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when an author wilfully omits what ought to be rested; and may we not add-7. That all equiteration and mental reservation come under the rult of lying. The evil and injustice of lying *pear, I. From its being a breach of the natural universal right of mankind to truth in the inrcourse of speech.-2. From its being a violation f God's sacred law, Phil. iv. 8; Lev. xix. 11; Col. iii. 9.-3. The faculty of speech was bestowed as an instrument of knowledge, not of keeit; to communicate our thoughts, not to hide them.-4. It is esteemed a reproach of so heinous anal hateful a nature for a man to be called a liar,

MAGI

that sometimes the life and blood of the slanderer have paid for it.-5. It has a tendency to dissolve all society, and to indispose the mind to religious impressions.-6. The punishment of it is considerable: the loss of credit, the hatred of those whom we have deceived, and an eternal separation from God in the world to come, Rev. xxi. 8; xxii. 15; Psalm ci. 7. See EQUIVOCATION, Grove's Mor. Phil. vol. i. ch. 11; Paley's Mor. Phil. vol. i. ch. 15; Doddridge's Lect. lect. 68; Watts's Ser. vol. i. ser. 22; Evans's Ser. vol. ii. ser. 13; South's Ser. vol. i. ser. 12; Dr. Lamont's Serm. vol. i. ser. 11 and 12.

M.

MACARIANS, the followers of Macarius, an | all public prostitutes dying intestate should fall to Egyptian monk, who was distinguished towards them; and that the testaments of the rest should the close of the fourteenth century for his sanctity be invalid, unless they bequeathed a portion of nd virtue. In his writings there are some super- their effects, which was to be at least a fifth part gious tenets, and also certain opinions that seem of them. anted with Origenism. The name has been also poted to those who adopted the sentiments of Mararius, a native of Ireland, who, about the ase of the ninth century, propagated in France tenet afterwards maintained by Averrhoes, at one individual intelligence or soul performed Le spiritual and rational functions in all the hu

løn race.

MAGI, or MAGIANS, an ancient religious sect of Persia, and other eastern countries, who, abominating the adoration of images, worshipped God only by fire, in which they were directly opposite to the Sabians. See SABIANS. The Magi believed that there were two principles, one the cause of all good, and the other the cause of all evil; in which opinion they were followed by the sect of the Manichees. See MANICHEES. They called the good principle Jazden, and Ormuzd, and the evil principle Ahraman, or Aherman. The former was by the Greeks called Oromasdes, and the latter Arimanius. The reason of their worshipping fire was, because they looked upon it as the truest symbol of Oromasdes, or the good god; as darkness was of Arimanius, or the evil god. In all their temples they had fire continually burning upon their altars, and in their own private houses.

The religion of the Magi fell into disgrace on the death of those ringleaders of that sect who had usurped the sovereignty after the death of Cambyses; and the slaughter that was made of the chief men among them sunk it so low, that Sabianism every where prevailed against it; Darius and most of his followers on that occasion going over to it. But the affection which the people had for the religion of their forefathers not being easily to be rooted out, the famous impostor Zoroaster, some ages after, undertook to revive and reform it.

MACEDONIANS, the followers of Maceius, bishop of Constantinople, who, through he influence of the Eunomians, was deposed by he council of Constantinople in 360, and sent to exile. He considered the Holy Ghost as a ine energy diffused throughout the universe, ad not as a person distinct from the Father and Son. The sect of the Macedonians was shed before it had arrived at its full maturity the council assembled by Theodosius in 381, Constantinople. See SEMIARIANS. MACHIAVELIANISM, the doctrine or rciples of Machiavel, as laid down in his treae entitled The Prince, and which consist in ng any thing to compass a design, without any and to the peace or welfare of subjects, the tates of honesty and honour, or the precepts of n. This work has been translated into any languages, and written against by many ahors, though the world is not agreed as to the sives of the writer; some thinking he meant to mend tyrannical maxims; others, that he delineated them to excite abhorrence. MAGDALEN, RELIGIOUS OF ST. a The chief reformation this pretended prophet given to divers communities of nuns, con- made in the Magian religion was in the first Ang generally of penitent courtezans, sometimes principle of it; for he introduced a god superior called Magdalanettes. They were establish- both to Oromasdes and Arimanius. Dr. Prideaux at Mentz in 1542; at Paris in 1492; at Na- is of opinion that Zoroaster took the hint of this in 1321; at Rouen and Bourdeaux in 1618. alteration in their theology from the prophet each of these monasteries there were three Isaiah, who brings in God, saying to Cyrus king ls of persons and congregations: the first of Persia, I am the Lord, and there is none else; sisted of those who were admitted to make I form the light, and create darkness; I make **, and those bear the name of St. Magdalen; peace, and create evil, chap. xlv. 7. In short, congregation of St. Martha was the second, Zoroaster held that there was one supreme indei was composed of those whom it was not pendent Being, and under him two principles, or ht proper to admit to vows finally; the con-angels; one the angel of light or good, and the ation of St. Lazarus was composed of such other the angel of evil or darkness; that there is were detained by force. The religious of St. a perpetual struggle between them, which shall alen at Rome were established by Pope last to the end of the world; that then the angel X. Clement VIII. settled a revenue on of darkness and his disciples shall go into a world , and farther appointed, that the effects of of their own, where they shall be punished in

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MAHOMETANISM

everlasting darkness; and the angel of light and MAGISTER DISCIPLINE, or MASTER his disciples shall also go into a world of their own, OF DISCIPLINE, the appellation of a ceram where they shall be rewarded in everlasting light. ecclesiastical officer in the ancient Chriss Zoroaster was the first who built fire-temples; church. It was a custom in some places, perthe Magians before his time performing their de-cularly in Spain, in the time of the Gothic kings votion on the tops of hills and in the open air, by about the end of the fifth century, for parents % which means they were exposed to the inconve- dedicate their children very young to the serv nience of rain and tempests, which often extin-of the church. For this purpose they were tak guished their sacred fires. To procure the greater into the bishop's family, and educated under b veneration for these sacred fires, he pretended to by some grave and discreet person whom the have received fire from heaven, which he placed bishop deputed for that purpose, and set on the altar of the first fire-temple he erected, them, by the name of Presbyter, or Magi which was that of Xis, in Media, from whence Disciplina, whose chief business it was to its w they say it was propagated to all the rest. The their behaviour, and instruct them in the rủa Magian priests kept their sacred fire with the and discipline of the church. greatest diligence, watching it day and night, and never suffering it to be extinguished. They fed it only with wood stript of the bark, and they never blowed it with their breath or with bellows, for fear of polluting it: to do either of these was death by their law. The Magian religion, as reformed by Zoroaster, seems in many things to be built upon the plan of the Jewish. The Jews had their sacred fire which came down from heaven upon the altar of burnt-offerings, which they never suffered to go out, and with which all their sacrifices and oblations were made. Zoroaster, in like manner, pretended to have brought his holy fire from heaven; and as the Jews had a Shekinah of the divine presence among them, resting over the mercy-seat in the Holy of Holies, Zoroaster likewise told his Magians to look upon the sacred fire in their temples as a Shekinah, in which God especially dwelt.-From these and some other instances of analogy between the Jewish and Magian religion, Prideaux infers that Zoroaster had been first educated and brought up in the Jewish religion.

The priests of the Magi were the most skilful mathematicians and philosophers of the age in which they lived, insomuch that a learned man and a Magian became equivalent terms. This proceeded so far, that the vulgar, looking on their knowledge to be more than natural, imagined they were inspired by some supernatural power. And - hence those who practised wicked and diabolical arts, taking upon themselves the name of Magians, drew on it that ill signification which the word Magician now bears anong us.

The Magian priests were all of one tribe, as among the Jews, none but the son of a priest was capable of bearing that office among them. The royal family among the Persians, as long as this sect subsisted, was always of the sacerdotal tribe. They were divided into three orders: the inferior clergy; the superintendants, or bishops, and the archimagus, or arch-priest.

MAGNANIMITY, greatness of soul; a position of mind exerted in contemning dar and difficulties, in scorning temptations, and pising earthly pomp and splendour. Cicero Offic. lec. i. chap. 20; Grove's Moral Philp 268, vol. ii. See articles COURAGE, FORTITI in this work; Steele's Christian Hero; W on Self-Murder.

MAHOMETANISM, the system of rebe formed and propagated by Mahomet, and K. adhered to by his followers. It is professed the Turks and Persians, by several natics among the Africans, and many among the East Indians.

Mahomet was born in the reign of Anto wan the Just, emperor of Persia, about the en of the sixth century of the Christian era. H came into the world under some disadvanta His father Abd'allah was a younger son of A almotalleb; and dying very young, and in father's life-time, left his widow and infast in very mean circumstances, his whole su tence consisting but of five camels and one En opian she-slave. Abd'almotalleb was ther obliged to take care of his grandchild Mab met; which he not only did during his life at his death enjoined his eldest son Abu Tar who was brother to Abdallah by the same = ther, to provide for him for the future; which very affectionately did, and instructed him in t business of a merchant, which he followed: at to that end he took him into Syria, when tes but thirteen. He afterwards recommended != to Khadijah, a noble and rich widow, for factor; in whose service he behaved himse well, that, by making him her husband, she so raised him to an equality with the riches Mecca.

After he began by this advantageous mate live at his ease, it was, that he formed the s of establishing a new religion, or, as he exp it, of replanting the only true and ancient Zoroaster had the address to bring over Darius professed by Adam, Noah, Abraham, Xm to his new-reformed religion, notwithstanding the Jesus, and all the prophets, by destroying strongest opposition of the Sabians; and from gross idolatry into which the generality of that time it became the national religion of all countrymen had fallen, and weeding out the that country, and so continued for many ages ruptions and superstitions which the latter after, till it was supplanted by that of Mahomet. and Christians had, as he thought, introd Zoroaster composed a book containing the prin- into their religion, and reducing it to its ori ciples of the Magian religion. It is called Zenda-purity, which consisted chiefly in the worsh vesta, and by contraction Zend. See ZEND.

MAGIC, a science which teaches to produce! surprising and extraordinary effects; a correspondence with bad spirits, by means of which a person is able to perform surprising things. This was strictly forbidden by the law of God, on pain of death, Lev. xix. 31.

one God.

Before he made any attempt abroad, he righ judged that it was necessary for him to with the conversion of his own household. E ing, therefore, retired with his family, as he be done several times before, to a cave in Hara, he there opened the secret of his s

MAHOMETANISM

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Abu Laheb, who, out of inveterate hatred to his | as the oral law of the Jews. But it does not 17 nephew and his doctrine, went over to the oppo-pear that Mahomet himself ever expected so grea site party, whose chief was Abu Sosian Ebn a regard should be paid to his sayings as his is Harb, of the family of Ommeya.

The families continued thus at variance for three years; but in the tenth year of his mission, Mahomet told his uncle Abu Taleb, that God had manifestly showed his disapprobation of the league which the Koreish had made against them, by sending a worm to eat out every word of the instrument except the name of God. Of this accident Mahomet had probably some private notice; for Abu Taleb went immediately to the Koreish, and acquainted them with it; offering, if it proved false, to deliver his nephew up to them; but, in case it were true, he insisted that they ought to lay aside their animosity, and annul the league they had made against the Hashemites. To this they acquiesced; and going to inspect the writing, to their great astonishment found it to be as Abu Taleb had said: and the league was thereupon declared void.

In the same year Abu Taleb died at the age of above fourscore, and it is the general opinion that he died an infidel; though others say, that when he was at the point of death he embraced Mahometanism, and produce some passages out of his poetical compositions to confirm their assertion. About a month, or, as some write, three days after the death of this great benefactor and patron, Mahomet had the additional mortification to lose his wife Khadijah, who had so generously made his fortune. For which reason this year is called the year of mourning.

lowers have since done; and, seeing he all ale disclaimed any power of performing miracies seems rather to have been a fetch of policy to ras his reputation, by pretending to have actu conversed with God in heaven, as Moses h heretofore done in the mount, and to have re ceived several institutions immediately from t whereas, before, he contented himself with per suading them that he had all by the ministry Gabriel.

However, this story seemed so absurd and i credible, that several of his followers left him co it; and had probably ruined the whole des had not Abu Becr vouched for his veracity, an declared that if Mahomet affirmed it to be t he verily believed the whole. Which happy cident not only retrieved the prophet's credit increased it to such a degree, that he was ser of being able to make his disciples swallow wh ever he pleased to impose on them for the fu And this fiction, notwithstanding its extras gance, was one of the most artful contrivers Mahomet ever put in practice, and what cha contributed to the raising of his reputation to great height to which it afterwards arrived.

In this year, called by the Mahometans the a cepted year, twelve men of Yathreb or Men of whom ten were of the tribe of Khazraj, the other two of that of Aws, came to Mec and took an oath of fidelity to Mahomet at Akaba, a hill on the north of that city. This On the death of these two persons, the Koreish was called the woman's oath; not that any began to be more troublesome than ever to their men were present at this time, but because a prophet, and especially some who had formerly was not thereby obliged to take up arms in been his intimate friends; insomuch that he found fence of Mahomet or his religion; it being t himself obliged to seek for shelter elsewhere, and same oath that was afterwards exacted of t first pitched upon Tayef, about sixty miles east women, the form of which we have in the Ken from Mecca, for the place of his retreat. Thither, and is to this effect, viz. That they should reness therefore, he went, accompanied by his servant all idolatry; and that they should not steal a Zeid, and applied himself to two of the chief of commit fornication, nor kill their children (ast the tribe of Thakif, who were the inhabitants of pagan Arabs used to do when they apprehe that place; but they received him very coldly. they should not be able to maintain ther However, he staid there a month; and some of forge calumnies; and that they should obec the more considerate and better sort of men treated prophet in all things that were reasonable. W him with little respect; but the slaves and infe- they had solemnly engaged to all this, Ma rior people at length rose against him; and bring-sent one of his disciples named Masab Eon ( ing him to the wall of the city, obliged him to depart, and return to Mecca, while he put himself under the protection of Al Motaam Ebn Adi. This repulse greatly discouraged his followers. However, Mahomet was not wanting to himself; but boldly continued to preach to the public assemblies at the pilgrimage, and gained several proselytes; and among them six of the inhabitants of Yathreb, of the Jewish tribe of Khazraj; who, on their return home, failed not to speak much in recommendation of their new religion, and exhorted their fellow citizens to embrace the same.

home with them, to instruct them more fu the grounds and ceremonies of his new rez

Masab, being arrived at Medina, by the ance of those who had been formerly conver gained several proselytes, particularly Osc Hodeira, a chief man of the city, and Saa Moadh, prince of the tribe of the Aws; Va metanism spreading so fast, that there was sc a house wherein there were not some whe embraced it.

The next year, being the thirteenth of homet's mission, Masab returned to Mecca In the twelfth year of his mission it was that companied by seventy-three men and two R. Mahomet gave out that he had made his night of Medina who had professed Islamism, bet journey from Mecca to Jerusalem, and thence to some others who were as yet unbelievers. heaven, so much spoken of by all that write of their arrival they immediately sent to Mah him. Dr. Prideaux thinks he invented it either and offered him their assistance, of which br to answer the expectations of those who demand-now in great need; for his adversaries wes ed some miracle as a proof of his mission; or else, by pretending to have conversed with God, to establish the authority of whatever he should think fit to leave behind by way of oral tradition, and make his sayings to serve the same purpose

this time grown so powerful in Mecca, that could not stay there much longer without nent danger. Wherefore he accepted their posal, and met them one night, by appoint at Al Akaba above mentioned, attended by