candle in their hands. These are followed by the penitents who have narrowly escaped being burnt, who over their black coats have flames painted, with their points turned downwards. Next come the negative and relapsed, who are to be burnt, having flames on their habits pointing upwards. After these come such as profess doctrines contrary to the faith of Rome, who, besides flames pointing upwards, have their picture painted on their breasts, with dogs, serpents, and devils, all openmouthed, about it. Each prisoner is attended with a familiar of the Inquisition and those to be burnt have also a Jesuit on each hand, who are continually preaching to them to abjure. After the prisoners, comes a troop of familiars on horseback; and after them the Inquisitors, and other officers of the court, on mules: last of all, the Inquisitor-general on a white horse, led by two men with black hats and green hatbands. A scaffold is erected big enough for two or three thousand people; at one end of which are the prisoners, at the other the inquisitors. After a sermon made up of encomiums of the Inquisition, and invectives against heretics, a priest ascends a desk near the scaffold, and, having taken the abjuration of the penitents, recites the final sentence of those who are to be put to death, and delivers them to the secular arm, earnestly beseeching at the same time the secular power not to touch their blood, or put their lives in danger!!! The prisoners, being thus in the hands of the civil magistrate, are presently loaded with chains, and carried first to the secular gaol, and from thence, in an hour or two, brought before the civil judge; who, after asking in what religion they intend to die, pronounces sentence on such as declare they die in the communion of the church of Rome, that they shall be first strangled, and then burnt to ashes: or such as die in any other faith, that they be burnt alive. Both are immediately carried to the Ribera, the place of execution, where there are as many stakes set up as there are prisoners to be burnt, with a quantity of dry furze about them. The stakes of the professed, that is, such as persist in the heresy, are about four yards high, having a small board towards the top for the prisoner to be seated on. The negative and relapsed being first strangled and burnt, the professed mount their stakes by a ladder, and the Jesuits, after

several repeated exhortations to be reconciled to the church, part with them, telling them that they leave them to the devil, who is standing at their elbow, to receive their souls, and carry them with him to the flames of hell. On this a great shout is raised; and the ery is, "Let the dogs' beards be made!" which is done by thrusting flaming furzes fastened to long poles against their faces, till their faces are burnt to a coal, which is accompanied with the loudest acclamations of joy. At last, fire is set to the furze at the bottom of the stake, over which the professed are chained so high, that the top of the flame seldom reaches higher than the seat they sit on; so that they rather seem roasted than burnt. There cannot be a more lamentable spectacle: the sufferers continually cry out, while they are able, "Pity, for the love of God!" Yet it is beheld by all sexes and ages with transports of joy and satisfaction.-O merciful God! is this the benign, humane religion thou hast given to men? Surely not. If such were the genius of Christianity, then it would be no honour to be a Christian. Let us, however, rejoice that the time is coming when the demon of persecution shall be banished out of this our world, and the true spirit of benevolence and candour pervade the universe; when none shall hurt or destroy, but the earth be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea! See INQUISITION.

ACT OF UNIFORMITY. 1. An act passed in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, establishing the Protestant religion as the religion of England, binding all her subjects to be Protestants, and compelling them to use the liturgy, &c. in such order and form as were prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer, to the exclusion of every other order and form, under the severest penalties. It has been well remarked, that in thus casting off the Popish antichrist of Rome, a legal existence was given to the Protestant antichrist of England. Nothing could be more intolerant, or more hostile to the spirit of Christianity, or the natural rights of mankind.

2. A statute enacted in the reign of Charles II., requiring all ministers of religion in England to declare their unfeigned assent and consent to all and every thing contained in the Book of Common Prayer. This act received the royal assent May 19, 1662, and on Bartholomew day, August 24 following, it

took effect in the ejectment from their livings of more than two thousand ministers, who refused to violate their consciences in subscribing to many things which they regarded to be contrary to the word of God. The principal agent in procuring this unrighteous act was Archbishop Sheldon, who carried this, and several other harsh and unjust measures, through the influence of Lord Clarendon.

ACTION AND ACTION SERMON, an old Scottish designation of the sermon preached immediately before the administration of the Lord's Supper.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES ( TWY ATOσTóλ), one of the books of the New Testament, written in Greek by Luke, the author of the gospel which bears his name. It is addressed to Theophilus, of whom nothing is known, and is evidently intended as a continuation of the gospel which the author himself calls his "First Book," Acts i. 1. It has been universally received, and is generally allowed to have been written between A.D. 63 and 64, but in what place is doubtful: Jerome says at Rome; Grotius and Lardner think in Greece; Michaelis, in Alexandria. It embraces a period of about thirty years, beginning immediately after the Resurrection, and extending to the second year of Paul's imprisonment at Rome. Very little information is given of any of the Apostles, excepting Paul and Peter; and even the accounts of them are partial and incomplete; it not being the design of Luke to give us the whole of their history. Thus that of Peter terminates with the death of Herod, although that Apostle is considered to have lived and preached twentyfour years longer. The position of the book is generally at the head of the Apostolicon, or before the Epistles; but in some MSS. it is found after the thirteen Paulinic Epistles. The style of this book, which was originally composed in Greek, is purer than that of the other books.

ACTS OF PAUL AND THECLA, one of the spurious documents of antiquity, falsely ascribed to the Apostle. It was printed by Dr. Grabe in his Spicilegium, from a Greek MS. in the Bodleian; a translation of it is given by Jones in his work on the Canon; and also in Hone's Apoc. New Testament. It is full of legendary stories.

ACTS OF PAUL AND SENECA, another of the apocryphal writings of

the New Testament, containing epistles alleged to have passed between the Apostle and Seneca the philosopher. They were published by Sixtus Senensis, and an English translation will be found in Hone.

ACTS OF PETER, of similar apocryphal character, and abounding in the most trifling and absurd stories.

ACTS OF PILATE, a relation alleged to have been sent by Pilate to the emperor Tiberius, concerning Jesus Christ, his death, resurrection, ascension, and the crimes of which he was convicted before him. It was a custom among the Romans, that the proconsuls and governors of provinces should draw up acts or memoirs of what happened in the course of their government, and send them to the emperor and senate. The acts of Pilate were sent by him to Tiberius, who reported them to the senate; but they were rejected, it is said, by that assembly, because not immediately addressed to them.-Tertullian, Apol. cap. 5, and 20,

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Pearson, Mosheim, and Lardner, are inclined to think that considerable credit is due to the account given by Justin Martyr and Tertullian of these acts. Dupin and some others consider the whole matter very doubtful. Lardner discusses the subject with his usual impartiality. — Works, 4to., vol. iii. p. 599-606.

ACTS OF THE SAINTS (Acta Sanctorum), a name given to all collections of accounts of ancient martyrs and saints, both of the Greek and Roman churches. It is used more particularly as the title of a voluminous work, comprising all those accounts which were commenced at the instigation of the Jesuits, 1643, by John Bolland, a Jesuit of Antwerp, and continued after his death by others of the same order, known by the name of Bollanists (which see), to the year 1794, but not yet finished, though forming not fewer than fifty-three volumes in folio. It is held in high esteem by the members of the Roman communion; but contains a sad mixture of truth and falsehood, superstition and fiction.

ADAMIC CONSTITUTION, the dispensation originally established with Adam, as the public head and representative of his posterity, in virtue of which,

had he continued obedient, they would have been confirmed in holiness and happiness, but, because he sinned, are involved with him in all the consequences of his rebellion. This constitution is specifically laid as the basis of the Apostle's reasoning, Rom. v. 12-21, and 1 Cor. xv. 22, in which passages the connexion and analogy between the representative characters sustained by Adam and Christ are clearly set forth; in the former for the purpose of illustrating the plan of redemption, and in the latter for the purpose of confirming the doctrine of the future resurrection of believers. It has been common to designate the establishment given to Adam a covenant; and, certainly, considering the latitude in which this term is frequently used in scripture, it may not seem, at first sight, to be improper; but see under the word COVENANT.

ADAMITES, a sect that sprang up in the second century. Epiphanius tells us that they were called Adamites from their pretending to be re-established in the state of innocence, such as Adam was at the moment of his creation, whence they ought to imitate him in going naked. They detested marriage; maintaining that the conjugal union would never have taken place upon earth had sin been unknown. This obscure and ridiculous sect did not last long. It was, however, revived with additional absurdities in the twelfth century. About the beginning of the fifteenth century the name was revived, and applied to a sect that spread in Germany and Bohemia, and found also some partizans in Poland, Holland, and England, which arose about the same time with the Hussites, whom they resembled in their hatred of the Roman hierarchy; but the accounts that have been handed down to us respecting the appearing of both sexes naked in their assemblies, and various other outrageous customs, are not to be relied on with any degree of certainty, as they come originally from their enemies, who appear to have given them this ancient heretical appellation in order to hold them up to

execration.

ADESSENARIANS, a branch of the Sacramentarians; so called from the Latin Adesse, to be present, because they believed the presence of Christ's body in the eucharist, though in a manner different from the Romanists.

ADIAPHORISTS, a term given in the sixteenth century to Melancthon and

the divines of Wittenberg, who regarded as a matter of indifference the introduction into the Protestant worship of altars, mass-vestments, vespers, &c. This concession occasioned a violent dispute, called the Adiaphoristic Controversy, which was commenced by Flacius, a theologian of Jena, in connexion with the clergy of Lower Saxony.

ADMISSION, a term in use amongst Presbyterians, to denote the service and act by which a minister is publicly introduced into a new charge.

ADMISSION-SERMON, the discourse which is preached introductory to the admission of a minister to a new charge.

ADMONITION denotes a hint or advice given to another, whereby we reprove him for his fault, or remind him of his duty. Admonition was a part of the discipline much used in the ancient church; it was the first act or step towards the punishment or expulsion of delinquents. In case of private offences it was performed according to the evangelical rule, privately; in case of public offence, openly before the church. If either of these sufficed for the recovery of the fallen person, all further proceedings, in a way of censure ceased; if they did not, recourse was had to excommunication.-Tit. iii. 10; 1 Thess. v. 14; Eph. vi. 4.

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ADONAI, one of the Hebrew names exclusively given to God, and signifying The Supreme Ruler or Judge." It is literally "My Lords," in the plural number, as "Adoni" is "My Lord" in the singular. The Jews, who either out of respect or superstition do not pronounce the name of Jehovah, read Adonai instead of it in all the places in which it occurs in the Hebrew Bible. This veneration for the Tetragrammaton is at least as ancient as the time of Josephus, who declares that it was not lawful for him to speak of it.

ADONISTS, a party among divines and critics, who maintain that the Hebrew points ordinarily annexed to the consonants of the word Jehovah, are not the natural points belonging to that word, nor express the true pronunciation of it; but are the vowel points belonging to the words Adonai and Elohim, applied to the consonants of the ineffable name Jehovah, to warn the readers, that instead of the word Jehovah, which the Jews were forbid to pronounce, and the true pronunciation of which had been long unknown

building at Undercliffe, in consequence of a bequest of two estates, by Mrs. Bacon, of Bradford, and continues to enjoy the able tuition of that venerable minister.

ROTHERHAM COLLEGE, near Sheffield, dates its rise from the settlement of the late Rev. Dr. Williams, as pastor of a church in the vicinity. Besides furnishing some of the ablest tutors to Homerton, it has given education to a considerable number of eminent and laborious dissenting ministers.

BLACKBURN ACADEMY, in Lancashire, arose in 1816 out of the more private seminary of the late excellent Mr. Roby of Manchester, and continues to afford efficient means of instruction for young men designed for the ministry.

WESTERN ACADEMY, a name given to an institution established on evangelical principles, for supplying the west of England with gospel ministers. It was first under Mr. Lavington of St. Mary Ottery, Devon, and has been successively under Messrs. Rooker of Bridport, Reader of Taunton, and Mr. Small of Axminster; from which place it was removed, a few years ago, to Exeter, where it is now likely to be conducted on a more permanent and efficient footing, under the able superintendence of the Rev. Dr. Payne.

NEWPORT-PAGNEL INSTITUTION, an academy in Buckinghamshire, which had its origin in the benevolent plans of the late excellent John Thornton, Esq., in connexion with the Rev. John Newton, Cowper the poet, and the Rev. J. Clayton, senior. It was established in 1784, on the principle of preparing suitable candidates for the ministry, without regard to their particular views as to church government, and has given education to upwards of fifty ministers, most of whom are pastors of independent churches.

CHESHUNT COLLEGE, in Hertfordshire, was established in 1792, having been removed thither on the breaking up of the Countess of Huntington's College at Trevecka, in South Wales, in consequence of the controversy on Arminianism which separated the methodists into two bodies. This institution agrees with that just noticed in leaving the students entirely free in their choice of the denomination of Christians to whom they shall belong. The term of education is four years; the number of students fourteen. There are also two dissenting academies in Wales; one at Carmarthen, and

another at Newton, by which the wants of the principality are in part supplied; but many Welsh students frequent the academies in England.

All the literary establishments above enumerated belong to dissenters of the Pado-baptist persuasion. The AntiPado-baptists have similar institutions, of which the principal are :—

BRISTOL ACADEMY, commenced in the reign of George II., and has given education to a considerable number of ministers who have been an honour to the denomination. The number of students is about twenty. Its library in 1825 contained upwards of 7000 volumes.

BRADFORD ACADEMY opened in 1806: furnishes accommodation for twenty-two students.

STEPNEY ACADEMY was founded in 1810. It educates at present fourteen students, but has ample room for more, if the funds of the institution would allow.

ABERGAVENNY ACADEMY, founded in 1807 for the education of Welsh Baptist ministers, educates at present anly seven students.

In all the academies of both persuasions, no principles but those generally accounted orthodox are taught. Arian or Socinian academies have existed at Exeter, Hoxton, Warrington, Hackney, and Manchester; but though enjoying the tuition of such eminent literary characters as Drs. Taylor, Aiken, Priestley, &c., they were not able to sustain themselves, and gradually died away. The only seminary which the Socinians now have is at York, whither it was removed from Manchester in 1803. The number of its students has never exceeded twenty.

In Scotland the Presbyterian Dissenters have what they term divinity halls, in which their students are carried through different courses on theology; and the Congregationalists have a theological academy at Glasgow, where they enjoy the able tuition of the Rev. Messrs. Ewing and Wardlaw, and possess, besides, the privilege of attending the different courses at the university.

America, rising rapidly into importance and influence as a modern state, stands distinguished also for the number and efficiency of her colleges. Most of these, however, differ essentially from our dissenting colleges. Being designed to furnish tuition in all the branches of ancient and modern literature, and there