IMPANATION: One of the many modifications of the doctrine of the real presence of the flesh and blood of Christ in the Eucharist, which arose in opposition to the doctrine of transubstantiation. Rupert of Deutz (d. 1135) is the father of this idea. In commenting on Ex. ii. 10 (Opera, i. 267, Cologne, 1602), he explains how God connects the real flesh and blood of Christ with the real bread and wine in the Eucharist, without disturbing the substance of either, just as, in the womb of the virgin, he connected the Word and the human nature without changing the character of the latter. So, in theological terminology, the relation existing between Christ and the elements in the Eucharist would be, according to this theory, a hypostatie union similar to that existing between the divinity and the humanity in Christ. The word "impanation," however, was first used by Alger of Lfege (d. 1131), who wrote against Rupert in defense of transubstantiation. In the period of the Reformation Carlstadt accused Osiander of holding the view of impanation; and the same accusation was preferred by the Romanists in general against Luther, who denied it.

IMPOSITION OF HANDS. See Laying On of Hands.

IMPOSTORIBUS, DE TRIBUS: The title of a writing often mentioned but little known, connected with an accusation in the year 1239 by Pope Gregory IX. against Emperor Frederick II., who

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was reported to have said that the world had been deceived by three -impostors, Moses, Christ, and Mohammed. Frederick repudiated this allegation as untrue; and, in fact, the saying with reference to the three chief impostors occurs prior to Frederick's time. A specific document bearing the title does not appear before 1598 (published from a copy in Dresden by E. Weller, Leipsic, 1846; 2d ed., Heilbronn, 1876). There was much discussion about the work among scholars of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and it appeared in repeated translations. The contents are skeptical and show dearth of religious understanding. That God exists is held to be disproved by the absence of a uniform universally acknowledged conception of God. The heathen conceptions are rated as not far inferior to the Christian, and to the offensive heathen myths are opposed what are represented as equally offensive Christian myths (the Trinity, the virgin birth, etc.). Yet even were it granted that God exists, the question would still arise, how shall he be honored? Surely no one can appeal to special revelations, for this were impoatura. The work has been ascribed to various scholars of the sixteenth century. Campanella would seem to have mentioned Muretus as the author, and likewise to have remarked that he saw it in the hands of the Florentine F. Pumi. Florimond de Raemond (L'Histoire de la na%ssanee . . . do 1'hefdsie, pp. 236-237, Rouen, 1629) affirms the same of Petrus Ramus. The question of authorship does not appear open to solution. At all events, the work was not written by Guiliehmus Postellus.

K. Benrath.

Bibliography: K. Rosenkranz, Der 7weifel an Glaubn, Halle, 1830; F. W. Qenthe, De impostura religionum brew comperndroum, em liber de tribus impoetoribua, Leipsic, 18.93.