the duration
of His ministry, he is thinking of the three Passovers mentioned by St
John.

Of the other fragments ascribed to Melito one deserves to be quoted, not
only because the author has made it the subject of some criticisms, but
because it exhibits in a concentrated form Melito's views of evangelical
history and doctrine [232:1].

We have made collections from the Law and the Prophets relating to
those things which are declared concerning our Lord Jesus Christ,
that we might prove to your love that He is the perfect Reason, the
Word of God: who was begotten before the light, who was Creator
together with the Father, who was the fashioner of man, who was all
things in all, who among the patriarchs was Patriarch, who in the
law was Law, among the priests Chief-priest, among the kings
Governor, among the prophets Prophet, among the angels Archangel,
and among voices [232:2] the Word, among spirits the Spirit, in the
Father the Son, in God God, the King for ever and ever. For this is
He who was pilot to Noah, who conducted Abraham, who was bound with
Isaac, who was in exile with Jacob, who was sold with Joseph, who
was captain with Moses, who was divider of the inheritance with
Joshua the son of Nun, who foretold His own sufferings in David and
the prophets, who was incarnate in the Virgin, who was born at
Bethlehem, who was wrapped in swaddling clothes in the manger, who
was seen of the shepherds, who was glorified of the Angels, who was
worshipped by the Magi, who was pointed out by John, who gathered
together the Apostles, who preached the Kingdom, who healed the
maimed, who gave light to the blind, who raised the dead, who
appeared in the temple, who was not believed on by the people, who
was betrayed by Judas, who was laid hold on by the priests, who was
condemned by Pilate, who was transfixed in the flesh, who was
hanged on the tree, who was buried in the earth, who rose from the
dead, who appeared to the Apostles, who ascended into heaven, who
sitteth on the right hand of the Father, who is the rest of those
that are departed, the recoverer of those that are lost, the light
of those that are in darkness, the deliverer of those that are
captives, the guide of those that have gone astray, the refuge of
the afflicted, the Bridegroom of the Church, the Charioteer of