs very little rise to mutual aversion. Now, in from that of the Burghers. The the Jewish sects (if we except the supreme court among them is de-Samaritans), there were no sepasigned The General Associate Sy-rate communities erected. The nod, having under its jurisdiction same temple, and the same synathree provincial synods inScotland, gogues were attended alike by and one in Ireland. They, as well Pharisees and by Sadducees: nay, as the Burgher Seceders, have a there were often of both denomprofessor of theology, whose lec-inations in the sanhedrim, and tures every candidate for the office even in the priesthood.-Anof a preacher is obliged to attend. other difference was, also, that the SECT, a collective term, com- name of the sect was not applied prehending all such as follow the to all the people who adopted the doctrines and opinions of some di- same opinions, but solely to the vine, philosopher, &c. The word men of eminence among them. sect, says Dr. Campbell (Prelim. who were considered as the leadDiss.), among the Jews, was not ers of the party.

SECULAR CLERGY. See perty, because without property CLERGY. life cannot be preserved in a civi

SECUNDIANS, a denomina-lized nation. tion in the second century which derived their name from Secundus, a disciple of Valentine. He maintained the doctrine of two eternal principles, viz..light and darkness, whence arose the good and evil that are observable in the universe. See VALENTINIANS.

SEEKERS, a denomination which arose in the year 1645. They derived their name from their maintaining that the true church ministry, scripture, and ordinances, were lost for which they were seeking. They taught that the scriptures were uncertain; that present miracles were necessary to faith; that our ministry is without authority; and that our worship and ordinances are unnecessary or vain.

Some condemn all resistance, whatsoever be the evil offered, or whosoever be the person that offers it; others will not admit that it should pass any farther than bare resistance; others say, that it must never be carried so far as hazarding the life of the assailant; and others, again, who deny it not to be lawful in some cases to kill the aggressor at the same time affirm it to be a thing more laudable, and consonant to the Gospel, to choose rather to lose one's life in imitation of Christ, than to secure it at the expence of another's, in pursuance of the permission of nature. But,

"Notwithstanding," says Grove "the great names which may appear on the side of any of these SELEUCIANS, disciples of opinions, I cannot but think selfSeleucus, a philosopher of Gala-defence, though it proceeds to the tia, who, about the year 380, adopt-killing of another to save one's ed the sentiments of Hermogenes self, is in common cases not barely and those of Audæus. He taught, permitted, but enjoined by nature; with the Valentinians, that Jesus Christ assumed a body only in appearance. He also maintained that the world was not made by God, but was co-eternal with him; and that the soul was only an animated fire created by the angels; that Christ does not sit at the right hand of the Father in a human body, but that he lodged his body in the sun, according to Ps. xix, 4; and that the pleasures of beatitude consisted in corporeal delight.

and that a man would be wanting to Author the of his being, to society, and to himself, to abandon that life with which he is put in trust. That a person forfeits his own life to the sword of justice, by taking away another's unprovoked, is a principle not to be disputed. This being so, I ask, whence should arise the obligation to let another kill me, rather than venture to save myself by destroying my enemy? It cannot arise from a regard to society, which, SELF-DEFENCE implies not by my suffering another to kill me, only the preservation of one's life, loses two lives; that of an honest but also the protection of his pro-man by unjust violence, and that

or

of his murderer, if it can be called our own spiritual welfare, Mata loss, by the hand of justice.thew xvi, 24. It does not conWhereas, by killing the invader of sist in denying what a man is, my life, I only take a life, which or what he has; in refusing famust otherwise have been forfeit-vours conferred on us in the ed, and preserve the life of an in-course of Providence; in rejecting nocent person. Nor, for the same the use of God's creatures; in bereason, can there be any such ob-ing careless of life, health, and faligation arising from the love of mily; in macerating the body, or our neighbour; since I do not abusing it in any respect; but in really save his life by parting with renouncing all those pleasures, my own, but only leave him to be profits, views, connexions, put to death after a more ignomi- practices that are prejudicial to nious manner by the public exe- the true interests of the soul. cutioner. And if it be said that The understanding must be so far I dispatch him with his sins upon denied as not to lean upon it, him into the other world, which independent of divine instruction, he might have lived long enough Prov. iii, 5, 6. The will must be to repent of, if legally condemn- denied, so far as it opposes the ed; as he must answer for that, will of God, Eph. v, 17. The afwho brought me under a ne-fections, when they become inorcessity of using this method for dinate, Col. iii, 5. The gratification my own preservation; so I myself of the members of the body must may not be prepared, or may not be denied when out of their due think myself so, or so well assur- course, Rom. vi, 12, 13. The hoed of it as to venture into the pre-nours of the world, and praise of sence of my great Judge: and no charity obliges me to prefer the safety of another's soul to my own. Self-defence, therefore, may be with justice practised, 1. In case of an attempt made upon the life of a person, against which he has no other way of securing himself but repelling force by force.-2. It is generally esteemed lawful to kill in the defence of chastity, supposing there be no other way of preserving it." See Grove's Moral Philosophy. Also Hints on the Lawfulness of Self-defence, by a

men, when they become a snare, Heb. xi, 24 to 26. Worldly emoluments when to be obtained in an unlawful way, or when standing in opposition to religion and usefulness, Matt. iv, 20, 22. Friends and relatives, so far as they oppose the truth, and would influence us to oppose it too, Gen. xii, 1. Our own righteousness, so as not to de"pend upon it, Phil. iii, 8, 9. Life itself must be laid down, if called for, in the cause of Christ, Matthew xvi, 24, 25. In fine, every thing that is sinful must be denied, however pleasant, or a ppaSELF-DENIAL, a term that rently advantageous, since, withdenotes our relinquishing every out holiness, no man shall see the thing that stands in opposition Lord, Heb. xii, 14. To en able to the divine command, and us to practise this duty, let us

Scotch Dissenter.

consider the injunction of Christ, Matt. xvi, 24; his eminent exam

being whatsoever: and thus God would exist, if there were no other

ture but himself. See EXISTENCE
and ETERNITY OF GOD.
SELF-GOVERNMENT. See

ple, Phil. ii, 5, 8; the encourage-being in the whole compass of nament he gives, Matt. xvi, 25; the example of the saints in all ages, Heb. xi; the advantages that attend it; and, above all, learn to implore the agency of that Divine Spirit, without whom we can do nothing.

HEART.

SELF-KNOWLEDGE, the knowledge of one's own character, abilities, duties, principles, prejuSELF-EXAMINATION is dices, tempers, secret springs of the calling ourselves to a strict action, thoughts, memory, taste, account for all the actions of our views in life, virtues, and vices. lives; comparing them with the This knowledge is commanded in word of God, the rule of duty; the scriptures, Psalm iv, 4. 2d considering how much evil we| Cor. xiii, 5. and is of the greatest have committed, and good we utility, as it is the spring of selfhave omitted. It is a duty possession,leads to humility,steadfounded on a divine command, 2d Cor. xiii. 5. and ought to be, 1. Deliberately.-2. Frequently. -3. Impartially.-4. Diligently. -5. Wisely.-And, 6. With a desire of amendment. This, though a legal duty, as some modern Christians would call it, is essential to our improvement, our felicity, and interest. "They,"

savs

Mr. Wilberforce (Pract. View), "who, in a crazy vessel, navigate a sea wherein are shoals, and currents innumerable, if they would keep their course, or reach their port in safety, must carefully repair the smallest injuries, and often throw out their line, and take their observations. In the voyage of life, also, the Christian who would not make shipwreck of his faith while he is habitually watchful and provident, must often make it his express business to look into his state, and ascertain his progress."

SELF-EXISTENCE OF GOD is his entire existence of himself, not owing it to any other

fastness, charity, moderation, selfdenial, and promotes our usefulness in the world. To obtain it, there should be watchfulness, frequent and close attention to the operations of our own minds, regard had to the opinions of others, conversation, reading the scriptures, and dependance on Divine grace. See Mason on Self Knowledge; Baxter's Self Acquaintance; Locke on the Underst.; Watts's Improvement of the Mind.

SELF-LOVE is that instinctive principle which impels every animal, rational and irrational, to preserve its life and promote its own happiness. "It is very generally confounded with selfishness; but, perhaps, the one propensity is distinct from the other. Every man loves himself, but every man is not selfish. The selfish man grasps at all immediate advantages, regardless of the consequences which his conduct may have upon his neighbour. Self-love only prompts him who is actuated by it to procure to himself the greatest possible sum of

and vain of inferior things, and value ourselves upon the station and circumstances in which not our own deserts, but some other cause has placed us.-5. When we make our worldly interest, convenience, ease, or pleasure, the great end of our actions.

happiness during the whole of his existence. In this pursuit, the rational self-lover will often forego a present enjoyment to obtain a greater and more permanent one in reversion; and he will as often submit to a present pain to avoid a greater hereafter. Self-love, as distinguished from selfishness, al- Much has been said about the ways comprehends the whole of a doctrine of disinterested love to man's existence; and, in that ex- God. It must be confessed, that tended sense of the phrase, every we ought to love him for his own man is a self-lover; for, with eter- excellencies; yet it is difficult to nity in his view, it is surely not form an idea how we can love possible for the most disinterested God unconnected with any interest of the human race not to prefer to ourselves. What, indeed, we himself to all other men, if their ought to do, and what we really do, future and everlasting interests or can do, is very different. There could come into competition. This, is an everlasting obligation on indeed, they never can do; for men to love God for what he is, though the introduction of evil however incapable of doing it; into the world, and the different but, at the same time, our love to ranks which it makes necessary in him is our interest; nor can we in society, put it in the power of a the present state, I think, while man to raise himself in the present possessed of such bodies and such state by the depression of his neigh- minds, love God without includbour, or by the practice of injus- ing a sense of his relative goodtice, yet, in the pursuit of the glo-ness. "We love him," says John, rious prize which is set before us, "because he first loved us.' See there can be no rivalship among LOVE. the competitors. The success of one is no injury to another; and therefore, in this sense of the phrase, self-love is not only law-guished from that regard which we ful, but absolutely unavoidable." Self-love, however, says Jortin (ser. 13, vol. iv), is vicious when it leads us to judge too favourably of our faults.-2. When we think too well of our righteousness, and over-value our good actions, and are pure in our own eyes.-3. When we over-value our abilities, and entertain too good an opinion of our knowledge and capacity.-4. When we are proud

SELF-SEEKING, the aiming at our own interest only in every thing we do. It must be distin

ought to pay to the preservation of our health, the cultivation of our minds, the lawful concerns of business, and the salvation of our souls. Self-seeking evidences itself by parsimoniousness, oppression, neglect and contempt of others,rebellion, sedition, egotism, immoderate attempts to gain fame, power, pleasure, money, and frequently by gross acts of lying and injustice. Its evils are

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