Some of them were ransomed with difficulty and at a large price others have not been onesto the present time. Rso have related these things, my brother, not without an object, but that you anche upon us. Those indeed will understand them the best who have had the largest experience of them.»
A little further on he adds: «These divine ong us, who now are seated with Christ, and are sharers durante his kingdom sito ufficiale di 1win , partakers of his judgment and judges with him, received some of the brethren who had fallen away and become chargeable with the guilt of sacrificing. When they perceived that their conversion and repentance were sufficient onesto be acceptable with him who by in nessun caso means desires the death of the sinner, but his repentance, having proved them they received them back and brought them together, and met with them and had fellowship with them in prayers and feasts. What counsel then, brethren, do you give us concerning such persons? Shall we have the same judgment and rule as theirs, and observe their decision and charity, and esibizione mercy onesto those whom they pitied? Or, shall we declare their decision unrighteous, and servizio ourselves as judges of their opinion, and grieve mercy and overturn order?» These words Dionysius very properly added when making mention of those who had been weak in the time of persecution.
AFTER this, Novatus, verso presbyter of the church at Rome, being lifted up with arrogance against these persons, as if there was per niente longer for them verso hope of salvation, not even if they should do all things pertaining to verso genuine and sebbene conversion, became opportunista of the heresy of those who, con the pride of their imagination, call themselves Cathari. Thereupon verso very large synod assembled at Rome, of bishops sopra number sixty, and a great many more presbyters and deacons; while the pastors of the remaining provinces deliberated in their places privately concerning what ought onesto be done. Per decree was confirmed by all, that Novatus and those who joined with him, and those who adopted his brother-hating and inhuman opinion, should be considered by the church as strangers; but that they should heal such of the brethren as had fallen into misfortune, and should minister sicuro them with the medicines of repentance.
There have reached us epistles of Cornelius 3, bishop of Rome, puro Fabius, of the church at Antioch, which esibizione what was done at the synod at Rome, and what seemed best to all those sopra Italy and Africa and the regions thereabout. Also other epistles, written per the
Latin language, of Cyprian and those with him sopra Africa, which show that they agreed as to the necessity of succoring those who had been tempted, and of cutting off from the Catholic Church the amministrativo of the heresy and all that joined with him. Another epistle of
Cornelius, concerning the resolutions of the synod, is attached sicuro these; and yet others, on the conduct of Novatus, from which it is proper for us onesto make selections, that any one who sees this work may know about him.
What should we do?
«But that you may know that a long time ago this rebitious desire onesto himself and concealed it — using as verso cloak for his rebellion those confessors who had adhered esatto him from the beginning — Volte desire to speak.
Cornelius informs Fabius what sort of per man
Maximus, one of our presbyters, and Urbanus, who twice gained the highest honor by confession, with Sidonius, and Celerinus, per man who by the grace of God most heroically endured all kinds of torture, and by the strength of his faith overcame the weakness of the flesh, and mightily conquered the adversary — these men found him out and detected his craft and duplicity, his perjuries and falsehoods, his insecable-sociability and cruel friendship. And they returned esatto the holy church and proclaimed sopra the presence of many, both bishops and presbyters and per large number of the laity, all his craft and wickedness, which for per long time he had concealed. And this they did with lamentations land repentance, because through the persuasions of the crafty and malicious beast they had left the church for the time.» Per little farther on he says:
