III. List of the principal Early Heresies. — The fol- lowing list includes the chief heresies of the first six centuries ; each will be foiuid in its alphabetical place in this Cyclopa?dia : Century I. Nazarenes, who advocated the observance of the Jewish law by the worshippers of Christ. Simonians, followers of Simon Magus, who prided themselves in a superior degree of knowledge, and maintained that the world was created by angels, denied the resurrection, etc. Nicolaitanes, followers of Nicolaus of Antioch. Cerinthians and Ebionites, follow- ers of Cerinthus and Ebion, who denied the divinity of Christ, and adopted the principles of Gnosticism. JIany of them were Millenarians. Century II. Elcesaites, the followers of Elxai or Elcesai, who only partially admit- ted the Christian religion, and whose tenets were most- ly of philosophic origin. Gnostics, so called from their pretences to yvCJaiQ, superior knowledge : this seems to have been the general name of all heretics. (1.) Among Syrian Gnostics were the followers of Satuminus, who adopted the notion of two principles reigning over the world, assumed the evil nature of matter, denied the re- ality of Clirist's human body, etc. Bardesanians : their
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principles rbsembled those of Saturninns. Tatianisls anil EncratiUe, wlio boasted of an extraordinary conti- nence, condemned marriage, etc. Apotactici, who, in addition to the opinions of the Tatianists, renounced property, etc., and asserted that any who Hved in the marriage state were incapable of salvation. (2.) Gnos- tics of Asia Jlfinor. Cerdonians, who held two contra- ry principles, denied the resurrection, despised the au- thority of the Old Testament, and rejected the Gospels. ]Marcionites, who resembled the Cerdonians, and in ad- dition admitted two Gods, asserted that the Saviour's body was a phantasm, etc. The followers of Lucian and Apelles may be classed among the Marciouites. (3.) Among Ei/yptian Gnostics were the Basilidians, follow- ers of Basilides, who espoused the heresies of Simon Ma- gus, and admitted the fundamental point on which the wliole of the hypotheses then prevalent may be said to hinge, namely, that the world had been created, not by the immediate operation of the divine being, but by the agency of teons. Carpocratians, Antitact;B, Adamites, Prodicians, the followers of Secundus, Ptolemy, Marcus, Culobarsus, and Heracleon. (4-.) Inferior sects of Gnos- tics— Sethians, Cainites, Ophites.
Heresies not of Oriental origin : Patripassians, whose principal leader was Praxeas ; Melchizedechians, under Theodotus and Artemon; Hermogcnians, I\rontanists, Cliiliasts or Millenarians. Century III. The jSIanichae- ans, the Hieracites, the Patripassians, under Noetus and Sabellius; heresy of BeryUus; Paulianists, under Paul of Samosata , Xnvatians. under Xovatus and Kovatian ; the Monarehici, the Araliifi, the Acpiariaus, tlif (.)rigen- ists. Century IV. Tlie Arians, (Ailhtthians, Macedoni- ans, Agnoetffi, Apollinarians, CoUyridians, Seleucians, Anthropomorphites, Jovinianists, Messalians, Timothe ans, PrisciUianists, Photinians, Donatists, Messalians, Bonosians. Century V. The Pelagians. Nestorians, Eu- tychians, Theopaschites. Century VI. The Aphtharto- docetae, Severiani, Corrupticolas, Monothelites.
. IV. Punishment of Heresy. — Soon after the triumph of Christianity over paganism, and its establishment by the State, the laws became very severe against heretics. Those of the State, made by the Christian emperors from the time of Constantine, are comprised under one title, De Iltereticis, in the Theodosian code. (See be- low.) The principal are the note of infamy affixed to all lieretics in common ; commerce forbidden to be held with tliem ; privation of all offices of dignity and profit; disqualification to dispose of their property by will, or to receive property ; pecmiiary mulcts ; proscription and banishment; corporal punishment, such as scourging. Heretics were forbidden to hold public disputations ; to propagate their opinions; their children could not in- herit patrimony, unless they returned to the Chiurch, etc. The laws of the Church consisted in pronouncing formal anathema, or excommunication, against them; forbidding them to enter the church, so much as to hear sermons or the reading of the Scriptures (this was but partially observed) ; the prohibition of all persons, un- der pain of excommunication, to join with them in any religious exercises; the enjoining that none should eat or converse familiarly with them, or contract affinity with them ; their names were to be struck out of the diptychs ; and their testimony was not to be received in any ecclesiastical cause (Bingham, Oriy. Ecdes. vol. ii). Augustine's view of heresy is deserving of special no- tice, as it forms the basis of the doctrine and practice of the Middle Ages. In Be Civit. Dei, xviii, 51, lie says; '• Qui ergo in ecclesia morbidum aliqiud pravumque sa- piunt, si correpti, ut sanum rectumque sapiant, resi^- tunt contumacifrr, suaqiio jiostitera et nKirtifcra dogmata cmendare nolmit. xd </'/', i,.<, in /,< r.<i.~/ini/. In( n I'u-i funt, etforas exeuntes /;((/«///»/■ /;/ < .r, m ,iiiliii.< ln/miris." The earlier fathers of the Church had sti adily rdiiscil using force in opposing heresy (Hilarius, I'iriar. ml Cnii.shini. i, 2 and 7; contr. Auxent. lib. init.; Atliaiiasins, Jli-it. Arian. § 33), and at most permitted the secidar powers to interfere to prevent the organization of heretical com-