PREFACE TO LITURGY.
THIS Liturgy gives the doctrine of Dionysius in a liturgical form. The Greek
original might be restored from the writings of Dionysius. No one could reasonably
doubt that the Author of the Writings and the Liturgy was the same. This Liturgy
should be compared with the Coptic Liturgy of Dionysius, Bishop of Athens, disciple
of Paul, and with the Liturgy of St. Basil, adapted from this, as used by the Uniat
Copts, translated by the Marquess of Bute. In my opinion, this Liturgy was written
for the Therapeutae near Alexandria, described by Philo in his “contemplative life,”
who were Christians; who occupied themselves with the contemplation of the Divine
Names, and the heavenly Hierarchy. It was written not earlier than the death of
James, Apostle and Martyr, A.D. 42, and probably not later than A.D. 67; when Dionysius,
at the request of St. Paul, left Athens to meet the Apostle at Rome, for the purpose
of being sent by him to Gaul. A note of primitive antiquity is found in the description
of the Church, as “from one end of the earth to the other.” There is no “one, only,
holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Orthodox Church,” as in the later Liturgy of St. Basil.
Some expressions are obscure, from the Latin
186Version, and it would be rash, without profound study, to venture
to suggest the Greek text. In consequence of this, and other Liturgies, and his
excellent writings, Dionysius was frequently commemorated in the diptychs as one
of the Doctors of the Church.
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