صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

necessitas exegerit, condemnando. Symb. Ruf. ap. Hieron. T. v. p. 180. f. Pelagius writes the name in the same manner: Quamvis ergo tota epistola contra Novatum sit, &c. Pelag. in. 2. Cor. .cap. 2. ap. Hieron. T. v. p. 1015. In the decree of Gelasius his name is written Novatus. Ap. Labb. Conc. T. iv. p. 1265. I shall mention one author more: Fuerunt hi enim aliquando nobiscum, sed quodam Novato auctore disrupti sunt: non tamen hæreticis coæquandi, quia non a confessione catholica, sed a caritate dissentiunt. Consult. Zach. et Apoll. 1. i. c. 17. ap. Dacher. Spic. T. x. p. 89. And I make no doubt but the name of our Roman presbyter will be found so written in the manuscripts of many Latin authors, if consulted.

3. The common appellation of this people shews that the name of their leader was Novatus, not Novatian. If his name had been Novatian, his followers would have been called by the Greeks Navariavaion, or Nautiavica, Novatianists: whereas they are always called by them NavaTavor and in like manner by the Latins Novatiani, Novatians, from Novatus. This is evident from the passage of Augustine, before cited; and from a passage in his answer to Cresconius, a Donatist and grammarian: Tuque potius eis facis injuriam, cum scribis, in Latino sermone, non nisi Latinam regulam probans, Donatianos a Donato, sicut ab Ario et Novato Arianos et Novatianos, velles vocari. Contr. Crescon. 1. ii. c. 1. n. 2. T. ix. To these passages innumerable others might be added. I recollect but one exception among the Latin writers: Nec nos movet, frater carissime, quod in literis tuis complexus es; Novatianenses rebaptizare eos, quos a nobis sollicitant. Cypr. Ep. 73, p. 198. This passage is cited in Augustine in the same manner: De Baptismo contra Donatistas. l. iii. cap. 12. Therefore I do not dispute the genuineness of this reading but no one will suppose that this one instance can assure us of the right name of the author of the sect: for if his name had been Novatian, the common appellation of his followers would have been Novatianenses, or Novatianistæ, and we should have found it continually in Latin authors: as we too, upon that supposition, should call them Novatianists, not Novatians. Nay, though we had found these people several times called Novatienses, it could not have amounted to a proof that their leader was called Novatianus, if there were a great deal of evidence to the contrary. It is allowed that the name of Pelagius is rightly so written in Latin, and his followers therefore generally called Pelagiani. Yet they are not seldom called Pelagianistæ, a word derived immediately from Pelagianus, not from Pelagius. But no body therefore concludes that the name of their leader was Pelagianus, and not Pelagius. I put down only an instance or two of that way of writing the appellation of that sect. Adversus Pelagianistas quoque novos nostrorum temporum hæreticos- per annos fere decem laboravit. Possid. de Vit. August. cap. 18.-illosque Manichæos, Donatistas, Pelagianistas,-ex magna parte defecisse,gaudens. Id. ib.

-con

4. I know not of any one, in any age, called Novatian, unless the person in dispute was so named: but there have been many called Novatus: as Junius Gallio, Seneca's elder brother, born at Corduba in Spain, whose original name was M. Annæus Novatus. Beside the presbyter of Carthage under Cyprian, there was at that time a bishop in Africa named Novatus, who was present at the council of Carthage in 256. Vid. Cypr. Tr. p. 230. Novatus, a bishop, was present at the council of Milevi in Africa, in the year 416. Vid. Augustin. Ep. 176, [al. 92]. The same Novatus, or another bishop of that name, is afterwards mentioned by Augustine, in a letter written about the year 429. A sanctis fratribus et coepiscopis meis Urbano et Novato, qualis sis vir et quantus accepi. Aug. Ep. 229, [al. 262.] A letter of Augustine written in 405, is sent to one Novatus, supposed to be the same Novatus, bishop of Sitifi, who was present at the conference at Carthage in 411. Vid. Aug. Ep. 84, [al. 242.] et August. Vit. a Benedictin. concinnat. 1. vi. cap. 6. n. 4, et Collat. Carthag. n. 143. et 204. There was formerly a place at Rome called Therma Novati: from whom so called, I do not enquire. Vit. Montfauc. Diar. Ital. cap. 14. p. 203. There is likewise a writer of this name whose work indeed I never saw; but it is to be found in divers curious libraries: this is the title. Novatus Catholicus de humilitate et obedientia. Vit. -Montf. Bib. Mss. T. i. p. 46, 67, 1373. This consideration alone is sufficient to render it probable that the person of whom we are speaking was called Novatus: for it is not likely he should have a name by which no other man was ever called.

5. Some learned moderns seem to have supposed that the name of this person was Novatus.

a So I wrote in the first edition: but the book is easy enough to be found. It is in Bib. PP. Maxima, T. v. p. 1082, 1083, where it makes little more than one folio page. It is also in Bib. PP. Morell, Paris, 1644, T. ii. p. 75, &C.

I guess that Beausobre and Lenfant were of this opinion, because they write his name in French Novat as may be seen in a passage formerly quoted, p. 63, note. In Du Fresne's Latin translation of the Paschal Chronicle, the name Novatus is preserved, p. 271, D. 272. A Paris. 1688. And I am apt to think it will be found, (though this single instance only now offers itself to me,) that several learned moderns have kept the name Novatus in their Latin translations of Greek writers.

Obj. I can think of but one objection of moment, which is, that this person's name is always written Novatian by St. Cyprian: and it must be owned that this is a considerable difficulty: nevertheless, I think it ought not to prevail against so much evidence as we have seen on the other side. The case seems to me to be this; Cyprian would have it that his presbyter Novatus was the principal author of the disturbances at Rome, [See before p. 51.] And therefore he called the presbyter of Rome Novatian, as if he had been only a follower of Novatus of Carthage: and, having once given him that name, he used it ever after. Moreover, having occasion, or being of himself mightily disposed, frequently to mention these two presbyters together, no shorter way of distinguishing them could be thought of, than to call one Novatus, the other Novatianus and St. Cyprian having often called him of Rome Novatian, I suppose he was with.. out scruple followed by many Latin writers; though, I think, not universally; far from it: for we have seen above sufficient evidence that, notwithstanding Cyprian's way of writing, there were not a few ancient Latin authors, who always, or generally, called the presbyter of Rome, and Cornelius's rival, Novatus.

It will be thought by some that I have dwelt too long upon so trifling a thing as a man's name: but, having long ago had doubts about it, I have chosen to put down here the collections I had made upon the point. Let others make what use of them they think fit.

CHAP. XLVIII.

DIONYSIUS, BISHOP OF ROME..

[ocr errors]

I. His history and works. II. His character. III. His testimony to the scriptures.

a

I. DIONYSIUS of Rome has been already mentioned by us in the history of his contemporary and namesake of Alexandria. He was first presbyter, afterwards bishop of Rome. His predecessor Xystus, or Sixtus the second, suffered martyrdom under the emperors Valerian and Gallienus, on the sixth day of August, in the year of Christ 258. It is now the general opinion of learned men that, after the death of Xystus, the see of Rome was vacant almost a whole year, that Dionysius was ordained bishop of that city on the 22d day of July 259, and died the 26th of December 269.

In the time of his episcopate, probably near the beginning of the sole reign of Gallienus, not long after the defeat of Valerian by the Persians, and therefore about the year of our Lord 260 or 261, the Christians at Cæsarea in Cappadocia were in great distress; occasioned, as it seems, by the inroads of some barbarous people: for St. Basil in one of his epistles says, that Dionysius wrote to the church of Cæsarea, and by his letters comforted them when under ' affliction, and likewise sent some persons to redeem those of the brethren that had been taken

[ocr errors]

a Vid. Euseb. 1. vii. cap. 7. p. 254. A

• Xystum autem in cometerio animadversum sciatis octavo iduum Augustarum die. Cypr. Ep. 80. [al. 82] p. 238. Jam de Xysto, bono et pacifico sacerdote, ac propterea beatissimo martyre, ab urbe nuntius venerat. Pont. de Vit. Cyprian. p. 8. m. Sixti martyris, et Romanæ ecclesiæ episcopi. Hie1on. ad Ctesiph. Ep. 43. p. 476. fin. Bened.

Vid. Cav. Hist. Lit. Pagi Crit. in Baron. 258. n. vii. 271. . Basnag. Aun. 259. n. viii. Tillem. Mem. T. iv. St. Denys Pape.

d

[ocr errors]

• Οιδαμεν γαρ, μνημης ακολεθία, παρα των πατέρων ἡμων αιτηθέντων, και απο γραμμάτων των ετι και νυν πεφυλαγμένων παρ' ἡμῖν, διδασκόμενοι, Διονύσιον εκείνον, τον μακαριώτατον επισκοπών, - επισκεπτομενον δια γραμμάτων την ημετεραν εκκλησίαν των Καισαρέων, και παρακαλοντα της πατέρας jur dia ypaμμатwν, нaι пeμWEI TES ATOλUTPEμEVES EX TYS αιχμαλωσίας την αδελφοτηία. Basil. Ep. 70. [al. 220] Τ. ii. p. 164. B. C. Bened.

a

b

'captive.' The memory of this benefit, St. Basil says, was preserved at Cæsarea, not only by the tradition of their ancestors, but also by the letter of that good bishop in their possession. He was appealed to in the affair of Sabellianism, and probably in the beginning of his episcopate, in the year 260, or soon after. Some catholics of Pentapolis,' as Athanasius writes, ⚫ dissatisfied with some expressions used by Dionysius of Alexandria in his writings upon that argument, went to Rome, and accused him there to his namesake Dionysius, bishop of Rome: and he, having heard them, wrote at once against the followers of Sabellius, and against those opinions for which Arius has been expelled the church; declaring that the opinions of Sabellius, and of those who say the Word of God is a creature, a workmanship, and made, though directly opposite to each other, were equally impious. He also wrote to Dionysius, to inform him of the things laid to his charge; who immediately replied, entitling his book, A confutation and apology.' So writes Athanasius in his epistle concerning the opinion of Dionysius of Alexandria. In another work he says; When some brought accusations to the bishop of Rome, against the bishop of Alexandria, as if he had said the Son was a creature, and not ⚫ consubstantial to the Father, the synod at Rome was offended, and the bishop of Rome sent the judgment of them all to his namesake. He afterwards vindicated himself, entitling his book, A confutation and apology: and thus he writes to him;' that is, to Dionysius of Rome. There was therefore a synod at Rome, which had some concern in this business: but, whether it was convened upon occasion of the accusations brought against Dionysius of Alexandria, or whether his accusers found it assembled, and laid their charges against him before Dionysius of Rome, and the whole synod, is not clear. Hence also we perceive that Dionysius of Rome wrote in that controversy; but whether one piece only, or a treatise, and an epistle besides to Dionysius of Alexandria, is not certain. A large fragment of what he wrote upon this point remains cited in a work of Athanasius. I shall transcribe a part of it presently.

[ocr errors]

d

It should be observed, that Dionysius, whilst presbyter only, wrote to his namesake of Alexandria upon the question of the baptism of heretics. And now, I think, we have mentioned all the works of this bishop of Rome, of which we have any certain notice: I mean the letter just named, the letter to the Cæsareans mentioned by Basil, and what he wrote in the Sabellian controversey: for Jerom has not allotted him any distinct article in his Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers: and as for decretal, or other epistles ascribed to him, they are allowed by learned men to be spurious: nor does there remain any thing of his genuine writings, beside the fragment just mentioned.

f

h

[ocr errors]

с

To this Dionysius was sent one of the letters about baptism, written by Dionysius of Alexandria, as shewn formerly: as also another letter by the same person concerning one Lucian. To him likewise were addressed the four books concerning Sabellianism, written by the same Dionysius of Alexandria, as we are assured by Eusebius; with whom Athanasius agrees when he says, the vindication which that bishop made of himself, entitled, A confutation and apology, was inscribed to Dionysius of Rome. And lastly, to him, and Maximus, bishop of Alexandria, by name, as well as to all other bishops and clergy, and the universal church, was directed the Synodical epistle of the council of Antioch, which condemned Paul of Samosata: but Dionysius dying before the end of the year 269, he never saw it: and possibly he was dead at the time of writing it, though the fathers of the council had not received any account of his death.

II. We are not without proofs of the eminence and distinction of this bishop for his personal merit, as well as the dignity of his see. His epistolary correspondence and friendship, whilst yet presbyter only, with the great Dionysius of Alexandria, is an argument he was a man of more than common accomplishments. Eusebius, who read the fourth letter of the Alexandrian

a Vid. Basnag. Ann. 259. n. viii.

b -ανηλθον εις την Ρώμην, και κατειρηκασιν αυτό παρα τῳ ὁμώνυμῳ αυτός Διονυσίῳ τῳ επισκοπῳ Ρώμης· κακεινος ακασας εγραψεν ὁμε κατα τε των τα Σαβελλις δοξάζοντων, και κατά των φρονέντων ταυία άπερ και Αρειος λεγων εξεβλήθη της εκκλησίας. -επέςειλε δε και Διονυσιῳ δήλωσαι, περὶ ὧν ειρήκασι κατ' αυτε' και αντεγραψεν ευθύς αυτός, και επέγραψε τα βιβλια ελεγχει και απολογίας. Athan. de Sent. Dionys. T. i. p. 252.

• Αλλα τινων αιτιασαμένων παρα τῳ επισκοπῳ Ρώμης του της Αλεξανδρειας επίσκοπον, ὡς λεγοντα ποιημα, και μη όμοςσίον τον υἱον τῳ πατρι, ἡ μεν κατα Ῥωμην συνόδος ηγανάκτησεν,

ὁ δε της Ρώμης επίσκοπος την πανίων γνωμην γράφει προς τον ὁμώνυμον ἑαυτε. κάκείνος λοιπον απολογέμενος το μεν βιβλιον επιγράφει ελεγχε και απολογιας. γράφει δε ταυτα προς εκείνον. Athan. de Synodis, p. 757. F.

d Vid. Eus. lib. vii. cap. 5. p. 252. C.

e Vid. Pagi Crit. in Baron. 269. n. iii. Basn. 259, n. ix. Tillem. Mem. St. Denys Pape. p. 701, 702. f See before, ch. xliii. n. vi. vol. i. P. 615. * See the same, ibid.

See the same, numb. vii. vol. i. i Vid. Euseb. 1. vii, cap. 30. init.

p. 616.

b

bishop upon baptism, which we have not, observes, that from the testimony there given him it may be perceived that " Dionysius of Rome was a very learned and admirable man. Basil, in the place before quoted, styles him a most blessed bishop, illustrious for the orthodoxy of his faith, and every other virtue:' and he elsewhere mentions him together with Irenæus, Clement of Rome, and Dionysius of Alexandria, and other ancient ecclesiastical writers of chief note. I need not insist any farther upon the regard which Athanasius has shewn him.

e

d

с

III. However, I am now to transcribe from Athanasius a part of the fragment of this bishop of Rome, which he has preserved: It will represent to us his respectful manner of speaking of the scriptures in general: and it contains quotations out of some books of the New Testament. The true disciples of Christ,' says Dionysius, know very well that a Trinity is taught by • the divine scriptures; but that neither the Old nor the New Testament teaches three Gods.* Afterwards: But the Son always was, if he " is in the Father," as he himself says: (John • xiv. 11.) and if Christ be his word and wisdom and power, as ye know the divine scriptures say, Christ is.' He argues: Was he made, who is the first-begotten of every creature?" Col. i. 15. He observes, that in many places the divine oracles say Christ was begotten; no where that he was made.' Finally, at the conclusion of the fragment: "For I," says he, "and the Father are one." And, "I in the Father, and the Father in me.' John x. 30; xiv. 10, 11.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

h

This is all I have to produce from Dionysius: though it be little, it suffices to shew the concurrence of this bishop of Rome with other Christians of that time in acknowledging the divine scriptures, and divine oracles, to be the rule of faith by which all doctrines were to be tried. He likewise, as well as others, teaches us where these oracles are to be found; namely, in the Old and New Testament, which contain all the scriptures that were in the strictest sense sacred and divine.

CHAP. XLIX.

COMMODIAN.

I. His history and work. II. Select passages. III. His testimony to the scriptures.

1. COMMODIAN, a Latin author, formerly supposed by some to have lived in the time of Constantine, near the beginning of the fourth century, now with more reason reckoned contemporary with St. Cyprian, or to have lived soon after him, is not at all mentioned by St. Jerom. As Gennadius, who wrote near the end of the fifth century, has given Commodian a place in his book of Ecclesiastical writers, I place the whole article entire at the bottom of the page.

[ocr errors]

He speaks loosely' of its being then two hundred years from Christ to his own time. It is

Εξ ἧς γνωναι παρεσιν, όπως και αυτος έτος λόγιος τε και θαυμάσιος προς το κατ' Αλεξανδρειαν Διονυσια μεμαρτύρηται. Eus. 1. vii. c. 7. fin.

• Διονύσιον εκείνον, τον μακαριωταίον επίσκοπον, παρ' όμιν επι ορθότητι πιςεως, και τη λοίπη αρετη διαπρέψαντα. Basil.

ut supra.

• Ειρηναίος εκείνος, και Κλημης ὁ Ρωμαιος, και Διονύσιος ὁ 'Papaios. x. λ. Id. de Sp. S. cap. 29. p. 60. Bened.

* Ούτοι γαρ τριαδα μεν κηρυττομενην ύπο της θείας γραφής σαφώς επιςανται, τρεις δε Θεός ετε παλαιαν 8τε καινην διαθη x xηpuтleσ. ap Ath. de Decret. Nicen. Syn. T. i. p. 231. F. Bened.

• Αει δε ην, ει γε εν τω πατρι εσιν, ὡς αυλός φησι· και εν λογος και σοφία και δυναμις ὁ Χρισος ταυτα γαρ είναι τον Χρισον αἱ θειαν λέγεσι γραφαι, ώσπερ επισασθε. ib. p. 232. Α.

Ποιημα ὁ πρωτοτοκος πασης κτίσεως -; ib. D.

3 Και πολλαχε δε των θείων λογιων γεγενησθαι-λεγομένων x. A. ibid.

4 Εγω γαρ, φησι, και ὁ παίης ἐν εσμεν και εγω εν τη παίρι, καὶ ὁ παῖης εν εμος ibid. Ε.

i They who desire to know more of Commodian and his time, and the editions of his work, will do well to consult Cav. Hist. Lit. T. i. p. 136, &c. and Fabr. De Verit. Rel. Christ. p. 227, &c. Imake use of Davies's edition at the end of Minutius Felix. Cantabr. 1712.

* Commodianus, dum inter seculares literas etiam nostras
legit, occasionem accepit fidei. Factus itaque Christianus, et
volens aliquid studiorum suorum muneris offerre Christo, suæ
salutis auctori, scripsit mediocri sermone, quasi versu, librum
adversum Paganos. Et quia parum nostrarum attigerat litera-
rum, magis illorum destruere potuit dogmata, quam nostra
firmare. Unde et de divinis repromissionibus adversum illos
vili satis et crasso, ut ita dixerim, sensu disseruit, illis stuporem
et nobis desperationem incutiens, Tertullianum, et Lactan-
tium, et Papiam auctores secutus. Moralem sane doctrinam,
et maxime voluntariæ paupertatis amorem optime prosecutus,
studentibus inculcavit. Gennad. De V. I.
сар. 15.

-Cur annis ducentis
fuistis infantes?Instr. vi. p. 202.

[ocr errors]

likely, therefore, that it was not quite three hundred years since Christ when he wrote: nor are there any expressions throughout the work that should induce us to think he lived after the alteration of the state of things made by the conversion of Constantine. Cave therefore seems to have rightly concluded that he wrote about the year 270.

It is no improbable conjecture, that Commodian was a native of Africa: it is certain he was originally a heathen: it appears from his acknowledgments in many places.

d

с

It may be argued that he was not an illiterate person; for, as he himself says, he was converted by reading the law; that is, as Rigaltius understands him, the scriptures of the Old and New Testament. Gennadius plainly supposeth him to have been acquainted with secular -authors before he read the sacred scriptures.

The only work of this author mentioned by Gennadius is still in being; consisting of eighty sections, or instructions, all acrostics, in a style between verse and prose.

с

Gennadius calls it a little book against the Pagans: but no one can suppose that to have been the title originally: it is more likely that it was in general entitled instructions. Nor is it against heathens only; Christians likewise are here instructed and admonished as '. Rigaltius clearly perceived.

f

In the former part of the work Commodian derides and exposes the heathen deities and their worship: this was an easy thing: herein, for certain, the Christians triumphed; and Commodian's thoughts are both just and acute. He likewise instructs the Jews; and not content with this he also instructs Christians. This was yet a greater and more difficult attempt. To confute error by reason and argument is a laudable performance; but it may be soon done, and without much labour: to persuade men to act as Christians and friends of truth, requires more time and pains. Commodian aimed at this difficult work: and accordingly he instructs catechumens, the faithful, Christian women, the ' inferior clergy, the pastors or bishops of the church," and the aged; not to mention any other particulars.

i

[ocr errors]

m

h

Commodian had no office in the church; but he endeavoured to be useful by propounding good instructions: and if he was not a fine writer, he was an honest man and a zealous Christian.

II. Having given this history of Commodian, and his work, I shall make some extracts out of him, for shewing the sentiments of Christians at that time.

1. He often says that the heathen people were deceived and imposed upon by their priests. 2. Commodian believed that men have free-will; that they are born reasonable beings, not brutes; and that with the help of those means which God affords them, they are able to convert themselves from error and sin, if they will but use their natural powers, and exercise thought and consideration.

a Vid. Davis. not.

Instr. i. p. 199.
Instr, xxvi. p. 221.
Ib. xxxiii. p. 226.

[ocr errors]

Ego similiter erravi tempore multo, Fana prosequendo, parentibus insciis ipsis. Gens et ego fui perversâ mente moratus. Et ego, qui moneo, idem fui, nescius errans. -de cloacâ levatus.- -Ib. lxiii. p. 253. Abstuli me tandem inde, legendo de lege. Instr. i. p. 199. Legem hic et alibi passim appellat libros utriusque Testamenti. Ob ea perdoctus ignaros instruo verum. Instr. i. p. 199. Libello suo Commodianus titulum fecit Instructiones, scilicet ad paganos, ut ab idolorum cultu ad veram Christianæ legis philosophiam convertantur: quinetiam ad Christianos ipsos, ne obliti Christianorum ad secularia redeant. Rigalt. in Præf. ap. Davis. p. 197. Instr. xxxvii. xxxviii, xxxix. xl.

d

Rigalt.

1 ib. n. xlvi.

in. xlvii. xlviii. et passim.

1 Mysterium Christi, zacones, exercite caste.

[blocks in formation]

Idcirco ministri facite præcepta magistri. Instr. n. lxviii.

• Non sum ego doctor, sed lex docet ipsa clamando. num. Ixiii. p. 256.
P Vos autem seducunt sacerdotes pauci. Instr, viii, p. 205.

* n. lix. lx.

Deludunt vos pauci scelerati vates inanes,

Extricare suam dum quærunt vitam.

Subornant aliis esse sub mysterio falsum,

Inde simulantes concuti numine quodam,

Majestatemque canunt, et se sub figurâ fatigant, &c. num. xvii. p. 212.
Gens, homo, tu frater, noli pecus esse ferinum,

Erue te tandem, et tecum ipse retracta.

Non utique pecus, nec bestia es, sed homo natus.

Tu te ipse doma sapiens, et intra sub arma. num. xxxiv. p. 227.

« السابقةمتابعة »