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MYRTLE, Myrtles, the Berries, or Fruit of aShrub well known under the Name of Myrtle, growing common in fyam, efpecially in the Mountains of Lafierra Morena.
There are two kinds of Myrtle, Male and Females the latter whereof produces the beft Berries, and in the greatest Quantity.
The Fruit is at firft green, but becomes black infen- fibly within 7 it is a white Seed in form of a Crefcem, folid, hard, and of an aftringent Tafte ; while the Fruit continues on the Trees, 'tisfucculent and finooth, and only becomes acid and wrinkled, becaufe dried in the Sun for the convenience of Carriage.
They are much ufed in Medicine, efpecially in France, where they prepare Oils, Syrups, %$c. from 'em.
The Perfumers Ii!;cwife ufe 'em in their Perfumes, and draw an Effence from 'em. The German Dyers make a blue Colour from 'em. In England the Leaves and Bran- ches are ufed for Tanning of Leather.
MYSTERY, Mysterium, fomething fecret, or hid- den •■> impoflible, or difficult to becomprehended.
The Word is primarily ufed in fpeaking of certain Truths revealed in Scripture, into the understanding whereof hu- man Reafon cannot penetrate : Such are the Doctrine of theTW«;'fj', the Incarnation, i$c. See Trinity, &c.
The Word comes from the Greek /-urHcyoe ; and that, ac- cording to fome Etymologies, from ^rj» Claudo, taceo, I ihut, I am filenr, and ro^w, Mouth 3 but then whence comes the r ? MuH the m of ro^ be converted into an r? The Word, then, is derived with more Propriety from the Hebrew "IHO Sator, to hide, whence is form'd "1P0O Miftar, a hidden thing.
We have an Epitome of the Myjieries of Faith, or the Myji tries of Chrijiianity, in the Symbols, or Creeds, com- piled by the Apotfles, the Council of Nice, and St. Athana- jius. See Creed.
In all thefe, mention is made of the Myjiery of the Tri- nity ; the Myfteries of the Incarnation of the Son of God, his Death and Fajjion, and his Defcent into Hell for the Redemption of Mankind. Of his RefurreBion the third Day, his Afcenfion to Heaven, his fitting at the right Handof God, and his coming again to judge the World. Of the Dhi- mty t and Co-equality of the Holy Ghoft with the Father and the Son .- Of the Unity of the Church : Of the Community of Saints ; the participation of the Sacraments ; and the general Refurrection.
Thefe are the principal Myfteries of Faith ; which the Church declares neceffary to be known and believ'd, in order to Salvation.
From theearlieit Ages there have been particular Fetli- vals inftituted by the Church in honour of thefe Myfteries 5 to return Thanks to God for having revealed them, and to oblige the Minifters and Paflors to inilruft the People therein. See Feasts.
Such are the Feart of the Myftery of the Incarnation, call'd alfo Chrijtmas 5 thofe of the Circumcijion, Pa£to.n 3 RefurreB'wi, &c. See Incarnation, Circumcision, Easter, Epi- phany, c5f.
The Heathens too had their Myfteries : The Egyptian Friefls concealed the Myjieries of their Religion and Philo- fophy under Hieroglyphics. See Hieroglyphic
Thofe who revealed the Myfteries of the Bona Dea were feverely puni/hed ; and none were trufted with them but thofeformerly initiated, and fworn to fecrecy.
But thefe were not call'd Myfteries, as being incompre- hensible, or raifed above the ken of Reafon ; but becaufe they were covered, and difguifed under Types, and Fi- gures, to raife the greater Veneration in the People.
The Myfteries of Faganifm were celebrated in Grotto's, fitter to conceal Crimes than to hold religious Myjieries in.
In Scripture-Language, the Term Myfxery is ufed with fome Latitude. He that reveals Secrets, (or 'Myjieries') makes known to thee what Hull come to pafs j Van. ii. 29. There is a God in Heaven that reveals Myfteries, ii. v.
In which Places, Mfyftery is any thing not to be known without Divine Revelation.
We fpeak the Wifdom of God in a Myjiery, which God had refolved before all Ages to reveal for our Glory, 1 Cor. ii. 7. We are to be accounted (fays St. Paul) as Minifters of Jefus Chrift, and Difpenfcrs of the Myjieries of God, 1 Cor. iv. 1. Tho* I underftand all Myfteries, and have the Knowledge of all Things, if I have not Charity, I am nothing, 1 Cor. xiii. 2. Behold I mew you a Myftery, J Cor, xv. 51. By reading my Epiftle, you may underftand my Knowledge in the Myftery of Chrift j ad EfheJ. iii. 4. And in the following Verfes he adds, that this Myfiery is, that the Jews are Fellow-Heirs, and make but one Body with the yews, being Sharer* with them in the Promifes of God
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in the Gofpel. Holding the Myftery of the Faith in a pure Conference, i T,«.iii. s . When the fcven.h Angel begins to lound his Trumpet, the Myftery of God fhall be finifh'd, as he has declared to his Servants the Prophets, Revel. x.j. r
In all which Paffagcs, the Word Myftery is taken for the iecret hidden Things, which God has difcover'd by his Mi- nifters the Prophets, Jefus Chrift, and the Apoftles.
MYSI1CAL, Mystic, fomething Allegorical, or Mvf- terums. See Mystery, Allegory, £5?c.
The Commentators on the Scriptures, befides a literal. find alio a myftieal and a moral Meaning.
The Bible, they contend, is a Book written both within fide, and without fide. Within fide, with regard to the myfttcal, internal, fublime, and hidden Senfe 5 and with- out fide with regard to the literal and grammatical Senfe immediately exprefs'd by the words.
In effea fevcralof the antient Fathers, and Doctors of the Church, underftand the Books mentioned in Ezech. ii. 0. and in the Apocalypfe. v. 1. which were wrote both within fide and without, of the Scriptures. _ The literal and myftieal Senfe they think are here fairly intimated. '
The Senfe of Scripture, fay they, is either that imme- diately tignified by the Words and Expreffions in the com- mon ufe of Language : or it is mediate, fublime, typical, and myftieal ; wherein the things themfelves fignified, are made to fignify ftill other and further things, according to the particular Defign, and Intention of God, and the Pro- phets and Apoiilesinfpired by him. See Typical.
The literal Senfe they again divide into literal Proper which is contained in the Words taken fimply and pro- perly : * j. t
And literal Metaphorical, where the Words are to be understood in a figurative and metaphorical Senfe ■ as where the Right-Eye is commanded to be fluck'd out' &c. Wherever the proper literal Senfe contains any thing abfurd or indecent, there recourfe mutt be had to the literal Meta- phorical.
All Scripture has a true literal Senfe, but not always a Myftieal one. We mutt always underftand it in the literal Senfe, when it (peaks immediately of any of the Laws of Nature, of Charity, of doing Good, when it gives us In- ftruaions fur the Conduct of Life, for the Regulation our Manners, when it relates any Matter of Fact, or any Point ofHiftory. '
The fame Paflage of Scripture has fometimes feveral literal Senfes, exprefs'd and fignified immediately by the Words taken in their proper and their figutative Senfe, and which appear to have been all intended by the infpir'd Perfon who fpoke them, as having been lo underftood by others of them. As thofe Words in Ffalm ii. Thou an my Son, this day have I begotten thee i which St. JW understands according to the ftria Letter in Hcb. i. of the Generation of Jefus Chritt in time: And in J3s xiii. 53. he takes them in a metaphorical Senfe, and applies them to our Saviour's RefurreSion. Thus in Hofea xi. 1. the Words of the Prophecy, I have called my Son out of Egypt, are under- ftood literally of the Children of Ifrael whomGod brought out of Egypt under the Conduit of Mofes ; and yet° in Math. ii. 15. they are underftood metaphotically of Jefus Chrift. See Prophecy.
The Myftieal Senfe of Scripture is that which the things exprefs'd by the Words fignify further 5 or it is a fecond Sig- nification, and Expreffion fignified by the firft ; this fe- cond being exprefs'd immediately by the fitft, and medi- ately by the Words rhemfelves. Writers allow of three kinds of Myftieal Senfe in the Word of God : The firft correfponding to Faith, and call'd 'Allegorical ; the fecond to Hope, call'd Anagogical ; and the thitd to Charity, call'd the Topological Senfe.
The four Senfes, and their Applications are included in the Latin Diftich,
Litera geftadocet, quid credas Allegoria, Moralis quid agas, quo tendas Anagogia .
Sometimes the fame Word in Sctipture is taken in all the four Senfes. Thus the word Jerufalem literally fignifies the Capital of "judea ; Allegorically, the Church Militant ; Tropologically and Morally, a Believer ; and Anagogically, Heaven.
So, thatPaffage in Genefis, Let there be Light, and there- was Light ; fignifies, according to the Letter, Corporeal Light ; by Allegory, the Meffiah ; in the Topological Senfe, Grace ; and Anagogically, the Light of Glory.
MYSTICS, Mystici, a kind of Religious Seel, diflin- guifhed by their profeffing pure, fublime, and perfect De- votion, with an intire difintetefted Love of God, free of
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