See, besides, Kliiott; Cramp, Tert-hook of Popery ; Ilodgo, lliriiiily; l-'orsyth, //(////. ii, lot scj. ; Pome in thv VMh Century, i, 40," 8G; ii, ;j:>0; iii, I'M sq. ; Lady Morgan, Italy, ii, 300; iii. 18'.); (Jraliam, Three Months' Residence, etc., p. 241; Jliddleton, Letter from Rome; Southey, Vindici(r Kcclesitc Anylicame, p. 125 sq. ; Blan- co White, Poor Man^s Preservation ayuinst Popery, p.
90 ; Brownlee, Letters in the Roman Catholic Controvert sy ; Brand, Popul. Antiq,; Hone, ^Inc. Mysteries. (J. H. W.)
Miraculous Conception, a term used to denote the siipernalural formation of the human nature of Je- sus Christ, i. e. that it was brought forth not in the or- dinary method of generation, but out of the substance of the A'irgiu Mary, by the immediate operation of the Holy Ghost. The evidence upon which this article of the Christian faith rests is found in Matt, i, 18-23, and in the more particular narration which Luke has given in the lirst chapter of his Gospel. If we admit this evidence of the fact, we can discern the emphatic meaning of the appellation given to our Saviour when he is called "the seed of the woman" (Gen. iii, loj; we can perceive the meaning of a phrase which Luke has introduced into the genealogy of Jesus (Luke iii, 23), " being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph," an<l of Avhicli, otherwise, it is not jiossible to give a good ac- count; and we can discover a peculiar significance in an expression of the apostle I'aul ((Jal. iv, 4), " God sent forth his Son, made of a woman." The conception of Jesus is the point from wliich we date the union be- tween his divine and human nature; and, this concep- tion being miraculous, the existence of the Person in whom they are united was not physically derived from Adam. But, as Dr. llorsley says in his scimon on the Incarnation, the union with the uncreated Word is the very principle of personality and individual exist- ence in the Son of Mar}-. According to this view of the matter, the miraculous conception gives a complete- ness and consistency to the revelation concerning Jesus Christ. Not only is be the Son of God, but, as the Son of man, he is exalted above his brethren, while he is made like them. He is jjrescrved from the contamina- tion adhering to the race whose nature he assumed; and when the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, was made flesh, the intercourse whicli, as man, he had with God, is distinguished, not in degree only, but in kind, from that which any prophet ever en- joyed; and it is infinitely more intimate, because it did not consist in communications occasionally made to him, but arose from the manner in which his human nature had its existence. — Watson, Bible Dictionary, s. v. See
IXCAKXATION ; JeSIS CHHIST.
Miradoro, Luigi, a noted Italian painter of the school of Cremona, was born at Genoa about the com- mencement of the 17th century. He is commonly des- ignated // Genoresino, from his native city, from wlience, after being initiated into the rudiments of his art, he appears to have gone to Cremona, where he began to study tlie works of Panfilo Nuvolone. Afterwards he painted in the manner of the Caracci— bold, large, cor- rect in coloring, and jiroductive of fine effect. \\'hile he appears to be little known in his native city, he nev- ertheless enjoyed a high reputation in Cremona and in parts of Lombard y. His .S'. Oio. Damasceno, in the church of S. Clemeiite, at Cremona, is highly commend- ed. The Merchants' College at Piacenza possesses like- wise a beautiful Pietti from his hand, representing the Dead Christ in the Lap of the Viryin. He appears to have been remarkably successful in the treatnunt of all subjects, but esiiecially so in compositions of a terrific or tragic nature. The exact lime of his death is unknown : but one of his works in S. Imerio bears the date lO.'il ; therefore his demise must have been subsequent to this date. See Lan/.i's Hist, of I'aintiny (transl. by Koscoe, Lond. 1847, 3 vols. 8vo), ii, 451 ; Spooner, Dioy. Hist, of the Fine A rfs (N. Y. 1865, 2 vols. 8vo), ii, 568.
Miraeus, \i.nv.iiT( A ubcrt le Mire), a Roman Cath- olic theologian of Belgium, was born at Brussels in 1573. and was educated for the Church at the high-schools of Douai and Louvaiii. Shortly after taking orders he was appointed canon at Antwerp; in loiOS he became also private secretary to his uncle, bishop John :Mir;eus; afterwards he became court preacher and librarian to
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the archduke Albert of Austria ; and in 16-2-4 dean of the cathedral at Antwerp, where he died in 1640. Most of his life was consecrated to the good of his Church and country. Miraus was also a multifarious writer. Many of his works are on ecclesiastical history. We will mention here BibUotheca Ecdesiastica (Antwerp. 1G39-1649, 2 vols. fol. ; a new edition of this work was published at Hamburg in 1718 by Joh. Alb. Fabricius, who saj's in the preface, "Vir et hoc et tot aliis mouu- nientis in lucem editis non minus de veteri memoria quam de posteritate omni insigniter promeritus" ) : — Be statu religio- tiisChrisiiancepi r , '^