written for the converts from the Gentiles, and last of all the gospel according to John. And in the fifth book of his Commentaries on John, the same author writes as follows: "But he being well fitted to be a minister of the New Testament, Paul, I mean a minister not of the letter but of the spirit; who, after spreading the gospel from Jerusalem and the country around as far as Illyricum, did not even write to all the churches to which he preached, but even to those to whom he wrote he only sent a few lines. But Peter, upon whom the church of Christ is built, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail, has left one epistle undisputed. Suppose, also, the second was left by him, for on this there is some doubt. What shall we say of him who reclined upon the breast of Jesus, I mean John? who has left one gospel, in which he confesses that he could write so many that the whole world could not contain them. He also wrote the Apocalypse, commanded as he was, to conceal, and not to write the voices of the seven thunders. He has also left an epistle consisting of very few lines; suppose, also, that a second and third is from him, for not all agree that they are genuine, but both together do not contain a hundred lines." To these remarks he also adds the following observation on the Epistle to the Hebrews, in his homilies on the same: "The style of the Epistle with the title, To the Hebrews,' has not that vulgarity of diction which belongs to the apostle, who confesses that he is but common in speech, that is in his phraseology. But that this epistle is more pure Greek in the composition of its phrases, every one will confess who is able to discern the difference of style. Again, it will be obvious that the ideas of the epistle are admirable, and not inferior to any of the books acknowledged to be apostolic. Every one will confess the truth of this, who attentively reads the apostle's writings." To these he afterwards again adds: "But I would say, that the thoughts are the apostle's, but the diction and phraseology belong to some one who has recorded what the apostle said, and as one who noted down at his leisure what his master dictated. If then, any church considers this epistle as coming from Paul, let it be commended for this, for neither did those ancient men deliver it as such without

cause.

But who it was that really wrote the epistle, God only knows. The account, however, that has been current before us is, according to some, that Clement who was bishop of Rome wrote the epistle; according to others, that it was written by Luke, who wrote the gospel and the Acts. But let this suffice on these subjects.

CHAPTER XXVI.

Heraclas succeeds to the episcopate of Alexandria.

BUT this was the tenth year of the abovementioned reign (of Alexander,) in which Origen, after removing from Alexandria to Cesarea, left his school for catechetical instruction there in the charge of Heraclas. But ere long Demetrius, the bishop of the church of Alexandria, died, having performed the duties of the office, upon the whole, forty-three years. He was succeeded by Heraclas. About this time also flourished Firmilianus bishop of Cesarea in Cappadocia.

CHAPTER XXVII.

How the bishops regarded him.

THIS bishop was so favourably disposed towards Origen, that he then called him to the regions in which he dwelt, to benefit the churches; at another time, he went to visit him in Judea, and passed some time with him there, for the sake of improvement in things divine. Moreover Alexander, the bishop of Jerusalem, and Theoctistus, bishop of Cesarea, attending him the whole time nearly like pupils their master, allowed him alone to perform the duties of expounding the sacred Scriptures, and other matters that pertain to the doctrines of the church.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

The persecution under Maximinus.

BUT the emperor Alexander being carried off after a reign of thirteen years, was succeeded by Maximinus, who, inflamed with hatred against the house of Alexander, consisting of many believers, raised a persecution, and commanded at first only the heads of the churches to be slain, as the abettors and agents of evangelical truth. It was then that Origen wrote his book on Martyrdom, which he dedicated to Ambrose and Protoctetus a presbyter of the church at Cesarea, because both of these encountered no common danger in the persecution. In which also it is said that these men were pre-eminent for (persevering in) their confession, as Maximinus did not reign longer than three years. Origen has assigned the time of this persecution, both in the twenty-second book of his Commentaries on John, and in different epistles.

CHAPTER XXIX.

Of Fabianus, who was remarkably appointed bishop of Rome by a divine communication.

GORDIAN Succeeded Maximinus in the sovereignty of Rome, when Pontianus who had held the episcopate six years, was succeeded by Anteros in the church of Rome; he also is succeeded by Fabianus, after having been engaged in the service about a month. It is said that Fabianus had come to Rome with some others from the country, and staying there in the most remarkable manner, by divine and celestial grace, was advanced to be one of the candidates for the office. When all the brethren had assembled in the church, for the purpose of ordaining him that should succeed in the episcopate, though there were very many eminent and illustrious men in the expectation of many, Fabianus being

present, no one thought of any other man. They relate, further, that a dove suddenly flying down from on high, sat upon his head, exhibiting a scene like that of the holy Spirit once descending upon our Saviour in the form of a dove. Upon this the whole body exclaimed, with all eagerness and with one voice, as if moved by the one spirit of God, that he was worthy; and without delay they took and placed him upon the episcopal throne. At the same time Zebinus, bishop of Antioch, dying, was succeeded in the government (of the church,) by Babylas, and at Alexandria, Demetrius held the episcopate forty-three years, and was succeeded in the office by Heraclas. But in the catechetical school there, he was succeeded by Dionysius, who was also one of Origen's pupils.

CHAPTER XXX.

The pupils of Origen.

WHILST Origen was attending to his accustomed duties at Cesarea, many frequented his school, not only of the residents of the place, but also innumerable others from abroad, who left their country in order to attend his lectures. Of these the most noted whom we know is Thedorus, known also by the name of Gregory, and so celebrated among the bishops of our day; also his brother Athenodorus. Origen, seeing them excessively wrapt in the prosecution of the studies of the Greeks and Romans, infused into them the love of philosophy, and induced them to exchange their former zeal for the study of divine things. But after being with him five years, they made such improvement in the divine oracles, that both, though very young, were honoured with the episcopate in the churches of Pontus.

CHAPTER XXXI.

Of Africanus.

Ar this time, also, flourished Africanus, who wrote the books with the title Cesti. There is an epistle of his extant, addressed to Origen, in which he intimates his doubts on the history of Susannah, in Daniel, as if it were a spurious and fictitious composition. To which Origen wrote a very full answer. Other works of the same Africanus that have reached us, are his five books of Chronography, a most accurate and laboured performance. In these, he says that he had gone to Alexandria, on account of the great celebrity of Heraclas, the same that we have already shown was advanced to the episcopate there, and who was, also, very eminent for his skill in philosophical studies, and the other sciences of the Greeks. Another epistle of the same Africanus is also extant, addressed to Aristides, on the supposed discrepancy between Matthew and Luke in the genealogy of Christ. In this he most clearly establishes the consistency of the two evangelists, from an account which had been handed down from his ancestors, which, in its proper place, we have already anticipated in the first book of the work we have in hand.

CHAPTER XXXII.

The Commentaries that Origen wrote in Palestine

ABOUT this time, also, Origen composed his Commentary on Isaiah, as also on Ezekiel. Of the former, thirty books* have come down to us as far as the third part of Isaiah, until (the chapter beginning) the vision of the beast in the desert. On

The word Tous, from which we get tome, properly signifies a section; and as the sections of a work were sometimes on different scrolls, hence they were called books, volumes, and TOMO.