the whole, of the Narration of the other Fathers is nothing but a Romance. I do not deny that there was fuch a Man as Carpocrates, and that he held fome Tenets different from thofe of the Catholic Church, or at least different from the Opinions of those that were in Power; otherwife neither Clemens of Alexandria (1), nor Irenæus would ever have thought of him. Nay it is very poffible that a Man called Carpocrates led a bad Life; there were already at that Time feveral Chriftians difhonouring their Profeffion, and there might have been a thousand fuch entirely unknown to Origines. But Carpocrates is not confidered in that Light by the Fathers. They reprefent him as an horrid Heretic-Monster, who not only committed fcandalous Actions, but alfo juftified them, took openly the Defence of Vice; and, what is more incredible yet, perfuaded a great Number of People, and formed a Sect that took his Name (m). Clemens of Alexandria makes him teach, that Women ought to be in Community, and relates Abominations of them not to be expreffed, and much lefs believed, Irenæus (n) gives it as one of his Tenets, that Crime confifts in the Opinion only, and that all Actions are in their Na

(Ub. fup. p. 428. (m) Ibid.

Ub. fup.

ture

ture perfectly indifferent. Tertullian (0) calls him a Fornicator, and accufes him of having taught, that Vice is the Way to Perfection (p). Eufebius imputes to him the following Propofition, as being Part of his Doctrine, that thofe, who will arrive to Perfection, must act all Things that are

moft filthy and unclean.' And the ever charitable Epiphanius repeats all this Slander, and even adds to it, calling Carpocrates' the filthiest of all Heretics,' and making him fay, that the most odious Things may, and ought to be done openly;' whereas Clemens of Alexandria (q) had owned, that the Carpocratians hid themselves carefully, whenever they had any of thofe Meetings, wherein he pretends thofe horrid Scenes were (r) acted.' Befides the glaring Contradiction that there is between these two Accounts, I appeal to the Reader, whether an Heretic, that had rendered himself fo remarkably deteftable, would have been abfolutely unknown to Origen, who was fo curious of thofe Anecdotes, and whether it is in the Power of any one fincerely to believe, that Wickedness was ever carried fo far as to recommend the most shocking Crimes, and affign to them the Privileges and Excellency

(0) De An. c. 35. p. 338. fup.

(p) Ub. fup.

(9) Ub.

(r) See Vol. ii. P. 2. of this Journal, p. 93 & 100.

lency of Virtue? I own that if he and Marcellina travelled together, they afforded a juft Reafon of Scandal, and if no more than this was faid by the Fathers, no body could be tempted to disbelieve them, tho' they claim for themselves a far greater Moderation in our Judgments. For Instance; • Athanafius being perfecuted by the Emperor Confantius, and hearing that People were fent after him to clap him in Goal, he hid himself for feven Years in the House of a young Girl, who was a complete Beauty, and received from her all "Sorts of good Offices; fhe ufed to wash his Feet, to drefs his Meat, to provide * him with the Books he had occafion for

་

in fhort, fhe fupplied all his Wants. These are the Words of Sozomenes (s); and when from thein Athanafius's Antagonists prefume to conclude, that there is great Reafon to fufpect the good Father's Virtue en fo nice an Occafion, they are exclaimed against as Calumniators, and I fhall readily allow that they are guilty of a rash Judgment. But what Right have we to fuppose that a Man, because he is a Catholic Father, can for seven Years be locked up with a charming young Creature without ever forgetting himself, or the Refpect due to her unblemished

() H. E. lib. v. c. 6.

unblemished Character (t), and on the other hand to accufe an enthusiastical Couple of all the Abominations that can be imagined, and this on the flightest Appearance, and very like for no other Reafon but because they preached their Herefies from Place to Place. Is not this making ufe of two Weights and two Measures?

The other Principles imputed to Carpocrates are much the fame as those we have feen Bafilides charged with; he believed (u) in one only God,-afcribed the Formation of the World (w) to the Angels, and against the Will of the Almighty, taught that those Angels refused to submit to (x) the great God,--rejected the Old Teftament (y), - difbelieved the Refurrection of the Flesh, because he thought it naturally (x) wicked, and had the fame Opinion of all Bodies,-received only (a) St. Matthew's Gofpel. There is another Accufation peculiarly entered against the Carpocratians, and that is, that they pretended to be more excellent and virtuous than Jesus

(a) Epiph. ub. fup.

Chrift

(w) Iren

(y) Prædeft. (z) Iren. ub. fup.

(t) Sozom. ibid. Epiph. ub. fup. Athanafii contra Arian. Orat. ii. p. 179. Ed. Commel. 1600. (x) Epiph. ibid. Sirmondi c. 7. p. 13. Parif. 1643. Tertul. præfcr. c. 48. p. 252. Philaft. c. 35. p. 10. Epiph Hær. xxvii. c. 6. p. 108. Auguft. Hær. vii. p. 7. (a) Epiph Hær. xxx. c. 14. p. 138. See Vol. ii. p. 2. of this Journal P. 106.

Chrift (b) himfelf. I need not fet about proving it is a falfe Accufation; all I fhall fay about it is, that it plainly contradicts the above mentioned Afperfions on their moral Character, that they were public Evil-doers; for this must be falfe, if it be true that they had the Impudence to pretend to a State of Holiness, fuperior even to that of our bleffed Saviour.

The

Carpocrates had a Son, named Epiphanius, who lived but feventeen Years, and was at that Age (c) extremely well verfed in polite Literature and Plato's Philofophy. Herefiologists use him as well as they (d) had treated his Father; yet he must have been a very accomplished and most promifing Youth, fince they own, that after his Death he was honoured by the Pagans as well as his own People as a God, had a Temple and Altar erected to him, and an Academy founded to his Honour and with his Name. He left feveral Works after him, and one entitled, A Treatise on fuftice; but they are all loft.

Epiphanius the Herefiologift tells us (e), that the Carpocratians marked their Difci

ples

(b) Tertul. de An. c. 23. P. 325. (c) Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. iii. p. 428. Theod. Hær. Fab. lib. i. c. 5. p. (d) Epiph. Hær. xxxii. c. 3. p. 210. Clem. A: ub. fup. Theod. ub. fup. &c. (e) Hær. xxvii. c. 5. P. 106.

197.