ers in the inquisition are convict-[the other the Inquisitors. After ed of heresy, either by their own a sermon made up of encomiums voluntary or extorted confession, of the Inquisition, and invectives or on the evidence of certain wit-against heretics, a priest ascends a nesses. The process is thus:--In desk near the scaffold, and, having the morning they are brought in-taken the abjuration of the penito a great hall, where they have tents, recites the final sentence of certain habits put on, which they those who are to be put to death, are to wear in the procession, and and delivers them to the secular by which they know their doom. arm, earnestly beseeching at the The procession is led up by Domi-same time the secular power not nican friars; after which come to touch their blood, or put their the penitents, being all in black lives in danger!!! The prisoners, coats without sleeves, and bare-being thus in the hands of the cifooted, with a wax candle in their vil magistrate, are presently loadhands. These are followed by ed with chains, and carried first the penitents who have narrowly to the secular jail, and from thence, escaped being burnt, who over in an hour or two, brought betheir black coats have flames fore the civil judge; who, after painted, with their points turned asking in what religion they indownwards. Next come the ne-tend to die, pronounces sentence gative and relapsed, who are toon such as declare they die in the be burnt, having flames on their communion of the church of habits pointing upwards. After Rome, that they shall be first these come such as profess doc-strangled, and then burnt to ashtrines contrary to the faith of es; on such as die in any other Rome, who, besides flames point- faith, that they be burnt alive. ing upwards, have their picture Both are immediately carried to painted on their breasts, with dogs, the Ribera, the place of execution, serpents, and devils, all open-where there are as many stakes mouthed, about it. Each prison-set up as there are prisoners to be er is attended with a familiar of burnt, with a quantity of dry furze the Inquisition; and those to be about them. The stakes of the burnt have also a Jesuit on each professed, that is, such as persist hand, who are continually preach-in the heresy, are about four yards ing to them to abjure. After the high, having a small board towards prisoners, comes a troop of fami- the top for the prisoner to be seatliars on horseback; and after themed on. The negative and relapsed the Inquisitors, and other officers being first strangled and burnt, the of the court, on mules: last of all, professed mount their stakes by the Inquisitor-general on a white a ladder; and the Jesuits, after horse, led by two men with black several repeated exhortations to hats and green hatbands. A scaf-be reconciled to the church, part fold is erected big enough for two with them; telling them that they or three thousand people; at one leave them to the devil, who is end of which are the prisoners, at standing at their elbow, to receive

their souls, and carry them with ||years from the ascension of our him to the flames of hell. On this Lord to the year of Christ 63. It a great shout is raised; and the was written by Luke, and addresscry is, "Let the dogs' beards beed to Theophilus, the person to made!" which is done by thrusting whom the evangelist had before flaming furzes fastened to long dedicated his gospel. The style poles against their faces, till their of this work, which was originally faces are burnt to a coal, which is composed in Greek, is much purer accompanied with the loudest ac- than that of the other canonical clamations of joy. At last, fire is writers. For the contents of this set to the furze at the bottom of book, we refer the reader to the the stake, over which the profess-book itself.

ed are chained so high, that the There have been several acts of top of the flame seldom reaches the apostles, such as the acts of higher than the seat they sit on; Abdias, of Peter, of Paul, St. John so that they rather seem roasted the Evangelist, St. Andrew, St. than burnt. There cannot be a Thomas, St. Philip, snd St. Matmore lamentable spectacle: the thias; but they have been all provsufferers continually cry out, while ed to be spurious.

they are able," Pity, for the love ACTS OF PILATE, a relaof God!" Yet it is beheld, by all tion sent by Pilate to the emperor sexes and ages, with transports of Tiberius concerning Jesus Christ, joy and satisfaction.--O, merciful his death, resurrection, ascension, God! is this the benign, humane and the crimes of which he was religion thou hast given to men?convicted before him. It was a cusSurely not. If such were the ge-tom among the Romans, that the nius of christianity, then it would pro-consuls and governors of probe no honour to be a christian.vinces should draw up acts or meLet us, however, rejoice that the moirs of what happened in the time is coming when the demon course of their government, and of Persecution shall be banished send them to the emperor and seout of this our world, and the nate. The genuine acts of Pilate true spirit of benevolence and can-were sent by him to Tiberius, who dour pervade the universe; when reported them to the senate; but none shall hurt or destroy, but the they were rejected by that assemearth be filled with the knowledge bly, because not immediately adof the Lord, as the waters cover dressed to them; as is testified by the sea! See INQUISITION. Tertullian, in his Apol. cap. 5, and ACTION FOR THE PUL-20, 21. The heretics forged acts PUL-imitation of them; but both the PIT.-See DECLAMATION.

genuine and the spurious are now

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, lost. one of the sacred books of the New ADAMITES, a sect that sprung Testament, containing the history up in the second century. Epiphaof the infant church during the nius tells us, that they were called space of twenty-nine or thirty Adamites from their pretending to VOL. I.

be re-established in the state of in-Surprise refers to something unnocence, such as Adam was at the expected; wonder, to something moment of his creation, whence great or strange; but admiration they ought to imitate him in going includes the idea of high esteem or naked. They detested marriage; respect. Thus, we say we admire maintaining that the conjugal union a man's excellencies; but we do would never have taken place up-not say that we are surprised at on earth, had sin been unknown. them. We wonder at an extraorThis obscure and ridiculous sect dinary object or event, but we do did not last long. It was, how-not always admire it. ever, revived with additional ab- ADMONITION denotes a surdities in the twelfth century. hint or advice given to another, About the beginning of the fif-whereby we reprove him for his teenth century, these errors spread fault, or remind him of his duty. in Germany and Bohemia: it Admonition was a part of the disfound also some partizans in Po-cipline much used in the ancient land, Holland, and England. They church: it was the first act or step assembled in the night; and, it is towards the punishment or expulsaid, one of the fundamental max-sion of delinquents. In case of priims of their society was contained vate offences, it was performed, in the following verse: according to the evangelical rule, Jura, perjura, secretum prodere noli. privately; in case of public ofSwear, forswear, and reveal not the secret. fence, openly before the church. ADESSENARIANS, a branch If either of those sufficed for the of the Sacramentarians; so called recovery of the fallen person, all from the Latin Adesse, to be pre-farther proceedings, in a way of sent, because they believed the censure, ceased; if they did not, presence of Christ's body in the recourse was had to excommunieucharist, though in a manner dif-cation.--Tit. iii, 10. 1st Thess. v, ferent from the Romanists. 14. Eph. vi, 4.

ADIAPHORISTS, a name giv-| ADONAI, one of the names en in the sixteenth century to the of the Supreme Being in the scripmoderate Lutherans who adhered tures. The proper meaning of the to the sentiments of Melancthon; word is "my Lords," in the plural and afterwards to those who sub-number; as Adoni is my Lord, in scribed the interim of Charles V. the singular. The Jews, who either [See INTERIM.] The word is of out of respect or superstition do Greek origin (adapop) and signi-not pronounce the name of Jehofies indifference or lukewarmness.vah, read Adonai in the room of it, ADMIRATION is that passion as often as they meet with Jehoof the mind which is excited by the||vah in the Hebrew text. But the discovery of any great excellence ancient Jews were not so scrupuin an object. It has by some wri-lous; nor is there any law which ters been used as synonymous forbids them to pronounce the with surprise and wonder; but it name of God.

is evident they are not the same. ADONISTS, a party among

divines and critics, who maintain and were possessed of an estate, that the Hebrew points ordinarily to prevent its being divided, or deannexed to the consonants of the scending to strangers, to make word Jehovah are not the natural choice of such who were agreeapoints belonging to that word, nor ble to them, and beloved by them, express the true pronunciation of whom they took into this political it; but are the vowel points be-relation of children; obliging them longing to the words Adonai and to take their name upon them, Elohim, applied to the consonants and to pay respect to them as of the ineffable name Jehovah, to though they were their natural pawarn the readers, that instead of rents, and engaging to deal with the word Jehovah, which the Jews them as though they had been so; were forbid to pronounce, and the and accordingly to give them a true pronunciation of which had right to their estates, as an inheritbeen long unknown to them, they ance. This new relation, founded are always to read Adonai. They in a mutual consent, is a bond of are opposed to Jehovists, of whom affection; and the privilege arising the principal are Drusius, Capel-from thence is, that he who is in lus, Buxtorf, Alting, and Reland. this sense a father, takes care of ADOPTIANISTS, the follow-and provides for the person whom ers of Felix of Urgil and Elipand he adopts, as though he were his of Toledo, who, towards the end son by nature; and therefore civiof the eighth century, advanced the lians call it an act of legitimation, notion that Jesus Christ in his hu-imitating nature, or supplying the man nature is the Son of God, not place of it.

by nature but by adoption.

It is easy, then, to conceive the ADOPTION, an act whereby propriety of the term as used by any person receives another into his the apostle in reference to this act, family, owns him for his son, and though it must be confessed there appoints him his heir. 2. Spiritual is some difference between civil adoption is an act of God's free and spiritual adoption. Civil adopgrace, whereby we are received tion was allowed of and provided into the number, and have a right for the relief and comfort of those to all the privileges of the sons of who had no children; but in spiGod.--3. Glorious, is that in which ritual adoption this reason does the saints, being raised from the not appear. The Almighty was dead, are at the last day solemnly under no obligation to do this; owned to be the children of God, for he had innumerable spirits and enter into the full possession whom he had created, besides his of that inheritance provided for own Son, who had all the perfecthem, Rom. viii, 19, 23. Adoption tions of the divine nature, who was is a word taken from the civil law, the object of his delight, and who is and was much in use among the styled the heir of all things, Heb. i, Romans in the apostles' time; 3. When men adopt, it is on acwhen it was a custom for persons count of some excellency in the who had no children of their own, persons who are adopted; thus

Pharaoh's daughter adopted Moses||sons of God,' Rom. viii, 14. Yet because he was exceeding fair, these are to be distinguished. ReActs vii, 20, 21; and Mordecai generation, as a physical act, gives adopted Esther because she was us a likeness to God in our nahis uncle's daughter, and exceed-ture; adoption, as a legal act, ing fair, Esth. ii, 7: but man has gives us a right to an inheritanc nothing in him that merits this Regeneration makes us formally divine act, Ezek. xvi, 5. In civil his sons, by conveying a princiadoption, though the name of a ple, Pet. i, 23; adoption make us son be given, the nature of a son relatively his sons, by conveying may not: this relation may not ne-a power, John i, 12. By the one cessarily be attended with any we are instated in the divine affecchange of disposition or temper. tion; by the other we are partakers But in spiritual adoption we are of the divine nature."

made partakers of the divine na- The privileges of adoption are ture, and a temper or disposition every way great and extensive. 1. given us becoming the relation-It implies great honour. They have ship we bear, Jer. iii, 19, God's name put upon them, and

Much has been said as to the are described as "his people calltime of adoption. Some place ited by his name," 2d Chron. vii, before regeneration, because it is 14. Eph. iii, 15. They are no lonsupposed that we must be in the ger slaves to sin and the world; family before we can be partakers but emancipated from its dreadof the blessings of it. But it is dif-ful bondage, are raised to dignity ficult to conceive of one before and honour, Gal. iv, 7. 1st John the other; for although adoption iii, 1, 2.-2. Inexhaustible provimay seem to precede regeneration sion and riches. They inherit all in order of nature, yet not of time; things, Rev. xxi, 7. All the blesthey may be distinguished, but sings of a temporal kind that are cannot be separated. "As many for their good shall be given them, as received him, to them gave he Psalm lxxxiv, 11. All the blespower to become the sons of God, sings of grace are treasured up in even to them that believe on his Jesus Christ for them, Eph. i, 3. name," John i, 12. There is no All the blessings of glory shall be adoption, says the great Charnock, enjoyed by them, Col. i, 27. " All without regeneration. (6 Adop-things are your's," says the apostion," says the same author, "istle, "whether Paul, or Apollos, or not a mere relation: the privilege Cephas, or the world, or life, or and the image of the sons of God death, or things present, or things go together. A state of adoption to come, all are your's," 1st Cor. is never without a separation from iii, 22.--3. Divine protection. " In defilement, Cor. ii, 17, 18. The the fear of the Lord is strong connew name in adoption is never||fidence, and his children shall have given till the new creature be a place of refuge," Prov. xiv, 26. formed. "As many as are led by As the master of a family is enthe spirit of God, they are the gaged to defend and secure all