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Now at that time Eusebius having been proposed and fearing to go to
Alexandria, the Synod at Antioch designated Gregory as bishop of
that church. This being done, they altered the creed; not as
condemning anything in that which was set forth at Nicaea, but in fact
with a determination to subvert and nullify the doctrine of
consubstantiality by means of frequent councils, and the publication of
various expositions of the faith, so as gradually to establish the
Arian views. How these things issued we will set forth in the course
of our narrative; but the epistle then promulgated respecting the faith
was as follows:
'We have neither become followers of Arius, --for how should we
who are bishops be guided by a presbyter?--nor have we embraced any
other faith than that which was set forth from the beginning. But
being constituted examiners and judges of his sentiments, we admit
their soundness, rather than adopt them from him: and you will
recognize this from what we are about tO state. We have learned from
the beginning to believe in one God of the Universe, the Creator and
Preserver of all things both those thought of and those perceived by
the senses: and in one only-begotten Son of God, subsisting before
all ages, and co-existing with the Father who begot him, through
whom also all things visible and invisible were made; who in the last
days according to the Father's good pleasure, descended, and assumed
flesh from the holy virgin, and having fully accomplished his
Father's will, that he should suffer, and rise again, and ascend
into the heavens, and sit at the right hand of the Father; and is
coming to judge the living and the dead, continuing King and God for
ever. We believe also in the Holy Spirit. And if it is necessary
to add this, we believe in the resurrection of the flesh, and the life
everlasting.'
Having thus written in their first epistle, they sent it to the
bishops of every city. But after remaining some time at Antioch, as
if to condemn the former, they published another letter in these
words:
Another Exposition of the Faith.
In conformity with evangelic and apostolic tradition, we believe in
one God the Father Almighty, the Creator and Framer of the
universe. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, his Son, God the
only-begotten, through whom all things were made: begotten of the
Father before all ages, God of God, Whole of Whole, Only of
Only, Perfect of Perfect, King of King, Lord of Lord; the
living Word, the Wisdom, the Life, the True Light, the Way of
Truth, the Resurrection, the Shepherd, the Gate; immutable and
inconvertible; the unaltering image of the Divinity, Substance and
Power, and Counsel and Glory of the Father; born 'before all
creation'; who was in the beginning with God, God the Word,
according as it is declared in the Gospel, and the Word was God, by
whom all things were made, and in whom all things subsist: who in the
last days came down from above, and was born of the virgin according to
the Scriptures; and was made man, the Mediator between God and
men, the Apostle of our Faith, and the Prince of Life, as he
says, 'I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the
will of him that sent me.' Who suffered on our behalf, and rose
again for us on the third day, and ascended into the heavens, and is
seated at the right hand of the Father; and will come gain with glory
and power to judge the living and the dead. [We believe] also in the
Holy Spirit, who is given to believers for their consolation,
sanctification, and perfection; even as our Lord Jesus Christ
commanded his disciples, saying, 'Go and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit'; that is to say of the Father who is truly the
Father, of the Son who is truly the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
who is truly the Holy Spirit, these words not being simply or
insignificantly applied, but accurately expressing the proper
subsistence, glory, and order, of each of these who are named: so
that there are three in person, but one in concordance. Holding
therefore this faith in the presence of God and of Christ, we
anathematize all heretical and false doctrine. And if any one shall
teach contrary to the sound and right faith of the Scriptures,
affirming that there is or was a period or an age before the Son of
God existed, let him be accursed. And if any one shall say that the
Son is a creature as one of the creatures, or that he is offspring as
one of the offsprings, and shall not hold each of the aforesaid
doctrines as the Divine Scriptures have delivered them to us: or if
any one shall teach or preach any other doctrine contrary to that which
we have received, let him be accursed. For we truly and unreservedly
believe and follow all things handed down to us from the sacred
Scriptures by the prophets and apostles.
Such was the exposition of the faith published by those then assembled
at Antioch, to which Gregory also subscribed as bishop of
Alexandria, although he had not yet entered that city. The Synod
having done these things, and legislated some other canons, was
dissolved. At this time it happened that public affairs also were
disturbed. The nation called Franks made incursions into the Roman
territories in Gaul, and at the same time there occurred violent
earthquakes in the East, and especially at Antioch, which continued
to suffer concussions during a whole year.
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