Church History Books 1–9 (trans.) 3 part 4/4

But he, being set in prayer, three days before he was apprehended, saw a vision by night: that the bolster of his head was consumed by flames—by which so signal a favor of God toward His elect was perceived. This, then, is the admirable and elect one, in our times an apostolic and prophetic teacher, the priest of the church of the Smyrnaeans, who every word that he spoke (fulfilled in deed). And the adversary of all the righteous, after he saw that Polycarp was crowned both for the glory of his martyrdom and for the virtues of his excellent life, and had obtained through death the rewards of immortality, began to be busy enough to see that no one should grant his relics for burial to us who desired them.

Therefore Nicetas, father of Herod and brother of Dalce, was instigated to approach the judge and to ask of him that the body should not be granted for burial, saying: 'Lest perchance, forsaking Him who was crucified, the Christians should begin to worship this man'—the Jews especially devising these things, who also watched our people with intent eyes, lest they should snatch him from the flames while still burning; not knowing, wretched men, that neither can we ever forsake Christ, who endured death for the salvation of the whole world, nor worship any other; for we know Him to be the true God and the only one to be worshiped, but the martyrs we honor as disciples (and imitators of the Lord). And when questioned, he confessed himself to be a Christian.

This man the centurion straightway cast into chains, and after he had for a long time been wasted by the squalor of the prison, at last presented him to the judge Urbicius. By whom in like manner Ptolemaeus was asked this one thing only, whether he were a Christian. Who again by public confession testified to his teaching and to his instruction in all that is good. For he who denies what he is, without doubt judges to be blameworthy the very thing which he denies. Straightway therefore, after his confession, he is ordered by Urbicius to be led away. (And Lucius, standing by, said:) 'You have commanded a man to be led away to death not as an adulterer, nor as guilty of any other crime whatsoever, but only for the name of Christian, because he has confessed himself to be called by this name? These things are not worthy of a pious emperor, nor...' But he, seeking nothing further, said to Lucius:

'You too seem to me to be a Christian.' And when Lucius answered: 'This I plainly am,' Urbicius ordered him also to be led away likewise to death. He said: 'I give thanks that I have been released from most wicked masters and am going to the good and best Father and King.' And having likewise made the same confession, he was punished by the same sentence. After these things Justin appended in order those matters which he had a little before related, saying that he (the Christian teacher) imparts to the incoming brethren whatever bodily use requires, and comforts them with gentle and most mild address, and shows himself pious and reverent. In this same writing he mentions also the letter of Clement written to the Corinthians, indicating that by ancient institution and old custom that very letter was always read in the church. Finally he speaks thus:

'We have accounted blessed,' he says, 'this present Lord's day, on which we read your letter, which also we shall always keep for our admonition, even as also that former one written to us by Clement.' 'For certain letters I wrote at the request of the brethren, which, however, the apostles of Satan have filled with tares, taking away some things and adding others; for whom a woe is laid up in the judgment of God. What wonder, then, if some have undertaken to corrupt even these poor things which we ourselves have written?' There is also handed down still another besides these, written by Dionysius to Chrysophora, his most faithful sister, in which, suiting things to her sex or measure, he set before her the reasonable feasts of the divine word.

But concerning Dionysius enough. There are three books of Instructions written to Autolycus, and another book against (the heresy of Hermogenes). But there are extant also other little books of his of various instructions. Now the report asserts that Tatian was the author (of this sect)—that very man of whom we made mention above, when blessed Justin gave testimony, and whose disciple they say he was. Concerning whom nevertheless Irenaeus, in the first book against (heresies, says): 'From Saturninus and Marcion descended those who are called Encratites, refusing marriage, which was of old instituted by God, and subtly accusing Him who from the beginning made male and female for the restitution of the human race.'

'But they also preach that one must abstain from animal foods, being ungrateful to God who made these things for human uses.' And it has come to this from those men to whom a certain Tatian was the author, and who introduced blasphemies of this kind. He was indeed a hearer of Justin, but so long as he was with him, he betrayed no such opinion. But afterward, being swollen (with pride) and puffed up with excessive elation, as one who reckoned himself better than the rest, he preferred to establish his own manner of teaching rather than that handed down by the ancients, introducing certain invisible aeons after the fables of Valentinus, and declaring marriage to be nothing but fornication and corruption, in like manner (with Marcion and Saturninus), and by new questions bringing into doubt the salvation of Adam. And a little after, this same Irenaeus adds also these things:

'And not long after,' he says, 'a certain Severus, adding strength to the aforesaid heresy, furnished the greatest fuel to its adherents. Whence... And from the law and the prophets and the gospels they take (their testimonies), but by a certain interpretation of their own they pervert the sense of the scriptures. And they detract from Paul the apostle and reject his epistles.'