|
"WHO has taught these doctrines to the innocent multitude? It is
manifestly Eusebius, the co-operator in the cruelty of the tyrants.
For that he was the creature of the tyrant has been clearly shown;
and, indeed, is proved by the slaughter of the bishops, and by the
fact that these victims were true bishops. The relentless persecution
of the Christians proclaims this fact aloud.
"I shall not here say anything of the insults directed against me, by
which the conspiracies of the opposite faction were mainly carried out.
But he went so far as to send spies to watch me, and scarcely
refrained from raising troops in aid of the tyrant. Let not any one
imagine that I allege what I am not prepared to prove. I am in
possession of clear evidence; for I have caused the bishops and
presbyters belonging to his following to be seized. But I pass over
all these facts. I only mention them for the purpose of making these
persons ashamed of their conduct, and not from any feeling of
resentment.
"There is one thing I fear, one thing which causes me anxiety, and
that is to see you charged as accomplices; for you are influenced by
the doctrines of Eusebius, and have thus been led away from the
truth. But your cure will be speedy, if, after obtaining a bishop
who holds pure and faithful doctrines, you will but look unto God.
This depends upon you alone; and you would, no doubt, have thus
acted long ago, had not the aforesaid Eusebius come here, strongly
supported by those then in power, and overturned all discipline.
"As it is necessary to say something more about Eusebius, your
patience will remember thai a council was held in the city of Nicaea,
at which, in obedience to my conscience, I was present, being
actuated by no other motive than the desire of producing unanimity among
all, and before all else of proving and dispelling the mischief which
originated from the infatuation of Arius of Alexandria, and was
straightway strengthened by the absurd and pernicious machinations of
Eusebius. But, beloved and much-honoured brethren, you know not
how earnestly and how disgracefully Eusebius, although convicted by
the testimony of his own conscience, persevered in the support of the
false doctrines which had been universally condemned. He secretly sent
persons to me to petition on his behalf, and personally intreated my
assistance in preventing his being ejected from his bishopric, although
his crimes had been fully detected. God, who, I trust, will
continue His goodness towards you and towards me, is witness to the
truth of what I say. I was then myself deluded and deceived by
Eusebius, as you shall well know. In everything he acted according
to his own desire, his mind being full of every kind of secret evil.
"Omitting the relation of the rest of his misdeeds, it is well that
you should be informed of the crime which he lately perpetrated in
concert with Theognis, the accomplice of his folly. I had sent
orders for the apprehension of certain individuals in Alexandria who
had deserted our faith, and by whose means the firebrand of dissension
was kindled. But these good gentlemen, forsooth, bishops, whom, by
the clemency of the council, I had reserved for penitence, not only
received them under their protection, but also participated in their
evil deeds. Hence I came to the determination to punish these
ungrateful men, by apprehending and banishing them to some far distant
region.
"It is now your duty to look unto God with that same faith which it
is clear that you have ever held, and in which it is fitting you should
abide. So let us have cause of rejoicing in the appointment of pure,
orthodox, and beneficent bishops. If any one should make mention of
those destroyers, or presume to speak in their praise, let him know
that his audacity will be repressed by the authority which has been
committed to me as the servant of God. May God preserve you,
beloved brethren!"
The above mentioned bishops were then deposed and banished. Amphion
was entrusted with the church of Nicomedia, and Chrestus with that of
Nicaea. But the exiled bishops, employing their customary
artifices, abused the benevolence of the emperor, renewed the previous
contests, and regained their former power.
|
|