Firmilian, bishop of Cæsarea in Cappadocia, in a letter addressed to Cyprian, preserved amongst those of Cyprian (Epist. 75. ed. Potter. p. 220.), says, in reference to the diversity of customs “circa celebrandos dies paschæ, et circa multa alia divinæ rei sacramenta,” “Nec tamen propter hoc ab ecclesiæ Catholicæ pace atque unitate aliquando discessum est.”
Athanasius, (de Synodis Arimini et Seleuciæ, § 5.), says, that before the Council of Nice, οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς Συρίας καὶ Κιλικίας καὶ Μεσοποταμίας ἐχώλευον περὶ τὴν ἑορτὴν, καὶ μετὰ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐποιοῦντο πάσχα.
Chrysostom, in his Discourses against the Jews, in that one in which he dissuades the Christians of Antioch from joining in their observances, (tom. v. Hom. 55. p. 608. ed. Benedict.) reminds them that the Church of Antioch once universally kept the ante-paschal fast with the Jews, although they had, since the Council of Nice, given up that practice: Καὶ ἡμεῖς οὕτως ἐνηστεύομεν πρότερον, ἀλλ᾽ ὄμως προετιμήσαμεν τὴν συμφωνίαν τῆς τῶν χρόνων παρατηρήσεως.
IV. xl. 3. Ἐκ τότε γὰρ ἀποστάτης ὁ ἄγγελος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐχθρὸς, ἀφ᾽ ὅτε ἐζήλωσε τὸ πλάσμα τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐχθροποιῆσαι αὐτὸ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἐπεχείρησε.—V. xxiv. 4. supra.
Tertullian, Cyprian, and Cyril of Jerusalem, were of the same opinion. I subjoin the passages.—Tertullian de Patientia, 5. Natales impatientiæ in ipso diabolo deprehendo, jam tunc cum Dominum Deum universa opera quæ fecisset, imagini suæ, id est, homini subjecisse impatienter tulit. Nec enim doluisset, si sustinuisset; nec invidisset homini, si non doluisset. Adeo decepit eum, quia inviderat.——Cyprian, de Zelo et Livore, p. 223, ed. Potter. Hinc diabolus inter initia statim mundi et petit primus et perdidit. Ille dudum angelica majestate subnixus, ille Deo acceptus et carus, postquam hominem ad imaginem Dei factum conspexit, in zelum malevolo livore prorupit ... stimulante livore homini gratiam datæ immortalitatis eripit.——Cyril. Hierosol. Catech. xii. 5. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο τὸ μέγιστον τῶν δημουργημάτων, ἐν παραδείσῳ χορεῦον, φθόνος ἐξέβαλε διαβολικός.
IV. xxxvi. 4. Et temporibus Noë diluvium inducens, uti extingueret pessimum genus eorum, qui tunc erant homines, qui jam fructificare Deo non poterant, cum angeli transgressores commixti fuissent eis.——xvi. 2. Sed et Enoch sine circumcisione placens Deo, cum esset homo, legatione ad angelos fungebatur, et conservatur usque nunc testis justi judicii Dei: quoniam angeli quidem transgressi deciderunt in terram in judicium, homo autem placens translatus est in salutem.
The nature of the intercourse or commixture is not indeed stated by Irenæus; but, as Feuardent and Grabe have pointed out in commenting on these passages, he is evidently alluding to the tradition spoken of more fully by Josephus, Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, and Clement of Alexandria, whose words I subjoin.
Joseph. Antiq. I. ii. 1. Πολλοὶ γὰρ ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ, γυναιξὶ συμμιγέντες, ὑβριστὰς ἐγέννησαν παῖδας, καὶ παντὸς ὑπερόπτας καλοῦ, διὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ δυνάμει πεποίθησιν· ὅμοια γὰρ τοῖς ὑπο γιγάντων τετολμῆσθαι λεγομένοις ὑφ᾽ Ἑλλήνων καὶ οὗτοι δράσαι παραδίδονται.
Justin M. Apol. II. 5. Ὁ Θεός ... τὴν μὲν τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τῶν ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν πρόνοιαν ἀγγέλοις, οὓς ἐπὶ τούτοις ἔταξε, παρέδωκεν. Οἱ δὲ ἄγγελοι, παραβάντες τήνδε τὴν τάξιν, γυναικῶν μίξεσιν ἡττήθησαν, καὶ παῖδας ἐτέκνωσαν, οἱ εἰσιν οἱ λεγόμενοι δαίμονες.
Athenag. Legat. 22. Οἱ δὲ (the fallen angels) ἐνύβρισαν καὶ τῆς τῆς οὐσίας ὑποστάσει καῖ τῇ ἀρχῇ, οὗτός τε (Satan) ὁ τῆς ὕλης καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ εἰδῶν ἄρχων καὶ ἕτεροι τῶν περὶ τὸ πρῶτον τοῦτο στερέωμα· ἐκεῖνοι μὲν εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν πεσόντες παρθένων, καὶ ἥττους σαρκὸς εὑρεθέντες, οὗτος δὲ ἀμελήσας καὶ πονηρὸς περὶ τὴν τῶν πεπιστευμένων γενόμενος διοίκησιν. Ἐκ μὲν οὖν τῶν περὶ τὰς παρθένους ἐχόντων οἱ καλούμενοι ἐγεννήθησαν γίγαντες.