BASILIAN MONKS, religious of the order of 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 before it passed into the west. Some pretend that Basil saw himself the spiritual father of more than 90,000 monks in the East only; but this order, which flourished for more than three centuries, was considerably diminished by heresy, schism, and a change of empire; but the number is still considerable, and some are found even in America. The historians of this order say that it has produced 14 popes, 1805 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.

BASILICA, properly a royal palace; but in the first centuries of Rome, the basilicas were splendid public buildings, of an oblong shape, and four-cornered, and commonly adorned with Corinthian columns and statues, where the citizens collected to consult for their common wel fare, transact mercantile business, and hear the young orators exercise themselves in declamation. Some of them having been given by Constantine to the Roman Christians for their worship, the first buildings appropriated to this purpose obtained the name of basilica; and afterwards, when new churches were built, the shape of the ancient basilica was retained.

BASILIDES, author of the heresy described in the following article. Different opinions have been entertained as to the time at which he lived; but if he was a disciple of Menander, who was a disciple of Simon Magus, he must have lived about the beginning of the second century, and may have spread his doctrines in the reign of the Emperor Trajan. He studied at Alexandria, and is said to have been also in Persia; but whether he learned his views of Gnosticism there is uncertain.

BASILIDIANS, those who adopted the principles of Basilides, who, when overpowered by the divine lustre of Christianity, had been induced to enrol himself among the number of its votaries, made it his study to bend and in

terpret its principles in such a way as that they might appear rather to support than to militate against his philosophical tenets. The cause of Christ's advent he maintained to be the defection of the founders and governors of this world from the Supreme Deity, the contentions and wars among themselves, in which they were continually engaged, and the consequent utter depravity and miserable situation of the whole human race. Those eminently powerful genii, he asserted, who both created and governed the world, being endowed with the most perfect freedom of will as to the choice of either good or evil, inclined by degrees to the latter, and endeavoured to root out and obliterate all knowledge of the true God, with a view to get themselves regarded and worshipped by mankind as gods in his stead. They then engaged in wars among themselves, each one striving to extend the sphere of his own power. The president or ruler of the Jewish nation, in particular, the chief angel of the whole, aimed at nothing short of universal sovereignty, his efforts being directed to the entire subjugation of his associates, and the various regions of the earth over which they respectively presided. The consequences produced by this perturbed state of things were, that the true religion sunk into oblivion, men resigned themselves wholly to the dominion of depraved appetites and lusts, and every part of the earth groaned under an accumulation of calamities, crimes, and wretchedness. Touched with compassion on beholding souls of a divine origin involved in so much misery and distress, the Supreme Deity directed his Son, that is Noos, the first of the seven ons, begotten of himself, to descend on earth for the purpose of putting an end to the dominion of these presiding angels, particularly that of their superlatively proud and arrogant chief, whom the Jewish nation had learnt to venerate as a god. Having accomplished this, he was to revive amongst men the long-lost knowledge of his Father, and teach them to subdue the force of those turbulent and irregular appetites which war against the soul. Taking upon himself, therefore, the form and semblance of a man, but without assuming a real body, the Son made his appearance amongst the Jews, and entered on the duties of the function that had thus been assigned him by his

Father, confirming the truth of his doctrine by miracles of the most stupendous nature. Enraged at this invasion of his dominion, the god of the Jews caused Christ to be apprehended and condemned to suffer death; but the latter, not being clothed with a real body of his own, adopted that of Simon the Cyrenian, who had been compelled to bear his cross, and transferred his form to Simon; so that instead of Christ, it was Simon the Cyrenian whom the Jews crucified. The souls that paid obedience to the precepts and injunctions thus communicated to them from above, might expect, upon the dissolution of the body, to regain their original seats in the blissful mansions above; but those who neglected availing themselves of the proffered instruction, were destined to migrate into other bodies, either of men or brute animals, until their impurities should be wholly purged away. As for the body, a mass of corrupt and vitiated matter, no hope was to be entertained of its being ever restored to life again. Of the books of the Old Testament, which he conceived to have been composed in part by command of the prince of the Jewish nation, and in part at the instance of the other angels, Basilides could not, of course, have made any great account. What the books of the New Testament might be, of which he approved, is not at present known.

He wrote a long explanatory comment, indeed, on the gospel; but whether the gospel which he thus took upon him to expound, was one of those which we recognise as genuine, or a different one, is not altogether certain.

The moral discipline prescribed by Basilides, although founded, in some degree, in superstition, and supported rather by vain and empty subtleties than any true or solid principles, yet held out no encouragement to the irregular appetites and vices of mankind. The soul, he maintained, was possessed of a sufficient power or energy to overcome every incitement to evil, internal as well as external; and, consequently, that no man could become wicked except through his own fault. God, he asserted, would forgive no other offences but those which had been unknowingly and unwillingly committed, and considered even a propension or leaning towards any sin, in one and the same light with the actual commission of such sin. All this is so obviously re

pugnant to a licentious course of life and action, that it is impossible for us to place any faith in the accounts of those ancient authors who represent Basilides as having countenanced the utmost laxity of manners amongst his followers. The unfavourable suspicions that were entertained by many respecting the nature of his moral discipline, appear to have been excited in part by the infamous lives led by some of his disciples, and in part by the objectionable opinions which he maintained in regard to the lawfulness of concealing one's religion, of denying Christ in times of peril, of partaking of the flesh of victims offered to idols, of disparaging the estimation and authority of the martyrs, and peradventure as to various other points. The Basilidian sect flourished for a considerable time, and had not become altogether extinct so late as the fourth century.—Mosheim de Rebus.

BASLE, COUNCIL OF, which commenced its sittings, December 14, 1431, under the presidency of the cardinal legate Juliano Cæsarini of St. Angelo, and after holding not fewer than forty-five, terminated its labours May 16, 1443. Its objects, which were partly attained, were to extirpate heresies, limit the power of the pope, effect a reformation of the clergy, and consolidate the interests of the church. Its decrees are not admitted into any of the Roman collections, and are considered of no authority by the Roman lawyers. They are, however, recognized in points of canon law in France and Germany; and though some later concordats have modified the application of them, they have never been formally and entirely annulled.

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 Hassan 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

sermon. In 1638 he applied to the bishop of Winchester for holy orders, which he received, being at that time attached to the church of England. The Et-cætera oath was his first inducement to examine into this point; and though Mr. Baxter studied the ablest works, he utterly rejected the oath. In 1640 he was requested to become pastor of the church at Kidderminster, which he accepted, and continued there two years. At this place he was eminently useful, and found much encouragement. The state of the country at that period was peculiarly precarious; since at that time the civil war, in the reign of Cromwell, commenced, and Mr. Baxter was a decided friend to the parliament, which exposed him to many and great inconveniences. Notwithstanding his attachment to the parliament, he considered both parties partially erroneous. He admitted that great indiscretion, and even much sin, was displayed and committed in dishonouring the king, and in the language used against the bishops, liturgy, and the church; but he considered that whoever was faulty, the liberties of the people and public safety ought not to be forfeited, and that the people were not guilty of the faults of king or parliament, when they defended them; and that if both their causes had been bad, as against each other, yet that the subjects should adhere to that party which most secured the welfare of the nation. When Mr. Baxter was at Kidderminster, he was considerably persecuted, which obliged him to retire to Gloucester, where he found a civil, courteous, and religious people. There he continued a month, when many pamphlets were written on both sides of the contending political parties, which unhappily divided the nation preparatory to a war. At that time contentions commenced between the commission of array and the parliament militia. At the earnest request of the people, Mr. Baxter returned to Kidderminster, and remained with them fourteen years; when he joined Colonel Whalley's regiment, as chaplain, and was present at several sieges. He confessed himself unwilling to leave his studies and friends, but he thought only of the public good. He was however compelled to quit the army in 1657, in consequence of a sudden and dangerous illness, and returned to Worcester. From that place he went to London to have medical advice. He was advised to visit Tunbridge

Wells; and, after continuing at that place some time, and finding his health improved, he visited London, just before the deposition of Cromwell, and preached to the parliament the day previous to its voting the restoration of the king. He preached, occasionally, about the city of London, having a license from bishop Sheldon. He was one of the Tuesday lecturers at Pinners' Hall; and also had a Friday lecture at Fetter Lane. In 1662 he preached his farewell sermon at Blackfriars, and afterwards retired to Acton, in Middlesex. In 1676 he built a meeting-house in Oxendon Street; and, when he had but once preached there, the congregation was disturbed, and Mr. Sedden, then preaching for him, was sent to the Gatehouse, instead of Mr. Baxter, where he continued three months. In 1682 Mr. Baxter was seized, by a warrant, for coming within five miles of a corporation; and his goods and books were sold, as a penalty, for five sermons he had preached. Owing to the bad state of his health, he was not at that time imprisoned, through the kindness of Mr. Thomas Cox, who went to five justices of the peace, and made oath that Mr. Baxter was in a bad state of health, and that such imprisonment would most likely cause his death. In 1685 he was sent to the King's Bench, by a warrant from the Lord Chief Justice Jefferies, for some passages in his Paraphrase on the New Testament; but having obtained from King James, through the good offices of Lord Powis, a pardon, he retired to Charter House Yard; occasionally preached to large and devoted congregations, and at length died, December 8, 1691, and was interred in Christ Church.

Mr. Baxter's life was one continued scene of discord and reproach, though of most considerable piety and zeal. By multitudes he was revered, whilst by many he was despised. It has been stated that he was the author of one hundred and forty-five distinct treatises, most of which were polemical, and many were distinguished for their learning and simplicity. Some of the most popular of those treatises are, "The Saints' Everlasting Rest;" Aphorisms of Justification and the Covenants ;" Catholic Theology;" "A Treatise on Universal Redemption;"" A Call to the Unconverted," 20,000 copies of which sold in one year. It was translated into Indian by Elliott, and a young Indian prince

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was so taken with it that he read it with tears, and died with it in his hand. For a detailed account of this pious and excellent man, vide Baxter's Life, quarto; Calamy's Nonconformists' Memorial; and especially Orme's Life of Baxter, a work of great merit.-Jones's Christ. Biog.

BAXTERIANISM, so called from the learned and pious individual whose biography has just been given. 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. He owns with Calvin, that the merits of Christ's death are to be applied to believers only; but he also asserts 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 alleged by this learned author:-1. It was the nature of all mankind which Christ assumed at his incarnation, 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 his gospel, and offer the benefits of his procuring.

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 sin 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.-Calamy's Life of Baxter ; Baxter's Catholic Theology, p. 51-53; Baxter's End of Doctrinal Controversy, pp. 154, 155.

BAXTERIANS, such as generally adopt the opinions of Baxter with respect to divine grace and the extent of redemption; but there has never existed any particular or separate denomination of Christians, known by his name.

BEATIFICATION, in the Roman Catholic church; an act by which the pope declares a person beatified or blessed after death. It is the first step to canonization, which see. No person can be beatified till fifty years after his death. All certificates or attestations of virtues and miracles, the necessary qualifications for saintship, are examined by the congregation of rites. This examination often continues for several years; after which his holiness decrees the beatification. The corpse and relics of the future saint are thenceforth exposed to the veneration of the superstitious; his image is crowned with rays, and a particular office is set apart for him; but his body and relics are not carried in procession. Indulgences, likewise, and remissions of sins are granted on the day of his beatification; which, though not so pompous as that of canonization, is, however, very splendid. Beatification differs from canonization in this, that the pope does act as a judge in determining the state of the beatified, but only grants a privilege to certain