1. Anon., Didache, 7.3 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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2. New Testament, Hebrews, 6.2 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 6.2. of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. |
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3. Anon., The Acts of John, 72 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 72. Now on the next day John came, accompanied by Andronicus and the brethren, to the sepulchre at dawn, it being now the third day from Drusiana's death, that we might break bread there. And first, when they set out, the keys were sought for and could not be found; but John said to Andronicus: It is quite right that they should be lost, for Drusiana is not in the sepulchre; nevertheless, let us go, that thou mayest not be neglectful, and the doors shall be opened of themselves, even as the Lord hath done for us many such things. |
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4. Anon., Acts of Thomas, 27 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 27. And the apostle arose and sealed them. And the Lord was revealed unto them by a voice, saying: Peace be unto you brethren. And they heard his voice only, but his likeness they saw not, for they had not yet received the added sealing of the seal (Syr. had not been baptized). And the apostle took the oil and poured it upon their heads and anointed and chrismed them, and began to say (Syr. And Judas went up and stood upon the edge of the cistern and poured oil upon their heads and said): Come, thou holy name of the Christ that is above every name. Come, thou power of the Most High, and the compassion that is perfect. Come, gift (charism) of the Most High. Come, compassionate mother. Come, communion of the male. Come, she that revealeth the hidden mysteries. Come, mother of the seven houses, that thy rest may be in the eighth house. Come, elder of the five members, mind, thought, reflection, consideration, reason; communicate with these young men. Come, holy spirit, and cleanse their reins and their heart, and give them the added seal, in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost. And when they were sealed, there appeared unto them a youth holding a lighted torch, so that their lamps became dim at the approach of the light thereof. And he went forth and was no more seen of them. And the apostle said unto the Lord: Thy light, O Lord, is not to be contained by us, and we are not able to bear it, for it is too great for our sight. And when the dawn came and it was morning, he brake bread and made them partakers of the eucharist of the Christ. And they were glad and rejoiced. And many others also, believing, were added to them, and came into the refuge of the Saviour. |
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5. Anon., Marytrdom of Polycarp, 18 (2nd cent. CE - missingth cent. CE)
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6. Hippolytus, Apostolic Tradition, 19, 27, 6, 18 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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7. Pliny The Younger, Letters, 10.96.7 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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8. Pliny The Younger, Letters, 10.96.7 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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9. Tertullian, Against Marcion, 1.14.3 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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10. Tertullian, Apology, 1.1, 39.9-39.11, 39.18 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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11. Tertullian, On Baptism, 8.1, 18.4 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 1. Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life! A treatise on this matter will not be superfluous; instructing not only such as are just becoming formed (in the faith), but them who, content with having simply believed, without full examination of the grounds of the traditions, carry (in mind), through ignorance, an untried though probable faith. The consequence is, that a viper of the Cainite heresy, lately conversant in this quarter, has carried away a great number with her most venomous doctrine, making it her first aim to destroy baptism. Which is quite in accordance with nature; for vipers and asps and basilisks themselves generally do affect arid and waterless places. But we, little fishes, after the example of our ΙΧΘΥΣ Jesus Christ, are born in water, nor have we safety in any other way than by permanently abiding in water; so that most monstrous creature, who had no right to teach even sound doctrine, knew full well how to kill the little fishes, by taking them away from the water! |
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12. Tertullian, On The Crown, 3.2 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 3. And how long shall we draw the saw to and fro through this line, when we have an ancient practice, which by anticipation has made for us the state, i.e., of the question? If no passage of Scripture has prescribed it, assuredly custom, which without doubt flowed from tradition, has confirmed it. For how can anything come into use, if it has not first been handed down? Even in pleading tradition, written authority, you say, must be demanded. Let us inquire, therefore, whether tradition, unless it be written, should not be admitted. Certainly we shall say that it ought not to be admitted, if no cases of other practices which, without any written instrument, we maintain on the ground of tradition alone, and the countece thereafter of custom, affords us any precedent. To deal with this matter briefly, I shall begin with baptism. When we are going to enter the water, but a little before, in the presence of the congregation and under the hand of the president, we solemnly profess that we disown the devil, and his pomp, and his angels. Hereupon we are thrice immersed, making a somewhat ampler pledge than the Lord has appointed in the Gospel. Then when we are taken up (as new-born children), we taste first of all a mixture of milk and honey, and from that day we refrain from the daily bath for a whole week. We take also, in congregations before daybreak, and from the hand of none but the presidents, the sacrament of the Eucharist, which the Lord both commanded to be eaten at meal-times, and enjoined to be taken by all alike. As often as the anniversary comes round, we make offerings for the dead as birthday honours. We count fasting or kneeling in worship on the Lord's day to be unlawful. We rejoice in the same privilege also from Easter to Whitsunday. We feel pained should any wine or bread, even though our own, be cast upon the ground. At every forward step and movement, at every going in and out, when we put on our clothes and shoes, when we bathe, when we sit at table, when we light the lamps, on couch, on seat, in all the ordinary actions of daily life, we trace upon the forehead the sign. |
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13. Tertullian, On Monogamy, 10.4 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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14. Tertullian, On The Resurrection of The Flesh, 8.3 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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15. Cyprian, Letters, 63.15.2 (3rd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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16. Cyprian, Letters, 63.15.2 (3rd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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17. Cyprian, Letters, 63.15.2 (3rd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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18. Cyprian, Letters, 63.15.2 (3rd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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