MANICHEES

Manes was not contented with the quality of apostle of Jesus Christ, but he also assumed that of the Paraclete, whom Christ had promised to send; which Augustine explains, by saying, that Manes endeavoured to persuade men that the Holy Ghost did personally dwell in him with full authority. He left several disciples; and among others, Addas, Thomas, and Hermas. These he sent in his lifetime into several provinces to preach his doctrine.

Manes, having undertaken to cure the king of Persia's son, and not succeeding, was put in prison upon the young prince's death, whence he made his escape; but he was apprehended soon after, and flayed alive.

MANICHEES

partakers of his misery; and is evil and malignant These two beings have produced an immens multitude of creatures resembling themselves, and distributed them through their respective pro vinces. After a contest between the ruler of light and the prince of darkness, in which the latter was defeated, this prince of darkness produced the first parents of the human race. The being engendered from this original stock consist of a body formed out of the corrupt matter of the kingdom of darkness, and of two souls-one of which is sensitive and lustful, and owes its exist ence to the evil principle; the other rational and immortal, a particle of that divine light which had been carried away in the contest by the army of However, the oriental writers cited by D'Her- darkness, and immersed into the mass of malig. belot, and Hyde, tell us that Manes, after having nant matter. The earth was created by God out been protected in a singular manner by Hormiz- of this corrupt mass of matter, in order to be a das, who succeeded Sapor on the Persian throne, dwelling for the human race, that their captive but who was not able to defend him, at length, souls might by degrees be delivered from their coragainst the united hatred of the Christians, the poreal prisons, and the celestial elements extri Magi, the Jews, and the Pagans, was shut up in cated from the gross substance in which they were a strong castle, to serve him as a refuge against involved. With this view God produced two those who persecuted him on account of his doc- beings from his own substance, viz. Christ and trine. They add, that after the death of Hor- the Holy Ghost; for the Manicheans held a comizdas, Varanes I., his successor, first protected substantial trinity. Christ, or the glorious intelManes, but afterwards gave him up to the fury of ligence, called by the Persians Mithras, subsisting the Magi, whose resentment against him was due in and by himself, and residing in the sun, a to his having adopted the Sadducean principles, peared in due time among the Jews, clothed with as some say; while others attribute it to his hav- the shadowy form of a human body, to disengage ing mingled the tenets of the Magi with the doc- the rational soul from the corrupt body, and to trines of Christianity. However, it is certain conquer the violence of malignant matter. The that the Manicheans celebrated the day of their Jews, incited by the prince of darkness, put hi master's death. It has been a subject of much to an ignominious death, which he suffered, not controversy whether Manes was an impostor. in reality, but only in appearance, and according The learned Dr. Lardner has examined the argu- to the opinion of men. When the purposes of ments on both sides; and though he does not Christ were accomplished, he returned to his choose to deny that he was an impostor, he does throne in the sun, appointing apostles to pe not discern evident proofs of it. He acknow- gate his religion, and leaving his followers the ledges that he was an arrogant philosopher, and promise of the Paraclete or Comforter, who is a great schemist; but whether he was an impos- Manes the Persian. Those souls who believe tor he cannot certainly say. He was much too Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, renounce the fond of philosophical notions, which he endea-worship of the god of the Jews, who is the prince voured to bring into religion, for which he is to be blamed; nevertheless, he observes that every bold dogmatizer is not an impostor.

The doctrine of Manes was a motley mixture of the tenets of Christianity with the ancient philosophy of the Persians, in which he had been instructed during his youth. He combined these two systems, and applied and accommodated to Jesus Christ the characters and actions which the Persians attributed to the god Mithras.

He established two principles, viz, a good and an evil one; the first, a most pure and subtle matter, which he called light, did nothing but good; and the second, a gross and corrupt substance, which he called darkness, nothing but evil. This philosophy is very ancient; and Plutarch treats of it at large in his Isis and Osiris.

water and

of darkness, and obey the laws delivered by Christ, and illustrated by Manes the Comforter, are gradually purified from the contagion of matter; and their purification being completed, after having passed through two states of trial, fire, first in the moon and then in the sun, ther bodies return to the original mass (for the Ma cheans deride the resurrection of bodies, and their souls ascend to the regions of light. Bui the souls of those who have neglected the s tary work of purification, pass after death into the bodies of other animals and natures, where they remain till they have accomplished their pro tion. Some, however, more perverse and c nate, are consigned to a severer course of th being delivered over for a time to the power of malignant aërial spirits, who torment them in Our souls, according to Manes, were made by rious ways. After this, a fire shall break forth the good principle, and our bodies by the evil one; and consume the frame of the world; and the these two principles beg, according to him, co-prince and powers of darkness shall return to eternal and independent of each other. Each of their primitive seats of anguish and misery, in these is subject to the dominion of a superintendent which they shall dwell for ever. These mans Being, whose existence is from all eternity. The shall be surrounded by an invincible guard to pr Being who presides over the light is called God; vent their ever renewing a war in the regions of he that rules the land of darkness bears the title light. of hyle or demon. The ruler of the light is Manes borrowed many things from the ab supremely happy, and in consequence thereof be-cient Gnostics, on which account many autho nevolent and good: the prince of darkness is un-consider the Manicheans as a branch of the happy in himself, and desirous of rendering others Gnostics.

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 obastronomy 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 Moses did not come from God, or the good principle, but from the evil one; and that for this reason it was abrogated. They rejected almost all the sacred books in which Christians look for the sublime truths of their holy religion. They affirmed that the Old Testament was not the work of God, but of the prince of darkness, who was substituted by the Jews in the place of the true God. They abstained entirely from eating the flesh of any animal, following herein the doctrine 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.

Though the Manichees professed to receive 1 the books of the New Testament, yet in effect they only took so much of them as suited with their own opinions. They first formed to themselves a certain idea or scheme of Christianity; and to this adjusted the writings of the apostles, pretending that whatever was inconsistent with this had 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.

Towards the fourth century the Manicheans concealed themselves under various names, which they successively adopted, and changed in proportion as they were discovered by them. Thus they assumed the names of Eucratites, A postatics, Saccophori, Hydroparastates, Solitaries, and several others, under which they lay concealed for a certain time, but could not, however, long escape the vigilance of their enemies. About the close of the sixth century, this sect gained a very considerable influence, particularly among the Persians.

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 in such a manner as to make them contain a new system of Manicheism. He entirely discarded all the writings of his predecessors; rejecting the chimeras of the Valentinians and their thirty ons; the fable of Manes, with regard to the origin of rain, and other dreams; but still retain ed the impurities of Basilides. In this manner he reformed Manicheism, insomuch that his followers made no scruple of anatheinatizing 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. 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 di-propagated their doctrine with confidence, and vided his disciples into two classes; one of which held their religious assemblies with impunity. comprehended the perfect Christians, under the name of the elect; and the other the imperfect and feeble, under the title of auditors or hearers. The elect were obliged to rigorous and entire abstinence from flesh, eggs, milk, fish, wine, all intoxicating drink, wedlock, and all amorous gratifications; and to live in a state of the severest penury, nourishing their emaciated bodies with bread, herbs, pulse, and melons, and depriving themselves of all the comforts that arise from the moderate indulgence of natural passions, and also from a variety of innocent and agreeable pursuits. The anditors 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 limitations, 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 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

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MANNERS: the plural noun has various significations; as the general way of life, the morals or the habits of any person; also ceremonial behaviour or studied civility. Good-manners, according to Swift, is the art of making those people easy with whom we converse. Pride, illnature, and want of sense, are the three great sources of ill-manners. Without some one of these defects no man will behave himself ill for want of experience; or of what, in the language of some, is called knowing the world. For the effect that Christianity has on the manners of 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 or thodox, 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

MARCOSIANS

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

MARONITES

Out of

and of the same authority with ours. 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 excommunicated 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 Monothelites, condemned and exploded by 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 proba god 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 al bition 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 evangelists but St. Luke, whom elso 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 Monotliclites. But all their efforts are insuffi cient 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 Chry sostom, Theodoret, and the Menologium of the Greeks. He adds, that the disciples of this Mar 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 Ro man pontiff was agreed to with this express com dition, that neither the popes nor their emissar should pretend to change or abolish any thing the related to the ancient rites, moral precepts, or re ligious opinions of this people; so that in reality there is nothing to be found among the Maronite that savours of popery, if we except their attach ment to the Roman pontiff, who is obliged to p very dear for their friendship. For as the M

MARRIAGE

MARTYR

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 be- obliging to inconsistent duties; such as reverence hold the church of Rome with the greatest aver- to a son, and the daughter to be equal with the sion and abhorrence; nay, what is still more re-father. Nor can the son or daughter acquit themmarkable, great numbers of that nation residing selves of such inconsistent duties as would arise in Italy, even under the eye of the pontiff, op- from this unnatural union. The marriage of posed his authority during the last century, and brothers and sisters, and of some other near rethrew the court of Rome into great perplexity. lations, is likewise disapproved by reason on One body of these non-conforming Maronites various accounts. It frustrates one design of retired into the valleys of Piedmont, where they marriage, which is to enlarge benevolence and joined the Waldenses; another, above six hun-friendship, by cementing various families in a dred in number, with a bishop and several eccle- close alliance. And, further, were it allowed, siastics at their head, fled into Corsica, and im- young persons, instead of entering into marriage plored the protection of the Republic of Genoa upon mature consideration, with a settled esteem against the violence of the inquisitors. 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.

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.

As to their faith, they agree in the main with the rest of the Eastern church. Their priests do not say mass singly, but all say it together, standing round the altar. They communicate in unleavened bread; and the laity have hitherto partaken in both kinds, though the practice of communicating in one has of late been getting footing, having been introduced by little and little. In Lent they eat nothing, unless it be two or three hours before sun-rising: their other fastings are

very numerous.

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 prohibition would be contrary to natural right and the design of the law itself; neither of which was ever intended to be set aside by the Gospel dispensation. It is more probably designed to guard against polygamy, and against divorce on frivolous occasions; both of which were frequent among the Jews, but condemned by our Lord, Matt. xix. 3-9.

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 ne 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 con- 33; Tit. ii. 5; 1 Tim. v. 11, 12; Ruth i. 16. See sent, as well as with the consent of parents and articles DIVORCE, PARENT. Grove's Mor. Phil. 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

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