History of the First Ten Persecutions, History 3 · Chapter 3 · Part
Of Heretiques.
IVstly did EPIPHANIVS compare an Heretique to a modiwart, a beast in quantitie litle, lurking in subterraneall holes, and yet working great harme to well laboured ground: Neuerthelesse when it hapneth that this noysome and blinde beast creepeth out of her hole, and runneth vponupon the superfice of the earth, she is a ridiculous, wandering and feeble beast, shee cannot see the hole out of which she hath crept forth, & she is easily taken and slaine: Euen so Heretiques, so long as they lurke in secret, they peruert the heartes of many simple and ignorant people: but when they set out their heades, and their-doctrine is examined by the light of Gods euerlasting word, they are found to be ridiculous and feeble beastes. In the former Centuries by way of preterition I passed by many obscure heresies. The like order I intend God willing to keepe in this Centurie also. The Heretiques called Artotyritae who added Artotyritae.vntounto the administration of their sacrament cheese vntounto the bread. Alogi who rejected the writings of the holy Alogi.Apostle IOHN, and said they were written by CERINTHVS. Albeit the Euangelist IOHN of purpose wrote the historie of his Euangell against EBION and CERINTHVS. Adamiani who Adamiani.had their conuenticles in subterraneall places called Hypocausta, because that vnderunder the place of their meetings, a fornace of fire was kindled to warme the place of their conuentions: for they vnclothed themselues when they entered into it, and stood naked both men and women according to the similitude of ADAM and EVA before their fall. Theodotiani who denied the diuinitie of Christ, taking the name of their sect from a miserable man in Constantinople called. Theodotiani.THEODOTVS, who in time of persecution, for louelove of temporall life, denied the King of glory Iesus Christ, and when this filthie deniall was objected to him as a reproche of a cowardly heart, hee answered that he denied not God, but man, by this answere signifying that Christ was man onelyonly and not God manifested in our nature. Melchisedeciani magnified MELCHISEDECK aboue Christ. Bardesianisiae M…deciani. Bardesianistae. Ualesii.were but a branch of the heresie of the Ualentinians and Gnostici, who denied the resurrection as is already declared in the second Centurie. Valesii, who gelded themselues. Angelici, whose name was better knowne to EPIPHANIVS then the originall of their sect. Apostolici, who would hauehave no possessions, but rejoyced in voluntarie pouertie, & detested Apostolici.mariage, giuing out a sentence against themselues, that they were vncleane, because they were procreated by mariage. Origeniani, & Turpes. These were vile and filthie beastes, not Origenianiabhorring from whoredome, but from procreation of children, to the end they might seeme to be chaste. They were like to ONAN the sonne of IVDAH whome the Lord destroyed, Gen. 38. ver. 9. 10. All these heresies mentioned by Epiphan. contra haereses, lib. 2. I passe by almost with silence, because they were like vntounto abortiue birthes, and continued not long to perturbe the peace of the Church.
Now concerning other Heretiques, by whose venemous doctrine the Church of Christ had greater strife and perturbation. Artemon.ARTEMON and BERYLLVS B. of Bostra in Arabia denied the diuinitie of Christ, and affirmed that he was not existent before hee tooke flesh of the Virgine. With BERYLLVS ORIGEN conferred, & reduced him backe againe to the true faith, and therefore I set not his name in the Catalogue of Heretiques, because he added not vntounto the fault of his bad opinion an obstinate defending of the same, Euseb eccl. hist, lib. 6 cap. 33.
The heresie of Helcesaitae otherwise called Sampsei, because Helcesaitae.of the shorte continuance of it is scarce worthy to bee reckoned, as I hauehave declared in the treatise of heresie. They mixed the religion of the Iewes, Gentiles and Christians together, but were more addicted to the superstition of the Iewes then to any one of the other two. Epiphan contra haereses lib. 2. They rejected the writings of the Apostle PAVL and affirmed that a man who denied the Lorde with his mouth in the time of persecution, if so be he adhered to the faith in his hart, he had committed no sinne. They caried about with them a singulare book which they said was sent downe from heauen, and they promised remission of sinnes to eueryevery man who would hearken to the wordes of that booke. Comment. Func. in Chronol.
NOVATVS a Presbyter at Rome was a man of a contentious spirit, and men that are humorous, high minded and contentious, they are wise to doe euill, but they can do no good. Such a man was NOVATVS, who disquieted with schisme, and heresie two of the most notable Churches in the world at that time, viz Carthage and Rome by giuing out a rigorous sentence against those who in time of persecution had fallen, albeit they had repented after their fall, and all outward tokens of vnfained repentance had beene seene in them. yet his opinion was that they should not be admitted againe to the fellowship of the Church. This opinion was not onelyonly repugnant to the wordes of ISA 1. Ezech. 18. Mat. 11. & to innumerable moe places of sacred scripture, but also it was a foolish opinion aduancing the kingdome of the deuill and not the kingdome of God. For the two great wheeles of the cart of the deuill, whereby hee carieth men headlong to hell are presumption and desperation: & mercilesse NOVATVS taching a doctrine that strengthened not the knees of the weake, he did what in him lay to moue sinners to despare. Therefore CYPRIAN B. of Carthage who excommunicated him, and CORNELIVS B. of Rome who did the like with aduise of a graue and worthy Councill gathered at Rome, Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 43. are to be counted wise men, because they endeuoured timonsly to suppresse those errors that weakened the harts of the children of God. I reade of no heresie preceeding the heresie of ARRIVS and EVTYCHES that continued longer time in the Church of God then the heresie of NOVATVS, partly because it crept in vnderunder pretence of zeale to the glory of God, and vnderunder pretence of a detestation of sin: partly also, because the Novatian Heretiques in the question concerning the diuinitie of Christ were comformable to the opinion of the true Church, Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 12. Thirdly, because in time of the Arrian persecution the Novatians were banished and troubled with no Iesse hatefull malice and despite then the members of the true Church were: yea and the true Catholickes and Novatianes beeing companions of one and the selfe-same suffering were content also to giuegive their liues one for another, Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 38. And the foresaide authour saith, Parúmque abfuit quin coadunarentur, Socrat, ibid. that is, They were neere by vnited and agreed together, to wit, the true Catholickes and Novatians. But what was the impediment that hindered their vnion? Reade the historie, and it shall not bee found in the true Catholickes, but in the obstinacie and wilfulnesse of the Novatians. And so it falleth out at all times that men who are authours of heresies and schismes, are also the principall hinderers of the redintegration of the vnitie of the Church. The razing and demolishing of the Temple of the Novatians in Cyzicum a famous towne of Bithynia together with the calamitie of the people of Mantinium a towne of Paphlagonia, Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 38, clearely proueth that the Novatian heresie continued vntill the dayes of CONSTANTIVS the sonne of CONSTANTINE an Arrian Emperour and persecuter of the true faith. The fauour that they obtained in the dayes of IVLIAN I passe ouer with silence. But in the dayes of the reigne of THEODOSIVS, the Novatians by the Emperours edict were permitted to hauehave publicke conuentions in Constantinople, to enjoy such priuiledges as other Christians had, & to possesse the oratories and temples whereinto they were accustomed to serue God. All this toleration and libertie was granted to them by the good Emperour THEODOSIVS, because in the heade of doctrine anent the diuinitie of Christ they damned the Acrians, & agreed with the Homousians, Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 10. The Magdeburg historie saith that this heresie continued in Constantinople vntill the time that it was conquessed by the Turkes, Cent. 3. cap. 5. I hauehave written of this heresie at greater length to admonish all true Christians that it is not enough to adhere to some pointes of the true faith, and to suffer persecution for righteousnesse at some times, and to louelove brotherly fellowshippe at some times, so that we are content … life for our brethren: all these things did the Novatians, and were fauoured by the Emperour THEODOSIVS, as said is, yet were they both sehismatickes and Heretiques, because they would be wiser then God, and debarred them from the bosome of Christs compassions whom Christ inviteth to come vntounto him, saying, Come vntounto me all ye that are wearie and laden, and I will ease you, Mat. 11. ver. 28, Let the example of the Novatians admonish men, who studie to singularitie, and to bring in newe customes or opinions into the Church of God, to take heede that their opinions be not repugnant vntounto the written word: lest, after they hauehave continued a long time, in ende they be rejected as opinions, foolish, vaine, hereticall, and not agreeing with the scriptures of God. His followers were called foreign or puritans, Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 43. Hist. Magd. cent. 3. cap. 5. Let this name rest in the bosome of Heretiques. And men who are not guiltie of the faultes, that were in the Novatians, if they be vndeseruedly charged with this name giuen of olde to Heretiques, let them say with humble heartes, that in one sense they are foreign because they are purged from sinne in the fountaine of the blood of Christ, I Iohn 1. ver. 7. But in no other sense & meaning can true Christians be called foreign, except onelyonly in this, because their sinnes are freely forgiuen in Christ, and God hath begun the worke of sanctification in them, to be a testimonie that they are planted in the stocke of Christ. In this sense speaketh the Euangelist IOHN, foreign, that is, Nowe are yee cleane through the word that I hauehave spoken vntounto you, Ioh. 15. ver. 3.
The heresie of SABELLIVS began to shew it selfe vntounto the world, about the yeere of our Lord 257. vnderunder the reigne of Sabelliani.GALLVS. It was first fet foorth by NOETVS in Ptolemaida, afterward by HERMOGENES, and PRAZEAS, and last it was propagated by SABFLLIVS the disciple of NOETVS. Alwayes the heresie rather taketh the name from the disciple then from the master. They confessed that there was but one God alanerly, but they denied that there were three distinct persons in this one Godhead, viz. The Father, Sonne and holy Ghost. By this their opinion they confounded the two Greek words, foreign, as if there wer no difference betweene them. No man dare presume to say that in God there are three distinct substances, therefore SABELLIVS and his adherents saide that there were not three distinct subsistences or persons in the Godhead, but the three names of Father, Sonne and holy Ghost were giuen to one person allanerly, but pointed not out distinction of persons or subsistences in the Godhead, Ruffin. hist. lib. 1. cap. 29. By this opinion they were compelled to grant that it was the Father who clad himselfe with our nature, and died for our sinnes, and therefore they were called Patrispassiani because their opinion imported that the Father suffered.
In the reigne of GALLIENVS, and about the yeere of our Lord 264, a certaine Bishop in Egypt called NEPOS beganne Nepotiani.to affirme that at the latter day the godly should rise before the wicked, and should liue with Christ heere in the earth a thousand yeeres in aboundance of all kinde of delicate earthly pleasures. The ground of this errour was the misunderstanding of the wordes of the Reuelation of IOHN chap. 20. ver. 5. 6. In refuting of this heresie DIONYSIVS Bishoppe of Alexandria bestowed his trauels with good successe: for hee disputed against CORACION a man professing this errour in Arsenoitis a place of Egypt, whome hee refuted in presence of many brethren, who were auditours of that disputation, for the space of three dayes from morning till euening. So that in end CORACION yeelded, and promised that hee should not maintaine any such opinion in time to come, Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 24.
About that same time, that is, in the time of the reigne Samosatenus.of GALLIENVS, CLAVDIVS and AVRELIANVS. PAVLVS SAMOSATENVS Bishop of Antiochia, 'a pestilent fellowe, denied the diuinitie of the Sonne of God, and affirmed that Christ obtained the name of the Sonne of God through his vertuous behauiour & patient suffering, but he was not naturally & truly the Son of God begotten of the substance of the father. His life correspondent to his doctrine was wicked and profane. Hee was accustomed to walke through the streetes of Antiochia accompanied with a number of flattering friendes and seruants, some going before him and others following after him, and hee himselse in the mids, reading or meditating letters to his secretaries, Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 30. Which forme of presumptuous and stately behauiour was offensiue to the people, who thought that pompe and pride was not beseeming to Bishops, who were preachers of the humilitie, meekenesse and patient sufferings of Christ. But if the men of Antiochia (saith PLATINA) had beene in his dayes, and had seene the stately traine of the Bishop of Rome & his Cardinals, accompanied with so many seruants, clothed in silke and sumptuous apparell, and riding vponupon gallant and lustie horses, richly deckt with gold & costly foot-mantles of diuerse collours, they would hauehave beene more offended, and would hauehave said, that such pride had nothing to doe with the simplicitie and humilitie of Christ. Platin. in vit. Sixt. 2. But to returne againe to PAVLVS SAMOSATENVS, he was so couetous of vaine glory, that he built vntounto himselfe in the Church a glorious seate according to the similitud of a princely throne, & frō this seat he spake vntounto the people, whome he was accustomed to reproue with sharp words, if they had not receiued his words with cheerefull acclamations and shoutings, such as were wont to be vsed in stage places, Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 30. The Psalmes also, that were sung in the Church to the praise of God, hee abrogated, and was not ashamed to hire women to sing his owne praises in the Congregation of the Lordes people. For this his damnable doctrine and lewd life he was most justly deposed by the Councill conueened at Antiochia, and excommunicated by all Christian Churches in the whole world, and was so detested by all good men that FIRMILIANVS Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and DIONYSIVS ALEXANDRINVS, who for his olde age might not trauell and bee present at the Councill of Antiochia, yet they both damned the Heretique SAMOSATENVS by their letters sent to the Congregation of Antiochia, but not to the Bishop thereof, because hee was not worthy that any man should salute him either by worde or write, Euseb. ibid.
MANES a Persian, otherwise called MANICHEVS, a man furious and madde, answering well vntounto his Manes & Manichei.name set foorth the venome of his heresie in the time of the reigne of DIOCLETIAN, Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 31. a man both in speech and maners rude and barbarous, in inclination deuihsh: yet he durst presume to cal himselfe the holy spirit, as MONTANVS had done before, and to represent Christes actions in chusing vntounto him 12. disciples, whome he sent forth to propagat his errours into diuerse parts of the world, Eufeb. ibid. His heresie contained a masse or venemous composition of olde extinguished errours, which he renued and massed together, such as the errour of CERDON and MARCION concerning two beginnings: The error of Encratitae in prohibition of meates which God hath appointed for the vse of man with thanksgiuing, specially flesh and wine: He vtterly rejected the olde Testament, as many other Heretiques had done before him. He ascribed not sinne to the free wil of man and his voluntarie defection from the estate of his first creation, but to necessitie, because mans body was made of the substance of the prince of darkenesse. This was that heresie wherewith AVGVSTINE was infected before his conuersion, but the Lord who brought foorth light out of darknes, & made PAVL, sometime a persecnter, to be a preacher of his Gospell, and CYPRIAN a sorcerer to bee a worthy preacher and martyre: this same gratious Lord (I say) in the multitude of his vnspeakable compassions drewe AVGVSTINE out of this filthie mire of abominable heresie, and made him like vntounto a bright starre sending foorth the beames of light to the comfort of Gods house. The opinion of MANES anent the creation of the world, and the creation of man, the manifestation of Christ in our nature rather in shewe and appearance then in veritie, and the horrible abomination of their vile Eucharist, no man can be ignorant of these things who hath read but a litle of the bookes of AVGVSTINE written against the Manicheans. In ende like as MANES exceeded all the rest of the Heretiques in madnesse of foolish opinions: euen so the Lorde pointed him out among all the rest to be a a spectacle of his wrath and vengeance. For the king of Persia hearing of the fame of MANES, sent for him to cure his sonne, who was deadly diseased: but when he sawe that his sonne died in his hands, he cast him into prison and was purposed to put him to death: but hee escaped out of prison and fled to Mesopotamia. Neuerthelesse the king of Persia vnderstanding in what place MANES did lurke, sent men who pursued him, tooke him and excoriated his body, and stopped his skinne full of chaffe, and set it vp before the entrie of a certaine citie of Mesopotamia, Socrat. eccles. hist. lib. 1. cap. 22. If any man bee desirous to hauehave greater knowledge of this remarkable Heretique, both in respect of his life and death, he may reade the fore. mentioned chapter of the ecclesiasticall historie of SOCRATES, and hee shall finde that the first man called MANICHEVS, who renued the errour of two beginnings was a man of Scythia. He had a disciple first called BVDDAS, afterward TEREBYNTHVS who dwelt in Babylon. This man TEREBYNTHVS was the composer of these bookes which MANES gaue out vnderunder his owne name. MANES was but a slauish boy bought with money by a woman of Babylon, in whose house TEREBYNTHVS had lodged, and shee brought vp the boy at schoole: his name was CVRBICVS when he was bought, but when this woman died, she left in legacie to CVRBICVS the money and bookes of TEREBYNTHVS, and he went from Babylon to Persia, changed his name and called himselfe MANES, and set forth the bookes of TEREBYNTHVS as if they had beene composed by himselfe, so that hee added vntounto the rest of his villanies this fault also, that he was from his very youth a dissembled and deceitfull fellow, Reade the historie of Socrat, lib. 1. cap. 22.
After MANES sprang vp HIERAX, who spake of the Father, Hieracitae.and the Sonne as of two lights different in substance. He damned mariage, denied the resurrection of the body, & excluded infants from the kingdome of God, Epiph. contrahaeres. Hist, Magd. Marke in this Catalogue of the heresies of the first three hundreth yeres how many of the deuils trumpeters sounded the doctrine of the prohibition of mariage. The Nicolaitans, Gnostici, Encratitae, Montanistae, Apostolici, Origeniani called Turpes, Manichei and Hieracitae. Satan hateth mariage to the end that his kingdome might be aduanced by fornication and all kinde of vncleannesse.