which were moft fuitable to the purity of effence they then poffeffed for that the fouls of men are an order of effentially incorporate fpirits, their deep immersion into terreftrial matter, the modification of all their operations by it, and the heavenly body, promised in the gofpel, as the highest perfection of our renewed nature, clearly evince. Therefore, if our fouls exifted before they appeared inhabitants of the earth, they were placed in a purer element, and enjoyed far greater degrees of happiness, And certainly, he, whofe overflowing goodnefs brought them into exiftence, would not deprive them of their felicity, until, by their mutability, they rendered themselves lefs pure in the whole extent of their powers, and became difpofed for the fufception of fuch a degree of corporeal life, as was exactly answerable to their prefent difpofition of fpirit. Hence it was neceffary, that they fhould become terreftrial men. III. That the foul of Chrift was united to the Word before the incarnation.* For the fcriptures teach us, that the foul of the Mef, fiah was created before the beginning of the world. See Phil. ii. 5, 6, 7. This text must be understood of Chrift's human foul, becaufe it is unufual to propound the Deity as an example of humility, in fcripture, Though the humanity of Chrift was fo God-like, he emptied himself of this fulness of life and glory, to take upon him the form of a fervant. It was this Meffiah, who converfed with the patriarchs under a human form : it was he, who appeared to Mofes upon the Holy Mount: it was he, who fpoke to the prophets under a visible ap, pearance and it is he, who will at last come in triumph upon the clouds, to restore the univerfe to its primitive fplendour and felicity. IV. That, at the refurrection, we fhall be clothed with ethereal bodies. For the elements of our terreftrial compofitions are fuch, as almost fatally entangle us in vice, paffion, and mifery. The purer the vehicle the foul is united with, See this fubject more fully illuftrated in Dr. Watts' Glory of Christ. the the more perfect is her life and operations. Befides, the Supreme Goodnefs, who made all things, affures us, he made all things beft at firft; and therefore, his recovery of us to our loft happiness (which is the design of the gospel) must restore us to our better bodies and happier habitations; which is evident from 1ft Cor. xv. 49, 2d Cor. v. 1, and other texts of scripture. V. That, after long periods of time, the damned fhall be released from their torments, and restored to a new state of probation. For the Deity has fuch referves in his gracious provi dence, as will vindicate his fovereign goodnefs and wif dom from all difparagement. Expiatory pains are a part of his adorable plan. For this fharper kind of fa- . vour has a righteous place in fuch creatures, as are by nature mutable. Though fin has extinguished or filenced the divine life, yet it has not deftroyed the faculties of reafon and understanding, confideration and memory, which will ferve the life, which is moft powerful. If, therefore, the vigorous attraction of the fenfual nature be abated by a ceafelefs pain, these powers may refume the feeds of a better life and nature. As, in the material fyftem, there is a gravitation of the lefs bodies towards the greater, there muft, of neceffity, be fomething analogous to this, in the intellectual fyftem: and fince the fpirits, created by God, are emanations and ftreams from his own abyfs of being; and as felf-existent power muft needs fubject all beings to itself, the Deity could not but impress upon her intimate naturęs and fubftances, a central tendency towards himself, an effential principle of re-union to their great original. VI. That the earth, after its conflagration, fhall become habitable again, and be the manfion of men, and other animals, and that in eternal viciffitudes. For it is thus expreffed in Ifaiah: Behold, I make new heavens, and a new earth, &c.; and in Heb. i. 10, 11, 12, Thou, Lord, in the beginning, haft laid the foundations of the earth: As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed, &c. Where there is only a change, the subftance stance is not deftroyed; this change being only as that of a garment worn out and decaying. The fashion of the world paffes away like a turning fcene, to exhibit a fresh and new reprefentation of things; and if only the prefent drefs and appearance of things go off, the fub stance is fuppofed to remain entire. Mofheim's Ecclefiaftical History, vol. i. p. 219, 225. The Phoenix, vol. i. p. 16, 17, 18, 28, 29, 31, 32, 46, 47, Cheyne's Philofophical Principles of Religion, p. 47, 84. OSIANDRIANS, a denomination among the Lutherans, which was founded in the year 1550, by Andrew Ofiander, a celebrated German divine, whofe doctrine amounted to the following propofitions: I. That Christ, confidered in his human nature only, could not, by his obedience to the divine law, obtain juftification and pardon for finners: neither can we be juftified before God, by embracing and applying to ourfelves, through faith, the righteoufnefs and obedience of the man Chrift. It is only through that eternal and effential righteoufnefs, which dwells in Chrift, confidered as God, and which refides in his divine nature, that is united to the human, that mankind can obtain complete juftification. II. That man becomes a partaker of this divine righteousness by faith; fince it is in confequence of this uniting principle, that Chrift dwelis in the heart of man, with his divine righteoufnefs. Now, wherever this divine righteousness dwells, there God can behold no fin: therefore, when it is prefent with Chrift in the hearts of the regenerate, they are, on its account, confidered by the Deity as righteous, although they be finners. Moreover, this divine and justifying righteousness of Christ excites the faithful to the purfuit of holinefs, and to the practice of virtue. Mofheim's Ecclefiaftical History, vol. iv. p. 46. OSSENIANS, OSSENIANS, a denomination in the first century, which taught, that faith may and ought to be diffembled. Dufrenoy's Chronological Tables, vol. ii. p. 195. PAP APISTS, fo called by Proteftants, from their adhering to the Pope. Roman Catholics is the title, which they apply to themselves. The word Pope is derived from the Greek of Пanas, which fignifies a father. Hence he is ftyled, the Father of the Church. This pontiff is likewife called, the Vicar of Jefus Christ, the visible head of the church, and the fucceffor of St. Peter. He wears the keys, as an emblem of his power to open the gates of heaven to repentant finners, and to excommunicate obftinate offenders. And he wears the triple crown, to inform the Chriftian world, that he is conftituted with fpiritual jurifdiction over priests, emperors, and kings. This denomination suppose, that the bishops of Rome are the defcendants of St. Peter; and, in that quality, have, from the beginning, exercifed jurifdiction over the churches. On the other hand, many Proteftant writers have dated the rife of the Papal power, from the year 606, when Pope Boniface III. affumed the title of Univerfal Bishop, conferred upon him by Phocas, ending A. D. 1866. Others fix it about the middle of the eighth century, A. D. 756, when Pepin invested Pope Stephen with the temporal dominion of Rome, and the neighbouring territories, upon the ceafing of the exarchate of Ravenna. They fuppofe, in the primitive church, the jurifdiction of bifhops was equal and co-ordinate. They derived, perhaps, fome degree of pre-eminence from the dignity of the fee, in which they prefided. They poffeffed, however, no real authority, or pre-eminence, but what what they acquired by fuperior abilities, or fuperior fanctity. As Rome had been fo long the feat of empire, and capital of the world, its bifhops were, on that account, entitled to refpect. They received it; but, during feveral ages, they claimed and received nothing more. From those humble beginnings, they advanced with fuch an adventurous and well directed ambition, that they eftablished a spiritual dominion over the minds and confciences of men, to which all Europe fubmitted with implicit obedience; till, at length, their formidable power was weakened by the reformation. The principal points, which diftinguished the Papifts from the Proteftants, together with a few of the reafons they bring, to fupport their fentiments, are comprifed in the following fummary: I. That St. Peter was defigned by Chrift to be the head of the church; and the bishops of Rome, being his fucceffors, have the fame apoftolic authority. For our Saviour declares, in Matt. xi. 18, Thou art Peter; and upon this rock will I build my church: There fore, the church is built upon Peter. A fucceffion in the church is now neceffary in the New Teftament, as Aaron had his fucceffion in the Old; but there can be no certain fucceffion now fhewn, but in the chair of St. Peter at Rome: Therefore, the bishops of Rome are the true fucceffors of Peter. The church of the Old Testament was a figure of the church under the New; but they had a high priest above the reft: Therefore, the Pope is fuperior to other bishops. II. That the Roman Catholic church is the mother and mistress of all churches; and cannot poffibly err in matters of faith. For the church has the Spirit of God, to lead it into all truth. The gates of hell fhall not prevail against it, Matt. xi. The general doctrine of the church of Rome, is, that Peter was not only appointed by our Saviour, the chief of the apoftles, and head of the univerfal church; but that, after having been seven years bishop at Antioch, he came to Rome, where he was bithop twenty-five years, and fuffered martyrdom under the Emperor Nero. |