The suruey of popery vvherein the reader may cleerely behold, not onely the originall and daily incrementes of papistrie, with an euident confutation of the same; but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension, contained in the first and second part thereof: and throughout the third part poperie is turned vp-side downe.

CHAP. XI. Of the Manichees.

* 1.1THe Manichees began their heresie in the dayes of Aurelia∣nus Emperor of Rome, whose grand-master was Manes a Persian borne. This Manes dispersed his poyson, in very large circuits: First in Arabia, after that in Africa. This here∣sie increased so mightily, as it coulde not be quenched, by the space of two hundred yeares: this was the fundamentall ground of their false and hereticall doctrine, that there are two Gods, the one good, and the other bad, and yet both to be e∣ternall. This doctrine seemed plausible to mans reason, at the first publishing thereof: for since God is good of his owne nature, and yet euill aboundeth in the worlde, it seemeth to followe necessarily, that as there is a good God, so there must also bee a peculiar euill God, equall to the good God in power and eternitie.

The Manichees will neither eate flesh, neither egges, nei∣ther milke,* 1.2 neither doe they drinke wine, albeit they will eate grapes; they thinke that hearbes, trees, and plants, haue life in such manner, as they feele great paine when one cutteth or plucketh them vppe by the rootes, or otherwise: for this respect they deeme it an heynous offence, to purge the field from thornes and thistles, and so they condemne husbandrie, (the most innocent art of all,) as guiltie of many murders, yet they thinke husbandrie or tillage of the grounde to bee pardonable in their auditors, because by that their labor they

bring foode to their elect; in whose bellies the substance is pur∣ged, and the offence taken away. And consequently, although themselues do no murders actually, as they pretēd; yet do they liue of manifest murders, practised by others really. Where note by the way, that the church of the Manichees consisted of two sortes of people, their elect and their auditors.

They held this fantasticall opinion,* 1.3 that whosoeuer did eate flesh, should be made the same thing which he did eate. As for example, if a man did eate an hogge, he should be made a hog; if a bull, he should become a bull; if a bird, he should be a bird; if a fish, a fish, and so in the rest.

The Manichees held also, that if any man marry a wife,* 1.4 that same man so soone as he passeth out of this life, is changed in∣to another bodie, and becommeth a woman. Yea they say fur∣ther, that if a man kil a man, an asse, or other liuing thing, that man straight after his death, is changed into that liuing thing which he killed, be it a mouse, serpent, or whatsoeuer else.

The Manichees vse to blesse their meates in this man∣ner: O bread, neither did I reape thee,* 1.5 neither did I grinde thee, neither did I make thee, neither did I bake thee; but an o∣ther did al these things, and brought thee to me, my selfe there∣fore do eate thee without offence. These and other like mon∣strous assertions did this heresie bring forth. This is the grace that they vse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An. Dom. 274
• * 1.2

  August. de heres. ad q.v. deum, 46. D.
• * 1.3

  Epiphan. haer. 66. lib. 2. to. pa. 205.
• * 1.4

  Epiphan. vbi sup.
• * 1.5

  Epiphan. in ca∣tal. dogmatum Manich.