that man can only attain unto this hea- BENEDICTINES, an order of venly life of the second principle through monks who professed to follow the the new birth in Christ Jesus.-3. The rules of St. Benedict. They were oblilife of the third principle, or of this ex-ged to perform their devotions seven ternal and visible world. Thus the life of the first and third principles is common to all men; but the life of the second principle only to a true Christian or child of God. times in twenty-four hours. They were obliged always to go two and two together. Every day in Lent they fasted till six in the evening, and abated of their usual time in sleeping, eating, &c.--Every monk had two coats, two cowls, a table-book, a knife, a needle, and a handkerchief; and the furniture of his bed was a mat, a blanket, a rug, and a pillow. The time when this order came into England is well known, for to it the English owe their conversion from idolatry. They founded the metropolitan church of Canterbury, and all the cathedrals that were afterwards erected. The order has produced a vast number of eminent men.-Their Alcuinus form Behmen wrote several other treatises, besides the three already enumerated; but these three being, as it were,|| the basis of all his other writings, it was thought proper to notice them particularly. His conceptions are often clothed under allegorical symbols; and in his latter works he has frequently adopted chemical and Latin phrases to express his ideas, which phrases he borrowed from conversation with learned men, the education he had received being too illiterate to furnish him with them: buted the university of Paris; their Dionyas to the matter contained in his writings, he declaimed having borrowed it either from men or books. He died in the year 1624. His last words were, "Now I go hence into Paradise." Some of Behmen's principles were adopted by the late ingenious and pious William Law, who has clothed them in a more modern dress, and in a less obscure style. See Behmen's Works; Okely's Memoirs of Behmen. BELIEF, in its general and natural sense, denotes a persuasion or an assent of the mind to the truth of any preposition. In this sense belief has no relation to any particular kind of means or arguments, but may be produced by any means whatever: thus we are said to believe our senses, to believe our reason, to believe a witness. Belief, in its more restrained sense, denotes that kind of assent which is grounded only on the authority or testimony of some person. In this sense belief stands opposed to knowledge and science. We do not say that we believe snow is white, but we know it to be so. But when a thing is propounded to us, of which we ourselves have no knowledge, but which appears to us to be true from the testimony given to it by another, this is what we call belief. See FAITH. BELIEVERS, an appellation given, toward the close of the first century, to those Christians who had been admitted into the church by baptism, and instructed in all the mysteries of religion. They were thus called in contradistinction to the catechumens who had not been baptized, and were debarred from those privileges. Among us it is often used synonymously with Christian. See CHRIS TIAN. sius Exiguus perfected the ecclesiastical computation; their Guido invented the scale of music; and their Sylvester the organ. BENEDICTION, in a general sense the act of blessing, cr giving praise to God, or returning thanks for his favours. The Jews, it is said, are obliged to rehearse a hundred benedictions per day, of which eighty are to be spoken in the morning. It was usual to give a benediction to travellers on their taking leave; a practice which is still preserved among the monks. Benedictions were likewise given among the ancient Jews as well as Christians, by imposition of hands. And when at length the primitive simplicity of the Christian worship began to give way to ceremony, they added the sign of the cross, which was made with the same hand as before, only elevated or extended. Hence benediction in the modern Romish church is used, in a more particular manner, to denote the sign of the cross made by a bishop or prelate as conferring some grace on the people. Benediction is also used for an ecclesiastical ceremony, whereby a thing is rendered sacred or venerable. In this sense benediction differs from consecration, as in the latter, unction is applied, which is not in the former; thus the chalice is consecrated, and the pix blessed; as the former, not the latter, is anointed, though in the common usage these two words are applied promiscuously. The spirit of piety, or rather of superstition, has introduced into the Romish church benedictions for almost every thing: we read of forms of benedictions for wax candles, for boughs, for ashes, for church vessels, for orna G ments, for flags, or ensigns, arms, first fruits, houses, ships, paschal eggs, cilicium, or the hair-cloth of penitents, church-yards, &c. In general, these benedictions are performed by aspersions of holy water, signs of the cross, and prayers suitable to the nature of the ceremony. The forms of these benedictions are found in the Roman pontifical, in the Roman missal, in the book of ecclesiastical ceremonies, printed in Pope Leo X's. time, and in the rituals and ceremonies of the different churches, which are found collected in father Martene's work on the rites and discipline of the church. fined by several considerations; such as our knowledge of objects, and their different circumstances as well as our own abilities and opportunities of exercising them. Benevolence or good will to others does not imply that we are to neglect our own interests. Our salvation, health, prosperity, and reputation, should all be objects of concern; nor will this clash with the affection we may bear to others; on the contrary, experiencing the importance of these blessings ourselves, we shall be anxious for others to possess them also. The duties of benevolence include those we owe to men, purely on the ground of their beBENEFICENCE, the practice of ing of the same species with ourselves; doing good; active goodness.-Next to such as sympathy, relief, &c.; those we justice, the most prominent virtue in the owe to our country, desiring its honour, system of morality, is beneficence. Pow-safety, prosperity; those we owe to the er makes us to be feared, riches to be flattered, learning to be admired; but beneficence renders us amiable and useful in the scale of society. Some qualifications are solitary, and centre mostly in ourselves; but this is social, diffusive, and kind. The objects of our beneficence are all those who are in the sphere of our influence and action, without respect to party or sect. Toward superiors, beneficence expresseth itself in respect, honour, submission, and service; toward inferiors, in liberality, condescension, protection, and support; toward equals, in all the offices of love their cases require, and which they have ability for. It includes all the kind exertions on the behalf of the poor, the sick, the fatherless, the widow, the distressed, &c. and especially those "who are of the household of faith," Gal. vi. 10. The means of beneficence arecommunication of temporal supplies, Gal. vi. 6; prayer, James v. 16; sympathy, Rom. xii. 15; appropriate advice and conversation, Col. iii. 16.-Ob-|| ligations to beneficence arise from the law of nature, Acts xvii. 26; the law of revelation, Heb. xiii. 16; the relations we stand in to each other, Gal. vi. 1, 2; the example of Christ and illustrious characters, Acts x. 38; the resemblance || we herein bear to the best of Beings, Acts xiv. 17; and the pleasure we receive and give in so noble an employ. See BENEVOLENCE, CHARITY, LOVE. BENEVOLENCE, the love of man- As to the origin of this sect, we find kind in general, accompanied with a de- that the Bereans first assembled as a sire to promote their happiness. It is separate society of Christians, in the distinguished from beneficence, that be- city of Edinburgh, in the autumn of ing the practice, benevolence the desire 1773, and soon after in the Parish of of doing good. Benevolence must be Fettercairn. The opponents of the Beuniversal, reaching to every man with- rean doctrines allege that this new sys. out exception; but beneficence cannot tem of faith would never have been be so universal, for it is necessarily con-heard of, had not Mr. Barclay, the church of God, as love, zeal, &c.'; those we owe to families and individuals, as affection, care, provision, justice, forbearance, &c. Benevolence manifests itself by being pleased with the share of good every creature enjoys; in a disposition to increase it; in feeling an uneasiness at their sufferings; and in the abhorrence of cruelty under every disguise or pretext. The desire of doing good unconnected with any idea of advantage to ourselves is called disinterested benevolence, though some doubt whether, strictly speaking, there be any such thing; as benevolence is always attended with a pleasure to ourselves, which forms a kind of mental interest. So far, however, as we are able to prefer the good of others to our own, and sacrifice our own comfort for the welfare of any about us, so far it may be said to be disinterested. See Hutcheson on the Passions, p. 13–26; Doddridge's Lectures, 65; Beattie's Elements of Moral Science, vol. i. p. 244-249; Brown's Second Essay on Shaftesbury's Characteris. tics; and articles LOVE, and SELFLOVE. BEREANS, a sect of protestant dissenters from the church of Scotland, who take their title from and profess to follow the example of the ancient Bereans, in building their system of faith and practice upon the scriptures alone, without regard to any human authority whatever. founder of it, been disappointed by a set- and that without revelation man would tlement in the church of Scotland. But never have entertained an idea of his the Bereans in answer to this charge existence.-2. With regard to faith in appeal not only to Mr. Barclay's doc Christ, and assurance of salvation trine, uniformly preached in the church through his merits, they differ from alof Fettercairn, and many other places most all other sects whatsoever. These in that neighbourhood, for fourteen they reckon inseparable, or rather the years before that benefice became va same, because (say they) "God hath cant, but likewise to two different trea- expressly declared, he that believeth tises, containing the same doctrines. shall be saved; and therefore it is not published by him about ten or twelve only absurd but impious, and in a manyears before that period. They admit, ner calling God a liar, for a man to say indeed that previous to May 1773, when I believe the Gospel, but have doubts, the general assembly, by sustaining the nevertheless, of my own salvation." king's presentation in favour of Mr. With regard to the various distinctions Foote, excluded Mr. Barclay from suc- and definitions that have been given of ceeding to the church of Fettercairn different kinds of faith, they argue that (notwithstanding the almost unanimous there is nothing incomprehensible or obdesire of the parishioners,) the Bereans scure in the meaning of this word as used had not left the established church, or in Scripture; but that as faith, when attempted to erect themselves into a applied to human testimony, [signifies distinct society; but they add, that this neither more nor less than the mere was by no means necessary on their simple belief of that testimony as true, part, until by the assembly's decision upon the authority of the testifier, so, they were in danger of being not only when applied to the testimony of God, deprived of his instructions, but of being it signifies precisely" the belief of his scattered as sheep without a shepherd. testimony, and resting upon his veraciAnd they add, that it was Mr. Barclay's ty alone, without any kind of collateral open and public avowal, both from the support from concurrence of any other pulpit and the press, of those peculiar evidence or testimony whatever." And sentiments which now distinguish the they insist that, as this faith is the gift Bereans, that it was the first and princi- of God alone, so the person to whom it pal, if not the only cause of the opposi-is given is as conscious of possessing it as tion set on foot against his settlement in Fettercairn. the being to whom God gives life is of being alive; and therefore he entertains The Bereans agree with the great no doubts either of his faith or his conmajority of Christians respecting the sequent salvation through the merits of doctrine of the Trinity, which they hold Christ, who died and rose again for that as a fundamental article; and they also purpose. In a word, they argue that the agree in a great measure with the pro- Gospel would not be what it is held forth fessed principles of both our established to be, glad tidings of great joy, if it did churches respecting predestination and not bring full personal assurance of eterelection, though they allege that these nal salvation to the believer; which asdoctrines are not consistently taught insurance, they insist, is the present ineither church. But they differ from the majority of all sects of Christians in various other important particulars, such as, 1. Respecting our knowledge of the Deity. Upon this subject they say, the majority of professed Christians stumble at the very threshold of revelation; and, by admitting the doctrine of natural religion, natural conscience, natural notices, &c. not founded upon revelation, or derived from it by tradition, they give up the cause of Christianity at once to the infidels; who may justly argue, as Mr. Paine in fact does in his Age of Reason, that there is no occasion for any revelation or word of God, if man can discover his nature and perfections from his works alone. But this the Bereans argue is beyond the natural powers of human reason; and therefore our knowledge of God is from revelation alone," fallible privilege and portion of every individual believer of the Gospel.-3. Consistently with the above definition of faith, they say that the sin against the Holy Ghost, which has alarmed and puzzled so many in all ages, is nothing else but unbelief; and that the expression-" it shall not be forgiven neither in this world nor that which is to come," means only that a person dying in infidelity would not be forgiven neither under the former dispensation by Moses (the then present dispensation, kingdom, or government of God,) nor under the Gospel dispensation, which, in respect of the Mosaic, was a kind of future world or kingdom to come.-4. The Bereans interpret a great part of the Old Testament prophecies, and in particular the whole of the Psalms, excepting such as are merely historical or lau datory, to be typical or prophetical of to any church on earth, or any number Jesus Christ, his sufferings, atonement, of churches or of Christians, whether mediation, and kingdom; and they es- decided by a majority of votes, or by teem it a gross perversion of these unanimous voices. Neither do they think psalms and prophecies to apply them to themselves authorized as a Christian the experiences of private Christians. church, to inquire into each other's poIn proof of this, they not only urge the litical opinions, any more than to exawords of the apostle, that no prophecy mine into each other's notions of philois of any private interpretation, but they sophy. They both recommend and pracinsist that the whole of the quotations tice, as a Christian duty, submission to from the ancient prophecies in the New || lawful authority; but they do not think Testament, and particularly those from that a man by becoming a Christian, or the Psalms, are expressly applied to joining their society, is under any obliChrist. In this opinion many other gation by the rules of the Gospel to reclasses of protestants agree with them. nounce his right of private judgment 5. Of the absolute all-superintending upon matters of public or private imsovereignty of the Almighty, the Be-portance. Upon all such subjects they reans entertain the hightest idea, as well as of the uninterrupted exertion thereof over all his works, in heaven, earth, and hell, however unsearchable by his creatures. A God without election, they argue, or choice in all his works, is a God without existence, a mere idol, a nonentity. And to deny God's election, purpose, and express will in all his works. is to make him inferior to ourselves. allow each other to think and act as each may see it his duty; and they require nothing more of the members than a uniform and steady profession of the apostolic fatth, and a suitable walk and conversation. For farther particulars of the doctrines of this sect, see the works of Messrs. Barclay, Nicol, Brooksbank, and M'Rae. See also Mr. A. M'Lean's Treatise on the Commission, first edition, p. 88. in which Mr. Barclay's notion of assurance is combated. It is said that their doctrine has found converts in various places of Scotland, England, and America; and that they have congregations in Edinburgh, GlasAs to their practice and discipline, gow, Paisley, Stirling, Crieff, Dundee, they consider infant baptism as a divine Arbroath, Montrose, Fettercairn, Aberordinance, instituted in the room of cir- || deen, and other towns in Scotland, as cumcision; and think it absurb to sup- well as in London, and various places in pose that infants, who all agree are ad- England. missible to the kingdom of God in heaven, should, nevertheless, be incapable of being admitted into his visible church on earth. They commemorate the|| Lord's supper generally once a month but as the words of the institution fix no particular period, they sometimes celebrate it oftener, and sometimes at more distant periods, as it may suit their general convenience. They meet every Lord's day for the purpose of preaching, praying, and exhorting to love and good works. With regard to admission and exclusion of members, their method is very simple: when any person, after hearing the Berean doctrines, professes his belief and assurance of the truths of the Gospel, and desires to be admitted into their communion, he is cheerfully || received upon his profession, whatever may have been his former manner of life. But if such a one should afterwards draw back from his good profession or practice, they first admonish him, and, if that has no effect, they leave him to himself. They do not think that they have any power to deliver a backsliding brother to Satan; that text, and other similar passages, such as, "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven," &c. they consider as restricted to the apostles, and to the inspired testimony alone, and not to be extended || BERENGARIANS, a denomination in the eleventh century, which adhered to the opinions of Berengarius, who asserted that the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper are not really and essentially, but figuratively changed into the body and blood of Christ. His followers were divided in opinion as to the eucharist. Some allowed them to be changed in effect; others admitted a change in part; and others an entire change, with this restriction, that, to those who communicated unworthily, the elements were changed back again. BERYLLIANS, so called from Beryllus, an Arabian, bishop of Bozrah, who flourished in the third century. He taught that Christ did not exist before Mary; but that a spirit issuing from God himself, and therefore superior to all human souls, as being a portion of the divine nature, was united to him at the time of his birth. BETHLEHEMITES, a sect called also Star-bearers, because they were distinguished by a red star having five mys, which they wore in their breast, || their synagogues every sabbath day; the memory of the star which appeared number was fifty-four, because, in their the wise men. Several authors have intercalated years, a month being then rectioned this order, but none of them added, there were fifty-four sabbaths; have told us their origin, nor where in other years they reduced them to their convents were situated; if we ex-fifty-two, by twice joining together two cept Matthew Paris, who says that, in 1257, they obtained a settlement in Engand, which was at Cambridge, in Trumplington Street. short sections. Till the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes, they read only the law; but the reading of it being then prohibited, they substituted in the BIBLE, the name applied by Chris-room of it fifty-four sections out of the tians, by way of eminence, to the collec-prophets; and when the reading of the tion of sacred writings, or the holy law was restored by the Maccabees, the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa-section which was read every sabbath ments. I. BIBLE, ancient divisions and Order of. After the return of the Jews from the Baby lonish captivity, Ezra collected as many copies as he could of the sacred writings, and out of them all prepared a correct edition, arranging the several books in their proper order. These books he divided into three parts. 1. The Law. 11. The prophets. 111. The Hagiographia, i. e. the holy writings. 1. The law, contains-1, Genesis ;-2, Exodos;-3, Leviticus ;-4, Numbers; -5, Deuteronomy. 11. The writings of the prophets are-1, Joshua:-2, Judges, with Ruth;-3, Samuel; 4, Kings ;5, Isaiah:-6, Jeremiah, with his Lamentation ;-7, Ezekiel ;-8, Daniel; -9, The twelve minor prophets;-10, Job-11, Ezra ;-12, Nehemiah;-13, Esther. 111. The Hagiographia consists of-1, The Psalms ;-2, The Proverbs:-3, Ecclesiastes ;-4, The Song of Soloman. This division was made for the sake of reducing the number of the sacred books to the number of the letters in their alphabet, which amount to twenty-two. Afterwards the Jews reckoned twenty-four books in their canon of scripture; in disposing of which the law stood as in the former division, and the prophets were distributed into former and latter; the former prophets are Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings; the latter prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets. And the Hagiographia consists of the Paims, the Proverbs, Job, the Song of Solomon, Ruth, the Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, the Chronicles. Under the name of Ezra they comprehend Nehemiah; this order hath not always been observed, but the variations from it are of no moment, The five books of the law are divided to forty-five sections. This division many of the Jews hold to have been appointed by Moses himself; but others with more probability, ascribe it to Ez The design of this division was that re of these sections might be read in out of the law served for their first lesson, and the section out of the prophets for their second. These sections were divided into verses; of which division, if Ezra was not the author, it was introduced not long after him and seems to have been designed for the use of the Targumists, or Chaldee interpeters; for after the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, when the Hebrew language ceased to be their mother tongue, and the Chaldee grew into use instead of it, the custom was, that the law should be first read in the original Hebrew, and then interpreted to the people in the Chaldee language; for which purpose these shorter sections were very convenient. II. BIBLE, History of. It is thought that Ezra published the Scriptures in the Chaldee character, for that language being generally used among the Jews, he thought proper to change the old Hebrew character for it, which hath since that time been retained only by the Samaritans, among whom it is preserved to this day. Prideaux is of opinion that Ezra made additions in several parts of the Bible, where any thing appeared necessary for illustrating, connecting, or completing the work: in which he appears to have been assisted by the same Spirit in which they were first written. Among such additions are to be reckoned the last chapter of Deuteronomy, wherein Moses seems to give an account of his own death and burial, and the succession of Joshua after him. To the same cause our learned author thinks are to be attributed many other interpolations in the Bible, which created difficulties and objections to the authenticity of the sacred text, no ways to be solved without allowing them. Ezra changed the names of several places which were grown obsolete, and instead of them, put their new names by which they were then called in the text. Thus it is that Abraham is said to have pursued the kings who carried Lot away. captive as far as Dan; whereas that |