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WHEN the most praiseworthy. Damasus had heard of the rise of this
heresy, he proclaimed the condemnation not only of Apollinarius but
also of Timotheus his follower. The letter in which he made this
known to the bishops of the Eastern empire I have thought it well to
insert in my history.
Letter of Damasus bishop of Rome.
"Most honourable sons: Inasmuch as your love renders to the
apostolic see the reverence which is its due, accept the same in no
niggard measure for yourselves. For even though in the holy church in
which the holy apostle sat, and taught us how it becomes us to manage
the rudder which has been committed to us, we nevertheless confess
ourselves to be unworthy of the honour, we yet on this very account
strive by every means within our power if haply we may be able to
achieve the glory of that blessedness. Know then that we have
condemned Timotheus, the unhallowed, the disciple of Apollinarius
the heretic, together with his impious doctrine, and are confident
that for the future his remains will have no weight whatever. But if
that old serpent, though smitten once and again, still revives to his
own destruction, who though he exists without the church never ceases
from the attempt by his deadly venom to overthrow certain unfaithful
men, do you avoid it as you would a pest, mindful ever of the
apostolic faith, that, I mean, which was set out in writing by the
Fathers at Nicaea; do you remain on steady ground, firm and unmoved
in the faith, and henceforward suffer neither your clergy nor laity to
listen to vain words and futile questions, for we have already given a
form, that he who professes himself a Christian may keep it, the form
delivered by the Apostles, as says St. Paul, 'if any one preach
to you another gospel than that you have received let him be
Anathema.' For Christ the Son of God, our Lord, gave by his
own passion abundant salvation to the race of men, that he might free
from all sin the whole man involved in sin. If any one speaks of
Christ as having had less of manhood or of Godhead, he is full of
devils' spirits, and proclaims himself a child of hell.
"Why then do you again ask me for the condemnation of Timotheus?
Here, by the judgment of the apostolic see, in the presence of
Peter, bishop of Alexandria, he was condemned, together with his
teacher, Apollinarius, who will also in the day of judgment undergo
due punishment and torment. But if he succeeds in persuading some less
stable men, as though having some hope, after by his confession
changing the true hope which is in Christ, with him shall likewise
perish whoever of set purpose withstands the order of the Church. May
God keep you sound, most honoured sons."
The bishops assembled in great Rome also wrote other things against
other heresies which I have thought it necessary to insert in my
history.
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