Christ, it is said, set an example of adult baptism. True; but he was baptized in honour to John's ministry, and to conform himself to what he appointed to his followers; for which last reason he drank of the sacramental cup: but this is rather an argument for the Pedobaptists than against them; since it plainly shews, as Doddridge observes, that baptism may be administered to those who are not capable of all the purposes for which it was designed; since Jesus Christ, not being a sinner, could not be capable of that faith and repentance which are said to be necessary to this ordinance.

As to the mode.

replied, to infer always a plunging of the whole body in water from this word, would, in many instances, be false and absurd: the same Greek preposition is used when it is said they should be baptized with fire; which few will assert that they should be plunged into it. The apostle speaking of Christ, says, he came not (v) by water only, but (v) by water and blood. There the same word is translated by, and with justice and propriety, for we know no good sense in which we could say he came in water. It has been remarked that is more than a hundred times, in the New Testament, rendered "at," and in a hundred be rendered so here, "John baptized at and fifty others it is translated with. If it Jordan," or with the water of Jordan, there is no proof from thence that he plunged his disciples in it.

It is urged that John's choosing a place where there was much water is a certain proof of immersion. To which it is answered, that as there went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, that by choosing a place where there were many streams or rivulets, it would be much more expeditiously performed by pouring; and that it seems in the nature of things highly improbable that John should have baptized this vast multitude by immersion, to say nothing of the indecency of both sexes being baptized together.

Jesus, it is said, came up out of the water; but this is said to be no proof of his being immersed, as the Greek term zo often signifies from; for instance, "Who hath warned you to flee from, not out of, the wrath to come," with many others which might be mentioned.

They believe that the word Ba signihies to dip or to plunge; but that the term Barw, which is only a derivative of Bala, and consequently must be somewhat less in its signification, should be invariably used in the New Testament to express plunging, is not so clear. It is therefore doubted whether dipping be the only meaning, and whether Christ absolutely enjoined immersion, and that it is his positive will that no other should be used. As the word Bar is used for the various ablutions among the Jews, such as sprinkling, pouring, &c. Heb. ix. 10; for the custom of washing before meals, and the washing of household furniture, pots, &c.; it is evident from hence that it does not express the manner of doing, whether by immersion or affusion, but only the thing done; that is, washing, or the application of water in one form or other. Dr. Owen observes, that it no where signifies to dip, but as denoting a mode of and in order to washing or cleansing; and, according to others, the mode of use is only the ceremonial part of a positive institute; just as in the supper of the Lord, the time of the day, Again: it is said that Philip and the euthe number and posture of communicants, nuch went down both into the water. To the quality and quantity of bread and wine, this it is answered, that here is no proof of are circumstances not accounted essential by immersion; for if the expression of their any party of Christians. As to the Hebrew going down into the water necessarily inword Tabal, it is considered as a generic cludes dipping, then Philip was dipped as term; that its radical, primary, and proper well as the Eunuch. The preposition (5) meaning is, to tinge, to dye, to wet, or the translated into, often signifies no more than like; which primary design is effected by to or unto. See Matt. xv. 24. Rom. x. 10. different modes of application If in baptism Acts xxviii. 14. Matt. xvii. 27. Matt. iii. 11. also there is an expressive emblem of the So that, from all these circumstances, it descending influence of the Spirit, pouring cannot be concluded that there was a single must be the mode of administration; for person of all the baptized who went into the that is the Scriptural term most commonly water ankle deep. As to the apostle's exand properly used for the communication of pression, buried with him in baptism, "they divine influences. There is no object what-think it has no force; and that it does not ever in all the New Testament so frequent- allude to any custom of dipping, any more ly and so explicitly signified by baptism as than our baptismal crucifixion and death these divine influences, Matt. iii. 11. Mark has any such reference. It is not the sign 1. 8. 10. Luke iii. 16 to 22. John i. 33. Acts but the thing signified that is here alluded i. 5. Acts ii. 38, 39. Acts viii. 12. 17. Acts to. As Christ was buried and rose again to xi. 15, 16, The term sprinkling, also, is a heavenly life, so we by baptism signify made use of in reference to the act of puri-that we are cut off from the life of sin, that fying, Is. lii. 15. Heb. ix. 13, 14. Ezek. xxxvi. we may rise again to a new life of faith and 25. and therefore cannot be inapplicable to love." baptismal purification. But it is observed that John baptized in Jordan; to this it is

To conclude this article, it is observed against the mode of immersion, that, as it

carries with it too much of the appearance || king Edward and queen Elizabeth, when an of a burdensome rite for the Gospel dispen-infant was in immediate danger of death, sation; that as it is too indecent for so so- and a lawful minister could not be had. Jemn an ordinance; as it has a tendency to agitate the spirits, often rendering the subject unfit for the exercise of proper thoughts and affections, and indeed utterly incapable of them, as in many cases the immersion of the body would in all probability be instant death; as in other situations it would be impracticable for want of a sufficient quantity of water, it cannot be considered as necessary to the ordinance of baptism.

See Gale, Robinson, Stennett, Gill and Booth, on Antipædobaptism; and Wall, Henry, Bradbury, Bostwick, Towgood, Addington, Williams, Edwards, Miller, Evans, &c. on the other side.

BAPTISM OF THE DEAD, a custom which anciently prevailed among some people in Africa, of giving baptism to the dead. The third council of Carthage speaks of it as a thing that ignorant Christians were fond of: Gregory Nazianzen also takes notice of the same superstitious opinion. The practice seems to be grounded on a vain idea, that, when men had neglected to receive baptism in their life-time, some compensation might be made for this default by receiving it after death.

This was founded on a mistaken notion of the impossibility of salvation without the sacrament of baptism; but afterwards, when they came to have clearer notions of the sacraments, it was unanimously resolved, in a convocation held in 1575, that even private baptism in a case of necessity was only to be administered by a lawful minister.

BAPTISM METAPHORICAL. In scripture the term baptism is used as referring to the work of the Spirit on the heart, Matt. iii. 11. also to the sufferings of Christ, Matt. xx. 22. and to so much of the Gospel as John the Baptist taught his disciples, Acts

xviii. 25.

BAPTISTS, a denomination of Christians who maintain that baptism is to be administered by immersion, and not by sprinkling. See BAPTISM.

manner..

Although there were several Baptists among the Albigenses, Waldenses, and the followers of Wickliffe, it does not appear that they were formed into any stability until the time of Menno, about the year 1536. See ANABAPTISTS and MENNONITES. About 1644 they began to make a considerable figure in England, and spread BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD, a prac-themselves into several separate congregatice formerly in use, when a person dying tions. They separated from the Independents without baptism, another was baptized in about the year 1638, and set up for themhis stead; thus supposing that God would selves under the pastoral care of Mr. Jesse: accept the baptism of the proxy, as though || and, having renounced their former baptism, it had been administered to the principal. they sent over one of their number to he Chrysostom says, this was practised among immersed by one of the Dutch Anabaptists the Marcionites with a great deal of ridicu- of Amsterdam, that he might be qualified to lous ceremony, which he thus describes baptize his friends in England after the same After any catechumen was dead, they hid a living man under the bed of the deceased; The Baptists subsist under two denominathen, coming to the dead man, they asked tions, viz. the particular or Calvinistical, him whether he would receive baptism; and the general or Arminian. Their modes and he making no answer, the other answer-of church government and worship are the ed for him, and said he would be baptized in his stead; and so they baptized the living for the dead. If it can be proved (as some think it can) that this practice was as early as the days of the apostle Paul, it might probably form a solution of those remarkable words in 1 Cor. xv. 29: "If the dead rise not at all, what shall they do who are baptized for the dead?" The allusion of the apostle to this practice, however, is rejected by some, and especially by Dr. Doddridge, who thinks it too early: he thus paraphrases the passage. "Such are our views and hopes as Christians; else, if it were not so, what should they do who are baptized in token of their embracing the Christian faith,ed by Christ. in the room of the dead, who are just fallen in the cause of Christ, but are yet supported by a succession of new converts, who immediately offer themselves to fill up their places, as ranks of soldiers that advance to the combat in the rooms of their companions who have just been slain in their sight?"

Lay baptism we find to have been permitted by both the common prayer books of

same as the Independents; in the exercise of which they are protected, in common with other dissenters, by the act of toleration. Some of both denominations allow of mixed communion; by which it is understood that those who have not been baptized by immersion, on the profession of their faith, may sit down at the Lord's table with those who have been thus baptized. Others, however, disallow it, supposing that such have not been actually baptized at all. See FREE COMMUNION.

Some of them observe the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath, apprehending the law that enjoined it not to have been repeal

Some of the general Baptists have, it is said, gone into Socinianism or Arianism; on account of which, several of their ministers and churches who disapprove of these principles, have within the last forty years formed themselves into a distinct connection, called the New Association. The churches in this union keep up a friendly acquaintance in some outward things with those from

whom they have separated; but in things more essential disclaim any connection with them, particularly as to changing ministers, and the admission of members. The general Baptists have, in some of their churches, three distinct orders separately ordained, viz.-messengers, elders, and deacons Their general assembly is held annually in Worship Street, London, on the Tuesday in the Whitsun week.

The Baptists have two exhibitions for students to be educated at one of the universities of Scotland, given them by Dr. Ward, of Gresham College. There is likewise an academy at Bristol for students, generally known by the name of the Bristol Education Society. The Baptists in America and in the East and West Indies are chiefly Calvinists, and hold occasional fellowship with the particular Baptist churches in England. Those in Scotland having imbibed a considerable part of the principles of Messrs. Glass and Sandeman, have no communion with the other. They have liberally contributed, however, towards the translation of the scriptures into the Bengalee language, which some of the Baptist brethren are now accomplishing in the East. See Rippon's Baptist Register, vol. i. p 172-175; Adams' View of Religions, article Baptists; Evans' Sketch of Religious Denominations.

given in a different manner from that of the evangelist.

BARNA BITES, a religious order, founded in the sixteenth century, by three Italian gentlemen, who had been advised by a famous preacher of those days to read carefully the epistles of St, Paul. Hence they were called clerks of St. Paul; and Barna, bites, because they performed their first exercises in a church of St. Barnabas at Milan. Their habit is black; and their office is to instruct, catechise, and serve in mission.

BARTHOLOMEW'S DAY, ST (the 24th August) is a day distinguished in history, as the anniversary of the horrid and atrocious sacrifice of human blood called the Parisian Massacre. See PERSECUTION.

BARTHOLOMITES, a religious order founded at Geneva in 1307; but, the monks leading irregular lives, it was suppressed in 1650, and their effects confiscated. In the church of the monastery of this order at Geneva is preserved the image, which, it is pretended, Christ sent to king Abgarus.

BASILIAN MONKS, religious, of the order of St. Basil, in the fourth century, who, having retired into a desert in the province of Pontus, founded a monastery, and drew up rules, to the amount of some hundreds, for his disciples This new society soon spread all over the East nor was it long beBAPTISTRY, the place in which the fore it passed into the West. Some pretend ceremony of baptism is performed. In the that St. Basil saw himself the spiritual faancient church, it is said, it was generally ather of more than 90,000 monks in the East building separate, and distinct from the church. It consisted of an ante-room, where the adult persons to be baptized made their confession of faith; and an inner room, where the ceremony of baptism was performed. Thus it continued to the sixth century, when the baptisteries began to be taken into the church.

only; but this order, which flourished for more than three centuries, was considerably. diminished by heresy, schism, and change of empire. The historians of this order say that it has produced 14 popes, 185 bishops, 3010 abbots, and 11,085 martyrs, besides an infinite number of confessors and virgins. This order likewise boasts of several emperors, kings and princes, who have embraced its rule.

BARDESANISTS, a sect so denominated from their leader Bardesanes, a Syrian, of Edessa, in Mesopotamia, who lived in the BASILIDIANS, a denomination, in the second century. They believed that the second century, from Basilides, chief of the actions of men depended altogether on fate, Egyptian Gnostics. He acknowledged the and that God himself is subject to neces-existence of one Supreme God, perfect in sity. They denied the resurrection of the goodness and wisdom, who produced from body, and the incarnation and death of our his own substance seven beings, or aions, of a most excellent nature. Two of these aions, BARLAAMITES, the followers of Bar-called Dynamis and Sophiz, (i. e. power and laam, in the fourteenth century, who was a very zealous champion in behalf of the Greek against the Latin church, It is said that he adopted the sentiments and precepts of the stoics, with respect to the obligations of morality and the duties of life; and digested them into a work of his, which is known by the title of Ethica ex Stoicis.

from that confused mass, and of creating an made a sign with his hand, when ten young order of beings to people it. This design men in white, who were standing on an adwas carried into execution, and was ap-jacent tower, instantly threw themselves proved by the supreme God, who to the down. To one of his guards he said, “draw animal life, with which only the inhabitants your dagger, and plunge it into your breast," of this new world were at first endowed, which was no sooner said than obeyed. At added a reasonable soul, giving at the same the command of their chief, they made no time to the angels the empire over them. difficulty of stabbing any prince, even on his throne; and for that purpose conformed to the dress and religion of the country, that they might be less suspected. To animate them on such attempts, the Scheik previously indulged them with a foretaste of the delights of paradise. Delicious soporific drinks were given them; and while they lay asleep, they were carried into beautiful gardens, where, awaking as it were in paradise, and inflamed with views of perpetual enjoyments, they sallied forth to perform assassinations of the blackest dye.

It is said, they once thought of embracing the Christian religion, and some have thought the Druses a remnant of this singular race of barbarians.

These angelic beings, advanced to the government of the world which they had created, fell by degrees from their original purity, and soon manifested the fatal marks of their depravity and corruption. They not only endeavoured to efface in the minds of men their knowledge of the Supreme Being. that they might be worshipped in his stead, but also began to war against each other, with an ambitious view to enlarge every one the bounds of his respective dominion. The most arrogant and turbulent of all these an gelic spirits was that which presided over the Jewish nation.-Hence the Supreme God, beholding with compassion the miserable state of rational beings, who groaned under the contest of these jarring powers, sent BATH-KOL (i e. the daughter of a from heaven his son Nus, or Christ, the voice,) an oracle among the Jews, frequentchief of the aions, that, joined in a substantially mentioned in their books, especially the union with the man Jesus, he might restore Talmud. It was a fantastical way of divinathe knowledge of the Supreme God, destroy tion invented by the Jews, though called by the empire of those angelic natures which them a revelation from God's will, which presided over the world, and particularly he made to his chosen people after all ver that of the arrogant leader of the Jewish bal prophecies had ceased in Israel. people. The God of the Jews, alarmed at this, sent forth his minister to seize the man Jesus, and put him to death. They executed his commands: but their cruelty could not extend to Christ, against whom their efforts were vain. Those souls who obey the precepts of the Son of God, shall, after the dissolution of their mortal frame, ascend to the Father, while their bodies return to the corrupt mass of matter whence they were formed. Disobedient spirits, on the contrary, shall pass

successively into other bodies. BATANISTS, or ASSASSINS; a famous heretical sect of murderers among the Mahometans, who settled in Persia about 1090. Their head and chief seems to have been Hasson Sabah, who made fanatical slaves of his subjects. Their religion was a compound of that of the Magi, the Jews, the Christians, and the Mahometans. They believed the Holy Ghost resided in their chief; that his orders proceeded from God himself, and were real declarations of his will.

This chief, from his exalted residence on Mount Lebanon, was called the old man of the mountain; who, like a vindictive deity, with the thunderbolt in his hand, sent inevitable death to all quarters, so that even kings trembled at his sanguinary power. His subjects would prostrate themselves at the foot of his throne, requesting to die by his hand, or order, as a favour by which they were sure of passing into paradise. "Are your subjects," said the old man of the mountain to the son-in-law of Amoury, king of Jerusalem, as ready in their submission as mine? and without staying for an answer,

BAXTERIANS, so called from the learned and pious Mr. Richard Baxter, who was born in the year 1615: His design was to reconcile Calvin and Arminius; for this purpose he formed a middle scheme between their systems. He taught that God had elected some, whom he is determined to save, without any foresight of their good works; and that others to whom the Gospel is preached have common grace, which if they improve, they shall obtain saving grace, according to the doctrine of Arminius. This denomination own, with Calvin, that the merits of Christ's death are to be applied to believers only; but they also assert that all men are in a state capable of salvation.

Mr. Baxter maintains that there may be a certainty of perseverance here, and yet he cannot tell whether a man may not have so weak a degree of saving grace as to lose it again.

In order to prove that the death of Christ has put all in a state capable of salvation, the following arguments are alledged by this learned author. 1. It was the nature of all mankind which Christ assumed at his in carnation, and the sins of all mankind' were the occasion of his suffering.-2. It was to Adam, as the common father of lapsed mankind, that God made the promise (Gen. iii 15.) The conditional new covenant does equally give Christ, pardon, and life, to all mankind, on condition of acceptance. The conditional grant is universal: Whosoever believeth shall be saved-3. It is not to the elect only, but to all mankind, that Christ has commanded his ministers to proclaim

BEGUINES, a congregation of nuns found

his Gospel, and offer the benefits of his pro-ed either by St. Begghe or by Lambert le

curing

There are, Mr. Baxter allows, certain fruits of Christ's death which are proper to the elect only: 1. Grace eventually worketh in them true faith, repentance, conversion, and union with Christ, as his living members-2. The actual forgiveness of sins as to the spiritual and eternal punishment.-3. Our reconciliation with God, and adoption and right to the heavenly inheritance.-4. The Spirit of Christ to dwell in us, and sanctify us, by a habit of divine love, Rom. viii. 9. 13. Gal. v. 6.-5. Employment in holy, acceptable service, and access in prayer, with a promise of being heard through Christ, Heb ii. 5, 6. John xiv. 13.-6. Well grounded hopes of salvation, peace of conscience, and spiritual communion with the church mystical in heaven and earth, Rom. v. 12. Heb. xii. 22.-7. A special interest in Christ, and intercession with the Father, Rom. viii. 32, 33.-8. Resurrection unto life, and justification in judgment; glorification of the soul at death, and of the body at the resurrection, Phil. iii. 20, 21. 2 Cor. v. 1, 2, 3.

Christ has made a conditional deed of gift of these benefits to all mankind; but the elect only accept and possess them. Hence he infers that though Christ never absolutely intended or decreed that his death should eventually put all men in possession of those benefits, yet he did intend and decree that all men should have a conditional gift of them by his death.

Begue. They were established, first at Liege, and afterwards at Neville, in 1207; and from this last settlement sprang the great number of Beguinages which are spread over all Flanders, and which have passed from Flanders into Germany. In the latter country some of them fell into extravagant errors, persuading themselves that it was possible in the present life to arrive at the highest perfection, even to impecability, and a clear view of God; in short to so eminent a degree of contemplation, that there was no necessity, after this, to submit to the laws of mortal men, civil or ecclesiastical. The council of Vienna, in 1113, condemned these errors; permitting, nevertheless, those among them who continued in the true faith to live in charity and penitence, either with or without vows. There still subsists, or at least subsisted till lately, many communities of them in Flanders. What changes the late revolutions may have effected upon these nurseries of superstition we have yet to learn.

BEHMENISTS, a name given to those mystics who adopt the explications of the mysteries of nature and grace, as given by Jacob Behmen. This writer was born in the year 1575, at Old Seidenburgh, near Gorlitz, in Upper Lusatia: he was a shoe-maker by trade. He is described as having been thoughtful and religious from his youth up, taking peculiar pleasure in frequenting public worship. At length, seriously considering within himself that speech of our Saviour, My Father which is in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him, he was thereby thoroughly awakened in himself, and set forward to desire that promised Comforter; and, continuing in that earnestness, he was at last, to use his own expression, “surrounded with a divine light for seven days, and stood in the highest contemplation and kingdom of joys!" After this, about the year 1600, he was again surrounded by the divine light, and replenished with the heavenly knowledge; insomuch as, going abroad into BEATIFICATION, in the Romish the fields, and viewing the herbs and grass, church, the act whereby the pope declares by his inward light he saw into their essences, a person happy after death. See CANONI-use, and properties, which were discovered

Baxter, it is said, wrote 120 books, and had 60 written against him. 20,000 of his Call to the unconverted were sold in one year. He told a friend, that six brothers were converted by reading that Call. The eminent Mr. Elliot of New-England, translated this tract into the Indian tengue. A young Indian prince was so taken with it, that he read it with tears and died with it in his hand. Calamy's Life of Baxter; Baxter's Catholic Theology, p. 51.-53; Baxter's End of Doctrinal Controversy, p. 154, 155.

ZATION.

BEATITUDE imports the highest degree of happiness human nature can arrive to: the fruition of God in a future life to all eternity. It is also used in speaking of the theses contained in Christ's sermon on the Mount, whereby he pronounces the several characters there mentioned blessed.

BEGHARDS, or BEGUARDS, a sect that arose in Germany in the thirteenth century, and took St. Begghe for their patroness. They employed themselves in making linen cloth, each supporting himself by his labour, and were united only by the bonds of charity. without having any particular rule; but which pope Nicholas IV. had confirmed that of the third order of St. Francis in 1289, they embraced it the year following. F

to him by their lineaments, figures, and signatures. In the year 1610, he had a third special illumination, wherein still farther mysteries were revealed to him. It was not till the year 1612 that Behmen committed these revelations to writing His first treatise is entitled Aurora, which was seized on and withheld from him by the senate of Gorlitz (who persecuted him at the instigation of the primate of that place) before it was finished, and he never afterwards proceeded with it farther than by adding some explanatory notes. The next production of his pen is called The Three Principles. In this work he more fully illustrates the subjects treated of in the former, and supplies what is wanting in that work. The contents of these two treatises may be divided as