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AT this time also arose the heresy of the Messaliani. Those who
translate their name into Greek call them Euchitae.
They have also another designation which arose naturally from their
mode of action. From their coming under the influence of a certain
demon, which they supposed to be the advent of the Holy Ghost, they
are called enthusiasts.
Men who have become infected with this plague to its full extent shun
manual labour as iniquitous; and, giving themselves over to sloth,
call the imaginations of their dreams prophesyings. Of this heresy
Dadoes, Sabbas, Adelphius, Hermas, and Simeones were leaders,
and others besides, who did not hold aloof from the communion of the
Church, alleging that neither good nor harm came of the divine food of
which Christ our Master said "Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my
blood shall live for ever."
In their endeavor to hide their unsoundness they shamelessly deny it
even after conviction, and abjure men whose opinions are in harmony
with their own secret sentiments.
Under these circumstances Letoius, who was at the head of the church
of Melitine, a man full of divine zeal, saw that many monasteries,
or, shall I rather say, brigands' caves, had drunk deep of this
disease. He therefore burnt them, and drove out the wolves from the
flock.
In like manner the illustrious Amphilochius to whom was committed the
charge of the metropolis of the Lycaonians and who ruled all the
people, no sooner learnt that this pestilence had invaded his diocese
than he made it depart from his borders and freed from its infection the
flocks he fed.
Flavianus, also, the far famed high-priest of the Antiochenes, on
learning that these men were living at Edessa and attacking with their
peculiar poison all with whom they came in contact, sent a company of
monks, brought them to Antioch, and in the following manner convicted
them in their denial of their heresy. Their accusers, he said, were
calumniating them, and the witnesses giving false evidence; and
Adelphius, who was a very old man, he accosted with expressions of
kindness, and ordered to take a seat at his side. Then he said
"We, O venerable sir, who have lived to an advanced age, have more
accurate knowledge of human nature, and of the tricks of the demons who
oppose us, and have learnt by experience the character of the gift of
grace. But these younger men have no clear knowledge of these
matters, and cannot brook to listen to spiritual teaching. Wherefore
tell me in what sense you say that the opposing spirit retreats, and
the grace of the Holy Ghost supervenes." The old man was won over
by these words and gave vent to all his secret venom, for he said that
no benefit accrues to the recipients of Holy Baptism, and that it is
only by earnest prayer that the indwelling demon is driven out, for
that every one born into the world derives from his first father slavery
to the demons just as he does his nature; but that when these are
driven away, then come the Holy Ghost giving sensible and visible
signs of His presence, at once freeing the body from the impulse of
the passions and wholly ridding the soul of its inclination to the
worse; with the result that there is no more need for fasting that
restrains the body, nor of teaching or training that bridles it and
instructs it how to walk aright. And not only is the recipient of this
gift liberated from the wanton motions of the body, but also clearly
foresees things to come, and with the eyes beholds the Holy Trinity.
In this wise the divine Flavianus dug into the foul fountain-head and
succeeded in laying bare its streams. Then he thus addressed the
wretched old man. "O thou that hast grown old in evil days, thy own
mouth convicts thee, not I, and thou art testified against by thy own
lips." After their unsoundness had been thus exposed they were
expelled from Syria, and withdrew to Pamphylia, which they filled
with their pestilential doctrine.
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