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182 Credibility of the Gospel History.
tion appears to me uncharitable: however, we are informed by
Jerom that"^ Eiisebius, in his Apology for Origen, complained
of Methodius for Avriting- against Origen, after lie had more
than once spoken of his sentiments without any censure or
dislike. And from the accounts we have of the Morks of
Methodius, and some remaining extracts out of them, it
appears, that not only several of his pieces were written
aoainst Orioen, but likewise that he sometimes treated that
great man not very civilly.
Socrates'^ Avrites, that Methodius, after he had long- opposed
Origen, as if he recanted what he had said, commended him
in a dialogue, called Zeno. Tillemonf^ thinks Socrates is
not to be credited herein :
and^ Baronius long- ago charged
that ecclesiastical historian with being guilty of a manifest
falsehood in this account : for he says the quite contrary is
the truth, as we learn from Eusebius himself: Methodius
first approved of Origen, and afterwards wrote against him.
Besides, how should Socrates become acquainted with this
recantation of Methodius, which is unknoMn to every body
else; which Eusebius, Rufinus, and other defenders of
Origen, say nothing- of? Whereas, says Baronius, if they had
known it they would have transcribed it in letters of gold,
and shoM'n it every where. On the other hand ^Valesius,
''Huet, and 'Pagi, maintain the truth of the relation in
Socrates. But it seems to me not impossible that Socrates
mistook the time of writing- that dialogue, which might
be written before Methodius had taken a disg-ust ag-ainst
Origen. Or, if indeed it was written afterAvards, as Socrates
supposed, I think it reasonable to conclude the
commendation there given Orig-en was a small matter of no
great moment, and far short of a recantation. Baronius's
reasoning appears solid : if Methodius had recanted what he
had written against Origen, it would have been mentioned
by his apologists. I suppose the meaning- of Eusebius's
words above cited by Jerom to be this: That Methodius in
his own writings, in several places, had treated of several
•= Eusebius, Caesariensis episcopus, cujus supra memini, in sexto libro airo-
XoyuiQ Origenis hoc idem objicit Methodio episcopo et martyri, quod tu in meis
laudibus cnminaris, et diet :
Qnomodo ausas est Methodius nunc contra Origenem
scnbere, qui haec et haec de Origenis loquutus est dogmatibus ? Hieron.
Apol. adv. Ruf. 1. 1. p. 359. Bened,
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