Labour under; and since that time the priesthood has been usually united to the monastical profession. Enc. Brit. British Monachism, or manners and Customs of Monks and Nuns of England; Mosheim's Ecc. Hist.

presents, and attempts employed by the papal missionaries to bring them under the Roman yoke: and in the eighteenth century, those of Asia and Africa have persisted in their refusal to enter into the communion of the Romish church, MONOPHYSITES (from Movos, 80- notwithstanding the earnest intreaties lus, and quis natura,) a general name and alluring offers that have been made given to all those sectaries in the Le-from time to time by the pope's legates, vant, who only own one nature in Jesus to conquer their inflexible constancy. Christ; and who maintain that the di MONOTHELITES, (compounded vine and human nature of Jesus Christ were so united as to form only one nature, yet without any change, confusion, or mixture of the two natures.

The Monophysites, however, properly so called, are the followers of Severus, a learned monk of Palestine, who was created patriarch of Antioch, in 513, and Petrus Fullensis.

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of cvos" single," and Sex, Fire, volo, "I will,") an ancient sect which sprung out of the Eutychians; thus called, as only allowing of one will in Jesus Christ.

The opinion of the Monothelites had its rise in 930, and had the emperor Heraclius for an adherent: it was the same with that of the acephalous Severians. They allowed of two wills in Christ, considered with regard to the two natures; but reduced them to one, by reason of the union of the two na tures, thinking it absurd that there should be two free wills in one and the same person. They were condemned by the sixth general council in 680, as being supposed to destroy the perfection of the humanity of Jesus Christ, depriving it of will and operation. Their sentiments were afterwards embraced by the Maronites.

MONTANISTS, a sect which sprung up about the year 171, in the reign of the emperor Marcus Aurelius. They were so called from their leader Montanus, a Phrygian by birth; whence they are sometimes called Phrygians and Cataphrygians.

The Monophysites were encouraged || by the emperor Anastasius, but suppressed by Justin and succeeding emperors. However, this sect was restored by Jacob Baradæus, an obscure monk, insomuch that when he died bishop of Edessa, A. D. 588, he left it in a most flourishing state in Syria, Mesopotamia, Armenia, Egypt, Nubia, Abyssinia, and other countries. The laborious efforts of Jacob were seconded in Egypt and the adjacent countries by Theodosius, bishop of Alexandria; and he became so famous, that all the Monophysites of the East considered him as their second parent and founder, and are to this day called Jacobites, in honour of their new chief. The Monophysites are divided into two sects or parties, the one African and the other Asiatic; at the head Montanus, it is said, embraced Chrisof the latter is the patriarch of Antioch, tianity in hopes of rising to the digniwho resides for the most part in the mo-ties of the church. He pretended to nastery of St. Athanias, near the city of inspiration; and gave out that the Holy Merdin: the former are under the ju- Ghost had instructed him in several risdiction of the patriarch of Alexandria, points which had not been revealed to who generally resides at Grand Cairo, the apostles. Priscilla and Maximilla, and are subdivided into Cophts and two enthusiastic women of Phrygia, Abyssinians. From the fifteenth cen- presently became his disciples, and in a tury downwards, all the patriarchs short time he had a great number of of the Monophysites have taken the followers. The bishops of Asia, being name of Ignatius, in order to show that assembled together, condemned his prothey are the lineal successors of Igna-phecies, and excommunicated those tius, who was bishop of Antioch in the that dispersed them. Afterwards they first century, and consequently the law-wrote an account of what had passed to ful patriarch of Antioch. In the se- the western churches, where the preventeenth century, a small body of Motended prophecies of Montanus and his nophysites, in Asia, abandoned for some followers were likewise condemned. time the doctrine and institution of their The Montanists, finding themselves ancestors, and embraced the communion exposed to the censure of the whole of Rome; but the African Monophy church, formed a schism, and set up a sites, notwithstanding that poverty and distinct society under the direction of ignorance which exposed them to the those who called themselves prophets. seductions of sophistry and gain, stood -Montanus, in conjunction with Prisfirm in their principles, and made ancilla and Maximilla, were at the head obstinate resistance to the promises, of the sect.

These sectaries made no alteration || Horsley's Charge, 1790; Paley's and in the creed. They only held that the Grove's Moral Philosophy; Beattie's Holy Spirit made Montanus his organ Elements of Moral Science; Evans's for delivering a more perfect form of Sermons on Christian Temper; Watts's discipline than what was delivered by Sermons on Christian Morals; Mason's his apostles. They refused communion || Christian Morals; H. More's Hints, for ever to those who were guilty of vol. ii. p. 245; Gisborne's Sermons denotorious crimes, and believed that the signed to illustrate and enforce Chrisbishops had no authority to reconcile tian Morality. them. They held it unlawful to fly in time of persecution. They condenined second marriages, allowed the dissolution of marriage, and observed three

lents.

MORAVIANS, a sect generally said to have arisen under Nicholas Lewis, count of Zinzendorf, a German nobleman of the last century, and thus called because the first converts to their system were some Moravian families. Ac

Methodius was their first bishop, and for their use Cyrillus translated the Scriptures into the Sclavonian language.

tries. In 1547 they were called Fratres legis Christi, or brethren of the Law of Christ; because, about that period, they had thrown off all reverence for human compilations of the faith, professing simply to follow the doctrines and precepts contained in the word of God.

MORAL, relating to the actions or conduct of life, or that which deter-cording to the society's own account, mines an action to be good or virtuous. however, they derive their origin from -2. A moral agent is a being that is the Greek church in the ninth century, capable of those actions that have a when, by the instrumentality of Memoral quality, and which can properly thodius and Cyrillus, two Greek monks, be denominated good or evil in a moral ||the kings of Bulgaria and Moravia besense.-3. A moral certainty is a verying converted to the faith, were tostrong probability, and is used in con- gether with their subjects, united in tradistinction to mathematical probabil-communion with the Greek church. ity.-4. Moral fitness is the agreement of the actions of any intelligent being with the nature,circumstances, and relation of things.-5. A moral impossibility The antipathy of the Greek and Rois a very great or insuperable difficulty; man churches is well known, and by opposed to a natural impossibility. See much the greater part of the Brethren INABILITY-6. Moral obligation is the were in process of time compelled, after necessity of doing or omitting any action many struggles, to submit to the see of in order to be happy and good. See Rome. A few, however, adhering to OBLIGATION.-7. Moral philosophy is the rites of their mother church, united the science of manners, the knowledge || themselves in 1170 to the Waldenses, of our duty and felicity. See PHILO-and sent missionaries into many counSOPHY.-8. Moral sense, that whereby we perceive what is good, virtuous, and beautiful in actions, manners and characters; or it is a kind of satisfaction in the mind arising from the contemplation of those actions of rational agents which we call good or virtuous: some call this natural conscience, others intuitive per There being at this time no bishops ception of right and wrong, &c. See in the Bohemian church who had not article_SENSE.-9. Moral law. See submitted to the papal jurisdiction,three LAW, EVIDENCE. priests of the society of United BrethMORALITY is that relation or pro-ren were, about the year 1467, conseportion which actions bear to a given crated by Stephen, bishop of the Walrule. It is generally used in reference denses, in Austria [see WALDENSES ;] to a good life. Morality is distinguished and these prelates on their return to from religion thus: "Religion is a stu- their own country, consecrated ten codious conformity of our actions to the bishops, or co seniors, from among the relations in which we stand to each rest of the presbyters. In 1523, the other in civil society. Morality compre- United Brethren commenced a friendly hends only a part of religion; but reli- correspondence, first with Luther, and gion comprehends the whole of morali- afterwards with Calvin and other leadty. Morality finds all her motives hereers among the reformers. A persecubelow; religion fetches all her motives from above. The highest principle in morals is a just regard to the rights of men; the first principle in religion is the love of God." The various duties of morality are considered in their respective places in this work. See Bishop

tion, which was brought upon them on this account, and some religious disputes which took place among themselves, threatened for a while the society with ruin; but the disputes were, in 1570, put an end to by a synod, which decreed that differences about non-essentials

doctriue, has since that period disturbed the church of the United Brethren.

should not destroy their union; and the persecution ceased in 1575, when the United Brethren obtained an edict for In 1735, the count, who, under God, the public exercise of their religion. had been the instrument of renewing This toleration was renewed in 1609, the Brethren's church, was consecrated and liberty granted them to erect new one of their bishops, having the year churches. But a civil war, which, in before been examined and received into 1612, broke out in Bohemia, and a vio- the clerical order by the Theological lent persecution which followed it in Faculty of Tubingen. Dr. Potter, then 1621, occasioned the dispersion of their archbishop of Canterbury, congratula ministers, and brought great distress ted him upon this event, and promised upen the Brethren in general. Some his assistance to a church of confessors, of them fled to England, others to of whom he wrote in terms of the Saxony and Brandenburg; whilst many, highest respect, for their having mainovercome by the severity of the perse- tained the pure and primitive faith and cution, conformed to the rites of the discipline in the midst of the most techurch of Rome. One colony of these. dious and cruel persecutions. That his who retained in purity their original Grace, who had studied the various principles and practice, was, in 1722, controversies about church-government conducted by a brother, named Chris- with uncommon success, admitted the tian David, from Fulneck, in Moravia, Moravian episcopal succession, we to Upper Lusatia, where they put know from the most unquestionable authemselves under the protection of Ni-thority; for he communicated his senticholas Lewis, count of Zinzendorf, and built a village on his estate at the foot of a hill, called Hutberg, or Watch Hill. The count, who, soon after their arival, removed from Dresden to his estate in the country, showed every mark of kindness to the poor emigrants; but being a zealous member of the church established by law, he endea-tainly passed in their favour. voured for some time to prevail upon them to unite themselves with it, by adopting the Lutheran faith and discipline. This they declined; and the count, on a more minute inquiry into their ancient history and distinguishing tenets, not only desisted from his first purpose, but became himself a convert to the faith and discipline of the United Brethren.

ments on the subject to Dr. Secker, while bishop of Oxford. In conformity with these sentiments of the arch-bishop, we are assured that the parlia ment of Great Britain, after mature investigation, acknowledged the Unitas Fratrum to be a Protestant episcopal church; and in 1794 an act was cer

This sect, like many others, has been shamefully misrepresented, and things laid to their charge of which they never were guilty. It must, however, be acknowledged, that some of their converts having previously imbibed extravagant notions, propagated them with zeal among their new friends in a phraseology extremely reprehensible; and that count Zinzendorf himself sometimes The synod which, in 1570, put an end adopted the very improper language of to the disputes which then tore the those fanatics, whom he wished to rechurch of the Brethren into factions, claim from their errors to the soberhad considered as non-essentials the ness of truth; but much of the extradistinguishing tenets of their own society, vagance and absurdity which has been of the Lutherans, and of the Calvinists attributed to the count is not to be In consequence of this, many of the re- charged to him, but to those persons formers of both these sects had follow-who, writing his extempore sermons in ed the Brethren to Herrnhut, and been received by them into communion; but not being endued with the peaceable This eminent benefactor to the United spirit of the church which they had Brethren died in 1760, and it is with joined, they started disputes among reason that they honour his memory as themselves, which threatened the de- having been the instrument by which struction of the whole establishment. God restored and built up their church. By the indefatigable exertions of count But they do not regard him as their Zinzendorf these disputes were allayed; head, nor take his writings, nor the and statutes being, in 1727, drawn up writings of any other man, as the standand agreed to for the regulation both of ard of their doctrines, which they prothe internal and of the external confess to derive immediately from the cerns of the congregation, brotherly word of God. love and union was again established; It has been already observed, that the and no schism whatever, in point of church of the United Brethren is epis

short hand, printed and published them without his knowledge or consent,

regulations, to prevent them for the fu ture. It considers how many bishops are to be consecrated to fill up the va

member of the synod gives his vote for such of the clergy as he thinks best qualified. Those who have the majority of votes are taken into the lot, and they who are approved are consecrated accordingly; but, by consecration, they are vested with no superiority over their brethren, since it behoves him who is the greatest to be the servant of all.

copal; but though they consider episcopal ordination as necessary to qualify the servants of the church for their respective functions, they allow to their bi-cancies occasioned by death; and every shops no elevation of rank or pre-eminent authority; their church having from its first establishment been go verned by synods, consisting of deputies from all the congregations, and by other subordinate bodies, which they call Conferences. The synods, which are ge nerally held once in seven years, are called together by the elders who were in the former synod appointed to superintend the whole unity. In the first sit- Towards the conclusion of every syting a president is chosen, and these el- nod a kind of executive board is chosen, ders lay down their office; but they do and called The Elders Conference of the not withdraw from the assembly; for Unity. At present it consists of thirthey, together with all bishops, seniores teen elders, and is divided into four comciviles, or lay elders, and those ministers mittees, or departments.-1. The Miswho have the general care or inspection sions department, which superintends of several congregations in one province all the concerns of the missions into have seats in the synod without any par- || Heathen countries.-2. The Helpers ticular election. The other members department, which watches over the are, one or more deputies sent by each purity of doctrine, and the moral concongregation, and such ministers or mis- duct of the different congregations.-3. sionaries as are particularly called to|| The Servants department, to which the attend. Women, approved by the con- economical concerns of the Unity are gregations are also admitted as hear- committed.-4. The Overseers departers, and are called upon to give their ment, of which the business is to see advice in what relates to the ministe- that the constitution and discipline of rial labour among their sex; but they the brethren be every where mainhave no decisive vote in the syncd. The tained. No resolution, however, of any votes of all the other members are of these departments has the smallest equal. force till it be laid before the assembly of the whole Elders Conference, and have the approbation of that body. The powers of the Elders Conference are, indeed, very extensive: besides the general care which it is commissioned by the synods to take of all the congregations and missions, it appoints and removes every servant in the Unity, as circumstances may require; authorises the bishops to ordain presbyters or deacons, and to consecrate other bishops; and, in a word, though it cannot abrogate any of the constitutions of the synod, or enact new ones itself, it is possessed of the supreme executive power over the whole body of the United Brethren.

In questions of importance, or of which the consequences cannot be foreseen, neither the majority of votes nor the unanimous consent of all present can decide; but recourse is had to the lot. For adopting this unusual mode of deciding in ecclesiastical affairs, the Brethren allege as reasons the practices of the ancient Jews and the apostles; the insufficiency of the human understanding amidst the best and purest intentions to decide for itself in what concerns the administration of Christ's Kingdom;and their own confident reliance on the comfortable promises that the Lord Je sus will approve himself the head and ruler of his church. The lot is never made use of but after mature deliberation and fervent prayer; nor is any thing submitted to its decision which does not, after being thoroughly weigh. ed, appear to the assembly eligible in

Besides this general Conference of Elders, which superintends the affairs of the whole Unity, there is another Conference of elders belonging to each congregation, which directs its affairs, and itself. to which the bishops and all other miIn every synod the inward and out-nisters, as well as the lay members of ward state of the unity, and the concerns of the congregations and missions, are taken into consideration. If errors in doctrine or deviations in practice have crept in, the synod endeavours not only to remove them, but, by salutary"

the congregation, are subject. This body, which is called the Elders Conference of the Congregations, consists, 1. Of the Minister, as president, to whom the ordinary care of the congregation is committed, except when it is very nu

nerous, and then the general inspection; their subjection to their superiors and of it is intrusted to a separate person, elders is singular, and appears parcalled the Congregation Helper.-2. Of|| ticularly striking in their missions and the Warden, whose office it is to super-marriages. In the former, those who intend; with the aid of his council, all have offered themselves on the service, outward concerns of the congregation, and are approved as candidates, wait and to assist every individual with his their several calls, referring themselves advice-3. Of a Married Pair, who entirely to the decision of the lot; and, care particularly for the spiritual wel- it is said, never hesitate when that hath fare of the married people.-4. Of a decided the place of their destination. Single Clergyman, to whose care the (See above.) In marriage, they may young men are more particularly com- only form a connexion with those of mitted.-And, 5, Of those Women who their own communion. The brother assist in caring for the spiritual and who marries out of the congregations is temporal welfare of their own sex, and immediately cut off from church fellowwho in this conference have equal votes ship. Sometimes a sister, by express with the men. As the Elders' Confer-licence from the Elders Conference, is ence of each Congregation is answerable for its proceedings to the Elders' Confe || rence of the Unity, visitations from the latter to the former are held from time to time, that the affairs of each congregation, and the conduct of its immediate governors, may be intimately known to the supreme executive vernment of the whole church.

permitted to marry a person of approved piety in another communion, yet still to join in their church ordinances as before. A brother may make hisown choice of a partner in the society; but as all intercourse between the different sexes is carefully avoided, very few opportunigo-ties of forming particular attachments are found, and they usually rather refer In their opinion, episcopal consecratheir choice to the church than decide tion does not confer any power to pre- for themselves. And as the lot must be side over one or more congregations; cast to sanction their union, each reand a bishop can discharge no office but ceives his partner as a divine appointby the appointment of a synod, or of the ment; and, however strange this meElders Conference of the Unity. Pres- thod may appear to those who consult byters among them can perform every only their passions or their interest, it function of the bishop, except ordination. || is observable, that no where fewer unDeacons are assistants to the Presby-happy marriages are found than among ters, much in the same way as in the the Brethren. But what characterises Church of England; and in the Breth-the Moravians most, and holds them up ren's churches, deaconesses are retain- to the attention of others, is their mised for the purpose of privately admon- rionary zeal. In this they are superior ishing their own sex, and visiting them to any other dy of people in the world. in their sickness; but though they are "Their missionaries," as one observes, solemnly blessed to this office, they are" are all of them volunteers; for it is not permitted to teach in public, and far an inviolable maxim with them to ferless to administer the sacraments. They suade no man to engage in missions. have likewise seniores civiles, or lay el. They are all of one mind as to the doc ders, in contradistinction to spiritual trines they teach, and seldom make an elders, or bishops, who are appointed to attempt where there are not haif a dowatch over the constitution and disci- zen of them in the mission. Their zeal pline of the Unity of the Brethren, over is calm, steady, persevering. They the observance of the laws of the coun- would reform the world, but are caretry in which congregations or missions ful how they quarrel with it. They carare established, and over the privileges ry their point by address, and the ingranted to the Brethren by the govern- sinuations of modesty and mildness, ments under which they live." They which commend them to all men, and have economies, or choir houses, where give offence to none. The habits of sithey live together in community: the lence, quietness, and decent reserve, single men and single women, widows mark their character. If any of their and widowers, apart, each under the missionaries are carried off by sickness superintendence of elderly persons of or casualty, men of the same stamp are their own class. In these houses every ready to supply their place." person who is able, and has not an independent support, labours in their own Occupation, and contributes a stipulated sum for their maintenance. Their children are educated with peculiar care;

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As they stand first on the list of those who have engaged in missionary exertions, we shall here insert a farther account of them and their missions, with which I have been favoured by a most