Page:The Cry of Nature.pdf/131

 The Manicheans were a ſect of Chriſtians who believed in a good and an evil principle,—worſhipped the ſun and other glorious objects of nature—had a firm faith in the New Teſtament, but rejected the Old, which they ſaid deſcribed the Almighty unjuſt; and religiouſly abſtained from all kinds of animal food. For that, and ſome other good-natured practices and opinions, they ſuffered much obloquy, and were perſecuted by what they call the Catholic Church. Againſt this ſect St. Auguſtine indulges himſelf in a ſtrain of the moſt indecent, bitter, and illiberal invective. "Nunc videamus tria illa ſignacula quæ in veſtris moribus magna laude & prædicatione jactatis? Quæ ſunt tandem iſta ſignacula? Oris cerè & manuum & ſinus. Quid eſt hoc?