[for the bad conduct which Apollonius there charges him with in time of persecution,] he exalted himself as if he 'bad been a martyr; and had the assurance, as if he had 'been an apostle, to write a catholic epistle for the instruc'tion of men more faithful than himself. Yea, and in the abundance of his zeal for his vain sentiments, he proceeds so far as to speak disrespectfully of Christ, and the apostles, and the holy church.'

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III. Again, reproving these men: When P the Lord hath said, " Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor two coats," [Matt. x. 9, 10.] these, on the contrary, have hei'nously offended in the possession of things forbidden.' And, soon after: For we ought to examine the fruits of ' a prophet; "for a tree is known by its fruit." See Matt. vii. 15-20, and ch. xii. 33.

IV. Moreover, says Eusebius, he relates, as from tra'dition, that our Saviour commanded his apostles not to 'depart from Jerusalem for the space of twelve years. He ⚫ also makes use of testimonies out of the Revelation of John; ' and he relates, that by the divine power, the same John 'raised up to life a dead man at Ephesus.'

V. Here is then a reference or two to the gospel of St. Matthew. We are assured by Eusebius, that Apollonius quoted the book of the Revelation. It is very probable, from the connection of things in this account, and from Eusebius's saying nothing to the contrary, that Apollonius ascribed the Revelation to John the apostle. It appears farther, that the apostles of Christ, and their writings, were in the highest esteem; and that the books called scripture, in a strict and peculiar sense, by christians, were well known among them, and were considered as the rule of their faith and practice.

τον αποςολον, καθολικήν τινα συνταξάμενος επιτολην κατηχειν μεν της αμεινον αυτό πεπιτευκότας συναγωνίζεσθαι δε τοις της κενοφωνίας λογοις· βλασφημησαι δε εις τον Κυριον, και τις αποςόλως, και την άγιαν εκκλησίαν. Ibid. p. 185. A.

• Ειρηκότος γαρ τε Κυρις, μη κτήσησθε χρυσον μητε αργυρον μητε δυο χιτωνας, οὗτοι παν τούναντιον πεπλημμεληκασι περί τας τέτων των απηγορευμένων κτησεις. p. 185. Β.

4 Δει γαρ τες καρπες δοκιμάζεσθαι τε προφητε" απο γαρ το καρπε το δενδρον γινώσκεται. Ibid. C.

Ετι δε ώς εκ παραδόσεως τον Σωτηρα φησι προςεταχεναι τοις αυτό αποστ τολοις, επι δωδεκα έτεσι μη χωρισθηναι της Ιερεσαλημ. Κεχρηται δε και μαρτυρίας απο Ιωαννα Αποκαλύψεως· και νεκρον δε δυνάμει θεια προς αυτε Ιωαννε εν τη Εφεσω εγηγερθαι ίπορει. p. 186. C.

CHAP. XXXII.

CAIUS, AND OTHERS.

I. Caius. II. An Anonymous Author against the Heresy of Artemon. III. A Treatise of the Nature of the Universe.

b

I. CAIUS flourished, according to Cave, about the year 210. We are informed by Photius, That it was commonly 'said, that Caius was a presbyter of the church of Rome in the time of Victor and Zephyrine, and that he was ' ordained bishop of the nations; by which some learned © men understand, that he was ordained to preach the gospel in infidel countries, without having any particular people or diocese assigned him. Fabricius, by a small alteration of the word in Photius, would read Athens,' instead of 'nations; and supposes, that having been first a presbyter in the church of Rome, he was afterwards made bishop of Athens.

Photius says, likewise, that he had seen a note of some person, whom he does not name, in a book Of the Nature of the Universe, ascribed by some to Josephus: That it was written by Caius, a presbyter, who dwelt at Rome, who is also said to be the author of the Labyrinth.'

We are well assured from Eusebius and St. Jerom, that Caius lived in the time of Zephyrinus, bishop of Rome, about whose time learned men are not entirely agreed; and of Antoninus Caracalla, who reigned from 211 to 217.

Hist. Lit. in Caio.

b Τετον τον Γαϊον πρεσβύτερον φασι γεγενησθαι της κατά Ρωμην εκκλησιας επι Ουΐκτορος και Ζεφυρίνο των αρχιερέων. χειροτονοθήναι δε αυτον και εOVOV ETLOKOTOV. Phot. Cod. 48. col. 36, 37. Rhotom. 1653.

Cave, ut supra. Tillemont, Mem. Ecc. T. iii. P. i. p. 295. Caius.

d Presbyter Romanus, atque inde episcopus Atheniensis; nam apud Photium pro εθνών επισκοπον legendum videtur Αθηνων. Fabric. Bibl. Gr. l. v. cap. i. T. v. p. 267. • Εύρον δε εν παραγραφαις ότι ουκ εσιν ὁ λογος Ιωσηπε, αλλα Γαις, τινος πρεσβυτερα εν Ρώμη διατρίβοντος, ὃν φασι συνταξαι και τον Λαβυρινθον. Phot. ibid. Eus. H. E. 1. ii. cap. 25. p. 67. D. et l. vi. cap. 20. 8 De Vir. Ill. cap. 59.

b Mr. Dodwell thought that Zephyrinus, successor of Victor, sat in the see of Rome from the year 195 to 214. Vid. Diss. singular. de Rom. Pontiff. Prim. Successione, c. xv. sect. 2. 7. &c. Tillemont says, Zephyrinus governed the church of Rome

It is thought, by many, that Caius was a disciple of Irenæus. This has been concluded from some words at the end of a manuscript copy of the epistle of the church of Smyrna, concerning the martyrdom of St. Polycarp, where it is said: This was transcribed from the copy of Ire'næus, disciple of Polycarp, by Caius, who also was 'acquainted with Irenæus. 1 Socrates, living in Corinth, 'transcribed from the copy of Caius.' But it may be questioned whether this note may be relied upon: if it may, here is no certain proof that this is our Caius. As this was a common name, all that can be hence concluded is, that the transcriber of that epistle lived about the same time with our author. Indeed Caius, as we shall see by and by, does not reckon the epistle to the Hebrews among St. Paul's epistles; which agrees well enough to a disciple of Irenæus, as Tillemont has observed. But this might be common, at that time, to many in several parts of the world.

k

It is also generally allowed, that Caius was a presbyter of the church of Rome; and bishop Pearson says directly, that Eusebius, as well as Photius, gives him that title. Du Pin too says, that Eusebius and St. Jerom call Caius presbyter, but without saying of Rome; these learned men do not refer to any particular place, where this is said: and I am not aware that Eusebius or Jerom say any thing more, than that Caius was an ecclesiastical man, and had a dispute with Proculus, at Rome, in the time of Zephyrinus. Though therefore it may be allowed to have some probability, from Photius, that Caius was a presbyter of Rome, it can by no means be reckoned a certain thing.

There are three or four books ascribed to Caius; A Dialogue, or Disputation, with Proculus or Proclus, a follower of Montanus; another, Of the Universe; a third, called the Labyrinth, and the Little Labyrinth; a fourth, written against the Heresy of Artemon. These are all mentioned together by Photius, as distinct works; but the two last are generally thought to be only different titles of one and from 201, or 202, to 219. See St. Zephyrine. Mem. Ecc. T. iii. P. ii. p. 1. and note, p. 336; as also Caius, Mem. Ecc. T. iii. P. i. p. 294. But Pagi says, from 197 to 217. Vid. Crit. in Baron. 197. n. v. 219. n. ii.

m

i Ταυτα μετεγραψατο μεν Γαϊος εκ των Ειρηναις, μαθητε τε Πολυκαρπο, ὃς και συνεπολεύσατο τῳ Ειρηναιῳ. Εγω δε Σωκρατης εν Κορινθῳ εκ το Taïs avriypapwv εypala. K. λ. Ep. Eccles. Smyrn. sect. 23. apud Patr. Apost. et Vales. Annot. in Euseb. H. E. p. 73. D.

Hunc Caium tum Eusebius tum Photius Romanæ ecclesiæ presbyterum fuisse asserunt. Pearson, Op. Post. Diss. ii. sect. 3. p. 148.

1 Eusébe et Saint Jerôme disent bien, qu'il étoit prêtre, et qu'il a vêcu du tems du Zéphirin; mais ils ne disent pas, qu'il fut Romain. Du Pin, Bibl. Caius.

m Cod. 48.

the same work. Theodoret" says, that Caius wrote against Cerinthus; but I apprehend he means the book against the Montanists, in which Caius also opposed Cerinthus, as we shall soon see, from a passage to be transcribed from Eusebius. If Caius had composed a distinct work against that heretic, it is likely it would have been mentioned by Eusebius and Jerom.

There are therefore three books said to be written by Caius, of which we have some fragments remaining. I shall speak of each distinctly: and, first of all, of the Dialogue with Proculus, by which work Caius is best known; which is undoubtedly his, and which I take to be the only piece rightly ascribed to him. And since St. Jerom says that the dispute with the Montanists was held at Rome in the time of Caracalla, we cannot well place it before the year 212. It is probable, from the considerations mentioned by Tillemont, that this Dialogue was written in Greek; which was also the opinion of P Valesius.

1. Eusebius having spoken of the martyrdoms of St. Peter and St. Paul at Rome, and the inscriptions on their tombs, says: And Caius, an ecclesiastical mau, who lived in the time of Zephyrinus, bishop of the Romans, in his book written against Proculus, a leader of the "Cataphrygian sect, confirms this, speaking after this manner of the places where the sacred tabernacles of the fore' mentioned apostles are deposited: "I am able to show the trophies of the apostles: for whether you go to the Vatican, or to the Ostian Way, you will find the trophies ' of those who founded this church.”

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This passage is now produced chiefly as the testimony of Eusebius to our author's character and time, and the book against the Montanists; which was particularly written against Proculus, who is supposed to be the same Proculus whom Tertullian has commended.

r

2. In another place, Eusebius, speaking of the writings of ancient ecclesiastical men, who flourished about the times of Severus and Antoninus Caracalla, says: There'

Κατα τετω δε ου μονον οἱ προῤῥηθεντες συνεγραψαν, αλλα συν εκείνοις και Taïoç. Theodoret, Hær. Fab. 1. ii. cap. 3. De Cerintho.

• As before.

P Annot. in Eus. 1. vi. cap. 20. p. 123.

4 Ουδεν δ ήττον και εκκλησιασικός ανηρ Γαίος ονομα, κατα Ζεφυρίνον Ρωμαίων γεγονως επισκοπον, ὃς δη Προκλῳ της κατα Φρυγας προιταμενῳ γνώμης εγγράφως διαλεχθείς, κ. λ. Euseb. Η. Ε. I. ii. c. 25. p. 67. D.

Tertullian adv. Valent. cap. v. p. 291. B. See also before in this volume, p. 269. 5 Ήλθε δε εις ήμας και Γαϊς λογιωτατε ανδρος διαλογος, επιεν ᾧ των δι' εναντίας την περι το συντάττειν καινας γραφας προπετείαντε και τολμαν επιςομίζων, των τε ἱερε αποτελεί δεκατρίων

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is also come to our hands a dialogue [or disputation] of Caius, a most eloquent man, held at Rome in the time of Zephyrinus, with Proculus, a patron of the Cataphrygian heresy; in which also, reproving the rashness and auda'ciousness of the adversaries, in composing new writings, [or scriptures,] he makes mention of but thirteen epistles of the holy apostle, not reckoning that to the Hebrews, with the rest. And indeed to this very time, by some of the Romans this epistle is not thought to be the apostle's.' By the new writings,' or scriptures composed by the Montanists, it is reasonable to suppose, are intended some of their prophecies, which they had not only spoken, but written and published, with a design, as it seems, to have them received with the same or like respect with that paid to the scriptures received and owned by christians as sacred. Upon this occasion Caius gave a list or catalogue of the apostle Paul's epistles received by himself and the church in general. One may be apt to think, that Caius reckoned up all the scriptures in general received by christians from ancient time, in opposition to these new scriptures' of the Montanists. But supposing that he put down only the epistles of St. Paul, we should have been glad to have had this passage at length. It would have been a great pleasure to see thirteen of St. Paul's epistles expressly named, with the churches, or particular persons, to whom they were sent; or however described, at least, by their several characters, in the order then used, all together in one catalogue, composed by this ingenious writer, at the beginning of the third century. And I cannot but think that Eusebius deserves to be censured for this omission.

The observation which Eusebius makes, at the conclusion of this passage, concerning some of the Romans, in his own time, not receiving the epistle to the Hebrews as Paul's, is somewhat remarkable. It may be considered, whether the occasion of it be, that Caius had some particular relation to the church of Rome; or whether it be only owing to this dispute having been held in that city, which was expressly mentioned before. If the former, this would afford some ground of suspicion that Caius was a presbyter of the church of Rome; which, we are informed by Photius, was a common opinion in his time.

As this testimony to St. Paul's epistles is very considerμονων επιτολων μνημονεύει, την προς Εβραιος μη συναριθμησας ταις λοιπαις. επει και εις δευρο, παρα Ρωμαίων τισιν, ε νομιζεται το αποτόλο τυγχάνειν. H. E. 1. vi. c. 20.