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BOOK VII.

THAT great bishop of Alexandria, Dionysius, shall aid us also in the composition of the seventh book of our history, by extracting from his works whatsoever particulars of his day he has separately detailed in the epistles that he has left us. With these, at least, we shall commence our account.

CHAPTER I.

The great wickedness of Decius and Gallus.

DECIUS had scarcely reigned two years, when he, with his children, was slain. Gallus was his successor. Origen died at this time, in the seventieth year of his age. Dionysius, in an epistle to Hermamon, makes the following remarks on Gallus: "But neither did Gallus understand the wickedness of Decius, nor did he foresee what it was that had destroyed him, but he stumbled at the same stone lying before his eyes. For when his reign was advancing prosperously, and his affairs succeeding according to his wishes, he persecuted those holy men, who interceded with God both for his peace and safety. Hence, together with them, he also persecuted the very prayers that were offered up in his behalf." Thus much he has said respecting him.

CHAPTER II.

The bishops of Rome at this time.

AFTER Cornelius had held the episcopal office at Rome about three years, he was succeeded by Lucius, but the latter did not

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hold the office quite eight months, when dying he transferred it to Stephen. To this Stephen, Dionysius wrote the first of his epistles on baptism, as there was no little controversy, whether those turning from any heresy whatever, should be purified by baptism; as the ancient practice prevailed with regard to such, that they should only have imposition of hands with prayer.

CHAPTER III

Cyprian, and the bishops connected with him, maintained, that those who had turned from heretical error, should be baptized again.

CYPRIAN, who was bishop (noun) of the church of Carthage, was of opinion, that they should be admitted on no conditions, before they were first purified from their error by baptism. But Stephen, who thought that no innovations should be made con trary to traditions that had prevailed from ancient times, was greatly offended at this.

CHAPTER IV.

The epistles that Dionysius wrote on this subject.

DIONYSIUS, therefore, after addressing to him many arguments by letter, on this subject, finally showed, that as the persecution had abated, the churches, every where averse to the innovations of Novatus, had peace among themselves. But he writes as follows.

CHAPTER V.

The peace after the persecution.

"Now I wish you to understand, my brother, that all the churches throughout the east, and farther, that were formerly divided, have been united again. All the bishops, also, are every where in harmony, rejoicing exceedingly at the peace which has been established beyond all expectation. These are, Demetrianus of Antioch, Theoctistus of Cesarea, Mazabanes of Elia after the death of Alexander, Marinus of Tyre, Heliodorus of Laodicea after the decease of Thelymidres, Helenus of Tarsus, and all the churches of Cilicia, Firmilianus, and all Cappadocia; for I have mentioned only the more distinguished of the bishops by name, that neither the length of my letter, nor the burden of my words, may offend you. All the provinces of Syria and Arabia, which at different times you supplied with necessaries, and to whom you have now written, Mesopotamia, Pontus, and Bithynia, and to comprehend all in a word, all are rejoicing every where at the unanimity and brotherly love now prevailing, and are glorifying God for the same." Such are the words of Dionysius.

But after Stephen had held the episcopal office two years, he was succeeded by Xystus, and Dionysius having addressed a second letter to him on baptism, at the same time showing the opinion and decision passed by Stephen and the rest of the bishops, makes the following remarks on Stephen: "He had written before respecting Helenus and Firmilianus, and all those from Cilicia, and Cappadocia, and Galatia, and all the nations adjoining, that he would not have communion with them on this account, because they, said he, rebaptized the heretics. And behold, I pray you, the importance of the matter. For in reality, as I have ascertained, decrees have been passed in the greatest councils of the bishops, that those who come from the heretics, are first to be instructed, and then are to be washed and purified from the filth of their old and impure leaven. And respecting all these things, I have sent letters entreating them. After stating other matters,

he proceeds: "But I have also written to our beloved and fellowpresbyters Dionysius and Philemon, who agreed before with Stephen in sentiment, and wrote to me on these matters; before, indeed, I wrote briefly, but now more fully." Such were the accounts respecting the controversy mentioned.

CHAPTER VI.

The heresy of Sabellius.

SPEAKING of the heresy of Sabellius, that arose about this time, and that was then increasing, he writes as follows: "But as to the opinion which is now agitated at Ptolemais of Pentapolis, it is impious, and replete with blasphemy towards Almighty God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and abounds also in much infidelity in regard to his only begotten Son, and the first born of all creation, the incarnate word; it abounds also in irreverence to the Holy Spirit. But as the brethren came to me from both sides, both before the letters were received and the question was discussed, I drew up a more regular treatise on the subject, as far as I was enabled under God; copies of which I have sent to thee.

CHAPTER VII.

The execrable error of the heretics, the divine vision of Dionysius, and the ecclesiastical canon given to him.

BUT in the third epistle on baptism, which Dionysius wrote to Philemon a presbyter of Rome, he relates the following circumstances: "I perused," says he, "the works and traditions of the heretics, defiling my mind for a little with their execrable sentiments; but I have also derived this benefit from them, viz., to refute them in my own mind, and to feel the greater disgust at them. And when a certain brother of the presbyters attempted to

restrain me, and was much in dread lest I should be carried away by this sink of iniquity, saying that my mind would be corrupted, in which he spoke the truth, as I thought, I was confirmed in my purpose by a vision sent me from heaven, when a voice came to me and commanded me in words as follows: 'Read all that thou takest in hand, for thou art qualified to correct and prove all, and this very thing has been the cause of thy faith in Christ from the beginning.' I received the vision, as coinciding with the apostolic declaration, which says to the more competent, Be ye skilful money changers.'"

Then after some remarks on all the heresies, he adds: "This rule and form I have received from our father* (aлα) the blessed Heraclas, that those who come from the heretics, although they had apostatized from the church, or rather that had not apostatized, but seemed to have communion with the brethren, but were reported as frequenting some one of those who taught strange doctrines, after they had been expelled from the church were not admitted again by him, though they entreated much, until they had publicly declared all that they had heard from their adversaries; and then indeed he admitted them to commune, without deeming another baptism necessary for them. For they had already before received the Holy Spiritt from him." But after agitating the question again considerably, he adds: "I have also understood that this practice was introduced not only by those of Africa, but also long since, during the times of those bishops before us, in the most populous churches, the same thing was decreed by the councils of the brethren at Iconium and Synada." To overturn their determinations, and to drive them into contention and strife, I cannot endure. For thou shalt not remove, as it is

• The word ***s here used, and applied by Dionysius to his predecessor at Alexandria was, as we see in this instance, applied to the more aged and venerable prelates. We thus see the origin of the word pope, Latin papa, German pabst. This word is no doubt to be traced to the language of nature, as forming the first syllables that the infant lisps. It is explained by a scholiast on Juvenal, Senex veneratione dignus, pater. See Juv. Sat. vi. 632.

† This phrase was applied where the bishop admitted the heretics by the imposition of hands.