On the Trinity & Psalm Commentary 2 part 6/9

And Asclepas the fellow-minister brought forward the memoranda drawn up at Antioch in the presence of the accusers and of Eusebius of Caesarea; and from the verdicts of the judging bishops he showed himself to be innocent. Rightly, then, beloved brethren, being often summoned they did not obey; rightly they fled. For, driven on by their own conscience, by flight they confirmed their own calumnies and caused it to be believed against themselves — the very things which their accusers, being present, spoke and demonstrated.

Since therefore, in addition to all these things, they also received those long ago deposed and cast out of the church on account of the heresy of Arius — not only received them, but even advanced them to a higher rank: deacons indeed into the presbyterate, and presbyters into the episcopate — for no other reason than that they might be able to spread and disseminate impious doctrine and corrupt the pious faith. And the ringleaders of these, after the two Eusebii, are also Theodorus of Heraclea, Narcissus of Neronias in Cilicia, Stephanus of Antioch, Georgius of Laodicea — although out of fear he was not present from the East — Acacius of Caesarea in Palestine, Menophantus of Ephesus in Asia, Ursacius of Singidunum in Moesia, Valens of Mursa in Pannonia.

For those, therefore, who over and above all these things received even the Arians who had been deposed and cast out from the church — and not only received them but even advanced them to a higher rank, a deacon indeed into the presbyterate, and from the presbyterate into a bishopric — for no other cause than that they might scatter and shelter impiety, and corrupt the pious faith.

And after Eusebius and his associates, the present leaders are: Theodorus of Heraclea, Narcissus of Maronia in Cilicia, Stephanus of Antioch, Acacius of Caesarea in Palestine, Narcissus of Maronia, Minophantus of Ephesus in Asia, Ursa[cius of Singidunum]. [For those long ago deposed and cast out on account of the heresy of Arius, they not only received but advanced to a greater rank — deacons into the presbytery, and from presbyters into bishops — for no other reason than that they might scatter and enlarge impiety and corrupt the pious faith.]

These, after those about Eusebius, are now the ringleaders: Theodorus of Heraclea, Narcissus of Neronias in Cilicia, Stephanus of Antioch, Georgius of Laodicea, Acacius of Caesarea in Palestine, Menophantus of Ephesus in Asia, Ursacius of [Singidunum, Valens of Mursa]. The aforesaid also, who came with them from the East, did not permit the holy council to enter, nor to approach at all to the holy church of God. For, coming to Serdica, they held synods among themselves place by place, and made pacts with threats, that they should by no means come to the judgment at Serdica nor assemble together with the holy synod.

And they came to the assembly only for this — to make manifest their presence — and immediately fled. For these [were] Ursacius of Singidunum in Moesia, Valens of Mursa in Pannonia. These men did not permit those with whom they had come from the East to come into the council, nor to approach at all to the church of God. Also, coming to Serdica, they held meetings among themselves place by place, and with threats laid down pacts among themselves, that, when they had come to Serdica, they should by no means enter into the judgment nor assemble with the holy synod, but only, coming for form's sake, should show their arrival and swiftly flee. These things we were able to learn from [our fellow-ministers, from those of] Singidunum in Moesia and Mursa in Pannonia.

For these did not permit those who came with them from the East to enter into the holy synod, nor at all to approach to the church of God. And coming to Serdica, place by place they held synods among themselves and pacts with threats, so that, having come to Serdica, they should by no means come to the judgment, nor assemble together with the holy synod, but only, coming and making a show of their sojourn for form's sake, should swiftly flee. For these things we were able to learn from our fellow-priests, namely from Arius of Palestine and Stephanus of Arabia, who indeed came with them but withdrew from their perfidy.

For these men, coming into the holy synod, complained of the violence which they had suffered, and asserted that nothing was rightly done by them [the Easterns], asserting also this: that there were there very many of right faith, who were prevented by them from coming, with threats set forth against us. For this cause, therefore, they [the Easterns] took pains that all should remain in one place, and permitted them to have not even a little time of free opportunity. Since therefore it was not fitting to keep silent, nor to leave unavenged [the wrongs done to] our ministers Macarius of Palestine and Asterius of Arabia, who came with them and withdrew from that same unbelief. For, coming to the holy synod, they set forth with tears the violence which they had suffered.

But they said that nothing right was done among them. They added also this: that there were certain ones of right faith, and that they were prevented by threats and accusations from coming to us. For this cause they [the Easterns] were eager to remain together in one house, permitting them to be separated at no moment. Since therefore it was not fitting to be silent, and to leave their [wrongs] unavenged — [these are the words of] our ministers Macarius of Palestine and Asterius of Arabia, who came with them and withdrew from their unbelief.

For these men, coming into the holy synod, bewailed the violence which they had suffered, and said that nothing right was being done among them [the Easterns], adding also this: that there were there many who laid claim to right doctrine and were prevented by them from coming there, because of the threats and menaces made against those who wished to withdraw from them. For this reason, therefore, they [the Easterns] took care that all should remain in one house, not permitting them to be apart even in the very least. H.

Since therefore it was not fitting to pass over in silence, nor to leave unrecounted the calumnies, the chains, the murders, the fights, the forged letters, the beatings, the strippings of virgins, the exiles, the overturnings of churches, the burnings, the transfers from a lesser church to greater ones, and above all the doctrines of the Arian heresy rising up against the right faith — for this cause we have pronounced innocent and pure our most beloved brethren and fellow-bishops Athanasius of Alexandria and Marcellus of Ancyra in Galatia and Asclepius of Gaza and those who with them minister to God, writing to the province of each, that the peoples of the several churches might know the integrity of their priest and that they have their own bishop; but those

who have plunged into their churches [like wolves] — the calumnies, the chains, the murders, the blows, the forged letters, the mutilations, the strippings of virgins, the exiles, the destructions of churches, the burnings, the transfers from lesser to greater cities, and above all the accursed Arian heresy rising up through them against the right faith — for this cause we pronounce our most beloved brethren and fellow-priests Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, and Marcellus of Ancyra in Galatia and Asclepas of Gaza and those who minister to the Lord with them to be innocent and sincere, writing to the provinces of each, that the peoples of each church may know the sincerity of their bishop and hold him [as bishop]. [The calumnies, the chains, the murders, the blows, the machinations concerning the forged letters, the outrages, the strippings of the virgins...]

the exiles, the dissolutions of the churches, the burnings, the transfers from small cities to greater sees, and above all the ill-named Arian heresy which through them has risen up against the right faith — for this cause we have declared our beloved brethren and fellow-ministers Athanasius and Marcellus and Asclepas and those who minister to the Lord with them to be innocent and pure, writing also to the province of each, so that the peoples of each church may know the purity of their own bishop and hold him as bishop and await him; but those who have invaded the churches in the manner of wolves — that is, Gregorius in Alexandria, Basilius in Ancyra, and Quincianus in Gaza — [these are] neither to hold the name of bishop, nor to have any communion at all with them, nor to receive letters from any of them, nor to write to them.

But those, that is, Theodorus, Narcissus, Acacius, Stephanus, Ursacius, and Valens, Menophantus and Georgius — although, as was said, out of fear he was not present, yet because he had been [deposed] by Alexander of blessed memory, [we bid the peoples to hold their own bishop and] await him; but as for those who have assailed the judgment of their own churches in the manner of wolves — Gregorius of Alexandria and Basilius of Ancyra and Quincianus of Gaza — [these are] neither to be named bishops, nor to be called Christians at all, nor to have any communion with them, nor to receive their letters, nor to write to them.

Theodorus of Heraclea in Europa with his party, Narcissus of Maronia in Cilicia and (Acacius) of Caesarea in Palestine — Narcissus and Acacius — Stephanus of Antioch, Ursacius of Singidunum in Moesia and Valens of Mursa in Pannonia, Minophantus of Ephesus, Georgius of Laodicea — although out of fear he was not present from the East, yet because he had been [deposed] by the blessed Alexander [bishop of Alexandria]. [As for those who came upon their churches in the manner of wolves — Gregorius in Alexandria, Basilius in Ancyra, and Quincianus in Gaza — these are neither to be named bishops nor to have any communion at all with them, nor to receive letters from them, nor to write to them.]

But as for those about Theodorus and Narcissus and Acacius and Stephanus and Ursacius and Valens and Menophantus and Georgius — even if, out of fear, he was not present from the East — [we judge them thus:] because he was cast down of old by the bishop of Alexandria, and because both he and the rest who were implicated are of the Arian madness, and on account of the crimes laid against them, all these the holy synod deposed with equal lot from the rank of the episcopate; and we have judged not only that they are not bishops, but that they do not even have communion with the faithful. For those who separate the Son and alienate the Word from the Father ought to be separated from the catholic church, and to be strangers to the Christian name.

Let them therefore be anathema to us, because they have dared to adulterate the word of truth; for it is the precept of the apostle: 'If anyone preach a gospel to you...' [because he was deposed by] Alexander bishop of Alexandria, on account of himself and his colleagues the Arians and because of the crimes brought against them — all these the holy synod has deposed from the episcopate, and we have determined not only that they are not bishops, but that they do not merit communion with the faithful. For those who separate the Son from the substance of the Father and, from His equality, alienate the Word from the Father, ought to be severed from the catholic church and made strangers to the name of Christians. Let them therefore be anathema to you all, because they have trafficked in the word of truth; for it is the apostolic precept:

'If anyone [preach a gospel to you...]' — [but because he was deposed by the blessed Alexander, and because both he and these are of the madness of Arius, and because of the charges brought against them, these by unanimous vote the holy synod deposed from the episcopate. And we judged not only that they are not bishops, but that they are not even deemed worthy of communion with the faithful. For those who separate the Son and alienate the Word from the Father, it is fitting that they be separated from the catholic church and be strangers to the name of Christians. Let them therefore be anathema to you, because they have trafficked in the word of truth.] — if anyone preach a gospel to you other than what you received, let him be anathema.'

We proclaim that no one is to communicate with these; for there is no communion of light with darkness. Put all these far away; for there is no partnership of Christ with Belial. Take heed, most beloved, that you neither write to them nor receive their letters. And take care also, you most beloved brethren and fellow-priests, as though present in spirit at this synod, to confirm by your letters all the things that have been decreed by us, so that by all — [let no one announce a gospel other than what you received; let him be anathema. Bid no one to communicate with these; for there is no communion of darkness with light. Put all far away: for there is no agreement of Christ with Beliar. And observe, beloved brethren, that you neither receive their letters nor write to them.]

Be zealous also, you beloved brethren and fellow-ministers, being present in spirit at our synod, to consent and to pronounce through your writings, that the agreement may be preserved among all our fellow-ministers everywhere. [It is the apostolic precept: 'If anyone preach a gospel to you other than what you received, let him be anathema.' Bid no one to communicate with these; for there is no communion of light with darkness. Put all these far away; for there is no accord of Christ with Belial.]

And take heed, beloved, neither to write to them nor to receive letters from them. But be rather zealous, you also, brethren and fellow-ministers, as being present in spirit at our synod, to concur by your subscription, that the concord may be preserved among all our fellow-ministers everywhere. May divine Providence keep you consecrated and of good cheer, beloved brethren. Ossius the bishop subscribed, and so did all. [Take care] that the bishops hold the same mind, and that there is one will of all; and let it be made manifest from the agreement of the letters. We wish, brethren, that you may be well in the Lord. THE END. HERE BEGINS THE COPY OF THE LETTER MADE TO JULIUS BISHOP OF THE CITY OF ROME, SENT TO BISHOP JULIUS BY THE SYNOD.

(9). What we have always believed, we now also hold; for experience proves and confirms what each has heard by report. For it is true, what the most blessed teacher of the nations, the apostle Paul, spoke concerning himself: 'Since you seek a proof of Him who speaks in me, namely Christ' — although indeed, since the Lord Christ dwelt in him, it cannot be doubted that the Spirit spoke through his soul and made the instrument of his body to resound.

And you therefore, most beloved brother, though separated in body, were present with us in concord of mind and will; and honorable and necessary was the excuse of your absence, lest either the schismatic wolves should commit theft and snatch away by ambush, or the heretic dogs, roused with rabid fury, should madly bark, or at least the serpent devil should pour out the venom of his blasphemies. For this will seem best and most fitting: that from every province the priests of the Lord should refer matters to the head — that is, to the see of the apostle Peter.

Since therefore all things that were done, that were transacted, that were decreed, are contained both in the documents and in the living voices of our most beloved brothers and fellow-presbyters Arcydamus and Philoxenus and of our most beloved son Leo the deacon — who will be able to set them forth most truly and faithfully — it seems almost superfluous to insert the same things into this letter.

It was plain to all that those who assembled from the regions of the East, who call themselves bishops — although there are among them certain ringleaders, whose sacrilegious minds the Arian heresy has tinged with its pestilential venom — long dallied out of distrust, being unwilling to come to the judgment and to censure your communion and ours, which had no fault; for we not only believed the eighty bishops who testified to the innocence of Athanasius, but they, being convened through your presbyters and by letter to the synod which was to be held in the city of Rome, were unwilling to come. And it was iniquitous enough that they, despising so many priests bearing witness to Marcellus and Athanasius, should deny them fellowship. There were three matters that had to be treated.

For the most religious emperors themselves permitted that all things should be examined and disputed anew, and before all else concerning the holy faith and the integrity of the truth, which they had violated. The second concerned the persons whom they said had been deposed by an unjust judgment, so that, if they could prove it, a just confirmation might be made. But the third question — which is truly to be called a question — was that they had inflicted grave and bitter injuries, intolerable and even wicked outrages, upon the churches, when they seized bishops, presbyters,

deacons, and all the clergy, sending them into exile, leading them away to desert places, killing them by hunger, thirst, nakedness, and every want; others they shut up in prison and wore out with squalor and stench; some they bound with iron chains, so that their necks were strangled with the tightest rings. Finally, some of them, bound, perished in that same unjust punishment, whose glorious death by martyrdom cannot be doubted. And even yet they dare to detain certain ones, and there was no cause of any charge except that they resisted and cried out, that they execrated the Arian and Eusebian heresy and were unwilling to have communion with such men; while those who chose rather to serve the world [prospered].

And those who had before been deposed were not only received back, but even promoted to clerical dignity, and received the reward of their falsehood. But hear, most blessed brother, what has been decreed concerning the impious and ignorant youths Ursacius and Valens: because it was manifest that they did not cease to scatter the deadly seeds of adulterous doctrine, and that Valens, having left his own church, had wished to invade another church. At the time when he stirred up sedition, one of our brethren, who could not flee — Viator — was overwhelmed and trampled, and in that same city of the Aquileians died on the third day. The cause of his death was assuredly Valens, who threw all into confusion, who provoked it.

But when you have read the things which we have signified to the most blessed Augusti, you will easily perceive that we have omitted nothing, so far as reason allowed. And lest a long narration should be burdensome, we have merely indicated what they did and what they committed. But your excellent prudence ought to arrange that, through your writings, our brethren in Sicily, in Sardinia, and in Italy may learn what has been done and what has been determined, and that they may not, in ignorance, receive letters of communion — that is, epistles — from those whom a just sentence has degraded.

But let Marcellus and Athanasius and Asclepius remain in our communion, since the unjust judgment could not harm them, nor the flight and evasion of those who were unwilling to come to the judgment of all the bishops who had assembled. As for the rest, as we have mentioned above, the full report of the brethren — whom your sincere charity sent — will thoroughly instruct your unanimity. But we have taken care to append the names of those who for their crimes have been deposed, so that your eminent gravity might know who have been deprived of communion. As we have said before, deign to admonish by your letters all our brethren and fellow-bishops, that they receive not the epistles — that is, the letters of communion — of these men. LIKEWISE, THE NAMES OF THE HERETICS.

(14) (1) Ursacius of Singidunum. (2) Valens of Mursa. (3) Narcissus of Irenopolis. (4) Stephanus of Antioch. (5) Acacius of Caesarea. (6) Menophantus of Ephesus. (7) Georgius of Laodicea. LIKEWISE, THE NAMES OF THE BISHOPS BELOW, who were in the synod and subscribed to the same judgment. (15) (1) Ossius of Cordoba in Spain. (2) Annianus of Castulo in Spain. (3) Florentius of Emerita in Spain. (4) Domitianus of Asturica in Spain. (5) Castus of Caesaraugusta in Spain. (6) Praetextatus of Barcelona in Spain. (7) Maximus of Luca in Tuscia. (8) Bassus of Diocletianopolis in Macedonia. (9) Porphyrius of Philippi in Macedonia. (10) Marcellus of Ancyra in Galatia. (11) Euterius of Gannos in Thrace.

(12) Asclepius of Gaza in Palestine. (13) Museus of Thebes in Thessaly. (14) Vincentius of Capua in Campania. (15) Ianuarius of Beneventum in Campania. (16) Protogenes of Serdica in Dacia. (17) Dioscorus of Therasia. (18) Himenaeus of Hypata in Thessaly. (19) Lucius of Caenopolis in Thrace. (20) Lucius of Verona in Italy. (21) Euagrius of Heraclea Lyncestis in Macedonia. (22) Iulius of Thebes of the seven gates in Achaia. (23) Zosimus of Lychnidus in Macedonia. (24) Athenodorus of Elatea in Achaia. (25) Diodorus of Tenedos in Asia. (26) Alexander of Larissa in Thessaly. (27) Aethius of Thessalonica in Macedonia. (28) Vitalis of Aquae in Dacia Ripensis. (29) Paregorius of Scupi in Dardania.

(30) Trypho of Macaria in Achaia. (31) Athanasius of Alexandria. (32) Gaudentius of Naissus in Dacia. (33) Ionas of Particopolis in Macedonia. (34) Alypius of Megara in Achaia. (35) Macedonius of Ulpiana in Dardania. (36) Calvus of Castra Martis in Dacia Ripensis. (37) Fortunatianus of Aquileia in Italy. (38) Plutarchus of Patrae in Achaia. (39) Heliodorus of Nicopolis. (40) Euterius of Pannonia. (41) Arius of Palestine. (42) Asterius of Arabia. (43) Socras of Asopus-Phoebia in Achaia. (44) Stercorius of Canusium in Apulia. (45) Calepodius of Naples in Campania. (46) Irenaeus of Scyros in Achaia. (47) Martyrius of Naupactus in Achaia. (48) Dionysius of Elis in Achaia. (49) Severus of Ravenna in Italy.

(50) Ursacius of Brixia in Italy. (51) Protasius of Milan in Italy. (52) Marcus of Siscia in Savia. (53) Verissimus of Lugdunum in Gaul. (54) Valens of Oescus in Dacia Ripensis. (55) Palladius of Dium in Macedonia. (56) Goroncius of Beroea in Macedonia. (57) Alexander of Cyparissia in Achaia. (58-59) Euticius of Achaia [and Ticius of Asia] of Methone. (60) Alexander of Corone in Achaia. The bishops in all, sixty-one in number. Narrative text. (16). The matter, so far as I judge, does not need the interpretation of any further discourse; for all things have been so published and set forth that they have been brought out into the light of knowledge.

Witnesses procured out of Egypt; Athanasius himself present; the nocturnal and shameful flight of the false judges under the pricking of conscience; the grave odium of such great crimes, laid open before the eyes of all. Add too the origin of the affair, from which a pretext was sought for a sentence against Athanasius. He is accused as answerable for the altar overthrown by the violent assault of his own presbyter, at the very time of the sacrifices, where the presbyter Scyras was standing by in attendance. Yet Scyras the presbyter is denied to have existed, and the falsehood of the charge is condemned together with its author. But surely the work of sacrifice could not have taken place without a presbyter. When the inquiry is aimed at the man, there is no place at all for a deed so grave: at Mareotis there is no church whatever.

Or did the very worship perhaps fail on that soil alone, or did the site of the violated sacrifice sink away by some chasm, as sometimes happens? Scyras is asserted to have been ordained bishop from being a deacon, so that the authority of a lying bishop might be the greater when he complains of an outrage suffered in his person as a presbyter. But if there was a place of the church, then it still is; if it is not, then it never was. And what is doubtful here—whether these judges of false charges asserted that a thing was done which was manifestly never done, or whether those who afterward gave judgment ruled that a thing had not been established which, if it did exist, cannot possibly not have existed?

If, therefore, anyone has been trained by human learning to the use of common understanding, if anyone by the precepts of prudence keeps to the path of pursuing truth, let him fix his mind and weigh what judgment he would wish to hold in matters of this kind. Meanwhile I say nothing of the authors of these trials. Let these two verdicts stand side by side: the one that affirms the crime, names the place of the crime, and points out the man who suffered the injury; the other that denies the crime, the place, and the man. I ask, to which opinion will it seem fair for you to incline? Surely, I think, anyone consulted about both and set in the midst of the two verdicts will speak thus: 'If there is a crime, it must be proved; if there is a place, it must be shown;

if there is a man, he must be produced for inspection.' But in truth, when there is no reality of the deed, no worship at the place, and no injured man at all, it will be reckoned madness for a judge to pass judgment upon things that do not exist. Look up to heaven and the stars, you priests, and fix your gaze upon Him who made them out of nothing, with the freedom of faith and hope which you have received, remembering that such a form of the judgment to come upon you has been set before you: with what judgment you have judged, judgment shall be passed upon you. Answer me when I ask this: 'By what judgment did you condemn Athanasius?' You will say, of course: 'By that of bishops'—and this will be the excuse of your confession. 'We followed,' one says, 'the holy reverence due to judgments made under episcopal communion.'

But will you deny that you were unaware that communion was restored to Athanasius—whose condemnation Valens, Ursacius, and Saturninus extorted from you—by Ossius, Maximinus, and Julius? I do not press the matter of the communion; I ask only, what was your verdict concerning the crime of Athanasius? His presbyter Macarius is said to have burst into the church of Mareotis, to have thrown Scyras the presbyter into confusion, and to have cast down the sacraments of our salvation. As witnesses of this matter a catechumen and a heathen were questioned. But do you not know that afterward it was judged by holy men that there was no church at Mareotis, and that Scyras was no presbyter at all? What is it that you have followed? You grant authority to false bishops and deny it to true ones; you decree that the things which are, are not, yet you pass judgment on those things which are not.

But that you might believe this fabrication—I suppose—a prison compelled it, a jailer pressed hard, a torturer bore down, a sword hung over you, fire scorched you. In judging things that do not exist, wickedness obtained among you the authority of bishops; in the attaining of truth, holiness lost its credit. O true disciples of Christ! O worthy successors of Peter and Paul! O godly fathers of the Church! O ambitious ambassadors between God and His people—that you should have sold the truth of Christ to the falsehood of men! We have therefore made good our first proposition, in which we pledged that Athanasius could be held guilty of none of the crimes brought against him. It remains for me to say in very few words what was done in the case of Marcellus and Photinus.