aim of the majority of the sect was to distribute the writings of Voltaire, Diderot, and others, ard thus to eradicate from the minds of the people all reverence for Divine revelation. See PHILOSOPHISTS.

OFFERING, or OBLATION, denotes whatever is sacrificed or consumed in the worship of God. For an account of the various offerings under the law, the reader is referred to the book of Leviticus. See also SACRIFICE.

think, arises from the will of God, as revealed in the light and law of nature and in his word. This is binding upon all men, because there is no situation in which mankind have not either one or the other of these. We find, however, that the generality of men are so far sunk in depravity, that a sense of obligation is nearly or quite lost. Still, however, their losing the sense does not render the obligation less strong. "Obligation to virtue is eternal and immutable, but the sense of it is lost by sin." See Warburton's Legation, vol. i, p. 38, 46, &c.; Paley's Mor. Phil., p. 54, vol. i; Robinson's Preface to the Fourth Volume of Saurin's Sermons; Mason's Christian Morals, ser. 23, p. 256, vol. ii; Doddridge's Lect., lec. 52;-3. A king to reign in and rule Grove's Phil., vol. ii, p. 66.

OBSERVATION. See MIND.
CECONOMY. See DISPEN-

SATION.

OFFICERS CHURCH. See CHURCH, DEACON, ELDer.

OFFICES OF CHRIST are generally considered as threefold. 1. A prophet to enlighten and instruct, John vi, 14. John iii, 2.—2. A priest to make atonement for his people, Isaiah liii. Heb. vii.

over them, Zech. xi, 9. Psal. ii, 6. See articles INTERCESSION, MEDIATOR, &c.

OMEN is a word which, in its proper sense, signifies a sign or indication of some future event, especially of an alarming nature. Against the belief of omens, it is observed, that it is contrary to every principle of sound philosophy; and whoever has studied the writings of St. Paul must be convinced that it is inconsistent with the spirit of genuine Christianity. We cannot pretend to discuss the subject here, but will present the reader with a quotation on the other side of the question.

ECONOMISTS, a sect of philosophers in France, who have made a great noise in Europe, and are generally supposed to have been unfriendly to religion. The founder of this sect was Dr. Duquesnoi, who had so well insinuated himself into the favour of Louis XV, that the king used to call him his Thinker. The sect was called Economists, because the economy and order to be introduced into the finances, and other means of alleviating the distresses of the people, were perpetually in their" Though it be true," says Mr. mouths. The abbé Barruel admits that there may have been some few of them who directed their speculations to no other object; but he brings very sufficient proof that the VOL. II.

Dd

Toplady, "that all omens are not worthy of observation, and though they should never be so regarded as to shock our fortitude, or diminish our confidence in God,

is his ubiquity, or his being present" creature.-6. It is incomprehensi

ble by us how God knows all || lany; the medium of priests, speak things yet it is evident that he does; for to suppose otherwise is to suppose him an imperfect Being, and directly contrary to the revelation he has given of himself, 1st John iii, 20. Job xxviii, 24. Job xxi, 22. See Charnock's Works, vol. i, p. 271; Abernethy's Sermons, vol. i, page 290, 306; Howe's Works, vol. i, p. 102, 103; Gill's Div., vol. i, p. 85, oct.

ing images, vocal groves, &c., seem much to confirm it. On the other hand, if we may credit the relation of ancient writers, either among Heathens or Christians, this hypothesis will hardly account for many of the instances they mention. And since it cannot be proved either impossible or unscriptural, is it not probable that God might sometimes permit an intercourse with infernal spirits with a design, in the end, to turn this and every other circumstance to his own glory?

OPHITES. See SERPENTINIANS. OPINION is that judgment which the mind forms of any proposition, for the truth or falsehood of which there is not sufficient evidence to produce absolute belief. ORACLE, among the Hea-of opinions. It has been generally

Respecting the cessation of these oracles there have been a variety

thens, was the answer which the held, indeed, that oracles ceased gods were supposed to give to at the birth of Jesus Christ; yet those who consulted them upon any some have endeavoured to mainaffair of importance. It is also used tain the contrary, by shewing that for the god who was thought to they were in being in the days of give the answer, and for the place Julian, commonly called the aposwhere it was given. Learned men tate, and that this emperor himself are much divided as to the source consulted them; nay, farther, say of these oracles. Some suppose they, history makes mention of that they were only the invention several laws published by the of priests; while others conceive Christian emperors, Theodosius, that there was a diabolical agency Gratian, and Valentinian, to puemployed in the business. There nish persons who interrogated are, as one observes, several cir-them, even in their days; and cumstances leading to the former that the Epicureans were the first hypothesis; such as the gloomy so- who made a jest of this superstilemnity with which many of them tion, and exposed the roguery of were delivered in caves and sub- its priests to the people. terraneous caverns; the numerous But on the other side it is oband disagreeable ceremonies en- served, 1st, That the question, joined, as sometimes sleeping in properly stated, is not, Whether the skins of beasts, bathing, and oracles became extinct immediateexpensive sacrifices; the ambigu-ly upon the birth of Christ, or from ous and unsatisfactory answers the very moment he was born? frequently returned: these look but, Whether they fell gradually very much like the contrivances of into disesteem, and ceased as. artful priests to disguise their vil- Christ and his Gospel became

they did so is most certain from the concurrent testimonies of the fathers, which, whoever would endeavour to invalidate, may equally give up the most respectable traditions and relations of every kind.

known to mankind? And that || livered vica voce; as when God spake to Moses face to face, and as one friend speaks to another, Numb. xii. 8. Secondly, Prophetical dreams sent by God; as the dreams which God sent to Joseph, and which foretold his future greatness, Gen. xxvii, 5, 6. Thirdly, Visions; as when a prophet in an ecstacy, being neither properly asleep nor awake, had supernatural revelations, Gen. xv, 1. Gen. xlvi, 2. Fourthly, The oracle of Urim and Thummim, which was accompanied with the ephod or the pectoral worn by the high priest, and which God had endued with the gift of foretelling things to come, Numb. xii, 6. Joel ii, 28. This manner of enquiring of the Lord was often made use of, from Joshua's time to the erection of the temple at Jerusalem. Fifthly, After the building of the temple, they generally consulted the prophets, who were frequent in the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. From Haggai, Zechariah, and Ma

2dly, But did not Julian the apostate consult these oracles? We answer in the negative: he had, indeed, recourse to magical operations, but it was because oracles had already ceased; for he bewailed the loss of them, and assigned pitiful reasons for it; which St. Cyril has vigorously refuted, adding, that he never could have offered such, but from an unwillingness to acknowledge, that when the world had received the light of Christ, the dominion of the devil was at an end.

3dly, The Christian emperors do, indeed, seem to condemn the superstition and idolatry of those who were still for consulting oracles; but the edicts of those princes do not prove that oracles actual-lachi, who are the last of the proly existed in their times any more phets that have any of their writthan that they ceased in conse-ings remaining, the Jews pretend quence of their laws. It is certain that God gave them what they that they were for the most part call Bathkol, the Daughter of the extinet before the conversion of Voice, which was a supernatural Constantine. manifestation of the will of God, which was performed either by a strong inspiration or internal voice, or else by a sensible and externa! voice, which was heard by a number of persons sufficient to bear testimony of it. For example, such was the voice that was heard at the baptism of Jesus Christ, Among the Jews there were saying, This is my beloved Son, several sorts of real oracles. They&c., Matt. iii, 17. had, first, oracles that were de- The scripture affords us exam

4thly, Some Epicureans might make a jest of this superstition; however, the Epicurean philosopher Celsus, in the second century of the church, was for crying up the excellency of several oracles, as appears at large from Origen's seventh book against him.

H

ples likewise of profane oracles. p. 281, 285; Enc. Brit., article Balaam, at the instigation of his own spirit, and urged on by his avarice, fearing to lose the recompense that he was promised by Balak, king of the Moabites, suggests a diabolical expedient to this prince of making the Israelites fall into idolatry and fornication (Numb. xxiv, 14. Numb. xxxi, 16), by which he assures him of a certain victory, or at least of considerable advantage against the people of God.