Nazareans were a sect of men between Jews and Christians, but
abhorred by both. They allowed Christ to be the greatest of the
prophets, but said he was a mere man, whose natural parents were Joseph
and Mary: they joined all the ceremonies of the old law with the new,
and observed both the Jewish Sabbath and the Sunday. Ebion added other
errors to these, which Cerenthus had also espoused, and taught many
superstitions, permitted divorces, and allowed of the most infamous
abominations. He began to preach at Cocabe, a village beyond Jordan,
where he dwelt; but he afterwards travelled into Asia, and thence to
Rome. The authority of St. Simeon kept the heretics in some awe during
his life, which was the longest upon earth of any of our Lord's
disciples. But, as Eusebius says, he was no sooner dead than a deluge of
execrable heresies broke out of hell upon the church, which durst not
openly appear during his life.

Vespasian and Domitian had commanded all to be put to death who were of
the race of David. St. Simeon had escaped their searches; but Trajan
having given the same order, certain heretics and Jews accused him, as
being both of the race of David and a Christian, to Atticus, the Roman
governor in Palestine. The holy bishop was condemned by him to be
crucified: who, after having undergone the usual tortures during several
days, which, though one hundred and twenty years old, he suffered with
so much patience that he drew on him a universal admiration, and that of
Atticus in particular, he died in 107, according to Eusebius in his
chronicle, but in 116, according to Dodwell, bishop Loyde, and F. Pagi.
He must have governed the church of Jerusalem about forty-three years.

* * * * *

The eminent saints among the primitive disciples of Jesus Christ, were
entirely animated by his spirit, and being dead to the world and
themselves, they appeared like angels among men. Free from the secret
mixture of the sinister views of all passions, to a degree which was a
miracle of grace, they had in all things only God, his will and honor,
before their eyes, equally aspiring to him through honor and infamy. In
the midst of human applause they remained perfectly humbled in the
centre of their own nothing: when loaded with reproaches and contempt,
and persecuted with all the rage that malice could inspire, they were
raised above all these things so as to stand fearless amid racks and
executioners, inflexi