tion, if we were invincibly determined in every volition. Approbation and blame are confequent upon free actions only.

It is an article in the Chriftian faith, that God will render rewards and punishments to men for their actions in this life. We cannot maintain his justice in this particular, if men's actions are neceffary, either in their own nature, or by divine decrees and influx.

Activity and felf-determining powers are the foundation of all morality, all dignity of nature and character, and the greateft poffible happiness. It was therefore neceffary, that fuch powers fhould be communicated to us, and that scope, within certain limits, fhould be allowed for the exercise of them.

Mofheim's Ecclefiaftical History, vol. v. p. 3, 7, 8.

Whitby on the Five Points, p. 106, 107, 120, 125, 134, 251, 252, 254, 395, 398.

Taylor on Original Sin, p. 13, 125.

Stackhoufe's Body of Divinity, p. 155, 156.

Locke on Free Will.-Letters between Clarke and Lebuitz.
Correfpondence between Priestley and Price.

Collier's Hiftorical Dictionary, vol. i. [See Arminians.]

ARNOLDÍSTS, a denomination in the twelfth century, which derive their name from Arnold, of Brefia. Having obferved the calamities, that fprung from the opalence of the pontiffs and bifhops, he maintained publickly, that the treasures and revenues of popes, bishops, and monafteries, ought to be folemnly transferred to the rulers of each State, and that nothing was to be left to the minifters of the gofpel but a fpiritual authority, and a fubfiftence drawn from tithes, and from the voluntary oblations of the people.

Mofheim's Ecclefiaftical History, vol. ii. p. 45€.

ARTEMONITES, a denomination in the fecond century; fo called from Arteman, who taught, that, at the birth of the man Chrift, a certain divine energy, or portion of the divine nature, united itself to him.

Mofheim, ibid. vol. i. p. 191.

ARTOTYRITES, a denomination in the fecond cenwho celebrated the eucharift with bread and cheese,

tury,

faying,

faying, that the first oblations of men were of the fruits of the earth, and of fheep. The word is derived from the Greek of aprós, bread, and rupis, cheese.

The Artotyrites admitted women to the priesthood and epifcopacy.

Broughton's Hiftorical Library, vol. i. p. 85.

ASCLEPIDOTEANS, a denomination in the third century; fo called from Afclepiodotus, who taught, that Jefus Chrift was a mere man.

Broughton, ibid. p. 88.

ASCODROGITES, à denomination, which arofe in the year 181. They brought into their churches, bags or fkins, filled with new wine, to reprefent the new bottles, filled with new wine, mentioned by Chrift. They danced round thefe bags, or skins, and intoxicated themfelves with the wine. They are likewife called Ascitæ and both words are derived from the Greek of asnós, a bottle, or bag.

;

Broughton, ibid. p. 88.

ASCODRUTES, a branch of Gnoftics in the fecond century, who placed all religion in knowledge, and af ferted, that divine myfteries, being the images of invifible things, ought not to be performed by visible things, nor incorporeal things by corporeal and fenfible. Therefore they rejected baptifm and the eucharist.

Broughton, ibid. p. 89.

ASSURITANS, a branch of the Donatifts, who held, that the Son was inferior to the Father, and the Holy Ghost to the Son. They re-baptized thofe, who embraced their fect, and afferted, that good men only were within the pale of the church. [See Donatifts.]

Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, vol. i. p. 207.

ATHANASIANS, those who profefs fimilar fentiments to those taught by Athanafius, bifhop of Alexandria, who flourished in the fourth century. bishop forty-fix years; and his long administration was

E 2

He was

spent

spent in a perpetual combat against the powers of Arianifm. He is faid to have confecrated every moment, and every faculty of his being, to the defence of the doctrine of the Trinity. The fcheme of Athanafius made the Supreme Deity to confift of three perfons, the fame in fubftance, equal in power and glory. The firft of those three perfons, and fountain of divinity to the other two, it makes to be the Father. The fecond perfon is called the Son, and is faid to be defcended from the Father, by an eternal generation of an ineffable and incomprehenfible nature in the effence of the Godhead. The third person is the Holy Ghoft, derived from the Father and the Son, but not by generation, as the Son is derived from the Father, but by an eternal and incomprehenfible proceffion. Each of these perfons are very and eternal God, as much as the Father himfelf; and yet, though diftinguished in this manner, they do not make three Gods, but one God.*

This fyftem alfo includes in it the belief of two natures in Jefus Christ, viz. the divine and human, forming one perfon.

To prove the divinity of Christ, and his co-equality with the Father, this denomination argue thus :

In John i. 1, it is faid exprefsly, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; which implies, that the Word exifted from all eternity, not as a distinct, separate power, but the Word was with God, and the Word was God-not another God, but only another person, of the same nature, substance, and Godhead.

It is evident, that St. John intended the word God in this ftrict fenfe, from the time of which he is speaking. In the beginning the Word was God-before the creation. It is not faid, that he was appointed God over the things, which should be afterwards created. He was God before any dominion over the creatures commenced.

It

It is thus expreffed in the Athanafian creed: The Catholic faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity. For there is one perfon of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft, is all one; the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal.

It is faid, that all things abfolutely were made by him: therefore, he, who created all things, cannot be a created being. Since nothing was made but by and through him, it follows, that the Son, as creator, must be eternal, and strictly divine.

Chrift's divinity and co-equality with the Father, are plainly taught in Philip. ii. 5, 6, 7, &c. Let this mind be in you, which was alfo in Chrift Jefus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himfelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a fervant, &c.

Our divine Saviour fays of himself, I and my Father are one, John v. 19. He that has feen me, bas feen the Father, John x. 30. All that the Father hath, are mine, John xvi. 15. Those high and ftrong expreffions teach, that he is the Supreme God.

The prophets describe the true God as the only Saviour of finners. For thus it is written: I, even I, am Jehovah; and befides me there is no Saviour. Jefus Chrift not only profeffes to fave finners, but he calls himself the Saviour, by way of eminence. Hence it is evident, that he affumes a character, in the moft emphatical way, which the God of Ifrael had challenged and appropriated to himself.

The divine titles, which are afcribed to the Son in fcripture, are, The true God, 1ft John v. 20; The mighty God, Ifa. ix. 6; The Alpha and Omega, the first and the laft, Rev. i. 8; The God over all, bleffed for evermore, Rom. ix. 5 And Thomas calls Chrift, after his refurrection, his Lord and God.

The titles given to Chrift in the New Teftament, are the fame with those, which are given to God in the Jewifh scriptures. The name Jehovah, which is appropriated to God, Pfalm lxxxiii. 18, Ifa. xiv. 5, is given to Christ. See Ifa. xiv. 23, 25, compared with Rom. xiv. 12; Ifa. xi. 3, compared with Luke i. 76. Jefus is the

perfon

It has been obferved by critics on the word Jehovah, that the first fyllable, Jah, means the divine effence, and that by bovah may be understood, calamity, grief, deftruction. Hence fome have fuppofed, the defign of that venerable name was to convey unto us the ideas of a divine effence in a human frame, and a fuf fering and crucified Meffiah.

person spoken of by St. John, whofe glory Efaias is declared to have feen, when he affirms, he faw the Lord of Hofts. Therefore Jefus is the Lord of Hofts.

The attributes, which are fometimes appropriated to God, are applied to Christ.

Omnifcience is afcribed to Chrift. John xvi. 10, Now we are fure, that thou knoweft all things. To be the fearcher of the heart, is the peculiar and diftinguishing characteristic of the one true God, as appears from Jer. xvii. 10. Yet our bleffed Lord claims this perfection to himself. I am he, faith he, that fearcheth the reins and the heart, Rev. ji. 23.

Omniprefence, another divine attribute, is afcribed to Chrift. Matt. xviii. 20, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Immutability is afcribed to Chrift. Heb. i. 10, 11, 12, Thou art the fame, and thy years fhall not fail. This is the very defcription, which the pfalmift gives of the im mutability of the only true God. See alfo Heb. xiii. 8.

Eternity is afcribed to Chrift, Rev. i. 8. The Son's being Jehovah, is another proof of his eternity, that name expreffing neceffary existence.

Chrift is alfo faid to have almighty power, Heb. i. 3. See also Philip. iii. 21, &c.

The truth and faithfulness of God are afcribed to Chrift. I am, fays he, the truth, &c.

Divine works are also afcribed to Chrift, viz. creation, preservation, and forgiveness of fins.

There are numerous texts of fcripture, which affert that Chrift is the creator of all things. See Heb. i. 10, Thou, Lord, in the beginning haft laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. See alfo Rev. iii. 14, 1ft Cor. viii. 6, and various other paffages.

The work of creation is every where in fcripture reprefented, as the mark and characteristic of the true God. See 2d Kings xix. 15, Job xxii. 7, Pfalm xix, Hence it is evident, that Chrift, the creator, is the

I.

true God.

Prefervation is afcribed to Chrift. Heb. i. 3, Upholding all things by the word of his power.

Chrift