2. Montanus; His Mode of Prophecy

of abstraction, Montanus is said to have proceeded to involuntary ecstacy, seeing in this suppression of self-consciousness, and in his submission to the Godhead as a will-less instrument the proof of his perfect prophecy (see Ecstasy). This form of prophesying, however, was regarded as contrary to the custom of the Church, essentially different as it was from the prophecies recorded in the New Testament and the writings of the early Church. Moreover, the ecstatic utterances of Mon tanus must gradually have changed from what was customary in the Church. The Montanists ap pealed in support of their form of prophecy to the examples of ecstacy recorded in the Bible, yet at the same time claimed that their mode was a proof of the magnitude of the new revelation. It was, indeed, the completion of the law of Christ, and in it the promised Paraclete had appeared, since the time of full maturity had now replaced childhood (I Cor. xiii. 11

3. Characteristics of Early Montanism

port the Church's tradition. The practical trend of Montanism led it to defend the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and to develop a rich eschatology. The entire purpose, in fact, of the new prophecy was preparation for the approaching end, and expectation of this great event should determine the entire life of the Christian. Yet the new prophecy was seldom introduced by new forms; what had hitherto been vol untary now became duty. Thus, if the Church ap proved only first marriage and virginity, the Mon tanists regarded second marriages as impure and excluded those who contracted them. Sexual pur ity was a necessary condition for receiving revelations, and the voluntary fasts on the " station days " were extended from three to six in the after noon and made obligatory. There were likewise xerophagia, or half fasts, consisting in abstinence from meat, soups, and juicy fruits, and " fasts proper," apparently kept at the same time as the public celebrations peculiar to the Montanists. Again, wherever the Church permitted a distinction between a laxer and a stricter rule, the Mon tanists invariably allowed only the latter, so that, for example, flight in persecution was forbidden and martyrdom was encouraged. All these re quirements were made by the Pamclete because the last day was nigh, and marriage should no longer be contracted. Because of the shortness of the time, the Paraclete could annul the words of Paul as Christ had abrogated those of Moses. Even fasting was advocated by Tertullian (De jejunio, xii.) not for ascetic reasons, but as a preparation for the last day; while sinners must be excluded from the Church that, as the pure bride of Christ, she might prepare to receive the bridegroom. In its consistency Montanism urged its followers to withdraw from their churches and assemble at

Pepuza in Phrygia, which Montanus plainly con sidered the "wilderness" of Rev. xii. 14, that they might await the second advent. At the same time he arranged for a propaganda. As prophetesses he had Prisca (or Priscilla) and Maximilla, whose say ings, like those of Montanus himself, were collected by their followers into quasi-Gospels, even though such a proceeding was a deviation from the funda mental concepts of Montanism. Montanus also found valuable support in one Alcibiades (Miltia des 7) and Theodotus, the latter being mockingly designated the first steward of the new prophecy

(Eusebius, Hist. wcl., V., xvi. 14). A similar position was held somewhat later by a certain Themistion, while a martyr Alexander was also highly honored by the sect. The prophets were succeeded in the development of organized Montanism by the Cenones, who assumed a place immediately after the patriarchs and above the bishops. While only a portion of the followers of Montanus could be emancipated from all their previous associations, all retained a close connection with Pepuza, where they sent representatives at the feast of the Para clete (probably Whitsuntide), while those who could not attend took part in spirit by a common fast.