in church-history, a sect among the Hebrews, being one of the branches of the Samaritans. See SAMARITANS.

They abstained from eating any creature that had life, and were so superstitious in keeping the sabbath, that they remained in the same place and posture wherein that day surprized them, without stirring till the next day. They married but once, and a great number ne

ver married. Dositheus, their founder, being dissatisfied among the Jews, retired to the Samaritans, who were reputed heretics, and invented another sect; and to make it more authentic, he went into a cave, where, by too long abstinence, he killed himself. The name of Dositheans was also given to some of the disciples of Simon Magus.