Henceforward the Christian Churches having a form of godliness, but denying
the power thereof, came into the hands of the _Encratites_: and the
Heathens, who in the fourth century came over in great numbers to the
Christians, embraced more readily this sort of Christianity, as having a
greater affinity with their old superstitions, than that of the sincere
Christians; who by the lamps of the seven Churches of _Asia_, and not by
the lamps of the Monasteries, had illuminated the Church Catholic during
the three first centuries.
The _Cataphrygians_ brought in also several other superstitions: such as
were the doctrine of Ghosts, and of their punishment in Purgatory, with
prayers and oblations for mitigating that punishment, as _Tertullian_
teaches in his books _De Anima_ and _De Monogamia_. They used also the sign
of the cross as a charm. So _Tertullian_ in his book _de Corona militis_:
_Ad omnem progressum atque promotum, ad omnem aditum & exitum, ad vestitum,
ad calceatum, ad lavacra, ad mensas, ad lamina, ad cubilia, ad sedilia,
quacunque nos conversatio exercet, frontem crucis signaculo terimus_. All
these superstitions the Apostle refers to, where he saith: _Now the Spirit
speaketh expresly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the
faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils_, the
_Daemons_ and Ghosts worshipped by the heathens, _speaking lyes in
hypocrisy_, about their apparitions, the miracles done by them, their
reliques, and the sign of the cross, _having consciences seared with a hot
iron_; _forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats_, &c.
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