The holy and great and universal Synod, which by the grace of God and the sanction of our most pious emperors and lovers of Christ has been gathered in the metropolis of the Chalcedonians, in the province of Bithynia, to the most holy and most blessed archbishop of the Romans, Leo. Chapter I. Our mouth was filled with joy, and our tongue with exultation (Ps. 125:2). This prophecy grace has fitted to us as our own — by whom the restoration of piety has been confirmed. For what is more sublime than the faith for rejoicing? What is more festive for crowns than the knowledge of the Lord, which the Savior Himself of old delivered to us for salvation, saying: Go, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit;
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you (Matt. 28:19-20)? This series, as though woven with gold, coming from the command of the Lawgiver even unto us, you yourself have preserved, being constituted the interpreter of the voice of blessed Peter to all, and bringing the beatitude of his faith upon all. Whence we too, using you as the initiator of good things unto our profit, have set forth to the sons of the Church the inheritance and lot of truth — not each one severally making doctrine in secret, but declaring the confession of the faith with one spirit, one conspiration, and concord;
and we were in a common crown of joy, as at imperial banquets, feasting on spiritual delights, which through your letters Christ had prepared for the guests, and we thought we beheld the heavenly Bridegroom dwelling in our midst. For if where there are two or three gathered together in His name (Matt. 18:20), there He declared Himself to be in the midst of them, how great a special favor could He show toward the priests, who set the knowledge of their confession before both their country and their toil? Over whom you indeed presided, as the head over the members, showing benevolence in those who held your rank. And the faithful emperors presided most becomingly for the adorning, as Zerubbabel over Jesus (1 Esdras
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m, 2),Ecclesiæ, tamquamJerusalem, ædificationemrenovarecircadogmatainvitantes. CAP. II. — Etfueratutiqueadversariustamquambestiaextracaulasapudsemetipsumrugiens,nullumpraBvalenscapere, nisisemetipsumeiadcapienduminjecissetisquiAlexandrinorumquondampontifexfuit. Quimultaprius (cjpessimaoperatus, superviditpriorasequentibus. NambeatumillumintersanctosConstantinopolispastoremFlavianum, 1092apoatolicamproferentemfidem, etDeoamicissimumepiscopumEusebium, praeteromnemcanonumconsequentiamdeposuitatquedamnavit;
3:2), inviting us to renew the building of the Church, as of Jerusalem, concerning the doctrines. Chapter II. — And the adversary had indeed been like a beast outside the folds, roaring within himself, prevailing to seize none, unless he who was once pontiff of the Alexandrians had cast himself to him to be seized. Who, having first wrought many most wicked things, outdid the former by those that followed. For that blessed Flavian, pastor of Constantinople, numbered among the saints, who set forth the apostolic faith, and the most God-beloved bishop Eusebius, he deposed and condemned beyond all consistency of the canons;
and Eutyches, condemned for his impiety, he by the decrees of his tyranny declared innocent, and the dignity which had been stripped from him by your Holiness (as by one who was unworthy of this grace) he restored; and, in sum, like a solitary wild beast rushing into the vineyard, he overturned the best plantation he found (Ps. 79:14); but that which was, as it were, unfruitful and uprooted, he brought back in again; and those indeed who savor the things that are of shepherds he cut off; but those who have been shown to be wolves he set over the sheep. And after all these things, moreover, he stretched out his madness even against him to whom the guardianship of the vineyard was committed by the Savior — that is, against your Holiness also, we say;
and he devised excommunication against you, who hasten to unite the body of the Church. And whereas he ought rather to have repented of such deeds, whereas he ought to have begged mercy with tears, he exulted as over sober deeds, spurning indeed the epistle of your Holiness, and opposing himself to all the doctrines of the truth. Chapter III. — And it were indeed fitting that he should soon be left among those in whose party he had placed himself. But because we profess that we are disciples of the Savior, who wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4), we hastened by our deed to confirm this mercy toward him, and with fraternal gentleness we called him to judgment.
not as though seeking to cut him off, but granting him a place of excuse for the sake of saving him; and we prayed that he might be declared victor against those who arraigned him with divers accusations, so that, consummating the council with the celebrated gladness of a feast, we might in nothing be overcome by Satan. But he, having in himself the conviction inscribed upon his conscience, by his refusal of judgment assented to the accusations against him, and cast aside the three lawful summonses made to him. Therefore the decree which he himself had brought forth against himself by his sinning, this (as far as we could, by mitigating it) we confirmed, stripping the wolf of the pastoral fleece, wherewith before too he was covered, convicted only as to appearance.
Up to this point the sad things befalling us ceased, and the grace of good things soon shone forth; and, plucking out one of the tares, we filled the whole world with pure wheat with delight. And, as though taking the power of plucking up and planting, we groaned indeed over the cutting off of one only, but diligently planted the abundance of good things. For it was God who was working, and Euphemia, who crowned the council adorned with the fair beauty of victory for her own Bridegroom:
who, receiving from us the definition of the faith as her own confession, offered it to her Bridegroom through the most pious emperor and the empress, friend of Christ, calming indeed every disturbance of the adversaries, but strengthening the confession of the truth as a friend, subscribed by the hand and tongue of all, according to the decrees, for a demonstration. These are the things which, together with you — who were present in spirit, and were pleased to give your approval as to brethren, and who were seen among us, as it were, through the wisdom of your vicars — we have accomplished. Chapter IV.
We indicate, moreover, that we have also defined certain other things for the orderly quiet of these very matters, and for the firmness of the ecclesiastical statutes, knowing that your Holiness also, on learning of them, will both approve and confirm the same. For that custom, which has already remained from a long time, which the holy Church of God of the Constantinopolitans had, of ordaining the metropolitans of the provinces both of Asiana and of Pontica and of Thrace;
this we have confirmed by a synodal decree — not so much granting anything to the see of Constantinople as providing fitting quiet for the metropolitan cities; because, when bishops frequently come to the end of their life, many disturbances arise, the clergy and peoples who are throughout those same cities remaining without a ruler and throwing the ecclesiastical order into confusion; which did not escape your Holiness either, especially on account of the Ephesians, whence certain persons have often been troublesome to you.
We have moreover confirmed the canon of the one hundred and fifty holy Fathers, who were gathered together at Constantinople under Theodosius the Elder of pious memory, which prescribed that, after your most holy and apostolic see, the see of Constantinople should have honor (which is ordained the second); trusting that, with the apostolic ray shining among you even unto the Church of the Constantinopolitans, you, governing your subjects according to custom, will often extend this ray, inasmuch as you are wont, without envy, to enrich your household with the participation of your good things.
Since therefore we have defined these things unto the doing away indeed of all confusion, but unto the confirmation of the ecclesiastical order, deign to embrace them as proper and friendly and most fitting for seemliness, most holy and most blessed father. For the most holy bishops Paschasinus and Lucentius who hold the place of your Holiness, and the most reverend presbyter Bonifacius who is with them, tried vehemently to resist these things thus established, doubtless willing that this good too should be begun from your Providence: so that, as of the faith, so also of good order, the effect might be attributed to you.
For we, having regard both for the most pious emperors and friends of Christ, who are delighted over this, and for the most illustrious senate and the whole imperial city, as it is fitting to say, judged it opportune that the confirmation of its honor should be celebrated by the universal council, and, as though these things had been begun by your Holiness — because you always strive to foster it — we strengthened them, presuming, since we know that whatever of rectitude is done by the sons redounds to the fathers, making this proper to them. We ask therefore: honor our judgment also by your decrees; and as we have added to the head consonance in good things, so let your Sublimity fulfill for the sons what is fitting.
For thus also the pious princes will be pleased, who have confirmed the judgment of your Holiness as though a law, and the see of Constantinople will receive its reward, which has always fulfilled every zeal toward you for the cause, and has joined itself to you in concord with the same zeal. But that you may know that we have done nothing by granting favor to anyone through partiality, or by opposing through enmity, but that, governed by the divine nod, we have made known to you the whole force of what was done, for the proof of our sincerity, and for the firmness and consonance of the things which have been done by us.
The holy and great and universal synod, which according to the grace of God and the sanction of the most pious princes and lovers of God has been gathered at Chalcedon, the metropolis of the province of Bithynia, to the most holy and most blessed Leo. Chapter I. — Our mouth was filled with joy and our tongue with exultation (Ps. 125:2), because grace fitted this prophecy to us as our own — by whom the vow of piety was confirmed. For what is higher than the end for gladness? What is clearer for exultation than the knowledge of the Lord, which the Savior Himself delivered to us from above unto salvation, saying:
Going, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. This chain, as it were golden, drawn down into us from the command of Him who imposed it, you yourself have preserved, being the interpreter of the voice of blessed Peter to all, and drawing to all the beatitude of his faith.
Whence we too, using you as prince of this good unto our profit, have shown to the sons of the Church the lot of truth — not making doctrine each severally as in secret, but with common spirit, one consent and concord, acknowledging the confession of the faith. And we were in common exultation, as at imperial banquets, feasting on the foods which through your letters Christ prepared for the feasters. And we seemed to behold the heavenly Bridegroom feasting in our midst. For if where there are two or three gathered together in His name, there He says that He is in the midst of them (Matt. 18:20);
how great a familiarity will He show toward the five hundred and twenty priests, who set the knowledge of their confession before both their country and their toil concerning Him? Over whom you were set as a head over the members, through those who hold your place, showing right counsel. And the faithful princes presided for the adornment, as Zerubbabel, hastening to renew for the Church the building of the doctrines, even as Jesus renewed Jerusalem (1 Esdras 3:2). Chapter II. — And the adversary was like a beast outside the folds, raging within himself, having none whom he might seize, unless he set himself, once made prelate of the city of Alexandria, before him as prey; who, when he had first done many evils, concealed the former by the latter.
For that blessed Flavian, pastor of the city of Constantinople, to be numbered among the saints, who set forth the apostolic faith, and the God-loving bishop Eusebius, he deposed against all discipline of the canons, and Eutyches, condemned for his impiety, he restored by his tyrannical decrees, and the dignity taken away by your Holiness — as indeed by one who deserved it — he gave back; and, wholly ferocious, falling upon the vineyard like a solitary beast, he overturned the good plantation which he found (Ps. 79:14), but introduced an unfruitful and forsaken one, and cut off those having pastoral wisdom, but brought in wolves manifestly against the sheep.
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SuperhaecomniaetiamcontraeumquicustodiamvineaeaSalvatoresusceperat,furoremsuumextendit (dicimusautemdesanctitatevestra), etexcommunicationemcontraeumquicorpusEcclesiaadunarefestinavit, cogitavit. Etcumoportuisseteumprohispoenitere, etdebuissetlacrymispostularemisericordiam, tamquamprohonestislætabatur,epistolamquidemvestraesanctitatisaspernens,omnibusautemveritatisdogmatibusresistens. CAP. III. — Etoportuerat.quidemeummoxinbacinquaseipsumordinavitparterelinquere.QuoniamautemSalvatorisdisciplinamprofitemur, quiomneshominessalvosessevultetvenireadcognitionemveritalia (1 Tim. II, 4).
Beyond all this, he stretched out his fury even against the man who had received the guardianship of the vineyard from the Saviour (we speak of your Holiness), and he devised excommunication against him who hastened to gather the body of the Church into one. And whereas he ought to have repented of these things, and to have begged for mercy with tears, he rejoiced as though over honourable deeds, spurning indeed the letter of your Holiness, but resisting all the dogmas of truth. CHAPTER III. — And it would indeed have been fitting to leave him at once in that very rank in which he had ordained himself. But since we profess the discipline of the Saviour, who wills that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4),
we hastened in this matter to establish mercy toward him, and in a brotherly spirit summoned him to judgment, not as attempting to cut him off, but offering him a place of satisfaction as a remedy; and we prayed that he might come forth superior to the various accusations that had been written against him, so that, dismissing the assembly renowned with celebration, we might in nothing be wounded by Satan. But he, having within himself the witness of a conscience inscribed against him, by refusing the judgment consented to the accusations, and repudiated the three lawful summonses made concerning him.
Therefore the very sentence which he himself had pronounced against his own faults we confirmed, as far as was possible, with moderation, stripping the wolf of his pastoral skin, in which garb he had long before been convicted of being clothed. Up to this point sadness had beset us, but at once the grace of good things shone forth again; and by plucking out one tare, we filled the whole world with pure wheat to our delight; and as though we had received the power of uprooting and of planting, we restrained the cutting-off indeed to but one man, while we diligently planted the fruitfulness of good things.
For it was God who was at work, and the venerable Euphemia who crowned the union of the bridal chamber, who, receiving from us the definition as her own confession of faith, presented it to her Bridegroom through the most pious sovereign and the empress who loves God, quieting indeed every disturbance of the adversaries, but confirming the confession of truth as a friend, and assigning it both by hand and tongue to the sentences of all for its manifestation. These are the things which we have wrought together with you in the present spirit, and as with one who knows how to favour his brethren, and who was manifest to us as almost the equal of your own wisdom.
CHAPTER IV. — We also make known that we have established certain other things concerning the order of affairs and the constancy of ecclesiastical rules, knowing that your Holiness too, if you take note of them, will approve and confirm them. For that custom which many ages ago prevailed, which the holy Church of God at Constantinople held for ordaining the metropolitans of the dioceses of Asia, Pontus, and Thrace, we have now confirmed also by a synodal sentence, not so much conferring anything upon the see of Constantinople as providing tranquillity for the metropolitans; because, since very many bishops often die, tumults arise while both the clergy and the peoples who are in those places remain without governance, and they throw the ecclesiastical order into confusion — which does not escape your Holiness, especially in the case of the Ephesians, who have often brought trouble upon you.
We have also confirmed the canon of the hundred and fifty holy Fathers who were gathered at Constantinople in the times of Theodosius the Great of blessed memory, which decrees that after your most holy and apostolic see, Constantinople holds the primacy of the second place; knowing that, after your wonted manner, you have often extended the ray of your apostolic see, exceedingly powerful, in protection over the Church of Constantinople, since you have been accustomed without envy to share your good things with those of your household.
Therefore the things which we have decreed for the cutting away of all confusion, and for the confirming of ecclesiastical discipline, deign to embrace as proper and friendly and fitted for adornment, most holy and most blessed Father. For those who hold the place of your Holiness, the most holy bishops Paschasinus and Lucentius, and with them the most reverend presbyter Boniface, attempted vehemently to resist these things thus established, doubtless wishing that even this good should be begun by your providence;
so that, just as of the faith, so also of order, the restoration might be imputed to you. But we, in satisfying the most pious sovereigns and lovers of Christ, who rejoice over this cause, and the most illustrious senate, and, so to speak, the whole royal city, judged it fitting that its honour should be confirmed by the universal synod; and, as though it had taken its beginning from your Holiness, through these men whom you have ever hastened to cherish, we have confidently confirmed it, knowing that every good that is done by sons redounds to their own parents.
We beg therefore: honour our judgment also with your sentences; and just as we have contributed our consent in good things to the head, so let the head also fulfil for the sons what is fitting. For thus the most pious sovereigns will be gratified, who have affirmed the judgment of your Holiness as a law, and the see of Constantinople will receive its recompense, which has ever shown you every zeal for the cause of piety, and has joined itself to you in concord out of zeal. And that you may know that we do nothing for the sake of favour or of offence, but governed by the divine will, we have imparted to you the whole force of the proceedings, for our own consistency and for the confirmation and disposition of those things which have been done by us. ANATOLIUS, bishop of Constantinople.
Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. MAXIMUS, bishop of the great city of Antioch. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most holy and most blessed Father. JUVENAL, bishop of Jerusalem. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most holy and most blessed Father. CYRIACUS, bishop of the metropolis of Heraclea, subscribed through the God-loving bishop Lucianus. As above. DIOGENES, bishop of the metropolis of Cyzicus. As above. PHOTIUS, bishop of the metropolis of Tyre. As above. FLORENTIUS, bishop of the metropolis of the city of Sardis in Lydia. Pray that I may fare well, most God-loving Father. CONSTANTIUS, bishop of the metropolis of Bostra. Pray that I may fare well, most holy and most blessed lord and Father.
THEODORUS, bishop of the metropolis of Damascus. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. SELEUCUS, by the grace of God bishop of the metropolis of Amasea. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. CONSTANTINE, by the mercy of God metropolitan bishop of Melitene. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most reverend Father. FRANCION, metropolitan bishop of Philippopolis. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most loving Father. PERGAMUS, bishop of the metropolis of Antioch of Pisidia. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. LUCIANUS, bishop of Byza. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. GREGORIUS, bishop of Adrianople. Pray, most God-loving Father, that I may fare well.
THEODORET, bishop of Cyrus. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, lord, most God-loving Father. MELETIUS, bishop of Larissa, acting in the stead of the most blessed bishop lord of Apamea in Syria, subscribed. Pray that I may fare well, most holy Father. ACACIUS, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of Arca. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. JOHN, bishop of Germanicia. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. JOSEPH, bishop of Heliopolis. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving and most holy Father. CALOGERUS, bishop of Claudiopolis. Pray that I may fare well, most God-loving Father. And I subscribed through the deacon Euphrosynus. HERACLIUS, by the mercy of God bishop of Comana. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father.
IBAS, bishop of the metropolis of Edessa. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. SOPHRONIUS, bishop of Constantina. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. URANIUS, bishop of Emesa. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. EUSEBIUS, bishop of Dorylaeum. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. AETHERIUS, bishop of Smyrna. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. ZENOBIUS, bishop. As above. THOMAS, bishop of Theodosiopolis. May I fare well in the Lord, most loving Father. SABAS, bishop of Paltus. May I fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. Subscribing through bishop Patricius. PATRICIUS, bishop of Neocaesarea. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father.
RINUS, by the grace of God bishop of Junopolis. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. EUDOXIUS, bishop of the region of Choma. May I fare well in the Lord, most holy Father. NICOLAUS, by the mercy of God bishop of the Acarasseans. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most loving Father. EVODIUS, bishop of Baumata. May I fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. TRIPHON, bishop of the Church of Chios. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. PAUL, bishop of the most holy Church of God at Philomelium. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, lord Father. THEOCTISTUS, bishop of Tyriaeum. May I fare well in the Lord, most holy Father. OLYMPIUS, bishop of the most holy Church of God of Sozopolis. Pray that I may fare well, most holy Father in God.
JOHN, humble bishop of the city of the Barbilei. Pray that I may fare well, most God-loving Father. VALERIUS, bishop of the city of Laodicea in Phoenicia. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. BASILIUS, bishop of the city of Nacolia. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. NOAH, bishop of the city. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. URANIUS, bishop of the city of the Iborians. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. MANASSES, bishop of Theodosiopolis of Greater Armenia. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. AURELIUS, bishop. Pray for us, most blessed Father. RESTITUTIANUS, bishop. Pray for us, holy and venerable Pope. AMACIUS, bishop of the city of the Soti.
Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. MELETIUS, bishop of Larissa. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. FONTEIANUS, bishop of Sagalassus. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. THEODORUS, by the mercy of God bishop of Antiphellus in Lycia. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. MELIPHTHONGUS, by the mercy of God bishop of Heliopolis. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. THALASSIUS, bishop of the city of Parium. May I fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. ALEXANDER, bishop of the city of Seleucia in Pisidia. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. MUSIANUS, bishop of Limena. May I fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. FLORENTIUS, bishop of Lesbus...
...and by letters. Pray, most God-loving Father, that I may fare well. EPIPHANIUS, bishop of the city of Midaeum. Pray that I may fare well, most God-loving Father. CYRUS, bishop of the city of Synnada. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most holy Father. PANCRATIUS, bishop of Lybia. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most holy Father. POLYCHRONIUS, bishop of Antipatris. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. CYRIACUS, bishop of the city of the Trocnadeans, subscribed through my presbyter Chrysippus. Pray that I may fare well in the Lord, most holy Father. EUNOMIUS, bishop of the metropolis of Nicomedia. Pray that I may fare well, most holy Father. ANASTASIUS, bishop of the metropolis of Nicaea. Pray that I may fare well, most holy Father. SEBASTIANUS, bishop of the city of Berissa.
May I fare well in the Lord, most God-loving Father. JOVINUS, bishop of the most holy Church of God of Debeltus. Pray that I may fare well, most loving Father. Likewise all the remaining bishops subscribed. Here ends the report of the holy synod of Chalcedon to Pope Leo. CHAPTER I. — When the letter of your Beatitude had been brought to us, which you sent to the East for the assertion of the catholic faith, we could have wished at once to render thanksgiving to your Apostolate for so immense a gift;
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nisinobisdifficultatem,quainunumceleriternonpotuimusconvenire, velspatia.quibusaDobisdispalatisumus,longaterrarum,velaurarum, quæinregionibusnostrispraeterconsuetudinemfuit,intemperiesattulisset.Detergoapostolatusvesternostraeveniamtarditati,quaenondeotioautdissimulatione, seddecertanecessitatedescendit: quaequeanobis,etsiceleritatisgratiamabstulit,exsultanditamenmateriamauferrenonpotuit, CAP. II. — ExsultavimusitaqueChristopropitiolectisbeatitudinisvestrælitteris,etomniinstructionepateracta, omnesintraGalliasconstitutosexsultaremoxfecimu8:
had not difficulty prevented us, in that we could not quickly gather into one, or had not the long stretches of lands by which we were scattered abroad from you, or the intemperateness of the winds, which was unwonted in our regions, brought this about. Therefore let your Apostolate grant pardon to our tardiness, which arose not from idleness or dissimulation, but from a sure necessity: a necessity which, although it took from us the grace of speed, yet could not take away the matter of our rejoicing. CHAPTER II. — And so, Christ being favourable, we rejoiced upon reading the letters of your Beatitude, and once every instruction had been laid open, we soon caused all who are established within the Gauls to rejoice:
grieving likewise with you for those who, having abandoned the light of the catholic faith, have fallen into the darkness of errors. These writings of your Apostolate, whoever does not neglect the sacraments of redemption inscribes upon the tablets of his heart, as the symbol of faith, and has committed to a tenacious memory, that he may be the readier to confound the errors of heretics. And so many, rejoicing and exulting alike over it, have recognized the sense of their own faith, and that they have always held it thus from the paternal tradition, as your Apostolate has set it forth;
they rejoice. Some, having become more solicitous, when they had received the admonition of your Beatitude, congratulate themselves as instructed in every way, and rejoice that an occasion has been given them whereby, freely and confidently, with the authority of the apostolic see also lending its support, each one may speak out and assert what he believes.
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CAP.III.— QuisautemapostolatuivestreprohoctantomunerequononsolumGallias,sedtotummundumvelutquibusdampretiosissimisgemmisornavit,dignasaestimetgratiaspossepersolvi?DoctrinaspostDeumvestraedcbetfidelis,utconstanterteneatquodcredebat;debetetiaminfidelis,utaperfidiasua, agnitaveritatediscedat, 1108 etapoetolicæinstitutionisluceperfusus,errorissuitenebrasderelinquat.magisquesequaturetcredat,quodperosvestrumDominusnosterJesusChristusdesacramentoincarnationissuaedocet,quamidteneatquoddiabolushumanaesalutisatveritatisinimicusinstillat. CAP. IV.
CHAPTER III. — But who could reckon that worthy thanks can be rendered to your Apostolate for this so great a gift, whereby you have adorned not only the Gauls but the whole world, as with certain most precious gems? To your teaching the faithful, after God, is indebted, that he may constantly hold what he believed; the unbeliever too is indebted, that, the truth being recognized, he may depart from his faithlessness, and, bathed in the light of apostolic instruction, may forsake the darkness of his error, and rather follow and believe that which through your mouth our Lord Jesus Christ teaches concerning the sacrament of His incarnation, than hold that which the devil, the enemy of human salvation and of truth, instils. CHAPTER IV.
— We would also have wished to write to your son, the most glorious and most faithful sovereign, concerning this same cause, whereby, congratulating him upon his faith, we might show forth the solicitude of our own humility whereby we follow you in Christ, had not a message brought to us from the Eastern parts made us judge this to be by no means necessary. But to the merits of your Apostolate the merciful Lord granted that a heresy, long nourished in secret, should be brought to light in your times. For it pertains to the praise of your solicitude that the error of the wicked could not lie hidden; it redounds to the glory of the faith that the depraved persuasion either found no partakers, or, having found them, lost them.
May the merciful Lord therefore, we pray, look upon His Church spread throughout the whole world, by preserving your Apostolate; for while you thus keep watch, both those who bear the care of their own soul are rendered more solicitous in the faith, and those who are somewhat slothful are kindled to solicitude by so great an example. CHAPTER V. — Ever keeping this before our eyes, we shall not cease to give thanks to our Lord and God and likewise to make supplication, rejoicing that He has given to the apostolic see — whence, Christ being favourable, the fount and origin of our religion flowed — a bishop of such holiness, such faith, and such teaching; asking also that He may guard the gift bestowed and granted of your pontificate, for the longest age, unto the edification of His Churches.
But we, though unequal in merits, yet of equal faith, if anything (which God forbid) should be attempted against the catholic Church by profane assault, are prepared, the Lord strengthening us, together with your Beatitude to lay down our souls for the truth of the faith, and to expend this life for the author of our salvation and the bestower of eternity. And in another hand: Pray for me, lord deservedly most blessed, and venerable in apostolic honour, O Pope. RUSTICUS, bishop, venerating your Apostolate in the Lord, I greet you, and I humbly beg that you deign to pray for me. VENERIUS: I greet you my lord in Christ, most reverend, and I humbly beg that you deign to pray for me. CONSTANTIANUS, bishop, I greet your Beatitude. MAXIMUS, bishop, I greet your Beatitude.
ARMENTARIUS, bishop, I greet your Beatitude. FLORUS, bishop, venerating your Beatitude in the Lord I greet you, and I earnestly beg that you may pray much for me. SABINUS, bishop, I present myself to your Beatitude, and I ask that the prayer of your Apostolate be mindful of us. VALERANUS, bishop, I greet your Beatitude. NECTARIUS, bishop, I greet your Beatitude. CONSTANTINUS, bishop, I greet your Beatitude. MAXIMUS, bishop, I greet your Apostolate. I, ASCLEPIUS, bishop, venerating your Apostolate in the Lord, greet you most heartily. I, MAXIMUS, bishop, greet your Apostolate. I, URSUS, bishop, greet your Beatitude. INGENUUS, bishop, venerating your Apostolate, greet you.
JUSTUS, bishop, venerating your crown, I greet you. VALERIUS, bishop, I greet your Apostolate. I, SUPERVENTOR, bishop, venerating your crown, I greet you. VERUS, bishop, I reverently greet your Apostolate. HELLADIUS, bishop, I greet your Holiness in the Lord. AETHERIUS, bishop, I greet your Holiness in the Lord. EULALIUS, bishop, I greet your Holiness in the Lord. ANEMIUS, bishop, I greet your Holiness in the Lord. CHRYSAPHIUS, bishop, I greet your Holiness in the Lord. PETRONIUS, bishop, I greet your Holiness in the Lord, and I ask that you deign to pray for me. I, FONTEIUS, bishop, reverently greet your Apostolate, and I ask that you deign to remember me.
YDATIUS, bishop, I greet your Apostolate in the Lord. HILARUS, bishop, I greet your Apostolate with much veneration in Christ. VICTURUS, bishop, venerating your Apostolate, I greet you. EUGENIUS, bishop, I greet your Beatitude. PALLADIUS, bishop, venerating your Apostolate, I greet you. I, FRATERNUS, bishop, venerating your crown, I greet you. I, AMANDUS, bishop, venerating your Apostolate, I greet you. I, GERONTIUS, bishop, venerating your crown, I greet you. I, PROCULEIANUS, bishop, venerating your crown, I greet you. I, DYNAMIUS, bishop, venerating your crown, I greet you. I, JULIANUS, bishop, venerating your Apostolate, I greet you. I, ARMENTARIUS, bishop, venerating your crown, I greet you.
I, HONORATUS, bishop, venerating your crown, I greet you. EPARCHIUS, bishop, venerating your Apostolate, I greet you. I, EUSTATHIUS, bishop, venerating your Apostolate, I greet you. I, MAXIMUS, bishop, venerating your Apostolate, I greet you. I, YNANTIUS, venerating your crown, I greet you.