PART II

CENT. IX, sions drawn from the barbarous rites of paganism, and not only opposite to the precepts of the gospel, but absolutely destructive of the spirit of true religion. The pontiffs, however, and the inferior clergy encouraged these odious superstitions, and went so far as to accompany the practice of them with the celebration of the Lord's supper and other rites, in order to give them a christian aspect, and to recommend them to the veneration and confidence of the multitude.

CHAPTER V.

CONCERNING THE DIVISIONS AND HERESIES THAT TROUBLED THE
CHURCH DURING THIS CENTURY.

sects still in being.

The ancient L THE sects, that had sprung up in the earlier ages of the church, subsisted still, without almost any change in their situations or circumstances that is worthy of mention. Such of them as were considerably numerous, fixed their settlements beyond the limits both of the Greek and Latin empires, and thus out of the reach of their enemies. The nestorians more especially, and the monophysites, secure

* Strabo tells us in the fifth book of his Geography, that while the sacred rites of the goddess Feronia were celebrated in a grove not far from mount Soracte, several persons, transported with the imaginary presence of this pretended divinity, fell into fits of enthusiasm, and walked barefooted over heaps of burning coals without receiving the least damage. The historian adds, that a spectacle so extraordinary drew a prodigious concourse of people to this annual solemnity. Pliny relates something of the same nature concerning the Hirpii. See his

Nat. Hist. book vii. ch. ii.

PART II.

under the protection of the Arabians, were ex- CENT. IX. tremely industrious in maintaining their credit, and also discovered a warm and active zeal in the propagation of Christianity among those who were yet unacquainted with that divine religion. Some learned men are of opinion, that it was only in this century that the Abyssinians or Ethiopians embraced the sentiments of the monophysites, in consequence of the exhortations addressed to them by the doctors of that sect who resided in Egypt. But this is undoubtedly a wrong account of the matter; for it is certain that the Abyssinians, who were accustomed to receive their spiritual guide from the bishop of Alexandria, commenced monophysites in the seventh century, if not sooner. For in that period the Arabians made themselves masters of Egypt, oppressed the Greeks, and granted to the monophysites such a powerful protection, as enabled them to reduce under their jurisdiction almost all the churches that had been established in Egypt.1

ans.

II. The Greeks, during the greatest part of this The paulici century, were engaged in a most bitter controversy, or to speak more properly, in a bloody and barbarous war with the paulicians, a sect that may be considered as a branch of the manichæans, and which resided principally in Armenia. This pernicious sect is said to have been formed in Armenia by two brothers, Paul and John, sons of Callinices, and inhabitants of Samosatena, from the former of whom it derives its name; though others are of opinion that the paulicians were so called from another Paul, an Armenian by birth, who lived under the reign of Justinian II. Be that as it may, a certain zealot called Constantine, revived,

m

Nouveaux Memoires de la Compagnie de Jesus dans le Levant, tom. iv. p. 283, 284. Le Grand, Dissert. iv. Lobo, Voyage Historique de l'Abyssinie, tom. ii. p. 18.

m Photius, lib. i. Contra Manichæos, p. 74, in B. Wolfii. Anecdotis Græcis, tom. i.

PART 11.

our.

CENT. IX. in the seventh century, under the government of Constans, this drooping faction which had suffered deeply from the violence of its adversaries, and was ready to expire under the severity of the imperial edicts, and of those penal laws which were executed against its adherents with the utmost rigConstans, Justinian II. and Leo the Isaurian, exerted their zeal against the paulicians with a peculiar degree of bitterness and fury, and left no method of oppression unemployed, no means of accomplishing their ruin that were not put in execution; but their efforts were ineffectual, nor could all their power, nor all their barbarity, exhaust the patience, or conquer the obstinacy of that inflexible people, who, with a fortitude worthy of a better cause, made light of the calamities to which their erroneous doctrine exposed them. The face of things changed however to their advantage toward the commencement of this century, and their affairs carried a more prosperous aspect under the protection of the emperor Nicephorus, who favoured them in a particular manner, and restored to them their civil privileges, as well as their religious liberty."

Persecuted a III. Their tranquillity however was but of short duration; it was a transient scene that was soon to be succeeded by yet more dreadful sufferings than they had hitherto experienced. The cruel rage of persecution which had for some years been suspended, broke forth with redoubled violence under the reigns of Michael Curopalates, and Leo the Armenian, who caused the strictest search to be made after the paulicians in all the provinces of the Grecian empire, and inflicted capital punishment upon such of them as refused to return to the bosom of the church. This rigorous decree turned the afflictions of the paulicians, who dwelt in

» See Georg. Cedrenus, Compend. Historiar. tom ii. p. 480, edit. Paris. p. 379.

Armenia, into vengeance, and drove them into the CENT. IX. most desperate measures. They massacred Thom- PART 11. as, bishop of New Cæsarea, and also the magistrates and judges which the emperors had established in Armenia; and after avenging themselves thus cruelly, they took refuge in the countries that were governed by the Saracens, and from thence infested the neighbouring states of Greece with perpetual incursions. After these reciprocal acts of cruelty and vengeance, the paulicians, as it would seem, enjoyed an interval of tranquillity, and returned to their habitations in the Grecian provinces.

the paulicians

ra.

IV. But the most dreadful scene of persecution The fate of and bloodshed that was exhibited against these under Theodo wretched heretics, arose from the furious and inconsiderate zeal of the empress Theodora. This impetuous woman, who was regent of the empire during the minority of her son, issued out a decree, which placed the paulicians in the perplexing alternative either of abandoning their principles, or of perishing by fire and sword. The decree was severe, but the cruelty with which it was put in execution by those who were sent into Armenia for that purpose, was horrible beyond expression; for these ministers of wrath, after confiscating the goods of above an hundred thousand of that miserable people, put their possessors to death in the most barbarous manner, and made them expire slowly in a variety of the most exquisite tortures. Such as escaped destruction fled for protection and refuge to the Saracens, who received them with compassion and humanity, and permitted them to build a city for their residence, which was called Tibrica. Upon this they entered into a league with the Saracens, and choosing for their chief an officer of the greatest resolution and valour, whose name

⚫ Photius, lib. i. Contra Manichæos, p. 125. Petri Siculi Historia Manichæorum, p. 71.

PART II.

CENT. IX. was Carbeas, they declared against the Greeks a war which was carried on with the utmost vehemence and fury. This bloody war continued during this whole century; the victory seemed often doubtful, but the slaughter was terrible, and the numbers that perished on both sides prodigious. Many of the Grecian provinces felt, in a more particular manner, the dire effects of this cruel contest, and exhibited the most moving scenes of desolation and misery. During these commotions, some paulicians, toward the conclusion of this century, spread abroad among the Bulgarians their pestilential doctrines, which were received with docility, and took root speedily, as might naturally be expected, among a barbarous people that were but lately made converts to the christian faith.

P Georg. Cedrenus, Compend. Hist. p. 541, ed. Paris, p. 425, ed. Venet. p. 547, et 429, &c. Zonaras, Annal. lib. xvi. tom. ii. p. 122, ed. Venet. The principal authors who have given accounts of the paulicians are Photius, lib. i. Contra Manichæos, and Petrus Siculus, whose history of the manichæans was published in Greek and Latin at Ingoldstadt, in 1604, by Matth. Raderus. By the account of Petrus Siculus that is given by himself, we learn that in the year 870, under the reign of Basilius the Macedonian, he was sent ambassador to the paulicians at Tibrica, to treat with them concerning the exchange of prisoners, and lived among them during the space of nine months; this is sufficient to give us a high idea of the power and prosperity of the paulicians at that time. It is from this eminent writer that Cedrenus seems to have taken what he has advanced in his Compend. Histor. p. 431. What we learn concerning the paulicians from more modern writers, such as Bayle, in his Dictionary, and B. Jo. Christ. Wolfius, in his Manichæismus ante Munichæos, p. 247, seems to be derived from Bossuet's Histoire des Variations des Eglises Protestantes, tom. ii. p. 129. But this authority is highly exceptionable; for Bossuet himself did not consult the true sources of knowledge upon this point; and what is still worse, the spirit of party seems manifestly to have led him into voluntary errors.

It is not improbable that there are yet in Thrace and Bulgaria, paulicians, or paulians, as they are called by some. It appears at least certain, that in the last century some of that sect still subsisted, and dwelt at Nicopolis, as we learn from the testimony of Urb. Cerri, in his

CE