its full examination and confutation for my Appendix,' as being that which would necessarily involve so lengthened a sketch of real Manichean doctrine, as to be an interruption to our more proper present course of investigation, it will suffice here to give the abstract and result of that examination. And this is in effect as follows: viz. that in regard of all the four most important principles of religion,-first, its account of the origin of man, and of the mixture of good and evil apparent in the world,-secondly, its doctrine on the mode of deliverance from the aforesaid evil,—thirdly, man's future prospects beyond death, in the case both of those who follow out this plan of deliverance, and those who neglect it,-fourthly, the authority on which these its doctrines are propounded, and by which sanctioned,—that in regard of all these four points, the doctrines of Manicheism and those of the Paulikians were not only not the same, or similar, but altogether the most different, indeed directly antagonistic to each other, and incompatible. Insomuch that after examination the candid reader will see reason, I am persuaded, not only to exculpate the Paulikian sectaries, but to marvel, I will not say how the charge could ever have been made, (man's enmity against the truth will account for that,) but how it should have been so long believed and perpetuated, as nothing less than one of the most extraordinary mistakes on record in the history of literature.It would be well indeed if the Romish Church could his statement is thus far qualified: he makes the Paulikians Manichees to the same extent as the Albigenses. But that this his qualification amounts to but little, appears from what he says in the second passage referred to, as well as in others that might also be given. Among the ancients I may specify besides Petrus Siculus, the Patriarch Photius, who calls the Paulikian doctrine Manicheism added to; and Anna Comnena, who designates it as the unmitigated poison of Manicheism. Among later writers Mr. Dowling particularizes, besides Romanists, the Protestant historians Henke, Gieseler, Guericke, Neander in Germany, Mather in France, F. Schmid in Denmark, &c. Differing, he says, in minor points, and not agreed whether the Paulikian errors were of Gnostic or Manichean origin, yet all believe that they held the dualistic opinions, and bore some of the principal features of the early oriental heresies.-British Magazine for Oct. 1838. 1 Viz. the Appendix to the present Volume. prove for itself as complete a variance from Manicheism. PETRUS SICULUS. I. Primum illorum axioma est duo rerum esse Principia, Deum malum, et Deum bonum; aliumque hujus mundi conditorem ac principem, alium futuri ævi.-'Age dic,' inquiunt, 'quid nos à Romanis secernit ? (Seipsos enim Christianos nuncupant, nos autem Romanos.) Et asserunt sejunctionem suam à nobis in hoc consistere, quòd ipsi quidem alium esse aiunt esse mundi conditorem, et alium quem Patrem cœlestem vocitant, exclusum à mundi administratione, solâque in æternitate dominantem.-' Vos,' inquiunt, 'creditis in mundi opificem; nos vero in illum de quo in Evangeliis Dominus loquitur, (Joh. 5. 37,) Vocem ejus non audistis, neque speciem ejus vidistis.' He says elsewhere; Quando in disputationis certamen descendunt, omnia Catholicorum dogmata per astum comprobant; et aiunt se Sanctissimam Trinitatem Deum profiteri, cùm omnia per allegorias apud se interpretentur, et Sanctam Trinitatem inficiantes etiam detestantur. p. 754. II. Deiparam semperque Virginem, infinitis laudibus concelebrandam, per odium abjiciunt, nulloque inter bonorum hominum cœtum numero vel loco dignantur ;-neque Christum ex illâ natum, ut qui corpus è cœlo secum detulerit ;-Josephumque ex illâ, post Domini partum, plures liberos suscepisse dicunt. He says elsewhere; Divinum illius partum tantùm ad speciem et opinionem, non re ipsâ editum, sycophantur ; et post editum hunc cœlestem partum, alios ex Josepho liberos à Virgine procreatos. 755. Elsewhere: Incarnationem Domini Dei nostri in Virgine, quanquam alio et impio sensu, fatentur; sequiusque sentientes damnant. In Genasius' examination, a century earlier, the charge stands thus : 'Cur non colis nec adoras Deiparam sanctam?'-At ille; 'Anathema qui PHOTIUS. I. Duo fatentur Principia ;-alterum Deum, cœlestem Patrem, quem et hujus rerum universitatis potestate præstantiorem asserunt; alteri mundi tribuunt opificium :-illi tantùm futuri imperium ascribunt; huic, mundi opifici, præsentis sæculi potestatem concedunt. He adds; Eos qui verè Christiani sunt Romanos appellant; sibi Christianorum arrogant nomen.-Also; Dicunt Patrem, et Filium, et Spiritum Sanctum; sed non eodem sensu quo Catholica Ecclesia. Cùm enim Anathema esse dicant quicumque non credit in Patrem, et Filium, et Spiritum Sanctum,-Patrem non pronuntiant omnipotentem, factorem cœli et terræ, visibilium et invisibilium sed cùm Patrem dixerint statim subjiciunt cælestem; cui nullo modo cœli, et eorum quæ cœli ambitu continentur, dominatum tribuunt quidam tamen cœli imperium tribuunt, eorum vero quæ cœlo comprehenduntur non item. Elsewhere he says; Dicunt ex tenebris et igne malum istud natum esse principium :-and, of the fire, Eum (ignem) nec principio carere nec æternum esse dicent. p. 206. II. In sanctissimam Dominam nostram, Dei Genetricem, maledicta conjiciunt quæ nec scribere nec audire fas est. 'Credimus,' inquiunt, in sanctam Dei genetricem in quam ingressus est, et ex quâ Dominus egressus est:' et his verbis cœlestem intelligunt Hierusalem, in quam præcursor pro nobis Christus introiverit, quemadmodum etiam Apostolus ait. Aliquando coacti confiteri ex Virgine Christum prodiise, corpus è cœlo suscepisse dicunt, per ipsamque, tanquam per carnalem, transiisse. Et alios etiam ex Joseph, post partum illum salutarem perperisse contendunt. Elsewhere he says: 'Dominus,' inquiunt, dixit in Evangelio, Nemo ascendit in cœlum nisi qui descendit de cœlo, Filius hominis qui est in cœlo et Apostolus; Primus homo de terrâ terrenus; secundus homo It needs but to consider its additions of new apocryphal FORMULA OF ABJURATION. I. Anathema to those who say that the Father is not the Almighty Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things in them, visible and invisible, but only the Father of heaven, having merely authority over the world to come; inasmuch as that the present state (auwv,) and the world, were not made by Him, but by his Adversary the Evil One, the ruler of the world. CEDRENUS. I. They hold the prime heresy of the Manicheans, acknowledging, as they do, the two Principles. They say, There is only one thing which separates us from the Romans; (for they call themselves Christians, us Romans ;) viz. We say that the Heavenly Father is one God, and has no authority in this world, but in that which is to come; and that the Maker of the world is another, and has authority over this present. To those who know them not they readily say, We believe one Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Heavenly Father; and utter an Anathema against him who does not so believe. But when they say Father of heaven, they do not add, The only true God, who made heaven and earth and all things therein. II. Anathema to those who insult the holy Mary, pretending to honor her-whereas they mean instead of her the Jerusalem above, into which, they say, the Lord entered, and from which He went out. II. They immoderately blaspheme the very holy Mother of God. Whenever they are forced by us to confess her, they say allegorically, 'I believe on the holy Mother of God, into which the Lord entered, and from which He went out.' But they mean the Jerusalem above, into which Christ the forerunner is for us entered; and mean not in truth the holy Mary, Mother of God, nor that the Lord was incarnate of her. Scriptures, its making void of the old by its traditions, PETRUS SICULUS. sanctissimam Deiparam non adorat, communem omnium nostrum matrem, in quam Dominus noster Jesus Christus introivit.' Hanc autem volebat esse supernam Hierusalem, in quam præcurrens Christus pro nobis ingressus est. III. E sacris mysteriis divinam ac tremendam corporis et sanguinis Domini nostri Jesu Christi conversionem negant, aliaque de hoc mysterio docent; à Domino nempe non panem et vinum in cœnâ discipulis propinatum, sed figuratè symbola tantum et verba, tanquam panem et vinum, data. Of Genasius we read thus: 'Anathema qui spernit corpus et sanguinem Jesu Christi!'-De ipsis enim verbis loquebatur. 760. IV. Formam atque vim venerandæ et vivificæ crucis non solùm non agnoscunt, sed infinitis etiam contumeliis onerant,-Of Genæsius it is said; Anathema,' inquit, 'qui non adorat et colit venerandam ac vivificam crucem :'-crucemque intelligebat Christum ipsum, manibus expansis crucem efformantem. V. Veteris instrumenti tabulas non admittunt, nec binas Epistolas magni et immobilis ecclesiæ fundamenti, cœlestis aulæ clavigeri, Petri, principis Apostolorum;- prophetasque planos et latrones appellant. VI. Arcent ab ecclesiæ administratione presbyteros et seniores; aiunt enim quòd seniores adversùs Domium congregati sunt. Catholicam ecclesiam Manichæorum conciliabulum appellabat Genæsius. VII. Of Genesius; De baptismo affirmabat Genæsius, Jesum Christum ipsum esse baptisma: quód scriptum est, Ego sum aqua vivens. p. 760. PHOTIUS. Dominus de cœlo. Ecce utroque in loco cœlestis nominatur.' III. Communionem corporis et sanguinis Christi Dei nostri contumeliis afficientes, se dicunt suscipere cùm corpus et sanguinem dicant esse verba illa Domini quæ, cum discipulis traderet, dicunt protulisse; nempe, Accipite, comedite, et bibite :-neque enim panem aut vinum adhibuisse. Elsewhere; Nonnulli, ut simpliciores decipiant, corporis et sanguinis Domini communionem suscipiunt. IV. Crucem, quam adorare se dicunt, afficiunt ignominiâ. Crucem enim fingunt esse Christum. 'Ipse,' inquiunt, manus in crucis figuram extendit.' Veram autem crucem lignum appellant, et sceleratorum instrumentum supplicii execrationibus obnoxium; et idcirco non esse adorandam nec suscipiendam. Elsewhere; Vim (crucis) ad animæ purgationem pervenire non putant. V. Rejiciunt Prophetas et Vetus Testamentum, et universos Sanctos qui in ipso fuerunt celebres, latrones ac fures appellantes. Imprimis autem Apostolorum principem Petrum execrantur, quòd fidem in magistrum Christum abnegavit. VI. Consessus suos catholicam appellant ecclesiam; præsertim cùm ad precandum, et ad ea quæ ad religionem pertinent inquirenda, congregantur; προσευχας enim suos consessus vocant. VII. Baptismum aspernantur; quod tamen se fingunt suscipere. Nam Evangelii verba baptismum exisimant; quoniam Dominus inquit, Ego sum aqua viva. Elsewhere he says; Liberos suos ab ecclesiæ presbyteris salutari baptismo volunt aliquando lustrari. Existimant enim baptismum corpori prodesse: hujus tamen vim ad animæ purgationem pervenire non putant. -its dogma of purgatory,—its discipline of ascetism FORMULA OF ABJURATION. CEDRENUS. III. Anathema to those who reject the communion of the precious body and blood of Christ, feigning to receive it: whereas they mean, instead of it, the words of the doctrine of Christ, which He spoke when communicating to the apostles; Take, eat, and drink. IV. Anathema to those who revile the venerable cross, pretending to reverence it; whereas they mean, instead of it, Christ; who, they say, with his hands extended, formed the figure of a cross. III. They blaspheme against the divine mysteries of the holy communion of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, saying, 'The Lord said, Take, eat, and drink! offering his words to the apostles, and not bread and wine.' And they say that bread and wine ought not to be employed. Elsewhere he says;-Yet some coming into our orthodox church, communicate, without being detected, that they may the better deceive. IV. They also blaspheme against the precious cross, saying that Christ is the cross, and that we ought not to worship the cross of wood, inasmuch as it is an accursed instrument. Elsewhere he says; The sick sometimes lay it on themselves; and on recovery break or burn it. The statements in the 1st and 2nd columns are copied from the translations of Petrus Siculus and Photius in the Bib. Pat. Max. xvi. 754, 760; xix. 204, &c-those in the 3rd and 4th columns from Mr. Dowling's Pamphlet; pp. 36, 16. |