The followers of the late Dr. Priestley are considered as Materialists, or philosophical Necessarians. According to the doctor's writings, he believed, every thing else in the constitution of nature; and consequently that it is never determined without some real or apparent cause foreign to itself; i. e. 1. That man is no more than what we without some motive of choice; or that now see of him: his being commences motives influence us in some definite and at the time of his conception, or perhaps invariable manner, so that every violaat an earlier period. The corporeal tion, or choice, is constantly regulated and mental faculties, inhering in the and determined by what precedes it: same substance, grow, ripen, and decay and this constant détermination of mind, together; and whenever the system is according to the motives presented to dissolved, it continues in a state of disso- it, is what is meant by its necessary delution, till it shall please that Almighty termination. This being admitted to be Being who called it into existence, to re- fact, there will be a necessary connexion store it to life again. For if the mental between all things past, present, and to principle were, in its own nature, im- come, in the way of proper cause and material and immortal, all its peculiar effect, as much in the intellectual as in faculties would be so too; whereas we the natural world; so that according to see that every faculty of the mind, the established laws of nature, no event without exception, is liable to be im- could have been otherwise than it has paired, and even to become wholly ex- been, or is to be, and therefore all things tinct, before death. Since, therefore, all past, present, and to come, are prethe faculties of the mind, separately cisely what the Author of Nature really taken, appear to be mortal, the sub-intended them to be, and has made prostance, or principle, in which they exist, vision for. must be pronounced mortal too. Thus we might conclude that the body was mortal, from observing that all the separate senses and limbs were liable to decay and perish. This system gives a real value to the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead, which is peculiar to revelation; on which alone the sacred writers build all our hope of future life: and it explains the uniform language of the Scriptures, which speak of one day of judgment for all mankind; and represent all the rewards of virtue, and all the punishments of vice, as taking place at that awful day, and not before. In the Scriptures, the heathens are represented as without hope, and all mankind as perishing at death, if there be no resurrection of the dead. The apostle Paul asserts, in 1 Cor. xv. 16, that if the dead rise not, then is not Christ risen; and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins: then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. And again, ver. 32, If the dead rise not, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. In the whole discourse, he does not even mention the doctrine of happiness or misery without the body. If we search the Scriptures for passages expressive of the state of man at death, we shall find such declarations as expressly exclude any trace of sense, thought, or enjoyment. See Ps. vi. 5. Job xiv. 7, &c. 2. That there is some fixed law of nature respecting the will, as well as the other powers of the mind, and || To establish this conclusion, nothing is necessary but that throughout all nature the same consequences should invariably result from the same circumstances. For if this be admitted, it will necessarily follow, that at the commencement of any system, since the several parts of it and their respective situations were appointed by the Deity, the first change would take place according to a certain rule established by himself, the result of which would be a new situation; after which the same laws containing another change would succeed, according to the same rules, and so on for ever; every new situation invariably leading to another, and every event, from the commencement to the termination of the system. being strictly connected, so that, unless the fundamental laws of the system were changed, it would be impossible that any event should have been otherwise than it was. In all these cases, the circumstances preceding any change are called the causes of that change: and since a determinate event, or effect, constantly follows certain circumstances, or causes, the connection between cause and effect is concluded to be invariable, and therefore necessary. It is universally acknowledged, that there can be no effect without an adequate cause. This is even the foundation on which the only proper argument for the being of a God rests. And the Necessarian asserts, that if, in any given state of mind, with respect both to dispositions and motives, two different determinations, or volitions, be possible, it can be on no other principle, than that one of them should come under the description of an effect without a cause; just as if the beam of a balance might incline either way, though loaded with equal weights. And if any thing whatever, even a thought in the mind of man, could arise without an adequate cause, any thing else, the mind itself or the whole universe, might likewise exist without an adequate cause. This scheme of philosophical necessity implies a chain of causes and effects established by infinite wisdom, and terminating in the greatest good of the whole universe; evils of all kinds, natural and moral, being admitted, as far as they contribute to that end, or are in the nature of things inseparable from it. Vice is productive not of good, but of evil to us, both here and hereafter, though good may result from it to the whole system; and, according to the fixed laws of nature, our present and future happiness necessarily depend cultivating good dispositions. This scheme of philosophical neces sity is distinguished from the Calvinistic doctrine of predestination in the following particulars: 1. No Necessarian supposes that any of the human race will suffer eternally; but that future punishments will answer the same purpose as temporal ones are found to do; all of which tend to good, and are evidently admitted for that purpose. Upon the doctrine of necessity, also, the most indifferent actions of men are equally necessary with the most important; since every volition, like any other effect, must have an adequate cause depending upon the previous state of the mind, and the influence to which it is exposed. 2. The Necessarian believes that his own dispositions and actions are the necessary and sole means of his present and future happiness; so that, in the most proper sense of the words, it depends entirely on himself whether he be virtuous or vicious, happy or miserable. atonement for them by suffering in their stead, and thus making the Deity propitious to them. He believes nothing of all the actions of any man being necessarily sinful; but, on the contrary, thinks that the very worst of men are capable of benevolent intentions in many things that they do; and likewise that very good men are capable of falling from virtue, and consequently of sinking into final perdition. Upon the principles of the Necessarian, also, all late repentance, and especially after long and confirmed habits of vice, is altogether and necessarily ineffectual; there not being sufficient time left to produce a change of disposition and character, which can only be done by a change of conduct of proportionably long continuance. In short, the three doctrines of Materialism, Philosophical Necessity, and Socinianism, are considered as equally parts of one system. The scheme of Necessity is the immediate result of the materiality of man; for mechanism is the undoubted consequence of materialism, and that man is wholly material, is eminently subservient to the proper or mere humanity of Christ. For if no man have a soul distinct from his body, Christ, who in all other respects appeared as a man, could not have a soul which had existed before his body: and the whole doctrine of the pre-existence of souls, of which the opinion of the preexistence of Christ is a branch, will be effectually overturned. See NECESSI TY, PRE-EXISTENCE, SPINOSISM, SOUL, UNITARIAN, and books under those articles. MEANS OF GRACE denote those duties we perform for the purpose of improving our minds, affecting our hearts, and of obtaining spiritual blessings; such as hearing the Gospel, reading the Scriptures, self-examination, meditation, prayer, praise, Christian conversation, &c. The means are to be used without any reference to merit, but solely with a dependence on the Divine Being; nor can we ever expect happiness in ourselves, nor be good ex3. The Calvinistic system entirely ex-emplars to others, while we live in the cludes the popular notion of free-will, neglect of them. It is in vain to argue viz. the liberty or power of doing what that the divine decree supercedes the please, virtuous or vicious, as be- necessity of them, since God has as cerlonging to every person, in every situa-tainly appointed the means as the end. tion; which is perfectly consistent with the doctrine of philosophical necessity, and indeed results from it. we 4. The Necessarian believes nothing of the posterity of Adam's sinning in him, and of their being liable to the wrath of God on that account; or the necessity of an infinite Being making Besides, he himself generally works by them; and the more means he thinks proper to use, the more he displays his glorious perfections. Jesus Christ, when on earth, used means; he prayed, he exhorted, and did good, by going from place to place. Indeed, the systems of nature, providence, and grace, are ail carried on by means. The Scriptures abound with exhortations to them, Matt. v. Rom. xii. and none but enthusiasts or immoral characters ever refuse to use them. people under all their trials, temptations, &c. Heb. ii. 17, 18. Heb. iv. 15. -6. It was fit that he should be a holy and righteous man, free from all sin, original and actual, that he might offer MEDIATOR, a person that inter- himself without spot to God, take away venes between two parties at variance, the sins of men, and be an advocate for in order to reconcile them. Thus Je- them, Heb. vii. 26. ix. 14. 1 John iii, 5. sus Christ is the Mediator between an But it was not enough to be truly man, offended God and sinful man, 1 Tim. ii. and an innocent person; he must be 5. Both Jews and Gentiles have a no- more than a man: it was requisite that tion of a Mediator: the Jews call the he should be God also, for, 1. No mere Messiah NyaN the Mediator or Middle man could have entered into a covenant One. The Persians call their god Mi- with God to mediate between him and thras, IT, a Mediator; and the de- sinful men.-2. He must be God, to mons, with the heathens, seem to be, give virtue and value to his obedience according to them, mediators between and sufferings; for the sufferings of men the superior gods and men. Indeed. or angels would not have been sufficient. the whole religion of Paganism was a -3. Being thus God-man, we are ensystem of mediation and intercession. couraged to hope in him. In the person The idea, therefore, of salvation by a of Jesus Christ the object of trust is Mediator, is not so novel or restricted brought nearer to ourselves; and those as some imagine; and the Scriptures of well-known tender affections which are truth inform us, that it is only by this || only figuratively ascribed to the Deity, way human beings can arrive to eternal are in our great Mediator thoroughly felicity, Acts iv. 12. John xiv. 6. Man, realized. Farther, were he God, and in his state of innocence, was in friend- || not man, we should approach him with ship with God; but, by sinning against fear and dread; were he man and not him, he exposed himself to his just dis- God, we should be guilty of idolatry to pleasure; his powers became enfeebled, worship and trust him at all, Jer. xvii. 5. and his heart filled with enmity against The plan of salvation, therefore, by such him, Rom. viii. 6: he was driven out of a Mediator, is the most suitable to huhis paradisaical Eden, and totally inca- man beings that possibly could be; for pable of returning to God, and making here" Mercy and truth meet together, satisfaction to his justice. Jesus Christ, righteousness and peace kiss each therefore, was the appointed Mediator other." Psal. Ixxxv. 10. The properto bring about reconciliation, Gen. iii. ties of Christ as Mediator are these: 12. Col. i. 21; and in the fulness of time 1. He is the only Mediator, 1 Tim. ii. he came into this world, obeyed the law, 4. Praying, therefore, to saints and ansatisfied justice, and brought his people gels is an error of the church of Rome, into a state of grace and favour; yea, and has no countenance from the Scripinto a more exalted state of friendship ture.-2. Christ is a Mediator of men with God than was lost by the fall, Eph. only, not of angels: good angels need ii. 18. Now, in order to the accomplish- not any; and as for evil angels, none is ing of this work, it was necessary that provided nor admitted.-3. He is the the Mediator should be God and man in Mediator both for Jews and Gentiles, one person. It was necessary that he Eph. ii. 18. 1 John ii. 2.-4. He is Meshould be man, 1. That he might be re- diator both for Old and New Testament lated to those he was a Mediator and saints.-5. He is a suitable, constant, Redeemer of.-2. That sin might be willing, and prevalent Mediator; his satisfied for, and reconciliation be made mediation always succeeds, and is infallifor it, in the same nature which sinned. ble. -3. It was proper that the Mediator should be capable of obeying the law broken by the sin of man, as a divine person could not be subject to the law, and yield obedience to it, Gal. iv. 4. Rom. v. 19.-4. It was meet that the MEDITATION is an act by which Mediator should be man, that he might we consider any thing closely, or wherebe capable of suffering death; for, as in the soul is employed in the search or God, he could not die, and without shed- consideration of any truth. In religion ding of blood there was no remission, it is used to signify the serious exercise Heb. ii. 10, 15. viii. 3.-5. It was fit he of the understanding, whereby our should be man, that he might be a faith-thoughts are fixed on the observation of ful high priest, to sympathise with his spiritual things, in order to practice. Gill's Body of Div. vol. i. oct. p. 336; Witsi con. Fed. lib. ii. c. 4; Fuller's Gospel its own Witness, ch. 4. p. 2; Hurrion's Christ Crucified, p. 103, &c. Dr. Owen on the Person of Christ; Dr. Goodwin's Works, b. iii.' Mystic divines make a great difference between meditation and contemplation: 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. both in equals, James iii. 13. The ex 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, 1 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 MEEKNESS, a temper of mind not easily provoked to resentment. In the Greek language it is gos quasi, pros facilis, casiness 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 na1. Meditation is a duty which ought ture, and bringing them to be tractable to be attended to by all who wish well and familiar, James lii. 7, 8: so where to their spiritual interests. It ought to the grace of meekness reigns, it subbe deliberate, close, and perpetual, Psal. dues the impetuous disposition, and cxix. 97. Psal. i. 2.-2. The subjects learns it submission and forgiveness. It which ought more especially to engage teaches us to govern our own anger the Christian mind are the works of whenever we are at any time provoked, creation, Psal. xix. the perfections of and patiently to bear the anger of others, God, Deut. xxxii. 4; the excellencies, that it may not be a provocation to us. offices, characters, and works of Christ, The former is its office, especially in suHeb. xii. 2, 3; the offices and opera-periors; the latter in inferiors, and tions 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, Psalm 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. vi. 11; the shortness, worth, and swiftness of time, James iv. 14; the certainty of death, Heb. ix. 27; the resurrection and judgment to come, 1 Cor. xv. 50, &c. and the future state of eternal rewards and punishments, Matt. xxv. These are some of the most important subjects on which we should meditate. -3. To perform this duty aright, we should be much in prayer, Luke xviii. 1; avoid a worldly spirit, 1 John ii. 15; beware of sloth, Heb. vi. 11; take heed of sensual pleasures, James iv. 4; watch against the devices. of Satan, 1 Pet. v. 8; be often in retirement, Psal. iv. 4; embrace the most favourable opportunities, the calmness of the morning, Psal. v. 1, 3; the solemnity of the evening, Gen. xxiv. 63; sabbath days, Psal. cxviii. 24; sacramental occasions, &c. 1 Cor. xi. 28.-4. The advantages 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 or persecution Phil. iv. 11, 12. To obtain this spirit, consider that it is a divine injunction, Zeph. ii. 3. Col. iii. 12. 1 Tim. vi. 11. Observe the many examples of it: Jesus Christ, Matt. xi. 28; Abraham, Gen. xiii. Gen. xvi. 5, 6; Moses, Numb. xii. 3; David, Zech xii. 8. 2 Sam. xvi. 10, 12. Ps. cxxxi. 2; Paul, 1 Cor. ix. 19. How lovely a spirit it is in itself, and how it secures us from a variety of evils. That peculiar promises are made to such, Matt. v. 5. Is. lxvi. 2. That such give evidence of their being under the influence of divine grace, and shall enjoy the divine blessing, Is. lvii. 15. See Henry on Meekness; Dunlop's Ser. vol. ii. p. 434; Evans's Sermons on the Christ. Temper, ser. 29; Tillotson on 1 Pet. ii. 21; and on Matt. v. 44; Logan's Sermons, vol. i. ser. 10; and Jortin's Sermons, ser. 11. vol. iii. MEETING-HOUSE, a place appropriated by Dissenters for the purpose of public worship. Since the act of uniformity passed, 1662, by which so inany hundreds of ministers were ejected from their livings, meeting-houses have become very numerous. For a consi MELANCHOLY, sadness or gloom; arising either from the habit of body, or the state of the mind. To remove it, the following remedies may be applied. 1. Early rising. 2. Plain nourishing food. 3. Exercise in the open air. Or if it arises particularly from the mind, 1. Associate with the cheerful. 2. Study the Scriptures. 3. Consider the amiable character of God. 4. Avoid sin. 5. Be much in prayer. See Burton, Baxter,|| and Rogers on Melancholy. MELATONI, so called from one Mileto, who taught that not the soul, but the body of man, was made after God's image. || derable time, indeed, they were prohi- || first a personal difference between Mebited by the conventicle act; but, at last, letius and Peter, became a religious toleration being granted to Dissenters, controversy; and the Meletian party they enjoyed the privilege of meeting subsisted in the fifth century, but was and worshipping God according to the condemned by the first council of Nice. dictates of their own consciences, and MEMORY, a faculty of the mind, which they still possess to this day. which presents to us ideas or notions of The number of meeting-houses in Lon- things that are past, accompanied with don may, perhaps, amount to about 150, a persuasion that the things themselves though some reckon upwards of 200. In were formerly real and present. When all the respectable towns, and even in we remember with little or no effort, it many villages of England, there are is called remembrance simply, or memeeting-houses; and, within a few years, mory, and sometimes passive memory. they have greatly increased. When we endeavour to remember what does not immediately and of itself occur, it is called active memory, or recollection. A good memory has these several qualifications: 1. It is ready to receive and admit with great ease the various ideas, both of words and things, which are learned or taught.-2. It is large and copious to treasure up these ideas in great number and variety.-3. It is strong and durable to retain, for a considerable time, those words or thoughts which are committed to it.-4. It is faithful and active to suggest and recollect, upon every proper occasion, all those words or thoughts which it hath treasured up. As this faculty may be injured by neglect and slothfulness, we will here subjoin a few of the best rules which have been given for the improvement of it. 1. We should form a clear and distinct apprehension of the things which we commit to memory.-2. Beware of every sort of intemperance, for that greatly impairs the faculties.-3. If it be weak, we must not overload it, but charge it only with the most useful and solid notions.-4. We should take every opportunity of uttering our best thoughts in conversation, as this will deeply imprint them.-5. We should join to the idea we wish to remember, some other idea that is more familiar to us, which bears some similitude to it, either in its nature, or in the sound of the word.-6. We should think of it before we go to sleep at night, and the first thing in the morning, when the faculties are fresh.-7. Method and regularity in the things we commit to the memory are necessary.-8. Often thinking, writing, or talking, on the subjects we wish to remember.-9. Fervent and frequent prayer. See Watts on the Mind, chap. 17; Grey's Memoria Technica; Rogers's Pleasures of Memory; Reid's Intell. Powers of Man, 303, 310, 338, 356. MELCHIZEDEZIANS, a denomination which arose about the beginning of the third century. They affirmed that Melchizedeck was not a man, but a heavenly power superior to Jesus Christ; for Melchizedeck, they said, was the intercessor and mediator of the angels; and Jesus Christ was only so for man, and his priesthood only a copy of that of Melchizedeck. MELCHITES, the name given to the Syriac, Egyptian, and other Christians of the Levant. The Melchites, excepting some few points of little or no importance, which relate only to ceremonies, and ecclesiastical discipline, are, in every respect, professed Greeks; but they are governed by a particular patriarch, who assumes the title of Patriarch of Antioch. They celebrate mass in the Arabian language. The religious among the Melchites follow the rule of St. Basil, the common rule of all the Greek monks. MELETIANS, the name of a considerable party who adhered to the cause of Meletius, bishop of Lycopolis, in Upper Egypt, after he was deposed, about the year 306, by Peter, bishop of Alexandria, under the charge of his having sacrificed to the gods, and having been guilty of other heinous crimes; though Epiphanius makes his only failing to have been an excessive severity against the lapsed. This dispute, which was at MENANDRIANS, the most ancient branch of Gnostics; thus called from Menander their chief, said by some, without sufficient foundation, to have |