A. D. 243.

Luke.

John.

more particularly to St. Luke's than St. Mark's Gofpel: and calling again our Lord's eftimation of that poor widow's gift (y) a determination of the divine word.

7. In the fame Oration he has a beautifull allufion (%) to the parable of the prodigal, which is in Luke xv. He there alfo alludes to (a) Luke x. 30.

8. It is very probable from that Oration, that he was acquainted with (b) St. John's Gofpel, particularly the begining of it.

"it

9. In the Canonical Epiftle he says, " is not eafie (c) to represent in one letter all "that the divine scriptures have sayd not on

ly against so horrible a fin as robberie, but " even against covetoufneffe, or the love of "filthie lucre." However, he largely quotes "But (d)

Eph. v. 3. one place of scripture, thus:

'fornication, fays he, and covetoufneffe, let it "not be named among you. For which things

(») ὁ ἱερὸς λόγος ἐςαθμήσατο. ib. D.

(x) Vid. p. 75. A. B.

(a) lb. p. 76. B.

(b) Ib. p. 53. D. 54. A.

"fake

(ε) Δενὴ δὲ πλεονεξία, καὶ ἐκ ἔτι δὲ ἐπιστολῆς μιας παρα θέσθαι τὰ θεα γράμματα, εν δις. κ. λ. Ep. Can. ii. p. 38. C

(α) Πορνεία γάρ, φησι, καὶ πλεονεξία μηδε ὀνομαζέσθω ἐν ὑμῖν. . . . (ὁ γὰρ καρπὸς τὸ φωτὸς ἐν πάσῃ ἀγαθοσύνη, καὶ δικαιο οσύνη, κι αληθεία) . . . Τοιαῦτα γὰρ ἀπόςολος. ibid. p. 38. D. 39. A. B.

A. D.

243.

....

6.

fake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of difobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were fome"time darknesse, but now are ye light in the ....8. "Lord. Walk as children of the light, (for

ર

cr

(L) the fruit of the light is in all goodnesse, " and righteousnesse, and truth :) proving what " is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fel"lowship with the unfruitful works of dark

nesse, but rather reprove them. For it is a

Shame even to speak of those things, which are "done of them in fecret. But all things that "are reproved, are made manifeft by the light. These things fays the Apostle."

7.

13.

10. Origen in his Epiftle to Gregorie refers Hebrews. to several texts of scripture, and among others to (e) Hebr. iii. 14.

II. In the third of the Fragments before James. mentioned it is fayd: "Pride (f) cannot but "be evil, it being founded in much false

(L) fruit of the light.] This reading deferves to be taken notice of. It is no uncommon reading, but is found in Mfs. Versions, and Writers. Perhaps it is the true reading. See Mill. Grot. Beaufobre and Lenfant, upon the place.

(e) Orig. Ep. ad Gregor. T. i. p. 32. C. Bened.

(5) ἐκ ἀγαθὸν ἡ ὑπερηφανία, ψευδοδοξίαν έχασα πολλήν Δῆλον γὰρ δῆλον, ὡς πᾶν ἀγαθὸν τέλειον θέοθεν ἔρχεται· καὶ ἐκ ἔστι ληπτὸν ἄλλως ἀνθρώπῳ. κ. λ. ap. Ghiller. in Jerem. cap. ἐπ. v. 23. 24. p. 831.

A. D. 243.

Revelati

Respect for the Scrip

tures.

"conceit. For it is moft manifeft, that every perfect good cometh from God. Nor is it "otherwife to be obtained by man." Here seems to be a reference to James i. 17. and' if this fragment is genuine, it may be reckoned a proof, that Gregorie was acquainted with the Epiftle of St. James, and had a refpect for it.

I have now quoted three of the Fragments, which I fpoke of formerly. I have no occafion at prefent to make any ufe of the fourth,

12. In Gregorie's Panegyrical Oration is fuppofed to be a reference (g) either to Rev, 7. or to If. xxii. 22.

iii. 13. He fpeaks of Origen's advices (b) to attend to God, and his Prophets. He there likewife makes mention of the affiftances Origen gave him for understanding the difficult places of the facred fcriptures. His veneration for which scriptures has appeared in feveral paffages above cited.

(8) p. 73. B.

14. If

(5) μόνῳ δὲ προσέχειν Θεῷ, καὶ τοῖς τότε προφήταις, αυτός ὑποφητεύων καὶ σαφηνίζων, ὅτι πότε σκοτεινὸν καὶ αινιγματώδες ᾖ, δια πολλὰ ἐν ταῖς ἱεραῖς ἐστι φωναίς. ib. p. 72. D.

14. If the laft, or xith canon of the Epistle had been genuine, I fhould here have obferved fomewhat in it. addition of later times, it

But fince it is an

ought not to be

taken notice of in this place.

It is needless to add any thing more, confidering the relation Gregorie had to Origen, and his refpect for him. They must both have had the fame Canon of Scripture, or very much alike, as was obferved before. And undoubtedly they agreed in a peculiar regard for thofe writings, which they received as facred and divine.

A. D. 243. 75

A. D.

247.

CHA P. XLIII.

DIONYSIUS Bishop of Alexandria.

1. His Hiftorie in general. II. Some Revelations vouchsafed to him. III. More Select Paffages. IV. His Concern in the Controverfies of that Time, as Novatianism; V. the Milennium; VI. the Baptifm of Heretics; VII, Sabellianifm; VIII. the Affair of Paul of Samofata. IX. Dionyfius's Works. X. His Character. XI. His Teftimonie to the Books of the N. T. as the four Gospels; XII. the Acts, Paul's Epiftles, and to the Hebrews; XIII. the Catholic Epiftles; XIV. the Revelation, and other Books of the N. T. XV. What Dionyfius writes of the Revelation largely examined. XVI. A brief Review of that whole Argument with Remarks. XVII. The Sum of his Teftimonie.

I.

UO

PON the promotion of Heraclas to the bishoprick of Alexandria, His Hifto- in the year of Chrift 231. or 232. Diony

rie.

fius