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, re'covering 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 fountain, 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.'

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

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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 thanksgiving in memory of the mystic crucifixion of our Saviour. That crucifixion, according to them, had only moral views.'

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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 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.

" Unde patet recte esse pœnitentiam datam post adventum salvatoris, et post hanc scientiam rerum, quâ possit animâ, 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. P Ibid. p. 794. m.

• T. 2. p. 703, 704.

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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 pat'tern in his resurrection.'

And, after quoting the passages of Fortunatus transcribed above, the same learned author says: Its hence 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 sacrifice. All the efficacy of the mi'nistry of Christ consisted in the power of his doctrine, sup'ported 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 ast Clement of Alexandria.'

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SECT. V.

THEIR WORSHIP,

1. 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. IT is now proper to take some notice of their worship. Here a fine passage of Faustus offers itself. He is showing the difference between his sect and heathens: They think

See more to the same purpose, ib. p. 546.
See notes" and " p. 383.

n

• Beaus. T. 2. p. 549.

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. Αγοράζει δε ήμας Κυριος τιμιῳ αίματι, δεσποτων παλαι των πικρών απαλλασσων ἁμαρτιων, δι' ας τα πνευματικά της πονηρίας εκυριευσεν ἡμων. Id. in Ecl. p. 994. n. 20.

Item Pagani aris, delubris, simulachris, victimis, atque incenso, Deum

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 pure ' and simple.'

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So Faustus. And Beausobre supposeth that their worship was generally simple and plain, like that of a sect that arose and separated from the catholics in the third century, and was always persecuted.

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 Augustined 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.

colendum putant. Ego ab his in hoc quoque 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.

b A l'égard de la pompe, je ne suis point surpris qu'il n'y en eut 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.

• Nôsti autem me non Electum vestrum, sed Auditorem fuisse. Itaque, quamvis et orationi vestræ interfuerim, et interrogâstis, &c. Disp. contr. Fortun. i. n. 3.

a See before, p. 352.

• Et tamen epistolas apostolorum, quibus hæc omnia contestantur, tenetis, legitis, prædicatis. Aug. contr. Faust. 1. 12. c. 24.

Certe et ipsi Manichæi legunt apostolum Paulum, et laudant et honorant, et ejus epistolas male interpretando multos decipiunt. Id. de Genesi, l. i. c. 2

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

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

of it.

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

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 upon them.

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

They communicated in both kinds. As much may be inferred from the infamous story of their eucharist, formerly

Ipsa enim nobis illo tempore miseris quando lecta est, illuminati dicebamur a vobis. Contr. Ep. Fund. c. v. n. 6.

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b See Vol. ii. of this work, p. 32, 33, 58.

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

m 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. 1. 3. c. 187.

* Ούτω Μανιχαιοι, και Φρυγες, και οἱ τε Σαμοσατεως μαθηται, τα ονόματα λεγοντες, εδεν ήττον εἰσιν αἱρετικοι. Οr. 2. contr. Ar. n. 43. p. 510. Ε. et a Manichæis baptizatos recipiebas. Hier. contr. Lucifer. T. 4. P. 2. p. 305. m.

P

Diaconus erat,

-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 cua me later, quid accipiatis, unde nôsse potui? Contr. Fort. Disp. i. n. 3.

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taken notice of But, as the elect might not drink wine, 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 oft elsewhere. For, if Augustine may be relied upon, and has been guilty of no misrepresentation, the elect," though 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, cominunicated 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.

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 B. T. 2. p. 721. Ib. p. 774, 775. -bibat autem mulsum, caroenum passum, et nonnullorum pomorum expressos succos, vini speciem satis imitantes.-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, ib. cap. 16. n. 46.-et caronum, quod bibitis, nihil aliud quam coctum vinum esse videamus. ib. n. 47. Conf. c. 13. n. 30.

• Ib. p. 723.

▾ 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.

Die autem dominico jejunare scandalum est magnum, maxime posteaquam innotuit detestabilis- -hæresis Manichæorum, qui suis auditoribus ad jejunandum istum tanquam 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.

* Dominica autem jejunare non possumus, quia Manichæos etiam ob istius diei jejunium damnamus. Ambr. Ep. 23. T. 2. p. 883. n. xi.

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.