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CENT. 3.] Accommodations to Paganism.

129

ceremonies employed in celebrating the heathen myfteries were obferved in the inftitutions of Chrift, which foon, in their turn, obtained the name of mysteries, and served as a melancholy precedent for future innovations, and as a foundation for that ftructure of abfurdity and fuperftition which deformed and disgraced the Church.

VOL. I.

14

K

CHAP.

[ 130 ]

CHAP. III.

OF THE SECTS WHICH APPEARED IN THE THIRD

CENTURY.

Manichæans Noetians and Sabellians-Paul of SamofataNovatians.

TH

HE catalogue of herefiarchs during the third century is not fo extensive as that in the age preceding; but the abfurdity of the doctrines promulgated, and the numbers by whom they were received, are at least equally remarkable. In detailing the history of men whose writings the illjudged piety of their own or fucceeding ages has deftroyed, and confequently whofe opinions and characters have only reached pofterity from the fufpicious reprefentations of their antagonists, we must however hefitate; and we are bound to weigh every existing evidence before we pronounce a sentence of condemnation. That many abfurd tenets were propagated, and that these were departures from the true faith, we have the most undoubted authority for believing: but when we perceive fo feceders from the Church, while they promany feffed themselves the followers of the pure Gospel of Chrift, conceiving themselves warranted in the moft impious and profligate conduct, we cannot

but

CENT. 3. Severity of early Sectaries.

131

but regard them as under a mental derangement, and therefore rather objects of compaffion than condemnation; unless we admit that their tenets have been mifreprefented, or at least exaggerated.

The doctrines of felf-indulgence have been ascribed as fundamental errors to few or none of the fectaries who arofe in the third century. Their manners were in general auftere, and their hopes of future happinefs greatly dependant upon their rejection of present gratification. Every incitement to pleasure was to be contemned; every allurement of fense was to be avoided and abhorred. One of the most celebrated fectarites of this period was Manes, by birth a Chaldæan, and eminent for his learning, genius, and accomplishments. He was ordained at an early age a prefbyter in the Chriftian Church; and uniting his philofophical doctrines with Chriftianity, he formed a fyftem compounded of both, which he conceived would meet with a ready acceptance both from the Perfian Infidels and the Chriftians. His fuccefs at first was, however, by no means adequate to his expectations. The Perfian Chriftians, offended by his heretical opinions, excommunicated him from the Church; and the Magi were incensed at his attempt to reform the doctrines of Zoroafter. But notwithstanding this oppofition, his opinions were received by confiderable numbers in Perfia, Syria, Greece, Africa, and Spain. They were indeed

132

Manichæans.

[CENT. 3. fo artfully incorporated with the fantastical opinions of feveral other fectaries, that they found large parties by whom they were at once approved, and afterwards embraced. Manes adopted the mystical language of the Magi, and taught the Gnoftic doctrine of two principles; the former of which was a living, immaterial Light, existing from all eternity, and furrounded by hofts of pure and immortal fpirits, the emanations of his effence; the latter an evil power, called Darkness, who had refided from eternity in a remote region of infinite fpace, accompanied by myriads of evil fpirits, created out of matter, of which his kingdom was. compofed. This herefiarch contended that there was a time when these different powers were unacquainted with each other's existence; but that the rebellious powers of Darknefs had, during a fedition in their own regions, advanced beyond their own limits, and, on beholding the delightful realms of Light, had projected an irruption into his kingdom. God had opposed to these turbulent fpirits the first man; but his oppofition being too feeble, he had fent to his aid the living spirit: a part of the celeftial fubftance however being feized by the dæmons, light and darkness became blended. From this mixture, which was permitted by the Supreme Being, the living spirit feparated thofe parts of the celeftial fubftance which were uncontaminated with matter, and compofed from them the fun and moon; and from thofe parts

CENT. 3.]

Manichæan Theology.

133

which were corrupted only in a small degree, formed the planets. The remainder composed this world, where good and evil are ever blended, and incorporated, and which is fitted for the refidence of those bodies that were formed by the defeated prince of Darkness, and endued with a foul composed of those parts of the celeftial substance which he had feized. These beings are continually obftructed in their endeavours to be virtuous, by other beings created by the fame hand, but containing fouls formed from corrupt matter.

This fanciful fyftem was the foundation on which Manes erected a further fuperftructure. He afferted, that in order to obviate the power of those malevolent fpirits who fought the destruction of virtue, the Supreme Being had produced two fuperior emanations, the Son and the Holy Ghoft, confubftantial with the Father, but fubordinate to him, the former of whom refides in the fun and moon, the other in the air; where they exert their benign influences upon the bodies and fouls of men; but that God fent good angels and prophets upon earth to instruct man, and at length his own Son, who took upon him the exterior, not the nature, of man. That he inftructed men in their true origin, the caufes of their captivity, and the means of deliverance; fhewed them, by his myftical refurrection and afcenfion, that death destroys not the man, but reftores to punished fouls the liberty of returning to their heavenly country.

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