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| Miracle performed by Paul Bishop of the Novatians at the Baptism of a Jewish Impostor.
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Chapter XVII.—Miracle
performed by Paul Bishop of the Novatians at the Baptism of a Jewish
Impostor.
About this time Chrysanthus
bishop of the Novatians, after presiding over the churches of his own
sect seven years, died on the 26th of August, under the consulate of
Monaxius and Plintha.949
He was succeeded in the bishopric by Paul, who had formerly been a
teacher of the Latin language: but afterwards, setting aside the Latin
language, had devoted himself to an ascetic course of life; and having
founded a monastery of religious men, he adopted a mode of living not
very different from that pursued by the monks in the desert. In fact I
myself found him just such a person as Evagrius950
| 950On Evagrius, see IV. 23. On the passage in his works
alluded, see Evagrius, Ecclesiastical History, IV. 35, 36.
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says the monks dwelling in the deserts ought to be; imitating them in
continued fastings, silence, abstinence from animal food, and for the
most part abstaining also from the use of oil and wine. He was,
moreover, solicitous about the wants of the poor to as great an extent
as any other man; he untiringly visited those who were in prison, and
in behalf of many criminals interceded with the judges, who readily
attended to him on account of his eminent piety. But why should I
lengthen my account of him? For I am about to mention a deed done by
him which is well worthy of being recorded in writing. A certain Jewish
impostor, pretending to be a convert to Christianity, was in the habit
of being baptized often951
| 951The repetition of baptism, except in cases in which
there was doubt as to the validity of a first baptism, was considered a
sacrilege. See Smith and Cheetham, Dict. of Christ. Antiq. art.
Iteration Baptism.
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and by that artifice he amassed a good deal of money. After having
deceived many of the Christian sects by this fraud—for he
received baptism from the Arians and Macedonians—as there
remained no others to practise his hypocrisy upon, he at length came to
Paul bishop of the Novatians, and declaring that he earnestly desired
baptism, requested that he might obtain it at his hand. Paul commended
the determination of the Jew, but told him he could not perform that
rite for him, until he had been instructed in the fundamental
principles of the faith, and given himself to fasting and prayer for
many days.952
The Jew compelled to fast against his will became the more importunate
in his request for baptism; now as Paul did not wish to discourage him
by longer delays, since he was so urgent, consented to grant his
request, and made all the necessary preparations for the baptism.
Having purchased a white vestment for him, he ordered the font to be
filled with water, and then led the Jew to it in order to baptize him.
But a certain invisible power of God caused the water suddenly to
disappear. The bishop, of course, and those present, had not the least
suspicion of the real cause, but imagined that the water had escaped by
the channels underneath, by means of which they are accustomed to empty
the font; these passages were therefore very carefully closed, and the
font filled again. Again, however, as the Jew was taken there a second
time, the water vanished as before. Then Paul addressing the Jew, said,
‘Either you are an evil-doer, wretched man, or an ignorant person
who has already been baptized.’ The people having crowded
together to witness this miracle, one among them recognized the Jew,
and identified him as having been baptized by Atticus, the bishop, a
little while before. Such was the portent wrought by the hands of Paul
bishop of the Novatians.
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