The Abbess has the same Rights, and Authority over her Nuns that the Abbots regular have over their Monks. See ABBOT.
The Sex indeed does not allow her to perform the Spiritual Functions annex'd to the Priesthood, wherewith the Abbot is usually invested; but there are Instances of some Abesses, who have a Right, or rather a Privilege, to commission a Priest to act for 'em. They have even a kind of Episcopal Jurisdiction, as well as some Abbots, who are exempted from the Visitation of their Diocesans. See EXEMPTION.
Abbies disser from Priories, in that the one are under the Direction of an Abbot, and the other of a Prior : but Abbot and Prior (we mean a Prior Conventual) are the same thing ; and only differ in Name. See PRIOR.
Fauchet observes, that in the early Days of the French Monarchy, Dukes and Counts were call'd Abbots, and Duchies and Counties Abbies. Many Persons of the prime Quality, without any Concern in the Monastic Life, took the same Quality ; even some of their Kings are mention'd in History under the Title of Abbots. Philip I. Louis VI. and afterwards the Dukes of Orleans, are call'd Abbots of the Monastery of S. Agnan. The Dukes of Aquitain were call'd Abbots of the Monastery of S. Hilary, at Poitiers ; and the Earls of Anjou of S. Aubin, &c.
The Name Abbot is originally Hebrew, where it signifies Father. The Jews call Father in their Language Ab ; whence the Chaldees and Syrians form'd Abba ; and thence the Greeks
What distinguish'd 'em, was, that they made it a Duty to marry, and yet liv'd with their Wives in a prosess'd Continence, without having any commerce together.
These Hereticks, inconsiderable in themselves, (for they were confin'd to a little compass, and lasted not long ;) are become considerable, by the great Pains the Learned have taken to ascertain the Principle they went upon, and the Reason of the Denomination.
The Word is form'd of the Latin
So, in our own Laws, To abjure a Person, is to renounce all Authority or Dominion of such a Person. Thus, by the Oath of Abjuration, a Person binds himself not to own any Regal Authority in the Person call'd the Pretender, nor ever to pay him the Obedience of a Subject. See OATH, ALLEGIANCE, &c.
The Author of this piece of Superstition, who is said to have lived under the Emperor Adrian, form'd the Name from that of the Deity he adored, Abrasax, or Abraxas;whom he made God-paramount; having several petty Divinities under him, and particularly seven Angels who presided over the seven Heavens ; and to whom he attributed 365Virtues or Powers, the Number of Days in the Year, with other idle Reveries.
In the Religious Sense of the Word, they are said to be Abstemious, who in the Sacrament of the Supper cannot partake of the Cup, by reason or some natural Aversion to the Liquor. The Bishop of Meaux pleads the Example of the Abstemious, in behalf of excluding the Laity from Communion under that Kind.
The Roman Ladies, in the first Ages of the Republick were all enjoin'd to be Abstemious ; and that it might appear whether or no they kept up to the Injunction, it was one of the Laws of the Roman Civility, that they should kiss their Freinds and Relations whenever they accosted them.
The Word is compounded of the Latin
The Jews were oblig'd to abstain from their Wives at certain Seasons.---— The same is enjoin'd in the Apostolical Constitutions, on all fast and meagre Days ; and the Church of England recommends certain Days of Fasting and Abstinence.---— The Great Fast, says St. Augustin, is to abstain from Sin. See FAST.
The antient Athletæ liv'd in a perpetual Abstinence from all kind of sensible Pleasure, to render their Bodies more robust and hardy. See ATHLETA.
Abstinence is particularly used for a spare Diet, or a flender parsimonious use of Food. See FOOD, and DIET.
ADESSENARII, a Sect in Religion, who hold that Jesus Christ is really present in the Eucharist, but in a manner different from what the Romanists hold. See EUCHARIST, etc.The Adessenarii, also called Impanatores, are divided into four different opinions touching the point: Some hold that the Body of Jesus Christ is in the Bread; others, that it is around the Bread; others, that it is with the Bread;and lastly, others, that it is under the Bread. See TRANSUBSTANTIATION.
ADOPTIVI, or Adoptiani, was an ancient sect in religion; thus called, from the manner in which they conceived our Savior to be the Son of God.They took their rise from Felix of Urgel, and Elipand of Toledo; the latter of whom writing to the former, for an account of his faith in that point, was answered that according to the use of the language which obtains in respect of human nature, Jesus was not the natural, but only the adoptive Son of God.
This opinion they both afterward propagated, towards the close of the 8th century. And both were convicted and condemned; and both abjured their error.
This opinion they both afterward propagated, towards the close of the 8th century. And both were convicted and condemned; and both abjured their error.