awakened to consideration; and that by reasons and arguments, calmly proposed, they who had been seduced, might be convinced of their error, brought back to the catholic church, and to the acknowledgment of the right faith.

VIII. Hitherto we have chiefly considered the origin of this sect, and the history of its author, and his first followers, with their sufferings, as related by Sulpicius, who has given but a very general account of their opinions. And it may be expected, that some farther notice should be taken of these by us.

1. There is no account of this sect in Epiphanius. Fabricius indeed has referred us for a knowledge of them to Epiphanius and Damascenus; but it is a mistake of that excellent man, through haste. Epiphanius speaks there only of the Montanists, sometimes called Priscillians from Priscilla, one of Montanus's prophetesses; and Damascenus's article in the place referred to is only Epiphanius's summary or recapitulation. Quesnell says, Epiphanius takes no notice of this sect. The reason, he thinks, may be, that he did not distinguish it from the Gnostic or Manichæan, with whom the Priscillianists very much agreed. But I should think that there is another very obvious reason of Epiphanius's silence, and more likely to be the true reason; which is, that this sect did not become famous, till after Epiphanius had finished his work. Nor are they expressly mentioned by Philaster; whether he has quite omitted them, will be considered hereafter. However, there are several writers, which may be of use to us, beside Sulpicius Severus, the historian already transcribed: Augustine has a long article concerning them in his book Of Heresies; Orosius, of Spain, sent or delivered to Augustine a Memoir or Commonitorium relating to them. And other writers have mentioned them.

2. Augustine, at the beginning of his article concerning them, which I transcribe below, says, 'The Priscillianists, 'followers of Priscillian of Spain, have a mixture of the 'doctrines of the Gnostics and Manichees, together with errors borrowed likewise from other heresies.'

"De Priscilliano-ejusque hæresi-Epiphanius et Damascenus hæresi 49. Fabric. not. ad Hieron. de V. I. cap. 121. Ap. Bib. Ec.

De hac hæresi nihil apud Epiphanium, qui forte eam a Gnosticorum, Manichæorum, aliorumque sectis, quibuscum pleraque habebant Priscillianistæ communia, non distinxit. Quesn. Not. et Observ. in Ep. xv. S. Leon. p. 447.

* Priscillianista, quos in Hispaniâ Priscillianus instituit, maxime Gnosticorum et Manichæorum dogmata permixta sectantur. Quamvis et ex aliis hæresibus in eos sordes, tanquam in sentinam quandam, horribili confusione confluxerint. De Hær. cap. 70. T. viii.

3. Let that suffice for his general character of this people. I shall now add some particulars, though not in the order in which they lie in Augustine.

4. I therefore in the first place observe their opinion concerning the scriptures. In which respect,' he says, 'they are more cunning than the Manichees; for they reject not any part of the canonical scriptures, but receive them all, and endeavour to support themselves by their authority. And when any texts are alleged against them, they strive to evade them by allegorical interpretations. They likewise use apocryphal scriptures, and argue from them in 'favour of their opinions.'

He

5. And in divers places, Augustine speaks to the like purpose, saying, that they received all the canonical scriptures entire; using also apocryphal books. And says, whatever is alleged against them from scripture, they evade sometimes by cunning and artful, at other times by ridiculous and stupid interpretations. He also observes, that they had a hymn, said by them to be the hymn which Christ sung at the last supper with the disciples. moreover says, that hymn was to be found in apocryphal scriptures, not peculiar to the Priscillianists, but used by other heretics likewise. A main part, if not the whole of that hymn, may be seen in Augustine's letter to Ceretius. just quoted. What respect they had for that, or other apocryphal scriptures, is not very clear; there does not appear any thing heterodox in that hymn; they owned it was not in the canonical scriptures, and they" explained it by them, and agreeably to them.

6. Orosius, Augustine's friend, and of Spain, says, that

* Hoc versutiores etiam Manichæis, quod nihil scripturarum canonicarum repudiant, simul cum apocryphis legentes omnia, et in auctoritatem sumentes, sed, in suos sensus allegorizando, vertentes quicquid in sanctis libris est, quod eorum evertat errorem. Ibid.

y Priscillianista vero accipiunt omnia et canonica et apocrypha simul. Sed quæcunque, quæ contra eos sunt, in suæ perversitatis sensus aliquando callidâ et astutâ, aliquando ridiculâ et hebeti expositione pervertunt. Ad Ceret. ep. 237. n. iii. T. ii. Hymnus sane, quem dicunt esse Domini nostri Jesu Christi, qui maxime permovit venerationem suam, in scripturis solet apocryphis inveniri. Quæ non proprie Priscillianistarum sunt, sed alii quoque hæretici eis nonnullarum sectarum impietate vanitatis utuntur, inter se quidem diversa sentientes:--sed scripturas istas habent in suâ diversitate communes, easque illi præcipue frequentare assolent, qui legem veterem et prophetas non recipiunt. Ibid. n. 2.

Habes verba eorum in illo codice ita posita: Hymnus Domini, quem dixit secrete sanctis apostolis discipulis suis, quia scriptum est in evangelio: Hymno dicto adscendit in montem.'-[Matt. xxvi. 30.] Ibid. n. 4.

Deinde, quid caussa est, ut eundem hymnum isti secundum scripturas canonicas conentur exponere? Ibid. n. 5. e Priscillianus, primum

d

the Priscillianists, differing from the Manichees, endeavour to support their doctrine by the scriptures of the Old, as well as of the New Testament. He also says, they had a book entitled the Memoir, or Memoirs of the Apostles: in which, possibly, the above-mentioned hymn was inserted.

e

7. Priscillian is one of those heretics, who, as Vincent of Lerins says, in almost every page of their works insert quotations of the books of the Old or New Testament.

8. Pope Leo, with a partiality well becoming a man that uses authority in things of religion, and loves to make the worst of every thing relating to those called heretics, says, thef Priscillianists pretend to receive the books of the Old Testament. However, he cannot deny, but that therein they differ from the Manichees. As for their apocryphal books, he not only prohibits them, but directs also, that they should be sought for, and burnt.

9. Turibius bishop of Astorga in Spain, who is supposed to have flourished about the year 447, speaks' of their using apocryphal scriptures, the same with those used by the Manichees; as the Acts of Andrew, Thomas, and John: and he particularly mentions the Memoir of the Apostles, taken notice of by Orosius.

in eo Manichæis miserior, quod ex Veteri quoque Testamento hæresim confirmavit. Oros. Comm. ad Augustin. n. 2. T. viii.

d Et hoc ipsum confirmant ex libro quodam, qui inscribitur Memoria Apostolorum: ubi Salvator interrogari a discipulis videtur secreto, et ostendere, quia de parabolâ evangelicâ, quæ habet: Exiit seminans seminare semen suum.' [Matt. xiii. 3.] Ibid.

e

Lege Pauli Samosateni opuscula, Priscilliani, Eunomii, Joviniani, reliquarumque pestium: cernas infinitam exemplorum congeriem, prope nullam omitti paginam, quæ non Novi aut Veteris Testamenti sententiis fucata et colorata sit. Vincent. Comm. p. 356. Paris. 1669.

f

-Quia etsi Vetus Testamentum, quod isti se suscipere simulant, Manichæi refutant, ad unum tamen finem utrorumque tendit intentio; cum quod isti abdicando impugnant, isti recipiendo corrumpunt. Ad Turib. ep. 15. cap. 16. p. 230.

Apocryphæ autem scripturæ, quæ sub nominibus apostolorum multarum habent seminarium falsitatum, non solum interdicendæ, sed etiam penitus auferendæ sunt, atque ignibus concremandæ. Quamvis enim sint in illis quædam, quæ videantur speciem habere pietatis, nunquam tamen vacua sunt venenis, et per fabularum illecebras hoc latenter operantur, ut mirabilium narratione seductos laqueis cujuscunque erroris involvant. Ibid. cap. 15. ↳ Vid. Cav. H. L. T. i. p. 440. et Tillemont, S. Leon. art. xvii.—xix. Tom. xv. -specialiter autem Actus illos, qui vocantur S. Andreæ ; vel illos, qui appellantur S. Joannis, quos sacrilego Leucius ore conscripsit; vel illos, qui dicuntur S. Thomæ, et his similia; ex quibus Manichæi, et Priscillianista, vel quæcumque illis est secta germana, omnem hæresim suam confirmare nituntur; et maxime ex blasphemissimo illo libro, qui vocatur Memoria Apostolorum, in quo ad magnam perversitatis suæ auctoritatem doctrinam Domini mentiuntur. Turib. cap. v. ap. S. Leon. p. 232.

i

10. According to Jerom the Priscillianists made use of apocryphal books of the Old, as well as of the New Testament; particularly, the Ascension of Isaiah, and the Revelation of Elias.

11. It must therefore, I think, be allowed, that the Priscillianists, beside the canonical scriptures of the Old and New Testament, made use of apocryphal books: what respect they had for them, is not certain; but from these testimonies it may be reckoned probable, that they showed them a good deal of respect, more than catholics generally did though, after all, they need not to be supposed to have equalled them to those scriptures, which are usually called canonical. This then was their doctrine concerning the scriptures.

12. By several they are said to have held the Sabellian doctrine concerning the Deity. So 'Augustine in his book of Heresies, and elsewhere; so likewise "Orosius. It is the last particular in Orosius's Memoir, and in Augustine's chapter concerning the Priscillianists in his book of Heresies: but it makes the first in Pope Leo's letter concerning the errors of the Priscillianists written in the year 447.

13. Pope Leo presently afterwards? charges them with agreeing with the Arians in their sentiment concerning the person of Christ: whether consistently, or not, let others determine.

14. They are supposed to have had some doctrine concerning the innascibility of Christ: we see it in the con

k Ascensio enim Isaïæ et Apocalypsis Eliæ hoc habent testimonium. Et per hanc occasionem, multaque hujusmodi, Hispaniarum et Lusitaniæ deceptæ sunt mulierculæ, &c. In Is. cap. lxıv. T. iii. p. 473, 474. Conf. ad Theodor. ep. 53. al. 29. p. 581. T. iv.

De Christo Sabellianam sectam tenent, eundem ipsum esse dicentes, non solum Filium, sed etiam Patrem, et Spiritum Sanctum. De Hær. cap. 70. m Contra quam veritatem Priscillianus Sabellianum antiquum dogma restituit, ubi ipse Pater qui Filius, qui et Spiritus Sanctus perhibetur. Ad. Oros. cap. 4. T. viii.

Trinitatem autem solo verbo eloquebatur. Nam unionem absque ullâ existentiâ aut proprietate asserens-Patrem, Filium, et Spiritum Sanctum, hunc esse unum Christum dicebat. Oros. Comm. ap. S. Aug. T. viii.

• Primo itaque capitulo demonstratur, quam impie sentiant de Trinitate, qui et Patris, et Filii, et Spiritûs Sancti, unam atque eandem asserunt esse personam, tanquam idem Deus nunc Pater, nunc Filius, nunc Spiritus Sanctus nominetur. Ep. 15. cap. i. p. 227.

P In secundo capitulo ostenditur ineptum vanumque commentum de processionibus quarundam virtutum ex Deo.- -In quo Arianorum suffragantur errori, dicentium, quod Pater Filio prior sit.-Ibid. cap. 2.

Symphosius episcopus dixit:-Hanc ego doctrinam, quæ, aut duo principia dicit, aut Filium innascibilem, cum ipso auctore damno, qui scripsit. Concil. Tolet. i. ap. Labb. Conc. T. ii. p. 1229. Vid. et supr. not.," p.

362.

fessions of those who renounced Priscillianism before the council of Toledo, and returned to the catholics. Poper Leo seems not to have understood the meaning of this, though it be one of his articles of accusation against them, and he talks a good deal about it. I do not perceive Orosius or Augustine to say any thing distinctly about this point.

t

15. They had also some opinions concerning the soul, which were disliked by many of the catholics. They are said to have held, that the soul was consubstantial to the Deity: so says Leo; nor is this denied, but supposed to be their opinion, both by Orosius and Augustine. To the like purpose Jerom," in a passage which I transcribe below, showing, that there were among christians, as well as among the philosophers, different opinions concerning the origin of the soul.

16. Farther, Pope Leo adds, It was also said, that they believed the pre-existence of human souls, and that they had sinned in heaven, before they were sent into bodies. And Orosius and Augustine both speak of their believ

r

X

Tertii vero capituli sermo designat quod iidem impii asserant, ideo Unigenitum dici Filium Dei, quia solus sit natus ex virgine. Quod utique non auderent dicere, nisi Pauli Samosateni et Photini virus hausissent: qui dixerunt, Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, antequam nasceretur ex virgine Marià, non fuisse. Si autem isti aliud de suo sensu intelligi volunt, neque principium de matre dant Christo: asserant necesse est, non unum esse Filium Dei. Quoquoversum igitur se contulerint, in magnæ tendunt impietatis abruptum.- Ib. cap. 3.

• Quinto capitulo refertur, quod animam hominis, divinæ asserant esse substantiæ, nec a naturâ Creatoris sui conditionis nostræ distare naturam. Quam impietatem, ex philosophorum quorundam et Manichæorum opinione manantem, catholica fides damnat. Ib. cap. v. p. 228.

u

Vid. Aug. ad. Oros. cap. i. et iv. T. viii.

Super animæ statu memini vestræ quæstiunculæ, imo maximæ ecclesiasticæ quæstionis: Utrum lapsa de cœlo sit, ut Pythagoras philosophus, omnesque Platonici, et Origenes, putant; an a propriâ Dei substantiâ, ut Stoici, Manichæus, et Hispana Priscilliani hæresis suspicantur; an in thesauro habeantur Dei, olim conditæ, ut quidam ecclesiastici stultâ persuasione confidunt; an quotidie a Deo fiant, ut mittantur in corpora ;-an certe ex traduce, ut Tertullianus, Apollinaris, et maxima pars Occidentalium autumant, &c. Ad Marcellin. et Anaps. ep. 78. [al. 82.] T. iv. p. 642.

▾ Decimo autom capitulo feruntur asserere, animas, quæ humanis corporibus inseruntur, fuisse sine corpore, et in cœlesti habitatione peccâsse. Leo. ib. c. 10. docens animam, quæ a Deo nata sit, de quodam promtuario procedere, profiteri ante Deum, se pugnaturam, instrui adhortatu angelorum; dehinc descendentem per quosdam circulos a principatibus malignis capi, et secundum voluntatem victoris principis in corpora diversa contrudi, eisque adscribi chirographum. Oros. Comm. ap. Aug. T. viii.

* Hi animas dicunt ejusdem naturæ atque substantiæ, cujus est Deus, ad agonem quendam spontaneum in terris exercendum, per septem cœlos, et per quosdam gradatim descendere principatus, et in malignum principem incur

VOL. IV.

2 B