Since, then, the blessed prophets have been eyes to us, setting forth for our behoof the clear declaration of things secret, both through life, and through declaration, and through inspiration [1879] of the Holy Spirit, and discoursing, too, of things not yet come to pass, [1880] in this way also [1881] to all generations they have pictured forth the grandest subjects for contemplation and for action. Thus, too, they preached of the advent of God [1882] in the flesh to the world, His advent by the spotless and God-bearing [1883] Mary in the way of birth and growth, and the manner of His life and conversation with men, and His manifestation by baptism, and the new birth that was to be to all men, and the regeneration by the laver; and the multitude of His miracles, and His blessed passion on the cross, and the insults which He bore at the hands of the Jews, and His burial, and His descent to Hades, and His ascent again, and redemption of the spirits that were of old, [1884] and the destruction of death, and His life-giving awaking from the dead, and His re-creation of the whole world, and His assumption and return to heaven, and His reception of the Spirit, of which the apostles were deemed worthy, and again the second coming, that is destined to declare all things. For as being designated seers, [1885] they of necessity signified and spake of these things beforetime. Footnotes: [1878] This discourse seems to have been a homily addressed to the people. Fabricius, Works of Hippolytus, vol. ii. [1879] epiphoiteseos. [1880] gegonota. Codex Baroccianus gives heurekota. [1881] hothen kai, etc. [1882] Others, tou uiou tou Theou, of the Son of God. [1883] theotokou. [The epithet applied to the Blessed Virgin by the "Council of Ephesus," against Nestorius, a.d. 431. Elucidation, p. 259.] This is one of those terms which some allege not to have been yet in use in the time of Hippolytus. But, as Migne observes, if there were no other argument than this against the genuineness of this discourse, this would not avail much, as the term is certainly used by Origen, Methodius, and Dionysius Alex., who were nearly coeval with Hippolytus. [1884] ap' aionon. [1885] blepontes. |
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