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DIONYSIUS of CORINTH.
DIonysius Bishop of Corinth lived under the Reign of the Emperor Marcus Antoninus, and in the beginning of Commodus's.
He not only took care of his own Flock, (says Eusebius, Book 4. Chap. 23.) but he also made the Christians of other Countrys partakers of his Divine * 1.1 Labours, causing them to fructifie every where by his Catholick Epistles, which he sent to many Churches. The first is written to the Lacedaemonians, containing an Instruction of the Catho∣lick Faith, and an Exhortation to Peace and Unity. The second is directed to the Athenians, to ex∣cite their Faith, and to induce them to lead a Life conformable to the Rules of the Gospel: He like∣wise reproves their negligence, whereby they had almost abandoned the Christian Religion ever since their Bishop Publius suffered Martyrdom in the Persecutions that were raised in his time: Moreover he mentions Quadratus, who was elected Bishop of Athens after the Martyrdom of Publius, and testifies, that the Christians of this City owed the renovation of the ardour of their Faith to his Care. Besides this, he informs us, that Dionysius the Areopagite being converted by St. Paul, (as it is re∣corded in the Acts of the Apostles) was constituted the first Bishop of Athens. There is also another Epistle written by him to the Nicomedians, wherein he confutes the Heresie of Marcion, and keeps close to the Rule of Faith. He likewise composed a Letter directed to the Church of Gortyna; as also to all those of Crete, in which he extreamly commends Philip their Bishop, to whom his whole Church had given authentick Testimonies of his singular Abilities and Generosity, and he admonish∣eth them to avoid Heresies. In his Epistle to the Amastrians, and to the other Churches of Pontus, addressing his Discourse to their Bishop Palma, he explains divers passages of the Holy Scriptures; He therein lays down several Precepts concerning Marriage and Chastity, determining at the same time, that all Penitents should be received that returned from any Crimes whatsoever, and even from Heresie. In the same Volume is contained another Epistle to the Gnossians, wherein he ad∣viseth Pinytus their Bishop not to impose on the Christians the heavy burden of the Obligation to preserve their Virginity, but to have respect unto the weakness which is incident to most of them. Pinytus in replying to this Epistle, extols and admires Dionysius of Corinth, and exhorts him at last to afford them more solid nourishment, and to send frequent Letters to him which might fill and satiate the People that were committted to his charge, lest being always nourished only with Milk, they should grow old, and yet remain in a kind of Intancy. This answer represents as it were a lively Portraiture of the Faith of Pinytus, his diligence in watching over the Flock, with which he was entrusted by God, his profound knowledge in Divinity, and his extraordinary Eloquence. We have also in our hand another Letter of Dionysius written to the Romans, and particularly directed to Soter, who was then their Bishop; a passage whereof it will be expedient here to produce, in which he recommends to them the continuation of a certain Custom, that had been always ob∣served by them from their first plantation unto the persecution which happened in our time. This is (says he) a custom which hath been established among you, O ye Romans, ever since the beginning of your Church, to be charitable unto your Brethren, and to send to divers Churches throughout the World things necessary for their subsistence; you comfort the poor in their indigence, and relieve the urgent ne∣cessities of those that are condemned to the Mines; This custom you have received from your Ancestors, which the blessed Bishop Soter hath not only retained, but even augmented, by abundantly distributing the Donatives appointed for the relief of the Faithful, and cherishing as a Father would do his Children all the Brethren who came to Rome. He mentions St. Clement's Epistle to the Corinthians, which had been for a long time constantly read in the Church of Corinth, as he testifies in these Words. We have even now passed the Lords Day, when we perused your Epistle, which we shall hereafter read con∣tinually, as we do that of St. Clement, that we may be replenished with Precepts and wholsom Instructi∣ons: Afterward he observes, that his Letters were corrupted by Falsifiers in these Words: I wrote se∣veral Epistles at the Entreaty of the Brethren, but the Ministers of the Devil have filled them with Tares, by retrenching and adding many things; they may well expect this terrible Sentence: Cursed be he that adds or diminisheth any thing from my Words. Wherefore it is not to be admir'd, that some have presumed even to corrupt the Sacred Writings, since they have done it in Books of much less Authority. Besides these Epistles, there is another Extant, written to Chrysophora his faithful Sister, to whom he gave Instructions suitable, carefully nourishing her with spiritual Food.These are the Contents of this passage of Eusebius, concerning the Epistles of St. Dionysius, which I have set down entire, because he hath made use of the same Method as we should have done, in case those Epistles had been still Extant.
Moreover Eusebius in his 2d. Book Chap. 25. recites another Fragment of his Epistle to the Romans, wherein it mention'd the Death of St. Peter, in the City of Rome in these Words.
Thus (says he) as I may so say, by your Exhortations you have mixed the Grain that sprung from the Seed of St. Peter and S. Paul, that is to say, the Romans and the Corinthians: for these two glorious Apostles entring into our City of Corinth, instructed us in dispersing the spiritual Seed of the Gospel, afterwards they passed together into Italy, and having given you also the like Instructions, they suffered Martyrdom with you at the same time.This is all that we certainly know concerning the Life and Writings of Diony∣sius Bishop of Corinth. In the Menologium of the Greeks, he is reckoned among the Martyrs, a 1.2 but