BRI to repair and fortify the fallen walls of their city with new bricks, Nah. iii. 14.* 226 coming to the horse bridles, implies BRIEFLY, in few words, Romans xiii. 9. BRIER. See THORN. BRIDE, a betrothed or new mar-don, or about that time, Rev. xiv. 20. ried wife. The saints and church are a bride; they are betrothed and espoused to Jesus Christ; they are adorned with the wedding-garment of his righteousness, and rejoice in him, Rev. xxii. 17. and xxi. 9. BRIDEGROOM, a betrothed or Christ is called new married man. a Bridegroom. In the council of peace, and in the day of his power, he unites his people to himself, rejoices over them, and feasts them with his love, and will quickly come to receive them home to his heavenly mansions, Matt. xxv. 1—10. The sun is likened to a bridegroom, because of his glorious or cheerful aspect, as he ariseth, and apparently walks along our sky, Psal. xix. 5. BRIGANDINE, a coat of mail, composed of iron-rings, to protect from the sword of an enemy, Jer. xlvi. 4. and li. 3. BRIGHT, clear; shining. BRIGHTNESS, denotes, (1.) Shining clearness, as of the sun at midday, Amos v. 20. (2.) Great excellency, which casts a lustre all around, Isa. Ix. 3. (3.) Prosperity and grandeur, which render men noticed and esteemed, Ezek. xxviii. 7. Christ is called the bright Star, and the brightness of his Father's glory. He is unmatched by creatures; and divinely begotten, is equal to his Father in glory, excellency, and lustre, He BRIGITTINS, a religious order, denominated from their founder, St. Bridgit or Birgit, a Swedish lady in the 14th century: they are sometimes also called the Order of our Saviour. -There was a monastery of Brigit tins built by Henry V. of England in Ency. BRIDLE. Instead of it a cord drawn through the nose, was some-brews i. 3. times used for leading and commanding camels, mules, &c. The restraints of God's powerful providence, are called his bridle and hook. The bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err, is God's suffering the Assyrians to be directed by their foolish councils, that they might never finish their intended purpose against Jerusalem, Isa. xxxvii. 29. and xxx. 28. The restraints of law, humanity, and modesty are called a bridle, and to let it loose, is to act without regard Blood to any of these, Job xxx. 11. 1413. BRIMSTONE, a fat oily substance, that may be melted and inflamed by fire, but not dissolved in water. It is extracted from the pyrites, or firestone, and is a principal ingredient in gun-powder. It is also very useful in curing scorbutic wounds, and in cleansing the inwards. There are four principal kinds of it, the yellow, green, grey, and red. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, with fire and brimstone from heaven, Gen. xix. 24. In allusion to which overthrow, the scattering of brimstone on a place; the making it brimstone or, a kindled stream of brimstone, import the most terrible and ruinous judgBricks are made use of in forming an oil called by apothecaries oleum de late- ments, Job xviii. 15. Deut. xxix. 23. ribus, and by some chemists, oil of the phi-The torments of hell are likened Cyclo. to fire and brimstone, to mark the losophers. space * In the east they baked their bricks in the sun; the Romans used them crude; only leaving them to dry in the air a long of time, viz. four or five years. The Greek's bricks were of three kinds; of two palms, of four palms, and of five palms; they had others, just half of each of these. In the time of Gallienus, the buildings were composed of a row of brick and a row of gritty stone, alternately. noisome, painful, and universal nature || dan are, the brooks of Jeruel, Esh thereof, Rev. xxi. 8. Psal. xi. 6. The|| col, Besor, Kidron, Gaash, Kishon. brimstone issuing out of the mouth of the Turkish horse, may signify the Turks' terrible use of fire-arms, chiefly of prodigious cannon, in their battles and sieges some years ago; and the fearful havock they made of the nations, Rev. ix. 17, 18. BRINK, the edge of a pool, river, sea, &c. Gen. xli. 3. As the word NACHAL signifies both a brook and valley, it is possible there might be other brooks which are ren dered valleys in our translation. Nay, in a country so abounding with hills as Canaan, it is probable valleys and brooks were seldom separate. The brook of the willows, whither the Assyrians carried the spoil of Moab, is BROAD. God is broad rivers to either a small brook of the Arabians, his people; his fulness can never be near the country of Moab; or it is exhausted; in him they obtain the the river Euphrates, whose banks most delightful pleasure and prospect, were much covered with willows; or and the surest defence; and he is suf- it is Chaldea, the valley of the wilderficiently capable to destroy and over-ness, Isa. xv. 7. The brooks of defence whelm all that seek their hurt, Isaiah in Egypt, are the streams and canals xxxii. 22. His law is exceeding broad; of the river Nile, which protected the it extends to every person and circum-country from the invasion, or quick stance, requires innumerable things to be done, and as many to be hated and avoided, Psal. cxix. 96. His instituted ordinances are broad ways: they are plainly marked out in his word; multitudes have access to them; and in them do multitudes of saints and hypocrites truly or seemingly walk, Song iii. 2. He sets persons in a broad place, wheh he gives them great liberty, wealth, power, and prosperity, Job xxxvi. 16. Psal. xviii. 19. The way to hell is broad; multitudes of men walk in it, and by sinful courses unnumbered they get thither at last, Matth. vii. 13. progress of an enemy, Isa. xix. 6.The brook running in the way, of which Christ drunk, that he might lift up his head, was his violent and disagreeable sufferings, roused by the great rain of his Father's wrath, which run in the way of his obtaining our redemp tion, and his entrance to glory; or the influences of the Holy Ghost, given to assist and support him under his scorching and fatiguing afflictions, Psal. cx. 7. Wisdom, or true reli gion, is likened to a flowing brook, because of the plentiful and necessary comfort issuing therefrom, Proverbs xviii. 4. Brooks of honey and butter, denote great plenty of it; or brooks, the fine grass and mellifluous flowers on whose banks, contributed to produce abundance of it; or great pro BROIDERED, wrought with various colours of needle-work, Exod. xxviii. 4. Broidered hair, is that which is plaited, and put up on crisp-sperity in general, Job xx. 17. To ing pins, 1 Pet. ii. 9. To EMBROIDER, is to work broi-|| dered work. deal deceitfully as a brook, and to pass away as the streams thereof, is to disappoint our friend when he most needs and expects our help and comfort, Job vi. 15. BROOK, a small river especially one that flows but in rainy seasons, and ceases in the time of drought. BROTH. Broth or fragments The brooks mentioned in scripture, of abominable things, is broth made on the east of Jordan, are, Zered, with the flesh of swine, or other unArnon, Cherith, Jabbok; but Arnon clean animals; or the slices of flesh and Jabbok, are more properly rivers, themselves; or, perhaps, the milk though far less than Jordan. The wherein a kid had been sodden; and brooks in Canaan, westward of Jor-which the Arabs used to sprinkle on their trees to render them fruitful, Isaiah lxv. 4. BROTHER. According to the ceremonial law, if an elder brother had left a widow childless, his next younger brother, if unmarried, was to espouse her, and raise up seed to his deceased brother: if he refused, the widow was to spit on his face, and loose his shoe; and his family was to be called, the house of him that hath his shoe loosed. What shame and contempt await these ministers and professors who neglect to be active in raising up a spiritual seed to the blessed Jesus, who died and ascended to heaven, ere he saw his church bring forth any considerable offspring? Deut. xxv. The scripture uses the word brother or brethren, in a variety of senses: (1.) Some are proper brethren, by immediate descent from the same parent, or parents, Gen. xlii. 13. (2.) Some are brethren by affinity, kindred, or nation: so Abraham and Lot were brethren; all the Israelites, and even the Edomites, were brethren, Deut. xxiii. 7, 19. (3.) By common participation of the human nature; thus all men are brethren, 1 Thess. iv. 6. 1 John v. 16. (4.) In having the same religious profession; so all professed Christians are brethren, Col. i. 2. (5.) In being members of the same spiritual family of God by re generation and adoption; so all saints are brethren, 1 John iii. 14, 16 (6.) In bearing the same office; so gospel-ministers are brethren, 2 Cor. viii. 3. (7) By joint performance of the same work; so Simeon and Levi were brethren in iniquity, Gen. xlix. 5. (8.) In strong affection, or mutual covenant; so Jonathan and David were brethren, 2 Sam. i. 26; and Ahab calls Benhadad his brother, 1 Kings xx. 32; and so one that dearly loves wisdom, calls her his sister or kinswoman, Prov. vii. 4. (9.) In reseniblance of condition or conduct; and the Hebrews called any thing like to, or connected with, another, a brother, Exod. xxv. 2, 20. Joel ii. 8. Ezek. xxvi. 3, 5, 17. Thus Job was a brother to dragons, and companion of owls; in a very deplorable case, and given to the most doleful mourning, as these creatures are: he said to corruption, Thou art my father: and to the worm, Thou art my mother and my sister: he reckoned himself extremely mean, sprung of dust, and fast hastening to the grave, where worms should be his devouring companions, Job xxx. 29. and xvii. 14. The slothful is brother to him that is a great waster; his conduct has the same tendency to poverty and want, Prov. xviii. 9. Christ is our brother; he partakes of our nature, loves, delights in, and does us good, Song viii. 1. The saints are Christ's brethren; they are spiritually begotten by his Father; they love him, and are zealous for his interests, Matth. xii. 5. False brethren, are such as pretended to be preachers and apostles, but heartily hated such as were truly so, Gal. ii. 4. A brother is born for adversity; then he should peculiarly discover his love in sympathy, help, and comfort of his distressed relations, Prov. xvii. 17. To stick closer than a brother is in adversity to befriend another, even at the hazard of our wealth, This law, which Moses committed to writing, had been received as a divine institution long before; as was the case with the distinction between clean and unclean beasts, and the custom of sacrificing. We have an example of the observation of this law in the family of Judah, Gen. xxxvii. 7, 8. Nor does it appear to have been then first introduced, but had been well known before in the families of the Patriarchs; as appears from Judah's knowledge of it. The design of this institution was, that the right of the first-born might be continued in the family; typifying Christ, who is the first-born among many brethren; and also, that, after the division of the promis-reputation, or life, Prov. xviii. 24.— The Jews did not lament Jehoiakim, saying, Ah my brother! Ah lord! Ah ed land, each family might have its own inheritance preserved in it. his glory! i. e. Alas! brother, how || becomes brethren. Brotherly kindare we distressed by the death of ourness, or love, is what is most tender beloved king! Alas! our Lord, our and affectionate; and chiefly denotes governor is cut off! Alas! his glory our esteeming, delighting in, sympais quite abolished, Jer. xxiii. 18.thising with, and helping and comThe duty of brethren in every law-forting the saints, on account of their ful connection, is mutual love, unity, relation and likeness to Christ, Rom. and honouring of one another, Psal. xii. 10. 2 Pet. i. 7. The brotherly cocxxxiii. 1. 1 John iii. 14.-SISTER, venant with the Jews, which the Edoamong females, has much the same mites despised, was their original relaextent of signification as BROTHER, tion by descent from Isaac: their coamong males. It is taken not only venant of subjection, when conquered for a sister, property so called, but for by David; and, perhaps, some later a woman nearly related, or possessing alliance, Amos i. 9. the same religion. Sarah is called BROW, the forehead of a person, Abraham's sister, though at most but and front of an hill, Luke iv. 29.his half-sister, or rather his niece, To have a brow of brass, imports obdaughter of Haran his brother, Gen.stinacy, impudence, and boldness in xx. 12. Christ's cousins, the daugh- sin, Isa. xlviii. 4. ters of his mother's sister, are called his sisters, Mark vi. 3. Women who were fellow-professors of Christianity, are called sisters, Rom. xvi. 1. 2 John 13. 1 Cor. vii. 15. and ix. 5. James ii. 15; but in this last text, it may be taken for any woman in general and so when God forbids the Jews to take a wife to her sister, to grieve her in her lifetime, it implies a discharge to marry any second wife till the former is dead, Lev. xviii. 18. Jerusalem, Samaria, and Sodom, are called sisters, because the inhabitants of those places were so similar in wickedness, Jer. iii. 8, 10. Ezek. xvi. 46. The Gentiles are called the Jews' little sister; they possessed the same human nature, and however unlikely it was for many ages they were to be brought into the same state of churchfellowship with a God in Christ, Song viii. 8. The saints are called Christ's sisters; they possess the same human nature; they are spiritually begotten by his Father, and made like him in grace; and how dearly does he love, protect, and carefully provide for them; Song iv. 9, 10, 12. Matth. xii. 50. BROTHERHOOD, the connected fellowship of brethren, Zech. xi. 14. 1 Pet. ii. 17. BROTHERLY, what pertains to, and BRUISE; (1.) To crush, Isa. xxviii. 28. (2.) To injure; oppress, Lam. iv. 18. (3.) To afflict; punish, Isa. liii. 5. (4.) To distress; destroy, Dan. ii. 40. The bruise of a body, is a hurt received by crushing, Luke ix. 39. The bruise of a soul, implies doubts, fears, anguish, inward trouble on account of the prevalence of sin, God's wrath, &c. Matth. xii. 40. The bruise of a city or nation, is their prevalent wickedness, or the decayed and disjoined frame of their civil constitution, Isa. i. 6. Jer. vi. 14. and xxx. 12. Nothing bruised or broken, was to be offered in sacrifice: did this prefigure Jesus offering himself wholly to God, as a sacrifice of infinite com pleteness and value? and teach us to honour God with the most strong and perfect faith, love, and holy obedience? Lev. xxii. 24. God bruised Christ, in inflicting on his soul and body the fearful punishment, due to our sin, Isa. liii. 5, 10.Christ bruises Satan's head when he crushes his designs, despoils him of his power, triumphs over him on the cross, or in the conquest of his chosen; and when he enables his people to oppose, conquer, and tread his temptations under foot; [that is, Christ suffered personally in his humiliation, BRU and is still suffering in his members | The more common materials of the ancient shields, was a roundish board of wood, overlaid with folds of leather; but sometimes they were of gold, brass, or the like. Conquerors on earth, by Satan and his instruments,] Gen. iii. 15. Rom. xvi. 20. Weak saints, and their feeble graces, are bruised, or bruised reeds, which Christ will not break; they are trod-sometimes hung up the principal den down and afflicted by Satan, by false teachers, by the world, and their own lusts, and are in a pained and disjointed case, unable to oppose their spiritual enemies; but Jesus will protect, heal, comfort, and deliver them, Isa. xlii. 3. Luke iv. 18.The king of Egypt is called a bruised reed, to mark the weak and broken state of his kingdom, and his utter in-processions. These Shishak carri ability to help such as depended oned off, and Rehoboam made others of him, 2 Kings xviii. 21. BRUIT, report, Jer. x. 22. Nah. iii. 19. BRUTE, an irrational animal.Brutish persons are these, who, as beasts are stupid, unteachable, carnally minded, and cruel, Psal. xlix. 10. bucklers they took from their enemies on towers, or in temples, as trophies of victory. David's tower had 1000 shields hung up in it, Song iv. 4. Solomon made 200 larger, and 300 lesser bucklers of massy gold and hung them up in the house of the forest of Lebanon, to be used, I suppose, by his life-guard at his solemn brass to serve in their stead, 1 Kings x. 16, 17. and xiv. 26,27. God's taking hold of shield and buckler imports his preparing matters in his providence, for the protection and deliverance of his people, and for the destruction of his enemies, Psal. xxxv. 2.—— God is the shield and buckler of his people; his truth and favour are their shield and buckler, and he bestows on BUCKET, a vessel to bear water them the shield of salvation. In acin, or to draw it up from a well, Isa. complishing his promises to them, xl. 15. God's bucket is the clouds, and his threatenings against their enein which he bears, and whence hemies, he kindly and affectionately enpours, the watery substance of rain, hail, snow, Numb. xxiv. 7. Brutish counsel, is that which is quite foolish and unreasonable, Isa. xix. 11. BUCKLER, SHIELD, TARGET.— The Hebrews have two words, MAGEN and TZINNAH, for shield and buckler, or target; but what was the difference we do not certainly know, as the greatest masters of the Hebrew It language plainly confound them. is certain the TZINNOTH, bucklers, or targets made by Solomon, consisted of 600 shekels of gold: whereas the MAGINNOTH, or shields, consisted but of 300, 1 Kings x. 16, 17. 2 Chron. ix. 15, 16. Perhaps all the difference might be, that the one was larger than the other. The buckler or shield was a piece of defensive armour, wielded by the left hand, in the manner of our Highlanders' targets, to ward off the blows of arrows, sword, or spear, wherever they threatened to strike. courages, protects, saves, and deliv- The |