cause of true religion? None of all this. To him, indeed, the author and instigator of his faith was Satan, who entered into and dwelt in him a long time. Who aided by the exorcists, when attacked with an obstinate disease, and being supposed at the point of death, was baptised by aspersion, in the bed on which he lay; if, indeed, it be proper to say that one like him did receive baptism. But neither when he recovered from disease, did he partake of other things, which the rules of the church prescribe as duty, nor was he sealed (in confirmation) by the bishop. But as he did not obtain this, how could he obtain the holy spirit?" And, again, soon after, he says: "He denied he was a presbyter, through cowardice and the love of life, in the time of persecution. For when requested and exhorted by the deacons, that he should go forth from his retreat, in which he had imprisoned himself, and should come to the relief of the brethren, as far as was proper and in the power of a presbyter to assist brethren requiring relief, he was so far from yielding to any exhortation of the deacons, that he went away offended and left them. For he said that he wished to be a presbyter no longer, for he was an admirer of a different philosophy."

Passing over some other matters, our author again adds:— "This illustrious character abandoning the church of God, in which, when he was converted he was honoured with the presbytery, and that by the favour of the bishop placing his hands upon him (ordaining him), to the order of bishops, and as all the clergy and many of the laity resisted it, since it was not lawful that one baptized in his sick bed by aspersion, as he was, should be promoted to any order of the clergy, the bishop requested that it should be granted him to ordain only this one." After this, he adds another deed, the worst of all the man's absurdities, thus; "For having made the oblation, and distributed a part to each one, whilst giving this, he compels the unhappy men to swear instead of blessing; holding the hands of the one receiving, with both of his own, and not letting them go until he had sworn in these words, for I shall repeat the very words: Swear to me, by the body and blood of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, that you will never desert me, nor turn to Cornelius.' And the unhappy

man is then not suffered to taste until he has first cursed himself; and instead of saying Amen after he had taken the bread, he says, I will no longer return to Cornelius.'" And, after other matters, he again proceeds, as follows: "Now, you must know, that he is stripped and abandoned, the brethren leaving him every day and returning to the church. He was also excommunicated by Moses, that blessed witness, who but lately endured a glorious and wonderful martyrdom, and who, whilst yet among the living, seeing the audacity and the folly of the man, excluded him from the communion, together with the five presbyters that had cut themselves off from the church."

At the close of the epistle, he gives a list of the bishops who had come to Rome, and had discarded the incorrigible disposition of Novatus; at the same time adding the names, together with the churches governed by each. He also mentions those that were not present at Rome, but who, by letter, assented to the decision of the former, adding also the names and the particular cities whence each one had written. Such is the account written by Cornelius to Fabius bishop of Antioch.

CHAPTER XLIV.

Dionysius's account of Serapion.

In a letter to this same Fabius, who in some measure seemed to incline to this schism, Dionysius of Alexandria, amongst many other matters that he wrote to him on repentance, and in which he describes the conflicts which the martyrs had recently endured at Alexandria, with other accounts, relates one fact wonderful indeed. This we deem belonging to our history, and is as follows: "But I will give you one example that occurred with us. There was a certain Serapion, an aged believer, who had passed his long life irreproachably, but as he had sacrificed during the persecution, though he frequently begged, no one would listen to him. He was taken sick, and continued three days in succession speechless and senseless. On the fourth day, recovering a little, he

called his grandchild to him, and said, "O son, how long do you detain me? I beseech you hasten, and quickly absolve me. Call one of the presbyters to me. Saying this, he again became speechless. The boy ran to the presbyter. But it was night, and the presbyter was sick. As I had, however, before issued an injunction, that those at the point of death, if they desired it, and especially if they entreated for it before, should receive absolution, that they might depart from life in comfortable hope, I gave the boy a small portion of the eucharist, telling him to dip it in water, and to drop it into the mouth of the old man. The boy returned with the morsel. When he came near, before he entered, Serapion having again recovered himself, said, 'Thou hast come, my son, but the presbyter could not come. But do thou quickly perform what thou art commanded, and dismiss me.' The boy moistened it, and at the same time dropped it into the old man's mouth. And he, having swallowed a little, immediately expired. Was he not, then, evidently preserved, and did he not continue living until he was absolved; and his sins being wiped away, he could be acknowledged as a believer for the many good acts that he had done?" Thus far Dionysius.

CHAPTER XLV.

The epistle of Dionysius to Novatus.

LET us also see what kind of epistle the same writer addressed to Novatus, who was then disturbing the brethren at Rome; since he pretended that certain brethren were the cause of his apostacy and schism, because he had been forced by them to proceed thus far. Observe the manner in which he writes to him: "Dionysius sends greeting to his brother Novatus. If, as you say, you were forced against your will, you will show it by retiring voluntarily. For it was a duty to suffer any thing at all, so as not to afflict the church of God; and, indeed, it would not be more inglorious to suffer even martyrdom for its sake, than to

sacrifice; and in my opinion it would have been a greater glory. For there, in the one case, the individual gives a testimony for his own soul, but in the other he bears witness for the whole church. And now, if thou persuade or constrain the brethren to return to unanimity, thy uprightness will be greater than thy delusion, and the latter will not be laid to thy charge, but the other will be applauded; but if thou art unable to prevail with thy friends, save thy own soul. With the hope that thou art desirous of peace in the Lord, I bid thee farewell." Such was the epistle of Dionysius to Novatus.

CHAPTER XLVI.

Other epistles of Dionysius.

He wrote, also, an epistle to the brethren in Egypt, On Repent ance, in which he gives his opinion respecting those who had fallen, and in which he also gives the degrees of faults. There is also a separate work of his extant, On Repentance, addressed to Conon bishop of Hermopolis; and also another epistle of reproof to his flock at Alexandria. Among these, is also the work addressed to Origen, On Martyrdom; also, an epistle to the brethren of Laodicea, where Thelymidres was bishop. He wrote in like manner to the Armenians, On Repentance, where Meruzanes was bishop. Besides all these, he wrote to Cornelius at Rome, in answer to an epistle from him, against Novatus; in which answer he shows that he had been invited by Helenus, bishop of Tarsus in Cilicia, and the rest that were collected with him, viz. Firmilianus, bishop in Cappadocia, and Theoctistus of Palestine, that he should meet them at the council of Antioch, where certain persons were trying to establish the schism of Novatus. Besides this, he wrote that he had been informed Fabius was dead, but that Demetrianus was appointed his successor in the episcopate of the church at Antioch. He also writes respecting the bishop of Jerusalem, in these words: "As to the blessed

Alexander, he was cast into prison, and departed happily." Next to this, there is also another epistle of Dionysius to the Ro mans, On the Office of Deacons, sent by Hippolytus. To the same people he also wrote another epistle, On Peace; also, On Repentance; and another, again, to the confessors there, who were yet affected with the opinion of Novatus. To these same he wrote two others, after they had returned to the church. To many others, also, he addressed letters of admonition and exhortation, calculated to afford various advantage, even now, to those who wish to study his writings.