and that for this reason the here- || denses; another, above six hundred tics of those times called them in number, with a bishop and seMaronites. veral ecclesiastics at their head, fled into Corsica, and implored the protection of the republic of Genoa against the violence of the inquisitors.

Mosheim observes, that the subjection of the Maronites to the spiritual jurisdiction of the Roman pontiff was agreed to with this express condition; that nei- The Maronites have a patriarch ther the popes nor their emissaries who resides in the monastery of should pretend to change or abo- Cannubin, on Mount Libanus, and lish any thing that related to the assumes the title of patriarch of ancient rites, moral precepts, or Antioch, and the name of Peter, religious opinions of this people; as if he seemed desirous of beso that in reality there is nothing ing considered as the successor of to be found among the Maronites that apostle. He is elected by the that savours of popery, if we ex- clergy and the people, according cept their attachment to the Ro-to the ancient custom; but, since man pontiff, who is obliged to pay their re-union with the church of very dear for their friendship. Rome, he is obliged to have a bull For, as the Maronites live in the of confirmation from the pope. utmost distress of poverty under He keeps a perpetual celibacy, as the tyrannical yoke of the Maho-well as the rest of the bishops, his metans, the bishop of Rome is suffragans: as to the rest of the under the necessity of furnishing ecclesiastics, they are allowed to them with subsidies as may ap- marry before ordination; and yet pease their oppressors, procure a the monastic life is in great esteem subsistence for their bishop and among them. Their monks are clergy, provide all things requisite of the order of St. Antony, and for the support of their churches, live in the most obscure places in and the uninterrupted exercise of the mountains, far from the compublic worship, and contribute in merce of the world. general to lessen their miseries. It is certain that there are Maronites in Syria who still behold the church of Rome with the greatest aversion and abhorrence; nay, what is still more remarkable, great numbers of that nation re-bread: and the laity have hithersiding in Italy, even under the eye of the pontiff, opposed his authority during the last century, and threw the court of Rome into great perplexity. One body of these nonconforming Maronites retired into the vallies of Piedmont, where they joined the Wal

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

to 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.

to be equal with the father. Nor can the son or daughter acquit themselves of such inconsistent duties as would arise from this unnatural union. The marriage of brothers and sisters, and of some other near relations, is likewise disapproved by reason on various accounts. It frustrates one design of marriage, which is to enlarge benevolence and friendship by cementing various families in a close alliance. And, farther, were it allowed, young persons, instead of entering into marriage up

MARRIAGE, a covenant between a man and a woman, in which they mutually promise cohabitation, and a continual care to promote the comfort and happiness of each other. By Grove thus: "A society formed between two persons of different sexes, chiefly for the procreation and education of children." This union is very near and strict, and indeed indissoluble but by death, excepting in one case; unfaithfulness in the one to the other by adultery or fornication, Rom. vii, 2. Matt. v, 32. It is to be entered into with deli-on mature consideration, with a beration, at a proper age, and with settled esteem and friendship, and mutual consent, as well as with a proper concern and provision for the consent of parents and guar- the support and education of childians, under whose care single dren, would be in danger (through persons may be. It is a very ho- the intimacy and affection pronourable state, Heb. xiii, 4. being duced by their near relation, and an institution of God, and that in being bred together) of sliding in Paradise, Gen. ii. Christ honour- their inconsiderate years into those ed marriage by his presence, and criminal familiarities which are at such a solemnity wrought his most destructive of the great ends first miracle, John ii. Moreover, of marriage. Most nations have it is honourable, as families are agreed to brand such marriages formed and built up, the world as highly criminal who cannot peopled with inhabitants, prevents be supposed to have derived the incontinence and fornication, and, judgment from Moses and the where the various duties of it are Israelites. It is probable God attended to, renders life a blessing. expressly prohibited these marThe laws of revelation, as well riages in the beginning of manas most civilized countries, have kind, and from the first heads of made several exceptions of per- families the prohibition might be sons marrying who are nearly transmitted as a most sacred related by blood. The marri- law to their descendants. See age of parents and children ap- INCEST. pears, at first view, contrary to nature, not merely on account of the disparity of age, but of the confusion which it introduces into natural relations, and its obliging to inconsistent duties; such as reverence to a son, and the daughter

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, Prov. v, 18, 19. Chaste and single. Provision for the temporal good of the wife and fa

martyrdom of Polycarp, desired the heathen judge not to suffer the Christians to carry off his body, lest they should leave their crucified master, and worship him in his stead. To which they answered,

mily, 1st Tim. v, 3. Protection from abuse and injuries, Ruth iii, 9. 1st Sam. xxx, 5, 18. Doing every thing that may contribute to the pleasure, peace, and comfort of the wife, 1st Cor. vii, 33. Seeking her spiritual welfare, and every" We can neither forsake Christ, thing that shall promote her edification and felicity. The duties on the part of the wife are, reverence, subjection, obedience, assistance, sympathy, assuming no authority, and continuance with him, Eph. v, 32, 33. Tit. ii, 5. 1st Tim. v, 11, 12. Ruth i, 16. VORCE, PARENT. Grove's Mor. Phil., vol. ii, p. 470; Paley's Mor. Phil., ch. viii, vol. i, p. 339; Bean's Christian Minister's Advice to a New-Married Couple; Guide to Domestic Happiness; Advantages and Disadvantages of the Marriage State; Stennet on Domestic Duties; Doddridge's Lect., 225, 234, 265, vol. i, oct. ed.

nor worship any other; for we worship him as the Son of God; but love the martyrs as the disciples and followers of the Lord, for the great affection they have shewn to their King and Master." A like answer was given at the martyrSee articles D1-dom of Fructuosus in Spain; for

MARTYR, is one who lays down his life or suffers death for the sake of his religion. The word is Greek, paptop, and properly signifies a "witness." It is applied by way of eminence to those who suffer in witness of the truth of the gospel.

when the judge asked Eulogius, his deacon, whether he would not worship Fructuosus, as thinking, that, though he refused to worship the heathen idols, he might yet be inclined to worship a Christian martyr, Eulogius replied, "I do not worship Fructuosus, but him whom Fructuosus worships." The primitive Christians believed that the martyrs enjoyed very singular privileges; that upon their death they were immediately admitted to the beatific vision, while other souls waited for the completion of their happiness till the day of judgment; and that God would The Christian church has a grant to their prayers the hastenbounded with martyrs, and his-ing of his kingdom, and shorttory is filled with surprising ac-ening the times of persecution. counts of their singular constancy Perhaps this consideration might and fortitude under the cruellest excite many to court martyrdom, torments human nature was capa-as we believe many did. It must ble of suffering. The primitive Christians were accused by their enemies of paying a sort of divine worship to martyrs. Of this we have an instance in the answer of the church of Smyrna to the suggestion of the Jews, who, at the

be recollected, however, that martyrdom in itself is no proof of the goodness of our cause, only that we ourselves are persuaded that it is so. "It is not the blood, but the cause that makes the martyr. (Mead.) Yet we may consider the

number and fortitude of those who || tion which Dioclesian carried on have suffered for Christianity as a for ten years with fresh fury against collateral proof at least of its ex- the Christians; for a most diligent cellency; for the thing for which search was then made after all they suffered was not a point of their books and papers; and all speculation, but a plain matter of of them that were found were fact, in which (had it been false) committed to the flames. Eusethey could not have been mistak-bius, indeed, composed a martyren. The martyrdom, therefore, of ology, but it never reached down so many wise and good men, taken to us; and those since compiled with a view of the whole sys-are extremely suspected. From tem of Christianity, will certainly the eighth century downwards, seafford something considerable in its favour.

The churches built over the graves of the martyrs, and called by their names, in order to preserve the memory ferings, were distinguished by the title martyrium confessio, or memoria.

veral Greek and Latin authors endeavoured to make up the loss, by compiling, with vast labour, accounts of the lives and actions of the ancient martyrs, but which of their suf-consist of little else than a series of fables: nor are those records that pass under the name of martyrology worthy of superior credit, The festivals of the martyrs are since they bear the most evident of very ancient date in the Chris-marks both of ignorance and falsetian church, and may be carried hood. back at least from the time of Polycarp, who suffered martyrdom about the year of Christ 168. On these days the Christians met at the graves of the martyrs, and offered prayers and thanksgivings to God for the example they had afforded them: they celebrated the eucharist, and gave alms to the poor; which, together with a panegyrical oration or sermon, and reading the acts of the martyrs, were the spiritual exercises of these anniversaries.

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

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

Of the sayings, sufferings, and deaths of the martyrs, though preserved with great care for the above purpose, and to serve as The martyrologies are very numodels to future ages, we have merous, and contain many ridibut very little left, the greatest culous and even contradictory part of them having been destroy-narratives; which is easily aced during that dreadful persecu-counted for, if we consider how

many forged and spurious ac-Treves, afterwards archbishop of Vienne, is a descendant of the Roman, if we may so call it; for Du

counts of the lives of saints and martyrs appeared in the first ages of the church, which the legen-Sollier gives its genealogy thus:dary writers afterwards adopted without examining into the truth of them. However, some good critics, of late years, have gone a great way towards clearing the lives of the saints and martyrs from the monstrous heap of fiction they laboured under. See article LEGend.

The martyrology of St. Jerome is the great Roman martyrology; from this was made the little Roman one printed by Rosweyd: of this little Roman martyrology was formed that of Beda, augmented by Florus. Ado compiled his in ́ the year 858. The martyrology of Nevelon, monk of Corbie, written about the year 1089, is little more than an abridgment of that of Ado: father Kircher also makes mention of a Coptic martyrology preserved by the Maronites at Rome.

We have also several Protestant martyrologies, containing the sufferings of the reformed under the Papists, viz. an English Martyrology, by J. Fox; with others by Clarke, Bray, &c. See PERSECUTION.

The martyrology of Eusebius of Cæsarea was the most celebrated in the ancient church. It was translated into Latin by St. Jerome; but the learned agree that it is not now extant. That attributed to Beda, in the eighth century, is of very doubtful authority; the names of several saints being there found who did not live till after the time of Beda. The ninth century was very fertile in martyrologies; then appeared that of Florus, subdeacon of the church at Lyons; who, however, only filled up the chasms in Beda. This was published about the year 830, and was followed by that of Waldenburtus, monk of the diocese of Treves, written in verse about the year 848; and this by that of Usard, a French monk, and written by the command of Charles the Bald, in 875, which last is the martyrology now ordinarily used in the Romish church. That of Rabanus Maurus is an improvement on Beda and Flo-ish theology, signifying a work on rus, written about the year 845; that of Noker, monk of St. Gal, was written about the year 894. The martyrology of Ado, monk of Ferriers, in the diocese of

Martyrology is also used in the Romish church for a roll or register kept in the vestry of each church, containing the names of all the saints and martyrs both of the universal church, and of the: particular ones of that city or monastery.

Martyrology is also applied to the painted or written catalogues: in the Romish churches, containing the foundations, obits, prayers,› and masses, to be said each day.

MASORA, a term, in the Jew

the Bible, performed by several learned rabbins, to secure it from any alterations which might otherwise happen.

Their work regards merely the