what is necessary in order to their attending one of the ordinances of God's worship." We leave those who are wiltully dumb in God's house to consider this pointed remark!

by serious enquiry, impartial examination, desire of instruction, unprejudiced judgment, devotedness of spirit, and uniformity of conduct. The reader will find this subject ably handled in Gurnall's Christian Armour, vol. ii, p. 121 to Much has been said as to the 148. See HYPOCRISY. use of instrumental music in the SINGING, an ordinance of di-house of God. On the one side

vine worship, in which we express it is observed, that we ought not our joy in God, and gratitude for to object to it, because it assists, his mercies. It has always been a devotion; that it was used in the branch both of natural and re- worship of God under the Old vealed religion, in all ages and pe- Testament; and that the worship riods of time. It was a part of of heaven is represented by a dethe worship of the Heathens. It lightful union of vocal and instruwas practised by the people of mental music. But, on the other God before the giving of the law side, it is remarked, that nothing of Moses, Exod. xv; also under should be done in or about God's the ceremonial law. Under the worship without example or preGospel dispensation it is particu cept from the New-Testament; larly enjoined, Col. iii, 16. Eph. that, instead of aiding devotion, v, 19. It was practised by Christ it often tends to draw off the mind and his apostles, Matt. xxvi, 30. from the right object; that it does and in the earliest times of Chris- not accord with the simplicity of tianity. The praises of God may Christian worship; that the pracbe sung privately in the family, but tice of those who lived under the chiefly in the house of God; and ceremonial dispensation can be no should be attended to with reve- rule for us; that not one text in rence, sincerity, joy, gratitude, the New Testament requires or and with the understanding, 1st, authorises it by precept or examCor. xiv, 15. It is to be lamented, ple, by express words, or fair inhowever, that this ordinance has ference; and that the representanot that attention paid to it which tion of the musical harmony in it deserves. That great divine, heaven is merely figurative lanDr. Jonathan Edwards, observes, guage, denoting the happiness of that, "as it is the command of God the saints. We have not room that all should sing, so all should here to prosecute the arguments make conscience of learning to on either side; but the reader sing, as it is a thing that cannot may refer to p. 211 of the fourth be decently performed at all with- vol. of Bishop Beveridge's Theout learning. Those, therefore saurus; Stillingfleet's and Bishop (where there is no natural inabi- Horne's Sermons on Church Mulity,) who neglect to learn to sic; No. 630 of the eighth vol. of sing, live in sin, as they neglect the Spectator; Bishop Horne on the

evil consequences which have no foundation in truth.

150th Pslam; Theol. Mag., vol. ii. p. 427, and vol. iv, p. 333, 458; Biblical Mag., vol. ii, p. 35; Ridg- Of all characters in society, a ley's Body of Div., ques. 155; slanderer is the most odious, and Haweis's Church History, vol. i, the most likely to produce misp.403; Williams's Historical Essay chief. "His tongue," says the on Church Music, prefixed to Psal- great Massilon," is a devouring modia Evangelica, vol. ii, p. 56; fire. which tarnishes, whatever it Bedford's Temple Music; Lyra touches; which exercises its fury Evangelica; Practical Discourses on the good grain equally as on on Singing in the Worship of God, the chaff; on the profane as on preached at the Friday Evening the sacred; which, wherever it Lecture in Eastcheap, 1708; Dad-passes, leaves only desolation and well's Treatise on the Lawfulness of ruin; digs even into the bowels of Instrumental Music in Holy Duties. the earth; turns into vile ashes SLANDER, according to Dr. what only a moment before had Barrow, is uttering false speeches appeared to us so precious and against our neighbour, to the pre-brilliant; acts with more violence judice of his fame, safety, wel-and danger than ever, in the time fare; and that out of malignity, when it was apparently smothered vanity, rashness, ill-nature, or bad up, and almost extinct; which design. The principal kinds of blackens what it cannot consume, slander are these: 1. Charging and sometimes sparkles and deothers with facts they are not lights before it destroy s. It is an guilty of.-2. Affixing scandalous assemblage of iniquity, a secret names and odious characters pride, which discovers to us the which they deserve not.-3. As- mote in our brother's eye, but persing a man's actions with foul hides the beam which is in our names, importing that they pro own; a mean envy, which, hurt ceed from evil principles, or tend at the talents or prosperity of to bad ends, when it doth not others, makes them the subject of or cannot appear.-4. Perverting its censures, and studies to dim a man's words or acts disadvanta- the splendor of whatever outshines geously by affected misconstruc-itself; a disguised hatred, which tion.-5. Partial or lame representation of men's discourse or practice, suppressing some part of the truth, or concealing some circumstances which ought to be explained.-6. Instilling sly suggestions which create prejudice in the hearers.-7. Magnifying and aggravating the faults of others. -8. Imputing to our neighbour's practice, judgment, or profession,

sheds in its speeches the hidden venom of the heart; an unworthy duplicity, which praises to the face, and tears in pieces behind the back; a shameful levity, which has no command over itself, or words, and often sacrifices both fortune and comfort to the imprudence of an amusing conversation; a deliberate barbarity, which goes to pierce an absent brother;

English trans.; and article EVIL
SPEAKING.

SOCINIANS, a sect so called from Faustus Socinus, who died in Poland in 1604. There were two

a scandal, where we become a subject of shame and sin to those who listen to us; an injustice, where we ravish from our brother what is dearest to him. It is a restless evil, which disturbs so-who bore the name Socinus, uncle ciety; spreads dissension through and nephew,and both disseminated cities and countries; disunites the the same doctrine; but it is the strictest friendships; is the source nephew who is generally considerof hatred and revenge; fills ed as the founder of this sect. wherever it enters with disturb- They maintain "That Jesus Christ ances and confusion; and every was a mere man, who had no exwhere is an enemy to peace,istence before he was conceived by comfort, and christian good breed- the Virgin Mary; that the Holy ing. Lastly, it is an evil full of Ghost is no distinct person; but deadly poison: whatever flows from it is infected, and poisons whatever it approaches; that even its praises are empoisened; its applauses malicious; its silence criminal; its gestures, motions, and looks, have all their venom, and spread it each in their way. Still more dreadful is this evil when it is found among those who are the professed disciples of Jesus Christ. Ah! the church formerly held in horror the exhibitions of gladiators, and denied that believers, brought up in the tenderness and benignity of Jesus Christ, could innocently feast their eyes with the blood and death of these unfortunate slaves, or form an harmless recreation of so inhuman a pleasure but these renew more detestable shows; for they bring upon the stage not infamous wretches devoted to death, but members of Jesus Christ, their brethren; and there they entertain the spectators with wounds which they inflict on persons" who have devoted themselves to God. Bar-| row's Works, vol. i, ser. 17, 18; Massilon's Sermons, vol. i, ser. 6,

that the Father is truly and properly God. They own that the name of God is given in the holy scriptures to Jesus Christ, but contend that it is only a deputed title, which, however, invests him with a great authority over all created beings. They deny the doctrines of satisfaction and imputed righteousness, and say, that Christ only preached the truth to mankind, set before them in himself an example of heroic virtue, and sealed his doctrines with his blood. Original sin and absolute predestination they esteem scholastic chimeras. Some of them likewise maintain the sleep of the soul, which, they say, becomes insensible at death, and is raised again with the body at the resurrection, when the good shall be established in the possession of eternal felicity, while the wicked shall be consigned to a fire that will not torment them eternally, but for a certain duration proportioned to their demerits."

There is some difference, however, between ancient and modern Socinians: the latter, indignant

at the name Socinian, have ap-mentioned, have been, Haynes in propriated to themselves that of his Scripture Account of the AttriUnitarians, and reject the notions butes and Worship of God, and of of a miraculous conception and the Character and Offices of Jesus the worship of Christ; both which Christ; Dr. Lardner on the Logos; were held by Socinus. Dr. Priest-Priestley's Hist. of early Opinions ley has laboured hard in attempt- and Disquisitions; Lindsay in his ing to defend this doctrine of Historical View of Unitarianism; the Unitarians; but Dr. Horsley, and Belsham's Answer to Wilberbishop of Rochester, has ably re-force. Against the Socinian docfuted the doctor in his Theological trine may be consulted, Dr. Tracts, which are worthy the pe- Horne's Sermon on the Duty of rusal of every Christian, and espe-contending for the Faith; Dr. cially every candidate for the ministry.

Dr. Price agreed with the Socinians in the main, yet his system was somewhat different. He believed in the pre-existence of Christ, and likewise that he was more than a human being; and took upon him human nature for a higher purpose than merely revealing to mankind the will of God, and instructing them in their duty and in the doctrines of religion.

Owen against Biddle; Dr. Hoornbeck's Confutation of Socinianism; Calovius's Ditto; Macgowan's Socinianism brought to the Test; and books under articles ARIANS and JESUS CHRIST.

SOLIFIDIANS, those who rest on faith alone for salvation, without any connexion with works; or who judge themselves to be Christ's, because they believe they are.

SON OF GOD, a term applied in the scriptures not only to magistrates and saints, but more particularly to Jesus Christ. Christ, says bishop Pearson, has a fourfold right to this title. 1. By generation, as begotten of God, Luke i, 35.-2. By commission, as sent by him, John x, 34, 36.-3. By resurrection, as the first born, Acts xiii, 32, 33.-4. By actual possession, as heir of all, Heb. i, 2, 5. But besides these four, many think that he is called the Son of God in such a way and manner as never any other

The Socinians flourished greatly in Poland about the year 1551; and J. Siemienius, palatine of Podolia, built purposely for their use the city of Racow. A famous catechism was published, called the Racovian catechism; and their most able writers are known by the title of the Polones Fratres, or Polonian Brethren. Their writings were re-published together, in the year 1656, in one great collection, consisting of six volumes in folio, under the title of Bi-was, is, or can be, because of his bliotheca Fratrum. An account of these authors may be seen in Dr. Toulmin's Life of Socinus. Some of the writers on the Socinian doctrine, besides the above

own Divine nature, he being the true, proper, and natural Son of God, begotten by him before all worlds, John iii, 16. Rom. viii, 3. 1st John iv, 9. See article GE