|
After Eudoxius had introduced these new doctrines, many members of
the church of Antioch, who were opposed to them, were
excommunicated. George, bishop of Laodicea, gave them a letter to
take to the bishops who had been invited from the neighboring towns of
Ancyra in Galatia by Basil, for the purpose of consecrating a church
which he had erected. This letter was as follows:
"George, to his most honored lords Macedonius, Basil,
Cecropius, and Eugenius, sends greeting in the Lord.
Nearly the whole city has suffered from the shipwreck of Aetius. The
disciples of this wicked man, whom you contemned, have been encouraged
by Eudoxius, and promoted by him to clerical appointments, and
Aetius himself has been raised to the highest honor. Go, then, to
the assistance of this great city, lest by its shipwreck the whole
world should be submerged. Assemble yourselves together, and solicit
the signatures of other bishops, that Aetius may be ejected from the
church of Antioch, and that his disciples who have been manipulated
beforehand into the lists of the clergy by Eudoxius, may be cut off.
If Eudoxius persist in affirming with Aetius, that the Son is
dissimilar from the Father, and in preferring those who uphold this
dogma to those who reject it, the city of Antioch is lost to you."
Such was the strain of George's letter.
The bishops who were assembled at Ancyra dearly perceived by the
enactments of Eudoxius at Antioch, that he contemplated the
introduction of innovations in doctrine; they apprised the emperor of
this fact, and besought him that the doctrine established at Sardica,
at Sirmium, and at other councils, might be confirmed, and
especially the dogma that the Son is of like substance with the
Father. In order to proffer this request to the emperor, they sent
to him a deputation composed of the following bishops: Basil, bishop
of Ancyra; Eustathius, bishop of Sebaste; Eleusius, bishop of
Cyzicus; and Leontius, the presbyter of the imperial bed-chamber.
On their arrival at the palace, they found that Asphalius, a
presbyter of Antioch, and a zealot of the Aetian heresy, was on the
point of taking his departure, after having terminated the business for
which he undertook the journey and having obtained a letter from the
emperor. On receiving, however, the intelligence concerning the
heresy conveyed by the deputation from Ancyra, Constantius condemned
Eudoxius and his followers, withdrew the letter he had confided to
Asphalius, and wrote the following one.
|
|