st. john of damascus (676-749 - Cristo Raul

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THE "FONS SCIENTLE."
69
but counting one or two doubtful ones, which may
have been added by some later reviser, there are one
hundred and three in all. The most interesting
article in this latter portion, as well as the only one
(with the exception of that on the Christianocategori,
or Iconoclasts), which may probably be the work of
Damascenus himself, is that on the Mahometans,
whom he calls Ishmaelites. The arguments contained
in it may be more conveniently noticed when we come
to consider John s writings on this topic collectively.
But we may observe, in passing, his odd derivation
of the name Saracen. Tracing the origin of the race
up to Hagar and Ishmael, who were sent etnpty
away by Sarah, he deduces their name from two
Greek words (Sarrhas-kenoi), signifying
"Sarah s
empty Like ones." Epiphanius, he concludes his
summary of false beliefs by a profession of the
true. Ever mindful of monophysite and monothelete
disputes, which he had referred to even in his
Dialectic,"
he inserts a clause in this creed on the
one will, one action in the three hypostases of the
Godhead. The mystery of the Trinity he strives to
illustrate by a parallel with the root, the branch, and
the fruit, of a tree ;
or again, with fountain, river, and
sea. At the end is added an injunction to worship
(proskuneiri) 1 and honour the Holy Mother of God.
1
The kind of worship implied by this word, as it will be
remembered, is what the Greek Church allowed to be paid
to saints, or to the holy images, and is carefully distinguished
from latrtia, the service due to God alone. The other word
Uamascenus uses in the text is a general term for honour or
reverence. I mention this, because the writer in Ceillicr s