Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

THE SECOND AGE OF THE MARTYR CHURCH.277you come? and whence? What are you, who arenot mine, doing in my property ? By what rightdost thou, Marcion, cut down my wood ? By whatlicense dost thou, Valentinus, turn the course of mywaters ? By what poweremove my landmarks ?This is my possession : how are you sowing it.and feeding on it at your pleasure? It is mine, Irepeat: I had it of old; I had it first: I have theLoned title-deeds from the first proprietors.I am the heir of the Apostles. According to th11, according to their trust, according to thoath I took from them, I hold it. You, assuredly,4they have ever disinherited and renounced, asaliens, as enemies. But why are heretics aliensand enemies to Apostles, save from difference ofdoctrine, which each at his own pleasure has eitherbrought forward or received against Apostles ?"41Thus Tertullian adds the witness4of the Africanchurch to that of the Asiatic and Gallic churchesin IrenaBus.We have noted the great church of Alexandriaas a most complete instance of the growth wherebyfrom the mother see the hierarchy took possessionof a land. But the principle of such growth wasthe ecclesiastical rule, and its strength the energywith which that rule was preserved. This rulewas twofold : the rule of discipline, or outwardregimen, what we now call a constitution; and therule of Faith. What the church of Alexandria41 De Prcescrip. 37.