BEGIN; (1.) To be eat first, Luke || Countries, in which there is not a soxxi. 28. (2.) To give first rise to, ciety of Beguines. Their vow is, “ I. Neh. xi. 17. N. promise to be obedient and chaste as long as I continue in this BeguinEncy. BEHALF; to do or speak in one's behalf, is to do it for his honour or advantage, Exod. xxvii. 21; or upon one's accouut; for his sake, Phil. i. 29. BEHAVE; to carry or conduct one's self, and order actions, Psalm 1 Thes. ii. 10. 1 Cor. vii. 36. BEHEAD; to cut off the head, Matth. xiv. 10. It is put for the suffering of death in general, Revel. xx. 4. BEGINNING, denotes, (1.) The first part of time in general, Gen. i. 1.—age." (2.) The first part of a particular period: as of the year; of the duration of the state or kingdom of the Hebrews, Exod. xii. 2. Isaiah i. 26. (3.) The first actor, or the cause of a thing, Numb. x. 10. Micah i. 13. (4.) That which is most excellent, Prov. i. 7. and ix. 10. From the be-ci. 2. Mens behaviour, is either holy, ginning, is, (1.) From eternity, before just, wise, blameless; or strange, any creature was made, 2 Thess. ii. proud, uncomely, unseemly; valiant, 13. Prov. viii. 23. (2.) From the &c. very first part of time, 1 John iii. 8. (3.) From the beginning of a particular period; as of Christ's public ministry, John viii. 25. Christ is called the beginning and the begin- BEHEMOTH, one of the most ning of the creation of God: he is noted four-footed beasts. To confrom eternity, and gave being to time vince Job of his insignificancy before and every creature, Rev. i. 8. and iii. him, God requires him to consider 14. Col. i. 18. this animal. He represents it as made BEGUARDS, or BEGARDS, re-together with him, or near to his aligious of the third order of St. Fran- bode; as harmlessly feeding on the cis in Flanders. They were esta-grass of mountains, lying among loblished at Antwerp in the year 1228,tice-trees, willows, reeds, and fens; and took St. Begghe for their pa-as extremely fierce and courageous, troness, whence they had their name. indifferent though a river should From their first institution they em- burst forth upon him; as having a ployed themselves in making linen tail or trunk strong as a cedar-tree, cloth, each supporting themselves by or able to rend one; as having his his own labour, and united only by the strength in his loins, and in the warpbonds of charity, without having any ed sinews of his belly; as having the particular rule. Ency. sinews of his thighs or stones wrapt together; as having bones strong_as bars of iron, and pipes of brass, Job xl. 15-24. It seems agreed, that this animal is either the elephant or the river-horse. BEGUINES, a religious sect who were established first at Liege, and afterwards at Neville, in 1207; they spread over Flanders, and from thence into Germany. Some of these religious fell into extravagant errors, per- At full growth, an ELEPHANT is suading themselves that it was possi- from 17 to 20 feet high, with a belly ble, in the present life, to arrive at reaching almost to the ground. Its the highest perfection, even to im-head is large, and of an ovated figure, peccability, and a clear view of God; in short, to so eminent a degree of contemplation, that there was no necessity, after this, either to observe the fasts of the church, or submit to the direction and laws of mortal men. There is scarce a town in the Low growing smaller towards the mouth. It has no fore-teeth, but its two upper tusks are very long, and are our ivory: the two often weigh between three and four hundred pound weight. In each jaw it has four grinders, of scarce less surprising bigness, or is larger than the buffalo. Its length from head to tail is about 13 feet; its circumference about the waist as much; its thickness four feet and an half. As it is usually very fat, its belly is flattish. Its head is very large in proportion; its mouth can open to the width of a foot; its eyes are small, its ears small and thin; its upper jaws are moveable; in the lower jaw it has two tusks about a foot long, and somewhat crooked: it has four grinders on each side of its mouth; its teeth are hard as flint, and will give fire with steel. Its legs resemble those of a bear, are about three feet round, and three feet and an half in length; each foot has a black hoof, divided into four claws, at the end. Its tail Structure each composed as of seveTal teeth joined together. Its eyes are small in proportion, but its ears are large, and full of membranes.Its nose, trunk, or proboscis, will extead from one to five feet, or more: with this, which consists of firm flesh, with three orders of fibres, it fetches its food to its mouth, and violently tosses whatever it takes for an opposer. It has two paps on its breast. Its legs are exceedingly thick, and each foot has five toes, but so joined, and covered with a cominon skin, that their distinction is scarce discernible, except towards the end, where they are pointed with claws or nails. Its tail is short and small. Its whole body is covered with a warted skin, exceeding strong and thick, and al-is very thick and short, tapering away most of the colour of a mouse, with to the end, and cannot be twisted.a few long and stiff hairs growing Its skin is black, hard, and tough, and at equal distances. The longevity, without hair except whiskers at the strength, sagacity, docility, fidelity, nose. This animal is found about the prudence, agility, and even modesty rivers Nile, Niger, and others, in Aof this animal, are highly extolled. frica, &c. As it is not formed for It is very gentle and harmless if un-swimming, it walks in the bottom of provoked; but if provoked, it tears the river, and thence comes to feed with its teeth, and tosses with its on rice, herbs, and roots, of the adja trunk, and even oversets trees, houses, cent shores and hills; and often lies and walls; and one blow of it will among the reeds and bushes on the kill a horse. When elephants fight banks. The sea-horse of Russia and with one another, they push with Greenland, which leaves the sea, and their teeth, as bulls do with their feeds on the adjacent mountains, horns. Anciently they were com- seems to be a kind of river-horse.* monly used in war; and it is said, towers of wood, containing above 30 warriors, were built on their backs; but we doubt if above four or five could fight from off them. This animal now breeds in Asia and Africa; but perhaps it was anciently a native of Russia in Europe. Wild elephants are caught by frighting them with fire and noise, till, running away, they fall into deep ditches, covered with hurdles and a little earth; or by means of a female barricadoed in some narrow place. * Whether the Mammoth, whose enor mous remains are found in various parts of the United States and Siberia, be the same species of animal with the Behemoth, naturalists are at a loss to determine.Doctor Hunter, a learned English natura list, however, "on an accurate comparison of these bones with those of other animals, determined that they must have belonged to a large non-descript animal of the carnivorous kind, somewhat resembling the hippopotamus, and elephant, yet essentially different from both." Mr. Peale has already completed two The river-horse, or HIPPOPOTA-skeletons of the Mammoth; the one he MUS, is another singular four-footed sent to Europe, the other he has in his museum at Philadelphia; these bones he beast resembling partly the buffalo, found principally in the state of New York, or wild bull, and partly the bear. in the neighbourhood of New Windsor, It BEHIND; (1.) After; at one's back, 2 Sam. iii. 16. (2.) Backward, Judg. xx. 40. (3.) Inferior to, 2 Cor. xi. 5. (4.) Done, or attained already, Phil. iii. 13. (5.) Remaining to be undergone or done, Col. i. 24. (6.) Out of one's notice or charge, Neh. ix. 26. Isai. xxxviii. 17. (7.) Near to; on the other side of, Isaiah xxx. 21. Song ii. 9. (8.) On the west side, Isa. ix. 12. BEHOLD, imports excitement; attention; wonder; joy; certainty; suddenness, Isa. vii. 14. John i. 29. "in two distinct situations," says he," and in N.York state, "were found in a morass." unmixed with bones of any other indivi- What the American naturalist has lost dual whatever." The skeleton in Phila- in these bones, as a stupendous monument delphia is 11 feet in height over the of natural curiosity, the European has gainshoulders; 15 feet from the chin to theed. They were removed from Pittsburgh rump; 31 feet from the point of the tusks in the spring of 1806, by a gentleman who to the end of the tail, following the curve; intends exhibiting them to the principal longest rib, without cartilage, 4 feet 7 in-courts on the continent of Europe. ches; length of the tusks, defenders or horns, 10 feet 7 inches; weight of one grinder, 4 lbs. 10 oz. the whole skeleton weighs about 1000 pounds," The bones of these skeletons are small, however, when compared with some others lately found at the Big-Bone-Lick, on the Ohio, in the state of Kentucky; of which || the following account is given by Dr. Goforth, of Cincinnati, Ohio, one of the dis coverers: Another recent discovery in the history of the Mammoth, has been communicated to the world by the learned Bishop Madison.-This important fact in Zoology, is taken from the 2d number of the Amoenitates Graphicæ : "Facts, says Mr. Madison, summon the discordant opinions of philosophers before an unerring tribunal, from which there can be no appeal. The question, whether the Mammoth was a carnivorous or herbivorous animal, has long divided naturalists; ingenuity, supported by analogy, afforded specious arguments for either opinion. One fact, which the bosom of nature had concealed, but which human industry has re "A large number of teeth weighing from 5 to 10 lbs. each; the thigh-bone entire, weighing 31 lbs. one horn weighing 100 lbs. and the other 150 lbs. the first 21 inches in circumference, the second 23 inches, in length 10 feet 6 inches; the up-cently brought to light, has removed every per-jaw, with a part of the head, ribs, backbone, and a number of other bones of this stupendous animal." doubt. In digging a well, in a place which afforded indications of marine salt, a pas sage was made through the contents of the These bones were brought up the Ohio stomach of that vast animal. The novelty in 1804, and deposited in Pittsburgh. A- of the substances, thus found, excited atmong this collection were "the bones of tention. They were carefully examined, one paw, which, when put together, says a and seem to be half masticated reeds, and gentleman acquainted with anatomy, mea- twigs of trees with grass; whilst the bones sured 5 feet 2 inches, including the talon of the mammoth which were dug up at the or nail; about one-fourth of a thigh-bone same time, and which lay contiguous to weighing 28 lbs." The same gentleman is these substances, evinced that they had of opinion that "the back-bone would been the contents of that animal. These measure about 60 feet when put together; contents are in a state of entire preservaand that the animal must have been about tion: have been seen by hundreds, and 26 feet in height when alive.”—This may were found together with the bones, restor may not be extravagant-nor can it being upon a lime-stone rock, about five and elucidated till we are better acquainted with the history of this monster of all animal creation. God made man, also made he beast. Our ideas of creation are limited in proportion to what we know of it. Among these bones were teeth, equally Whether this animal still liveth is doubtlarge, both of the graminivorous as well as ful-that it should be extinct is extraordiof the carnivorous animal; and others sup-nary--for "we have as much assurance, posed to be of the Rhinoceros. These bones were found 11 feet below the surface, in "a ground strongly impregnated with salt." Those discovered by Mr. Peale a half feet under ground, in the county of that no race of animals will any more cease while the earth remaineth, than seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night," Matth. xxi. 5. Rev. xvi. 15. Luke || of, and give credit to a report, Gen. xlv. 26. (2.) To give a bare assent to gospel-truth, at least such assent as implies no reception of Christ into the heart, Acts viii. 13. (3.) Heartily to receive and rest upon Jesus Christ alone for salvation, as offered by God to us in the gospel, John iii. 15, 16. Acts xvi. 31. It is this that unites us with Christ, and actually interests us in his finished righteousness and full salvation; and for thus acting are the saints called BELIEVERS, 1 Tim. v. 12. (4.) To depend on God for the fulfilment of some particular promise and grant of deliverance, Psal. xxvii. 13. 2. Chron. xx. 20. (5.) Sometimes it denotes a firm persua sion whether grounded on report or other certain evidence, Jam. ii. 19.If he had answered my voice, yet would I not believe; while such trou ble continues on me, I could never be persuaded that he regarded me of my prayers, Job ix. 16. xxiv. 39. To behold, is, (1.) To look on; sec, Gen. xxxi. 51. (2.) To consider; know; care for, Lam. i. 12. John xix. 5, 26, 27. God beheld not iniquity in Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel: though his omniscient eye discerns sin in his people on earth, he observes it not as an angry judge,|| wrathfully to punish them for it. But the word may be rendered, He hath not beheld injury against Jacob, nor vexation against Israel; that is, he will not suffer them to be hurt, Numb. xxiii. 21. To behold Christ, is, with wonder and attention, to know, believe in, and receive him, Isa. Ixv. 1. BEHOVE; to be necessary, just, and becoming. As it became God, for the honour of his nature, counsels, word, and work, to expose Christ to suffering; so it behoved Christ to suffer, and be in all things like unto his brethren of mankind, that he might display his Father's perfections, fulfil his purposes, promises, and types, destroy the works of the devil, and sympathize with, and save us, Heb. ii. 10, 17. BEKAH, half a SHEKEL, Exodus Xxxviii. 26. BEL, the Chaldean idol Baal. Whether, under this name, they worshipped Nimrod, their first Baal or lord, or Pul king of Assyria, or some other monarch, the sun, or all in one, we know not. When Cyrus and Darius took Babylon, this idol and his monstrous image was ruined, and brought into absolute contempt, Isa. xlvi. 1. Jer. 1. 2. and li. 44. BÈLIAL, a name given to Satan, representing him without yoke, profit, or ascent. To mark persons most worthless, wicked, and unruly; or things most horrid and abominable, they are called children, men, or things of Belial, 2 Cor. vi. 14. 2 Sam. xx. 1. and xxii. 6. and xxiii. 1 Sam. ii. 12. and xxv. 17. and xxx. 22. and i. 16. Deut. xiii. 13. BELIEVE; (1.) To be persuaded BELCH. They belch out with their mouth; they with great vehemence utter reviling, malicious and wicked words, as a fountain bubbleth up its water, Psal. lix. 7. BELL. The lower border of the high PRIEST's blue robe was hung round alternately with bells and pomegranates. The sound of these informed the Jews of his passing by, and of his living in the sanctuary, and was a kind of a typical intercession with God for his preservation; but he had not on his robe when he entered the holy of holies. Might not these bells signify the intercession and gospel administration of our Redeemer,which are connected with and dependant on his robe of righteousness, and by their powerful and pleasant sound manifest his continuance in life, and his state of high favour with God? Exod. xxviii. 33, 35.Bells were anciently hung to the necks of horses. The horse bells, being inscribed Holiness to the Lord, may import, that in the apostolic and millennial period, men in trading and warring with horses did, or shall, eye || called slow bellies, for their gluttony, the glory of God, and study holiness drunkenness, sloth, and idleness, Tit. in all manner of conversation, or de- i. 12. Jonah calls the belly of the vote their horses to his service, Zech. || whale, the belly of hell; because of xiv. 20. his great darkness, perplexity, and disquiet of mind therein, Jon. ii. 2. BELLOW; To cry and make a threatening noise as bulls; but the word rather signifies, to neigh as horses for wantonness, Jer. 1. 11. 24. Dan. ix. 9. Luke xix. 42. BELONG; a person or thing is said to belong to one, as he is the cause, author, proprietor, dispenser, BELLOWS, a well known wind-or end thereof, Gen. xl. 8. Lev. xxvii. instrument for blowing of fires in ironworks, smiths' forges, &c. The bellows BELOVED; much valued, desiare burnt; the lead is consumed of the red, and delighted in, Deut. xxi. 15. fire; the founder melteth in vain: the Christ is the beloved of God; God lungs and labour of the prophets, and infinitely esteems, loves, and delights the judgments of God, are as it were in him, as his Son, and mediatorial wasted to no purpose, as wickedness servant, Matt. iii. 17. He is the beand wicked persons are not purged loved of saints; is highly esteemed, away from church or state, Jer. vi. 29. || desired, praised, and delighted in, BELLY. (1.) That part of ani- with their whole heart, mind, and mal bodies which contains the en- strength, Song iv. 16. Saints are the trails; or the entrails themselves, beloved of God and Christ; and the Matth. xv. 17. Rev. x. 9, 10. (2.) The church a beloved city. In infinite love womb. Jer. i. 5. (3.) The heart or to them, God devised their salvation; soul, which is deep, hidden, and hard Jesus laid down his life, and interto be searched, Prov. xviii. 8. and xx. cedes for them; and all the divine 30. and xxii. † 18. Mens belly pre-persons concur to save and delight in. pares deceit, when their heart devi- || them, Song v. 1. Rev. xx. 2. seth how to speak or act it, Job xiii. 35. Christ's belly or bowels, as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires, is his pure, constant, and durable compassion and sympathy, Song v. 14. The church's belly, as a heap of wheat set aBELSHAZZAR, NABONEDus, or bout with billies, is her divine ordinan- LABYNITUS, the son of Evil-merodach ces, whereby vast numbers are begot-and Nitocris, and the grand-son of ten to God, and nourished till their glorious birth at death or the last day, Song vii. 2. The brazen belly and thighs of Nebuchadnezzar's visionary image, signified the valiantly erected and bulky empire of the brass-armed Greeks, under Alexander, quickly filled with disorder, and after several contentions, formed into the two pow-shazzar, probably on a festival sacred erful kingdoms of Egypt on the south, and Syria on the north, Dan. ii. 32. and xi. The belly, which multitudes serve and make their god, is carnal lusts, and sensual pleasures, which render them beastly, and daily crave new satisfaction, Rom. xvi. 18. Phil. iii. 19. The inhabitants of Crete are || BELIE; to give one the lie. To belie the Lord, is falsely to ascribe our prosperity or distress to some other principal cause rather than God, Jer, v. 12. Prov. xxx. 9. Nebuchadnezzar, and king of Babylon, he was a most worthless and inactive wretch; but his famed mother exerted herself exceedingly for the support of the kingdom. About the 17th year of his reign, A. M. 3466, and just when Cyrus the famed conqueror laid seige to his capital, Bel to the idol Sheshach, made a splendid feast for a thousand of his lords.--! Heated with wine, he ordered the sur cred vessels, taken from the temple of God at Jerusalem, to be brought: in these, he, his wives, concubines, and lords, drunk in an intemperate and idolatrous manner, singing songs |