Farther, we find Faustus arguing from our Saviour's escape at Nazareth, when the people would have cast him down from the brow of the hill; or, as he says, when they did so, and yet he escaped.

b

And to prove that Jesus was man in appearance only, they referred to those words in Philip ii. 8. "And was found in fashion as a man."

Whereas it was objected to them that if Jesus had not been born, and had not an human body, he could not have been seen or heard by men: they answered that angels had been seen, and had conversed with men, though they had not human bodies.

d

XXII. As the Manichees did not believe that Christ was born, or had a true body, so neither did they believe that he was really crucified, or that he died. They did not deny that he was apprehended by the Jews, and so far as in them lay, fastened to the cross, and that he seemed to die: but they did not allow that he really died.

So Faustus says without any hesitation or ambiguity: We own that he suffered in appearance, but he did not really die.' Again: It is our opinion that Jesus did not die.' He likewise says: As from the beginning, having taken the likeness of man, he appeared to have all the infirmities of the human state; so, at the conclusion of his transaction here, it was not improper that he should seem to die.'

h

Mani himself in his fragment says: A simple nature does not die, nor is an appearance of flesh crucified." And more to the like purpose.

i

Augustine passeth a just censure upon their notion of a seeming death, and an imaginary, deceitful resurrection.

Nevertheless they often speak of Christ's being made subject to death, buried, and raised from the dead by the power of the Father. They believed that " for our salvation Christ hung upon the cross. And therefore Faustus pretends to be excessively angry with Moses for that saying: "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" Deut. xxi 23. They likewise speak " of our Lord's shewing the marks of his wounds for curing the unbelief of Thomas.

n

As the Manichees did not believe Christ to have been born, nor to have a real body, they denied his baptism, and some other facts related in the gospels. For proof of this, and likewise for farther shewing their opinion concerning our Lord's crucifixion, I shall here produce part of a passage of Faustus, which must be alleged hereafter upon another account more at large.

• We ° reject divers other things which have been since added to the history of Christ; as 'that he was born of a woman, circumcised like a Jew, that he sacrificed like a heathen, that he ⚫ debased himself so unworthily as to be baptised, and was then carried into the wilderness, and

mihi tale figurabam. Metuebam itaque credere in carne natum, ne credere cogerer ex carne inquinatum. Confess. 1. 5.

c. x. n. 20.

a

Legitur id quoque, quod de supercilio montis jactatus aliquando a Judæis, illæsus abierit, &c. Faust. 1. 26. c 2.

Sed totus ille ipse descendens semetipsum in quocumque voluit transformavit in hominem, eo pacto quo Paulus dicit, quia habitu repertus est ut homo. ap. Arch. n. 50, p. 91.

Nam illud quidem, quod sæpe affirmare soletis, necessario eum esse natum, quia alias hominibus videri aut loqui non posset, ridiculum est; cum multoties, ut jam probatum a nostris est, angeli, et visi hominibus et locuti esse monstrentur. Faust. 1. 29, c. i. f.

dicitis adumbratam, ut mori videretur, qui non moriebatur. Ex quo fit, ut ejus quoque resurrectionem umbraticam, imaginariam, tallacemque dicatis: neque enim ejus, qui non vere mortuus est, vera resurrectio esse potest. Ita fit, ut et cicatrices discipulis dubitantibus falsas ostenderit. &c. Aug. contr. Faust. I. 29, c 2.

Hoc ergo sentimus de nobis, quod et de Christo, qui, cum in formâ Dei esset constitutus, factus est subditus usque ad mortem, ut similitudinem animarum nostrarum ostenderet. Et quemadmodum in se mortis similitudinem ostendit, et se a Patre esse de medio mortuorum resuscitatum; eo modo sentimus et de animis nostris futurum, quod per ipsum poterimus ab hac morte liberari Fortun. Disp. i n. 7.

Quapropter et nos Moysen.- -plus tamen hinc exsecramur, quod Christum filium Dei, qui nostræ salutis causâ pependit in ligno diro devotionis, convicio lacessivit. — - Ait enim maledictum esse omnem qui pendet in ligno. Faust. 1. 14, c. i. in

cum Christus Thomam apostolum dubitantem de se aspernatus non sit, sed quo animi ejus vulneribus mederetur, corporis sui cicatrices ostendit. Faust. I. 16, c. 8.

Dico autem hoc, ipsum natum ex feminâ turpiter, circumcisum judaïce. sacrificâsse gentiliter, baptizatum humiliter, circumductum a diabolo per deserta, et ab eo tentatum quam miserrime. His igitur exceptis, et credimus cœtera, præcipue crucis ejus mysticam fixionem, quâ nostræ animæ passionis monstrantur vulnera. Faust. 1. 32, c. 7.

miserably tempted of the devil. Excepting these things, and the quotations of the Old Testament, which have been clandestinely inserted, we believe all the rest, and especially his mystic crucifixion, by which he discovers to us the wounds of our soul.'

These things need no answer. It would be waste of time to stay to confute what any one may presently perceive to be weak and absurd. I shall however add a word or two by way of explication.

In what is said of Christ's sacrificing, perhaps he refers to our Lord's keeping the passover, and to the offering made by Mary for her purification: see Luke ii. 24.

As they paid no regard to the institutions of Moses, and denied our lord to be born, or to have real йesh, it is no wonder that they excepted against the things just mentioned, and to his

circumcision.

In the Acts of Archelaus, Mani is represented excepting against the account of Christ's baptism, because that ordinance signified remission of sins, whereas Jesus was free from sin. But there is no just ground for that exception in the history of our Lord's baptism, as recorded by the evangelists.

As for their denying Christ's temptation, undoubtedly that is a consequence of their supposition that Christ was God and not man.

As for the mystic, figurative crucifixion, it is likely that the passages above transcribed may be of use to enable the reader to form some notion of their meaning. I likewise refer to Beausobre.

d

Faustus does elsewhere speak of a passible Jesus. And Secundinus has somewhat to the like purpose: but the meaning is not obvious. I apprehend that if we had Agapius, or more of Mani's works, we might understand this, and some other things, better than we do.

Before I quit this article, I chuse to put down some observations of Beausobre which may afford useful illustrations.

с

g

The grace of the Saviour,' says he briefly, consists in enabling the soul to understand its nature, its origin, its duties, its hopes, and in giving it necessary assistances for breaking the chains of carnal passions.' In other places more largely: The grace of Jesus Christ has several branches: but the principal is the giving the soul the knowledge of its nature and origin, ' which it had in a manner lost since its union with matter. Another branch is discovering to the soul the snares of the devil, the means of escaping them, and of returning to its heavenly country. This is what Fortunatus says to Augustine: "As we sin unwillingly, and are compelled by the substance which is adverse and contrary to us, we endeavour to gain the knowledge of things. By this knowledge the soul, recovering its first ideas, comes to understand its original, and its present misery. Then correcting its past faults, and practising good works, it "obtains reconciliation with God, under the conduct of our Saviour, who teaches both what good things we should do, and what evil things we should avoid.” And, as Fortunatus afterwards adds: " It is clear therefore, that repentance is given the soul since the coming of the Saviour, and since this knowledge of things; by which, being washed, as in a divine foun'tain and purified from the vices and defilements of the world, which it had contracted in the body, it may be restored to the kingdom of God whence it came."

h

XXIII. And now, since the Manichees denied that Christ really suffered, we are led to observe still more distinctly whether they thought his death to have the nature of a sacrifice, or what ends and uses his seeming death answered. Beausobre, who has written their history with

T. 2. p. 548, 549. See also p. 546, 547.

8 Nam quia inviti peccamus, et cogimur a contrariâ et ini. micâ nobis substantiâ, idcirco sequimur scientiam rerum. Quâ scientiâ admonita anima, et memoriæ pristinæ reddita, recognoscit ex quo originem trahat, in quo malo versetur, quibus bonis iterum emendans quod nolens peccavit, possit per emendationem delictorum suorum, bonorum operum gratiâ, meritum sibi reconciliationis apud Deum collocare, auctore Salvatore nostro, qui nos docet et bona exercere, et mala fugere. Fortunat. Disp. 2, n. 20.

h Unde patet recte esse poenitentiam datam post adventum salvatoris, et post hanc scientiam rerum, quâ possit anima, acsi divino fonte lota, de sordibus et vitiis tam mundi totius, quam corporum in quibus eadem anima versatur, regno Dei, unde progressa est, repræsentari. ib. n. 21.

great care, and nicely examined their opinions, speaks to this point more than once; and his words are very remarkable.

The Manichees,' says he, had no temples, for they had no idols.Nor had they any 'altars, because they had no sacrifice, no not that which the ancient church called the sacrifice ' of commemoration. For they did not believe that Jesus Christ really suffered, nor consequently 'that his death was a true sacrifice. The eucharist with them was only a ceremony of thanksgiv❝ing in memory of the mystic crucifixion of our Saviour. That crucifixion, according to them, had only moral views.'

b

Again: The Manichees, as they ascribed little to faith, ascribed a great deal to good works, which they considered as an essential and absolutely necessary condition of salvation. They had not the same notion of the death of Christ that we have. According to us, it is an offering made to God for the expiation of the sins of men: according to them, it is only an act of sublime virtue, the end of which is, on the one hand, to teach men not to fear death, and to crucify the flesh; and on the other hand to assure them of the immortality, of which Christ has given them a pattern in his resurrection.'

с

d

And, after quoting the passages of Fortunatus transcribed above, the same learned author says: Ithence appears that the Manichees ascribed the salvation of the soul to the doctrine of the Saviour. They could not ascribe it in any manner to the virtue of his blood, or of his 'sacrifice; forasmuch as they did not believe that he had blood, or that he made himself a sacri'fice. All the efficacy of the ministry of Christ consisted in the power of his doctrine supported 'by his miracles.' He then adds, he cannot certainly say how they explained those texts of scripture which speak of our being redeemed by the blood of Christ: but perhaps they thereby 'meant his doctrine, an explication which he has met with in so ancient and venerable a writer as 'Clement of Alexandria.'

SECT. V.

THEIR WORSHIP.

I. Its simplicity. II. Their public worship; prayers, reading the scriptures, with discourses. III. Their baptism, and eucharist. IV. They observed the Lord's-day: V. And Easter, and Pentecost, and the anniversary of Mani's martyrdom. VI. Their discipline.

I. Ir is now proper to take some notice of their worship.

Here a fine passage of Faustus offers itself. He is shewing the difference between his sect and heathens: They think that God is to be worshipped with altars, victims, chapels, images, incense. I, if I might be worthy, would esteem myself a reasonable temple of God. Christ, ' his son, I receive as a living image of the living God. His altar is my mind, cultivated with care, and endowed with knowledge and just sentiments. The honours and sacrifices which I 'present to the Deity, are prayers, and those and simple.' So Faustus. And Beausobre supposeth that

See more to the same purpose, ib. p. 546.

d See notes and " p. 204.

e Beaus. T. 2, p. 549.

pure

Et sanguis filii ejus mundat nos.' Doctrina quippe Domini, quæ valde fortis est, sanguis ejus appellata est. Clem. Adumbr. in Ep. i. Joan. p. 1009. ed. Pott. Ayopatε SE μas κύριος τιμίω αἱματι, δεσποτων παλαι των πικρών απαλλάσσων ἁμαρτιών, δι' ἧς τα πνευματικά της πονηρίας εκυρίευσεν ήμων. Id. in Ecl. p. 994, n. 20.

& Item Pagani aris, delubris, simulacris, victimis, atque incenso, Deum colendum putant. Ego ab his in hoc quoque

h

their worship was generally simple and plain,

multum diversus incedo, qui ipsum me, si modo sim dignus, rationabile Dei templum puto. Vivum vivæ majestatis simulacrum Christum Filium ejus accipio: aram, mentem bonis artibus et disciplinis imbutam. Honores quoque divinos ac sacrificia in solis orationibus, et ipsis puris ac simplicibus, pono. Faust. 1. 20, c. 3.

hA l'égard de la pompe, je ne suis point surpris qu'il n'y en eût pas dans la fête d' une secte séparée de l'église dès le iii. siècle, lorsque le culte étoit encore assez simple, et qui étoit persécutée par-tout. T. 2, p. 711, in. See him also, p. 700-705.

like that of a sect that arose and separated from the catholics in the third century, and was always persecuted.

a

II. They had public worship where prayers were performed, at which all were present, auditors as well as elect: for Augustine, who never entered into the higher order, was present at them.

Prayer was a religious exercise, in which they were often engaged, either publicly or privately, both by night and by day. This may be argued from what Augustine' said of the different points of the heavens, to which they turned themselves in praying, whether in the day time or night season: not now to mention any other proofs of this.

They read the scriptures in their public assemblies. I suppose this may be inferred from a passage of Augustine, where he speaks of their admiring and reading the epistles of the apostles: and from another place, where he speaks of their reading, commending and respecting the epistles of the apostle Paul; of which they gave wrong interpretations, and thereby deceived

many.

d

Mani's epistle of the Foundation was read in their assemblies, ' as divers pieces, beside canonical scripture, were often read among other antient Christians.

It is likely that they also had discourses, explaining the principles of religion, and exhorting to the practice of virtue. For whilst Augustine was among them, he observed that they earnestly warned men against sensuality, ambition, and such other faults.

III. They observed the Christian appointments of baptism and the eucharist. Felix, in his dispute with Augustine, mentions both these ordinances, as usual among them.

h

k

They practised infant baptism. This appears both from Faustus and Mani himself. They both speak of it as common among Christians; and they shew their approbation of it.

They baptized into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, as we learn from ' Athanasius.

m

Jerom speaks of the Manichæan baptism.

I only add, Augustine says that " the Manichees, in that respect differing from the Pelagians, say infants have need of a Saviour on account of the corruption which the sin of the first man transmits unto them.

They had the eucharist frequently, as Augustine knew very well, though he never was present at it.

q

They communicated in both kinds. As much may be inferred from the infamous story of their eucharist, formerly taken notice of. But, as the elect might not drink, it is doubtful what liquor they made use of; whether pure water, or water with raisins, or somewhat else, steeped in it. Beausobre is inclined to think that they made use of pure water; therein following the example of some other sects more ancient than themselves. So it may be; I do not deny it. But I almost wonder that Beausobre did not here recollect what Augustine writes of the diet of the elect, which he himself also has given a distinct account of elsewhere. For, if Augustine may be relied upon, and has been guilty of no misrepresentation, the elect, though

Neque hoc eorum doctrinæ tribuo: fateor enim et illos sedulo monere, ut ista caveantur. De Ut. Cred. c. i. n. 3.

Si adversarius nullus contra Deum est, ut quid baptizati sumus? ut quid eucharistia? ut quid Christianitas, si contra Deum nihil est Act. cum. Fel. c. 19. ap. Aug. T. 8.

i Unde etiam omnis religio, et maxime Christiana, ad sacramentum rudes infantes appellat? Faust. 1. 24, c. 1.

Qui his verbis mihi interrogandi sunt: Si omne malum

actuale est, antequam malum quispiam agat, quare accipit purificationem aquæ, cum nullum malum egerit per se ? Aut si nec dum egit, et purificandus est, licet [al. liquet,] eos naturaliter malæ stirpis pullulationem ostendere. Manet. Ep. ap. Aug. op. Imp. I. 3, c 187.

· Ούτω Μανιχαίοι, και Φρύγες, και οἱ το Σαμοσατεως μαθηται, τα ονοματα λέγοντες, εδεν ήττον εισιν αἱρετικοι. Οτ. 2, contr. Ar. n 43, p. 510, E m Diaconus eras,

et a Manichæis baptizatos recipiebas. Hier.contr. Lucifer. T. 4, P. 2, p. 301⁄2, m. quod non vult Manichæus; ut tamen propter vitium, quod in eos per peccatum primi hominis pertransiit, fateatur et parvulis necessarium salvatorem, quod non vult Pelagius. Contr. duas Ep. Pelag. c. 4. n. 3, T. 10.

• Nam et eucharistiam audivi a vobis sæpe quod accipiatis. Tempus autem cum me lateret, quid accipiatis, unde nôssè potui? Contr. Fort. Disp. i. n. 3. P B. T. 2, p. 721. Ib. 774, 775.

q ib. p. 723.

bibat autem mulsum, caroenum passum, et nonnullorum pomorum expressos succos, vini speciem satis imi

forbidden the use of wine, did sometimes drink beer, cyder, and a sort of boiled wine, or liquor resembling wine.

In the time of pope Leo, called the great, the people of this sect at Rome, the better to conceal themselves and avoid the severity of the laws, communicated with the catholics. They' received the bread, but they avoided the cup as much as possible; because, as I suppose, they scrupled to taste wine.

b

с

d

IV. The Manichees observed the Lord's day, but fasted upon it, auditors as well as elect. This is taken notice of by Augustine, Ambrose, Leo, just quoted. Ebedjesu, cited by Asseman, gives this reason of that practice: They expected the coming of Christ on that day." Which leads Beausobre to say, they' then meditated upon the last coming of Christ, at the end of this inferior world which we inhabit. Supposing that the conflagration and dissolution of our earth would happen on a Lord's-day, and not knowing which, they ever passed that day in fasting and prayer, that the Lord, when he came, might find them in the exercise of humiliation and repentance.

g

V. The Manichees, or however those of Africa, kept Easter, as we learn from Augustine; who only blames them that they did not keep it with sufficient solemnity. Beausobre

tecost.

h

supposes that there is no good reason to doubt of their keeping the feast of Pen

i

In the month of March, and therefore usually about the time of Easter, they celebrated the anniversary of the martyrdom of Mani, which was called Bema, or the master's chair. VI. Their ecclesiastical constitution we saw formerly, in the passage of Augustine concerning their elect and auditors.

k

1

It is likely they had also some ecclesiastical discipline, and that censures of their church were pronounced upon bad livers. This is supposed in a story told by Augustine of an indecency committed by some of the elect, whilst he was of that sect. He says, that he and others were offended, and expected that the men should have been excommunicated, or at least sharply reproved; but, as it seems, little notice was taken of the matter. The excuse they made was, that their assemblies were then prohibited by the laws, and therefore some inconvenience might happen, if their principal men were disobliged. He argues with them, as if an elect would be degraded for eating the smallest bit of flesh.

tantes.-De Mor. Manich. c. 13, n. 29. Hordei quidam succo vinum imitantur, quod movendo fit optimum. Sane, quod minime prætereundum est, hoc genus potûs citissime inebriat. Nec tamen unquam succum hordei fel principum esse dixistis. id. cap. 16, n. 46. et caronum, quod bibitis, nihil aliud quam coctum vinum esse videamus. ib. n. 47. Conf. c. 13, n. 30.

Cumque ad tegendam infidelitatem suam nostris audent interesse mysteriis, ita in sacramentorum communione se temperant, ut interdum tutius lateant. Ore indigno corpus Christi accipiunt, sanguinem autem redemtionis nostræ haurire omnino declinant. Leo. Serm. 4. de Quadragesima,

b Die autem Dominico jejunare scandalum est magnum, maxime posteaquam innotuit detestabilis hæresis Manichæorum, qui suis auditoribus ad jejunandum istum tamquam constituerunt legitimam diem. Augustin. Ep. ad Casulan. 36, [al. 86], n. 27. Vid. ib. n. 29. Die quoque Dominico cum illis jejunant, auditores scilicet.' Ep. 236, [al. 74,] n. 2. Dominicâ autem jejunare non possumus, quia Manichæos etiam ob istius diei jejunium damnamus. Ambr. Ep. Ep. 23, T. 2, p. 883, n. xi.

C

Vid. Leo. Serm. iv. de Quadrag. et passim.

Manichæi, resurrectionem abnegantes, contra Christianos jejunium luctumque in die dominico faciunt, aientes, in isto die fore ut hoc seculum subeat interitum dissolutionemque omnem post circulum novem millium annorum. ap. Assem. Bib. Or. T. 4. p. 361.

B.T: 2, p. 709.

m

3 Cum sæpe a vobis quærerem, illo tempore quo vos audiebam, quæ causa esset, quod Pascha Domini plerumque nullâ, interdum a paucis tepidissimâ festivitate frequentaretur, cum vestrum Bema, id est, diem quo Manichæus occisus est, quinque gradibus instructo tribunali, et pretiosis linteis adornato, magnis honoribus prosequamini? Contr. Ep. Manich. c. 8. n. 9.

"See T. 2, p. 711, n. xi.

i Illo enim mense (Martio) Bema vestrum cum magnâ festivitate celebratis. Contr. Faust. 1. 18, c. 5. Vid. not. k See before, p. 155, 156.

non

Quis

1 vidimus ergo in quadrivio Carthaginis,unum, sed plures quam tres electos simul, post transeuntes nescio quas feminas tam petulanti gestu adhinnire.-Nos autem graviter commoti, graviter etiam questi sumus. tandem hoc vindicandum, non dicam separatione ab ecclesia, sed pro magnitudine flagitii vehementi saltem objurgatione arbitratus est? Et hæc erat omnis excusatio impunitatis illorum, quod eo tempore quo conventicula eorum lege prohiberentur, ne quid læsi proderent, metuebatur. De Mor. Manich. c. 16. n. 68, 69.

Quæ ergo ratio est, vel potius amentia, de numero electorum hominem pellere, qui forte carnem valetudinis causâ, nulla cupiditate gustaverit? Ita fit ut in Electis vestris esse non possit, qui proditus fuerit, non concupiscendo, sed. medendo, partem aliquam cœnâsse gallina. De Mor. Manich, cap. 16, n. 51.