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ATONEMENT. Removal of that by which incapacity or difqualification for the fervice of God has been contracted: reconciliation with God; declaration of it: fanctification: confecration to God, or to his fervice.

BABEL. In allufion to the high tower by which men vainly fought to prevent their feparation from each other, this term is fometimes ufed figuratively, to fignify the vain projects by which men oppose the counfels and providence of God.

BAPTISM. On the part of him who adminifters it, a fymbolical declaration that the baptized is confidered by him as pure, not unfit for the fervice of God, or the communion of men: On the part of the voluntary subject of it, a fymbolical profeffion of this purity, according to the baptizer's views and principles; of defire to continue in it; and, for this purpose, of attention and fubmiffion to him as a director and inftructor.

BOWELS. This term, in fcripture, fignifies those inward parts that are confidered as the feat of life, thought, memory, wisdom; of fincerity, affection,

affection, compaffion, fympathy, cruelty; of defire, whether good or evil, and of wickedness. It is equivalent to heart, to mind, to the affections and operations of both; and is, in this figurative acceptation, applied in various ways, both to God and man.

CALLED. See ELECT.

CHRIST. Meffiah, anointed; invested with an high office; greatly favored. It is an appellation given to the people of Ifrael, &c. It is especially appropriated to Jefus of Nazareth, as being that prophet that should come into the world, and as being anointed, with the oil of gladnefs, above his fellows. Chrift is faid to give, and we to receive from him, that which, by him, God taught the world, or promised to them; thus we receive from him pardon and life, that is, the promife or the hope of pardon and life. Chrift is faid to do what his gospel operates, or has a natural tendency to operate; thus he is faid to guide, to ftrengthen, to comfort us, &c. He is faid to fave and to redeem us, because God, by him, communicated and confirmed that doctrine, the genuine tendency of which is to deliver us from ignorance, and b

fear,

fear, and fin, and to inspire us with zeal, and cheerfulness and activity in the practice of all virtue. Chrift is faid to do, alfo, that which, in the name of God, he promifes or predicts: and in general, the prophets are frequently commanded to do, and spoken of as doing or having done, that which they foretel. In correfpondence with the foregoing obfervations, the phrases through Chrift, and in his name, fignify the aid of his doctrine; by means of it, with its authority, according to it, in conformity with its requifitions, and agreeably to the rules which it prescribes. In like manner, we are faid to yield ourselves to Chrift, to be governed by him, to be formed by him, when we admit and cherish the genuine influences of the gospel upon our hearts and lives. As Chrift is faid to fave and to redeem us, because he was the inftrument of God to convey and to confirm to us that doctrine which is moft efficacious to accomplish the deliverance of mankind from error, vice, and fear; fo God alfo is ftiled our Saviour and Redeemer, not only because he is the ultimate author of all good, but because he is the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and fent him into the world to bear witness to the truth which he had received from him. In refpect of God, there

fore,

fore, Chrift is our Saviour and Redeemer only in a fecondary fenfe; thefe appellations belong moft properly, ftrictly, and originally to God. To preach Chrift, is to deliver his hiftory; to publish the doctrine that he taught: originally, to make known to the world what the reporters had themselves feen concerning Chrift, and what they had heard from him; at prefent, to read to others the history of Christ and of his doctrine in the New Teftament, or to relate what is found there concerning him, is most strictly and properly to preach Chrift. The blood of Chrift, his obedience unto death; that miniftry his fidelity in which coft him his life. They are faid to be washed from their fins in the blood of Christ, whofe hope of God's mercy and acceptance is encouraged by his ministry, his doctrine, his death, in which, and through which as leading to his refurrection, his divine mission, and his fidelity in the execution of it were established; and they alfo are faid to be thus washed, who, by the influence of these things upon their minds and hearts, have been engaged and enabled to break off evil habits, and have been brought to a juft fenfe of their duty, and to the confcientious practice of it.

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Kingdom of Chrift, fometimes, perhaps, the dif penfation of the Spirit, that age of miracles.

CHURCH. House of God, family of God: first, the people of the Jews; then, all Christian people. In or among the former, God refided, for a long time, by the fymbols and tokens of his presence in the tabernacle or the temple. In, or among, the latter houfe, or family, hedwelt, tabernacled for fome time by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, that is, by the communication of miraculous powers, or more properly by extraordinary exertions of his power among them, for the fupport and fervice of the gofpel. A Church, a fociety of Chriftians, even a fingle family, or part of one, in a private house.

TO COME, TO COME FROM GOD, TO COME INTO THE WORLD. Thefe phrafes, in fcripture, frequently refer to the miflion of a prophet, and are to be interpreted of his affuming his public character, coming forth in the name of God to exercife his miniftry in the world, and to difcharge the commiffion with which he is invested. See HEAVEN.

COMMUNION.

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