Epiphanius: all of which seem to shew that Artemon was then an Unitarian of no small note; though Epiphanius has no particular article for him, and he be quite omitted by Philaster and Augustine. Artemas is mentioned by Alexander bishop of Alexandria. He would have it that Arius followed him.

с

SECTION IV.

Of the Time when he lived.

TILLEMONT thinks that Theodotus the tanner or currier, preceded Artemon; and perhaps it might be so but as they must have lived both about the same time, and Theodoret speaks first of Artemon and then of Theodotus, and as the book of the anonymous author beforementioned was entitled An Argument against the Heresy of Artemon, though he there mentions several others, I have chosen this order without designing to determine which had the precedence in time. However, it must be owned, that that author says Theodotus the tanner was the author of that opinion. And possibly the reason of his entitling his work against the heresy of Artemon was, that he was then living, and had promoted the doctrine of his late predecessors with some remarkable success. Tillemont supposeth that Artemon arose about the year 200.

CHAP. XVII.

OF THEODOTUS.

SECTION I

Of his Time and Opinions.

d

THEODOTUS of Byzantium, called the tanner, flourished, according to Cave, about the year 192. Basnage speaks of him at the year 187. I have already given a distinct account of the work of an anonymous writer against Artemon, supposed to have been published about the year 212, where this Theodotus is mentioned: he, and Eusebius who transcribes him, suppose him to have held the same opinion with Artemon, who said that Jesus Christ was a mere man. And moreover that author asserts him to have been the first who taught that opinion, and says " he was excommunicated by Victor.

f

с

SECTION II.

Passages from ancient Authors concerning him.

h

EPIPHANIUS'S Summary is to this effect: The Theodotians are so called from Theodotus

• a tanner of Byzantium. He was well acquainted with Greek learning. Having been taken

• Ibid. p. 633. and Ep. Hær. 65. p. 608. A.

• Ουκ αγνουντες ὅτι ἡ εναγχος επανασασα τη εκκλησιασική ευσέβεια διδασκαλια Εβίωνος εςι και Αρτεμα τα εκείνων κεκρυμμένα μοσχευματα, Αρειοστε και Αχιλλας, και ή των συν AUTORS WONDERGμεvwv σuvodos. Apud. Theodorit. His. Eccles. lib. 1. cap. 4. p. 15. B. C.

See his article of the Theodotiens, et Melchisédéciens. Mem. E. Tom. 3.

See Vol. i. p. 485–488.

• Ψιλον ανθρωπον γενεσθαι. Eus. Η. Ε. lib. 5. cap. 28. p. 195. C.

* Τον της αίρεσεως ταύτης εύρετην. p. 196. Β.

8 Βικτώρ απέβαλε Θεόδοτον τον τες αίρεσεως. κ. τ. λ. Ibid. * Θεοδοτίανοι, οἱ απο το Θεόδοτε σκύτεως τε απο Βυζαντιν. Οὗτος εν παιδεια Ελληνικῇ γεγονεν άκρος, άμα δε αλλοις τισιν εν ήμεραις τε τοτε γενόμενες διωγμα μόνος εκπέσων, εκείνων μαρτυρεσαντων, δια το ονειδίζεσθαι, επινόησας ψιλον άνθρωπον λεγειν τον Χρισον, ίνα μη υπο εγκλημα γένηται Θεον αρνη σάμενος, όπως εδίδαξεν. Anac. p. 397. Νο. 8. Β.C.

up with several others in the persecutions of that time, when they endured martyrdom, he alone fell. Being often reproached upon that account he besought himself to say that Christ was ⚫ only a man, that he might be no longer charged with having denied God.'

What Epiphanius here says of Theodotus's learning is very suitable to what the beforementioned author says of this party of men in general.

I shall by and by have occasion to make long extracts out of the larger article of Epiphanius, which I would willingly put together. I therefore proceed immediately to transcribe some

other authors.

b

Theodoret only says that Theodotus the tanner of Byzantium was of the same opinion with Artemas; but nevertheless was the leader of another party. He was excommunicated by Victor bishop of Rome, as corrupting the true doctrine of the church.' He then tells the story concerning Natalis, formerly taken notice of.

I shall transcribe in the margin the article of the author of the Additions to Tertullian's Prescriptions. He tells the like story that Epiphanius does of Theodotus's fall in the time of persecution. He says his opinion was that Christ was a man born of a virgin, and that he exceeded other men in the superiority of his virtue.

с

Philaster, beside other things, gives the like account of this Theodotus's fall; as does* Augustine also. But he does not speak positively of it, only that it was so reported.

This Theodotus is also mentioned by Jerom. We find him likewise in the fragment against Noches, ascribed to Hippolytus; but he says nothing very material.

SECTION III.

He is accused of denying Christ in a Time of Persecution.

In his larger article Epiphanius says he does not know whether any of that heresy were then subsisting; but he will relate what he has met with in any writings concerning them.' He then says that Theodotus was of Byzantium, afterwards called Constantinople, a tanner by trade, but very learned.' After which he adds: in some persecution he does not know what, he and many others were apprehended by the governor of the city. And all the rest, when examined, bore a noble testimony to Christ, and obtained a heavenly crown; but he ' denied Christ. Not being able to endure the reproaches which were cast upon him in his own 'country, he went to Rome, where meeting with some of his acquaintance, who putting him in mind of his fall, saying, "it was strange that a man of so much knowledge should deny the truth:" he made a poor apology for himself, saying that he had only denied a man. ' which he always avowed that doctrine, that Jesus was a mere man, born of a man.'

After

gator Christi Dei nostri in persecutione extitit Salvatoris, qui coepit dicere, docens, ita communis homo erat, ut omnes homines, Christus. Hær. 50. p. 4. Tom. 4. La Bigne. Paris, 1624.

Quod dicitur idem Theodotus propterea docuisse, quia in persecutione lapsus isto modo se casus sui devitare putabat opprobrium, si non Deum negasse, sed hominem videretur. H. 33.

Numquid non possum tibi totam veterum scriptorum seriem commovere :-qui adversus Ebionem, et Theodotum Byzantinum, Valentinum, hæc eadem sentientes, plena sapientiæ volumina conscripserunt? Adv. Helvid. p. 141. M. ↳ Vide Hipp. ex Ed. Fabr. p. 2. p. 7. n. 3.

1 Και ει μεν υπαρχει ή αίρεσις ετι αύτη αγνοεμένη. Har. 54. n. 1. p. 463. A.

* Σκυτεύς την τεχνην, πολυμαθής δε τῳ λόγῳ. Ibid.

1 Ουκ οίδα ειπειν εν έποιῳ διωγμῳ. Ibid. 13.

SECTION IV.

Two Observations on what Epiphanius says of him.

HERE are two things observable, first, the fall of Theodotus, mentioned by him also before, and by some others: but Epiphanius did not know when it happened, or in what persecution, nor have any others specified it. This miscarriage does not appear to have been mentioned by the anonymous author against Artemon, largely cited by us formerly. If that story had been in his work, Eusebius would certainly have taken notice of it: nor is it mentioned by Theodoret. Secondly, Epiphanius charges Theodotus with teaching that Jesus was born in the ordinary way, as other men are, which is not said by others, and is contrary to the author of the Additions to Tertullian's Prescriptions, who says his doctrine was that Jesus was born of a virgin. Moreover, Theodoret says his opinion was the same with that of Artemon, who held that Jesus was born of a virgin.

SECTION V.

The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were received by him.

EPIPHANIUS then proceeds to observe some of the arguments by which Theodotus and his followers endeavoured to support their doctrine: and here he will be of great use to us; he will let us know what texts they chiefly insisted upon, and what scriptures they made use of.

The first text which he mentions, is John viii. 40. " But now ye seek to kill me, a man that has told you the truth, which I have heard of God." Theodotus argued likewise, as Epiphanius says, from Matt. xii. 31, 32. He also argued, says our author, 4 from what the law says of Christ in this manner, Deut. xviii. 15. "The Lord will raise up unto you a prophet of your brethren, like unto me." Wherefore, says he, the Christ raised up of God, was not God, but man. For he was to be one of them, and a man, as Moses was; whereby we see that Theodotus received the Old Testament. Again, he argued that Christ was a man, from © Is. liii. 3. "A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief."

g

If Epiphanius may be relied upon, he argued from ' Luke i. 35, which seems to shew that Theodotus did not think Christ was born as other men are. He also insisted upon & Acts ii. 22, "A man approved among you by signs and wonders:" and on " 1 Tim. ii. 5.

Ꮒ

Epiphanius in his argument against this doctrine, by way of confutation, quotes and argues from the beginning of St. John's gospel, and from k ch. viii. 56. 58; and from ' Matt. xi. 27, and Luke x. 22, in answer to an argument brought by Theodotus from Jeremiah xvii. 9, and from " Acts vii. 56, and from ° Rom. i. 4. Gal. iv. 4. 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6.

a Vol. i. p. 485-488.

» Ότι φασιν, ὁ κυριος εφη νυν δε ζητείτε με αποκτείναι ανθρωπον —έρας φησιν ότι άνθρωπος εσιν. Adv. Ηer. 54. n. 1. p. 403. D. • Ὁ λεγων λόγον εις τον υίον το ανθρωπε αφεθήσεται. Ibid. n. 2. p. 464. A. B.

4 Και παλιν δε ὁ αυτός Θεόδοτος φησι· και νόμος περί αυτό εφη. Προφήτην εκ των αδελφων ύμων εγερεί κυριος, ως εμε. n. Ρ. 464. D.

3.

• Ησαΐας περί αυτό εφή, ότι ανθρωπος εςιν, έτως ειπον, αν θρωπος είδως φερειν μαλακίαν, και είδομεν αυτόν εν πληγῇ. κ. τ. λ. Ibid. n. 5. p. 466. C.

* Είτα, φησι, και αυτό το ευαγγελιον έφη τη Μαρία Πνευμα κύριο επελεύσεται επί σε. κ. λ. n. 3. p. 465. Α.

Β Αλλά, φησιν, είπον οἱ αποσόλοι, άνδρα αποδεδειγμένον εις μας σημείοις και τερασιν· και εκ είπον, Θεον αποδεδειγμενον. Ibid. n. 5. p. 467. B.

* Παλιν δε προφασίζεται λεγων, ότι εφη περί αυτε ὁ από 5 λος, ότι μεσίτης Θε8 και ανθρώπων Χρισος Ιησες. Ibid. n. 6. p. 467. C.

* Ότι δε ανωθεν εσιν ελθών ο λογος, Ιωαννης σαφηνίσας την

i

το αγγελε ευαγγελικήν φωνήν λεγει, Εν αρχή ην, κ. τ. λ. Ibid. n. 3. p. 465. C. D.

· Επειδαν δε εσιν προ το Δαβιδ και προ το Αβρααμ. φησιν, Αβρααμ γαρ, ὁ πατὴς ύμων επεθύμησε ίδειν την ήμεραν ¿ με, και είδε, και εχαρη. ειτα αυτων θαυμάζοντων και λεγόντων, πεντήκοντα έτη επω έχεις, και τον Αβρααμ έωρακας, ελείχων Θεοδότον και τις απίσες και επαρνησίθεος Ιεδαίας εφη, αμην αμήν λέγω ύμιν, ότι προ Αβρααμ εγω ειμι. Ibid. n.5. p. 467. A. 1 Επειδαν 7a8 εδείς οίδε τον υιον, εἰ μὴ ὁ πατήρ. κ. τ. λ. εδεις εν γνώσεται, αυτόν, εαν μη αυτη αποκάλυψη. Ibid. n. 4. Ρ. 466. Β.

m Παλιν Θεόδοτος λεγων, ότι και ο Ιερεμίας περι αυτό εφή, ότι ανθρωπος εσί, και τις γνώσεται αυτο». Ibid. n. 4. p. 466. Α. The argument used by Theodotus is founded on a mistaken translation in the LXX. who read wish as if it was a substantive signifying man; whereas it is a participle, and signifies being in an incurable desperate state. But if it was a right translation, no argument to his purpose can be drawn from thence.

Η Ελεγχῃ δε παλιν, ω Θεοδότε, ότι παλιν οἱ αυτό αποδο

From all which it is manifest that this Theodotus and his followers received the scriptures of the Old and the New Testament, as other Christians did.

SECTION VI.

There were several of the same Name in the second Century.

"THERE were in the second century several others of this name.

First, A Valentinian. Cave, in his account of Theodotus the tanner, ascribes to him all the opinions which he has collected out of the oriental doctrine, subjoined to the works of Clement of Alexandria; but that is confounding things as different and opposite as Theodotus the tanner is reckoned among those who did not allow Jesus to have existed before his nativity of Mary; which is very different from the sentiments represented by Cave from the above named work and yet Fabricius seems to have been of the same opinion with Cave. Tillemont perceived that the Theodotus mentioned in these extracts was a Valentinian. Beausobre had no doubt of it; and says he flourished about the year of our Lord 130.

d

Second, Theodotus, a Montanist, mentioned by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History. Third, Theodotus the banker, mentioned by the anonymous author largely quoted by us long ago; where he is expressly said to be a disciple of Theodotus the tanner.

SECTION VII.

Theodotus the Banker generally supposed to be the Author of the Sect of the Melchisedechians.

h

THIS Theodotus is now generally supposed to have been the author of the sect of the Mel. chisedechians. And Theodoret " expressly says as much. But Epiphanius' does not appear to have had any knowledge of it. They both seem to have thought those whom they call Melchisedechians a branch of the Theodotians, followers of Theodotus the Tanner. Possibly there never was any such set of men. But some Catholics, from some comparisons occasionally made by the Theodotians, or others, between Jesus and Melchisedec, imagined a distinct sect, and gave it such a name as they saw fit.

I place at the bottom of the page, the article in the Additions to Tertullian, though somewhat long. Augustine's article of the Melchisedechians is short. He knew nothing of the author of this sect, as Epiphanius had not mentioned him in his Summary. Nor indeed has Epiphanius any where mentioned Theodotus the banker: for, as observed above, he supposed the

Ει δε δι' ε τα πάντα, και ήμεις εις αυτόν, εκ αρα ψιλος ανθρωπος ειη. κ. τ. λ. Ibid, n. 6. p. 467. C. D.

a Hæresis vero Theodotianæ capita (qualia in excerptis ejus hodie reperiuntur) summa fere hæc fuerunt: Christum a patre ante mundum conditum, creatum fuisse, &c. H. L.P. 1 p. 87. p. 52. Gen. 1720.

Vide Bib. Gr. T. v. p. 107.

c Mem. Ecc. T. 3. Les Théodotiens. sub init.

d Hist. de Manich. T. p. 420. et T. 2. p. 163. L. 5. c. 3. p. 108. A. et 16. p. 181. D.

f See before, Vol. i. 486. p.

* See Tilem T. 3 as before.

• Ήρξε δε της αιρέσεως ταύτης άλλος Θεόδοτος, αργυράματος

την τέχνην H. F. L. 2. c. o. p. 221.

· Μελχισεδέκιανος παλιν έτεροι ἑαυτες καλεσιν, αποσπασε θεατες ταχα απο των Θεοδοτιανων καλεμένων. Η 35. in. p. 468. B.

* Τες δε Μελχισεδεκιανός τμήμα μεν ειναι τετων φασι, καθ' ἐν δε μόνον διαφωνειν, το τον Μελχισεδέκ δυναμιν τινα και θείαν και μεγισην ὑπολαμβάνειν, κατ' εικόνα δε αυτε και Χρισον γεγενησθαι. Theodo. Ibid. et conf. Epiph. note 5.

Alter post hunc Theodotus hæreticus erupit, qui et ipse introduxit alteram sectam, et ipsum hominem Christum tantummodo dicit ex spiritu sancto, ex virgine Mariâ conceptum pariter et natum; sed hunc inferiorem esse quam Melchisedec, eo quod dictum sit de Christo: Tu es sacerdos in æternum, secundum ordinem Melchisedec.' Nam illum Melchisedec præcipuæ gratiæ cœlestem esse virtutem: eo quod agat Christus pro hominibus, deprecator et advocatus ipsorum factus; Melchisedec facere pro cœlestibus angelis et virtutibus. Nam esse illum usque adeo Christo meliorem, ut apator sit, ametor sit, agenealogetus sit, cujus neque initium, neque finis comprehensus sit, aut comprehendi possit. Cap. 53. p. 254,

255. 218. 5.

in Melchisedeciani Melchisedec sacerdotem Dei excelsi, non hominem fuisse, sed virtutem Dei esse arbitrantur. H. 34.

Melchisedechians to be a branch of the followers of Theodotus the tanner, or separated from them into a new sect, called Melchisedechians. Nor does Philaster make any mention of Theodotus the banker; though he has two chapters of opinions concerning Melchisedec, and one of them longer than usual.

b

Epiphanius says, not very much disagreeing from Theodoret, or the author of the Additions to Tertullian, that the Melchisedechians thought Melchisedec to be a great power in high places, and greater than Christ: because Christ is said to have been made a priest after the order of Melchisedec. Ps. cx. 4. And they endeavoured to support their opinion from what is said by Paul of Melchisedec in the epistle to the Hebrews, vii. 3. "Without father, without

mother."

Epiphanius afterwards mentions divers opinions among Christians concerning Melchisedec. And perhaps he might as properly have made a distinct heresy of each one of them, as he has done of this.

CHAP. XVIII.

OF HERMOGENE S..

d

SECTION I.

Of his Time and Country.

CAVE speaks of Hermogenes at the year 170. Basnage at 168, as does Le Clerc also. Tillemont says he must have appeared before the end of the reign of Marcus Antoninus, who died in the year 180, about which time I likewise choose to place him- Tertullian several times speaks of him as a late heretic, or then living: and joins one Nigidius with him.

k

n

Baronius and Du Pin say he was of Africa. On the other hand, Valesius' and Pagi " argue that there is no more reason to think that Hermogenes was of Africa, because Tertullian wrote against him, than that he was of Asia, because Theophilus did the like. Nevertheless Basnage is inclined to think he was of Africa; for Tertullian describes his employment and actions as if he was no stranger to him: and Philaster and Augustine suppose that he taught in Africa. The first of which arguments undoubtedly is of some weight; for Tertullian writes, as if he was well acquainted with his way of living: but whether what Augustine and Philaster say deserves much notice, I cannot tell, because they do not seem to have had an exact knowledge of Hermogenes. I put in the margin a note of Fabricius upon Philaster.