(6) Many indeed are the confessions of faith over which Germanus prides
himself: many are the things which he has to mention as having happened
to him. Can he reckon up as many in his own case as I can in
mine--condemnations, confiscations, sales by public auction, spoiling of
one's possessions, loss of dignities, despisings of worldly honour,
contempt of commendations by Prefects and Councils and of opponents'
threats, endurance of clamourings and dangers and persecutions and
wanderings and tribulations and much affliction, such as are the things
which have happened unto me under Decius and Sabinus and up to the
present time under Æmilian? But where did Germanus appear? What talk was
there of him? However, I withdraw from the much foolishness into which I
am falling through Germanus; wherefore I refrain from giving a detailed
account of events to the brethren who know all.
(To Novatian)
(Eus., _H. E._ vi. 45)
If it was against thy will, as thou sayest, that thou wast promoted,[62]
thou wilt prove this by retiring of thine own accord. It were good to
suffer anything and everything so to escape dividing the Church of God.
And martyrdom[63] to avoid schism is no less glorious than martyrdom to
avoid idolatry. Nay, it is to my mind greater. In one case a man is a
martyr for his own single soul's sake. But this is for the whole Church.
Even now wast thou to persuade or constrain the brethren to come to one
mind, thy true deed[64] were greater than thy fall. This will not be
reckoned to thee, the other will be lauded. And if thou shouldest be
powerless to sway disobedient spirits, save, save thine own soul.[65] I
pray for thy health and thy steadfast cleaving to peace in the Lord.
[I have to thank the editors and publishers for leave to reprint the
above translation by Archbishop Benson from his _Cyprian_, p. 142.]
To Cornelius, Bishop of Rome, in Reply to a Letter from him about
Novatian (circ. 253)
Eusebius (_H. E._ vi. 46) quotes only one short sentence from Dionysius's
letter, which refers to the death of Alexander, Bishop of Jerusalem, one
of Origen's distinguished pupils and supporters. Alexander twice boldly
confessed Christ in the Governor's Court at Cæsarea and died at last in
prison. The sentence is as follows--
"The admirable[66] Alexander entered into a blessed rest whilst in
custody."
According to Eusebius, the letter also mentioned the invitation which
Dionysius had received from the Bishops of Asia Minor to attend a synod
at Antioch at which "they tried to suppress the schism of Novatian."
To Stephanus, Bishop of Rome
(Eus., _H. E._ vii. 4 and 5)
(_The First of the Epistles about Baptism_)
(1) Know now, brother, that all the Churches in the East and even further
afield[67] which were divided, have been united: and all their rulers
everywhere are of one mind, rejoicing exceedingly at the unexpected
peace[68] which has come about, Demetrian in Antioch, Theoctistus in
Cæsarea, Mazabbanes in Ælia,[69] Marinus in Tyre, Alexander having fallen
asleep, Heliodorus in Laodicea, Thelymidrus being at rest, Helenus in
Tarsus and all the Churches of Cilicia, Firmilianus[70] and all
Cappadocia. For I have mentioned only the more prominent of the Bishops,
in order that I may not make my letter too long nor my narrative
wearisome. Nevertheless, the whole of Syria and Arabia, districts whose
needs ye from time to time supply[71] and to whom ye now have sent an
epistle, Mesopotamia also and Pontus and Bithynia, and, in one word, all
men everywhere exult in the harmony and brotherly love displayed and
praise God for it.[72]
[The two following extracts are translated from Syriac versions, and I am
indebted for them to Mr. N. MacLean of Christ's College, Cambridge. The
first has been put together out of two MSS. in the British Museum,
neither of which contains the whole, and was printed by Pitra, _Analecta
Sacra_, Vol. IV. The Greek original of most of the first sentence is
preserved in a catena on Deuteronomy, _Cod. Vat._ 1521, fol. 591, and was
first printed by Simon de Magistris in his edition of our author, p. 200.
There is much probability that this extract formed part of the same
letter to Stephanus as the extract from Eusebius which precedes it here.
The second extract is found in three other Syriac MSS. in the British
Museum, but is less certainly part of this letter, or indeed authentic at
all.]
(2) If so be that any man speak a wicked thing of God like those who call
Him unpitying[73] or any man living in the fear of other gods, the Law
has commanded that such a one be stoned:[74] but we would stone these men
with sound words of faith. Or if a man receive not at all the mystery[75]
of Christ or alter and distort it--(saying) that He is not God, or that
he did not become a man, or that He did not die, or that He did not rise,
or that He will not come to judge the quick and the dead--or preach
anything else apart from what we preached, let him be a curse, says
Paul.[76] Or if so be he have wronged the word concerning the
resurrection of the flesh, let him be already reckoned with the dead. For
we speak in carefulness concerning these things--in order that we may be
in agreement one with another, churches with churches, bishops with
bishops, priests with priests. And in regard to causes and affairs about
matters which concern individual men--how it is right to receive him who
approaches from without and how him who comes from within[77]--we counsel
to obey those who stand at the head of every place who by Divine
election[78] are put into this ministration--leaving to our Lord the
judgment of all things which they do.
(3) Those who were baptized in the name of the three Persons--the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit--though they were baptized by heretics who
confess the three Persons, shall not be re-baptized. But those who are
converted from other heresies shall be perfected by the baptism of the
Holy Church.[79]
To Xystus (or Sixtus) II[80]
(Eus., _H. E._ vii. 5, 3-6)
(_The second on the same subject_)
(1) (Stephen) therefore had sent word concerning Helenus and concerning
Firmilianus, and all the bishops of Cilicia and Cappadocia and (be it
noted) of Galatia and all the neighbouring churches likewise--to the
effect that he would not hold communion with them for this same reason,
since, he says, they re-baptize the heretics.[81] And observe the
importance of the matter. For decrees had really been passed about it in
the largest synods of the bishops,[82] as I am informed, so that those
who come over from heretical bodies, after a course of instruction, are
washed and cleansed from the defilement of the old and unclean
leaven.[83] About all this also I have written asking him for
information.
(2) To our beloved fellow-presbyters also, Dionysius and Philemon, who
had formerly sided with Stephanus and were correspondents of mine on the
same matter, I have written briefly the first time and more fully
now.[84]
(3) The teaching which is now at work in Ptolemais of Pentapolis,[85] is
impious, full of blasphemy about the Almighty God and Father[86] of our
Lord Jesus Christ and full of unbelief about His only begotten Son,[87]
the First-born of all creation,[88] the Incarnate Word, and displays want
of perception concerning the Holy Spirit. And therefore, when both
official communications from both parties arrived and some of the
brethren sought personal interviews with me, I wrote what I could[89] by
the Divine assistance and gave a somewhat methodical explanation of the
matter, a copy of which I have sent you.
To Philemon
(Eus., _H. E._ vii. 7)
(_The third on the same subject_)
(1) I read both the critical researches and the traditional treatises[90]
of the heretics, defiling my soul a little with their abominable opinions
and yet gaining this advantage from them, that I could refute them for
myself and abhor them much more thoroughly. And indeed when a certain
brother among the presbyters tried to restrain me and frighten me from
contaminating myself with the mire of their iniquity (he said I should
ruin my soul, and, as I perceived, there was truth in what he said), a
heaven-sent vision[91] came and strengthened me, and words came to me
which expressly ordered me thus: "Read all that may come to thy hands:
for thou art competent to sift and test everything, and that was the
original reason[92] of thy accepting the Faith." I acknowledged the
vision as in agreement with the apostolic voice which says to the more
able: "Approve yourselves bankers of repute."[93]
(2) This cause and rule I received from our blessed Father[94] Heraclas.
For those that came over from the heretics, although they had apostatized
from the Church--or rather had not even done that but were informed
against as resorting to some heretical teacher, though still reputed
members of our congregations--these he repelled from the Church, and did
not restore them at their request until they had publicly and fully
stated all that they had heard among those who set themselves against us;
and then he admitted them without requiring them to be re-baptized: for
they had received that holy gift already.
(3) I have learnt this also, that the brethren in Africa[95] did not
introduce this practice (of re-baptism) now for the first time, but it
was also adopted some time ago among our predecessors as Bishops, in the
most populous churches and well-attended synods of the brethren, viz. in
Iconium and Synnada,[96] and I cannot bring myself to reverse their
decisions and involve them in strife and controversy. For "thou shalt not
remove," it says, "thy neighbour's boundaries, which thy fathers
set."[97]
To Dionysius of Rome
(Eus., _H. E._ vii. 7, 6 and 8)
(_The fourth letter on Baptism_)
For with Novatian we are reasonably indignant, seeing that he has cut the
Church in two and dragged certain of the brethren into impieties and
blasphemies and introduced the most unholy teaching about God and accuses
the most gracious Jesus Christ our Lord of being without pity,[98] and
besides all this sets at nought the holy laws and overthrows the
confession of faith before baptism,[99] and altogether banishes the Holy
Spirit from them, even though there were some hope of His remaining or
even of His returning to them.[100]
To Xystus (Sixtus) II, Bishop of Rome
(Eus., _H. E._ vii. 9)
(_The fifth about Baptism_)
I truly desire counsel, brother, and ask an opinion from you, being
afraid lest after all I am wrong in my treatment of a case that has come
before me as follows--
One who is reckoned faithful among the brethren who meet together, of old
standing, having been a member even before my ordination (as Bishop), and
I fancy even before the appointment of the blessed Heraclas, had been
present at a recent baptism and heard the questions and answers (in that
service). He came to me weeping and bemoaning himself and falling at my
feet, confessing and protesting that the baptism he had received among
the heretics was not this, nor had anything in common with it: for that
was full of impiety and blasphemies:[101] and he said that he was now
sore pricked in the soul and had no courage even to lift up his eyes to
God, because he had started with such unholy words and rites, and so he
begged to obtain this thorough means of purification and acceptance and
grace. But this I did not venture to do, saying that his so long being in
communion with us was sufficient for the purpose. For as he had heard the
Giving of Thanks (Eucharist) and joined in saying the Amen,[102] and
stood[103] at the Table[104] and stretched forth his hands to receive the
holy Food and had taken it and partaken of the Body and Blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ for a considerable period, I should not venture to put him
back to the beginning once more. So I bade him take courage and approach
for the receiving of the Holy Things with sure faith and good hope. But
he ceases not to grieve, and shrinks from approaching the Table and can
with difficulty be persuaded to stand with (the _Consistentes_)[105] for
the Prayers.
To Conon[106]
(Pitra, _Spic. Sol._ i. 15, from a Bodl. MS. dated 1062)
As to those who are nearing the end of life, if they desire and beg to
obtain absolution, having before their eyes the judgment to which they
are departing, considering what is in store for them, if they are handed
over thereto bound and condemned, and believing that they will gain
relief and lightening of punishment there, if they be loosed here--for
these the approval of the Lord is true and assured--these, too, it is
part of the Divine mercy to send on their way free. If, however, they
afterwards continue to live, it does not appear to me consistent to bind
them again and load them with their sins. For when once absolved and
reconciled to God, and pronounced again to be partakers of Divine grace
and dispatched as free to appear before the Lord,[107] so long as nothing
wrong has been done by them in the meantime to bring them back into
bondage for their sins were most unreasonable. Shall we after that[108]
impose on God the limits of our judgment, to be kept by Him while we
observe them not ourselves, making parade of the goodness of the
Lord[109] but withholding our own? Nevertheless if any one, after
recovery, should show himself in need of further treatment, we counsel
him, of his own accord, to humble and abase and lower himself, with a
view to his own improvement and also to what is seemly in the eyes of the
brethren and irreproachable before those without.[110] If he consent to
this, he will be the gainer: but, if he should object and refuse, then no
doubt that will be a sufficient ground for a second exclusion.
From the Writings about Repentance
(Mai, _Class. Auct._ x. 484, from a Vat. MS.)
But now we do the contrary. For him whom Christ in His goodness seeks
when wandering upon the mountains, and calls to Himself when fleeing, and
lays upon His shoulders when found at last,[111] him we resolutely repel
when he approaches. Nay, let us not adopt so evil a counsel for our own
sake, nor drive the sword into our own heart. For they that endeavour to
injure or, on the other hand, to benefit others, may not altogether have
the effect they desired upon them, but they do bring about good or evil
for themselves and replenish their store either of heavenly virtues or of
undisciplined affections. And these taking good angels as their
companions and fellow-travellers,[112] both here and hereafter, in all
peace and freedom from every evil, will be allotted the most blessed
inheritances for eternity and will ever be with God, the greatest good of
all; and those will forfeit at once the peace of God and their own peace,
and both here and after death will be handed over to tormenting demons.
Let us then not repel those who return, but gladly welcome them and
number them with those who have not strayed, and thus supply that which
is wanting[113] in them.
To Domitius and Didymus
(Eus., _H. E._ vii. 11)
(_Part of an Easter Letter_)
(1) It is superfluous to mention by name the many members of our body,
who are unknown to you: but you should know that men and women, young and
old, soldiers[114] and civilians, every class and age, some by the
scourge and fire and some by the sword have conquered in the fight and
carried off their crowns, while with some even a very long period did not
prove sufficient to show them acceptable to the Lord (as martyrs), as in
fact seems to be the case even now with me.[115] Wherefore I have been
put off until a time which He Himself knows to be the right one by Him
who saith: "In a time acceptable I heard thee, and in the day of
salvation I succoured thee."[116] For since you inquire and wish to be
informed how we fare, by all means hear our experiences: how that when we
were being led away prisoners by a centurion and duumviri[117] with their
soldiers and servants, viz. myself and Gaius, Faustus, Peter and Paul,
certain of the inhabitants of the Mareotis came upon us, and with
violence dragged us off against our will and in spite of our
protests.[118] And now I with Gaius and Peter only, deprived of the
company of the other brethren,[119] am shut in a desolate and dreary part
of Libya, three days' journey from Parætonium.[120]