MANICHEES

MARCELLIANS

In truth, the Manichean doctrine was a system worship was simple and plain, and consisted of of philosophy rather than of religion. They prayers, reading the Scriptures, and hearing pubmade use of amulets, in imitation of the Basili-lic discourses, at which both the auditors and the dians; and are said to have made profession of elect were allowed to be present. They also ob astronomy and astrology. They denied that Je- served the Christian appointment of baptism and sus Christ, who was only God, assumed a true the eucharist. They kept the Lord's day, obhuman body, and maintained it was only imagi- serving it as a fast; and they likewise kept nary; and therefore they denied his incarnation, Easter and the Pentecost. death, &c. They pretended that the law of Towards the fourth century the Manicheans Moses did not come from God, or the good prin- concealed themselves under various names, which ciple, but from the evil one; ånd that for this they successively adopted, and changed in proreason it was abrogated. They rejected almost portion as they were discovered by them. Thus all the sacred books in which Christians look for they assumed the names of Eucratites, Apostathe sublime truths of their holy religion. They tics, Saccophori, Hydroparastates, Solitaries, and affirmed that the Old Testament was not the several others, under which they lay concealed for work of God, but of the prince of darkness, who a certain time, but could not, however, long escape was substituted by the Jews in the place of the the vigilance of their enemies. About the crose true God. They abstained entirely from eating of the sixth century, this sect gained a very consithe flesh of any animal, following herein the doc-derable influence, particularly among the Persians. trine of the ancient Pythagoreans: they also condemned marriage. The rest of their errors may be seen in St. Epiphanius and St. Augustine; which last, having been of their sect, may be presumed to have been thoroughly acquainted with them.

Towards the middle of the twelfth century, the sect of Manichees took a new face, on account of one Constantine, an Armenian, and an adherer to it; who took upon him to suppress the reading of all other books besides the evangelists and the epistles of St. Paul, which he explained Though the Manichees professed to receive in such a manner as to make then contain a new the books of the New Testament, yet in effect system of Manicheism. He entirely discarded they only took so much of them as suited with all the writings of his predecessors; rejecting the their own opinions. They first formed to themselves chimeras of the Valentinians and their thirty a certain idea or scheme of Christianity; and to this æons; the fable of Manes, with regard to the adjusted the writings of the apostles, pretending origin of rain, and other dreams; but still retainthat whatever was inconsistent with this haded the impurities of Basilides. In this manner been foisted into the New Testament by the later writers, who were half Jews. On the other hand, they made fables and apocryphal books pass for apostolical writings; and even are suspected to have forged several others, the better to maintain their errors. St. Epiphanius gives a catalogue of several pieces published by Manes, and adds extracts out of some of them. These are the Mysteries, Chapters, Gospel, and Treasury.

he reformed Manicheism, insomuch that his followers made no scruple of anathematizing Scythian Buddas, called also Addas and Terehinth, the contemporaries and disciples, as some say, and, according to others, the predecessors and masters of Manes, and even Manes himself; Constantine being now their great apostle. After he had seduced an infinite number of people, he was at last stoned by order of the emperor.

propagated their doctrine with confidence, and held their religious assemblies with impunity.

The rule of life and manners which Manes This sect prevailed in Bosnia and the adjacent prescribed to his followers was most extrava-provinces about the close of the fifteenth century; gantly rigorous and severe. However, he divided his disciples into two classes; one of which comprehended the perfect Christians, under the MANNERS: the plural noun has various name of the elect; and the other the imperfect significations; as the general way of life, the and feeble, under the title of auditors or hearers. morals or the habits of any person; also ceremoThe elect were obliged to rigorous and entire nial behaviour or studied civility. Good-manners, abstinence from flesh, eggs, milk, fish, wine, all according to Swift, is the art of making those intoxicating drink, wedlock, and all amorous gra- people easy with whom we converse. Pride, illtifications; and to live in a state of the severest nature, and want of sense, are the three great penury, nourishing their emaciated bodies with sources of ill-manners. Without some one of bread, herbs, pulse, and melons, and depriving these defects no man will behave himself ill for themselves of all the comforts that arise from the want of experience; or of what, in the language moderate indulgence of natural passions, and also of some, is called knowing the world. For the from a variety of innocent and agreeable pur-effect that Christianity has on the manners of suits. The auditors were allowed to possess houses, lands, and wealth; to feed on flesh, to enter into the bonds of conjugal tenderness; but this liberty was granted them with many limitatibns, and under the strictest conditions of moderation and temperance. The general assembly of Manicheans was headed by a president, who represented Jesus Christ. There were joined to him twelve rulers or masters, who were designed to represent the twelve apostles; and these were followed by seventy-two bishops, the images of the seventy-two disciples of our Lord. These bishops had presbyters or deacons under them, and all the members of these religious orders were chosen out of the class of the elect. Their

men, see article CHRISTIANITY.

MARCELLIANS, a sect of ancient heretics, towards the close of the second century; so called from Marcellus of Ancyra, their leader, who was accused of reviving the errors of Sabellius. Some, however, are of opinion that Marcellus was orthodox, and that they were his enemies, the Arians, who fathered their errors upon him. St. Epiphanius observes, that there was a great deal of dispute with regard to the real tenets of Marcellus; but as to his followers, it is evident that they did not own the three hypostases; for Marcellus considered the Son and Holy Ghost as two emanations from the divine nature, whicn, after performing their respective offices, were to return

MARCOSTANS

again into the substance of the Father; and this opinion is altogether incompatible with the belief of three distinct persons in the Godhead.

MARUNITES

and of the same authority with ours. Out of these they picked several idle fables touching the infancy of Jesus Christ, which they put off for MARCIONITES, or MARCIONISTS, Mar-true histories. Many of these fables are still in cionista, a very ancient and popular sect of here- use and credit among the Greek monks. tics, who, in the time of Epiphanius, were spread MARONITES, in ecclesiastical history, a over Italy, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Arabia, Per-sect of eastern Christians who follow the Syrian sia, and other countries; they were thus denomi- rite, and are subject to the pope: their principal nated from their author Marcion. Marcion was habitation is on Mount Libanus, of Pentus, the son of a bishop, and at first made profession of the monastic life; but he was ex-Monothelites, condemned and exploded by the communicated by his own father, who would never admit him again into communion with the church, not even on his repentance. On this he abandoned his own country, and retired to Rome, where he began to broach his doctrines.

Mosheim informs us, that the doctrine of the

council of Constantinople, found a place of refuge among the Mardaites, a people who inhabited the Mounts Libanus and Antilibanus, and who, about the conclusion of the seventh century, were called Maronites, after Maro, their first He laid down two principles, the one good, the bishop; a name which they still retain. None (he other evil; between these he imagined an inter- says) of the ancient writers give any account of mediate kind of Deity, of a mixed nature, who the first person who instructed these mountaineers was the creator of this inferior world, and the in the doctrine of the Monothelites; it is probagod and legislator of the Jewish nation; the other ble, however, from several circumstances, that it nations, who worshipped a variety of gods, were was John Maro, whose name they adopted; and supposed to be under the empire of the evil prin- that this ecclesiastic received the name of Maro ciple. These two conflicting powers exercised from his having lived in the character of a monk oppressions upon rational and immortal souls; in the famous convent of St. Maro, upon the and therefore the supreme God, to deliver them borders of the Orontes, before his settlement from bondage, sent to the Jews a_Being more among the Mardaites of Mount Libanus. One like unto himself, even his Son Jesus Christ, thing is certain, from the testimony of Tyrius clothed with a certain shadowy resemblance of a and other unexceptionable witnesses, as also from body: this celestial messenger was attacked by the the most authentic records, viz. that the Maronprince of darkness, and by the god of the Jews, ites retained the opinions of the Monothelites but without effect. Those who follow the direc-until the twelfth century, when, abandoning and tions of this celestial conductor, mortify the body renouncing the doctrine of one will in Christ, by fastings and austerities, and renounce the pre- they were re-admitted in the year 1182 to the cepts of the god of the Jews and of the prince of communion of the Roman church. The most darkness, shall after death ascend to the mansions learned of the modern Maronites have left no of felicity and perfection. The rule of manners method unemployed to defend their church against which Marcion prescribed to his followers was this accusation; they have laboured to prove, by excessively austere, containing an express prohi- a variety of testimonies, that their ancestors albition of wedlock, wine, flesh, and all the exter-ways persevered in the Catholic faith, in their nal comforts of life.

Marcion denied the real birth, incarnation, and passion of Jesus Christ, and held them to be apparent only. He denied the resurrection of the body, and allowed none to be baptized but those who preserved their continence; but these he granted might be baptized three times. In many things he followed the sentiments of the heretic Cerdon and rejected the law and the prophets. He pretended the Gospel had been corrupted by false prophets, and allowed none of the evange lists but St. Luke, whom also he altered in many places, as well as the epistles of St. Paul, a great many things in which he threw out. In his own copy of St. Luke he threw out the first two chapters entire.

MARCITES, MARCITE, a sect of heretics in the second century, who also called themselves the perfecti, and made profession of doing every thing with a great deal of liberty, and without fear. This doctrine they borrowed from Simon Magus, who however was not their chief; for they were called Marcites from one Marcus, who conferred the priesthood, and the administration of the sacraments, on women.

MARCOSIANS, or COLOBARSIANS, an ancient sect in the church, making a branch of the Valentinians.

St. Irenæus speaks at large of the leader of this sect, Marcus, who, it seems, was reputed a great magician. The Marcosians had a great number of apocryphal books which they held for canonical,

attachment to the Roman pontiff, without ever adopting the doctrine of the Monophysites, or Monothelites. But all their efforts are insufficient to prove the truth of these assertions to such as have an acquaintance with the history of the church, and the records of ancient times; for, to all such, the testimonies they allege will appear absolutely fictitious, and destitute of authority.

Faustus Nairon, a Maronite settled at Rome, has published an apology for Maro and the rest of his nation. His tenet is, that they really took their name from the Maro who lived about the year 409, and of whom mention is made in Chrysostom, Theodoret, and the Menologium of the Greeks. He adds, that the disciples of this Mare spread themselves throughout all Syria; that they built several monasteries, and, among others, one that bore the name of their leader; that all the Syrians who were not tainted with heresy took refuge among them; and that for this reason the heretics of those times called them Maronites.

Mosheim observes, that the subjection of the Maronites to the spiritual jurisdiction of the Roman pontiff was agreed to with this express condition, that neither the popes nor their emissaries should pretend to change or abolish any thing that related to the ancient rites, moral precepts, or religious opinions of this people; so that in reality there is nothing to be found among the Maronites that savours of popery, if we except their attachment to the Roman pontiff, who is obliged to pay very dear for their friendship. For as the Ma

fornication, and, where the various duties of it are attended to, renders life a blessing.

ronites live in the utmost distress of poverty, under the tyrannical yoke of the Mahometans, the bishop of Rome is under the necessity of furnish- The laws of revelation, as well as most civilized ing them with such subsidies as may appease countries, have made several exceptions of persons their oppressors, procure a subsistence for their marrying who are nearly related by blood. The bishop and clergy, provide all things requisite for marriage of parents and children appears, at first the support of their churches, and the uninter-view, contrary to nature, not merely on account rupted exercise of public worship, and contribute of the disparity of age, but of the confusion in general to lessen their miseries. It is certain which it introduces into natural relations, and its that there are Maronites in Syria who still behold the church of Rome with the greatest aversion and abhorrence; nay, what is still more remarkable, great numbers of that nation residing in Italy, even under the eye of the pontiff, opposed his authority during the last century, and threw the court of Rome into great perplexity. One body of these non-conforming Maronites retired into the valleys of Piedmont, where they joined the Waldenses; another, above six hundred in number, with a bishop and several ecclesiastics at their head, fled into Corsica, and implored the protection of the Republic of Genoa against the violence of the inquisitors.

The Maronites have a patriarch who resides in the monastery of Cannubin, on Mount Libanus, and assumes the title of patriarch of Antioch, and the name of Peter, as if he seemed desirous of being considered as the successor of that apostle. He is elected by the clergy and the people, according to the ancient custom; but, since their reunion with the church of Rome, he is obliged to have a bull of confirmation from the pope. He keeps a perpetual celibacy, as well as the rest of the bishops, his suffragans: as to the rest of the ecclesiastics, they are allowed to marry before ordination; and yet the monastic life is in great esteem among them. Their monks are of the order of St. Anthony, and live in the most obscure places in the mountains, far from the commerce of the world.

obliging to inconsistent duties; such as reverence to a son, and the daughter to be equal with the father. Nor can the son or daughter acquit themselves of such inconsistent duties as would arise from this unnatural union. The marriage of brothers and sisters, and of some other near relations, is likewise disapproved by reason on various accounts. It frustrates one design of marriage, which is to enlarge benevolence and friendship, by cementing various families in a close alliance. And, further, were it allowed, young persons, instead of entering into marriage upon mature consideration, with a settled esteem and friendship, and a proper concern and provision for the support and education of children, would be in danger (through the intimacy and affection produced by their near relation, and being bred together) of sliding, in their inconsiderate years, into those criminal familiarities which are most destructive of the great ends of marriage. Most nations have agreed to brand such marriages as highly criminal, who cannot be supposed to have derived their judgment from Moses and the Israelites. It is probable God expressly prohibited these marriages in the beginning of mankind, and from the first heads of families the prohibition might be transmitted as a most sacred law to their descendants. See INCEST.

Some have supposed from those passages, 1 Tim. iii. 2; Tit. i. 6, that bishops or pastors ought never to marry a second wife. But such a As to their faith, they agree in the main with prohibition would be contrary to natural right and the rest of the Eastern church. Their priests do the design of the law itself; neither of which not say mass singly, but all say it together, stand-was ever intended to be set aside by the Gospel ing round the altar. They communicate in un- dispensation. It is more probably designed to leavened bread; and the laity have hitherto par-guard against polygamy, and against divorce on taken in both kinds, though the practice of com- frivolous occasions; both of which were frequent municating in one has of late been getting footing, among the Jews, but condemned by our Lord, having been introduced by little and little. In Matt. xix. 3-9. Lent they eat nothing, unless it be two or three hours before sun-rising: their other fastings are

very numerous.

The duties of this state are, on the part of the husband, love, superior to any shown to any other person: a love of complacency and delight, MARRIAGE, a covenant between a man and Prov. v. 18, 19. Chaste and single. Provision a woman, in which they mutually promise co- for the temporal good of the wife and family, habitation, and a continual care to promote the 1 Tim. v. 3. Protection from abuse and injuries, comfort and happiness of each other. By Grove Ruth iii. 9; 1 Sam. xxx. 5, 18. Doing every thus: "A society formed between two persons thing that may contribute to the pleasure, peace, of different sexes, chiefly for the procreation and and comfort of the wife, 1 Cor. vii. 33. Seeking education of children." This union is very near her spiritual welfare, and every thing that shall and strict, and indeed indissoluble but by death, promote her edification and felicity. The duties excepting in one case; unfaithfulness in the one on the part of the wife are, reverence, subjection, to the other by adultery or fornication, Rom. vii. obedience, assistance, sympathy, assuming no 2; Matt. v. 32. It is to be entered into with de-authority, and continuance with him, Eph. v. 32, liberation, at a proper age, and with mutual consent, as well as with the consent of parents and guardians under whose care single persons may be. It is a very honourable state, Heb. xiii. 4; being an institution of God, and that in Paradise, Gen. ii. Christ honoured marriage by his presence, and at such a solemnity wrought his first miracle, John ii. Moreover, it is honourable, as families are formed and built up, the world peopled with inhabitants; it prevents incontinence and

33; Tit. ii. 5; 1 Tim. v. 11, 12; Ruth i. 16. See articles DIVORCE, PARENT. Grove's Mor. Phil. vol. ii. p. 470; Paley's Mor. Phil. ch. viii. vol. i. p. 339; Bean's Christian Minister's Advice to a New-married Couple; Guide to Domestic Happiness; Advantages and Disadvantages of the Marriage State; Stennett on Domestic Duties; Jay's Essay on Marriage; Doddridge's Lect. 225, 234, 265, vol. i. oct. ed.

MARTYR, is one who lays down his life or

MARTYR

suffers death for the sake of his religion. The word is Greek, μαρτυρι and properly signifies a "witness." It is applied by way of eminence to those who suffer in witness of the truth of the Gospel.

The Christian church has abounded with martyrs, and history is filled with surprising accounts of their singular constancy and fortitude under the cruellest torments human nature was capable of suffering. The primitive Christians were accused by their enemies of paying a sort of divine worship to martyrs. Of this we have an instance in the answer of the church of Smyrna to the suggestion of the Jews, who, at the martyrdom of Polycarp, desired the heathen judge not to suffer the Christians to carry off his body, lest they should leave their crucified master, and worship him in his stead. To which they answered, "We can neither forsake Christ nor worship any other; for we worship him as the Son of God; but love the martyrs as the disciples and followers of the Lord, for the great affection they have shown to their King and Master." A like answer was given at the martyrdom of Fructuosus in Spain; for when the judge asked Eulogius, his deacon, whether he would not worship Fructuosus, as thinking, that, though he refused to worship the heathen idols, he might yet be inclined to worship a Christian martyr, Eulogius replied, "I do not worship Fructuosus, but him whom Fructuosus worships." The primitive Christians believed that the martyrs enjoyed very singular privileges; that upon their death they were immediately admitted to the beatific vision, while other souls waited for the completion of their happiness till the day of judgment; and that God would grant to their prayers the hastening of his kingdom, and shortening the times of persecution. Perhaps this consideration might excite many to court martyrdom, as we believe many did. It must be recollected, however, that martyrdom in itself is no proof of the goodness of our cause, only that we ourselves are persuaded that it is so. "It is not the blood, but the cause that makes the martyr." (Mead.) Yet we may consider the number and fortitude of those who have suffered for Christianity as a collateral proof at least of its excellency; for the thing for which they suffered was not a point of speculation, but a plain matter of fact, in which (had it been false,) they could not have been mistaken. The martyrdom, therefore, of so many wise and good men, taken with a view of the whole system of Christianity, will certainly afford something considerable in its favour.

The churches built over the graves of the martyrs, and called by their names, in order to preserve he memory of their sufferings, were distinguished by the title martyrum confessio, or

memoria.

The festivals of the martyrs are of very ancient date in the Christian church, and may be carried back at least from the time of Polycarp, who suffered martyrdom about the year of Christ 168. On these days the Christians met at the graves of the martyrs, and offered prayers and thanksgivings to God for the example they had afforded them; they celebrated the eucharist, and gave alms to the poor; which, together with a panegyrical oration or sermon, and reading the acts of the martyrs, were the spiritual exercises of these anniversaries.

MARTYROLOGY

Of the sayings, sufferings, and deaths of the martyrs, though preserved with great care for the above purpose, and to serve as models to future ages, we have but very little left, the greatest part of them having been destroyed during that dreadful persecution which Dioclesian carried on for ten years with fresh fury against the Christians: for a most diligent search was then made after all their books and papers; and all of them_that were found were committed to the flames. Eusebius, indeed, composed a martyrology, but it never reached down to us; and those since compiled are extremely suspected. From the eighth century downwards, several Greek and Latin authors endeavoured to make up the loss, by compiling, with vast labour, accounts of the lives and actions of the ancient martyrs, but which consist of little else than a series of fables: nor are those records that pass under the name of martyrology worthy of superior credit, since they bear the most evident marks both of ignorance and falsehood.

MARTYROLOGY, a catalogue or list of martyrs, including the history of their lives and sufferings for the sake of religion. The term comes from "witness," and λeyw, dico, or

xxw, colligo.

μαρτυρι

The martyrologies draw their materials from the calendars of particular churches, in which the several festivals dedicated to them are marked; and which seem to be derived from the practice of the ancient Romans, who inserted the names of heroes and great men in their fasti, or public registers.

The martyrologies are very numerous, and contain many ridiculous and even contradictory narratives; which is easily accounted for, if we consider how many forged and spurious accounts of the lives of saints and martyrs appeared in the first ages of the church, which the legendary writers afterwards adopted without examining into the truth of them. However, some good critics, of late years, have gone a great way towards clearing the lives of the saints and martyrs from the monstrous heap of fiction they laboured under. See article LEGEND.

The martyrology of Eusebius of Cæsarea was the most celebrated in the ancient church. It was translated into Latin by St. Jerome; but the learned agree that it is not now extant. That attributed to Beda, in the eighth century, is of very doubtful authority; the names of several saints being there found who did not live till after the time of Beda. The ninth century was very fertile in martyrologies; then appeared that of Florus, subdeacon of the church at Lyons, who, however, only filled up the chasms in Beda. This was published about the year 830, and was followed by that of Waldenburtus, monk of the diocese of Treves, written in verse about the year 848; and this by that of Usard, a French monk, and written by the command of Charles the Bald, in 875, which last is the martyrology now ordinarily used in the Romish church. That of Rabanus Maurus is an improvement on Beda and Florus, written about the year 845; that of Noker, monk of St. Gal, was written about the year 894. The martyrology of Ado, monk of Ferriers, in the diocese of Treves, afterwards archbishop of Vienne, is a descendant of the Roman, if we may so call it; for Du Sollier gives its genealogy thus: The martyrology of St. Jerome is the great Ro