Some of them were ransomed with difficulty and at a large price others have not been to the present time. I have related these things, my brother, not without an object, but that you ed 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 con 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 onesto be admissible with him who by mai means desires the death of the sinner, but his repentance, having proved them they justbit 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 esibizione mercy puro those whom they pitied? Or, shall we declare their decision unrighteous, and set 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, per presbyter of the church at Rome, being lifted up with arrogance against these persons, as if there was mai longer for them per hope of salvation, not even if they should do all things pertaining preciso per genuine and anche se conversion, became leader of the heresy of those who, durante the pride of their imagination, call themselves Cathari. Thereupon a very large synod assembled at Rome, of bishops mediante 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 preciso 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 onesto them with the medicines of repentance.
There have reached us epistles of Cornelius 3, bishop of Rome, onesto Fabius, of the church at Antioch, which spettacolo what was done at the synod at Rome, and what seemed best preciso all those sopra Italy and Africa and the regions thereabout. Also other epistles, written durante the
Latin language, of Cyprian and those with him sopra Africa, which spettacolo that they agreed as to the necessity of succoring those who had been tempted, and of cutting off from the Catholic Church the leader of the heresy and all that joined with him. Another epistle of
Cornelius, concerning the resolutions of the synod, is attached esatto these; and yet others, on the conduct of Novatus, from which it is proper for us sicuro make selections, that any one who sees this rete di emittenti may know about him.
What should we do?
“But that you may know that per long time ago this rebitious desire preciso himself and concealed it — using as a cloak for his rebellion those confessors who had adhered esatto him from the beginning — I desire puro speak.
Cornelius informs Fabius what sort of verso 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 indivisible-sociability and cruel friendship. And they returned onesto the holy church and proclaimed con the presence of many, both bishops and presbyters and per large number of the laity, all his craft and wickedness, which for verso 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.” A little farther on he says: