[Footnote17:PetrusSiculus,p。763,764,thecontinuatorofTheophanes,l。iv。c。4,p。103,104,Cedrenus,p。541,542,545,andZonaras,tom。ii。l。xvi。p。156,describetherevoltandexploitsofCarbeasandhisPaulicians。]
[Footnote18:OtterVoyageenTurquieetenPerse,tom。ii。isprobablytheonlyFrankwhohasvisitedtheindependentBarbariansofTephricenowDivrigni,fromwhomhefortunatelyescapedinthetrainofaTurkishofficer。]
[Footnote19:InthehistoryofChrysocheir,GenesiusChron。p。
67—70,edit。Venet。hasexposedthenakednessoftheempire。
ConstantinePorphyrogenitusinVit。Basil。c。37—43,p。166—
171hasdisplayedthegloryofhisgrandfather。Cedrenusp。
570—573iswithouttheirpassionsortheirknowledge。]
[Footnote20:HowelegantistheGreektongue,eveninthemouthofCedrenus!]
ChapterLIV:OriginAndDoctrineOfThePaulicians。
PartII。
Aboutthemiddleoftheeightcentury,Constantine,surnamedCopronymusbytheworshippersofimages,hadmadeanexpeditionintoArmenia,andfound,inthecitiesofMeliteneandTheodosiopolis,agreatnumberofPaulicians,hiskindredheretics。Asafavor,orpunishment,hetransplantedthemfromthebanksoftheEuphratestoConstantinopleandThrace;andbythisemigrationtheirdoctrinewasintroducedanddiffusedinEurope。^21Ifthesectariesofthemetropolisweresoonmingledwiththepromiscuousmass,thoseofthecountrystruckadeeprootinaforeignsoil。ThePauliciansofThraceresistedthestormsofpersecution,maintainedasecretcorrespondencewiththeirArmenianbrethren,andgaveaidandcomforttotheirpreachers,whosolicited,notwithoutsuccess,theinfantfaithoftheBulgarians。^22Inthetenthcentury,theywererestoredandmultipliedbyamorepowerfulcolony,whichJohnZimisces^23
transportedfromtheChalybianhillstothevalleysofMountHaemus。TheOrientalclergywhowouldhavepreferredthedestruction,impatientlysighedfortheabsence,oftheManichaeans:thewarlikeemperorhadfeltandesteemedtheirvalor:theirattachmenttotheSaracenswaspregnantwithmischief;but,onthesideoftheDanube,againsttheBarbariansofScythia,theirservicemightbeuseful,andtheirlosswouldbedesirable。Theirexileinadistantlandwassoftenedbyafreetoleration:thePauliciansheldthecityofPhilippopolisandthekeysofThrace;theCatholicsweretheirsubjects;theJacobiteemigrantstheirassociates:theyoccupiedalineofvillagesandcastlesinMacedoniaandEpirus;andmanynativeBulgarianswereassociatedtothecommunionofarmsandheresy。
Aslongastheywereawedbypowerandtreatedwithmoderation,theirvoluntarybandsweredistinguishedinthearmiesoftheempire;andthecourageofthesedogs,evergreedyofwar,everthirstyofhumanblood,isnoticedwithastonishment,andalmostwithreproach,bythepusillanimousGreeks。Thesamespiritrenderedthemarrogantandcontumacious:theywereeasilyprovokedbycapriceorinjury;andtheirprivilegeswereoftenviolatedbythefaithlessbigotryofthegovernmentandclergy。
InthemidstoftheNormanwar,twothousandfivehundredManichaeansdesertedthestandardofAlexiusComnenus,^24andretiredtotheirnativehomes。Hedissembledtillthemomentofrevenge;invitedthechiefstoafriendlyconference;andpunishedtheinnocentandguiltybyimprisonment,confiscation,andbaptism。Inanintervalofpeace,theemperorundertookthepiousofficeofreconcilingthemtothechurchandstate:hiswinterquarterswerefixedatPhilippopolis;andthethirteenthapostle,asheisstyledbyhispiousdaughter,consumedwholedaysandnightsintheologicalcontroversy。Hisargumentswerefortified,theirobstinacywasmelted,bythehonorsandrewardswhichhebestowedonthemosteminentproselytes;andanewcity,surroundedwithgardens,enrichedwithimmunities,anddignifiedwithhisownname,wasfoundedbyAlexiusfortheresidenceofhisvulgarconverts。TheimportantstationofPhilippopoliswaswrestedfromtheirhands;thecontumaciousleadersweresecuredinadungeon,orbanishedfromtheircountry;andtheirlivesweresparedbytheprudence,ratherthanthemercy,ofanemperor,atwhosecommandapoorandsolitaryhereticwasburntalivebeforethechurchofSt。Sophia。^25ButtheproudhopeoferadicatingtheprejudicesofanationwasspeedilyoverturnedbytheinvinciblezealofthePaulicians,whoceasedtodissembleorrefusedtoobey。AfterthedepartureanddeathofAlexius,theysoonresumedtheircivilandreligiouslaws。Inthebeginningofthethirteenthcentury,theirpopeorprimateamanifestcorruptionresidedontheconfinesofBulgaria,Croatia,andDalmatia,andgoverned,byhisvicars,thefilialcongregationsofItalyandFrance。^26Fromthataera,aminutescrutinymightprolongandperpetuatethechainoftradition。Attheendofthelastage,thesectorcolonystillinhabitedthevalleysofMountHaemus,wheretheirignoranceandpovertyweremorefrequentlytormentedbytheGreekclergythanbytheTurkishgovernment。ThemodernPaulicianshavelostallmemoryoftheirorigin;andtheirreligionisdisgracedbytheworshipofthecross,andthepracticeofbloodysacrifice,whichsomecaptiveshaveimportedfromthewildsofTartary。^27
[Footnote21:Copronymustransportedhisheretics;andthussaysCedrenus,p。463,whohascopiedtheannalsofTheophanes。]
[Footnote22:PetrusSiculus,whoresidedninemonthsatTephriceA。D。870fortheransomofcaptives,p。764,wasinformedoftheirintendedmission,andaddressedhispreservative,theHistoriaManichaeorumtothenewarchbishopoftheBulgarians,p。754。]
[Footnote23:ThecolonyofPauliciansandJacobitestransplantedbyJohnZimiscesA。D。970fromArmeniatoThrace,ismentionedbyZonarastom。ii。l。xvii。p。209andAnnaComnena,Alexiad,l。xiv。p。450,&c。]
[Footnote24:TheAlexiadofAnnaComnenal。v。p。131,l。vi。
p。154,155,l。xiv。p。450—457,withtheAnnotationsofDucangerecordsthetransactionsofherapostolicfatherwiththeManichaeans,whoseabominableheresyshewasdesirousofrefuting。]
[Footnote25:Basil,amonk,andtheauthoroftheBogomiles,asectofGnostics,whosoonvanished,AnnaComnena,Alexiad,l。
xv。p。486—494Mosheim,Hist。Ecclesiastica,p。420。]
[Footnote26:Matt。Paris,Hist。Major,p。267。ThispassageofourEnglishhistorianisallegedbyDucangeinanexcellentnoteonVillehardouinNo。208,whofoundthePauliciansatPhilippopolisthefriendsoftheBulgarians。]
[Footnote27:SeeMarsigli,StatoMilitaredell'ImperioOttomano,p。24。]
IntheWest,thefirstteachersoftheManichaeantheologyhadbeenrepulsedbythepeople,orsuppressedbytheprince。
ThefavorandsuccessofthePauliciansintheeleventhandtwelfthcenturiesmustbeimputedtothestrong,thoughsecret,discontentwhicharmedthemostpiousChristiansagainstthechurchofRome。Heravaricewasoppressive,herdespotismodious;lessdegenerateperhapsthantheGreeksintheworshipofsaintsandimages,herinnovationsweremorerapidandscandalous:shehadrigorouslydefinedandimposedthedoctrineoftransubstantiation:thelivesoftheLatinclergyweremorecorrupt,andtheEasternbishopsmightpassforthesuccessorsoftheapostles,iftheywerecomparedwiththelordlyprelates,whowieldedbyturnsthecrosier,thesceptre,andthesword。ThreedifferentroadsmightintroducethePauliciansintotheheartofEurope。AftertheconversionofHungary,thepilgrimswhovisitedJerusalemmightsafelyfollowthecourseoftheDanube:
intheirjourneyandreturntheypassedthroughPhilippopolis;
andthesectaries,disguisingtheirnameandheresy,mightaccompanytheFrenchorGermancaravanstotheirrespectivecountries。ThetradeanddominionofVenicepervadedthecoastoftheAdriatic,andthehospitablerepublicopenedherbosomtoforeignersofeveryclimateandreligion。UndertheByzantinestandard,thePaulicianswereoftentransportedtotheGreekprovincesofItalyandSicily:inpeaceandwar,theyfreelyconversedwithstrangersandnatives,andtheiropinionsweresilentlypropagatedinRome,Milan,andthekingdomsbeyondtheAlps。^28Itwassoondiscovered,thatmanythousandCatholicsofeveryrank,andofeithersex,hadembracedtheManichaeanheresy;andtheflameswhichconsumedtwelvecanonsofOrleanswasthefirstactandsignalofpersecution。TheBulgarians,^29
anamesoinnocentinitsorigin,soodiousinitsapplication,spreadtheirbranchesoverthefaceofEurope。UnitedincommonhatredofidolatryandRome,theywereconnectedbyaformofepiscopalandpresbyteriangovernment;theirvarioussectswerediscriminatedbysomefainterordarkershadesoftheology;buttheygenerallyagreedinthetwoprinciples,thecontemptoftheOldTestamentandthedenialofthebodyofChrist,eitheronthecrossorintheeucharist。Aconfessionofsimpleworshipandblamelessmannersisextortedfromtheirenemies;andsohighwastheirstandardofperfection,thattheincreasingcongregationsweredividedintotwoclassesofdisciples,ofthosewhopractised,andofthosewhoaspired。ItwasinthecountryoftheAlbigeois,^30inthesouthernprovincesofFrance,thatthePauliciansweremostdeeplyimplanted;andthesamevicissitudesofmartyrdomandrevengewhichhadbeendisplayedintheneighborhoodoftheEuphrates,wererepeatedinthethirteenthcenturyonthebanksoftheRhone。ThelawsoftheEasternemperorswererevivedbyFrederictheSecond。TheinsurgentsofTephricewererepresentedbythebaronsandcitiesofLanguedoc:
PopeInnocentIII。surpassedthesanguinaryfameofTheodora。ItwasincrueltyalonethathersoldierscouldequaltheheroesoftheCrusades,andthecrueltyofherpriestswasfarexcelledbythefoundersoftheInquisition;^31anofficemoreadaptedtoconfirm,thantorefute,thebeliefofanevilprinciple。ThevisibleassembliesofthePaulicians,orAlbigeois,wereextirpatedbyfireandsword;andthebleedingremnantescapedbyflight,concealment,orCatholicconformity。ButtheinvinciblespiritwhichtheyhadkindledstilllivedandbreathedintheWesternworld。Inthestate,inthechurch,andeveninthecloister,alatentsuccessionwaspreservedofthedisciplesofSt。Paul;whoprotestedagainstthetyrannyofRome,embracedtheBibleastheruleoffaith,andpurifiedtheircreedfromallthevisionsoftheGnostictheology。ThestrugglesofWickliffinEngland,ofHussinBohemia,wereprematureandineffectual;butthenamesofZuinglius,Luther,andCalvin,arepronouncedwithgratitudeasthedeliverersofnations。
[Footnote28:TheintroductionofthePauliciansintoItalyandFranceisamplydiscussedbyMuratoriAntiquitat。ItaliaeMediiAevi,tom。v。dissert。lx。p。81—152andMosheim,p。379—
382,419—422。YetbothhaveoverlookedacuriouspassageofWilliamtheApulian,whoclearlydescribestheminabattlebetweentheGreeksandNormans,A。D。1040,inMuratori,Script。
RerumItal。tom。v。p。256:
CumGraecisaderantquidam,quospessimuserrorFeceratamentes,etabipsonomenhabebant。]
ButheissoignorantoftheirdoctrineastomakethemakindofSabelliansorPatripassians。]
[Footnote29:Bulgari,Boulgres,Bougres,anationalappellation,hasbeenappliedbytheFrenchasatermofreproachtousurersandunnaturalsinners。ThePaterini,orPatelini,hasbeenmadetosignifyasmoothandflatteringhypocrite,suchasl'AvocatPatelinofthatoriginalandpleasantfarce,Ducange,Gloss。
Latinitat。MediietInfimiAevi。TheManichaeanswerelikewisenamedCathariorthepure,bycorruption。Gazari,&c。]
[Footnote30:Ofthelaws,crusade,andpersecutionagainsttheAlbigeois,ajust,thoughgeneral,ideaisexpressedbyMosheim,p。477—481。Thedetailmaybefoundintheecclesiasticalhistorians,ancientandmodern,CatholicsandProtestants;andamongsttheseFleuryisthemostimpartialandmoderate。]
[Footnote31:TheActsLiberSententiarumoftheInquisitionofTholouseA。D。1307—1323havebeenpublishedbyLimborch,Amstelodami,1692,withapreviousHistoryoftheInquisitioningeneral。Theydeservedamorelearnedandcriticaleditor。
AswemustnotcalumniateevenSatan,ortheHolyOffice,Iwillobserve,thatofalistofcriminalswhichfillsnineteenfoliopages,onlyfifteenmenandfourwomenweredeliveredtotheseculararm。]
[Footnote*:Thepopularityof"Milner'sHistoryoftheChurch"
withsomereaders,maymakeitpropertoobserve,thathisattempttoexculpatethePauliciansfromthechargeofGnosticismorManicheismisindirectdefiance,ifnotinignorance,ofalltheoriginalauthorities。Gibbonhimself,itappears,wasnotacquaintedwiththeworkofPhotius,"ContraManicheosRepullulantes,"thefirstbookofwhichwaseditedbyMontfaucon,BibliothecaCoisliniana,parsii。p。349,375,thewholebyWolf,inhisAnecdotaGraeca。Hamburg1722。Compareaverysensibletract。LettertoRev。S。R。Maitland,byJG。Dowling,M。A。
London,1835。—M。]
Aphilosopher,whocalculatesthedegreeoftheirmeritandthevalueoftheirreformation,willprudentlyaskfromwhatarticlesoffaith,aboveoragainstourreason,theyhaveenfranchisedtheChristians;forsuchenfranchisementisdoubtlessabenefitsofarasitmaybecompatiblewithtruthandpiety。Afterafairdiscussion,weshallratherbesurprisedbythetimidity,thanscandalizedbythefreedom,ofourfirstreformers。^32WiththeJews,theyadoptedthebeliefanddefenceofalltheHebrewScriptures,withalltheirprodigies,fromthegardenofEdentothevisionsoftheprophetDaniel;andtheywerebound,liketheCatholics,tojustifyagainsttheJewstheabolitionofadivinelaw。InthegreatmysteriesoftheTrinityandIncarnationthereformerswereseverelyorthodox:theyfreelyadoptedthetheologyofthefour,orthesixfirstcouncils;andwiththeAthanasiancreed,theypronouncedtheeternaldamnationofallwhodidnotbelievetheCatholicfaith。
Transubstantiation,theinvisiblechangeofthebreadandwineintothebodyandbloodofChrist,isatenetthatmaydefythepowerofargumentandpleasantry;butinsteadofconsultingtheevidenceoftheirsenses,oftheirsight,theirfeeling,andtheirtaste,thefirstProtestantswereentangledintheirownscruples,andawedbythewordsofJesusintheinstitutionofthesacrament。Luthermaintainedacorporeal,andCalvinareal,presenceofChristintheeucharist;andtheopinionofZuinglius,thatitisnomorethanaspiritualcommunion,asimplememorial,hasslowlyprevailedinthereformedchurches。
^33Butthelossofonemysterywasamplycompensatedbythestupendousdoctrinesoforiginalsin,redemption,faith,grace,andpredestination,whichhavebeenstrainedfromtheepistlesofSt。Paul。Thesesubtilequestionshadmostassuredlybeenpreparedbythefathersandschoolmen;butthefinalimprovementandpopularusemaybeattributedtothefirstreformers,whoenforcedthemastheabsoluteandessentialtermsofsalvation。
HithertotheweightofsupernaturalbeliefinclinesagainsttheProtestants;andmanyasoberChristianwouldratheradmitthatawaferisGod,thanthatGodisacruelandcapricioustyrant。
[Footnote32:TheopinionsandproceedingsofthereformersareexposedinthesecondpartofthegeneralhistoryofMosheim;butthebalance,whichhehasheldwithsoclearaneye,andsosteadyahand,beginstoinclineinfavorofhisLutheranbrethren。]
[Footnote33:UnderEdwardVI。ourreformationwasmoreboldandperfect,butinthefundamentalarticlesofthechurchofEngland,astrongandexplicitdeclarationagainsttherealpresencewasobliteratedintheoriginalcopy,topleasethepeopleortheLutherans,orQueenElizabeth,Burnet'sHistoryoftheReformation,vol。ii。p。82,128,302。]
YettheservicesofLutherandhisrivalsaresolidandimportant;andthephilosophermustownhisobligationstothesefearlessenthusiasts。^34I。Bytheirhandstheloftyfabricofsuperstition,fromtheabuseofindulgencestotheintercessonoftheVirgin,hasbeenlevelledwiththeground。Myriadsofbothsexesofthemonasticprofessionwererestoredtothelibertyandlaborsofsociallife。Ahierarchyofsaintsandangels,ofimperfectandsubordinatedeities,werestrippedoftheirtemporalpower,andreducedtotheenjoymentofcelestialhappiness;theirimagesandrelicswerebanishedfromthechurch;
andthecredulityofthepeoplewasnolongernourishedwiththedailyrepetitionofmiraclesandvisions。TheimitationofPaganismwassuppliedbyapureandspiritualworshipofprayerandthanksgiving,themostworthyofman,theleastunworthyoftheDeity。Itonlyremainstoobserve,whethersuchsublimesimplicitybeconsistentwithpopulardevotion;whetherthevulgar,intheabsenceofallvisibleobjects,willnotbeinflamedbyenthusiasm,orinsensiblysubsideinlanguorandindifference。II。Thechainofauthoritywasbroken,whichrestrainsthebigotfromthinkingashepleases,andtheslavefromspeakingashethinks:thepopes,fathers,andcouncils,werenolongerthesupremeandinfalliblejudgesoftheworld;
andeachChristianwastaughttoacknowledgenolawbuttheScriptures,nointerpreterbuthisownconscience。Thisfreedom,however,wastheconsequence,ratherthanthedesign,oftheReformation。Thepatriotreformerswereambitiousofsucceedingthetyrantswhomtheyhaddethroned。Theyimposedwithequalrigortheircreedsandconfessions;theyassertedtherightofthemagistratetopunishhereticswithdeath。ThepiousorpersonalanimosityofCalvinproscribedinServetus^35theguiltofhisownrebellion;^36andtheflamesofSmithfield,inwhichhewasafterwardsconsumed,hadbeenkindledfortheAnabaptistsbythezealofCranmer。^37Thenatureofthetigerwasthesame,buthewasgraduallydeprivedofhisteethandfangs。A
spiritualandtemporalkingdomwaspossessedbytheRomanpontiff;theProtestantdoctorsweresubjectsofanhumblerank,withoutrevenueorjurisdiction。HisdecreeswereconsecratedbytheantiquityoftheCatholicchurch:theirargumentsanddisputesweresubmittedtothepeople;andtheirappealtoprivatejudgmentwasacceptedbeyondtheirwishes,bycuriosityandenthusiasm。SincethedaysofLutherandCalvin,asecretreformationhasbeensilentlyworkinginthebosomofthereformedchurches;manyweedsofprejudicewereeradicated;andthedisciplesofErasmus^38diffusedaspiritoffreedomandmoderation。Thelibertyofconsciencehasbeenclaimedasacommonbenefit,aninalienableright:^39thefreegovernmentsofHolland^40andEngland^41introducedthepracticeoftoleration;andthenarrowallowanceofthelawshasbeenenlargedbytheprudenceandhumanityofthetimes。Intheexercise,themindhasunderstoodthelimitsofitspowers,andthewordsandshadowsthatmightamusethechildcannolongersatisfyhismanlyreason。Thevolumesofcontroversyareoverspreadwithcobwebs:thedoctrineofaProtestantchurchisfarremovedfromtheknowledgeorbeliefofitsprivatemembers;
andtheformsoforthodoxy,thearticlesoffaith,aresubscribedwithasigh,orasmile,bythemodernclergy。YetthefriendsofChristianityarealarmedattheboundlessimpulseofinquiryandscepticism。ThepredictionsoftheCatholicsareaccomplished:thewebofmysteryisunravelledbytheArminians,Arians,andSocinians,whosenumbermustnotbecomputedfromtheirseparatecongregations;andthepillarsofRevelationareshakenbythosemenwhopreservethenamewithoutthesubstanceofreligion,whoindulgethelicensewithoutthetemperofphilosophy。^42
[Footnote34:"HaditnotbeenforsuchmenasLutherandmyself,"saidthefanaticWhistontoHalleythephilosopher,"youwouldnowbekneelingbeforeanimageofSt。Winifred。"]
[Footnote35:ThearticleofServetintheDictionnaireCritiqueofChauffepieisthebestaccountwhichIhaveseenofthisshamefultransaction。SeelikewisetheAbbed'Artigny,NouveauxMemoiresd'Histoire,&c。,tom。ii。p。55—154。]