Page:Omniana.djvu/230

212 Pagans tried Apollonius Tyanæus. The stories of the Cainites cannot be true.

A large class consists of those who resisted the various corruptions of Christianity step by step, from Cerinthus down to Berenger. Another of those who proposed corruptions of their own,—in this are included all the species of Arians, and all the Greek metaphysical sects. Two other divisions remain,—plain, reasonable, pious non-conformists, to whom Robinson attributes too much,—and infatuated fanatics, whom he has not taken sufficiently into his view, but who, under some shape or other, have existed in all times and all countries.

It is curious to see how some of these heresies leavened the conquering Church. The distinguishing tenet of Manichæism, is the root and foundation of all ascetic rigour;—the celibacy of the clergy is traceable to Manes and Marcion, and fatalism, which infects us at this day under the name of Calvinism, its vilest and