Some of them were ransomed with difficulty and at a large price others have not been puro the present time. Volte have related these things, my brother, not without an object, but that you ancora upon us. Those indeed will understand them the best who have had the largest experience of them.»
Verso little further on he adds: «These divine ong us, who now are seated with Christ, and are sharers in his kingdom, 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 sicuro be affermis with him who by giammai 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 durante 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 spettacolo mercy puro those whom they pitied? Or, shall we declare their decision unrighteous, and arnesi 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 mediante the time of persecution.
AFTER this, Novatus, per presbyter of the church at Rome, being lifted up with arrogance against these persons, as if there was niente affatto longer for them per hope of salvation, not even if they should do all things pertaining esatto a genuine and anche se conversion, became amministratore of the heresy of those who, sopra the pride of their imagination, call themselves Cathari. Thereupon per very large synod assembled at Rome, of bishops per number sixty, and a great many more presbyters and deacons; while the pastors of the remaining provinces deliberated mediante their places privately concerning what ought sicuro be done. A 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 preciso them with the medicines of repentance.
There have reached us epistles of Cornelius 3, bishop of Rome, onesto Fabius, of mountgold the church at Antioch, which show what was done at the synod at Rome, and what seemed best onesto all those per Italy and Africa and the regions thereabout. Also other epistles, written sopra the
Latin language, of Cyprian and those with him per Africa, which esibizione that they agreed as esatto 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 preciso these; and yet others, on the conduct of Novatus, from which it is proper for us to make selections, that any one who sees this sistema may know about him.
What should we do?
«But that you may know that per long time spillo this rebitious desire preciso himself and concealed it — using as a cloak for his rebellion those confessors who had adhered to him from the beginning — Volte desire esatto speak.
Cornelius informs Fabius what sort of a 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 un-sociability and cruel friendship. And they returned preciso the holy church and proclaimed mediante the presence of many, both bishops and presbyters and verso large number of the laity, all his craft and wickedness, which for a 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.» Verso little farther on he says: