ependent sovereignties."

We omit the constitution, as the preceding elementary principles
sufficiently develop the peculiarities of this denomination.

PROTESTANTS.

A name first given, in Germany, to those who adhered to the doctrine of
Luther; because, in 1529, they protested against a decree of the emperor
Charles V., and the diet of Spires, declaring that they appealed to a
general council. The same name has also been given to the Calvinists, and
is now become a common denomination for all sects which differ from the
church of Rome.

SABELLIANS.

A sect, in the third century, that embraced the opinions of Sabellius, a
philosopher of Egypt, who openly taught that there is but one person in
the Godhead.

The Sabellians maintained that the Word and the Holy Spirit are only
virtues, emanations, or functions of the Deity, and held that he who is in
heaven is the Father of all things; that he descended into the Virgin,
became a child, and was born of her as a Son; and that, having
accomplished the mystery of our salvation, he diffused himself on the
apostles in tongues of fire, and was then denominated the _Holy Ghost_.
This they explained by resembling God to the sun; the illuminated virtue
or quality of which was the Word, and its warming virtue the Holy Spirit.
The Word, they taught, was darted, like a divine ray, to accomplish the
work of redemption; and that, being re-ascended to heaven, the influences
of the Father were communicated after a like manner to the apostles.

SANDEMANIANS.

So called from Mr. Robert Sandeman, a Scotchman, who published his
sentiments in 1757. He afterwards came to America, and established
societies at Boston, and other places in New England, and in Nova Scotia.

This sect arose in Scotland about the year 1728, where it is distinguished
at the present day by the name of _Glassites_, after its founder, Mr. John
Glass, a minister of the established church.

The Sandemanians consider that faith is neither more nor less than a
simple assent to the divine testimony concerning Jesus Christ, delivered
for the offences of men, and raised again for their justification, as
recorded in the New Testament, They also maintain that the word _faith_,
or belief, is constantly used by the apostles to signify what is denoted
by it in common discourse, viz., a persuasion of the truth of any
proposition, and that there is no difference between believing any common
t