said, the landmarks of thy neighbour, which thy fathers have placed. His fourth epistle On Baptism was written to Dyonisius at Rome, who was then a presbyter, but ere long was ordained bishop of that church. From this it is evident, that this same Dionysius of Rome was a learned and excellent man, as is proved by the Dionysius of Alexandria. But he wrote to him, among other matters, respecting the affairs of Novatus, as follows.

CHAPTER VIII.

The heterodoxy of Novatus.

WE justly cherish an aversion to the Novatian, says he, by whom the church is split asunder, and some of the brethren have been drawn into impiety and blasphemy, and most nefarious doctrine has been introduced respecting God, and our most gracious Lord and Saviour Christ has been calumniated as devoid of compassion; which also, beside all this, sets aside the holy baptism, and overturns the faith and confession that precede it, and totally drives away the Holy Spirit from themselves, should there happen to be any hope yet, that he would remain or return to them.

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CHAPTER IX.

The ungodly baptism of heretics.

BUT there was also a fifth epistle written by him to Xystus, bishop of Rome, in which, stating many things against the heretics, he relates that some occurrence like the following took place in his times. "Really brother," says he, "I need your counsel, and I beg your opinion, on an affair that has presented itself to me, and in which, indeed, I am afraid I may be deceived. One of the brethren that collected with us, who was considered a believer long since, even before my ordination, and who I think assem

bled with us before the appointment, (consecration) of the blessed Heraclas; this man happening to be present with those that were immediately baptized, and listening to the questions and answers, came to me weeping and bewailing himself, casting himself also at my feet; he began to acknowledge and abjure his baptism by the heretics, because their baptism was nothing like this, nor in deed, had any thing in common with it, for it was filled with impiety and blasphemies. He said also, that his soul now was wholly pierced, and he had not confidence enough to raise his eyes to God, coming from those execrable words and deeds. Hence he prayed that he might have the benefit of this most perfect cleansing, reception and grace, which indeed I did not dare to do, saying, that his long communion was sufficient for this. For one who had been in the habit of hearing thanksgiving, and repeating the amen, and standing at the table, and extending his hand to receive the sacred elements, and after receiving and becoming a partaker of the body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Christ for a long time, I would not dare to renew again any further. I exhorted him, therefore, to take courage, and with a firm faith and good conscience to approach and take part with the saints in the solemnity of the holy supper. But he did not cease lamenting. He shuddered to approach the table, and scarcely could endure it, even when exhorted to be present at prayers."

There is beside the above epistles, also, one and another of the same on baptism, from him and his church, addressed to Xystus and the church of Rome. In this he protracts his discourse to a great length of argument on the question there discussed. There is also a certain other epistle of his besides these, addressed to Dionysius of Rome, that concerning Lucianus. But thus much respecting these.

CHAPTER X.

Valerian, and the persecution raised by him.

GALLUS had not held the government quite two years when he was removed, and Valerian, with his son Gallienus, succeeded in his place. What Dionysius has also said respecting him, may be learned from his epistle to Hermammon, in which he gives the following account: "In like manner it was revealed to John, and there was," says he, "a mouth given him, speaking great things, and blasphemy. And there was given him power, and fortytwo months, but it is wonderful that both took place in Valerian, and especially when we consider the condition of the man before this, how kind and friendly he was towards the pious. For never was there any of the emperors before him so favourably and benevolently disposed toward them, not even those who were openly said to be Christians, so plainly received them, with such excessive civility and friendship in the commencement of his reign. All his house was likewise filled with pious persons, and was, indeed, a congregation (exxλnowa) of the Lord. But the master and chief ruler of the Egyptian magi (Macrianus,) persuaded him to abandon this course, exhorting him to persecute and slay these pure and holy men, as enemies and obstacles to their wicked and detestable incantations. For there were, and still are, men who, by their very presence, or when seen, and only breathing and speaking, are able to dissipate the artifices of wicked dæmons. But he suggested to him to study rites of initiation, and abominable arts of sorcery, to perform execrable sacrifices, to slay unhappy infants, and to sacrifice the children of wretched fathers, and to search the bowels of new-born babes, and to mutilate and dismember the creatures of God, as if by doing this they should obtain great felicity." To this account he also subjoins the following: "Macrianus, therefore, returned them handsome rewards for his desired accession to the government, who before was generally called, from his character, the emperor's steward and receiver-general, now did nothing that could be

pronounced for the public good, or even reasonable;* but that prophetic malediction which says, 'Wo to those that prophesy according to their own hearts, and do not see to the public good ;' for neither did he perceive that Providence that regulates the whole; and neither did he expect that judgment of him that is before all, and through all, and over all. Hence, he became an enemy to his universal church. But he also estranged and stripped himself of the mercy of God, and thus fled as far as possible from his salvation. In this, indeed, he really expressed the peculiarity of his name."† Again, he says: "Valerian, indeed, was thus urged by this man to these measures, whilst he exposed himself to insults and reproaches, according to what Isaias has said: And these have chosen their own ways, and their own abominations, which their soul hath desired. And I will choose their derisions, and will repay them their sins.' But the latter (viz. Macrianus,) anxious without any merit to have the government. and yet unable to assume the imperial garb, with his feeble body, appointed his two sons to take upon them, as it were, their father's crimes. For the declaration of God respecting such, proved its truth, when he said, visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generations of them that hate me.' For heaping his own wicked passions, in the gratification of which he did not succeed, upon the heads of his children, he swept off upon them his own wickedness and hatred of God." And such is the account which Dionysius has given of Valerian.

Dionysius here puns upon the honourable title and office that Macrianus had borne, as the emperor's faithful minister, επι καθολουλόγων, but to which his subse quent conduct did not correspond. The pun is lost in a translation.

Macrianus, derived from the Greek μaxpos long, or maxpav at a distance; another witty allusion.

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CHAPTER XI.

The sufferings of Dionysius, and those in Egypt.

BUT as to the persecutions that raged so violently under him, and what sufferings he with others endured for their piety towards the Supreme God, his own words shall declare, which he addressed to Germanus, one of the contemporary bishops that attempted to slander him. His words are as follows: "But," says he, "I apprehend that as I am forced to relate the wonderful providence of God respecting us, I shall be liable to much folly and insensibility. But, as it is said, it is honourable to conceal the secrets of the king, and glorious to make manifest the works of God, I will face the violence of Germanus. I came to Æmilianus not alone, but in company with my fellow-presbyter Maximus, and the deacons Faustus, Eusebius, and Chæremon, together with a certain one of the brethren who had come from Rome. Emilianus, however, did not at first say to me, hold no assemblies, as this was superfluous, and was the last to one who was aiming at what was the first in importance; for he was not concerned about my collecting others, but that we should not be Christians, and from this he commanded me to desist, thinking, no doubt, that if I changed, others would follow my example. But I answered him not without good reason, and without many words, 'We must obey God rather than man.' But I directly bore witness, that I could neither change worshipping the only true God and none other, nor ever cease to be a Christian. Upon this he commanded us to go away to a neighbouring village of the desert, called Cephro.

"But hear the words that were uttered by both of us, as they were recorded. Dionysius and Faustus, Maximus, Marcellus,

• The great question with the judge was, not whether those arraigned held meetings, but whether they were Christians. To have commenced with the former, when the latter was the great object, would have been a kind of Tipov #pipov, that abandoned the primary for the secondary. Hostility to Christianity as a religion, was the great incentive here, to which all other acts were referred, as their head and fountain.