Section 335
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304 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY CHAPTER XXX. The epistle of the council against Paul. THE pastors, therefore, who had been convened, having drawn up an epistle, by common consent addressed it to Dionysius bishop of Rome, and to Maxim us of Alexandria, and sent it to all the pro vinces. In this, they set forth their own zeal to all, and the per verse doctrine of Paul, together with the arguments and discus sions which they had had with him ; stating at the same time, the whole life and conduct of the man, from whose statement it may be well perhaps to give the following extracts for the present The epistle : " To Dionysius and Maximus, and to all our fellowministers throughout the world, the bishops and presbyters and deacons, and to the whole catholic church throughout the world under heaven : Helenus, Hymenaeus, and Theophilus, and Theotecnus, and Maximus, Proculus, Nicomas and ^lianus, Paul and Bolanus and Protogenes, Hierax, and Eutychius and Theodorus, and Malchion and Lucius, and all the rest, who are bishops, presbyters, or deacons, dwelling with us, in the neighbouring cities, and nations, together with the churches of God, wish joy to the beloved brethren in the Lord." After a short prelimi nary, the following is subjoined : " We 'have addressed epistles, and at the same time have exhorted many of the bishops at a distance, to come to our relief from this destructive doctrine : among these, to Dionysius the bishop of Alexandria, and Firmilianus of Cappadocia, those holy men, of whom the one wrote to Antioch, not even deigning to honour the leader in this delusion with an address, nor writing to him in his name, but to the whole church, of which epistle we have also added a copy. But Firmilianus who came twice to Antioch, despised his new fangled doctrines, as wre who were present, and many others besides, well know, and can attest. But as he promised to change his mind, he believed him, and hoped that, without any reproach upon the word, the matter would be settled in a proper manner. He deferred it therefore ; in which, however, he was deceived