Ante-Nicene Fathers • VOLUME 8
The Twelve Patriarchs, Apocrypha, Clementine Homilies & More
SECTION 441
And a certain woman, exceedingly beautiful, suddenly uttered a loud cry, saying: O apostle of the new God, who hast come into India, and ser
And a certain woman, exceedingly beautiful, suddenly uttered a loud cry, saying: O apostle of the new God, who hast come into India, and servant of that holy and only good God--for through thee he is proclaimed the Saviour of the souls that come unto him, and through thee he heals the bodies of those that are punished by the ene…
2,276 wordsSECTION 442The apostle, having heard this, said: O maddening intercourse, into what shamelessness dost thou lead! O unrestrained lust, how hast thou br
The apostle, having heard this, said: O maddening intercourse, into what shamelessness dost thou lead! O unrestrained lust, how hast thou brought him into subjection to do this! O work of the serpent, how dost thou rage in thine own! And the apostle ordered water to be brought him in a dish. And when the water had been brought, …
2,321 wordsSECTION 443[2378] Or, stand in awe of no one.
[2378] Or, stand in awe of no one. [2379] 1 Cor. vi. 9. [2380] Matt. vii. 7; Luke xi. 9. [2381] Matt. vi. 9; Luke xi. 2. [2382] Matt. vii. 7. [2383] Or, having our sins in view. [2384] Lit., with iron. [2385] Lit., days of number. [2386] Obviously omitted either in the mss. or in the text. [2387] Eph. iv. 28. [2388] Or…
2,639 wordsSECTION 444[2395] Pseudo-Abdias, in his Histories of the Apostles, has as follows: Wherefore, in a rage, Mesdeus king of India thrust into prison the A
[2395] Pseudo-Abdias, in his Histories of the Apostles, has as follows: Wherefore, in a rage, Mesdeus king of India thrust into prison the Apostle Thomas, and Zuganes his son, and several others. [2396] Abdias: Treptia, who was the king's wife, and Mygdonia the wife of Charisius, one of the king's friends, and Narchia the nurse…
2,430 wordsSECTION 445And when the Lord had conquered the tyrant, He sent His apostles into all the world, that He might redeem His people from the deception of t
And when the Lord had conquered the tyrant, He sent His apostles into all the world, that He might redeem His people from the deception of the devil; and one of these I am, an apostle of Christ. On this account we seek not after gold and silver, but rather despise them, because we labour to be rich in that place where the kingdo…
2,226 wordsSECTION 446[2409] The history of Abdias gives the name as Berith, after Judg. ix. 46.
[2409] The history of Abdias gives the name as Berith, after Judg. ix. 46. [2410] Lit., white flesh. [2411] Pseudo-Abdias says: a hundred times. [2412] Pseudo-Abdias says: a hundred times. [2413] Abdias calls him Pseustius. [2414] Or, prayed a prayer. [2415] Comp. Luke i. 26-38. Abdias goes on: He then, after His birth, su…
2,263 wordsSECTION 447And the soldiers, having taken the public conveyances, travelled fast, having seated him in the midst of them. And when they came to the fir
And the soldiers, having taken the public conveyances, travelled fast, having seated him in the midst of them. And when they came to the first change, it being the hour of breakfast, they entreated him to be of good courage, and to take bread, and eat with them. And John said: I rejoice in soul indeed, but in the meantime I do n…
2,360 wordsSECTION 448O God, who hast chosen us for the mission [2450] of the Gentiles, who hast sent us out into the world, who hast declared Thyself through the
O God, who hast chosen us for the mission [2450] of the Gentiles, who hast sent us out into the world, who hast declared Thyself through the apostles; who hast never rested, but always savest from the foundation of the world; who hast made Thyself known through all nature; who hast made our wild and savage nature quiet and peace…
2,218 wordsSECTION 449Then Eve says to them: Listen, all my children, and my children's children, and I shall relate to you how our enemy deceived us. It came to
Then Eve says to them: Listen, all my children, and my children's children, and I shall relate to you how our enemy deceived us. It came to pass, while we were keeping paradise, that we kept each the portion allotted to him by God. And I was keeping in my lot the south and west. And the devil went into the lot of Adam where were…
2,216 wordsSECTION 450Now, then, my children, I have shown you the manner in which we were deceived. But do ye watch over yourselves, so as not to forsake what is
Now, then, my children, I have shown you the manner in which we were deceived. But do ye watch over yourselves, so as not to forsake what is good. And when she had thus spoken in the midst of her sons, and Adam was lying in his disease, and he had one other day before going out of the body, Eve says to Adam: Why is it that thou…
2,200 wordsSECTION 451[2480] The last clause is not in C.
[2480] The last clause is not in C. [2481] ms. A here ends thus: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen. [A is the Venice ms. "of about the thirteenth century;" Tischendorf, Apocal. Apocr., p. xi.--R.] [2482] The mss. originally had days, and hours is substituted in another hand. …
2,733 wordsSECTION 452Then there came a voice to me: Come hither and die, Esdras, my beloved; give that which hath been entrusted to thee. [2516] And the prophet
Then there came a voice to me: Come hither and die, Esdras, my beloved; give that which hath been entrusted to thee. [2516] And the prophet said: And whence can you bring forth my soul? And the angels said: We can put it forth through the mouth. And the prophet said: Mouth to mouth have I spoken with God, [2517] and it comes not…
2,001 wordsSECTION 453And I was in the Holy Spirit, and an angel says to me: Come, follow me, that I may show thee the place of the just, where they go after thei
And I was in the Holy Spirit, and an angel says to me: Come, follow me, that I may show thee the place of the just, where they go after their end. And I went along with the angel, and he brought me up into the heavens under the firmament; and I perceived and saw powers great and dreadful, full of wrath, and through the mouth of …
2,667 wordsSECTION 454When these things, therefore, had been thus said to me by the angel, he led me outside of the city, and the Acherusian lake, and the good la
When these things, therefore, had been thus said to me by the angel, he led me outside of the city, and the Acherusian lake, and the good land, and set me upon the river of the ocean that supports the firmament of the heaven, and said to me: Knowest thou where I am going? And I said: No, my lord. And he said to me: Follow me, th…
2,278 wordsSECTION 455While he was yet speaking, there came other three, and saluted me, saying: Welcome, Paul, beloved of God, the boast of the churches, and mod
While he was yet speaking, there came other three, and saluted me, saying: Welcome, Paul, beloved of God, the boast of the churches, and model of angels. And I asked: Who are you? And the first said: I am Isaiah, whom Manasseh sawed with a wood saw. [2555] And the second said: I am Jeremiah, whom the Jews stoned, but they remain…
2,350 wordsSECTION 456And again I said: Lord, and after that what wilt Thou do? And I heard a voice saying to me: Hear, righteous John. Then will I send forth min
And again I said: Lord, and after that what wilt Thou do? And I heard a voice saying to me: Hear, righteous John. Then will I send forth mine angels over the face of all the earth, and they shall lift off the earth everything honourable, and everything precious, and the venerable and holy images, and the glorious and precious cr…
2,330 wordsSECTION 457And again I heard a voice saying to me: Behold, thou hast heard all these things, righteous John; deliver them to faithful men, that they al
And again I heard a voice saying to me: Behold, thou hast heard all these things, righteous John; deliver them to faithful men, that they also may teach others, and not think lightly of them, [2610] nor cast our pearls before swine, lest perchance they should trample them with their feet. [2611] And while I was still hearing th…
2,370 wordsSECTION 458And at this I John prayed.
And at this I John prayed. And the Holy Spirit said to the apostles: Let all of you together, having come by the clouds from the ends of the world, be assembled to holy Bethlehem by a whirlwind, on account of the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ; Peter from Rome, Paul from Tiberia, [2618] Thomas from Hither India, James from Jer…
3,196 wordsSECTION 459And when this miracle had been done, the apostles carried [2631] the couch, and laid down her precious and holy body in Gethsemane in a new
And when this miracle had been done, the apostles carried [2631] the couch, and laid down her precious and holy body in Gethsemane in a new tomb. And, behold, a perfume of sweet savour came forth out of the holy sepulchre of our Lady the mother of God; and for three days the voices of invisible angels were heard glorifying Chris…
2,474 wordsSECTION 460And the same cloud by which they had been brought carried them back each to his own place, just like Philip when he baptized the eunuch, as
And the same cloud by which they had been brought carried them back each to his own place, just like Philip when he baptized the eunuch, as is read in the Acts of the Apostles; [2653] and as Habakkuk the prophet carried food to Daniel, who was in the lions' den, and quickly returned to Judæa. [2654] And so also the apostles quic…
2,355 wordsSECTION 4618. Then the Saviour spoke, saying: Rise, Peter, and take the body of Mary, and send it to the right hand side of the city towards the east,
8. Then the Saviour spoke, saying: Rise, Peter, and take the body of Mary, and send it to the right hand side of the city towards the east, and thou wilt find there a new tomb, in which you will lay her, and wait until I come to you. And thus saying, the Lord delivered the soul of St. Mary to Michael, who was the ruler of paradi…
2,286 wordsSECTION 462[2663] The otherms. adds: at the humility of Paul.
[2663] The otherms. adds: at the humility of Paul. [2664] Comp. John xiv. 30. [2665] Comp. Dan. x. 21, xii. 1. [2666] This does not seem to make very good sense. Another reading is: And the splendour appeared great, and nothing was perceived, while the body, perfectly clean, and unstained by any horror of filth, was being was…
2,299 wordsSECTION 463"Popes appealed to them in their official capacity, as well as private doctors; (1) Leo IX., for instance, to the pseudo-donation in the pro
"Popes appealed to them in their official capacity, as well as private doctors; (1) Leo IX., for instance, to the pseudo-donation in the prolix epistle written by him, or in his name, to Michael Cerularius, patriarch of Constantinople, on the eve of the schism. (2) Eugenius IV. to the pseudo-decretals of St. Alexander and Julius…
2,220 wordsSECTION 464The following is the Translator's Preface to these frauds:--
The following is the Translator's Preface to these frauds:-- In regard to these Decretals, Dean Milman says: "Up to this period the Decretals, the letters or edicts of the Bishops of Rome, according to the authorized or common collection of Dionysius, commenced with Pope Siricius, towards the close of the fourth century. To the…
2,891 wordsSECTION 465[2707] By these apocrisarii are meant the deputies of the bishops, and their locum tenentes, as it were, who manage the affairs of the Churc
[2707] By these apocrisarii are meant the deputies of the bishops, and their locum tenentes, as it were, who manage the affairs of the Church, hear the cases of individuals, and refer them to the bishops. They are therefore called apocrisarii, i.e., responders, from apokrinomai, to respond. Mention is made of them in Justinian N…
2,312 wordsSECTION 466[2734] Comp. Rom. i. 32.
[2734] Comp. Rom. i. 32. II. (Of those who have intercourse with excommunicated persons, or with unbelievers.) Those, too, who are excommunicated by the priests, let no one receive previous to the just examination of both sides; nor let him have any intercourse with such in speech, or in eating or drinking, or in the salutati…
2,203 wordsSECTION 467[2744] Comp. Tobit iv. 15.
[2744] Comp. Tobit iv. 15. [2745] Gal. vi. 1, 4. [2746] Ezek. xviii. 21, 22. VI. (As to whether a priest may minister after a lapse.) For those are in error who think that the priests of the Lord, after a lapse, although they may have exhibited true repentance, are not capable of ministering to the Lord, and engaging their …
2,503 wordsSECTION 468[2768] Acts v. 1-11.
[2768] Acts v. 1-11. [2769] 1 Cor. v. 5. III. As to any one's attempting to take from the Church the right of holding property. By the increase, therefore, and the mode of life which have been mentioned, the churches over which the bishops preside have grown so greatly with the help of the Lord, and the greater part of them …
2,137 wordsSECTION 469Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will. [2784] These words, most beloved, are not the words of men, but of ange
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will. [2784] These words, most beloved, are not the words of men, but of angels; and they were not devised by human sense, but were uttered by angels at the birth of the Saviour. And from these words it can be understood without doubt by all that peace is given by th…
2,201 wordsSECTION 470I should wish, my dearest brethren, always to receive the glad account of your sincere love and peace, so that the signs of your welfare mig
I should wish, my dearest brethren, always to receive the glad account of your sincere love and peace, so that the signs of your welfare might be promoted in turn by the dissemination of our letters among you, if our ancient enemy should give us quiet and deliverance from his attacks; who was a liar from the beginning, [2799] th…
2,350 wordsSECTION 471Now, however, the disobedient is cut off by spiritual chastisement; and being cast out of the church, is torn by the rabid mouth of demons.
Now, however, the disobedient is cut off by spiritual chastisement; and being cast out of the church, is torn by the rabid mouth of demons. [2814] For it becomes those who have God in their heritage, to serve God free from all the hindrances of the world, so that they may be able to say, "The Lord is the portion of mine inherita…
2,803 wordsSECTION 472If, however, any one is not friendly, and speaks with those with whom he (his chief) speaks not, such an one belongs to those who seek to ex
If, however, any one is not friendly, and speaks with those with whom he (his chief) speaks not, such an one belongs to those who seek to exterminate the Church of God; and though he seems to be with you in body, he is against you in mind and heart. And such an one is a much more dangerous enemy than those who are without, and w…
2,749 wordsSECTION 473Accordingly we have set these matters before you, in order that those who now know it not may know this; viz., that the priests, too, whom t
Accordingly we have set these matters before you, in order that those who now know it not may know this; viz., that the priests, too, whom the Lord has taken to Himself from among all men, and has willed to be His own, are not to be dealt with lightly, nor injured, nor rashly accused or reprehended, save by their masters, seeing…
2,210 wordsSECTION 474On this account, therefore, we decree and resolve, that those who are not of good conversation, or whose life is impeachable, or whose faith
On this account, therefore, we decree and resolve, that those who are not of good conversation, or whose life is impeachable, or whose faith and life and liberty are unknown, should not have the power of accusing the priests of the Lord, lest vile persons should thus be admitted to the liberty of accusing them. In like manner, t…
2,238 wordsSECTION 475Decrees of Fabian.
Decrees of Fabian. ------------------------ Taken from the Decretal of Gratian. I. That the man who refuses to be reconciled to his brother should be reduced by the severest fastings. [2876] If any injured person refuses to be reconciled to his brother, when he who has injured him offers satisfaction, he should be reduced b…
2,213 wordsSECTION 4766. I constantly hold that there is a Purgatory, and that the souls therein detained are helped by the suffrages of the faithful.
6. I constantly hold that there is a Purgatory, and that the souls therein detained are helped by the suffrages of the faithful. 7. Likewise, that the saints, reigning together with Christ, are to be honoured and invocated, and that they offer prayers to God for us, and that their relics are to be respected. 8. I most firmly a…
2,458 wordsSECTION 477To the Documents which are presumably of the ante-Nicene age, Dr. Cureton added two Metrical Homilies by Jacob of Serug, who lived in the ne
To the Documents which are presumably of the ante-Nicene age, Dr. Cureton added two Metrical Homilies by Jacob of Serug, who lived in the next century. But, as they are so closely connected with the most interesting portions of the rest, the martyrdoms, and are besides of considerable merit as compositions, the decision of the e…
2,221 wordsSECTION 478Here endeth the first book.
Here endeth the first book. [2903] By Eusebius of Cæsarea.--Tr. The ms. from which this extract from Eusebius is taken is numbered 14,639, fol. 15 b. It is described in Cureton's Corpus Ignatianum, p. 350. [2904] Book I. chapter the thirteenth.--Tr. [2905] Properly Urrhoi, or Orrhoi (***). It seems probable that the word is c…
2,229 wordsSECTION 479[2950] Extracts iv. and v. are from Cod. Add. 14,601, fol. 164, written apparently in the eighth century.
[2950] Extracts iv. and v. are from Cod. Add. 14,601, fol. 164, written apparently in the eighth century. VI. From the departure [2951] of Marath [2952] Mary from the world, and the birth and childhood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Book the Second. In the year three hundred and forty-five, in the month of the latter Tishrin, [295…
2,235 wordsSECTION 480Ye that have eyes, forasmuch as ye do not perceive, are yourselves also become like those who see not and hear not; and in vain do your inef
Ye that have eyes, forasmuch as ye do not perceive, are yourselves also become like those who see not and hear not; and in vain do your ineffectual voices strain themselves to deaf [2978] ears. Whilst they are not to be blamed for not hearing, because they are by [2979] nature deaf and dumb, yet the blame which is justly incurre…
2,430 wordsSource & rights
Historical text source: Christian Classics Ethereal Library. The downloaded text itself records Public Domain.