(if they had not been stopped) fixing upon the clergy the yoke of perpetual celibacy, as was afterwards done by the church of Rome.-Mosheim's E. H. vol. i. pp. 414 -416. Bishop Burnet on the Eighth Article. Bishop Tomline's Christian Theology, vol. ii. p. 218.]

NICOLAITANS, or NICOLAITES, a sect that arose in the 1st century, and boasted its origin from Nicolas, the proselyte of Antioch, who was one of the first seven deacons, chosen at Jerusalem, (Acts vi. 5.) but they are severely censured by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, in the book of Revelation, (chap. ii. 6.)" The DEEDS of the Nicolaitans, which I hate." By this expression it should seem, that their heresy was rather practical than theoretical; and they stand charged in history with sensuality and profaneness, particularly with allowing a community of wives. Whether Nicolas himself countenanced such conduct, or whether they abused his name to sanction it, is not now easily to be ascertained. Nor is it quite certain, that they had any ground for claiming him as their founder, since Nicolas was a common na:ne among the Greeks.

Clemens Alexandrinus pretends, that one of the apostles reproving Nicolas for jealousy of his wife, who was very handsome, and in order to shew his indifference to the sex, he intimated, that any person that pleased might have her; and separated himself from her, under pretence of mortifying the flesh. This story is not, however, very probable, since any apostle, who reproved him for jealousy, would certainly reprove him for such a mode of conduct. The Nicolaitans of the 2d century were Gnostics; but there seems some doubt, whether they were the same sect, it having been said they were founded by one Nicolaus, a Gnostic. They are supposed afterwards to have degenerated to the Cainites, which see.-Calmet's Dict. in Nicolas. Mosheim's E. H. vol. i. p. 143.] NICOLITES (or New Quakers) are, according to M. Grégoire, (the only author in whom we find them mentioned), the disciples of Joseph Nicholls, a late celebrated preacher: it is said, they have a church at Baltimore, in the United States, and that their sentiments very nearly correspond with those of the Friends, or Quakers; but in what respects they differ is not said.-(Grégoire's History, vol. i, p. 134; vol. ii. p. 439.]

NOETIANS, a denomination in the 3d century, the followers of Noetus the Ephesian, an obscure man, of no great

abilities, and a Patripassian. Sabellius is said to have been his disciple.- Mosheim's E. H. vol. i. p. 305. Turner's Hist. P.97.] NOMINALISTS, the opposite of Realists, which see.

NONCONFORMISTS, dissenters from the Church of England; but the term applies more particularly to those ministers who were ejected from their livings by the Act of Uniformity in 1662, the number of whom, according to Dr. Calamy, was nearly 2000; and to the laity who adhered to them. The celebrated Mr. Locke says, "Bartholomew day (the day fixed by the Act of Uniformity) was fatal to our church and religion, by throwing out a very great number of worthy, learned, pious, and orthodox divines, who could not come up to this, and other things in that Act. And it is worth your knowledge, that so great was the zeal in carrying on this church affair, and so blind was the obedience required, that if you compare the time of passing the Act with the time allowed for the clergy to subscribe the book of Common Prayer thereby established, you shall plainly find, it could not be printed and distributed, so as one man in forty could have seen and read the book before they did so perfectly assent and consent thereto.". [Locke's Posthumous Works, folio, second edition, p. 20.]

By this Act, the clergy were required to subscribe (ex animo) their "assent and consent to all and every thing contained in the book of Common Prayer," which had never before been insisted on, so rigidly as to deprive them of their livings and livelihood. Several other acts were passed about this time, very oppressive, both to the clergy and laity. In the preceding year (1661), the Corporation Act incapacitated all persons from offices of trust and honour in a corporation, who did not receive the Sacrament in the Established Church. The Conventicle Act, in 1663 and 1670, forbade the attendance at conventicles, that is, at places of worship other than the establishment, where more than five adults were present beside the resident family; and that under penalties of fine and imprisonment by the sentence of magistrates, without a jury. The Oxford Act, of 1665, banished nonconforming ministers five miles from any corporate town sending members to Parliament, and prohibited them from keeping or teaching schools. The Test Act of the same year requires all persons, accepting any office undergovernment, to receive the sacrament

in the Established Church. Of these Acts, the Conventicle and Oxford Acts have been repealed; but the Corporation and Test Acts still remain: an Act of Indemnity, however, annually passed, has the effect of screening, from certain penalties, those who neglect compliance with these laws. From the time of the Revolution, the term Nonconformist has given place to that of Dissenter, or Protestant Dissenter.

The grounds of dissent, or reasons for Nonconformity, have occupied many volumes, and can only be hinted at here. Dissenters object to the governmentthe principles and the forms of the Church of England.

1. As to the government of the church, they allege, that Christ, and no temporal prince, is the Head of his Church. That Henry VIII. had no more right to this title than the Pope, from whom he took it. They object also to modern Episcopacy, and to the connexion of temporalities with the Church, as making it a mere creature of the State: and this alliance between the Church and State' they consider as secularizing the Church, and producing persecution. They allow the civil magistrate no power in matters purely ecclesiastical.

2. As to its principles, they take the scriptures as the sole rule of their faith, and claim the right of interpreting them for themselves, unshackled by Articles and Creeds. In this, however, it must be confessed, that Dissenters have been by no means consistent, since many who have objected to signing the Thirty-nine Articles of the Establishment, have formed others of their own as dogmatical, if not as numerous; or have assigned to their Catechisms the same authority that the Church of England gives to her Articles. This charge of inconsistency is not meant to apply to Presbyterians, who, though Dissenters in England, are of the Establishment in Scotland; and neither object to an establishment in itself considered, nor to articles of faith. It is remarkable, however, that in both cases the doctrines of the church have been far more generally preached by those who refused to sign them, than by those who signed without any scruple.

3. The earliest and most numerous objections lie against certain forms and formularies of the church. They object to forms of prayer, and especially when they are compulsive, and allow the minister no latitude; to certain expressions in

the Liturgy, in the baptismal, funeral, and other services ;-and (perhaps more generally than to any other part) to the damnatory clauses of the Athanasian Creed.

The Dissenters (exclusive of Methodists, Quakers, &c.) are generally divided into the three denominations of Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists, whose meetings, as Dissenters, on their united interests, are always held at Dr. Williams's Library, in Redcross Street. As to the numbers in each denomination, it is almost impossible to ascertain them. In 1715 and 1716, Mr. Daniel Neal (Author of the History of the Puritans) reckoned the number of dissenting congregations in England at 1107, of whom 247 were Baptists. In Wales, there were only 43, and not distinguished into denominations. Near the beginning of this century, the number of congregations was estimated as follows:Presbyterians, 270; Independents, 1024; Baptists, 708; Nondescript, 100:—total, 2102 congregations.-W. Jones's Dict. of Religious Opinions, p. 204.]—In the Baptist Magazine for January last, the congregations of Calvinistic Baptists only, exclusive as well of Antinomians as Arminians, are reckoned at about 700; but as no average can be formed of the number, either of members or of hearers in each congregation, this will not enable us to form any correct estimate of either denomination, or of the whole.-[Bogue and Bennett's History of Dissenters, 4 vols. 8vo. The Nonconformist's Memorial, three vols. 8vo. Wilson's History of Dissenting Churches, 4 vols. For objections in point of principle, besides what may be contained in the preceding, see Towgood on Dissent, Graham on Establishments, and Conder's Nonconformity—this latter being the latest and most temperate work on this subject.]

NONJURORS, the remains of the antient Episcopal Church of Scotland, who, at the Revolution of 1688, adhered to the banished family of the Stuarts, and refused to take the oath of allegiance to King William. But at the death of the last Pretender, in 1788, the denomination became extinct, and the laws against them have been since repealed. The Episcopal Church of Scotland is now considered as a branch of that of England, and is governed by eight bishops, one of whom is styled Primus; and the whole number of her members is calculated at about 25,000.

At Laurence Kirk, county of Kincardine, in 1804, their bishops and clergy

subscribed to the Articles of the united Church of England and Ireland, of which it then became a branch; that subscription was, however, made, according to Mr. Adam, one of their clergy, in the Anti-Calvinistic sense.-[Skinner's E. H. of Scotland, 2 vols. 8vo. R. Adam's R. W. vol. ii. p. 399, &c.]

NOVATIANS, a denomination in the 3d century, who derive their name from their founders, Novatian, a presbyter of the church of Rome, and Novatus, a presbyter of the church of Carthage, who had quarrelled with Cyprian, his diocesan; and having fled to avoid excommunication, readily joined Novatian, who had been already excommunicated by Cornelius, Bishop of Rome, in A. D. 251.Novatian was a man of uncommon eloquence and learning, and of an ambitious temper; and having procured himself to be elected bishop, according to Mr. Milner, in a very irregular manner, he aspired to be the head of a new denomination, in which he succeeded; and made a schism, which spread both to East and West, and continued till about the middle of the 5th century. According to the writer just quoted, these were the first Dissenters from the Catholic church merely on the ground of discipline; for they are accused of no breach of orthodoxy.

This denomination laid it down for a fundamental tenet, that the church of Christ ought to be free from every stain; and taught, that he who had once fallen into any mortal offence could not again become a member of it, though they did not refuse him the hopes of eternal life. Hence they looked upon every society which re-admitted those to their communion, who, after baptism, had fallen into heinous crimes, as unworthy the title of a Christian church. They separated from the church of Rome avowedly because she, on repentance, admitted to communion those who had fallen off in time of persecution. To this they objected, from Heb. vi. 1—8. They even obliged such as came over to them from the general body of Christians, to submit to baptism a second time, as a necessary preparation for entering into their society.

This denomination also condemned second marriages, and denied communion for ever to such as practised them. They assumed to themselves (as is pretended) the title of Cathari, or Puritans; though it seems more likely that it was first imposed on them. Schismatics as they were, however, it does not appear that

they corrupted either the doctrines or morality of the Gospel. Their fault was, that in condemning the laxness of the church of Rome, they fell into the contrary extreme of an unfeeling and unscriptural severity.-[Mosheim's E. H. vol. i. pp. 308-310. Milner's Ch. Hist. vol. i. pp. 370-373. Haweis's ditto, vol.i. p. 225.]

NOVICES, religious in the period of their Noviciate, which lasts for twelve months, or more. The Jesuits are particularly severe in disciplining their Novices to cheerful, implicit, unhesitating obedience.-[Broughton's Dict.]

NOVOJENTZI, a party of the "Old Believers" among the Russian Dissenters, who recommended marriage very strongly, in opposition to those who prefer celibacy. See Starovertsi. [Pinkerton's Greek Ch. p. 333.]

NUNS, females devoted to celibacy, and a religious life, who generally live in Nunneries, or cloisters devoted to their use. After the usual noviciate, they take the veil and habit of Nuns; and after the profane ceremony of being married to Christ by a ring, &c., it becomes sacrilege to marry a Nun-which was the great crime of Luther.

There is no doubt, but that in many cases, these female monastics have been much slandered; and there is as little, that in other cases they have been very licentious; and there being no authority in scripture for such a state of seclusion from society, Protestants universally condemn it. The first Nuns were called Ecclesiastical Virgins, and though they were enrolled in the matricula of the church, they resided privately with their parents: and if they afterwards altered their determination, and chose to marry, it was not considered as a crime.[Broughton's Dict.]

The Editor has been directed to the following curious article, since that on Jesuits was printed off, and knows not where else now to introduce it. ladies must, he conceives, have been a species of Nuns :

The

"Every body does not know that there has been an order of JESUITESSES. Several women in some parts of Italy, and elsewhere, who called themselves by that name, formed a society, under pretence of living a religious life, without any approbation of the Holy See. They took a particular habit; they had buildings like colleges, and probation houses. Besides, they chose a woman to be their superiorgeneral, whom they called Provost; and

made the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, without confining themselves to a monastic life. They went up and down to promote the salvation of souls, and did several other things inconsistent with the weakness and modesty of their sex. Nay, they ventured upon some things, which men of great experience, well skilled in the holy scriptures, and eminent for the purity of their lives, will hardly undertake without great circumspection. Such was the character of

ЕСО

OBI, a superstition among the West Indian Negroes, so called. See Negroes. OBLATI, lay brothers in monasteries, who offered their services to the church, as bell-ringers, &c. They wore a religious habit, and were admitted by the ceremony of placing the bell-rope round their necks, as indicative of the service they were expected to perform.-[Broughton's Dict.] ECONOMISTS, a sect of French philosophers, of whom Dr. Duquesnai was the founder. He so ingratiated himself with Louis XV. that he used to call him his thinker: and gained the affections of the people, under pretence of promoting œconomy in the state. According to the Abbé Barruel, however, the real object of the majority of the society was to subvert Christianity, by circulating the writings of Voltaire, Rousseau, and other infidels. This they did by printing extracts from these popular authors, and circulating them through the kingdom by hawkers and pedlars, who had them for little or nothing, that they might undersell all other literature. Their secret meetings, for preparing and revising these tracts, were held at Baron Halbach's. In some of these tracts their object was disguised; in others they were so bold as to avow their object under such titles as "Christianity unmasked," &c. They also attempted schools, for the avowed intention of preparing children for trade and mechanic arts, in which the same writings were read and circulated. Among the members of their secret club were, D'Alembert, Turgot, Condorcet, Diderot, La Harpe, and La Moignon, Keeper of the Seals, who, on his dismissal from that

OPH

office, shot himself.-[Supp. to 3d edit. of Ency. Brit. vol. ii. p. 307.]

CECUMENICAL, general, universal.See Councils.

OPHIANS, OPHITES, or SERPENTARIANS, (from ophis, a serpent) seems to be the name of several sects, so called from their reverence, and, in many cases, worship of the serpent. Mr. Bryant thinks this almost universally prevailed in the Eastern world, and names many countries which adopted it, particularly Egypt. The cause seems to have had its origin in the opinion, that the serpent was 66 more subtle than any (other) beast of the field;" and this was certainly true of the Great Tempter of mankind," the Old Serpent," who persuaded our first parents, that eating of the forbidden fruit was the way to make them wise. It is not difficult to account, therefore, for the serpent being an early emblem of wisdom.

It should seem there were Ophites among the apostate Jews, who preferred the Tempter to the Saviour, and cursed the name of Jesus. It is likely, that these borrowed their idolatry from Egypt, and might have heard that Christ came to “bruise the head of the serpent," which they worshipped. These were called Simonians, from Simon Magus, or some other impostor.

We read of other Ophites, who were a sort of mongrel Christians; and, according to Irenæus and Theodoret, the same with the Sethians, which see: but the Ophites, described by Origen, seem to have been of the preceding class, who had renounced Christianity. Others, perhaps, as Dr. Lardner suggests, reverenced the