Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

258 THE SECOND AGE OF THE MARTYR CHURCH.of his martyrdom in 167, was probably the soleremaining one, though his pupil S. Irenosus hadknown others. When the latter, upon the martyrdomof S. Pothinus in 177, is raised to thegovernment of the See of Lyons, we may considerthat no one survived in possession of that greatpersonal authority which belonged to those whohad themselves been taught by Apostles ; and soat the third generation from the last of these theChurch throughout the world stood without anysuch support, simply upon that basis of the traditionand teaching of the truth, and of the successionof rulers, on which the Apostles had placedit, to last for ever. Now in this position it hadalready, throughout the whole course of the secondcentury, been violently assaulted by a family ofheresies, which growing upon one root-a naturalphilosophy confusing the being of God with theworld-burst forth into an astonishing variety ofoutward forms. Gnosticism completely altered anddefaced Christian doctrine under each of the fourgreat heads, the Being of God, the Person ofChrist, the nature of man, the office and functionof the Church. Into the Godhead it introduceda dualism, recognising with the absolute good an" Presbyteros" was added as a title of honour to the name of Bishop,In S. Irenseus the same persons have as Bishops the succession of theApostles, as Presbyteri " the charisma of the truth." Papias marks theAsiatic Presbyteri as those who had heard of S. John; and Clement ofAlex, speaks of Presbyteri who, occupied with the office of teaching, anddeeming it diverse from that of composition, did not write. Ecloga xxvn.p. 996,