Section 228
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 197 gratulated them, thus rejoicing and inflated by him, and continu ed to puff them up the more, by promises of great things. Some times pointedly and deservedly, directly condemning them that he might appear also disposed to reprove them. Those few that were deceived were Phrygians ; but the same inflated spirit taught them to revile the whole church under heaven, because it o-ave neither access nor honour to this false spirit of prophecy. For when the faithful held frequent conversations in many places throughout Asia for this very purpose, and examined their novel doctrines, and pronounced them vain, and rejected them as heresy, then indeed they were expelled and prohibited from communion with the church." After relating these facts in the beginning of his work, and introducing the refutation of their error in the body of the work, he adds the following re marks in the second book, respecting their end : " Therefore," says he, " since they call us slayers of the prophets, because we did not promptly receive their talkative prophets, saying, * these were those whom the Lord promised to send to the people.' " Let them answer us in the name of God, O friends, which of these who began prating from Montanus and his women, is there that suffered persecution, or was slain by the evil doers? None. Not even one of them has been seized and crucified for the name (of Christ.) None at all. Not one of their women was ever scourged in the synagogues of the Jews, or stoned. No, never. Montanus and Maximilla indeed, are said to have died another death than this, for at the instigation of that mischievous spirit, the report is, that both of them hung themselves, not indeed at the same time, but at the particular time of each one's death, as the general report is ; and thus they died and terminated their life like the traitor Judas. Thus, also, the general opinion is, that Theodotus, one of the first that was carried away by their pro phecy, as it was called, and who became a kind of patron of the delusion, as if he should at some time be taken up and received into the heavens, and who falling into trances, gave himself up to the spirit of deception, was finally tossed by him like a quoit in the air, and thus miserably perished. They say this happened as we have stated. But, my friend, we do not presume to know