A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

ALEXANDER.

ALexander, a Bishop in Cappadocia, being come to Jerusalem, to visit the Holy Places that are there, when Narcissus, who governed that Church, was not capable himself alone, by rea∣son * 1.1 of his great Age, to discharge all the Duties of the Episcopal Office; the Christians of of that City retained Alexander, and made him his Coadjutor, by the Consent of the Bi∣shops of the neighbouring Churches. It is said that they had a Revelation, and heard a Voice, ad∣vising them to chuse him Bishop; and indeed there needed nothing less than a Miracle, to authorize an Election so extraordinary as this a 1.2 and for which there had yet been no President. He governed this Church joyntly with Narcissus, as his Colleague. See what he says of it at the Conclusion of a Letter written to the Antinoites.

Narcissus, who held before me the Episcopal See, and who is now united b 1.3 with me in Prayers, being a hundred and sixteen years old, sends you Greeting, and ex∣horts you to be all of one and the same Mind.

Alexander being in Prison in the time of the Persecution under Severus, wrote likewise a Letter to those of Antioch, wherein he Congratulates them upon the Ordination of Asclepiades, who succeeded Serapion in that See: He sent this Letter by Clemens, as it is believed of Alexandria. c 1.4 Besides, he wrote a Letter to Origen, of which Eusebius recites a Fragment in the 14th Chapter of the 6th Book of his History, where he says, that he was a Friend of Pantaenus, and of Clement of Alexandria, and that these men made him acquainted with Origen. And last of all, he sent a Letter to Demetrius, Bishop of Alexandria, which he wrote along with Theoctristus, Bishop of Caesarea, in favour of Origen, wherein he proves by several Examples, that Bishops may invite those that are proper for instructing the People, to Preach in their Presence: He wrote besides several other Letters, of which we have nothing remaining. He suffered Martyrdom at Caesarea in the time of the Persecution, under the Em∣peror Decius.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Alexan∣der.
• a 1.2

  An Election so extraordinary as this.] There were were two things in this Ordination which were New, and contrary to the Laws of the Church. The first was the Translation of a Bishop to another See: The Second, the making a Coadjutor to a Bishop whilst living.
• b 1.3

  Who is now united.] It appears by this, that A∣lexander was not only Coadjutor, but that he alone had the Care of the Church, that Narcissus did not concern himself with any thing, and that he had no more than barely the Honour.
• c 1.4

  As it is believed of Alexandria. S. Jerom believes that it was S. Clement of Alexandria, and this may very well be, For he lived 'till this time, and he was intimately acquainted with Alexander, to whom he Dedicated a Book concernin the Ecclesiastical Rule. Eusebius, Lib. 6. cap. 13.