The history of the church from our Lords incarnation, to the twelth year of the Emperour Maricius Tiberius, or the Year of Christ 594 / as it was written in Greek, by Eusebius Pamphilius ..., Socrates Scholasticus, and Evagrius Scholasticus ... ; made English from that edition of these historians, which Valesius published at Paris in the years 1659, 1668, and 1673 ; also, The life of Constantine in four books, written by Eusibius Pamphilus, with Constantine's Oration to the convention of the saints, and Eusebius's Speech in praise of Constantine, spoken at his tricennalia ; Valesius's annotations on these authors, are done into English, and set at their proper places in the margin, as likewise a translation of his account of their lives and writings ; with two index's, the one, of the principal matters that occur in the text, the other, of those contained in the notes.

CHAP. XXVI. Concerning Dionysius's Epistles.

THere are extant many more of Dionysius's Epistles a 1.1 besides these. As for example, his Epistles to Ammon Bishop of Berenice against Sabellius; and an Epistle to Telephorus; also one to Euphranor; and again another to Ammon, and Euporus. He also wrote b 1.2 four more Books upon the same subject, and dedicated them to his namesake Dionysius Bishop of Rome. There are also more of his Epistles besides these extant a∣mongst us: and moreover some Books of his, which are something verbose and prolixe, and are written in an Epistolary form: As for exam∣ple, his Books concerning c 1.3 Nature, which are de∣dicated to Timotheus a child, concerning Tem∣ptations, which he dedicated to Euphranor: Be∣sides these Books, in his Epistle to Basilides Bishop of Pentapolis, he says he wrote a comment upon the beginning of Ecclesiastes. He has also left us several Epistles which he wrote to this d 1.4 Basilides. Thus many are Dionysius's works. But now after an Historical relation of those things, we will deli∣ver to the knowledge of Posterity an account of our own Age.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Hence we may gather that the 2 books concerning the Promi∣ses, out of which Eu∣sebius has the frag∣ments a∣fore quo∣ted, were Epistles. We may also con∣firm this by a passage in Chap. 22. where Dionysius uses 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is an Epi∣stolary phrase. But be∣cause these Epistles were something prolix, they were therefore called books. Rufinus truly calls Dionysius's Epistles concerning Baptism, Books, and the four Books against Sabellius here mentioned are nothing else but a longer sort of Epistles, which Eusebius testifies: for he saith that all the rest of Dionysius's books were written in an Episto∣lary form and style. Vales.
• b 1.2

  Dionysius Alexand. in his Epistles against Sabellius seemed not to be Orthodox as touching the Divinity of Christ, and he was ac∣cused of it before Dionysius Bishop of Rome, by some of the Bishops of Pentapolis, who went to Rome. Dionysius Roman. called a Synod, heard the Accusers, and having examined some select Opinions in Dionys. Epistles, he wrote to Dionys. Alexand. desiring him that he would more distinctly declare his faith and opinion concerning those matters. Upon this account Dionys. Alexand. wrote four Epistles to Dionys. Roman. which he intituled 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (that is,) concerning the confutation of his Adversaries, and concerning his own Apology or defence of himself. Vales.
• c 1.3

  Eusebius, in his 14^th Book De Praeparat. produces an excellent piece of this Book De Naturâ. It was dedicated, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; this word being dubiously taken to signifie either a son, or any other child or servant, 'tis some difficulty to determine who the person was, to whom it was dedicated, some say to his son: I have here rendred it to a child. For I cannot think that Dionys. was ever married. The like difficulty occurs in Book 6. Chap. 40. Vales.
• d 1.4

  Of these many Epistles written by Dionysius to this Basilides, onely one is now extant, which Theodorus Balsamo has preserved for us. Vales.