jargon which, after their return from | whom, by a series of descents, more captivity, deformed the religion of the or less numerous according to different Jews; and many Gnostics adopted schemes, several pairs of beings were the oriental notion of two independ- formed, who were called cons, from ent co-eternal principles, the one the the periods of their existence before author of good, the other of evil. time was, or emanations, from the Lastly, we find the Gnostic theology mode of their production. These full of ideas and terms which must successive cons or emanations aphave been taken from the Gospel; and pear to have been inferior each to the Jesus Christ, under some form or preceding; and their existence was other, of con, emanation, or incor- indispensable to the Gnostic scheme, poreal phantom, enters into all their that they might account for the systems, and is the means of commu- creation of the world without making nicating to them that knowledge God the author of evil. These cons which raised them above all other lived, through countless ages, with mortals, and entitled them to their their first Father; but the system of peculiar name. The genius and very emanations seems to have resembled soul of Gnosticism was mystery: its that of concentric circles; and they end and object was to purify its fol- gradually deteriorated, as they aplowers from the corruptions of matter, proached nearer and nearer to the and to raise them to a higher scale of extremity of the pleroma. Beyond this being, suited only to those who were pleroma was matter, inert and powerbecome perfect by knowledge. less, though co-eternal with the supreme God, and like him without beginning. At length one of the cons passed the limits of the pleroma and, meeting with matter, created the world, after the form and model of an ideal world which existed in the pleroma, or in the mind the supreme God. Here it is that inconsistency is added to absurdity in the Gnostic scheme. For, let the intermediate cons be as many as the wildest imagination could devise, still God was the remote, if not the proximate, cause of creation. Added to which, we are to suppose that the Demiurgus formed the world without the knowledge of God; and that, having formed it, he rebelled against him. Here, again, we find a strong resemblance to the oriental doctrine of two principles, good and evil, or light and darkness. The two principles were always at enmity with each other. God must have been conceived to be more powerful than matter, or an emanation from God could not have shaped and moulded it into form; yet God was not able to reduce matter into its primeval chaos, nor to destroy the evil which the Demiurgus had produced. What God could not prevent, he was always endeavouring to cure: and here it is that the Gnostics borrowed so largely from the Christian scheme. The "We have a key to many parts of their system, when we know that they held matter to be intrinsically evil, of which, consequently, God could not be the author. Hence arose their fundamental tenet, that the creator of the world, or Demiurgus, was not the same with the supreme God, the Author of good, and the Father of Christ. Their system allowed some of them to call the creator God; but the title most usually given to him was Demiurgus. Those who embraced the doctrine of two principles, supposed the world to have been produced by the evil principle; and, in most systems, the creator, though not the father of Christ, was looked upon as the God of the Jews, and the author of the Mosaic law. Some, again, believed that angels were employed in creating the world; but all were agreed in maintaining that matter itself was not created, that it was eternal, and remained inactive. The supreme God had dwelt from all eternity in a pleroma of inaccessible light; and beside the name of first Father, or first Principle, they called him also Bythus, as if to denote the unfathomable nature of his perfections. This Being, by an operation purely mental, or by acting upon himself, produced two other beings of different sexes, from 300 natural consequence of their fundamental principle, that the author of good cannot in any manner be the author of evil. In accordance with this notion, we find all the Gnostics agreed in rejecting the Jewish Scriptures, or, at least, in treating them with contempt. Since they held that the supreme God was revealed for the first time to mankind by Christ, he could not have been the God who in that strange inconsistency which we have already observed in them, they appealed to these very Scriptures in support of their own doctrines. They believed the prophets to have been inspired by the same creative con, or the same principle of evil, which acted originally upon matter; and if their writings had come down to us, we should perhaps find them arguing that, though the prophets were not inspired by the supreme God, they still could not help giving utterance to truth. names, indeed, of several of their cons were evidently taken from terms which they found in the Gospel. Thus we meet with Logos, Monogenes, Zoe, Ecclesia, all of them successive emanations from the supreme God, and all dwelling in the pleroma. At length, we meet with Christ and the Holy Ghost, as two of the last cons which were put forth. Christ was sent into the world to remedy the evil which the creative con or Demi-spired the prophets; and yet, with urgus had caused. He was to emancipate men from the tyranny of matter, or of the evil principle; and, by revealing to them the true God, who was hitherto unknown, to fit them, by a perfection and sublimity of knowledge, to enter the divine pleroma. To give this knowledge, was the end and object of Christ's coming upon earth; and hence the inventors and believers of the doctrine assumed to themselves the name of Gnostics. In all their notions concerning Christ we still find them struggling with the same difficulty of reconciling the author of good with the existence of evil. Christ, as being an emanation from God, could have no real connection with matter: yet, the Christ of the Gnostics was held out to be the same with him who was revealed in the Gospel; and it was notorious that he was revealed as the son of Mary, who appeared in a human form. The methods which they took to ex-upon this very strongly as an article tricate themselves from the difficulty, were principally two: They either denied that Christ had a real body at all, and held that he was an unsubstantial phantom; or, granting that there was a man called Jesus, the son of human parents, they believed that one of the cons, called Christ, quitted the pleroma, and descended upon Jesus at his baptism. "We have seen that the God, who was the father or progenitor of Christ, was not considered to be the creator of the world. Neither was he the God of the Old Testament, and the giver of the Mosaic law. This notion was supported by the same argument which infidels have often urged, that the God of the Jews is represented as a God of vengeance and of cruelty; but it was also a "Their same abhorrence of matter, and their same notion concerning that purity of knowledge which Christ came upon earth to impart, led them to reject the Christian doctrines of a future resurrection, and a general judgment. They seem to have understood the apostles as preaching literally a resurrection of the body; and it is certain that the fathers insisted of belief. But to imagine that the body, a mass of created and corruptible matter, could ever enter into heaven, into that pleroma which was the dwelling of the supreme God, was a notion which violated the fundamental principle of the Gnostics. According to their scheme, no resurrection was necessary, much less a final judgment. The Gnostic, the man who had attained to perfect knowledge, was gradually emancipated from the grossness of matter; and, by an imperceptible transition, which none but a Gnostic could comprehend, he was raised to be an inhabitant of the divine pleroma. If we would know the effect which the doctrines of the Gnostics had upon their moral conduct, we shall find that the same principle led to two GOA very opposite results. Though the fathers may have exaggerated the errors of their opponents, it seems undeniable, that many Gnostics led profligate lives, and maintained upon principle that such conduct was not unlawful. Others, again, are represented as practising great austerities, and endeavouring, by every means, to mortify the body and its sensual appetites. Both parties were actuated by the same common notion, that matter is inherently evil. The one thought that the body, which is compounded of matter, ought to be kept in subjection; and hence they inculcated self-denial, and the practice of moral virtue: while others, who had persuaded themselves that knowledge was everything, despised the distinctions of the moral law, which was given, as they said, not by the supreme God, but by an inferior aon, or a principle of evil, who had allied himself with matter.' With respect to the origin of this system the same author observes: "There is no system of philosophy which has been traced to a greater number of sources than that which we are now discussing; and the variety of opinions seems to have arisen from persons either not observing the very different aspects which Gnosticism assumed, or from wishing to derive it from one exclusive quarter. Thus, some have deduced it from the eastern notion of a good and evil principle, some from the Jewish Cabbala, and others from the doctrines of the later Platonists. Each of these systems is able to support itself by alleging very strong resemblances; and those persons have taken the most natural and probably the truest course, who have concluded that all these opinions contributed to build up the monstrous system which was known by the name of Gnosticism." GOAD. A long pole, armed at one end with a piece of iron, with which the ploughshare was freed from clods and earth, and at the other end with a small pike, with which the oxen were urged on. Judges iii. 31. GOAT. An animal resembling a sheep in its general appearance and structure, but covered with hair in stead of wool, and much more active and wandering in its habits. It feeds on bark and twigs, and its feet are formed for leaping and climbing among rocks and mountains. In the early ages of the world the goat was among the chief possessions of the wealthy. Gen. xxvii. 9; 1 Sam. xxv. 2. Its milk was considered very nutritive. Prov. xxvii. 27. The hair was used in various manufactures, and was spun by the women for the curtains of the tabernacle. Exod. xxv. 4; Numb. xxxi. 20. The skin was made into bottles. Josh. ix. 4; Matt. ix. 17. Those kept by the Hebrew people are supposed to have been, the domestic Syrian, long-eared breed, with horns rather small, and variously bent, the ears longer than the head and pendulous; the angora, or anadoli breed of Asia Minor, with long hair; the Egyptian breed, with small spiral horns, long brown hair, and very long ears; a breed from Upper Egypt, without horns, having the nasal bones singularly elevated, the nose contracted, with the lower jaw protruding. The animal was clean, and much used in sacrifice. Deut. xiv. 4; Lev. iii. 12; Numb. xv. 27. GOAT, SCAPE. See ATONEMENT, DAY OF. GOBLET. The horns of animals were anciently used by some nations as drinking-vessels. The Jews had, however, goblets of various forms made of different metals, silver, gold, copper, &c., according to the wealth | ter cannot move without the di of the owner. Many of them were elegant in their form and proportions. GOD. The word is generally considered to be of the same signification as good. Some philologists have, however, traced it to a Hebrew word signifying one or unity. The word ACHAD, one, is found in the Syriac CHAD; in the Arabic AHD or GAHD; in the Persic CHODA; the Teutonic GUD; the German GOTT; and our Saxon GOD. Dr. A. Clarke has given the following general definition of the Great First Cause:-"The eternal, independent, and self-existent Being; the Being whose purposes and actions spring from himself, without foreign motive or influence; he who is absolute in dominion; the most pure, the most simple, the most spiritual of all essences; infinitely benevolent, beneficent, true, and holy: the cause of all being, the upholder of all things; infinitely happy, because infinitely perfect; and eternally self-sufficient, needing nothing that he has made; illimitable in his immensity, inconceivable in his mode of existence, and indescribable in his essence; known fully only to himself, because an infinite mind can only be fully comprehended by itself. In a word, a Being, who from his infinite wisdom cannot err or be deceived, and from his infinite goodness can do nothing but what is eternally just, and right, and kind." That there is such a God is taken for granted in the Scripture. The first sentence written by God for our instruction assumes the fact: "In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth." The argument in opposition to atheistic notions is triumphant. Something now exists. If so, it is easy to prove that something has existed from eternity. If there ever was a time, however remote, when there was nothing, there never could have been anything; since no effect can exist without a cause. That which existed from eternity must have been either matter or mind if matter, there never could have been mind, because no possible combination of matter could produce intellect, and because mat rection of some intelligent power; but a spirit of unlimited wisdom and power could create all things. If that which existed from eternity be mind, we then discover an intelligent Being, who never began to be, and who will exist for ever and ever; and that Being is GOD. The works of creation, including the heavens and the earth, and all intelligent beings, prove his existence. That there is a God is proved by the consent of all nations, civilised and barbarous; and is a fact impressed on the mind of man, and may be considered as a primary truth. Many elaborate works have been written on the being of a God. Some proceed from cause to effect, and the logical argument is called à priori; others proceed from effect to cause, and the argument is called à posteriori. The latter argument is much more simple and satisfactory. Everywhere we meet with marks of design; and must trace them to one great intelligent designing cause. The reader is particularly referred to Paley's "Natural Theology," and Howe's "Living Temple.' The principal names of God in the Bible are ELOHIM and JEHOVAH. The former is translated God, the latter Lord. The former marks the relation of God to man as Sovereign Lord and Judge; it is the abstract expression for Deity apart from special notices: the latter is the revealed and personal Elohim. Other names, or rather perfections, of God are described Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. The mode adopted by the sacred writers to make God known to us, is by referring to his names, his attributes, and his actions. More at large do we learn what God is, from the declarations of the inspired writings. As to his substance, that "God is a Spirit." As to his duration, that "from everlasting to everlasting he is God; " "the King, eternal, immortal, invisible." That, after all the manifestations he has made of himself, he is, from the infinite perfection and glory of his nature, incomprehensible: "Lo, these are parts of his ways; but how little a portion is heard of him!" 'Touching the Almighty, we cannot That he is unchange- | wherewith he loved us, even when The following passages of Scripture refer to various perfections of the character of God:-Deut. vi. 4; Isai. xliv. 8; xlv. 5, 6, 14, 18, 21, 22; Psal. lxxxix. 11; cxv. 16; xxiv. 1; 1. 1; Dan. iv. 34, 35; 2 Chron. xix. 7; Psal. xcvii. 2; cxlv. 9; Rom. xi. 33; Eph. ii. 4, 5; 1 John v. 11. find him out." able: "The Father of Lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.' That "he is the fountain of life," and the only independent Being in the universe: "Who only hath immortality." That every other being, however exalted, has its existence from him: "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible." That the existence of everything is upheld by him, no creature being for a moment independent of his support: "By him all things consist;""upholding all things by the word of his power. God is clearly revealed to us, as the That he is omnipresent: "Do not I Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; fill heaven and earth? saith the a trinity of Persons subsisting in the Lord." That he is omniscient: unity of the divine essence. To each All things are naked and open of the three Persons, the essential before the eyes of him with whom attributes of the supreme God are we have to do." That he is abso- ascribed, while they are distinguished lute Lord and Owner of all things: from each other by all the acts and "The heavens, even the heaven of by all the forms of speech by which heavens, are thine, and all the parts of men are accustomed to designate difthem; "The earth is thine, and the ferent persons. This is the prevailfulness thereof, the world and them ing character of revelation. Any that dwell therein;" "He doeth ac- different view of God is altogether cording to his will in the armies of incompatible with salvation. If the heaven, and among the inhabitants distinction in the Godhead were of the earth." That his providence merely nominal and not real, it deextends to the minutest objects: "The stroys the atonement. Not only does hairs of your head are all numbered;" the denial of the doctrine of the "Are not two sparrows sold for a far- Trinity contradict the plain and palthing? and one of them shall not fall pable declarations of Scripture, but on the ground without your Father." it renders salvation by atonement That he is a Being of unspotted purity altogether impossible. The Son and perfect rectitude: "Holy, holy, makes atonement, the Father acholy, Lord God of Hosts!" "a God cepts it, the Holy Spirit applies it. of truth, and in whom is no iniquity;" The Father, first in order, begets the "of purer eyes than to behold ini- Son, and hath the Holy Ghost proquity." That he is just in the ad- ceeding from him; the Son is eterministration of his government: nally begotten of the Father, and "Shall not the Judge of the whole hath the Holy Ghost proceeding from earth do right?" "Clouds and dark-him also; so that the Holy Ghost proness are round about him; judgment and justice are the habitation of his throne." That his wisdom is unsearchable: "O the depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" And, finally, that he is good and merciful: "Thou art good, and thy mercy endureth for ever; "His tender mercy is over all his works;" "God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love ceedeth from the Father and the Son. John xv. 26. These distinctions belong to the nature of God, and are not simply connected with the scheme of redemption. The filiation of the Son of God is eternal; the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son is eternal. How God thus exists we may not be able to understand. The Bible reveals the fact. We must bow and adore. The application of the names, perfections, and works of God |