Mystic divines make a great difference || taste of eternal glory, Psalm lxxiii. 25, between meditation and contemplation: 26. 2 Cor. v. 1, &c, the former consists in discursive acts of the soul, considering methodically and with attention the mysteries of faith and the precepts of morality and is performed by reflections and reasonings which leave behind them manifest impressions on the brain. The pure contemplative, they say, have no need of meditation, as seeing all things in God at a glance, and without any reflection. See BEGUINS and QUIETISTS.

MEEKNESS, à temper of mind not easily provoked to resentment. In the Greek language it is gos quasi, pãos facilis, easiness of spirit, and thus it may be justly called; for it accommodates the soul to every occurrence, and so makes a man easy to himself, and to all about him. The Latins call a meek man mansuetus, qu. manu assuetus, used to the hand; which alludes to the taming and reclaiming of creatures wild by nature, and bringing them to be tractable and familiar, James iii. 7, 8: so where the grace of meekness reigns, it subdues the impetuous disposition, and learns its submission and forgiveness. It teaches us to govern our own anger whenever we are at any time provoked, and patiently to bear the anger of others, that it may not be a provocation to us. The former is its office, especially in superiors; the latter in inferiors, and The exboth in equals, James iii. 13. cellency of such a spirit appears, if we consider that it enables us to gain a victory over corrupt nature, Prov. xvi. 32; that it is a beauty and an ornament to human beings, i Pet. iii. 4; that it is obedience to God's word, and conformity to the best patterns, Eph. v. 1, 2. Phil. iv. 8. It is productive of the highest peace to the possessor, Luke xxi. 19. Matt. xi. 28, 29. It fits us for

1. Meditation is a duty which ought to be attended to by all who wish well to their spiritual interests. It ought to be deliberate, close, and perpetual, Psal. cxix. 97. Psal. i. 2.-2. The subjects which ought more especially to engage the Christian mind are the works of creation, Psal. xix. the perfections of God, Deut. xxxii. 4; the excellencies, offices, characters, and works of Christ, Heb. xii. 2, 3; the offices and operations of the Holy Spirit, John xv. and xvi. the various dispensations of Providence, Psal. xcvii. 1, 2; the precepts, declarations, promises, &c. of God's word, Psal. cxix; the value, powers, and immortality of the soul, Mark viii. 36; the noble, beautiful, and benevolent plan of the Gospel, 1 Tim. i. 11; the necessity of our personal interest in and experience of its power, John iii. 3; the depravity of our nature, and the freedom of divine grace in choosing, adopt-any duty, instruction, relation, condition, ing, justifying, and sanctifying us, 1 Cor or persecution, Phil. iv. 11, 12. To obvi. 11; the shortness, worth, and swift- tain this spirit, consider that it is a diness of time, James iv. 14; the certainty vine injunction, Zeph. ii. 3. Col. iii. 12. of death, Heb. ix. 27; the resurrection 1 Tim. vi. 11. Observe the many exand judgment to come, 1 Cor. xv. 50, amples of it: Jesus Christ, Matt. xi. 28; &c. and the future state of eternal re- Abraham, Gen. xiii. Gen. xvi. 5, 6; wards and punishments, Matt. xxv. Moses, Numb. xii. 3; David, Zech. xii. These are some of the most important 8. 2 Sam. xvi. 10, 12. Ps. cxxxi. 2; subjects on which we should meditate. Paul, 1 Cor. ix, 19. How lovely a spirit -3. To perform this duty aright, we it is in itself, and how it secures us from should be much in prayer, Luke xviii. a variety of evils. That peculiar pro. 1; avoid a worldly spirit, 1 John ii. 15; mises are made to such, Matt. v. 5. Is. beware of sloth, Heb. vi. 11; take heed lxvi. 2. That such give evidence of of sensual pleasures, James iv. 4; their being under the influence of diwatch against the devices of Satan, 1 vine grace, and shall enjoy the divine See Henry on Pet. v. 8; be often in retirement, Psal. blessing, Is. lvii. 15. iv. 4; embrace the most favourable op- Meekness; Dunlop's Ser. vol. ii. p. 434; portunities, the calmness of the morn-Evans's Ser. on the Christian Temper, ing, Psal. v. 1, 3; the solemnity of the ser. 29; Tillotson on 1 Pet. ii. 21; and evening, Gen. xxiv. 63; sabbath days, on Matt. v. 44; Logan's Sermons, vol. Psal. cxviii. 24; sacramental occasions, i. ser. 10; and Jortin's Sermons, ser. 11. &c. 1 Cor. xi. 28.-4. The advantages vol. iii. resulting from this are, improvement of the faculties of the soul, Prov. xvi. 22; the affections are raised to God, Psalm xxxix. 1, 4; an enjoyment of divine peace and felicity, Phil. iv. 6, 7; holiness of life is promoted, Psal. cxix. 59,|| 60; and we thereby experience a fore

MEETING-HOUSE, a place appropriated by Dissenters for the purpose of public worship. Since the act of uniformity passed, 1662, by which so many hundreds of ministers were ejected from their livings, meeting-houses have become very numerous. For a consi

been a disciple of Simon Magus, and himself a reputed magician.

|| of Mendicants, as Gregory called them, were reduced to a smaller number, and confined to the four following societies or denominations, viz. the Dominicans, the Franciscans, the Carmelites, and the Augustins, or hermits of St. Augustin.

He taught, that no person could be saved unless he were baptized in his name; and he conferred a peculiar sort of baptism, which would render those who received it immortal in the next world; exhibiting himself to the world As the pontiffs allowed these four with the phrenzy of a lunatic more than Mendicant orders the liberty of travelthe founder of a sect as a promised sa-ling wherever they thought proper, of viour; for it appears by the testimonies of Irenæus, Justin, and Tertullian, that he pretended to be one of the xons sent from the pleroma, or ecclesiastical regions, to succour the souls that lay groaning under bodily oppression and servitude; and to maintain them against the violence and stratagems of the damons that hold the reins of empire in this sublunary world. As this doctrine was built upon the same foundation with that of Simon Magus, the ancient writers looked upon him as the instructor of Menander. See SIMONIANS.

MENDICANTS, or BEGGING FRIARS, several orders of religious in popish countries, who, having no settled revenues, are supported by the charitable contributions they receive from others.

conversing with persons of every rank, of instructing the youth and multitude wherever they went; and as those monks exhibited, in their outward appearance and manners of life, more striking marks of gravity and holiness than were observable in the other monastic societies, they rose all at once to the very summit of fame, and were regarded with the utmost esteem and veneration through all the countries of Europe. The enthusiastic attachment to these sanctimonious beggars went so far, that, as we learn from the most authentic records, several cities were divided or cantoned out into four parts, with a view to these four orders: the first part being assigned to the Dominicans, the second to the Franciscans, the third to the Carmelites, and the This sort of society began in the fourth to the Augustins. The people thirteenth century, and the members were unwilling to receive the sacraof it, by the tenor of their institution, ments from any other hands than were to remain entirely destitute of all those of the Mendicants, to whose fixed revenues and possessions; though churches they crowded to perform in process of time their number became their devotions while living, and were a heavy tax upon the people. Innocent extremely desirous to deposit there III. was the first of the popes who per- also their remains after death. Nor ceived the necessity of instituting such did the influence and credit of the Menan order; and accordingly he gave such dicants end here; for we find in the hismonastic societies as made a profession tory of this and of the succeeding ages, of poverty, the most distinguishing that they were employed not only in marks of his protection and favour. spiritual matters, but also in temporal They were also encouraged and patro- and political affairs of the greatest connized by the succeeding pontiffs, when sequence, in composing the differences experience had demonstrated their of princes, concluding treaties of peace, public and extensive usefulness. But concerting alliances, presiding in cabinet when it became generally known that councils, governing courts, levying taxes, they had such a peculiar place in the and other occupations, not only remote esteem and protection of the rulers of from, but absolutely inconsistent with the church, their number grew to such the monastic character and profession. an enormous and unwieldly multitude, However, the power of the Dominicans and swarmed so prodigiously in all the and Franciscans greatly surpassed that European provinces, that they became of the other two orders, insomuch that a burden, not only to the people, but to these two orders were, before the rethe church itself. The great inconve- formation, what the Jesuits have been nience that arose from the excessive since that happy and glorious period; multiplication of the Mendicant orders the very soul of the hierarchy, the enwas remedied by Gregory X., in a gines of the state, the secret springs of general council which he assembled at all the motions of the one and the other, Lyons in 1272; for here all the religious and the authors and directors of every orders that had sprung up after the great and important event, both in the council held at Rome in 1215, under the religious and political world. By very pontificate of Innocent III. were sup-quick progression their pride and conpressed; and the extravagant multitude sequence arrived at such a pitch, that

Among the number of Mendicants are also ranked the Capuchins, Recollects, Minims, and others, who are branches or derivations from the former.

Buchanan tells us, the Mendicants in Scotland, under an appearance of beg

MENNONITES, a sect in the Uni

they had the presumption to declare || ces, and expressed a like abhorrence of publicly, that they had a divine impulse certain eminent and learned men, who and commission to illustrate and main-endeavoured to open the paths of science tain the religion of Jesus. They treated to the pursuits of the studious youth, rewith the utmost insolence and contempt commended the culture of the mind, all the different orders of the priest- and attacked the barbarism of the age hood; they affirmed, without a blush, in their writings and discourses. Their that the true method of obtaining sal-general character, together with other vation was revealed to them alone; circumstances, concurred to render a proclaimed with ostentation the supe- reformation desirable, and to accomrior efficacy and virtue of their indul- || plish this happy event. gences; and vaunted beyond measure their interest at the court of heaven, and their familiar connections with the Supreme Being, the Virgin Mary, and the saints in glory. By these impious wiles they so deluded and captivated the miserable, and blinded the multi-gary, lived a very luxurious life; whence tude, that they would not intrust any one wittily called them not Mendicant, other but the Mendicants with the care but Manducant friars. of their souls. They retained their credit and influence to such a degreeted Provinces, in most respects the same towards the close of the fourteenth century, that great numbers of both sexes some in health, others in a state of infirmity, others at the point of death, earnestly desired to be admitted into the Mendicant order, which they look ed upon as a sure and infallible method of rendering heaven propitious.-Many made it an essential part of their last wills, that their bodies after death should be wrapped in old ragged Dominican or Franciscan habits, and interred among the Mendicants. For such was the barbarous superstition and wretched ignorance of this age, that people uni versally believed they should readily obtain mercy from Christ at the day of judgment, if they appeared before his tribunal associated with the Mendicant friars.

with those in other places called Anabaptists. They had their rise in 1536, when Menno Simon, a native of Friesland, who had been a Romish priest, and a notorious profligate, resigned his rank and office in the Romish church, and publicly embraced the communion of the Anabaptists.

Menno was born at Witmarsum, a village in the neighbourhood of Bolswert, in Friesland, in the year 1505, and died in 1561, in the duchy of Holstein, at the country-seat of a certain nobleman, not far from the city of Oldesloe, who, moved with compassion by the view of the perils to which Menno was exposed, and the snares that were daily laid for his ruin, took him, with certain of his associates, into his protection, and gave him an asylum. About this time, however, they fell The writings of Menno, which are alunder an universal odium; but, being most all composed in the dutch lanresolutely protected against all opposi-guage, were published in folio at Amtion, whether open or secret, by the sterdam, in the year 1651. About the popes, who regarded them as their best year 1537, Menno was earnestly solicifriends and most effectual supports, ted by many of the sect with which he they suffered little or nothing from the connected himself, to assume among efforts of their numerous adversaries. them the rank and functions of a public In the fifteenth century, besides their teacher and, as he looked upon the arrogance, which was excessive, a quar- persons who made this proposal to be relsome and litigious spirit prevailed exempt from the fanatical phrenzy of among them, and drew upon them justly their brethren at Munster (though acthe displeasure and indignation of many cording to other accounts they were By affording refuge at this time to the originally of the same stamp, only renBeguins in their order, they became of dered somewhat wiser by their sufferfensive to the bishops, and were hereby ings) he yielded to their entreaties. involved in difficulties and perplexities From this period to the end of his life of various kinds. They lost their credit he travelled from one country to anoin the sixteenth century by their rustic ther with his wife and children, exerimpudence, their ridiculous supersti- cising his ministry, under pressures and tions, their ignorance, cruelty, and bru- calamities of various kinds, that suctish manners They discovered the most ceeded each other without interruption, barbarous aversion to the arts and scien- and constantly exposed to the danger

of falling a victim to the severity of the Ghost continued to descend into the laws. East and West Friesland, to- minds of many chosen believers, in as gether with the province of Groningen, extraordinary a manner as he did at were first visited by this zealous apos- the first establishment of the Christian tle of the Anabaptists; from whence he || church, and that he testified his pecudirected his course into Holland, Guel- liar presence to several of the faithful derland, Brabant and Westphalia; con- by miracles, predictions, dreams, and tinued it through the German provinces visions of various kinds. He retained, that lie on the coast of the Baltic sea, indeed, the doctrines commonly reand penetrated so far as Livonia. In ceived among the Anabaptists, in relaall these places his ministerial labours tion to the baptism of infants; the milwere attended with remarkable suc- lennium, or one thousand years' reign cess, and added to his sect a prodigious of Christ upon earth; the exclusion of number of followers. Hence he is de- || magistrates from the Christian church; servedly considered as the common the abolition of war; and the prohibichief of almost all the Anabaptists, and tion of oath enjoined by our Saviour; the parent of the sect that still subsists and the vanity, as well as the pernicious under that denomination. Menno was effects of human science. But while a man of genius, though not of a very Menno retained these doctrines in a sound judgment: he possessed a natural general sense, he explained and modified and persuasive eloquence, and such a them in such a manner as made them degree of learning as made him pass resemble the religious tenets that were for an oracle in the estimation of the universally received in the Protestant multitude. He appears, moreover, to churches; and this rendered them have been a man of probity, of a meek agreeable to many, and made them apand tractable spirit, gentle in his man-pear inoffensive even to numbers who ners, pliable and obsequious in his commerce with persons of all ranks and characters, and extremely zealous in promoting practical religion and virtue, which he recommended by his example as well as by his precepts. The plan of doctrine and discipline drawn up by Menno was of a much more mild and moderate nature than that of the furious and fanatical Anabaptists (whose tumultuous proceedings have been recited under that article,) but somewhat more severe, though more clear and consistent than the doctrine of the wiser branches of that sect, who aimed at nothing more than the restoration of the Christian church to its primitive purity. Accordingly, he condemned the plan of ecclesiastical discipline that was founded on the prospect of a new Though the Mennonites usually pass kingdom, to be miraculously established for a sect of Anabaptists, yet M. Herby Jesus Christ on the ruins of civil man Schyn, a Mennonite minister, who government, and the destruction of has published their history and apology, human rulers, and which had been the maintains, that they are not Anabaptists fatal and pestilential source of such either by principle or origin. However, dreadful commotions, such execrable nothing can be more certain than this rebellions, and such enormous crimes. fact, viz. that the first Mennonite conHe declared publicly his dislike of that gregations were composed of the differdoctrine which pointed out the apent sorts of Anabaptists of those who proach of a marvellous reformation in the church by the means of a new and extraordinary effusion of the Holy Spirit. He expressed his abhorrence of the licentious tenets which several of the Anabaptists had maintained with respect to the lawfulness of polygamy and divorce; and finally, considered as unworthy of tole ation those fanatics who were of opinion, that the Holy

|

had no inclination to embrace them. It, however, so happened, that the nature of the doctrines considered in themselves, the eloquence of Menno, which set them off to such advantage, and the circumstances of the times, gave a high degree of credit to the religious system of this famous teacher among the Anabaptists, so that it made a rapid progress in that sect. And thus it was in consequence of the ministry of Menno, that the different sorts Anabaptists agreed together in excluding from their communion the fanatics that dishonoured it, and in renouncing all tenets that were detrimental to the authority of civil government, and by an unexpected coalition formed themselves into one community.

had been always inoffensive and upright, and of those who before their conversion by the ministry of Menno, had been seditious fanatics: besides, it is alleged, that the Mennonites do actually retain at this day some of those opinions and doctrines which led the seditious and || turbulent Anabaptists of old to the com mission of so many and such enormous crimes; such particularly is the doctrine

Y y