egula
fidei_ received a significance from this point of view also. An
Encratite explanation of the birth from the Virgin is found in the old
treatise _de resurr._ bearing Justin's name (Otto, Corp. Apol. III., p.
220.)]

[Footnote 584: See, e.g., III. 18. 1 and many other places. See the
passages named in note, p. 276.]

[Footnote 585: So also Tertullian. See adv. Marc. III. 8: The whole work
of salvation is destroyed by Docetism; cf. the work _de carne Christi_.
Tertullian exclaims to the Docetist Marcion in c. 5: "Parce unicae spei
totius orbis." Irenaeus and Tertullian mean that Christ's assumption of
humanity was complete, but not unfrequently express themselves in such a
manner as to convey the impression that the Logos only assumed flesh.
This is particularly the case with Tertullian, who, moreover, in his
earlier time had probably quite naive Docetic ideas and really looked
upon the humanity of Christ as only flesh. See Apolog. 21: "spiritum
Christus cum verbo sponte dimisit, praevento carnincis officio." Yet
Irenaeus in several passages spoke of Christ's human soul (III. 22. 1: V.
1. 1) as also did Melito ([Greek: to alethes kai aphantaston tes psuches
Christou kai tou somatos, tes kath' hemas anthropines phuseos] Otto,
l.c., IX., p. 415) and Tertullian (de carne 10 ff. 13; de resurr. 53).
What we possess in virtue of the creation was _assumed_ by Christ
(Iren., l.c., III. 22. 2.) Moreover, Tertullian already examined how the
case stands with sin in relation to the flesh of Christ. In opposition
to the opinion of the heretic Alexander, that the Catholics believe
Jesus assumed earthly flesh in order to destroy the flesh of sin in
himself, he shows that the Saviour's flesh was without sin and that it
is not admissible to teach the annihilation of Christ's flesh (de carne
16; see also Irenaeus V. 14. 2, 3): "Christ by taking to himself our
flesh has made it his own, that is, he has made it sinless." It was
again passages from Paul (Rom. VIII. 3 and Ephes. II. 15) that gave
occasion to this discussion. With respect to the opinion that it may be
with the flesh of Christ as it is with the flesh of angels who appear,
Tertullian remarks (de carne 6) that no angel came to die; that which
dies must be born; the Son of God came to die.]

[Footnote 586: This conception was peculiar to Irenaeus, and for good
reasons was not repeated in succeeding times; see II. 22: III. 17. 4.
From it also Irenaeus already inferred the ne