From His Epistle to Victor and the Roman Church Concerning the Day of Keeping the Passover. [3772]
As for us, then, we scrupulously observe the exact day, [3773] neither adding nor taking away. For in Asia great luminaries [3774] have gone to their rest, who shall rise again in the day of the coming of the Lord, when He cometh with glory from heaven and shall raise again all the saints. I speak of Philip, one of the twelve apostles, [3775] who is laid to rest at Hierapolis; and his two daughters, who arrived at old age unmarried; [3776] his other daughter also, who passed her life [3777] under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and reposes at Ephesus; John, moreover, who reclined on the Lord's bosom, and who became a priest wearing the mitre, [3778] and a witness and a teacher--he rests at Ephesus. Then there is Polycarp, both bishop and martyr at Smyrna; and Thraseas from Eumenia, both bishop and martyr, who rests at Smyrna. Why should I speak of Sagaris, bishop and martyr, who rests at Laodicea? of the blessed Papirius, moreover? and of Melito the eunuch, [3779] who performed all his actions under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and lies at Sardis, awaiting the visitation [3780] from heaven, when he shall rise again from the dead? These all kept the passover on the fourteenth. day of the month, in accordance with the Gospel, without ever deviating from it, but keeping to the rule of faith.
Moreover I also, Polycrates, who am the least of you all, in accordance with the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have succeeded--seven of my relatives were bishops, and I am the eighth, and my relatives always observed the day when the people put away [3781] the leaven--I myself, brethren, I say, who am sixty-five years old in the Lord, and have fallen in with the brethren in all parts of the world, and have read through all Holy Scripture, am not frightened at the things which are said to terrify us. For those who are greater than I have said, "We ought to obey God rather than men." [3782] ...
I might also have made mention of the bishops associated with me, whom it was your own desire to have called together by me, and I called them together: whose names, if I were to write them down, would amount to a great number. These bishops, on coming to see me, unworthy as I am, [3783] signified their united approval of the letter, knowing that I wore these grey hairs not in vain, but have always regulated my conduct in obedience to the Lord Jesus.
------------------------
[3767] Westcott, Canon, p. 432, note 1; Lightfoot, Ap. Fathers, pp. 379, etc., 494.
[3768] See Lardner, Credib., vol. ii. cap. 23, p. 259.
[3769] They cannot be satisfactorily answered, it seems to me, save by the appeal to John xx. 19, 26, Acts xx. 7, 1 Cor. xvi. 2, and Rev. i. 10, for "the Lord's day," and to the Council of Jerusalem (Acts xv. 28; Col. ii. 16) for the repeal of Sabbatical ordinances; and to the great laws (Matt. xvi. 19; John xiv. 26; Matt. xxviii. 20) of plenary authority given by Christ Himself to His Apostles.
[3770] 1 Cor. v. 7, 8, and margin of Revised Version; also Acts xii. 4 and 12.
[3771] Acts ii. 1, xx. 16; 1 Cor. xvi. 8.
[3772] In Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., v. 24.
[3773] 'Arrhadiourgeton agomen ten hemeran.
[3774] Stoicheia.
[3775] [See vol. vii. p. 500, n. 6. Great confusions adhere to this name.]
[3776] Duo thugateres autou gegerakuiai parthenoi.
[3777] Politeusamene. [Phil. iii. 20, Greek.]
[3778] Petalon. [Probably the ornament of the high priest; Exod. xxviii. 35, 36.]
[3779] [i.e., spiritually; embracing a chaste celibacy in deference to Christ. Matt. xix. 12.]
[3780] 'Episkopen.
[3781] 'Ernue. Some read ertue.
[3782] Acts v. 29.
[3783] Ton mikron.
Theophilus, Bishop of Cæsarea in Palestine.
[a.d. 180.] When Eusebius says that the churches of "all Asia" concurred in the Ephesine use concerning the Paschal, he evidently means Asia Minor, as in the Scriptures and elsewhere. [3784] Throughout "the rest of the world," he testifies, however, that such was not the use. The Palestinian bishops, after the Jewish downfall, seem to have been the first to comprehend the propriety of adopting the more Catholic usage; and our author presided over a council in Cæsarea, of which he was bishop, assisted by Narcissus, bishop of Jerusalem, with Cassius of Tyre and Clarus of Ptolemais, which confirmed it. It is to be noted, that Alexandria is cited by Theophilus as authority for this custom; and it is not quite correct to say that the Western usage prevailed at Nicæa, for it was the general use, save only in Asia Minor and churches which were colonies of the same. This fact has been overlooked, and is very important, in history.
From His Epistle on the Question of the Passover, Written in the Name of the Synod of Cæsarea. [3785]
Endeavour also to send abroad copies of our epistle among all the churches, so that those who easily deceive their own souls may not be able to lay the blame on us. We would have you know, too, that in Alexandria [3786] also they observe the festival on the same day as ourselves. For the Paschal letters are sent from us to them, and from them to us: so that we observe the holy day in unison and together.
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[3784] See (Polycrates) p. 773, supra, and Eusebius, H. E., book v. cap. xxiii., etc., pp. 222-226.
[3785] In Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., v. 25.
[3786] [Note, the authority of Alexandria is quoted, not that of Rome.]
Serapion, [3787] Bishop of Antioch.
[a.d. circa 190-200-211.] He was the eighth bishop of Antioch, a diligent writer and exemplary pastor. Little as we have of his remains, Lardner shows how very useful is that little. (1) He testifies to the Apostles as delivering the words of Christ Himself; (2) to the jealousy of the early Christians in sifting inspired writings from those of no authority as Scriptures; (3) to their methods, as in the case of the pseudo-gospel of Peter; and (4) to the utterly apocryphal character of that book, which Grabe and others suppose to be the work of Leucius, a noted forger and falsifier. It had never been heard of in the great See of Antioch, and this famous bishop could only get sight of it by fishing it out of the dirty pool of the Docetæ.
I.
From the Epistle to Caricus and Ponticus. [3788]
That ye may see also that the proceedings of this lying confederacy, [3789] to which is given the name of New Prophecy, is abominated among the whole brotherhood throughout the world, I have sent you letters of the most blessed Claudius Apollinarius, who was made bishop of Hierapolis in Asia.
II.
From the Book Concerning the Gospel of Peter. [3790]
For we, brethren, receive both Peter and the rest of the apostles as Christ Himself. But those writings which are falsely inscribed with their name, [3791] we as experienced persons reject, knowing that no such writings have been handed down to us. [3792] When, indeed, I came to see you, I supposed that all were in accord with the orthodox faith; and, although I had not read through the Gospel inscribed with the name of Peter which was brought forward by them, I said: If this is the only thing which threatens [3793] to produce ill-feeling among you, let it be read. But, now that I have learnt from what has been told me that their mind was secretly cherishing some heresy, [3794] I will make all haste to come to you again. Expect me therefore, brethren, shortly. Moreover, brethren, we, having discovered to what kind of heresy Marcion adhered, and seen how he contradicted himself, not understanding of what he was speaking, as you will gather from what has been written to you [3795] --for, having borrowed this said Gospel from those who were familiar with it from constant perusal, namely from the successors of those who were his leaders in the heresy, whom we call Docetæ (for most of the opinions held by him are derived from their teaching), we were able to read it through; and while we found most of its contents to agree with the orthodox account of the Saviour, we found some things inconsistent with that, and these we have set down below for your inspection.
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[3787] Westcott, Canon, p. 444. Lardner, Credib., ii. 264, 417.
[3788] In Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., v. 19.
[3789] Pseudous taxeos.
[3790] In Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., v. 12.
[3791] The reading of Migne, onomati, is adopted instead of honomata.
[3792] Ta toiauta ou parelabomen.
[3793] Dokoun.
[3794] Hairesei tini ho nous auton enepholeuen.
[3795] The construction is not again resumed.
Apollonius. [3796]
[a.d. 211.] He was a most eloquent man, according to St. Jerome; and his writings against Montanism were so forcible as to call forth Tertullian himself, to confute him, if possible. He flourished under Commodus and Severus, and probably until the times of Caracalla. He bears testimony to the existence of a canon of Scripture, [3797] and to its inspired authority as the rule of faith and practice; and he witnesses, by citation, to the Gospel of St. Matthew. The Revelation of St. John also, according to Eusebius, was employed by him in his works; and he preserves a tradition that our Lord bade the Apostles continue in Jerusalem for the space of twelve years. We cannot affirm that he was invested with any office in the Church.
Concerning Montanism. [3798]
I.
But who is this new teacher? His works and teaching inform us. This is he who taught the dissolution of marriage; who inculcated fasting; who called Peruga and Tymius, small towns of Phrygia, Jerusalem, because he wished to collect thither people from all parts; who set up exactors of money; who craftily contrives the taking of gifts under the name of voluntary offerings; who grants stipends to those who publish abroad his doctrine, that by means of gluttony the teaching of the doctrine may prevail.
II.
We declare to you, then, that these first prophetesses, as soon as they were filled with the spirit, left their husbands. Of what falsehood, then, were they guilty in calling Prisca a maiden! Do you not think that all Scripture forbids a prophet to receive gifts and money? When, therefore, I see that the prophetess has received gold and silver and expensive articles of dress, how can I avoid treating her with disapproval?
III.
Moreover, Themison also, who was clothed in a garb of plausible [3799] covetousness, who declined to bear the sign of confessorship, but by a large sum of money put away from him the chains of martyrdom, although after such conduct it was his duty to conduct himself with humility, yet had the hardihood to boast that he was a martyr, and, in imitation of the apostle, to compose a general epistle, in which he attempted to instruct [3800] in the elements of the faith those who had believed to better purpose than he, and defended the doctrines of the new-fangled teaching, [3801] and moreover uttered blasphemy against the Lord and the apostles and the holy Church.
IV.
But, not to dwell further on these matters, let the prophetess tell us concerning Alexander, who calls himself a martyr, with whom she joins in banqueting; who himself also is worshipped by many; [3802] whose robberies and other deeds of daring, for which he has been punished, it is not necessary for us to speak of, since the treasury [3803] has him in keeping. Which of them, then, condones the sins of the other? The prophet the robberies of the martyr, or the martyr the covetousness of the prophet? For whereas the Lord has said, "Provide not gold, nor silver, nor two coats a-piece," [3804] these men have, on the flat contrary, transgressed the command by the acquisition of these forbidden things. For we shall show that those who are called among them prophets and martyrs obtain money not only from the rich, but also from the poor, from orphans and widows. And if they are confident that they are right in so doing, let them stand forward and discuss the point, in order that, if they be refuted, they may cease for the future so to transgress. For the fruits of the prophet must needs be brought to the test: for "from its fruit is the tree known." [3805] But that those that desire it may become acquainted with what relates to Alexander, he was condemned by Æmilius Frontinus, proconsul at Ephesus, not on account of the name of Christ, but for the daring robberies he committed when he was already a transgressor. [3806] Afterwards, when he had spoken falsely of the name of the Lord, he was released, having deceived the faithful there; [3807] and even the brethren of his own district, [3808] from which he came, did not receive him, because he was a robber. Thus, those who wish to learn what he is, have the public treasury of Asia to go to. And yet the prophet, although he spent many years with him, knows forsooth nothing about him! By convicting "him," we by his means clearly convict of misrepresentation [3809] the prophet likewise. We are able to prove the like in the case of many others besides. And if they are confident of their innocence, let them abide the test.