our defects, and obliges us to the Glass, ch. 48; Tillotson's Ser. ser. same zeal, which laws, though 189, 190, 191; Barrow's Works, wise and good, will not effect." vol. iii, ser. 2 and 3: Flavel's The life of Jesus Christ forms Works, vol. i, p. 29, 30. the most beautiful example the EXARCH, an officer in the christian can imitate. Unlike Greek church, whose business it is all others, it was absolutely per-to visit the provinces allotted to fect and uniform, and every way him, in order to inform himself of accommodated to our present the lives and manners of the clerstate. In him we behold all light||gy; take cognizance of ecclesiastiwithout a shade, all beauty with-cal causes; the manner of celebraout a spot, all the purity of the ting divine service; the administralaw, and the excellency of the tion of the sacraments, particularly gospel. Here we see piety with-confession; the observance of the out superstition, and morality with-canons; monastic discipline; afout ostentation; humility without ||fairs of marriages, divorces, &c. meanness, and fortitude without but, above all, to take an account temerity; patience without apa-of the several revenues which the thy, and compassion without weak-patriarch receives from seve al ness; zeal without rashness, and churches, and particularly as to beneficence without ostentation. what regards collecting the same. The obligation we are under to The exarch, after having enrichimitate this example arises fromed himself in his post, frequently duty, relationship, engagement, rises to the patriarchate himself. interest, and gratitude. See article Exarch is also used, in the Eastern JESUS CHRIST. church antiquity, for a general or

Those who set bad examples superior over several monasteries, should consider, 1. That they are the same that we call archimanthe ministers of the devil's designs drite; being exempted by the to destroy souls.-2. That they patriarch of Constantinople from are acting in direct opposition to the jurisdiction of the bishop. Christ, who came to save, and not EXCISION, the cutting off a to destroy.-3. That they are add-person from fellowship with the ing to the misery and calamities community to which he belongs, which are already in the world. by way of punishment for some sin 4. That the effects of their exam-committed. The Jews, Selden inple may be incalculable on so-forms us, reckon up thirty-six ciety to the end of time, and per-crimes, to which they pretend this haps in eternity; for who can tell punishment is due. The rabbins what may be the consequence of reckon three kinds of excision; one sin, on a family, a nation, or one, which destroys only the body; posterity-5. They are acting con- another, which destroys the soul trary to the divine command, and only; and a third, which destroys thus exposing themselves to final both body and soul. The first ruin. Massilon's Ser. vol. ii, ser. kind of excision they pretend is 9. Eng. Tran. Clarke's Looking untimely death; the second is an VOL. I. Nn

utter extinction of the soul; and||rible. The person so excommunithe third a compound of the two cated was avoided in all civil comformer: thus making the soul merce and outward conversation. mortal or immortal, says Selden, No one was to receive him into according to the degree of misbe-his house, nor eat at the same haviour and wickedness of the peo-table with him; and, when dead, ple. See next article. he was denied the solemn rites

EXCOMMUNICATION, a of burial. penalty, or censure, whereby per- The Jews expelled from their sons who are guilty of any no-synagogue such as had committed torious crime or offence are se-any grievous crime. See John ix, parated from the communion of 22. John xii, 42. John xvi, 2. and the church, and deprived of all Joseph. Antiq. Jud. lib. 9, cap. spiritual advantages. 22. and lib. 16, cap. 2. God

Excommunication is founded wyn, in his Moses and Aaron, upon a natural right which all distinguishes three degrees or societies have of excluding out kinds of excommunication among of their body such as violate the Jews. The first he finds intithe laws thereof, and it was ori-mated in John ix, 22. the second ginally instituted for preserving the in 1st Cor. v, 5. and the third in purity of the church; but am-1st Cor. xvi, 22.

bitious ecclesiastics converted it The Romish pontifical takes noby degrees into an engine for pro-tice of three kinds of excommumoting their own power, and in-nication. 1. The minor, incurred flicted it on the most frivolous by those who have any correspondence with an excommunicated

occasions.

In the ancient church the power person.-2. The major, which falls of excommunication was lodged upon those who disobey the comin the hands of the clergy, who mands of the holy see, or refuse distinguished it into the greater to submit to certain points of disand less. The less consisted in cipline; in consequence of which excluding persons from the parti- they are excluded from the cipation of the eucharist, and the church militant and triumphant, prayers of the faithful; but they and delivered over to the devil were not expelled the church. and his angels.-3. Anathema, The greater excommunication con-which is properly that pronouncsisted in absolute and entire se-ed by the pope against heretical clusion from the church, and the princes and countries. In forparticipation of all its rights; no-mer ages, these papal fulminations tice of which was given by circu-were most terrible things; but lar letters to the most eminent latterly they were formidable to churches all over the world, that none but a few petty states of they might all confirm this act of Italy. discipline, by refusing to admit the

Excommunication in the Greek delinquent to their communion. church cuts off the offender from The consequences were very ter-all communion with the three hun

dred and eighteen fathers of the||but if the judge of any spiritual first council of Nice, and with the court excommunicates a man for saints; consigns him over to the a cause of which he hath not the devil and the traitor Judas, and legal cognizance, the party may condemns his body to remain after have an action against him at comdeath as hard as a flint or piece mon law, and he is also liable to of steel, unless he humble himself, be indicted at the suit of the king. and make atonement for his sins Excommunication in the church by a sincere repentance. The form of Scotland consists only in an abounds with dreadful impreca- exclusion of openly profane and tions; and the Greeks assert, that, immoral persons from baptism if a person dies excommunicated, and the Lord's supper; but is the devil enters into the lifeless seldom publicly denounced, as, corpse; and, therefore, in order to indeed, such persons generally exprevent it, the relations of the de- clude themselves from the latter ceased cut his body in pieces, and ordinance at least; but it is atboil them in wine. It is a custom tended with no civil incapacity for the patriarch of Jerusalem an-whatever.

nually to excommunicate the pope Among the Independents and and the church of Rome; on Baptists, the persons who are or which occasion, together with a should be excommunicated, are great deal of idle ceremony, he such as are quarrelsome and litigidrives a nail into the ground with ous, Gal. v, 12, such as desert their a hammer, as a mark of maledic-privileges, withdraw themselves tion. from the ordinances of God, and

The form of excommunication forsake his people, Jude 19; such in the church of England ancient-as are irregular and immoral in ly ran thus: "By the authority their lives, railers, drunkards, exof God the Father Almighty, the tortioners, fornicators, and covetSon, and Holy Ghost, and of Mary ous, Eph. v, 5. 1st Cor. v, 11. the blessed mother of God, we ex- "The exclusion of a person from communicate, anathematize, and any christian church does not afsequester from the holy mother fect his temporal estate and civil church," &c. The causes of ex-affairs; it does not subject him to communication in England are, fines or imprisonments; it intercontempt of the bishops' court, feres not with the business of a heresy, neglect of public worship civil magistrate; it makes no and the sacraments, incontinency, change in the natural and civil adultery, simony, &c. It is de- relations between husbands and scribed to be twofold; the less is wives, parents and children, masan ecclesiastical censure, exclud-ters and servants; neither does it ing the party from a participa-deprive a man of the liberty of tion of the sacrament: the greater attending public worship; it reproceeds farther, and excludes moves him, however, from the him not only from these, but from communion of the church, and the company of all christians; the privileges dependent on it:

this is done that he may be asham- principally endeavours to ed of his sin, and be brought to vince the understanding, and the repentance, that the honour of former to work on the affections. Christ may be vindicated, and that It is considered as a great branch stumbling blocks may be removed of preaching, though not confined out of the way." to that, as a man may exhort,

Though the act of exclusion be though he do not preach; though not performed exactly in the same a man can hardly be said to preach manner in every church, yet the if he do not exhort. It seems, power of excision lies in the however, that there are some, who, church itself. The officers take believing the inability of man to the sense of the members assem-do any thing good, cannot reconbled together; and after the mat-cile the idea of exhorting men to ter has been properly investigated, duty, being, as they suppose, a conand all necessary steps taken to re-tradiction to address men who claim the offender, the church have no power to act of themproceeds to the actual exclusion of selves. But they forget, 1. That the person from among them, by the Great Author of our being signifying their judgment or opi- has appointed this as a mean for nion that the person is unworthy inclining the will to himself, Is. lv. of a place in God's house. In the 6, 7, Luke xiv, 17, 23.-2. That conclusion of this article, however, they who thus address do not supwe must add, that too great cau-pose that there is any virtue in tion cannot be observed in proce- the exhortation itself, but that its dures of this kind; every thing energy depends on God alone, 1st should be done with the greatest Cor. xv, 10.-3. That the scripmeekness, deliberation, prayer, ture enjoins ministers to exhort and a deep sense of our own un-men, that is, to rouse them to duty, worthiness; with a compassion for by proposing suitable motives, Is. the offender, and a fixed design of lviii, 1. 1st Tim. vi, 2. Heb. iii, embracing every opportunity of 13. Rom. xii, 8.-4. That it was doing him good, by reproving, in-the constant practice of prophets, structing, and, if possible, restoring apostles, and Christ himself, Is. i, him to the enjoyment of the pri- 17. Jer. iv, 14. Ezek. xxxvii. vileges he has forfeited by his con- Luke xiii, 3. Luke iii, 18. Acts xi, duct. See CHURCH. 23. The express words," says

masters.

EXCUSATI, a term formerly a good divine, "of scriptural inviused to denote slaves, who, flying tations, exhortations, and promises, to any church for sanctuary, were prove more effectual to encourage excused and pardoned by their those who are ready to give up their hopes, than all the consolaEXHORTATION, the act of tory topics that can possibly be laying such motiyes before a person substituted in their place. It is, as may excite him to the perform-therefore, much to be lamented ance of any duty. It differs only that pious men, by adhering to a from suasion in that the latter supposed systematical exactness of

expression should clog their ad-|| But these have been so few, and dresses to sinners with exceptions by their opinions have shewn that and limitations, which the Spirit they rather denied the particular of God did not see good to insert. providence than the existence of They will not say that the omission God, that it can hardly be said was an oversight in the inspired to be an exception to the arguwriters; or admit the thought for ment stated. And even if men a moment, that they can improve were bold enough to assert it, it on their plan: why then cannot would be no absolute proof that they be satisfied to speak 'accord- they really believed what they ing to the oracles of God,' with- said, since it might proceed from out affecting a more entire consist-a wish that there were no God to ency? Great mischief has thus whom they must be accountable been done by very different de- for their sin, rather than a belief scriptions of men, who undesign- of it, Ps. xiv, 1. It has also been edly concur in giving Satan an objected, that whole nations have occasion of suggesting to the been found in Africa and America trembling inquirer that perhaps who have no notion of a Deity: he may persevere in asking, seek-but this is what has never been ing, and knocking, with the great-proved; on the contrary, upon est earnestness and importunity, accurate inspection, even the most and yet finally be a cast-away." EXISTENCE OF GOD. The Greenlanders, Kamtschatkans, and stupid Hottentots, Saldanians, methods usually followed in prov-savage Americans, are found to ing the existence of God are two; the first called argumentum a prihave some idea of a God. ori, which beginning with the and light of Nature, or from the "2. It is argued from the law cause descends to the effect; the general impression of Deity on the other argumentum a posteriori, mind of every man, i. e. an inwhich, from a consideration of the distinct idea of a Being of infinite effect, ascends to the cause. former of these hath been particu-quiesce in the truth of his existThe perfection, and a readiness to aclarly laboured by Dr. Sam. Clarke; ence, whenever they understand but after all he has said, the pos-the terms in which it is expressed. sibility of any one's being con- Whence could this proceed, even vinced by it hath been questioned. in the minds of such whose affecThe most general proofs are the tions and carnal interests dispose following: 1. "All nations, Hea- them to believe the contrary, if thens, Jews, Mahometans, and there were no impression naturally Christians, harmoniously consent in their hearts? It has been obthat there is a God who created, served by some writers, that there preserves, and governs all things. are no innate ideas in the minds To this it has been objected, that of men, and particularly conthere has been, at different times cerning God; but this is not so and countries, men who were easily proved, since an inspired atheists, and deniers of a God. apostle assures us that even the