permitted his discourses to be taken down by ready writers, a thing which he had never allowed before. At this time, also, he composed in eight books a reply to that work written against us by Celsus the Epicurean, bearing the title, "The True Doctrine," and, the twentyfive books on Matthew's gospel, those also, on the twelve apostles, of which we have found only twenty-five. There is also an epistle of his extant, addressed to the emperor Philip, and another to his wife Severa; several others also to different persons. Of these as many as we have been able to collect, scattered in the hands of different individuals, we have reduced to certain distinct books, in number exceeding one hundred. He also wrote to Fabianus bishop of Rome, and to many others of the bishops of churches, respecting his orthodoxy; and of these you have the proofs in the sixth book of our Apology for the

man.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

THE DISSENSIONS OF THE ARABIANS.

BUT about this time, also, other men sprung up in Arabia as the propagators of false opinions. These asserted, that the human soul, as long as the present state of the world existed, perished at death and died with the body, but that it would be raised again with the body at the time of the resurrection. And as a considerable council was held on account of this, Origen being again requested, likewise here discussed the point in question with so much force, that those who had been before led astray, completely changed their opinions.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

THE HERESY OF THE HELCESAITES.

ANOTHER error also sprung up about this time, called the heresy of the Helcesaites, which, however, was almost stifled in its birth. It is mentioned by Origen, in his public lecture on the eighty-second Psalm: "A certain

one," says he, "came recently with a great opinion of his abilities, to maintain that ungodly and wicked error of the Helcesaites, which has but lately appeared in the churches. The mischievous assertions of this heresy, I will give you, that you may not be carried away with it. It sets aside certain parts of the collective Scriptures, and it makes use of passages from the Old Testament, and from the gospels. It rejects the apostles altogether. It asserts, also, that to deny (Christ) is indifferent, and that he who is prudent, in case of necessity, will deny with his mouth, but not in his heart. They also produce a certain book, which they say fell from heaven and that whoever has heard and believed this, will receive remission of sins; a remission different from that given by Christ." And such is the account respecting these.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

THE PERSECUTION OF DECIUS.

PHILIP, after a reign of seven years, was succeeded by Decius, who, in consequence of his hatred to Philip, raised a persecution against the church, in which Fabianus suffered martyrdom, and was succeeded as bishop of Rome by Cornelius. In Palestine, however, Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem, was again brought before the tribunal of the governor, at Cesarea, and after an eminent perseverance in his profession, though crowned with the hoary locks of venerable age, he was cast into prison. After giving a splendid and illustrious testimony at the governor's tribunal, and expiring in prison, he was succeeded by Mazabanes as bishop of Jerusalem. But Babylas, like Alexander, dying in prison at Antioch, after his confession, the church there was governed by Fabius. But the number and greatness of Origen's sufferings there during the persecution, and the nature of his death, when the spirit of darkness drew up his forces, and waged a war with all his arts and power against the man, and assailed him particularly beyond all that were

then assaulted by him; the nature and number of bonds which he endured on account of the doctrine of Christ, and all his torments of body, the sufferings also which he endured under an iron collar, and in the deepest recesses of the prison, when for many days he was extended and stretched to the distance of four holes on the rack; besides the threats of fire, and whatsoever other sufferings inflicted by his enemies he nobly bore, and finally the issue of these sufferings, when the judge eagerly strove with all his might to protract his life (in order to prolong his sufferings), and what expressions after these he left behind, replete with benefit to those needing consolation, all this, his many epistles detail with no less truth than accuracy.

CHAPTER XL.

WHAT HAPPENED TO DIONYSIUS.

I SHALL now subjoin the occurrences that befel Dionysius, from his epistle to Germanus, where, speaking of himself, he gives the following account: "But I speak before God, and he knows that I lie not; it was never by my own counsel, nor without divine intimation, that I projected my flight: but before the persecution of Decius, Sabinus, at the very hour, sent Frumentarius to search for me. And I indeed, staid at home about four days, expecting the arrival of Frumentarius. But he went about examining all places, the roads, the rivers, the fields, where he suspected that I would go or lie concealed. But he was smitten with blindness, not being able to find the house, for he could not believe that I would remain at home when persecuted. Four days had scarcely elapsed when God ordered me to remove, and opened the way for me in a most remarkable manner. and my domestics, and many of my brethren, went forth together. And that this happened by the providence of God, was shown by what followed, and in which, perhaps, we were not unprofitable to some." After this, he

I

shows the events that befel him after his flight, adding the following: "About sunset, being seized, together with my company, by the soldiers, I was led to Taposiris. Timothy, by the providence of God, happened not to be present, nor even seized; and coming afterwards, he found the house deserted, and servants guarding it, and us he found reduced to slavery." After other remarks, he observes: "And what was the manner of this divine interposition of his? For the truth shall be told. A certain man of the country met Timothy flying, and much disturbed, and when he was asked the cause of his haste, he declared the truth. When he heard it, he went his way, for he was going to a marriage festival, (as it is the custom with them on these occasions to keep the whole night,) and when he entered he told it to those that were present at the feast. These, forthwith, with a single impulse, as if by agreement, all arose, and came as quick as possible in a rush upon us, and as they rushed they raised a shout. The soldiers that guarded us immediately took to flight, and they came upon us, lying as we were upon the bare bedsteads. I indeed, as God knows, supposed them at first to be robbers, who had come to plunder and pillage. Remaining, therefore, on my bed, naked as I was, only covered with a linen garment, the rest of my dress I offered them as it lay beside me. But they commanded me to rise and to depart as quick as possible. Then, understanding for what purpose they had come, I began to cry out, beseeching and praying them to go away and to let us alone, but if they wished to do us any good, to anticipate those that had led me away, and to cut off my head. When I thus cried out, as my companions and partners in all my distresses well know, they attempted to raise me by force. I then cast myself on my back upon the ground. But they seized me by the hands and feet, and dragged me away, whilst those who were witnesses of all these things, Caius, Faustus, Peter, and Paul, followed on. These also, taking me up, bore me away from the town, and carried me off on an

unsaddled ass." Such is the account of Dionysius respecting himself.

CHAPTER XLI.

OF THOSE WHO SUFFERED MARTYRDOM AT ALEXANDRIA.

THE same writer in the epistle which he addressed to Fabius bishop of Antioch, relates the conflicts of those who suffered martyrdom at Alexandria in the following manner: "The persecution with us did not begin with the imperial edict, but preceded it a whole year. And a certain prophet and poet, inauspicious to the city, whoever he was, excited the mass of the heathen against us, stirring them up to their native superstition. Stimulated by him, and taking full liberty to exercise any kind of wickedness, they considered this the only piety, and the worship of their dæmons, viz., to slay us. First then, seizing a certain aged man named Metra, they called upon him to utter impious expressions, and as he did not obey, they beat his body with clubs, and pricked his face and eyes; after which they led him away to the suburbs, where they stoned him. Next they led a woman called Quinta, who was a believer, to the temple of an idol, and attempted to force her to worship; but when she turned away in disgust, they tied her by the feet, and dragged her through the whole city, over the rough stones of the paved streets, dashing her against the millstones, and scourging her at the same time, until they brought her to the same place, where they stoned her. Then, with one accord, all rushed upon the houses of the pious, and whomsoever of their neighbours they knew, they drove thither in all haste, and despoiled and plundered them, setting apart the more valuable of the articles for themselves; but the more common and wooden furniture they threw about and burnt in the roads, presenting a scene like a city taken by the enemy.

"The brethren retired, and gave way, and like those to whom Paul bears witness, they also regarded the plunder