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As the so-called Phrygian heresy was still flourishing in Phrygia in
his time, Apollonius also, an ecclesiastical writer, undertook its
refutation, and wrote a special work against it, correcting in detail
the false prophecies current among them and reproving the life of the
founders of the heresy. But hear his own words respecting Montanus:
"His actions and his teaching show who this new teacher is. This is
he who taught the dissolution of marriage; who made laws for fasting;
who named Pepuza and Tymion, small towns in Phrygia, Jerusalem,
wishing to gather people to them from all directions; who appointed
collectors of money; who contrived the receiving of gifts under the
name of offerings; who provided salaries for those who preached his
doctrine, that its teaching might prevail through gluttony."
He writes thus concerning Montanus; and a little farther on he writes
as follows concerning his prophetesses: "We show that these first
prophetesses themselves, as soon as they were filled with the Spirit,
abandoned their husbands. How falsely therefore they speak who call
Prisca a virgin."
Afterwards he says: "Does not all Scripture seem to you to forbid a
prophet to receive gifts and money ? When therefore I see the
prophetess receiving gold and silver and costly garments, how can I
avoid reproving her?"
And again a little farther on he speaks thus concerning one of their
confessors:
"So also Themiso, who was clothed with plausible covetousness,
could not endure the sign of confession, but threw aside bonds for an
abundance of possessions. Yet, though he should have been humble on
this account, he dared to boast as a martyr, and in imitation of the
apostle, he wrote a certain catholic epistle, to instruct those whose
faith was better than his own, contending for words of empty sound,
and blaspheming against the Lord and the apostles and the holy
Church." And again concerning others of those honored among them as
martyrs, he writes as follows:
"Not to speak of many, let the prophetess herself tell us of
Alexander, who called himself a martyr, with whom she is in the habit
of banqueting, and who is worshiped by many. We need not mention his
robberies and other daring deeds for which he was punished, but the
archives contain them. Which of these forgives the sins of the other?
Does the prophet the robberies of the martyr, or the: martyr the
covetousness of the prophet? For although the Lord said,' Provide
neither gold, nor silver, neither two coats,' these men, in
complete opposition, transgress in respect to the possession of the
forbidden things. For we will show that those whom they call prophets
and martyrs gather their gain not only from rich men, but also from the
poor, and orphans, and widows. But if they are confident, let them
stand up and discuss these matters, that if convicted they may
hereafter cease transgressing. For the fruits of the prophet must be
tried; ' for the tree is known by its fruit.' But that those who
wish may know concerning Alexander, he was tried by Aemilius
Frontinus, proconsul at Ephesus; not on account of the Name, but
for the robberies which he had committed, being already an apostate.
Afterwards, having falsely declared for the name of the Lord, he was
released, having deceived the faithful that were there. And his own
parish, from which he came, did not receive him, because he was a
robber. Those who wish to learn about him have the public records of
Asia. And yet the prophet with whom he spent many years knows nothing
about him ! Exposing him, through him we expose also the pretense of
the prophet. We could show the same thing of many others. But if
they are confident, let them endure the test." Again, in another
part of his work he speaks as follows of the prophets of whom they
boast: "If they deny that their prophets have received gifts, let
them acknowledge this: that if the@' are convicted of receiving
them, they are not' prophets. And we will bring a multitude of
proofs of this. But it is necessary that all the fruits of a prophet
should be examined. Tell me, does a prophet dye his hair? Does a
prophet stain his eyelids ? Does a prophet delight in adornment?
Does a prophet play with tables and dice ? Does a prophet lend on
usury? Let them confess whether these things are lawful or not; but
I will show that they have been done by them." This same Apollonius
states in the same work that, at the time of his writing, it was the
fortieth year since Montanus had begun his pretended prophecy. And he
says also that Zoticus, who was mentioned by the former writer, when
Maximilla was pretending to prophesy in Pepuza, resisted her and
endeavored to refute the spirit that was working in her; but was
prevented by those who agreed with her. He mentions also a certain
Thraseas among the martyrs of that time.
He speaks, moreover, of a tradition that the Saviour commanded his
apostles not to depart from Jerusalem for twelve years. He uses
testimonies also from the Revelation of John, and he relates that a
dead man had, through the Divine power, been raised by John himself
in Ephesus. He also adds other things by which he fully and
abundantly exposes the error of the heresy of which we have been
speaking.These are the matters recorded by Apollonius.
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