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WHEN all who defended the faith had been removed, those who moulded
the mind of the emperor according to their own will, flattering
themselves that the faith which they opposed might be easily subverted,
and Arianism established in its stead, persuaded Constantius to
convene the Bishops of both East and West at Ariminum , in order to
remove from the Creed the terms which had been devised by the Fathers
to counteract the corrupt craft of Arius, "substance ," and "of
one substance ." For they would have it that these terms had caused
dissension between church and church. On their assembling in synod the
partizans of the Arian faction strove to trick the majority of the
bishops, especially those of cities of the Western Empire, who were
men of simple and unsophisticated ways. The body of the Church, they
argued again and again, must not be torn asunder for the sake of two
terms which are not to be found in the Bible; and, while they
confessed the propriety of describing the Son as in all things "like"
the Father, pressed the omission of the word "substance" as
unscriptural. The motives, however, of the propounders of these
views were seen through by the Council, and they were consequently
repudiated. The orthodox bishops declared their mind to the emperor in
a letter; for, said they, we are sons and heirs of the Fathers of
the Council of Nicaea, and if we were to have the hardihood to take
away anything from what was by them subscribed, or to add anything to
what they so excellently settled, we should declare ourselves no true
sons, but accusers of them that begat us. But the exact terms of
their confession of faith will be more accurately given in the words of
their letter to Constantius. Letter written to the Emperor
Constantius by the Synod assembled at Ariminum.
"Summoned, we believe, at the bidding of God, and in obedience to
your piety, we bishops of the Western Church assembled in synod at
Ariminum in order that the faith of the Church Catholic might be set
forth, and its opponents exposed. After long consideration we have
found it to be plainly best for us to hold fast and guard, and by
guarding keep safe unto the end, the faith established from the first,
preached by Prophets, and Evangelists, and Apostles, through our
Lord Jesus Christ, warden of thy empire, and champion of thy
salvation. For it is plainly absurd and unlawful to make any change in
the doctrines rightly and justly defined, and in matters examined at
Nicaea with the cognisance of the right glorious Constantine, thy
Father and Emperor, whereof the teaching and spirit was published and
preached that mankind might hear and understand. This faith was
destined to be the one rival and destroyer of the Arian heresy, and by
it not only the Arian itself, but likewise all other heresies were
undone. To this faith to add aught is verily perilous; from it to
subtract aught is to run great risk. If it have either addition or
loss, our foes will feel free to act as they please. Accordingly
Ursacius and Valens, declared adherents and friends of the Arian
dogma, were pronounced separate from our communion. To keep their
place in it, they asked to be granted a locus penitentioe and pardon
for all the points wherein they had owned themselves in error; as is
testified by the documents written by themselves, by means of which
they obtained favour and forgiveness. These events were going on at
the very time when the synod was meeting at Milan, the presbyters of
the church of Rome being also present. It was known that
Constantine, who, though dead, is worthy of remembrance, had, with
all exactitude and care, set forth the creed drawn up: and now that,
after receiving Baptism, he was dead, and had passed away to the
peace which he deserved. We judged it absurd for us after him to
indulge in any innovation, and throw a slur on all the holy confessors
and martyrs who had devised and formulated this doctrine, in that their
minds have ever remained bound by the old bond of the Church. Their
faith God has handed down even to the times of thy own reign, through
our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whose grace such empire is thine that
thou rulest over all the world. Yet again those pitiable and wretched
men, with lawless daring, have proclaimed themselves preachers of
their unholy opinion, and are taking in hand the overthrow of all the
force of the truth. For when at thy command the synod assembled, then
they laid bare their own disingenuous desires. For they set about
trying through villany and confusion to make innovation. They got hold
of certain of their own following, one Germanius, and Auxentius,
and Caius, promoters of heresy and discord, whose doctrine, though
but one, transcends a very host of blasphemies. When, however, they
became aware that we were not of their way of thinking, nor in sympathy
with their vicious projects, they made their way into our meeting as
though to make some other proposal, but a very short time was enough to
convict them of their real intentions. Therefore in order to save the
management of the Church from falling from time to time into the same
difficulties, and to prevent them from being confounded in whirlpools
of disturbance and disorder, it has seemed the safe course to keep what
has been defined aforetime fixed and unchanged, and to separate the
above named from our communion. Wherefore we have sent envoys to your
clemency to signify and explain the mind of the synod as expressed in
this letter. These envoys before all things we have charged to guard
the truth in accordance with the old and right definitions. They are
to inform your holiness, not as did Ursacius and Valens, that there
will be peace if the truth be upset; for how can the destroyers of
peace be agents of peace? but rather that these changes will bring
strife and disturbance, as well on the rest of the cities, as on the
Roman church. Wherefore we beseech your clemency to receive our
envoys with kindly ears and gentle mien, and not to suffer any new
thing to flout the dead. Suffer us to abide in the definition and
settlement of our Fathers, whom we would unhesitatingly declare to
have done all they did with intelligence and wisdom, and with the Holy
Ghost. The innovation now sought to be introduced is filling the
faithful with unbelief, and unbelievers with credulity .
"We beg you to order bishops in distant parts, who are afflicted
alike by advanced age and poverty, to be provided with facilities for
travelling home, that the churches be not left long deprived of their
bishops.
"And yet again this one thing we supplicate, that nothing be taken
from or added to the established doctrines, but that all remain
unbroken, as they have been preserved by your father's piety, and to
our own day. Let us toil no longer nor be kept away from our own
dioceses, but let the bishops with their own people spend their days in
peace, in prayer, and in worship, offering supplication for thy
empire, and health, and peace, which God shall grant thee for ever
and ever. Our envoys, who will also instruct your holiness out of the
sacred Scriptures, convey the signatures and salutations of the
bishops."
The letter was written, and the envoys sent, but the high officers of
the Imperial Court, though they took the despatch and delivered it to
their master, refused to introduce the envoys, on the ground that the
sovereign was occupied with state affairs. They took this course in
the hope that the bishops, annoyed at delay, and eager to return to
the cities entrusted to their care, would at length be compelled
themselves to break up and disperse the bulwark erected against heresy.
But their ingenuity was frustrated, for the noble champions of the
Faith despatched a second letter to the emperor, exhorting him to
admit the envoys to audience and dissolve the synod. This letter I
subjoin.
The Second Letter of the Synod to Constantius.
"To Constantius the Victorious, the pious emperor, the bishops
assembled at Ariminum send greeting.
"Most illustrious lord and autocrat, we have received the letter of
your clemency, informing us that, in consequence of occupations of
state, you have hitherto been unable to see our envoys. You bid us
await their return, that your piety may come to a decision on the
object we have in view, and on the decrees of our predecessors. But
we venture in this letter to repeat to your clemency the point which we
urged before, for we have in no way withdrawn from our position. We
entreat you to receive with benign countenance the letter of our
humility, wherein now we make answer to your piety, and the points
which we have ordered to be submitted to your benignity by our envoys.
Your clemency is no less aware than we are ourselves how serious and
unfitting a state of things it is, that in the time of your most happy
reign so many churches should seem to be without bishops. Wherefore
once again, most glorious autocrat, we beseech you that, if it be
pleasing to your humanity, you will command us to return to our
churches before the rigour of winter, that we may be able, with our
people, as we have done and ever do, to offer most earnest prayers for
the health anti wealth of your empire to Almighty God, and to Christ
His Son, our Lord and Saviour."
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