Death of Manes; his doctrines.

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Spirit, nor before Catechumens do we discourse plainly about mysteries; but many things many times we speak in a covert manner, that the faithful who know may understand, and that those who know not may receive no hurt.

30. With such words and many more was the serpent overcome; thus did Archelaus wrestle with Manes, and threw him. Again he, who had fled from prison, flies from this (17.) place also: and, having escaped his adversary, he comes to a very mean village; like the serpent in Paradise who left Adam, and came to Eve. But the good shepherd Archelaus taking thought for the sheep, when he heard of his flight, straightway with all speed hastened in search of the wolf. Manes. seeing his adversary unexpectedly, rushed away and fled; and fled for the last time. For the guards of the king of Persia, being on the search, arrest the runaway, and inflict on him the i☛ì roũ sentence which he was on the point of receiving at the see 'Agxiof Archelaus. That Manes, who is now worshipped by his i. e.from disciples, is seized, and led to the king; the king cast in his teeth his falsehood and flight; derided his slavish condition; avenged the murder of his son; condemned him also for the murder of the jailors. He orders Manes to be flayed after the Persian fashion; and the rest of his body was thrown as food for wild beasts: but his skin, that receptacle of a most foul mind, was hung up like a sack before the gates. He who called himself the Paraclete, and professed to know things to come, knew not his own flight and seizure1.

λάου.

the

po

pulace.

31. This man had three disciples, Thomas, and Baddas, (18.) and Hermas. Let no one read the gospel according to Thomas, for it is the work, not of one of the Twelve Apostles, but of one of the three evil followers of Manes. Let no one join himself to the soul-wasting Manichees,-who affect Tois the harshness of fasting with chaff and water, who gorge dari. ἀχύρων themselves with the daintiest of meats, while they speak against the Creator, who teach, that he who plucks up a herb, is changed into it. For if he who crops a herb, or any vegetable, is changed into it, into how many will husbandmen and the tribe of gardeners be changed? Into how

h The foregoing account of the history of Manes and his predecessors, is confirmed in substance by Socrates, Hist. i. 22. Epiphanius, Hær. 66. and Arche

laus, Act. Disput.

i Vid. the account of the Manichæan heresy appended to the Translation of S. Austin's Confessions.

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Doctrines and rites of Manicheism.

LECT. many doth the gardener put his sickle, as we see;-into VI. which then of these is he transformed? Ridiculous doctrines

(19.)

truly, and fraught with their own condemnation and shame! A shepherd both sacrifices a sheep and slays a wolf; into which is he changed? Many men have both netted fishes and limed birds; into which are they changed?

32. Let the Manichees, children of sloth, answer; who themselves work not, and eat up the labours of those who do; who receive with smiling countenances those who bring them meats, and return them curses instead of blessings. For when some simple person brings them any thing, the Manichee says, "Stand forth a little, and I will bless thee:" then having received the bread into his hand, (as some of them who have repented have confessed,) he says to the bread, I did not make thee;" and he utters curses against the Highest, and curses him that made the bread, and thus eats what is made. If thou hatest food, why didst thou look with a smiling face on him who brought it? If thou art grateful to him who brought it, why utterest thou blasphemy against God who made and fashioned it? And again he says, "I did not sow thee; may the sower of thee be sown! I did not reap thee with a sickle; may the reaper of thee be reaped! I baked thee not with fire; may the baker of thee be baked!" A fair return this for kindness.

33. These are great offences, yet but small in comparison of what remains behind. I do not venture to describe their

k

Baptism before men and women. I do not venture to say what they dispense to their wretched congregations'. It is truly a pollution of our lips to speak on the subject. Are Greeks more loathsome? are Samaritans more abandoned ? are Jews more blasphemous? are open profligates more unclean? The Manichee at the very altar, as he thinks right, places his offering"; and dost thou, O man, accept teaching

k The Manichees of later times seem to have rejected Baptism, using oil for water, or considering Baptism a spiritual washing. Ed. Bened.

1 The original runs thus: Οὐ τολμῶ εἰπεῖν, τίνι ἐμβάπτοντες τὴν ἰσχάδα, διδόασι τοῖς ἀθλίοις. διὰ συσσήμων δὲ μόνον δηλούσθω. ἄνδρες γὰρ τὰ ἐν τοῖς ἐνυπνιασμοῖς ἐνθυμείσθωσιν, καὶ γυναῖκες τὰ ἐν ἀφέδροις.

Μιαίνομεν ἀληθῶς τὸ στόμα κ. τ. λ.

m

· Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πορνεύσας, πρὸς μίαν ὥραν δι ἐπιθυμίαν τελεῖ τὴν πρᾶξιν· καταγινώσκων δὲ τῆς πράξεως, ὡς μιανθεὶς οἶδε λουτροῦ ἐπιδεόμενος, καὶ γινώσκει τῆς πράξεως τὸ μυσαρόν. Ὁ δὲ Μανιχαῖος θυσιαστηρίου μέσον, οὗ νομίζει, τίθησι ταῦτα, καὶ μιαίνει καὶ τὸ στόμα καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν. παρὰ τοιούτου στόματος, ἄνθρωπε κ. τ. λ.

Contrast between the Church and heresy.

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at such a mouth? dost thou meet him and greet him at all with a kiss; and not rather, without reference to his other blasphemy, flee from this defiled teacher, from a man worse than dissolute, more loathsome than any haunt of profligacy? 34. These things the Church tells of and teaches thee, and touches mire, that thou be not bemired: she tells of wounds, that thou be not wounded. Suffice it thee to know the fact; attempt not to learn by experience.-God thunders, and we all tremble; but they blaspheme. God lightens, and we all bow down to earth; but they have blasphemous tongues concerning the heavens,-which are written in their books, and which we have read, disbelieving those who affirmed them: yes, for your salvation, we have closely inquired into their deadly doctrines".

35. But may the Lord deliver us from such error: and may (20.) you be vouchsafed enmity against the serpent; that as they watch the heel, so you in turn may trample on their head. Remember the text, What agreement is there between our matters and theirs? what hath light to do with darkness? 2 Cor. What the majesty of the Church with the abomination of the 6, 14. Manichees? Here is order, here is discipline, here majesty, irworńhere chastity: here even a wanton glance is condemnation. n. vid. Here is marriage with seriousness, and perseverance in conti- trod. Lect. §. nence, and the angelical rank of a virgin life, feasting with 4. thanksgiving, and towards the Maker of the world an affec- Bewμátionate heart. Here the Father of Christ is worshipped; here is wμτοχή. taught fear and trembling towards Him who sends us rain, 1 Tim. and praise ascribed to Him who thunders and lightens.

36. Fold thou with the sheep: flee the wolves; depart not from the Church. Nay, abhor those who at any time have come into suspicion of such things; and unless in the course of time thou ascertain their repentance, be not hasty to trust thyself with them. The truth is now delivered to thee, how

supr.In

4,3.

VI.

Vid. 1

LECT. God only is the First Principle of all things; distinguish one pasturage of doctrine from another. Be thou a good vagxías. banker, holding fust what is good, abstaining from all Thess.5, appearance of evil. But if thou thyself wert even one of them, 21. 22. now that thou hast discovered thine error, abhor it. It will prove a way of salvation, to vomit it up; to hate it from thy heart; to shun them too, not with thy lips only, but with thy soul also; to bow down to the Father of Christ, the God of the Law and the Prophets; to acknowledge the Good and the Just, to be One and the same God. May He keep all of you, guarding you from fall and offence, stablished in the Faith, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

• Iívov dóximos Tearins. These words, which are frequently quoted in antiquity, are sometimes ascribed to our Lord, sometimes to S.Paul. Vid.Constit. Apost. ii. 36. Clementin. Hom. ii, 51.

iii, 50 &c. Dionys.Alex. ap. Euseb. Hist. vii, 7. Origen in Joan. viii. 20. &c. Ussher, Valesius, &c. consider it taken from the Gospel according to the Hebrews.

LECTURE VII.

ON GOD, THE FATHER.

EPH. iii. 14, 15.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family of heaven and earth is named.

χίας,

1. OF God as the One Principle of all things I said enough gì rñs yesterday; enough, I mean, not in respect to the subject, (for ovog. mortal nature cannot reach this,) but in the measure of our of the weakness; and I trod the bye paths which have been variously God. Unity of struck out by profane heretics: now, shaking from us their foul and soul-destroying doctrine, and remembering it not to our hurt, but for their detestation, let us revert to ourselves, and receive the salutary articles of the true Faith, joining to the dignity of God's sole sovereignty, the attribute of Father, and believing in One God the Father. It is not enough to believe in One God: we must receive with reverence this also, that He is the Father of the Only-begotten, our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. For thus our view of religion will rise above the Jewish. (2.) For the Jews receive indeed the doctrine of the One God; (though they have often denied this too by committing idolatry;) but they deny that He is also the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, differing from their own Prophets, who say in Holy Scripture, The Lord hath said unto Me, Thou art My Ps. 2,7. Son, this day have I begotten Thee. Even to this day they rage and gather against the Lord and against His Christ, Ps. 2, 1. thinking that the Father may be made their friend, apart from devotion towards the Son; knowing not that no man John14, cometh to the Father, but by the Son, who saith, I am the John10, door, and I am the way. He then who declines the Way 9. which leads to the Father, and denies the Door, how shall he John14, be vouchsafed entrance to God? They contradict too the words of the eighty-eighth Psalm: He shall cry unto Me, Ps. 89, Thou art My Father, My God, and the rock of My salvation;

a

2.

6.

6.

26. 27.