ter, of St. Andrew, of St. Barnabas, the eternal Gospel, &c. &c. &c.: but they were never received by the Christian church, being evidently fabulous and trifling. See CHRISTIANITY.

the absolute perfection of his own nature, and his kindness manifested to his creatures. Goodness, says Dr. Gill, is essential to God, without which he would not be God, Exod. xxxiii. 19. xxxiv. 6, 7. Goodness belongs only to GOSPEL CALL. See CALLING. God, he is solely good, Matt. xix. 17; GOSPEL A LAW. It has been and all the goodness found in creatures disputed whether the Gospel consists are only emanations of the divine good- merely of promises, or whether it can ness. He is the chief good; the sum in any sense be called a law. The anand substance of all felicity, Ps. cxliv. swer plainly depends upon adjusting 12, 15. lxxiii. 25. iv. 6, 7. There is no- the meaning of the words Gospel and thing but goodness in God, and nothing law: if the Gospel be taken for the debut goodness comes from him, 1 John claration God has made to men by i. 5. James i. 13, 14. He is infinitely Christ, concerning the manner in which good; finite minds cannot comprehend he will treat them, and the conduct he his goodness, Rom. xi. 35, 36. He is expects from them, it is plain that this immutably and unchangeably good, includes commands, and even threatZeph. iii. 17. The goodness of God is enings, as well as promises; but to decommunicative and diffusive, Ps. cxix. fine the Gospel so, as only to express 68. xxxiii. 5. With respect to the ob- the favourable part of that declaration, jects of it, it may be considered as ge- || is indeed taking the question for grantneral and special. His general good-ed, and confining the word to a sense ness is seen in all his creatures; yea in the inanimate creation, the sun, the earth, and all his works; and in the government, support, and protection of the world at large, Ps. xxxvi. 6. cxlv. His special goodness relates to angels and saints. To angels, in creating, confirming, and making them what they are. To saints, in election, calling, justification, adoption, sanctification, perseverance, and eternal glorification. Gill's Body of Div. v. i. p. 133. 8vo. ed.; Charnock's Works, v. i. p. 574; Paley's Nat. Theol., ch. 26; South's admirable Sermon, on this Subject, vol. viii. ser. 3.; Tillotson's Serm., ser. 143-146; Abernethy's Serm., vol. i. Nɔ. 2.

much less extensive than it often has in Scripture: compare Rom. ii. 16. 2 Thes. i. 8. 1 Tim. i. 10, 11.; and it is certain, that, if the Gospel be put for all the parts of the dispensation taken in connection one with another, it may well be called, on the whole, a good message. In like manner the question, whether the Gospel be a law or not, is to be determined by the definition of the law and of the Gospel, as above. If law signifies, as it generally does, the discovery of the will of a superior, teaching what he requires of those under his government, with the intimation of his intention of dispensing rewards and punishments, as this rule of their conduct is observed or neglected; in this latitude of expression, it is plain, from the proposition, that the Gospel, taken for the declaration made to men by Christ, is a law, as in Scripture it is sometimes called, James i. 25. Rom. iv. 15. Rom. viii. 2. But if law be taken, in the greatest rigour of the expression, for such a discovery of the will of God, and our duty, as to contain in it no intimation of our obtaining the Divine favour otherwise than by a perfect and universal conformity to it, in that sense the Gospel is not a law. See NEONOMIANS. Witsius on Cov. vol. iii. ch. 1.; Doddridge's Lect. lect. 172.; Watts's Orthodoxy and Charity, essay 2.

GOSPEL, the revelation of the grace of God to fallen man through a mediator. It is taken also for the history of the life, actions, death, resurrection, as- || cension, and doctrine of Jesus Christ. The word is Saxon, and of the same import with the Latin evangelium, which signifies glad tidings or good news. It is called the Gospel of his Grace, because it flows from his free love, Acts xx. 24. The Gospel of the kingdom, as it treats of the kingdoms of grace and glory. The Gospel of Christ, because he is the author and subject of it, Rom. i. 16. The Gospel of peace and salvation, as it promotes our present comfort, and leads to eternal glory, Eph. i. 13. vi. 15. The glorious Gospel, GOVERNMENT OF GOD, is the as in it the glorious perfections of Jeho- disposal of his creatures, and all events vah are displayed, 2 Cor. iv. 4. The relative to them, according to his infieverlasting Gospel, as it was designed nite justice, power, and wisdom. His from eternity, is permanent in time, and moral government is his rendering to the effects of it eternal, Rev. xiv. 6. every man according to his actions, conThere are about thirty or forty apocry-sidered as good or evil. See DOMINION phal Gospels; as the Gospel of St. Pe- and SOVEREIGNTY.

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even not neglected by heathens themselves. The English, however, seem to be very deficient in this duty.

As to the manner in which it ought to be performed, as Dr. Watts observes, we ought to have a due regard to the occasion, and the persons present; the neglect of which hath been attended with indecencies and indiscretions. Some have used themselves to mutter a few words with so low a voice, as though by some secret charm they were to consecrate the food alone, and there was no need of the rest to join with them in the petitions. Others have broke out into so violent a sound, as though they were bound to make a thousand people hear them. Some perform this part of wor

as though they had no sense of the great God to whom they speak: others have put on an unnatural solemnity, and changed their natural voice into so different and awkward a tone, not without some distortions of countenance, that have tempted strangers to ridicule.

GRACE. There are various senses in which this word is used in Scripture; but the general idea of it, as it relates to God, is his free favour and love. As it respects men, it implies the happy state of reconciliation and favour with God wherein they stand, and the holy endowments, qualities, or habits of faith, hope, love, &c., which they possess. Divines have distinguished grace into common or general, special or particular. Common grace, if it may be so called, is what all men have; as the light of nature and reason, convictions of conscience, &c., Rom. ii. 4. 1 Tim. iv. 10. Special grace is that which is peculiar to some people only; such as electing, redeeming, justifying, pardoning, adopting, establishing, and sanctify-ship with so slight and familiar an air, ing grace, Rom. viii. 30. This special grace is by some distinguished into imputed and inherent: imputed grace consists in the holiness, obedience, and righteousness of Christ, imputed to us for our justification; inherent grace is what is wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God in regeneration. Grace is also said to be irresistible, efficacious, and victorious; not but that there are in human nature, in the first moments of conviction, some struggles, opposition, or conflict; but by these terms we are to understand, that, in the end, victory declares for the grace of the Gospel. There have been many other distinctions of grace; but as they are of too frivolous a nature, and are now obsolete, they need not a place here. Growth in grace is the progress we make in the divine life. It discovers itself by an in- The general rules of prudence, togecrease of spiritual light and knowledge; ther with a due observation of the cusby our renouncing self, and depending tom of the place where we live, would more upon Christ; by growing mcre correct all these disorders, and teach us spiritual in duties; by being more hum- that a few sentences suited to the occable, submissive, and thankful; by rising sion, spoken with an audible and proper superior to the corruptions of our nature, voice, are sufficient for this purpose, esand finding the power of sin more weak-pecially if any strangers are present. ened in us; by being less attached to the Watts's Works, oct. edit. vol. iv. p. 160. world, and possessing more of a hea- Law's Serious Call, p. 60. Seed's Post. venly disposition. M'Laurin's Essays, Ser. p. 174. essay 3.; Gill's Body of Div. vol. i. p. 118.; Doddridge's Lect., part viii. prop. 139. Pike and Hayward's Cases of Conscience; Saurin on 1 Cor. ix. 26, 27. vol. iv.; Booth's reign of Grace.

GRACE AT MEALS, a short pray. er, imploring the divine blessing on our food, and expressive of gratitude to God for supplying our necessities. The propriety of this act is evident from the divine command, 1 Thess. v. 18. 1 Cor. x. 31. 1 Tim. iv. 5. From the conduct of Christ, Mark viii. 6, 7. From reason itself; not to mention that it is a custom practised by most nations, and

It is the custom of some to hurry over a single sentence or two, and they have done, before half the company are prepared to lift up a thought to heaven. And some have been just heard to bespeak a blessing on the church and the king, but seem to have forgot they were asking God to bless their food, or giving thanks for the food they have received. Others, again, make a long prayer, and, among a multitude of other petitions, do not utter one that relates to the table before them.

GRATITUDE, is that pleasant affection of the mind which arises from a sense of favours received, and by which the possessor is excited to make all the returns of love and service in his power. "Gratitude," says Mr. Cogan (in his Treatise on the Passions,) "is the powerful re-action of a well-disposed mind, upon whom benevolence has conferred some important good. It is mostly connected with an impressive sense of the amiable disposition of the person by whom the benefit is conferred, and it immediately produces a personal affection towards him. We shall not wonder

at the peculiar strength and energy of this affection, when we consider that it is compounded of love placed upon the good communicated, affection for the donor, and joy at the reception. Thus it has goodness for its object, and the most pleasing, perhaps unexpected, exertions of goodness for its immediate cause. Thankfulness refers to verbal expressions of gratitude." See THANK

FULNESS.

GRAVITY, is that seriousness of mind, united with dignity of behaviour, that commands veneration and respect. See Dr. Watts's admirable Sermon on Gravity, ser. 23. vol. i.

GREATNESS OF GOD, is the infinite glory and excellency of all his perfections. His greatness appears by the attributes he possesses, Deut. xxxii. 3, 4. the works he hath made, Ps. xix. 1. by the awful and benign providences he displays, Ps. xcvii. 1, 2. the great effects he produces by his word, Gen. i. the constant energy he manifests in the existence and support of all his creatures, Ps. cxlv. and the everlasting provision of glory made for his people, 1 Thes. iv. 17. This greatness is of himself, and not derived, Ps. xxi. 13. it is infinite, Ps. cxlv. 3. not diminished by exertion, but will always remain the same, Mal. iii. 6. The considerations of his greatness should excite veneration, Ps. Ixxxix. 7. admiration, Jer. ix. 6, 7. humility, Job xlii. 5, 6. dependence, Is. xxvi. 4. submission, Job i. 22. obedience, Deut. iv. 39, 40. See ATTRIBUTES, and|| books under that article.

GREEK CHURCH, comprehends in its bosom a considerable part of Greece, the Grecian Isles, Wallachia, Moldavia, Egypt, Abyssinia, Nubia, Libya, Arabia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Cilicia, and Palestine, which are all under the jurisdiction of the patriarchs of Constantinople, Alexandría, Antioch, and Jerusalem. If to these we add the whole of the Russian empire in Europe, great part of Siberia in Asia, Astracan, Casan, and Georgia, it will be evident that the Greek church has a wider extent of territory than the Latin, with all the branches which have sprung from it; and that it is with great impropriety that the church of Rome is called by her members the catholic or universal church. That in these widely distant countries the professors of Christianity are agreed in every minute article of belief, it would be rash to assert; but there is certainly such an agreement among them, with respect both to faith and to discipline, that they, mutually hold communion with each other, and

are, in fact, but one church. It is called the Greek church, in contradistinction to the Latin or Romish church; as also the Eastern, in distinction from the Western church. We shall here present the reader with a view of its rise, tenets, and discipline.

1. Greek church, rise and separation of. The Greek church is considered as a separation from the Latin. In the middle of the ninth century, the controversy relating to the procession of the Holy Ghost (which had been started in the sixth century) became a point of great importance, on account of the jealousy and ambition which at that time were blended with it. Photius, the patriarch of Jerusalem, having been advanced to that see in the room of Ignatius, whom he procured to be deposed, was solemnly excommunicated by pope Nicholas, in a council held at Rome, and his ordination declared null and void. The Greek Emperor resented this conduct of the pope, who defended himself with great spirit and resolution. Photius, in his turn, convened what he called an ecumenical council, in which he pronounced sentence of excommunication and deposition against the pope, and got it subscribed by twenty-one bishops and others, amounting in number to a thousand. This occasioned a wide breach between the sees of Rome and Constantinople. However, the death of the emperor Michael, and the deposition of Photius, subsequent thereupon, seem to have restored peace; for the emperor Basil held a council at Constantinople in the year 869, in which entire satisfaction was given to Pope Adrian; but the schism was only smothered and suppressed a while. The Greek church had several complaints against the Latin; particularly it was thought a great hardship for the Greeks to subscribe to the definition of a council according to the Roman form, prescribed by the pope, since it made the church of Constantinople dependent on that of Rome, and set the pope above an ecumenical council; but, above all, the pride and haughtiness of the Roman court gave the Greeks a great distaste; and as their deportment seemed to insult his imperial majesty, it entirely alienated the affections of the emperor Basil. Towards the middle of the eleventh century, Michael Cerularius, patriarch of Constantinople, opposed the Latins, with respect to their making use of unleavened bread in the eucharist, their observation of the sabbath, and fasting on Saturday, charging them with living in communion with the Jews. To

this pope Leo IX. replied; and, in his apology for the Latins, declaimed very warmly against the false doctrine of the Greeks, and interposed at the same time, the authority of his see. He likewise, by his legates, excommunicated the patriarch in the church of Santa Sophia, which gave the last shock to the reconciliation attempted a long time after, but to no purpose; for from that time the hatred of the Greeks to the Latins, and of the Latins to the Greeks, became insuperable, insomuch that they have continued ever since separated from each other's communion:

The patriarchs, metropolitans, archbishops, and bishops, are always chosen from among the caloyers, or Greek monks. The next person to a bishor among the clergy, is an archimandrite, who is the director of one or more convents, which are called mandren; then

which the fast in Lent, before Easter, is the chief. They believe the doctrine of consubstantiation, or the union of the body of Christ with the sacrament bread. III. Greek church, state and discipline of. Since the Greeks became subject to the Turkish yoke, they have sunk into the most deplorable ignorance, in consequence of the slavery and thraldom under which they groan; and their religion is now greatly corrupted. It is, indeed, little better than a heap of ridiculous ceremonies and absurdities. The head of the Greek church is the patriarch of Constantinople, who is chosen II. Greek church, tenets of. The fol- by the neighbouring archbishops and lowing are some of the chief tenets held metropolitans, and confirmed by the by the Greek church:-They disown emperor or grand vizier. He is a perthe authority of the pope, and deny that son of great dignity, being the head and the church of Rome is the true catholic director of the Eastern church. The church. They do not baptize their chil- other patriarchs are those of Jerusalem, dren till they are three, four, five, six, Antioch, and Alexandria. Mr. Tourneten, nay, sometimes eighteen years of fort tells us, that the patriarchates are age: baptism is performed by trine im- now generally set to sale, and bestowed mersion. They insist that the sacra-upon those who are the highest bidders ment of the Lord's supper ought to be administered in both kinds, and they give the sacrament to children immediately after baptism. They grant no indulgences, nor do they lay any claim to the character of infallibility, like the church of Rome. They deny that there is any such place as purgatory; notwith-comes the abbot, the arch-priest, the standing they pray for the dead, that God would have mercy on them at the general judgment. They practise the invocation of saints; though, they say, they do not invoke them as deities, but as intercessors with God. They exclude confirmation, extreme unction, and matrimony, out of the seven sacra-ged to follow some handicraft employments. They deny auricular confession to be a divine precept, and say it is only The Russians adhere to the doctrine a positive injunction of the church. and ceremonies of the Greek church, They pay no religious homage to the though they are now independent of the eucharist. They administer the com- patriarch of Constantinople. The Rusmunion in both kinds to the laity, both sian church, indeed, may be reckoned in sickness and in health, though they the first, as to extent of empire; yet have never applied themselves to their there is very little of the power of vital confessors; because they are persuaded religion among them. The Roskolniki, that a lively faith is all which is requi- or, as they now call themselves, the site for the worthy receiving of the Starovertzi, were a sect that separated Lord's supper. They maintain that the from the church of Russia, about 1666: Holy Ghost proceeds only from the Fa- they affected extraordinary piety and ther, and not from the Son. They be-devotion, a veneration for the letter of lieve in predestination. They admit of the Holy Scriptures, and would not alno images in relief or embossed work, low a priest to administer baptism who but use paintings and sculptures in cop- had that day tasted brandy. They harper or silver. They approve of the mar-boured many follies and superstitions, riage of priests, provided they enter into that state before their admission into holy orders. They condemn all fourth marriages. They observe a number of noly days, and keep four fasts in the year more solemn than the rest, of

priest, the deacon, the under-deacon, the chanter, and the lecturer. The se cular clergy are subject to no rules, and never rise higher than high-priest. The Greeks have few nunneries, but a great many convents of monks, who are all priests; and (students excepted) obli

ment, and lead a very austere life.

and have been greatly persecuted; but, perhaps, there will be found among them "some that shall be counted to the Lord for a generation." Several settlements of German Protestants have been established in the Wolga. The

Moravians also have done good in Livo- || attendance with what is said of the stania, and the adjacent isles in the Baltic ted residence of these angels in heaven, under the Russian government. See and with Heb. i. 14, where all the anMosheim, Gregory, and Hawies's gels are represented as ministering to Church History; King's Rites and the heirs of salvation: though, as there Ceremonies of the Greek Church in is great reason to believe the number of Russia; The Russian Catechism; Se- heavenly spirits is vastly superior to cret Memoirs of the Court of Peters- that of men upon earth, it is not improburgh; Tooke's History of Russia; bable that they may, as it were, relieve Ricaut's State of the Greek Church; each other, and in their turns perform these condescending services to those whom the Lord of Angels has been pleased to redeem with his own blood; but we must confess that our knowledge of the laws and orders of those celestial beings is very limited, and consequently that it is the part of humility to avoid dogmatical determinations on such heads as these." See ANGEL; and Doddridge's Lectures, lect. 212.

Enc. Brit.

GROWTH IN GRACE. See GRACE.

GUARDIAN ANGEL. "Some," says Dr. Doddridge, "have thought, that not only every region but every man has some particular angel assigned him as a guardian, whose business it is generally to watch over that country or person; for this opinion they urge Matt. xviii. 10. Acts xii. 15. But the argument from both these places is evidently precarious; and it seems difficult to reconcile the supposition of such a continued

GUILT, the state of a person justly charged with a crime; a consciousness of having done amiss. See SIN.

H.

iii; Reid on the Active Powers, p. 117; Cogan on the Passions, p. 235.

HABIT, a power and ability of doing any thing, acquired by frequent repetition of the same action. It is distin- HÆRETICO COMBURENDO, a guished from custom. Custom respects writ which anciently lay against an hethe action; habit the actor. By custom retic, who, having once been convicted we mean a frequent reiteration of the of heresy by his bishop, and having absame act; and by habit the effect that jured it, afterwards falling into it again, custom has on the mind or body. "Man," or into some other, is thereupon comas one observes, "is a bundle of habits. mitted to the secular power. This writ There are habits of industry, attention, is thought by some to be as ancient as vigilance, advertency; of a prompt obe- the common law itself; however, the dience to the judgment occurring, or of conviction of heresy by the common law yielding to the first impulse of passion; was not in any petty ecclesiastical court, of apprehending, methodizing, reason-but before the archbishop himself, in a ing; of vanity, melancholy, fretfulness, provincial synod, and the delinquent was suspicion, covetousness, &c. In a word, delivered up to the king, to do with there is not a quality or function, either him as he pleased; so that the crown of body or mind, which does not feel the had a control over the spiritual power: influence of this great law of animated but by 2 Henry IV. cap. 15. the diocenature." To cure evil habits, we should san alone, without the intervention of a be as early as we can in our application, synod, might convict of heretical tenets; principiis obsta; to cross and mortify and unless the convict abjured his opithe inclination by a frequent and obsti- nions, or if after abjuration he relapsed, nate practice of the contrary virtue. To the sheriff was bound ex officio, if requiform good habits, we should get our red by the bishop, to commit the unhapminds well stored with knowledge; as-py victim to the flames, without waiting sociate with the wisest and best men; reflect much on the pleasure good ha15 bits are productive of; and, above all, supplicate the Divine Being for direction and assistance. Kaims's Elem. of Crit. ch. xiv. vol. 1; Grove's Mor. Phil. vol. i. p. 143; Paley's Mor. Phil. vol. i. p. 46; Jortin on Bad Habits, ser. 1. vol.

for the consent of the crown. This writ remained in force, and was actually executed on two Anabaptists, in the seventh of Elizabeth, and on two Arians in the ninth of James I. Sir Edward Coke was of opinion that this writ did not lie in his time; but it is now formally taken away by statute 29 Car. II. cap. 9.