III. THE CATHARI.

THE rise of the see of Rome to the supreme and almost universal dominion it exercised in the 11th and 12th centuries, the corruption and depravity of every order of clergy, and the general decay of social purity, of reverent piety, of good manners among the people, were attended by the rapid and consentaneous spread of opinions adverse to the papal supremacy, and by the awakening of yearnings after a purer life and more simple creed, in the minds of earnest, sincere, and thoughtful men. With marvellous facility, sentiments fatal to the main dogmas of Rome found their way from region to region, from country to country; their upholders everywhere displaying a calm and undaunted front to the inquisitorial proceedings of the priests, and bearing with unshaken fortitude the severest tortures. Under a great variety of names, imposed by adversaries upon them, these people spread over Europe, the persecutions they suffered from their foes only causing a wider extension of the principles they held. They called themselves Christians. They professed to have a purer creed than that of the Popes of Rome, and rejected many of their most important and gainful dogmas. They denounced the pride and the licentiousness of monks, priests, and popes, whose craft was endangered by their activity. Hence the bitter invectives, barbarous cruelty, and calumnious tales of the socalled Catholics. Before Jesuits had presented the world with their new morality, the partisans of Rome had long practised pious frauds, and realised in action the sentiment, that the end sanctifies the means.

No one in the least acquainted with the medieval writers will for one moment unsuspiciously confide in their accuracy or their truthfulness, where their partialities, prejudices, or passions interfere. With the utmost diligence the writings of their antagonists were sought out and pitilessly destroyed. The absence of the printing press rendered this a tolerably easy matter. Besides which, the difficulty and expense of transcription limited the circulation whenever such books were composed. But few in those days possessed or could read the Scriptures. The increase of the knowledge of the people was entirely dependent upon oral instruction. And doubtless in this case, as in all cases of verbal testimony, the opinions of the persons obnoxious to Rome were often misrepresented, because misunderstood, by their own followers and friends, as well as by their foes.

Hence the almost insuperable difficulties attending an investigation into the doctrines of the men denounced by the Church

of Rome as heretics. They are known to us only through the turbid medium of partisanship. Extremely rare are the instances in which Catholic writers condescend to give the precise words of the people they defame, and for the most part, are content to rest on common report and hearsay for the facts they present. Still, in the absence of better testimony, even they are valuable. We have but to apply a searching criticism to their statements, comparing writers with each other, facts with facts, and the witnesses with their own testimony, in order to gather the real circumstances of the case.

We propose, from time to time, to lay before our readers investigations into the history and opinions of these obnoxious parties, and by an examination of the original authorities ascertain, as far as may be, the truth of the facts related concerning them.

Not a few of the writers of the medieval period refer to a people by the name of Cathari, or the Pure, who, during the 12th century, were found in perpetual strife with the Church of Rome, appearing in great numbers in the southern countries of Europe. Of these writers one of the most valuable is Eckbert, abbot of St. Florins, at Schonauge, near Treves. His work now before us, was written "against the pestiferous and most foul damned errors of the Cathari," about the year 1170.* He entered upon the abbacy in 1160, and three years after was engaged at Cologne in the examination and cremation of some thirteen persons, members of this heretical community. He enjoyed the privilege of fraternal relationship to the celebrated saint, Elizabeth of Schonauge, by whom the monastery over which he ruled was founded, as also a nunnery in the same place, subsequently ruined by the Swedes. St. Elizabeth it was who deciphered the inscriptions upon the tombs of St. Ursula and the eleven thousand virgins, thereby rendering certain the somewhat doubtful tradition of their martyrdom, and whose bones edify the visitor at the present day in one of the churches of Cologne. At an early age she had extasies and visions, which ordinarily happened on the Sundays or feast days. She first related them to her brother, who wrote them down for the edification of posterity. Many doubts were expressed at the time as to the truth of these narrations, and especially of the legends related in the fifth book, regarding Ursula and her martyred companions: for, unfortu

*Adversus Pestiferos Fœdissimosque Catharorum damnatos errores, Eckberti-Sermones, &c., edit. 1530. 12mo.

† Du Pin, Biblioth. Eccles. cent. xii., p. 88. Van Braght, i., p. 289. Magd. Centur, cent. xii., p. 344.

nately for the piety, sincerity, and veracity of St. Elizabeth, many singular contradictions are discoverable in these wonderful recitals.

Now, it is somewhat unfavourable to the character of Eckbert as a writer, that he should have been the scribe who penned these opposing facts. So that even Romanist writers are compelled to say of him, as Fleury, that he knew not how to separate the products of his sister's imagination from those of her memory; or as Baronius, that Eckbert or some one else, wishing to authenticate this history of St. Ursula, attributed it to St. Elizabeth, making her speak as he wished.* In other words, Eckbert is strongly suspected of falsehood; for of course it is impossible that his sister, a canonized saint, could have thus

erred!

With this grave suspicion resting against our author, we now turn to his sermons against the Cathari. We shall not be deemed too sensitive if we at once say that his statements concerning them ought to be regarded somewhat doubtfully, nor will our readers be far wrong in receiving with hesitation the accusations we are about to produce. A man convicted of the deliberate falsehood involved in the production of a work like that containing the marvellous visions of St. Elizabeth, cannot but expect to have his veracity questioned in cases where his interest and prejudices are concerned. We shall confine ourselves at present to his descriptions of the Cathari, and of their heresies, and leave for future papers his arguments and proofs against them.

In his dedication he asserts, that the Cathari were extremely pernicious to the Catholic faith. He says, they fortify themselves with the words of Scripture, know how to defend themselves from them, and bark at the Catholic truth. Nevertheless, they are exceedingly destitute of that right knowledge which is hid in the sacred words, and to be found out only with great discretion. They are, he continues, always ready to speak, especially against Catholics, "and it is not a little shame to those of our party who know letters, that they are mute and speechless before them!" He had, moreover, often contended with them, as also a friend of his, and had acquired much knowledge of their errors and defences from penitents and renegades.

In Germany, they were called Cathari; in Flanders, Piphles: in Gaul, Tesserani, from their usual trade of weaving. They had perverted many from the Christian faith, especially simple persons, and were so multiplied in all lands as to endanger by their

*Fleury, Hist. Eccles. tom. xv., p. 30. edit. 1721.

most wicked poison the church of God. Their discourses flew far and wide, like a contaminating leprosy, infecting the precious members of Christ. They asserted that the true faith of Christ, and the true worship of Christ, exist nowhere but in their conventicles, which they hold in cellars, weaving shops, and subterranean abodes. "They say, they lead the life of the Apostles; but they live contrary to the holy faith [popery] and sound doctrine." Eckbert then proceeds to a statement of their errors.

1. They reprobate and condemn marriage, and threaten with eternal damnation those who continue married till their life's end. Some of them say, that they approve the marriage of virgins, but they must separate before death.

2. The perfect members of their sect avoid flesh for food; because all flesh is begotten of carnal copulation, and is therefore impure: but in secret they say, that all flesh is made by the devil, and therefore they never taste it even in extremity.

3. They say, that baptism profits nothing to children who are baptized, because they can neither seek it, nor are able to profess their faith. They say, privately, however, that water-baptism is not profitable to salvation. They re-baptize, in some secret manner, those who join them; this they call the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire.

4. They say, that the souls of the departed pass immediately after death into eternal happiness or woe. They have no faith in purgatory, regard prayers for the dead as superfluous and vain, as also alms and masses. They laugh at the tolling of the passing bell, despise the masses celebrated in the churches, and if they go to church they dissimulate, lest their infidelity be found out. 5. Priest's orders in the church of Rome have perished; true priests exist only among them.

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6. The body and blood of Christ is not made by the consecration of the Catholics; but at their table. This is a cheat for they do not mean the true body of Christ, which was born of the virgin and suffered on the cross; but they call their own flesh the Lord's body. By eating their own food, they say, they make the Lord's body.

6. From a certain credible witness who had left their society, Eckbert moreover assures us, that he had learnt that the Cathari taught that the Saviour was not truly born of the Virgin, nor had true human flesh, but only its appearance; and that he did not rise from the dead, but merely simulated death and the resurrection. Therefore they do not keep Easter, but absent themselves from home, lest they should be compelled to keep the feast with their neighbours. But they celebrate a festival called by S. Augustine, Beina, in memory of the slaughter of Manes,

"whose heresy without doubt they follow." Eckbert's informant, however, called it Malilosa, and said that it was kept in the

autumn.

7. Some who were burnt at Cologne confessed, when examined, that the souls of men were those apostate spirits who were cast out of heaven in the beginning of the world, and that by good works performed in human bodies, they could deserve salvation; but it was necessary to be of their sect. This was a new and unheard-of madness of theirs.

Eckbert then takes occasion to denounce their secret seductions, by which many souls were led captive. He asserts that the author of this sect was Manes, or Manicheus; but that many of the Cathari have blended with the doctrines of their master many things not to be discovered in his heresy. Indeed, they were much divided in opinion, some holding some things that others denied. Our author then narrates the life and doctrines of Manes :-That he chose apostles and disciples, bishops, elders, and deacons, who were the "elect." That he taught two principles, and two eternal contrary natures. The souls of men had their origin from God; but the flesh of all living came from the devil; therefore they ate no flesh. That Christ was not a real man; that he suffered not, nor died, nor rose again. He feigned all this. These things, he adds, are true of the Cathari, who are descended from some disciples of Manes, who were formerly called by the same name. The disciples of Manes were divided into three parties,-the Mattharii, the Cathari, and the Manichees: all were included under the latter name. The Cathari were the worst, especially practising some secret filthy customs; "of whose doctrine and life those of whom we now discourse are undoubtedly the followers."

The above is a summary of the charges and character of the Cathari, as given by Eckbert, the abbot. In examining hereafter his expositions and replies, we shall better be able to test their accuracy. It is so far satisfactory to know that these hated men were possessed of the Scriptures of truth, that they valued them, that they made great use of them in their controversies with Catholics, and that some of the above so called errors are the natural fruit of attachment to the simple Word of God. By these and some other admissions of our author, we shall find yet more cause than his suspicious veracity has already given, to regard these heretics as sufferers for righteousness' sake, and true followers of the Lamb.