universal church of Christ, however much ner in which each of these laws was diliverthey may differ in forms, which they deemed may suggest to us a right idea of their non-essentials. different natures, The moral law, or ten The Moravians are called Herrnhuters, commandments, for instance, was delivered from Herrnhuth, the name of the village on the top of the mountain, in the face of where they were first settled. They also the whole world, as being of universal ingo by the name of Unitas Fratrum, or, Uni- fluence, and obligatory on all mankind. ted Brethren. If the reader wish to have The ceremonial was received by Moses in a fuller account of this society, he may con- private in the tabernacle, as being of pecusult Crantz's Ancient and Modern History|liar concern, belonging to the Jews only, of the Church of the United Brethren, 1780. || and destined to cease when the tabernacle Spandenburg's Exposition of the Chris. was down, and the veil of the temple rent. Doctrine, 1784. Dr. Haweis's Church As to the judicial law, it was neither so History, vol. iii. p. 184, &c. Crantz's His- publicly nor so audibly given as the moral tory of their Mission in Greenland. The law, nor yet so privately as the ceremonial; Periodical Accounts of their Missions. this kind of law being of an indifferent nas Loskiel's History of the North American ture, to be observed or not observed, as its Indian Missions; Oldendorp's History of rites suit with the place and government unthe Brethren's Missions in the Danish der which we live. The five books of MoWest Indian Islands. ses called the Pentateuch, are frequently See LEC-styled, by way of emphasis the law. This was held by the Jews in such veneration, that they would not allow it to be laid upon the bed of any sick person lest it should be polluted by touching the dead. See LAW.

MORNING LECTURES.

TURE.

MORTALITY, subjection to death. It is a term also used to signify a contagious dis ease which destroys great numbers of either men or beasts. Bills of Mortality are accounts or registers specifying the numbers born, married and buried, in any parish, town, or district. In general, they contain only these numbers, and even when thus limited are of great use, by shewing the degrees of healthiness and prolificness, and the progress of population in the place where they are kept.

MOSQUE, a temple or place of religious worship among the Mahometans. All mosques are square buildings, generally constructed of stone. Before the chief gate there is a square court paved with white marble, and low galleries round it, whose roof is supported by marble pillars. In these galleries the Turks wash themselves before they go into mosque. In each mosque there is a great number of lamps; and between these hang many chrystal rings, ostrich's eggs, and other curiosities, which, when the lamps are lighted, make a fine show. As it is not lawful to enter the mosque with stockings or shoes on, the pavements are covered with pieces of stuff sewed to

MORTIFICATION, any severe penance observed on a religious account. The mortification of sin in believers is a duty enjoined in the sacred Scriptures, Rom. viii. 13. Col. iii. 5. It consists in breaking the league with sin; declaration of open hostility against it; and strong resistance of it, Eph. vi. 10, &c. Gal. v. 24. Rom. viii. 13. The|| means to be used in this world are, not ma-gether, each being wide enough to hold a cerating the body, seclusion from society, row of men kneeling, sitting, or prostrate: our own resolutions: but the Holy Spirit is The women are not allowed to enter the the chief agent, Rom. viii. 13, while faith, mosque, but stay in the porches without. prayer, and dependence are subordinate About every mosque there are six high means to this end. The evidences of morti- towers, called minarets, each of which has fication are, not the cessation from one three little open galleries, one above anosin, for that may be only exchanged for another: these towers, as well as the mosques, ther; or it may be renounced because it is a gross sin; or there may not be an occasion to practise it; but if sin be mortified, we shall not yield to temptation; our minds will be more spiritual; we shall find more happiness in spiritual services, and bring forth the fruits of the Spirit. Dr. Owen on Mortification and on the Holy Spirit, ch. viii. book 4. Charnock's Works, vol. ii. p. 1313. Bryson's Sermons on Rom. viii. p. 97, &c.

MOSAIC DISPENSATION, inferiority of the, to the Gospel dispensation. See DISPENSATION.

are covered with lead, and adorned with gilding and other ornaments; and from thence, instead of a bell, the people are called to prayers by certain officers appointed for that purpose. Most of the mosques have a kind of hospital, in which travellers of what religion soever are entertained three days. Each mosque has also a place called tarbe, which is the burying place of its founders: within which is a tomb six or seven feet long, covered with green velvet or satin; at the ends of which are two tapers, and round it several seats for those who read the Koran, and pray for the souls of the deceased.

MOSAIC LAW, or the law of Moses, is the most ancient that we know of in the MOTIVE, that which moves, excites, or world, and is of three kinds; the moral law, invites the mind to volition. It may be one the ceremonial law, and the judicial law. See thing singly, or many things conjunctly. LAW. Some observe, that the different man-Some call it a faculty of the mind, by which

we pursue good and avoid evil. See WILL. writing to the Mufti, he gives him the folEdwards on the Will, p. 7, 8, 124, 259,lowing titles: "To the esad, the wisest of 384. Toplady's Works, vol. ii. p. 41, 42, the wise; instructed in all knowledge; the MOURNING, sorrow, grief. See SOR- most excellent of excellents; abstaining from things unlawful; the spring of virtue and true science; heir of the prophetic

ROW.

revealer of the orthodox articles; key of the treasures of truth; the light to doubtful allegories; strengthened with the grace of the Supreme Legislator of Mankind. May the Most High God perpetuate thy favours."

MOURNING, a particular dress or habit worn to signify grief on some melan-doctrines; resolver of the problems of faith; choly occasion, particularly the death of friends, or of great public characters. The modes of mourning are various in various countries; as also are the colours that obtain for that end. In Europe the ordinary colour for mourning is black; in China, it is white; in Turkey, blue or violet; in Egypt, yellow; in Ethiopia, brown. Each people pretend to have their reasons for the parti cular colour of their mourning. Wuite is supposed to denote purity; yellow, that death is the end of human hopes, as leaves when they fall, and flowers when they fade, become yellow; brown denotes the earth, whither the dead return; black, the privation of life, as being the privation of light; blue expresses the happiness which it is hoped the deceased enjoys; and purple or violet, sorrow on the one side, and hope on the other, as being a mixture of black and blue. For an account of the mourning of the Hebrews, see Lev. xix. and xxi. Jer. xvi. 6. Numbers xx. Deuteronomy xxxiv. 8.

The election of the Mufti is solely in the Grand Seignior, who presents him with a vest of rich sables, and allows him a salary of a thousand aspers a day, which is about five pounds sterling. Besides this, he has the disposal of certain benefices belonging to the royal mosques, which he makes no scruple of selling to the best advantage; and, on his admission to his office, he is complimented by the agents of the bashas, who make him the usual presents, which generally amount to a very considerable sum.

Whatever regard was formerly paid to the Mufti, it is now become very little more than form. If he interprets the law, or gives sentence contrary to the sultan's pleasure, he is immediately displaced, and a more pliant person put in his room. If he is convicted of treason, or any very great crime, he is put into a mortar kept for that purpose in the seven towers of Constantino

MOYER'S LECTURES, a course of eight sermons preached annually, set on foot by the beneficence of Lady Moyer, about 1720, who left by will a rich legacy, as a foundation for the same. A great num-ple, and pounded to death. ber of English writers having endeavoured in a variety of ways, to invalidate the doctrine of the Trinity, this opulent and orthodox lady was influenced to think of an institution which should produce to posterity an ample collection of productions in defence of this branch of the Christian faith. -The first course of these lectures was preached by Dr. Waterland, on the Divinity of Christ, and are well worthy of perusal.

MUFTI, the chief of the ecclesiastical or der, or primate of the Mussulman religion. The authority of the Mufti is very great in the Ottoman empire: for even the sultan himself, if he will preserve any appearance of religion, cannot, without first hearing his opinion, put any person to death, or so much as inflict any corporeal punishment. In all actions, and especially criminal ones, his opinion is required by giving him a writing in which the case is stated under feigned names, which he subscribes with the words Olour or Olmaz, i. e. he shall or shall not be punished.

MUGGLETONIANS, the followers of Ludovic Muggleton, a journeyman tailor, who, with his companion Reeves (a person of equal obscurity,) set up for great prophets, in the time of Cromwell. They pretended to absolve or condemn whom they pleased; and gave out that they were the two last witnesses spoken of in the Revelations, who were to appear previous to the final destruction of the world. They affirmed that there was no devil at all without the body of a man or woman; that the devil is man's spirit of unclean reason and cursed imagination; that the ministry in this world, whether prophetical or ministerial, is all a lie and abomination to the Lord; with a variety of other vain and inconsistent tenets.

MURDER, the act of wilfully and feloniously killing a person upon malice or forethought. Heart murder is the secret wishing or designing the death of any man; yea, the scripture saith, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer," 1 John iii. 15. We have instances of this kind of murSuch outward honour is paid to the Muf der in Ahab, 1 Kings xxii. 9. Jezebel, 2 ti, that the grand seignior himself rises up Kings xix. 2. The Jews, Mark xi. 18. to him, and advances seven steps towards David, 1 Samuel xxv. 21, 22. Jonah, ch. him when he comes into his presence. Heiv. 1, 4. Murder is contrary to the authoalone has the honour of kissing the sultan's left shoulder, whilst the prime vizier kisses only the hem of his garment.

When the grand seignior addresses any

rity of God, the sovereign disposer of life, Deut. xxxii. 39; to the goodness of God, who gives it, Job x. 12; to the law of nature, Acts xvi. 28; to the love a man owes

to himself, his neighbour, and society at large. Not but that life may be taken away, as in lawful war; 1 Chron. v. 22; by the hands of the civil magistrate for capital crimes, Deut. xvii. 8, 10; and in self-defence. See SELF-DEFENCE.

According to the Divine law, murder is to be punished with death, Deut. xix. 11, 12. 1 Kings ii. 28, 29. It is remarkable that God often gives up murderers to the terrors of a guilty conscience, Gen. iv. 13, 15, 23, 24. Such are followed with many instances of Divine vengeance, 2 Sam. xii. 9, 10; their lives are often shortened, Psalm lv. 22; and judgments for their sin are oftentimes transmitted to posterity, Gen. xlix. 7. 2 Sam xxi. 1.

MUSSULMAN, or MUSYLMAN, a title by which the Mahometans distinguish themselves; signifying in the Turkish language, "true believer, or orthodox." There are two kinds of Mussulmen very averse to each other; the one called Sonnites, and the other Shiites. The Sonnites follow the interpretation of the Alcoran given by Omar: the Shiites are the followers of Ali. The subjects of the king of Persia are Shiites, and those of the grand seignior Sonnites. See MAHOMETANS.

MYSTERY, MUSTagiev, secret (from μven To Toua, to shut the mouth.) It is taken, 1. for a truth revealed by God which is above the power of our natural reason, or which we could not have discovered without revelation: such as the call of the Gentiles, Eph. i. 9.; the transforming of some without dying, &c. 1 Cor. xv. 51.-2. The word is also used in reference to things which remain in part incomprehensible after they are revealed; such as the incarnation of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, &c. Some critics, however, observe that the word in the scripture does not import what is incapable in its own nature of being understood, but barely a secret; any thing not disclosed or published to the world.

mysteries of revelation, so as to free them from all obscurity-To defend religion in this manner, is to expose it to contempt. The following maxim points out the proper way of defence, by which both extremes are avoided. Where the truth of a doctrine depends not on the evidence of the things themselves, but on the authority of him who reveals it, there the only way to prove the doctrine to be true is to prove the testimony of him that revealed to be infallible." Dr. South observes, that the mysteriousness of those parts of the Gospel called the credenda, or matters of our faith, is most subservient to the great and important ends of religion, and that upon these accounts: First, because religion in the prime institution of it was designed to make impressions of awe and reverential fear upon men's minds.-2. To humble the pride and haughtiness of man's reason.—3. To engage us in a closer and more diligent search into them.-4. That the full and entire knowledge of divine things may be one principal part of our felicity hereafter. Robinson's Claude, vol. i. p. 118, 119, 304, 305. Campbell's Preliminary Dissertation to the Gospels, vol. i. p, 383, Stilling fleet's Origines Sacra, vol ii. c. 8. Ridgley's Div. qu. 11. Calmet's Dict. Cruden's Concordance. South's Serm, ser.

gy, every dogma of philosophy, was wrapt up in a veil of allegory and mysticism. This propensity, no doubt, conspired with avarice and ambition to dispose them to a dark and mysterious system of religion. Besides, the Egyptians were a gloomy race of men; they delighted in darkness and solitude. Their sacred rites were generally celebrated with melancholy airs, weeping and lamentation. This gloomy and unsocial bias of mind must have stimulated them to a congenial mode of worship.

:

gained ground, especially in the eastern provinces, in the fifth century. A copy of the pretended works of Dionysius was sent by Balbus to Lewis the Meek, in the year 824, which kindled the only flame of mysticism in the western provinces, and filled the Latins with the most enthusiastic admiration of this new religion. In the twelfth century these Mystics took the lead in their method of expounding the scriptures. In the thirteenth century they were the most formidable antagonists of the schoolmen; MYSTICS, a sect distinguished by their and, towards the close of the fourteenth, professing pure, sublime, and perfect de- many of them resided and propagated their votion, with an entire disinterested love of tenets almost in every part of Europe. God, free from all selfish considerations. They had, in the fifteenth century, many The authors of this mystic science, which persons of distinguished merit in their numsprung up towards the close of the third ber; and in the sixteenth century, previous century, are not known but the principles to the reformation, if any sparks of real from which it was formed are manifest. piety subsisted under the despotic empire Its first promoters proceeded from the of superstition, they were only to be found known doctrine of the Platonic school, among the Mystics. The celebrated Mawhich was also adopted by Origen and his dam Bourignon, and the amiable Fenelon, disciples, that the Divine nature was diffu- archbishop of Cambray, were of this sect. sed through all human souls; or that the Dr. Haweis, in speaking of the Mystics, faculty of reason, from which proceed the Church History, vol. iii. p. 47, thus observes: health and vigour of the mind, was an "Among those called Mystics, I am peremanation from God into the human soul,suaded some were found who loved God out and comprehended in it the principles and elements of all truth, human and divine. They denied that men could, by labour or study, excite this celestial flame in their breasts; and therefore they disapproved highly of the attempts of those, who, by definitions, abstract theorems, and profound speculations, endeavoured to form distinct notions of truth, and to discover its hidden nature. On the contrary, they maintained that silence, tranquillity, repose, and solitude, accompanied with such acts as might tend to extenuate and exhaust the body, were the means by which the hidden and internal word was excited to produce its latent virtues, and to instruct men in the knowledge of divine things. For thus they reasoned :-Those who behold with a noble contempt all human affairs; who turn away their eyes from terrestrial vanities, and shut all the avenues of the outward senses against the contagious influences of a material world, must necessarily return to God when the spirit is thus disengaged from the impediments that prevented that happy union; and in this blessed frame they not only enjoyed inexpressible raptures from their communion with the Supreme Being, but also invested with the inestimable privilege of contemplating truth undisguised and uncorrupted in its native purity, while others behold it in a vitiated and de-fluences and operations of the spirit of God lusive form.

not leave man in this condition: redemption life is born in him. Nothing can be our from it was immediately granted, and the righteousness or recovery but the divine nabruiser of the serpent brought the life,ture of Jesus Christ derived to our souls light, and spirit of heaven, once more into Law's Life. Law's Spirit of Prayer and the human nature. All men, in consequence Appeal. Law's Spirit of Love, and on of the redemption of Christ, have in them Regeneration. the first spark, or seed, of the Divine life, as a treasure hid in the centre of our souls, to bring forth, by degrees, a new birth of that life which was lost in paradise. No son of Adam can be lost, only by turning away from the Saviour within hiin. The only religion which can save us, must be that which can raise the light, life, and spirit of God in our souls. Nothing can enter into the vegetable kingdom till it have| the vegetable life in it, or be a member of the animal kingdom till it have the animal life. Thus all nature joins with the Gospel in affirming that no man can enter into the kingdom of heaven till the heavenly || thology.

MYTHOLOGY, in its original import, signifies any kind of fabulous doctrine. In its more appropriated sense, it means those fabulous details concerning the objects of worship, which were invented and propagated by men who lived in the carly ages of the world, and by them transmitted to succeeding generations, either by written records or by oral tradition. See articles HEATHEN, PAGANISM, and Gule's Court of the Gentiles, a work calculated to shew that the Pagan philosophers derived their most sublime sentiments from the scriptures. Bryant's System of Ancient My,

N.

NAME OF GOD. By this term we are to understand, 1. God himself, Ps. xx. 1.-2. His titles peculiar to himself, Exod. iii. 13, 14.-3. His word, Ps. v. 11. Acts ix. 154. His works, Ps. viii. 1.-5. His worship, Exod. xx. 24.-6. His perfections and excellencies, Exod. xxxiv. 6. John xvii. 26. The properties or qualities of this name are these: 1 A glorious name, Ps. Ixxii 17.-2. Transcendant and incomparable, Rev. xix. 16.-3. Powerful, Phil. ii. 10.-4. Holy and reverend, Ps. cxi. 9-5. Awful to the wicked.-6. Perpetual, Is. Iv. 13. Cruden's Concordance. Hannam's Anal Comp. p. 20

NATIVITY OF CHRIST. The birth of our Saviour was exactly as predicted by the prophecies of the Old Testament, Isa. vii. 14. Jer. xxxi. 22. He was born of a virgin of the house of David, and of the|| tribe of Judah, Matthew i. Luke i. 27. His coming into the world was after the manner of other men, though his generation and conception were extraordinary. The place of his birth was Bethlehem, Mic. v. 2. Matt. ii. 4, 6. where his parents were wonderfully conducted in providence, Luke ii. 1, 7. The time of his birth was foretold by the prophets to be before the sceptre or civil government departed from Judal, Gen. xlix. 10 Ma! iii. i. Hag. ii. 6, 7, 9. Dan ix. 24; but the exact year of his birth is not agreed on by chronologers, but it was about the four thousandth year of the world; nor can the season of the year, the month, and day in which he was born, be as certained. The Egyptians placed it in January; Wagenseil, in February; Bochart, in March; some, mentioned by Clement of

Alexandria, in April; others, in May; Epiphanius speaks of some who placed it in June, and of others who supposed it to have been in July; Wagenseil, who was not sure of February, fixed it probably in August ; Lightfoot, on the fifteenth of September; Scaliger, Casaubon, and Calvisius, in October; others in November; and the Latin church in December. It does not, however appear probable that the vulgar account is right; the circumstance of the shepherds watching their flocks by night, agrees not with the winter season. Dr. Gill thinks it was more likely in Autumn, in the month of September, at the feast of tabernacles, to which there seems some reference in John i. 14. The scripture, however, assures us that it was in the "fulness of time." Gal. iv. 4; and, indeed, the wisdom of God is evidently displayed as to the time when, as well as the end for which Christ came.

It was in a time when the world stood in need of such a Saviour, and was best prepared for receiving him. About the time of Christ's appearance," says Dr. Robertson," there prevailed a general opinion that the Almighty would send forth some eminent messenger to communicate a more perfect discovery of his will to mankind. The dignity of Christ, the virtues of his character, the glory of his kingdom and the signs of his coming, were described by the ancient prophets with the utmost perspicuity.-Guided by the sure word of prophecy, the Jews of that age concluded the period predetermined by God to be then completed, and that the promised Messiah would suddenly appear, Luke ii. 25 to 38.