134 Noetians and Sabellians. [CENT. 3. That after death the foul paffed into other bodies, till they were either fufficiently purified to pass to the moon, whence after a certain luftration they were conveyed for farther purification to the fun; or else they were delivered to the dæmons of the air, by whom they were feverely chaftifed, and then were fent to animate other bodies. That when all the parts of celeftial fubftance fhall be difengaged from matter, a devouring fire fhall burft forth; the earth fhall be caft into utter darknefs, where the devils fhall dwell for ever, confined with the fouls whofe indolence has prevented their purification. Aufterity and mortification were the leading features in the characters of the Manichæans, The ecclefiaftics and the perfect were strictly prohibited from marriage, and confined folely to the enjoyment of spiritual delights. Every severity which could extenuate and mortify the body was required from all. The fanciful inventor of these fables, after various viciffitudes, is faid to have been condemned to a cruel and ignominious death, by the command of the Perfian king. The fects which were founded by Noetus and Sabellius, during this century, have been fre quently confidered as much alike in their tenets, and the followers of each have been distinguished by the name of Patripaffians: but the two fects differed in feveral important articles. Noetus afferted that the Father had united himself with the CENT. 3.] Paulianifts. 133 the man Chrift, and was born and crucified with him; while Sabellius maintained, that the Word and the Holy Spirit were only emanations of the Deity; and that the former was united to the Son of God, the man Jefus; and that, having in him accomplished the falvation of man, he had diffused himself on the Apostles in tongues of fire, and was then called the Holy Ghoft. Noetus was excommunicated and condemned in the council of Afia. Though the herefy of Paul of Samofata, the metropolitan of Antioch, appears to have been received by confiderably fewer numbers than the opinions of many of the other fectaries; yet the distinguished rank of this herefiarch, and the vigorous oppofition which he made to the decrees of thofe Councils by which he was depofed, attracted general attention. He afferted the fimple humanity of Chrift; but maintained, that the wisdom or spirit of the Father had defcended upon him, dwelt within him, and empowered him to work miracles and inftruct mankind. The fplendor of this prelate's appearance vied with that of a monarch; and the levity of his manners, it is faid, his ambition, and the arrogance with which he propagated his opinions, were as generally deteftable as the doctrines which he taught*. Several * As we have our accounts of Sectaries only from their adverfaries, we must always admit with great caution the representations K 4 which Novatians. 136 [CENT. 3. veral councils were convened on this occafion, and by their decrees Paul was degraded from the epifcopal dignity; but under the protection of the queen of Antioch, he continued to enjoy the emoluments of his ftation during four years. It is certainly to the credit of Paul to have poffeffed the patronage and favour of fo diftinguished a character. The court of Palmyra was the refort of all the learned; and is consecrated to the latest ages by the presence of the incomparable Longinus, who poffibly might imbibe his tafte for the Hebrew and Chriftian writers from the converfation of this diftinguished fectary. The defeat of Zenobia was, however, a prelude to that of Paul. The contending parties agreed to fubmit the decifion of their caufe to the emperor Aurelian, by whose sentence the rebellious prelate was depofed. The feparatifts who followed Paul affumed the appellation of Paulians, or Paulianifts. The followers of Novation, a prefbyter of the Church of Rome; and of Novatus, a prefbyter of Carthage, were diftinguished merely by their difcipline; for their religious and doctrinal tenets do not appear to be at all different from those of the Church. They condemned fecond which are tranfmitted to us, particularly with refpect to the private eharacters of herefiarchs, &c. As however hiftory furnishes us no better materials, it is only fair to exhibit all we know of them, conftantly keeping this caution in our view, mar CENT. 3.] Novatians. 137 marriages, and for ever excluded from their communion all those who after baptifm had fallen into this fin. They affected very fuperior purity; and though they conceived a finner might poffibly hope for eternal life, they abfolutely refufed to re-admit into their communion any who had lapfed into fin, and separated from the Church of Rome, because the members of it had admitted into their communion, many who had during a season of perfecution rejected the Chriftian faith. CHAP. [ 138 ] CHAP. IV. OF LEARNING AND LEARNED MEN IN THE THIRD CENTURY. Origen Cyprian, bishop of Carthage-Gregory Thaumaturgus-Dionyfius of Alexandria-Methodius of TyrePorphyry-Serapion-Minucius Felix-Julius Africanus -Hefychius-Lucian-Pamphilus, &c.—Apoftolical ConAitutions-Longinus-Dion Caffius. THE HE induftry, the erudition, and the accomplishments of Origen juftly entitle him to the most distinguished place amongst the Chriftian writers of the third century. His attention to the Sacred Scriptures was early and indefatigable; but though the principal, they were not the only objects of his ftudies: he was converfant in philofophy and polite literature, published feveral doctrinal and moral treatifes, and entered the field of controverfy with vigour and fuccefs. The number of his literary performances exceeds that of any other Chriftian writer in the early ages, and is indeed very confiderable. He compofed Commentaries, Scholia, and Homilies upon the Bible, parts of which ftill exift; treatises upon prayer, and on the principles of religion; and eight books in defence of Chriftianity against the attacks of Celfus, which are still extant, and are invaluable, |