ADAmTES. — OPHITES. — MYSTICS. 640 
Adamites. 
This is the name of a sect of ancient heretics, that sprung up auoui: 
the end of the second century, supposed to have been a branch of 
the Basilidians and Carpocrations. Epiphanius tells us, that they 
were called Adamites from their pretending to be re-established in the 
state of innocence, such as Adam was at the moment of his creation, 
whence they thought to imitate him in going naked. They detested 
marriage, maintaining that the conjugal union would never have taken 
place upon earth, had sin been unknown. This obscure and ridiculous 
sect did not at first continue long ; but it was revived, with additional 
absurdities, in the twelfth century, by one Tandamus, since known by 
the name of Tahchelin, who propagated his errors at Antwerp, in the 
reign of the emperor Henry V. He maintained, that there ought to 
be no distinction between priests and laymen, and that forhicatibn 
and adultery were meritorious actions. Tanchelin had a great nuhi- 
ber of followers, and was constantly attended by those profligates, in 
arms. His sect did not, however, continue long after his death; but 
another appeared, under the name of Turlupins, in Savoy and Dait- 
phiny, where they committed the most brutal excesses in open day. 
About the beginning of the fifteenth century, one Picard, a native of 
Flanders, spread those errors in Germany and Bohemia, particularly 
in the army of the famous Ziska, notw ithstanding the severe discipline 
he maintained. Picard pretended that he was sent into the world as 
a new' Adam, to re-establish the law of nature ; which, according to 
him, consisted in concealing no part of the body. This sect found 
also some partisans in Poland, Holland, and England: they assem- 
bled in the night, and one of the fundamental maxims of their society 
W'as contained in the following verse : 
“Jura, perjura, secretum prodere noli.” 
Ophites. 
These were Christian heretics, so called from the veneration they 
bad for the serpent that, tempted Eve, and the worship they paid to 
a real serpent. They pretended, that the serpent was Jesus Christ, 
and that he taught men the knowledge of good and evil. They dis- 
tinguished betw'een Jesus and Christ. Jesus, they said, was born of 
the Virgin, but Christ came down from heaven to be united with him. 
Jesus W'as crucified, but Christ had left him to return to heaven. They 
distinguished the God of the Jews, whom they called JaldabaQth, froni 
the supreme God ; to the former they ascribed the bodies, to the latter 
the souls of men. They had a live serpent which they kept in a kind 
of cage ; at certain times they opened the cage door, and called the 
serpent : the animal came out, and, mounting the table, twined itself 
about some loaves of bread ; this bread they broke, and distributed 
to the company, who all kissed the serpent : this 
Eucharist. 
Mystics. 
These are a kind of religious sect, distinguished by their professing 
pure, sublime, and perfect devotion, with an entire disinterested love 
they called their 
