CONTENTS OF BOOKS V
The contents of the fifth book of the History of the Curch are as follows :
I. The number and behaviour of those those who in the time of verus underwent in Gaul the struggle for religion.
II. Ηow the martyrs, beloved οf God, gave the hand οf fellowship and healing to those who had fallen in the persecution.
IΙI. ne vision which appeared in a dream to the martyr Αttalus.
IV. Ηow the martyrs commended Irenaeus by a letter.
v. Ηοw God sent rain from heaven to Marcus Aurelius Caesar in response to the prayers of the christians.
VI. The list of those who were bishops in Rome.
VII. Ηow even until those times strange miracles were wrought by the faithful.
VIII. Ηow Irenaeus quotes the divine Scriptures.
IX. Those who were bishops under Commodus.
X. On Ρantaenus the philosopher.
XI. On Clement οf Αlexandria.
XII. On the bishops in Jerusalem.
XIII. On Rhodo and the dissensions which he mentions among the Marcionites.
XIV. On the Montanist 1 false prophets.
XV. About the schism at Rome under BlastuS.
XVL The tradition concerning Montanus and those who were false prophets together with him.
XVII. Οn Miltiades and the treatises which he composed.
XVIII. Ηow Apollonius also refuted the Montanists and the quotations which he made.
XIX. Οf Serapion On Montanism.
XX. The discussions of Irenaeus in writing with the schimatics at Rome.
XXI. How Apllonius was martyred in Rome.
XXII. What bishops were famous in these times.
XXIII. Οn the paschal controversy which was then active.
XXIV. On the division in Asia.
XXV. How unanimous decision was reaehed concerning Easter.
XXVI. How much of the eloquent work of Irenaeus has come down to us.
XXVII. How much also of the others who flourished with him at that time.
XXVIII. Οn those who at the beginning put forward the heresy of Artemon, what manner of men they were, and how they have dared to corrupt the holy Scriptures.
BOOK V
SORER, the bishop of the church of Rome, ended his life in the eighth year οf his rule. To him succeeded Elutherus, the twelfth from the apostles, and it was the seventeenth year of the Emperor Antonius Verus.1 Ιn this time the persecution οf us in some parts of the world was rekindled more violently by popular violence in the cities, and, to judge from the events in οne nation, myriads were distinguished by martyrdom. The story has chanced to be handed down in writing for posterity, and it is truly worthy of unceasing remembrance. sincc the whole reeord of its complete treatment has been embodied in our collection οf martyrs, 2 and contains not merely the narrahve itself but also an exposition οf doctrine, I will at present select and quote merely such points as belong to the present undertaking. Other writers οf historical works have confined themselves to the written tradition of victories in wars, of trimnphs οver enemies, of the exploits of generals and the valour of soldiers, men stained with blood and with countless murders for the sake of children and country and other possessions ; but it is wars most peaceful,
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waged for the very peace of the sOul, and men who therein have been valiant for truth rather than for country, and for piety rather than for rileir dear ones, that our reeord of those who order their lives according to God will inscribe on everlasting monuments : it is the struggles of the athletes of piety and their valour which braved so much, trophies won from demons, and victories against unseen adversaries, and the crowns at the end of all, that it will proclaim for everlasting remembrance.
1. Gaul was the country in which was prepared the stage for these events. Its capital cities, famous and more renowned than the others in the distriet, were Lyolb and Vienne, through both of which passes the river Rhone, flowing in an ample stream through the whole district. The distingtliSlled churches of this country sent the document about the martyrs to the churches in Asia and Phrygia, in this way recording what happedned among them, and I will quote their words : “ The servants sojourning in Vienne and Lyons in Gaul to the brethren in Αsia and Phrygia, who have the same faith and hope of redemption as you. Ρeace, grace, and glory from God the Father and Jesus Christ, our Lord.”
Then after other prefatory remarks they begin their narrative thus : “ The greatness of the persecution here, and the terrible rage of the heathen against the saints, and the suffering of the blessed martyrs, are more than we can narrate accurately, nor can they be put down in writing. For with all his might the adversary attaeked us, foreshadowing his coming which is shortly to be, and tried everything, practising his adherents and training them ngainst the servants of God, so that we were not merely excluded from houses and baths and markets, but we were even forbidden to be seen at all in any place whatever. But against them the grace of God did eaptain us ; it reseued the weak, and marshalled against them steadfast pillars of men able by patience to draw to themselves all the attack of the enemy. They cmne together and endured every kind of abuse and punishment, they eounted many things as few in their zeal for Christ, and ffidld indeed prove that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bc compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us.
“First they endured nobly all that was heaped upon them by the mob, howls and stripes and dragging about, and rapine and imprisonment and stoning, and all things which are wont to happen at the hands of an infuriated populace against its supposed enemies and foes ; then they were dragged into the market-place by the tribune and by the chief authorities of the city, were indicted and eonfessed, and at last they were shut up until the coming οf the governor. Then they were brought before the governor, and When he used all his eruelty against them, then intervened Vettius Εpagathus, one οf the brethren, mled filled with love towards and towards his neighbour, the strietness οf whose life had gone so far that in spite οf his youth his reputation was equal to that οf the elder Zacharias. 1 Ηe walked in all the commanmnents and orffinances of the Lord blameless and was unwearied in all ministrations to his neighbours, having much zeal toward God and being fervent in spirit. Ηis character forbade him to endure the unreasonable judgement given agninst us, and, overcome with indignation, he asked to be heard himself in defence of the brethren to the effect that there was nothing atheistic or impious among us. Ηe was howled down by those around the judgement-seat, for he was a man οf position, 2 and the governor would not tolerate the just requests which he had put forward but merely asked if he were a Chrirtian hinBeK. Ηe then confessed in clear tones and was himself taken into the ranks of the martyrs. Ηe was called the ‘ Comforter of Christians,’ but had the Comforter in himself, spirit of Zacharias which he had shown by the fullness of his love when he chose to Ιay down even his οwn life for the defence of the brethren, for he was and he is 3 a true ffidlsciple οf christ, and he follows the Lamb wheresoever he goes.
“The rest were then ffidIrided and the first martyrs were obviously ready, and they fulffiled the confession of martyrdom with all reaffiness, but some οthers appeared not to be ready, and failcd in training and in strength, unable to endure the strain
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of a great cOnffiet, and abOut ten in nmber failed, as those born out of due time. They caused us great grief and immeasurable mourning, and hindered the zeal of the others wo had not been arrerted. Yet they, although suffering all the terrors, nervertheless remained with the martyrs and did not desert them. But at that point we were all greatly terrified by uncertainty as to their confession, not fearillg the threatened punishment but looking towards the end and afraid lest some one should fall away. Yet day by day those who were worthy went on being ariested, completing their number, so as to collect from the two churches all the zealous and those through whom the life of the locality was kept together. There were also arrested certain heathen slaves of our members, since the governor had publicly commanded that we should all be prosecuted, and these by the snare of Satan, fearing the tortures which they saw the saints suffering, when the soldiers urged them, falsely accused us of Theyestean feasts and Oedipodean intercourse, 1 and things which it is not right for us either to speak οf or to think of or even to believe that such things could ever happen among men. When this rumour spread all men turned like beab againt us, so that even if any had formerly been lenient for friendship's sake they then became furious and raged against us, and there was fulfilled that which was spoken by our Lord that ‘the rime will come when whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God ’ Then at last the holy martyrs endured sufferings beyong all description, for Satan was striving to wring some
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blasphemy eVen from them, and all the fury of the mob and of the gOVernor and Of the soldiers was raised beyond meaSure against sanetus, the deacon from Vienne, and against Maturus, who was a noviee but a noble contender, and against Attalus, a pergamene by race, who had always been a pillar and support of the Christians there, and against Blandina, through whom Christ showed that things which are mean and obscure and contemptible among men are vouehsafed great glory with God beeause or the love towardS him shown in powere and not boasted of in appearance. For while we were all afraid, and her human mistress, who was herself one of the contenders among the martyrs, was in distress lest she should not be able, through the weakness of her body, to be bold enough even ro make confession, Blandina was ffiled with such power that she was released and rescued from those who took turns in torturing her in every way from morning until evening, and they themselves eonfessed that they were beaten, for they had nothing left to do to her, and they marvelled that she still remained alive, seeing that her whole body was broken and opened, and they testified that any one of these tortures was suffieient to destroy life, even when they had not been magnffied and multiplied. But the blessed woman, like a noble athlete, kept gaining in vigour in her confession, and found comfort and rest and freedom from pain from what was done to her by saying, ‘I am a Christian woman and nothing wicked happens among us.’
“Sanctus also himself endured nobly, beyond measure or human power, all the ill- treament of men, for though the wieked hoped through persistence and the rigour of his tortures to wring from him something wrong, he resisted them with such constancy that he did not even tell his own name, or the race or the city whence be was, nor whether he was slave or free, but to all questions answered in Latin, ‘I am a Christian.’ This he said for and city and race and for everything else, and the heathen heard no other sound from him. For this reason the governor and the torturers were very ambitious to subdue him, so that when they bad nothing left at all to do to him at last they fastened plates of heated brass to the tenderest parts of his body. His limbs were burnig, but he continued himself unbending and unyielding, firm in his confession, refreshed and strengthened by the heavenly spring of the water of life which proceeds forth from the body of Christ. His body was a witness to his treatment it was all one wound and bruise, wrenehed and torn out of human shape, but Christ suffering in him manifested great glory, overthrowing the adversary and showing for the example of the others how there is nothing fearful where there is the love of the Father nor painful where there is the glory of Christ. For when the wicked after some days again tortured the martyr they thought that they might overcome him how that his body was swollen and inflamed if they applied the same tortures, seeing that he could not even endure to be touched by the hand, or that by dying under torture he would put fear into the rest. Yet not only did nothing of this kind happen, but, beyond all human expectation, he raised himself up and his body was straightened in the subsequent tortures, and he regained his former appearance and the use of his limbs, so that through the grace of Christ the second torturing became not torment but cure.
“Biblis, too, one of those who had denied, did the devil bring to torture (thinking that he had already swallowed her up and wishing to condemn her through blasphemy as well), to force her to say immpious things about us, as though she were already broken and weak. But she recovered under torture, and, as it were, woke up out of deep sleep, being reminded through this transitory punishment of the eternal torments in hell, and contradicted the blasphemers, saying, ‘How would such men eat children, when they are not allowed to eat the blood even of irrational animals?’ And after this she confessed herself a Christian and was added to the ranks of the martyrs.
“But when the tyrant's torments had been brought to naught by Christ through the endurance of the blessed saints, the devil thought of other devices, imprisonment in the jail in darkness and in the most horrible place, and stretching their feet in the stocks, separated to the fifth hole, and the other outrages which angry warders filled with the devil are accustomed to inflict on the prisoners. Thus most of them were strangled in the prison, being all those whom the Lord had chosen thus to depart manifesting his glory. Some were tortured so cruelly that it seemed impossible for them to live even if they had had every care, yet surrived in the prison, bereft of human attention but strengthened by the Lord and given power in body and soul, and looking after and comforting the rest. But the younger ones, who had lately been arrested, whose boffidles had not become accustomed to it, did not endure the burden οf cofinement but died in prison.
“The blessed Pothinus, who had been entrusted with the ministry of the bishoprie at Lyons, was over nunety years old and very weak physically. Ηe was scarcely breathing through the physical weakness which had aheady come upon ffihlm, but was strengthened by zeal of spirit through urgent desire of martyrdom. Ηe was dragged before the judgementseat, and although his body was weakened by old age and disease, his soul was kept in him in order that through it Christ might triumph. Ηe was brought by soldiers to the judgement-seat ; the local authorities accompanied him, and all the populace, uttering all kinds of howls at him as though he was Christ himself, but he gave noble testimony. When asked by the governor, Who was the God of the Christians, he said, ‘ If you are worthy, you will ’ And then he was dragged about without mercy, and suffered many blows ; for those who were near ilhtreated him with feet and hands and in every way, without respect even for his old age, and those who were at a ffistance each threw at him whatever he had at hand, and all thought that it would be a great transgression and impiety to omit any abuse against him. For they thought that in this way they would vindicate their gods. Αnd he was thrown into prison scarcely breathing and after two days yielded up the ghost.
“Then a great ffispensation of God was given, and the measureless mercy of Jesus was so manifested, as has rarely happened among the brethren, but is not beyond the skill of Christ. For those who at the nrst arrest had denied were imprisoned themselves and shared in the terrors, for this time not even their denial was any advantage to them ; but those who confessed what they were Were imprisoned as Christians, no other accusation being brought against them, the others however were held as murderers and foul persons and punished twiee as much as the rest. For the burden of the former was lightened by the joy of martyrdom and the hope of the promises, and by love towards Christ and by the spirit of the Father ; but the latter were greauy punished by their conscience so that they were conspicuous among all the rest by their faces when they were taken out. For the one went forth gladly; glory and great grace were mingled on their faces, so that they wore even their fetters as a becoming ornament, like a bride adorned with golden lace of many pattems, and they were perfumed with the sweet savour οf Christ, so that some supposed that they had been anointed with worldly unguents ; but the others were depressed and humble and wretched and ffiled with every kind of unseemliness, and in addition were insulted by the heathen as ignoble and cowardly ; they had gained the accusation οf murder, but had lost the name which is full of honour and glory and gives life. wben the others saw this they were strengthened and those who were arrested confessed without hesitation and gave no thought to the argumentS of the devil.”
Αfter a few more sentences they go on again: “After this the testimony of their death fell into every kind of variety. For they wove various colours and all kinds of Rowers into one wreath to offer to the Father, and so it was necessary for the noble athletes to undergo a varied conteSt, and after great victory to receive the great crown of immortality. Maturus and sanctus and Blandina and Αttalus were led forth to the vild beasts, to the public, 1 and to a common exhibition οf the inhumanity of the heathen, for the day of fighting with beasts was specially appointed for the Christians. Maturus and Sanctus passed again through all torture in the amphitheatre as though they had suffered nothing before, but rather as though, having conquered the opponent in many bouts, 2 they were now striving for his crown, οnce more they ran the gauntlet in the accustomed manner, endured the worrying of the wild beastS, and everything which the maddened public, some in οne way, some in another, were howling for and commanding, finally, the iron chair on which the roasting οf their own bodies clothed them with its reek. Their persecutors did not stop even here, but went on growing more and more furious, wishing to eonquer their endurance, yet gained nothing from sanctus beyond the sound of the confession Which he had been accustomed to make from the beginning.
“Thus after a long time, when their life still remained in them through the great contest, they were at last sacrificed, having been made a spectacle to the world throughout that day as a substitute for all the variations of gladiatorial eontests ; but Blandina was hung on a stake and offered as a prey to the wild beasts that were let in. She seemed to be hanging in the shape of a croSS, and by her continuous prayer gave great zeal to the combatants, while they looked οn during the cntest, and with their outward eyes saw in the form of their sister him who was crueffied for them, to persuade those who believe on him that all who suffer for the glory of Christ have for ever fellowship with the living God Then when none of the beasts Would touch her she was taken down from the stake and brought baek into the jail, and was thus preserved for another contest, in order that by winning through more trials she might make irrevocable the condemnation of the crooked serpent, and might encourage the brethren ; for small and weak and despised as she was, she had put on the great and invincible athlete, Christ ; she had overcome the adversary in many contests, and through the struggle had gained the crown of immortality.
“But Αttalus waS himSelf loudly ealled for by the crowd, for he was well known. Ηe went in, a ready combatant, for his conscience was clear, and he had been nobly trained in Christian discipline and had ever been a witness for truth among us. Ηe was led round the amphitheatre and a placard was earried before him on which was written in Latin, This Attalus, the ’ The people were very bitter against him, but when the governor learnt that he was a Roman, he commanded him to be put back with the rest, who were in the jail, about whom he had written to the emperor and was waiting for his reply.
“But the intervening time was not idle or fruitless for them but through their endurance was manifested the immeasurable mercy of Christ, for through the living the dead were being quickened and martyrs gave grace to those who had denied. Αnd there was great joy to the Virgin Mother who had miscarried with them as though dead, and was receiving them back alive. For through them the majority of those who had denied were again brought to birth 1 and again conceived and quickened again, and learned to confess, and now alive and vigorous, made happy by God who wills not the death of the sinner, but is Hnd towards repentance, went to the judgement-seat, in οrder that they might again be interrogated by the governor. For caesar had written that they should be tortured to death, but that if any should reeant they should be let go, and at the beginning οf the local feast (and this is widely attended by the eoncourse οf all the heathen to it) the govemor led them to the judgement-seat, making a show and spectacle οf the blessed men to the mob. Ηe accordingly examined them again, beheaded all who appeared to possess Roman citizenship, and sent the rest to the beasts. Αnd Christ was greatly glorified by those who had formerly denied but theu confessed contrary to the expectation of the people. For they were examined by themselves with the intention of then letting them
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go, but confessed and were added to the ranks of the martyrs. nose indeed remained without who had never had any vestige of faith, nor perception οf the bridal garment, nor idea οf the fear of God, but even tbrough their behaviour blasphemed the Way — they are the sons of perdition — but all the rest were added to the church. when they too were being examined a certain Alexander, a Ρhrygian by race and a physician by profession, who had lived in Gaul for many years and was known to almost every one for his love toward ood and boldness of speech (for he was not without a share of the apostolic gift), stood by the judgement-seat and by signs encouraged them to confession, and seemed to those who were standing by as though he were in travail. But the crowd, angry that those who had formeriy denied were confessing again, howled at Αlexander as though he were responsible for this. The govemor summoned him and asked him who he was, and when he said a Christian,’ he flew into a rage and him to the beasts. Αnd the next day he went into the arena together with Αttalus ; for to please the mob the governor had given Αttalus back to the beasts. ney passed through all the instruments οf torture which were prepared in the amphitheatre, and endured a great contest. Finally they too were sacrificed. Αlexander uttered neither groan nor moan at all, but conversed with God in his heart, and Αttalus, when he was put on the iron chair and was being bumed, and the reek arose from his body, said to the crowd in Latm; ‘ Lo, this which you are doing is to eat men, but we neither eat men nor do anything else wicked.’ Αnd when was asked what name God has, he replied, ‘ God has not a name as a man has.’
“In addition to all this, on the last day of the gladiatorial sports, Blanffina was again brought in with Ponticus, a boy of about fifteen years old, and they had been brought in every day to see the torture of the others, and efforts were made to force them to swear by the idols, and the mob was furiolls against them beeause they had remained steadfast and disregarded them, so that there was neither pity for the youth οf the boy nor respeet for the sex οf the woman. They exposed them to all the terrors and put them through every torture in turn, trying to make them swear, but not being able to do so. For Ronticus was encouraged by the Christian sister, so that even the heathen saw that she was exhorting and rtrengthening him, and after nobly enduring every torture he gave up his spirit. But the blessed Blandina, last οf all, like a noble mother who had encouraged her children and sent them forth triumphant to the king, having herself endured all the tortures of the cffildren, haStened to them, rejoicing and glad at her departure as though invited to a marriage feast rather than cast to the beaSts. Αnd after scourging, after the beasts, after the gridiron, she was at last put in a net and thrown to a bull. she was tossed about a long time by the beast, haring no more feeling for what happened to her through her hope and hold on what had been en- trusted to her and her converse with ChriSt. And so she too was sacrificed, and the heathen themselves confessed that never before among them had a woman suffered so much and so long.
“ Not even thus was their madness and cruelty to the SaintS satished, for, incited by a wild beast, 1 wild and barbarous tribes could scarcely stop, and their violenee began again in a new way on the bodies ; for that they had been conquered 2 did not shame them, because they had no human reason, but it rather inflamed their wrath as of a wild beast, and the governor and the people showed the like unrighteous hatred against us that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Let him that is unlawful be unlawful still, and he that iS righteous be righteouS ’ For thoSe who had been strangled in the jail they threw to the dogs, and watched carefully night and day that none should be cared for by us. Then they threw out the remains left by the beasb and by the nre, torn and charred, and ror many days watched with a mihtary guard the heads of the rest, together with their trunks, all unburied. And some raged and gnashed their teeth at the iemains, seeking some further vengeance from them, others laughed and jeered, glorifying their idols and ascribing to them the punishment of the Christians, and the gentler, who seemed to have a little sympathy, mocked greatly, saying, ‘ Where is their god and what good to them was their worship, which they preferred beyond their ’ Their conduct thus
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varied, but in οur cirele great grief obtained, because we could not bury the bodies in the earth, for night did not avail us for this, nor did money persuade nor entreaty shame, but in every way they watehed, as though they would make some great gain, that the bodies should not obtain burial.”
Further on they say : “ Thus the bodies οf the martyrs, after having been exposed and insulted in every way for six days, and afterwards burned and turned to ashes, were swept by the wicked into the river Rhone which flows near by, that not even a relic of them might still appear upon the earth. Αnd this they did as though they could coquer God and take away their rebirth in order, as they said, ‘ that they might not even have any hope of resurrection, through trusting in which they have brought in strange and new worship and despised terrors, going readily and with joy to death ; now let us see if they will rise again, and if their God be able to help them and to take them out of our hands.’”
II. Such things happened to the churehes of Christ under the emperor mentioned, and from them it is possible to from a reasonable conclusion as to what was done in the other provinces. It is worth while to add other statements from the same document, in which the genueness and the kindness of the martyrs already mentioned have been set down in these very words. “ And they carried so far their zeal and imitation οf Christ, ‘ who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God,’ that for all their glory, and though they had testified not once οr twice but many times, and had been taken back from the beasts and were covered with burns and scars and wounds, they neither proclaimed themselves as martyrs, nor allowed us to address them by this title. But if ever any one of us called them martyrs either in a letter οr in speech they rebuked him sharply. For they gladly conceded the title of martyrdom to Christ, the frialthful and true martyr 1 and first-born from the dead and author of the life of God. Αnd they reminded us of the martyrs who had already passed away, and said ‘they are already martyrs, whom Christ vouchsafed to be taken up at their confession, and sealed their witness by their departure, but we are lowly and humble ’ 2 Αnd they besought the brethren with tears, begging that earnest prayers might be made for their consecration. The power οf martyrdom they actually showed, having great boldness towards the heathen, and they made plain their nobleness by endurance and absence of fear or timidity; but the title of martyr they refused from the brethren, for they were filled with the fear οf God.”
Α little further οn they say: “They humbled themselves under the mighty hand and by it they have now been greatly exalted. At that time they made defence for all men, against none did they bring accusation; they released all and bound none;
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and they Ρrayed for those who had inflicted torture, even as did Stephen, the perfect martyr, ‘Lord, lay not this sin to their ’ Αnd if he prayed for those who were stoning him how much more for the brethren?”
Αnd again after οther details, they Say: “For their greatest contes, through the genuineness of their love, was this, that the beast 1 should be choked into throwing up alive those whom he had at first thought to have swallowed down. For they did not boast over the fallen, but from their own abundance supplied with a mother's love those that and shedding many tears for them to the Father, they prayed for life, and he gave it to them, and they divided it among their neighbours, and then departed to God, having in all things carried off the victory. They ever loved Ρeace; peace they commended to us; and with peace they departed to God; for their mother2 they left behind no sorrow, and for the brethren no strife and war, but glory, Ρeace, concord, and ” Let this profitable extract suffice concerning the love of those blessed ones for their brethren who had fallen, for the sake οf the inhuman and merciless disposition οf those who after these events acted unsparingly to the members οf Christ.3
ΙII. The same document οf the aforementioned martyrs contains also another story worthy οf memory, and none could grudge οur bringing it to
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the knowledge οf those who are about to study. It runs thus: There was among them a certain Alcibiades, who was living a very austere life, and at first was not partaking οf anything at all, but used merely bread and water and was trying to live thus even in the jail. But it was revealed to Attalus after the first contest which he underwent in the amphitheatre that Alcibiades was not doing well in not making use οf the creations οf God, and offering an example of offence 1 to others. Alcibiades was persuaded and began to partake οf everything without restraint and gave thanks to God; for they were not without help from the grace of God but the Ηoly Spirit was their counsellor. Let this suffice for this point.
Just at that time the party οf Montanus and Αleibiades and Theodotus in Ρhrygia began first to engender among many their views concerning prophecy (for the many other wonderful works of the grace of God which Were still being wrought up to that time in divers churches produced the belief among many that they also were prophets), and when dissension arose about the persons mentioned the brethren in Gaul again formulated their οwn judgement, pious and most orthodox, concerning them, subjoining various letters from the martyrs who had been consecrated among them, which letters while they were still in prison they had composed for the brethren in Αsia and Ρhrygia, and also for Εleutherus, who was then bishop οf the Romans, and so they were ambassadors for the sake οf the peace of the churches.
IV. Irenaeus also, who was at that time already a presbyter of the diocese at Lyons, the same martyrs commended to the afore-mentioned bishop οf Rome, and gave him much good testimony, as is shown by words to the following effect: “Once more and always, Father Εleutherus, we wish you greeting in God. We have asked our brother and companion, Irenaeus, to bring this letter to you and we beg you to hold him in esteem, for he is Ζealous for the covenant οf Christ. For had we known that rank can confer righteousness οn anyone, we should first of all have recommended him as being a presbyter of the church, for that is his position.”
What need is there to transcribe the list οf the martyrs in the above mentioned document, some consecrated by beheading, some cast out to be eaten by the wild beasts, οthers who fell asleep in the jail, and the number of the confessors which still survived at that time ? For whoever wishes can easily read the full aecount by taking the description which has been included in our collection of martyrs,1 as I said before. Such were the events which happened under Αntοninus.
V. It is said that when his brother, Marcus Aurelius Caesar, was engaging in battle with the Germans and Sarmatians, he was in difficulties, because his army was oppressed by thirst; but the soldiers of the legion which is called after Melitene,2 knelt on the ground according to our own custom οf prayer, in the faith which has sustained them from that time to this in their contests with their enemies, and turned
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towards supplications to God. Now though this kind of spectacle seemed strange to the enemy, the story goes that another still more marvellous overcame them at once, for lightning drove the enemy to flight add destruction, and a shower falling on the army which had prayed to God, refreshed them all when they were on the point of destruction from thirst.
The story is both told among writers who are foreign to our faith who have undertaken to write of the times of the above mentioned emperors,1 and has also been recorded by Christians. By the heathen writers, inasmucb as they were strangers to the faith, the miracle is related, but it was not confessed that it happened through the prayers of the Christians; but in our own writers, inasmuch as they are the friends of truth, what happened has been described in a simply and harmless fashion. Αmong these would be also Apolinarius, who states that after that time the legion which had wrought the miracle through prayer had received a name from the emperor appropriate to what had happened, and was called in Latin the “Thundering ’’2 Tertullian is also a worthy witness of these things, who in addressing in Latin an apology for our faithto to the Senate, which we have quoted already, confirmed the story with more and clearer proof. In his writing he says that letters of Marcus, the most prudent emperor, were still extant, in which he testifies himself that when his army was on the point
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οf destruction in Germany from lack οf water it had been saved by the Ρrayers of the Christians, and Tertullian says that the emperor also threatened death to those who attempted to accuse us. The author goes on as fohows: “What kind of laws are these which wicked, unrighteous, and cruel men use against us alone? Vespasian did not observe them although he conquered the Jews. Trajan partially allowed them, but forbade Christians to be sought οut. Neither Ηadrian, though busy in all curious matters, nor Pius, as he is called, ratified them.” But let these things be as anyone will, we must pass οn to the train of further events.
When Ρothinus was consecrated with the martyrs in Gaul at the age of full ninety years, Irenaeus received the episcopacy οf the diocese in Lyons,1 of which Ροthinus had been the head, and we have been told that he had been a listener to Polycarp in his early youth. In his third book against the heresies he gives the succession οf the bishops in Rome as far as Εleutherus, the events of whose days are now being discussed by us, as though his book had been composed at that time, and he gives the list, writing as follows.
VI. “Therefore when the blessed apostles had found and built the church they gave the ministry of the episcopate to Linus. Paul mentioned this Linus in his epistle to Timothy. Anencletus succeeded him, and after him Clement obtained the episcopate in the third place from the apostles. He had seen the blessed apostles and
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conversed with them and the teaching of the apostles still rang in his ears, their tradition was held before his eyes. Nor was he alone in this, for there were still many surviving at that time who had been taught by the apostles. When in the time οf this Clement no little dissenstion arose among the Chrirtians at Corinth, the church in Rome sent a most powerful letter to the Corinthians urging them to peace and renewing their faith and the tradition which they had recently received from the apostles.1”
Αnd after a little he says: “Εvarestus succeeded to this Clement and Αlexander to Εvarestus, and then Xystus was appointed as the sixth from the apostles, and after him Telesphorus, who also was martyred gloriously; then Hyginus, then Pius, after him Anicetus. Soter succeeded Anicetus, and now, in the twelfth place from the apostles, Eleutherus holds the lot of the episcopate. The tradition from the apostles in the church and the preaching of the truth have reached us in the same οrder and the same teaching.”2
VII. These things Irenaeus recounts, according to the extracts which we have made already, in the books, five in number, to which he gave the title of Refutation and Overthrow of Knowledge falsely socalled, and in the second book of this work he proves in the following words that manifestations of the divine and marvellous power had remained in some
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churches even as far as his time : “ But they fall so far 1 short of raising the dead, as did the Lord and his apostles through prayer (and often among the brethren, because of necessity and at the request of the whole church in the neighbourhood, with fasting and much supplication, the spirit of him who had died returned, and the man was given to the prayers of the ” Αnd again he says after other things : “ But if they say that the Lord has done all these things merely in appearance we will take them back to the prophetic writings, and show from them that all these things had been foretold concerning him, and that they certainly happened, and that he alone is the Som of God ; for which cause also his true disciples having reeeived graee from him use it in his name for the benefit of the rest of men, even as each has received the gift from him. For some drive out demons with certainty and truth, so that often those who have themselves been cleansed from the evil spirits believe and are in the church, and some have foreknowledge of things to be, and visions and prophetic speech, and others cure the rick by the haying on of hands and make them whole, and even as we have said, the dead have been raised and remained with us for many years. Αnd why should Ι say more 7. Ιt is not possible to tell the number of the gifts which the chureh throughout the whole worid, having received them from God in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, uses each day for the benefit of the heathen, deceiving none and making profit from none. For as it received freely from God, it ministers also ” And in another place the same author writes : “ Just as also we hear many brethren in the church who have gifts of prophecy, and who speak through the Spirit with all manner of tongues, and who bring the hidden things of men into clearness for the common good and expound the myrteries of ” So much on the point that variety of gifts remained among the worthy up till the time spoken of.
VIII. Αt the beginning of this work we made promise to quote from time to time the sayings of the presbyters and writers of the church of the first period, in which they have delivered the traditions which came down to them about the canonical Scriptures. Now Irenaeus was one of these, so let us quote his words, and in the first place those which refer to the saered Gospels, as follwos : “ Now Matthew published among the Hebrews a written gospel 1 also in their own tongue, while Ρeter and Paul were preaching in Rome and founding the church. But after their death Mark also, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, himself handed down to us in writing the things which were preached by Ρeter, and Luke also, who was a follower of Paul, put down in a book the gospel which was preached by him. Then John, the disciple of the Lord, who had even reted on his breast, himself also gave forth the gospel, while he was living at Ephesus in Asia.”
These things were said by the writer referred to in the third book of his treatise which has been quoted before, and in the fifth book he discourses thus about the Apocalypse of John and the number of the name of the Antichrist.1 “ Now since this is so, and since this number is found in all the good and ancient copies, and sinee those Who have seem John face to face testify, and reason teaches us that the number of the name of the beast appears according to the numeration of the Greeks by the letters in it . . . ” Αnd going on later he says concerning the same point, “ We therefore will not take the risk of making any positive statement concerning the name of the Antichrist. For if it had been necessary for his name to have been announeed cleariy at the present time, it would have been spoken by him who also saw the Revelation ; for it was not even seen a long time ago, but almost in our own generation towards the end of the reign of Domitian.”
The author quoted says this about the Apocalypse, and he also mentions the first Epistle of John, making many quotations from it, and likewise the first Epistle of Ρeter. Αnd he not only knew but also received 2 the writing of the Shepherd, saying, “ Well did the scripture say ‘ first of all believe that God is one who created and fitted together all ’ and so ” Ηe also made some quotations all but verbally from the WiSdom of Solomon, “ Αnd
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the vision of God produces incorruptibility and incorruptibility brings us near to ” Ηe also quotes treatises οf a certain apostolic presbyter whose name he passes by in silence and gives his interpretaion οf divine Scripture. Moreover, he has made mention of Justion Martyr and Ignatius, making frequent quotations from their writings, and he promised to give in a special work a refutation of Marcion from his own writings.
Hear also, word for word, what he writes about the interpretation οf the inspired Scriptures accorffing to the Septuagint. “ So God became man and the Lord himself saved us, giving us the sign of the virgin, but not as some say, who at the present time venture to translate the scriptures, ‘ behold a young woman shall conceive and bear a ’ as Theodotion the Εphesian tranriated it and Αquila from Ρontus, both οf them Jewish proselytes, whom the Εbionites follow and aver that he was begotten by Joseph. ’’ After a little he goes on thus : ‘‘ For before the Romans established their government, while the Macedonians still possessed Asia, Ρtolemy, the son of Lagus,1 being very anxious to adorn the library, which he had founded in Αlexandria, with all the best extant writings of all men, asked from the inhabitants of Jerusalem to have their Scriptures translated into Greek. They, for they were at that time still subject to the Macedonians, sent to Ptolemy seventy elders, the most experienced they had
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in the scriptures and in both languages, and God thus wrought what he willed. But Ptolemy, wishing to make trial of them in his own way, and being afraid lest they should have made some agreement to conceal by their translation the truth in the Scriptures, separated them from one another and commanded them all to write the same translation. Αnd this he did in the case of all the books. when they came together to Ptolemy, and compared each his own translation, God was glorffied and scriptures were recognized as truly divine, for they all rendered the same things in the same words and the same names, from beginning to end, so that even the heathen who were present knew that the Scriptures had been translated by the inspiration of God. Αnd it is no marvel that God did this, for when the Scriptures had been destroyed in the captivity οf the people in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, and the Jews had gone back to their country after seventy years, then in the times of Artaxerxes, the king of the Ρersians, he inspired Ezra, the priest of the tribe of Levi, to restore all the sayingS of the prophets Who had gone before, and to restore to the people the law given by ” 1 so much sayS Irenaeus.
IX. When Antoninus had held the empire for nineteen years, Commodus 2 received the sovereignty, and in his first year Julian was appointed to the episcopate of the Churches in Αlexandria when Agrippinus had completed his ministry after twelve years.
X. Αt that time a man very famous for his learning named Pantaenus had charge of the life of the faithful in Αlexandria, for from ancient custom a school of sacred learning eristed among them. This sehool has lasted on to our time, and we have heard that it is managed by men powerful in their learning and zeal for divine things, but tradition says that at that time Pantaenus was especially eminent, and that he had been influenced by the philosophic system of those called stoics. They say that he showed sueh Zeal in his warm disposition for the divine word that he was appointed as a herald for the goSpel of Christ to the heathen in the East, and was sent as far as India. For indeed there Were until then many evangelists of the word who had forethought to use inspired zeal on the apostolic model for the increases and the building up of the divine word. Οne of these was Pantaenus, and it is said that he went to the Indians, and the tradition is that he found there that among some of those there who had known Christ the Gospel according to MattheW had preceded his coming ; for Bartholomew, one of the apostles, had preached to them and had left them the writing of Matthew in Hebrew letters, which was preserved until the time mentioned. Pantaenus, after many achievementS, was at the head of the sehool in Alexandria until his death, and orally and in writing expounded the treasures of the divine doctrine.
XI. Ιn his time Clement. the namesake of the pupil of the apostles who had once ruled the ehurch οf Rome, was famous in Αlexandria for his study of the Ηoly Scriptures with Ρantaenus. Ιn the Hypotyposes which he composed he mentioned Pantaenus by name as his teacher, and he seems to me to allude to him in the first book of the Stromateis,1 when he speaks thus in reference to the more distinguishedd members of the apostolic sueeession which he had received. “ This work is not a writing composed for show, but notes stored up for my old age, a remedy against forgetfulness, an image without art, and a sketch of those clear and rital words which
was privileged to hear, and οf blessed and truly notable men. of these one, the Ionian, was in Greece, another in South Italy, a third in CoeleSyria,2 another from Egypt, and there were others in the Εast, οne οf them an Assyrian, another in Palestine of Hebrew origin. But when I had met the last, and in power he was indeed the first,
hunted him out from his concealment in Egypt and found rest. But these men preserved the true tradition of the blessed teaching directly from Ρeter and James and John and Ρaul, the holy apostles, son receiving it from father (but there were few like their fathers), and by the blessing of God they came down to us to deposit those ancestral and apostolic seeds.”
was privileged to hear, and οf blessed and truly notable men. of these one, the Ionian, was in Greece, another in South Italy, a third in CoeleSyria,2 another from Egypt, and there were others in the Εast, οne οf them an Assyrian, another in Palestine of Hebrew origin. But when I had met the last, and in power he was indeed the first,
hunted him out from his concealment in Egypt and found rest. But these men preserved the true tradition of the blessed teaching directly from Ρeter and James and John and Ρaul, the holy apostles, son receiving it from father (but there were few like their fathers), and by the blessing of God they came down to us to deposit those ancestral and apostolic seeds.”
XII. In their time there flourished Narcissus, bishop of the church at Jerusalem, who is still widely famous. Ηe held the succession in the fifteenth place after the siege of the Jews under Ηadrian, aud we have stated already that from that time the church in that city was composed οf Gentiles, in
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succession to the Jewish Christians, and that the first οf the Gentile bishops was Marcus. Αfter him the. local successions record that Cassian was bishop, and after him Publius, then Maximus, in addition to them Julian, then Gaius, after him Symmachus and Gaius the second, and then another Julian, and Capito, and in addition to them Valens and dolichianus, and after them all Νarcissus, the thirtieth from the apostles according to the regular succession.1
XIII. Αt this time too Rhodo, of Asiatic race, was, as he narrates himself, the pupil at Rome of Tatian, whom we have mentioned above, and composed various books, among others especially one direeted against the heresy of Marcion. Ηe says that it was divided in his time into various opinions, and, describing accurately those who had caused the divergence, he refutes the fahe teaching devised by each οf them. Listen then to him when he writes thus : “ Therefore they have ceased to agree among themselves, maintaining inconsistent opinions. One of their herd is Αpelles, who is reverenced for his life and old age. Ηe admits that there is one Principle,2 but says that the prophecies are of an opposing spirit, and he was persuaded by the utteranees of a possessed maiden named Philoumene. But οthers, such as the eaptain himself (Mareion), introduced two Principles. To them belong Ρotitus and Basilicus. These followed the wolf of Pontus,3 not Perceiving
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the division of things, any more than he, and turning to a simple solution, announced two principles, baldly and without proof. Others again, passing into worse error, supposed that there are not only two but even three Natures. of them the chief and leader is syneros, as those state who represent his school.”
The same writerd (Rhodo) says that he conversed with Αpelles, and states it thus : “ For the οld man Apelles when he consorted with us, was proved to make many false statements. Hence also he used to say that it is not necessary to investigate the argument fully, but that eaeh should remain in his own belief, for he asserted that those who placed their hope on the Crucffied would be saved, if they persisted in good works. But as we have srid before, the most obseure part of all the doctrines which he put forward were about God. For he kept on saying that there is only one Principle just as our doctrine ” Then after expounding all his opinions he goes on as follows: “ Αnd when I said to him, where is this proof of yours, οr how can you say that there is οne Ρrinciple ? Tell ’ he said that the prophecies refute themselves by not having spoken the truth at all, for they are inconsistent and false and contradict themselves, but as to how there is one Ρrinciple he said that he did not know it, but merely inclined to that riew. Then when
adjured him to to speak the truth he swore that he was speaking the truth, when he said that he did not know how the unbegotten God is one but that he believed it. But I laughed at him and condemned him, because though he called himself a teacher he did not know how to establish what he taught.”
adjured him to to speak the truth he swore that he was speaking the truth, when he said that he did not know how the unbegotten God is one but that he believed it. But I laughed at him and condemned him, because though he called himself a teacher he did not know how to establish what he taught.”
In the same work, speaking to Kallistio, the same writer states that he had been himself a disciple of Tatian at Rome, and he says that Tatian had preapred a book on Ρroblems, in which he undertook to set out what was unclear and hidden in the divine seriptures, and Rhodo himself in his own work announces that he will set out the answers to Tatian's Problems. There is also extant a treatise of Rhodo on the ëmeron.1 Αpelles, however, uttered countless impieties against the law of Moses, and in many treatises blasphemed the divine words with no little zeal, as it seemed, for their refutation and overthrow, as he at least thought. So much then concerning these.
XIV. The enemy of the church οf God, who hates good and loves deeply all that is wicked, left untried no kind of plot against men and again strove to raise up strange heresies against the church. Οf these some like poisonous reptiles crawled over Asia and Pyrygia, and boasted that Montanus was the Paraclete and that the women οf his sect, Priscilla and Maximilla, were the prophetesses of Montanus.
XV. Others flourished in Rome of which Florinus was the leader. Ηe had been turned out of the presbytery of the church and with him was Blastus who had suffered a similar fall. These drew away more οf the church and brought them to their own opinion, each trying to introduce innovations about the truth in his own way.
XVI. Αgainst the so-called Cataphrygian 2 heresy the power which champions the truth raised up a powertul and invincible weapon at Hierapolis in
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Apolinarius, who has already been mentioned in this work, and with him many others of the learned men οf that time, from whom abundant material for history has been left to us. One of these at the beginning of his treatise agrinst the Montanists indicates that he had also taken part in oral controversy against them. Ηe writers a preface in this way : “ For a long and protracted time, my dear Αbercius Mareellus,
have been urged by you to compose a treatise against the sect of those called after Miltiades,1 but until now 1 was somewhat reluctant, not from any lack of ability to refute the lie and testify to the truth, but from timidity and seruples lest 1 might seem to some to be adding to the writings or injunctions οf the word of the new covenant οf the gospel, to which no οne who has chosen to live according to the gospel itself can add and from which he cannot take away. But when I had just come to Ancyra in Galatia and perceived that the chureh in that place was torn in two by this new movement which is not, as they call it, prophecy but much rather, as will be shown, false prophecy, I disputed concerning these people themselves and their propositions so far as I could, with the Lord's help, for many days continuously 2 in the church. Thus the church rejoiced and was strengthened in the truth, but our opponents were crushed for the moment and our adversaries were ffirtressed. Therefore the presbyters οf the place asked me to leave some note of what had been said against the opponents of the 31 32 word of the truth, when Zoticus of Otrous, our fellow presbyter, was also present. Though we did not do so, we promised to write from home if the Lord permitted, and to send it to them speedily.”
have been urged by you to compose a treatise against the sect of those called after Miltiades,1 but until now 1 was somewhat reluctant, not from any lack of ability to refute the lie and testify to the truth, but from timidity and seruples lest 1 might seem to some to be adding to the writings or injunctions οf the word of the new covenant οf the gospel, to which no οne who has chosen to live according to the gospel itself can add and from which he cannot take away. But when I had just come to Ancyra in Galatia and perceived that the chureh in that place was torn in two by this new movement which is not, as they call it, prophecy but much rather, as will be shown, false prophecy, I disputed concerning these people themselves and their propositions so far as I could, with the Lord's help, for many days continuously 2 in the church. Thus the church rejoiced and was strengthened in the truth, but our opponents were crushed for the moment and our adversaries were ffirtressed. Therefore the presbyters οf the place asked me to leave some note of what had been said against the opponents of the 31 32 word of the truth, when Zoticus of Otrous, our fellow presbyter, was also present. Though we did not do so, we promised to write from home if the Lord permitted, and to send it to them speedily.”
Continuing with other similar remarks at the beginning of his treatise, he proceeds to narrate as follows the cause of the heresy rererred to : — “ Their opposition and their recent heretical schism from the church had the following origin. In Phrygian Μysia there is said to be a Village called Ardabav. There they say that a recent convert called Montanus, when Gratus was proconsul of Asia, in the unbounded lust of his sould for leadership gave access tp himself to the adversary, became obsessed, and suddenly fell into frenzy and convulsions. He began to be ecstatic and to speak and to talk strangely, prophesying contrary to the custom which belongs to the tradition and succession of the church from the beginning. Οf those who at that time heard these bastard utterances some were vexed, thinking that he was possessed by a devil and by a spirit of error, and was disturbing the populace ; they rebuked him, and forbade him to speak, remembering the distinction made by the Lord, and his warning to keep watchful guard against the coming οf the false prophets ; but others, as though elevated by a holy spirit and a prophetic gift, and not a little conceited, forgot the Lord's distinction, and encouraged the mind-injuring and seducing and people-misleading spirit, being cheated and deceived by it so that he could not be kept silent.1 But by some art, or rather by such an evil scheme of artifice, the deVil wrought destruction for the disobedient, and receiving unworthy honours from them stimuhrted and inflamed their understanding which was already dead to the true faith ; so that he raised up two more women and filled them with the bastard spirit so that they spoke madly and improperly and strangely, like Montanus. The spirit 2 gave blesrings to those who rejoiced and were pround in him, and puffed them up by the greatness of its promises. Yet sometimes it flatly condemned them completely, wisely, and faithfully, that it might seem to be critical, though but few of the Phrygians were deceived. But when the arrogant spirit taught to blaspheme the whole Catholic church throughout the world, because the spirit of false prophecy received from it neither honour nor entrance, for the Christians of Asia after assembling for this purpose many times and in many parts of the province, tested the recent utterances, pronounced them profane, and rejected the heresy, — then at last the Montanists were driven out of the chureh and excommunicated.”
Ηe tells this story at the beginning, and throughout the book continues the refutation of the error, but in the second book he speaks as follows about the
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end οf the persons referred to : “ Since then they called us murderers οf the prophets because we did not receive their chattering prophets (for they say that these are those whom the Lord promised to send to the people), let them answer us before God. Is there anyone, good people, of those whose talking began with Montanus and the women, who was persecuted by Jews οr killed by the wicked ? Νot one. Or was there any οne of them who was taken and crucified for the name ? Νo, there was not. Or was any οne of the women ever scourged in the synagogues of the Jews or stoned ? Νever anywhere. It was a different death that Μontanus and Maximilla are said to have died ; for the story goes that each οf them was inspired by a mind-destroying spirit to commit suicide, though not together, and there was much gossip at the time of the death οf eaeh. But thus it was that they died, and destroyed their lives like the traitor Judas. So also general report says that a certriaIn Theodotus, that remarkable man, the first steward as it were of their alleged prophecy, was sometimes taken up and raised to Heaven, when he fell into a trance and trusted himself to the spirit of deceit, but was hurled down and died miserably. They say, at least, that thiS happened thus. But not having seen them ourselves we do not elaim to have any knowledge of such things, my friend, for perhaps Montanus and Theodotus and the above mentioned woman died in this way, but perhaps they did not.”
Again in the same book he says that the sacred bishops of that time tried to refute the spirit that was in Maximilla, but were prevented by others who ainly co-operated with the spirit, and he writes us: “And let not the spirit which speaks through aximilla say, in the same work according to sterius Orbanus, 1 ‘I am driven away like a wolf the sheep. 1 am not a wolf, I am word and Ρirit and ’ But let him show clearly and rove the power in the spirit, and let him through spirit force to recognize him those who were then resent for the purpose of testing and conversing with he spirit as it spoke, — eminent men and bishops, ticus from the village Cumane, and Julian from Apamea, whose mouths the party of Themiso muzzled, and did not allow the false spirit which deceived the eople to be refuted by them.”
In the same book, again, after οther refutations of the false prophecies of Maximilla, in a single assage he both indicates the time at whieh he wrote this, and quotes her predictions, in which she foretold future wars and revolutions, and he corrects the falsehood of them as follows : “ Ηas it not been made obrious already that this is another lie ? For it is more than thirteen years to-day since the woman died, and there has been in the world neither local nor universal war, but rather by the mercy οf God continuing peace even for ”2
This is from his second book. Αnd from the third I will also quote a few words in which he speaks as
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follows against those who boasted that they had had ̔̀tyrs. “ so when they have been refuted in he whole discussion and have nothing to reply, they try to take refuge in martyrs, saying that they have many martyrs and that this is a trustworthy proof the power of the alleged prophetic spirit among them. But this appears to be actually further from the tmth than anything. For some of the οther heresies have innumerable martyrs, but Ι do not suppose that we shall accept them for that reason, nor admit that they have the truth. In the first Ρlace, indecd, the so-called Marcianists οf the heresy of Marcion say that they have innumerable martyrs to Christ but nevertheless Chrirt himself they do not confess accorffing to truth.”
Αnd after a little he goes on as follows : “ Wherefore whenever members of the church who have been called to martyrdom for the true faith meet any of the so-called martyrs of the Montanist heresy, they separate from them and die without communicating with them, because they refuse to agree with the spirit in Montanus and the women. Αnd that this is true, and that it happened in our time in Αpamea on the Meander, is shown by the case of those who were martyred with Gaius and Αlexander οf Εumeneia.”
XVII. Αnd in this work he also quotes Miltiades as a writer who had also himself written a treatise against the heresy mentioned. Αfter quoting some of their sayings he continues as follwos : “I have given this abstract of what Ι found in a work of theirs when they were attacking the work of Alcibiades 1 the Christian in which he shows that a prophet need not to speak in ” And he goes on in the same work to give a catalogue of those who have been prophets of the New Testament, and among them he numbers a certain Ammia and Quadratus and says thus : “ But the false prophet speaks in ecstasy, after which follow ease and freedom from fear ; he begins with voluntary ignorance, but turns to involuntary madness of soul, as has been said before. But they cannot show that any prophet, either of those in the Οld Testament or οf those in the New, was inspired in this way ; they can boast neither of Agabus, nor of Judas, nor of Silas, nor of the daughters of Philip, nor of Ammia in Philadelphia, nor of Quadratus, nor of any others Who do not belong to ” And again after a little he goes on, “ For if the Montanist women succeeded to Quadratus and Ammia in Philadelphia in the prophetic gift, let them show who among them suceeeded the followers of Montanus and the women, for the apostle grants that the prophetic gift shall be in all the church until the final coming, but this they could not show, seeing that this is already the fourteenth year from the death of Maximilla.”
Ηe, therefore, so writes. But the Miltiades mentioned by him has also left us other monuments of his own zeal for the oracles of God in the treatises which he composed against the Gentiles and against the Jews, treating eaeh subject separately in two treatises, and besides this he wrote an Apology to the secular rulerS on behalf of the Ρhilosophy which he held.
XVIII. Apollonius also, a writer of the ehurch when the so-called Montanist heresy was still flourishing in Ρhrygia, composed a refutation and published it as a separate work against them, proving word by word that their alleged prophecies are false and showing the true character of the life of the leaders of the heresy. Listen to the actual words which he uses about Montanus. “ But the deeds and the teachings of this recent teaeher show his eharaeter. Ιt is he Who taught the annulment of marriage, who enacted fasts, who gave the name οf Jerusalem to Pepuza and Tymion, which are little towns in Phrygia, and wished to hold assemblies there from everywhere, who appointed colleetors of money, who organimd the receiving of gifts under the name of offerings, who provided salaries for those who preached his doctrine in order that its teaching might prevail through gluttony.”
So he says about Montanus. Αnd a little further on he writes thus about the Ρrophetesses. “ Thus we prove that these first prophetesses themselves deserted their husbands from the moment that they were filled with the spirit. what a lie it is then for them to call Ρriscilla a ” Then he goes on saying : “Does not all Scripture seem to you to forbid a prophet from receiving gifts and money 7. There- fore When Ι see that the prophetess has received gold and silver and expensive clothes, how should I refrain from blaming her?”
Then further on he says this about one of their confessors: “Moreover, Themiso too, who was garbed with specious covertousness, who did not endure the sign of confession but exchanged prison for wealth when he ought to have been humble-minded on this accound, and boasted that he was a martyr, dared, in imitation of the apostle, to compose an epistle general, to instruct those whose faith was better than his, and to contend with empty sounding words and to blaspheme against the Lord and the apostles and the holy ” Αnd again he writes thus about another of those who were honoured among them as martyrs: “But in order that we may not speak about more of them, let the prophetess 1 tell us the story of Alexander, who calls himself a martyr, with whom she joins in revels, to whom many pay reverence. We need not tell of his robberies and the other crimes for which he has been punished, but the record-house 2 has them. Which then forgives the ’s sins? Does the prophet absolve the martyr of robbery or the martyr forgive the prophet for avarice? For the Lord said, ‘Provide neither gold nor silver nor two ’; but these, doing wholly otherwise, have transgressed by the acquisition of these forbidden things. For we will show that their so-called prophets and martyrs make
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gain not οnly from the rich but from the poor and from orphans and widows. Αnd if they have the courage let them stop at this point and discuss these matters in order that if they are convicted they may at least cease transgressing for the future. For it is necessary to test the fruits of the prophet, for from the fruits the tree is known. But, that the story of Alexander may be known to those who wish, he was convicted by Aemilius Pompinus, proconsul in Ephesus, not for being a Christian but for his daring robberies, and he was an old offender. Then, by falsely claiming the name of the Lord he was released, having deceived the Christians there, and his own diocese from which he came would not receive him because he was a robber, and those who wish to learn his story have the public records of Asia at their disposition.1 The prophet is ignorant about him though he lived with him for many years, but we have exposed him, and through him expose also the nature of the prophet. we can ShoW the same in many instances, and, if they dare, let them stand the test.”
And again in another part of the book he says this about their boasted prophets: “If they deny that their prophets have taken gifts let them admit this, that if they have been convicted, they are not true prophets, and we will give countless proofs of this. But it is necessary to test all the fruits of a prophet. Tell me, does a prophet dye his hair ? Does he pencil his eyelids ? Does he love ornaments ? Does he gamble and dice ? Does he lend money ? Let them state
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whether these things are right οr not, and I will show that they have been done among them.”
This same Apollonius in the same book says that it was forty years from the time when Montanus plotted his fictitious prophecy, to the time when he wrote his book. Αnd again he says that Zoticus, whom the former writer mentioned, when Maximilla pretended to prophesy in Pepuza had tried in opporition to confute the spirit which worked in her, but was prevented by those who agreed with her Ηe also mentions a certain Thraseas 1 as one of the martyrs οf that time. Moreover, he says, as though from tradition, that the Sariour ordered his apostles not to leave Jerusalem for twelve years. He also makes quotations from the Apocalypse of John and tells how by divine power a dead man was raised by John himseK at Ephesus. Αnd he says other things by which he demonstrated powertully and completely the error of the heresy under discussion. so far says Apollonius.
XIX. Tradition says that Serapion was bishop of Antioch after Maximinus at the time referred to, and he has mentioned the works of Apolinarius against the heresy described. Ηe mentions him in his own letter to Caricus and Pontius, in whieh he aho himself refutes the same heresy, and continues thus: : “Αnd in order that you may know this, that the working οf the so-called new prophecy of this false οrder is abominated in the whole οf Christendom
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throughout the World, Ι have sent you the writings of Claudius Apolinarius, the bishop of Hierapolis in Αsia, of blesed ” And in this letter of Serapion there are preserved the signatures various bishops, of whom one signed himself I, Aurelius Cyrenaeus, a martyr, pray for your ” as follows: “Ι, Aelius Publius Julius, bishop of Debeltum, a colony of Thrace. Αs God lives in the heavens the blessed Sotas in Anchialus wished to drive the devil out of Priscilla and the hypocrites would not let ” The autograph signatures of many other bishops who agreed with them are also preserved in the above mentioned writing. so far concerning them.
XX. In opposition to those in Rome who were discarding the sound ordinance of the church, Irenaeus composed various letters. He addressed one to Blastus On Schism, another to Florinus, On the Sole Sovereignty 1 οr That God is not the Author of Evil, for Florinus seemed to be defending this opinion. For his sake too, when he a attracted by the Valentinian error, a work was composed by Irenaeus On the Ogdoad,2 in which he also indicates that he had himself received the first succession of the apostles, and in it, at the end of the work, we find a most acceptable notice from him which we are obliged to give in this book and it runs as follows: “Ι adjure thee, who shalt copy out this book, by our Lord Jesus Christ, by his glorious advent when he comes to judge the living and the dead, that thou
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compare what thou shalt transcribe and correct it with this copy whence thou art transcribing, with all care, and thou shalt likewise transeribe this oath and put it in the ” Μay his wordS be spoken to our profit and be narrated in order that we may keep those primitive and truly sacred men as the best example of the most zealous care.
In the letter to Florinus, whieh we have spoken of above, Irenaeus again mentionS his intercourse with Polycarp, and says: “These opinions, Ο Florinus, that I may speak sparingly, do not belong to sound doctrine. These opinions are inconsistent with the church, and bring those who believe in them into the greatest impiety. These opinions not even the hereties outside the church ever dared to proclaim. These opinions those who were presbyters before us, they who accompanied the apostleS, did not hand on to you. For while 1 was still a boy Ι knew you in lower Asia in Polycarp's house when you were a man rank in the royal hall and endeavouring to stand well with him. I remember the eventS of those days more cleariy than those whieh happened recently, for what we learn as children grows up vith the soul and is united to it, so that I can speak even of the place in which the blessed Polycarp sat and disputed, how he came in and went οut, the character of his life, the appearance of his body, the discourses which he made to the people, how he reported his intercourse with John and with the others who had Seen the Lord, how he remembered their wordS, and what were the things concerning the Lord which he had heard from them, and about their miracles, and about their teaching, and how Polycarp had received them from the eyewitnesses of the word of life, and reported all things in agreement with the Scriptures. I listened eagerly even then to these things through the mercy of God which was given me, and made notes Of them, not on paper but in my heart, and ever by the grace of God do Ι truly ruminate on them, and I can bear witness before God that if that blessed and apostolic presbyter had heard anything of this kind he would have cried out, and shut his ears, and said according to his custom, ‘Ο good God, to what time hast thou preserved me that I should endure ?' Ηe would have fled even the place in which he was seated or standing when he heard sueh words. And from his letters which he sent either to the neighbouring churches, strengthening them, οr to some of the brethren, exhorting and warning them, this can be made ” So says Irenaeus.
XXI. Αnd at the same time in the reign of Commodus our treatment was changed to a milder one, and by the grace of God peace came on the churches throughout the whole world. The word of salvation began ` to lead every soul of every race men to the pious worship of the God of the universe, so that now many of those who at Rome were famous for wealth and family turned to their own salvation with all their house and with all their kin. This was unendurable to the demon who hates good, envious as he is by nature, and he again stripped for conflict, and prepared various derices against uS. In the city οf the Romans he brought before thc court Apollonius, a man famous among the ChristianS of that time for his education and philosophy, and raised up to accuse him one οf his Servants who waS suitable for this. But the coward entered the case at a bad bme, for according to imperial decree informers on such points were not allowed to live; so they broke his legs at once, for the judge Perennius decreed this sentence against him. But the martyr, beloved of God, when the judge earnertly begged and prayed him to defend himself before the senate, made before every οne a most learned defence of the faith for which hc was a martyr, and was consecrated by beheaffing as if bv decree of the senate: for an aneient law obtrialned among them that there should be no οther issue for the case οf those who once appeared befor the court and ffid not change their opinion. The words of Apollonius before the judge dge and the answers which he made to the interrogation οf Perennius, and all the defence which he made to the senate, can be read by anyone who wishes in the compilation which we have made οf the ancient martyrs.1
XXII. In the tenth year ofthe reign οf Commodus 2
victor sueceeded Eleutherus who had served in the episcopate thirteen years. Ιn the same year Julian had completed his tenth year, and Demetrius was appointed to the administration of the Alexandrian dioceses, and at the same time the famous Serapion, whom we mentioned before, was bishop of the ehurch 39 40 of Antioch and the eighth from the apostles. Theophilus ruled Caesarea in Palestine, and Narcissus, whomour work has mentioned before, still holding the administration of the church at Jerusalem. and at the same time bacchyllus was bishop of Corinth in Greece and Polycrates of the diocese of Ephesus. There were also, of course, countless other famous men at this time, but we have naturally given the names of those the orthodoxy of whose faith has been preserved to us in writing.
victor sueceeded Eleutherus who had served in the episcopate thirteen years. Ιn the same year Julian had completed his tenth year, and Demetrius was appointed to the administration of the Alexandrian dioceses, and at the same time the famous Serapion, whom we mentioned before, was bishop of the ehurch 39 40 of Antioch and the eighth from the apostles. Theophilus ruled Caesarea in Palestine, and Narcissus, whomour work has mentioned before, still holding the administration of the church at Jerusalem. and at the same time bacchyllus was bishop of Corinth in Greece and Polycrates of the diocese of Ephesus. There were also, of course, countless other famous men at this time, but we have naturally given the names of those the orthodoxy of whose faith has been preserved to us in writing.
XXIII. At thattime time no small controversy arose because all the dioceses of Asia thought it right, as though by more ancient tradition, to observe for the feast of the Saniour's passover tbe fourteenth day of the moon, on which the Jews had been commanded to kill the lamb. Thus it was necessary to finish tbe fast on that day, whatever day of the Week it might be. 1 Υet it was not the custom to celebrate in this manner in the churches throughout the rest of the world, for from apostolic tradition they kept the custom which still exists that it is not right to finish tbe fast on any day save that of the resurrection of our Saviour. Many meetings and conferences with bishops were beld on this point, and all unanimously formulated in their letters the doctrine of the church for those in every country country that the mystery of the Lord's resurrection from the dead could be celebrated on no day save Sunday, 2 and
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that οn that day alone we should celebrate the end of the paschal faSt. Thcre is still eXtallt a writing of those who were eonvened in Palestine, οver whom piesided Theophilus, bishop of the dioeeSe of Caesarea, and Narcissus, bishop of Jerusalem; and there is similarly another from those in Rome on the same eontroversy, which gives Vietor as bishop; and there is one of the bishops of Pontus over whom Palmas presided as the oldest; and of the dioceses of Oaul, of which Irenaeus was biShop bishop; and yet οthers οf those in OSrhoene and the citieS there; and particularly οf Bacchyllus, the bishop of the chureh of Corinth; and οf ver y many moie who expreSsed one and the Same opinion and judgement, and gave the same vote.
XXIV. These iSsued the single definition which was given above; but the bishops in Asia were led by Polycrates in persisting that it was necessary to keep the custom whieh had been handed doWn to them of old. Polycrates himself in a document which he addreSsed to victor and to the church of Rome, expounds the traffition which had come to him as follows. “Therefore we keep the day undeviatingly, neither adding nor taking away, for in Αsia great luminaries 1 sleep, and they will rise on the day of the coming of the Lord, when he shall come with glory from heaven and seek out 2 all the saints. sueh were Philip of the twelve apostles, and two of his daughters Who grew old as virgins, who sleep in Hierapolis, and another daughter of his, who lived in the Ηoly spirit, reSts at Ephesus. Moreover,
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there is also John, who lay on the Lord's breast, who was a priest wearing the breastplate, and a martyr, and teacher. Ηe sleeps at Εphesus. Αnd there is also Ρolycarp at smyrna, both bishop and martyr, and Thraseas, both bishop and martyr, from Εumenaea, who sleeps in Smyrna. Αnd why should I speak of Sagaris, bishop and martyr, who sleeps at Laodicaea, and Papirius, too, the blessed, and Melito the eunuch, who lived entirely in the Ηoly Spirit, who lies in sardis, waiting for the visitation from heaven when he will rise from the dead? Αll these kept the fourteenth day of the passover accorffing to the gospel, never swerving, but following according to the rule of the faith. Αnd I also, Ρolycrates, the least of you all, live according to the tradition οf my kinsmen, and some or them have I followed. For seven of m y family were bishops and 1 am the eighth, and my kinsmen ever kept the day when the people put away the leaven. Therefore, brethren, Ι who have lived sixty- nve years in the Lord and conversed with brethren from every country, and have studied all holy scripture, am not afraid of threats, for they have said who were greater than I, ‘It is better to obey ood rather than men.’”
Ηe continues about the bishops who when he wrote were with him and shared his opimon, and says thus: “And I could mention the bishops who are present whom you required me to summon, and I did so. If I should write their names they would be many multitudes; and they knowing my feeble humanity, agreed with the lerter, knowing that not in vain is my head grey, but that 1 have ever lived in Christ Jesus.”
Upon this Victor, who presided at Rome, immediately tried to cut off from the common unity the dioceses of all Αsia, together with the adjacent churches, οn the ground of heterodoxy, and he indited letters announcing that all the Christians there were absolutely excommunicated. But by no means all were pleased by this, so they isSued counter-requests to him to consider the cause of peace and unity and love towards his neighbours. Thcir words are extant, sharply rebuking victor. Αmοng them too Irenaeus, writing in the name of the Christians whose leader he was in Oaul, though he recommends that the mystery of the ’s resurrection be observed only οn the Lord's day, yet nevertheless exhorts victor suitably and at length not to excommunicate whole churches of God for following a traffidltion οf ancient custom, and eontinues as follows: “For the controversy is not only about the day, but also about the actual character οf the fast; for some think that they ought to fast οne day, others two, others even more, some count their day as forty hours, day and night. 1 Αnd such variation of observance ffid not begin in οur own timep but much earlier, in the days of οur predecessors who,
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it would appear, ffisregarding strictness maintained a practice which is simple and yet allows for personal preference, establishing it for the future, and none the less all these lived in peace, and we also live in peace with one another and the disagreement in the fast connrms οur agreement in the faith.”
Ηe adds to this a narrative whieh I may suitably quote, running as follows: “Among these too were the presbyters before soter, who presided over church of which you are now the leader, I mean Anicetus and Ρius and telesphorus and Xystus. ney did not themselves observe it, 1 nor ffid they enjoin it οn those who followed them, and though they ffidId not keep it they Were none the less at peace with those from the ffioceses in which it was οbserved when tbey came to them, although to observe it was more objectionable to those who ffid not do so, 2 Αnd no οne was ever rejected for this reason, but the presbyters before you who did not observe it sent the Εucharist to those from other dioceses who did; and when the blessed Polycarp was staying in Rome in the time of Anicetus, though they disagreed a little about some other things as well, they immediately made peace, having no wish for strife between them on this marter. For neither waS Anicetus able to persuade Polycarp not to observe it, inasmuch as he had always done so in company with John the disciple of οur Lord and the other apostles with whom he had associated; nor did Polycarp persuade Anicetus to observe it, for he said that he ought to keep the eustom of thOse who Vere presbyters before him. Αnd under these circumstances they communicated Vith eaeh other, and in the church Anicetus yielded the eelebrariOn Of rile Fucharist to Polycarp ObViouriy out Of respect, and tbey parted from each other in peace, fOr the peace Of the whole church was kept both by thOse who obserVCd and by those Who did not.”
Αnd Irenaeus, who deserVed his name, making an eirenicon in this vay, gaVe exhortations of this kind for the peace of the church and served as as ambassador, for in letters he diseussed the Various views on the issue vhieh had been raised, not Only with Vletor but with Vith many other rulers of churehes.
XXV. The Palestinians whom Ve bave reeenriy mentioned, that is to say Narcissus and Theophilus, and with them Cassius, the bishop of the church in Tyre, and Clarus, the birilop Of the church in Ptolemais, and thoSe Vho aembled rith them, treated at length the tradition concerning rile passover which had come down tO them frOm the succession of the apostles, and at the end Of their riring they add as follows: “Try tO send copies of Our letter to eVery diocese that ve may nOt be guilty towards thOse who easily deeeiVe tbeir own sOulS. Αnd Ve make it plain tO you that in Alexandria also they celebrate the Same day as do we, for letters have been eXehanged between them and us, so that we obserVe the holy day together and in agreement.”
XXVI. Ιn addition to the published treatises and to the letters of Irenaeus, there is extant a concise and extremely convincing treatise of hiS against the Greeks, entitled Concerning Knowledge, and another vhieh he has dedicated to a Christian named Marcian on the Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching, and a little book of Various discourses in which he menrions the Epistle to the Hebrews and the so-called Wisdom of solOmon, quoting certain passages from them. such is the extent Of our knovledge of the works of Irenaeus.
When CommoduS had riniShed his relgn after thirteen years severus became emperor not quite six monthS after the death Or CommOdus, Pertinax coming in the interval. 1
XXVII. Many workes of the Virtuous zeal of the aneient members of rile church of that time have still been widely preserved until now, and we haVc read them OurselveS. such are the writings of Heraclitus on the Epistles, 2 and the writings of Maximus on the problem of the source of eVri; sO much traversed by the heretic, and on whether matter has an origin, the works of Candidus on the Hexaëmeron, 3 and of Apion On the same subject, also of seXtuS on the Resurrection, and another treatise of Arabianus, and eountless Others of whieh We are unable from lack of evidenee to give the date or any aecOunts Of their hiStOry. Αnd there are many otherS alSo which have reaehed uS, but we cannot even giVe their names, yet they are orthodox
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and Christian, as their interpretation of the dirine Scripture demonstrates, but the writers are unknown to us bccause their names are not given in their writings.
XXVIII. In a treatise worked out by one of these against the heresy of Αrtemon, which Ρaul of Samosata has tried to renew in our time, there is extant an account which bears οn the history which we are examining. For he criticizes the abovementioned heresy (which claims that the sarivlour was a mere man) as a recent innovation, beeause those who introduced it wished to make it respectable as being ancient. Among many other points adduced in refutation of their blasphemous falsehood, the treatise rehtes this this: “For For they say that all who went before and the apostles themselves received and taught what they now say, and that the truth of the teaching was preserved until the times οf victor, who was the tffihlrteenth bishop in Rome after Ρeter, but that the truth had been corrupted from the time of his successor, Zephyrinus. What they said might perhaps be plausible if in the nrst place the dirine scriptures were not opposed to them, and there are also writings of certain christians, older than the time of Victor, wHch they wrote to the Gentiles οn behalf of the truth and against the heresies of their οwn time. 1 mean the works of Justin and Miltiades and Tatian and Clement and many others in all of which Christ is treated as God. For who is ignorant of the books of Irenaeus and Melito and the others who announced Christ as God and man? Αnd all the Ρsalms and hymns which were written by faithful Christians from the beginning sing of the Christ as the LogoS of Ood and treat him as God. Ηοw then is it possible that aftcr the mind οf the church had been announced for so many years that the generation before Victor can have Ρreached as these say? Why are they not ashamed of so calumniating Victor when they know quite well that Victor excommunicated Theodotus the cobbler, the founder and father of this insurrection which denie God, when he nrst said that Christ was a mere man? For if Victor was so minded towards them as their blasphemy teaches, how could he have thrown out Theodotus who invented this heresy?”
Such were the events of the time of Victor. When he had held his office ten yearS, Zephyrinus WaS appointed his suceessor in the ninth year of the reign οf Severus. 1 Αnd the author of the book mentioned about the founder of the above-mentioned heresy adds another incident which happened in the time of Zephyrinus and wTites as follows: “I will at least remind many of the brethren of an event whieh happened in our time whieh I think would have probably been a warning to the men of sodom had it happened in their city. There Was a certain confessor, Natalius, not long ago but in our own time. Ηe was deceived by Asclepiodotus and by a second Theodotus, a banker. These were both ffiscipleS of Theodotus the cobbler, who was first excommunicated by vietor, who, as I said, was then bishop, for this way
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of thinking, or rather of not thinking. Natalius was persuaded by them to be called bishop of this heresy with a salary, so that he was paid a hundred and Rfty denarii a month by them.1 When he was with them he was οften warned by the Lord in visions, for οur merciful Ood and Lord, Jesus ChriSt, did not with that there should go out of the church and perish one who had been a vitness οf his own sufferings.2 But when he paid indifferent artention to the visions, for he Was entrapped by hiS leading rank among them and by that covetousness which ruins so many, he was at last scourged all night long by holy angels, and suffered not a little, so that in the morning he got up, put on sackcloth, and covered himseR with ashes, and went with much haste, and fell down with tears before Ζephyrinus the bishop, rolling at the feet not only of the elergy but also of the laity, and moved vith his tears the compassionate church οf the merciful Christ. But for all hiS prayers and the exhibition of the wealS of the stripes he had received, he was searcely admitted into communion.”
We would add to this some other Words of the same author on the same persons, Which run as follows : “ They have not feared to corrupt divine scriptures, they have nullified the rule of ancient faith, they have not known Christ, they do not inquire what the divine scriptures sa y, but in- dustriously consider what syllogistic Bgure may be found for the support of their atheiSm. Ιf anyone adduced to them a text of divine Scripture they
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inquire whether it can be put in the form of a conjunctive or a disjunctive syllogism. They abandon the holy scripture of God and Study geometry, 1 for they are of the earth and they speak of the earth and ffihlm who comes from above they do not know. Some οf them, forsooth, study the geometry οf Euclid and admire Αristotle and Theophrastus. Galen perhaps is even worshipped by some of them.
when they make a bad use of the arts of unbelievers ror the opinions of their heresy, and adulterate the simple faith of the divine seriptures by the cunning οf the godless, what need is there to say that they are not even near the faith f For this cause they ffid not fear to lay hands οn the divine scriptures, saying that they had eonected them. Αnd that 1 do not calumniate them in saying tffis anywhowish can learn, for if any be willing to collect and compare with each other the texts of each of them, he would hnd them in great discord, for the copies 3 of Asclepiades do not agree vith those of Theodotus, and it is possible to obtain many of them because their disciples have diligently wTitten out copies corrected, as they say, but really corrupted by each of them. Again the eopies of Hermophilus do not agree with these, the copies οf ΑΡolloniades are not even consistent with themselves, for the eopies copies b y them at Rrst can be compared With those whieh later on underwent a second corruption, and they 50 will be found to disagree greatly. The impudence of this sin can careely be unknown even to them, for either they do not believe that rile diVine scriptures were spoken by the Holy Spirit, and if so they are unbelievers, or they think that they are wiser than the Ηoly spirit, and what are they but demoniacs? For they cannot even deny that this crime is theirs, seeing that the copies were Written in their own hand, and they did not receive the seriptures in thiS eondition from their teachers, nor can they show originals from whieh they made their copies. some of them have not thOught it neeessary even to emend the text, but simply deny the LaW and the Prophets, and thuS on the pretence 1 of their Wieked and godleSs teaching have fallen to the lowest destruction of ” Αnd let this suffice for these things.
when they make a bad use of the arts of unbelievers ror the opinions of their heresy, and adulterate the simple faith of the divine seriptures by the cunning οf the godless, what need is there to say that they are not even near the faith f For this cause they ffid not fear to lay hands οn the divine scriptures, saying that they had eonected them. Αnd that 1 do not calumniate them in saying tffis anywhowish can learn, for if any be willing to collect and compare with each other the texts of each of them, he would hnd them in great discord, for the copies 3 of Asclepiades do not agree vith those of Theodotus, and it is possible to obtain many of them because their disciples have diligently wTitten out copies corrected, as they say, but really corrupted by each of them. Again the eopies of Hermophilus do not agree with these, the copies οf ΑΡolloniades are not even consistent with themselves, for the eopies copies b y them at Rrst can be compared With those whieh later on underwent a second corruption, and they 50 will be found to disagree greatly. The impudence of this sin can careely be unknown even to them, for either they do not believe that rile diVine scriptures were spoken by the Holy Spirit, and if so they are unbelievers, or they think that they are wiser than the Ηoly spirit, and what are they but demoniacs? For they cannot even deny that this crime is theirs, seeing that the copies were Written in their own hand, and they did not receive the seriptures in thiS eondition from their teachers, nor can they show originals from whieh they made their copies. some of them have not thOught it neeessary even to emend the text, but simply deny the LaW and the Prophets, and thuS on the pretence 1 of their Wieked and godleSs teaching have fallen to the lowest destruction of ” Αnd let this suffice for these things.
Ecclesiastical History. Eusebius. Kirsopp Lake (Translator), J. E. L. Oulton (Translator). Germany. 2014.
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