講道與書信 第 157 章

Chapter I. — If, with a firm and unchangeable purpose, your love had held care for the common grace, nothing at all would have arisen that could bring you any anxiety. For reason did not permit that I should spurn the charity of him whom, out of love of peace and zeal for the restoration of the Catholic faith, I had aided in the very rudiments of his episcopate, desiring to have such a partner in ecclesiastical cares; so that from your holy predecessors I should feel wanting neither the spiritual and copious doctrine of John, nor the authority of Atticus, nor the industry of Proclus, nor the faith of blessed Flavian: and so I would use your zeal that no one would dare either to resist the Catholic faith or to go against the Nicene rules of the venerable Fathers.

But since, to the injury of the canons — as you acknowledge — those things were attempted which would generate the greatest scandal for all the Churches, what could I do more fitting and more modest than that I should first admonish you, with fraternal spirit and by letters sent, to withdraw from this intention? And when you did not write back to these, you yourself separated yourself from the fellowship of conversation with me. Finally, I was not thereafter silent, but to the most clement prince, guardian of the faith, I suggested by frequent petition of letters, that for the peace of the Churches — which you know profits you especially — these things which have now been done by your love should be fulfilled.

To whom I give unspeakable thanks, because according to the instruction of the Holy Spirit — of whose power he is most full — he deigns to be zealous for priestly concord, knowing that the prayers of those who supplicate will more abundantly profit him, if the servants of the one Lord are in nothing divided from the unity of true peace. Chapter II. — Therefore, as to what you signify has been corrected in certain matters in the offices of the clergy in the Church of Constantinople — that you have recalled the presbyter Aetius into your favour and affection, and have removed Andreas from the office of archdeacon — I write back that it has pleased us:

because it very greatly raises up and commends your reputation, as I desired. And rightly, after correction, that is brought into oblivion which seemed liable to reproach, since you were being burdened by the promotion of heretics and by the injury done to the disciples of Flavian of holy memory — things which now together, with your praise (as I wished), have ceased from all offence; because those things which had been disturbed have returned into their proper order. Andreas indeed, who has been reasonably deprived of the office of archdeacon, and Eufratas, who was a wicked accuser of Flavian of holy memory (as I have learned)

if, by fullest written professions, they condemn the Eutychian heresy no less than the detestable Nestorian dogma — since pardon must also be granted to the corrected — you shall consecrate them presbyters: so that they may feel that the remedy of the Catholic faith has profited them, one having first been chosen and approved who can fulfil the office of archdeacon, that is, one whom the report of none of the aforesaid impieties has ever besprinkled. But the rest, whom an equal guilt had involved, if they beg pardon by a similar profession with satisfaction, let them be reformed to their own orders: only those being admitted to the primacy of offices who shall be established to have been free from all error. Chapter III.

But as for that fault which you had incurred concerning the enlargement of your authority, at another's urging (as you assert), your charity would have washed it away more effectively and more sincerely, had you not shifted onto the counsels of clerics alone what could not have been attempted without your own will. For just as one transgresses by giving evil persuasion, so too one sins by giving evil consent. Yet it is pleasing to me, most beloved brother, that your love professes to be displeased by that which even then ought not to have been pleasing. The profession of your love in returning to the common grace, and the attestation of the Christian prince, suffice. Nor does the correction seem tardy to which so venerable a witness has been added. Let the appetite for a right not granted, which had produced the dissension, be utterly cast away.

Let the boundaries suffice which the most provident decrees of the holy Fathers have set: so that the dignity of all priests may rest secure in its own merits and its ancient privileges. Let the affection of the Lord's charity be renewed and abide in you, to which love I have often exhorted you, together with our brother and fellow-bishop Julian, who has always desired the common grace; by whose diligence your solicitudes will be relieved, and the catholic faith fortified. But above all, in brotherly charity I urge and admonish you to keep those things which pertain to the glory or to the safeguarding of the priestly office, namely the decrees of the Nicene canons which preserve the peace of the universal Church.

For thus inviolate charity will abide among the priests of the Lord, if with equal zeal those things be preserved which were established by the holy Fathers. Given on the fourth day before the Kalends of June, in the consulship of the most illustrious men Aetius and Studius. CHAP. I. — The manifold grace of your Clemency's letter has been received by me with due veneration, and I have recognized with joy what pious care for the Christian religion you hold, as is your custom; since among the Lord's priests you wish to establish that concord which may be fitting both for the universal Church and for the divine worship. For that peace is worthy of approval, and that charity is true, which the blessed Apostle most fully proclaims when he says: Charity out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned (1 Tim. 1:5).

Therefore, complying with and gladly assenting to the holy exhortations of your Piety, I have, as was my duty, replied in a mutual discourse to the writings of my brother and fellow-bishop Anatolius, who ought to have imputed the cessation of my address to his own silence: since he neglected to reply further to my letter, in which with brotherly charity I had admonished him to withdraw from a reprehensible ambition. But I, who kept silent toward him, have not ceased, according to my care, to suggest to your Clemency those things which would be profitable for the peace of the universal Church. For your Gentleness also received my representation so willingly that you deigned always to write back, and to act so that the things which have now been corrected might be owed to your glory:

namely, that he now sent such letters as would assert that the notable fault of ambition should be reckoned to others rather than to himself. CHAP. II. — Let then the aforesaid prelate acknowledge, O venerable Augustus, by how much more one grows through humility than through elation; and mindful of the boundaries of the Fathers, let him with due observance thereafter guard the wholesomeness of the canons established for the peace of the universal Church; let him also unceasingly watch over the defense of the catholic faith, let him set diligent vigils for the guarding of the Lord's flock, let him in all things make use of the most devoted help of your Piety, and if anywhere any hostile deceits lie hidden under the catholic name, let him urgently track it down to be exposed to your glory.

For you who have driven out sacrilegious error even from the more distant provinces, and have recalled the darkened hearts of the Palestinians to the light of truth, how will you suffer it to breathe again beneath the rays of your faith? And even throughout Egypt, with God helping you in all things, we more readily believe that the remnants of the depraved dogma are to be extinguished. For you deal kindly with those from whom you take away the license of an execrable error. CHAP. III. — I rejoice therefore, O glorious one, that the things which had been thrown into confusion are now composed; since both the memory of blessed Flavian is honored for the consolation of his disciples, since Andrew is removed from the office of archdeacon, since finally the injury to the holy Fathers is restrained, and abstinence is kept from violating the canons:

so that your reign may be tranquil while Christ reigns, and strong while Christ defends. Wherefore, since it delights me to obey your Clemency in all things, I embrace with my whole heart the charity of my brother Anatolius. Let him show himself amiable and faithful, and let him thereafter dissociate himself by no fickleness from that charity which I pledge to him, joining to himself with sincere affection those whom we have proved to be defenders of the catholic faith. He has in all things the example of your Piety to follow; especially since he is aided by the help of your kindness. But the representations of my brother and fellow-bishop Julian, whom I commend to your Piety, I beg that you would hear kindly, as you are wont.

This too will profit my brother Anatolius, if you deign to hold in honor him whom I have willed to be there on behalf of the catholic doctrine. CHAP. IV. — There is also this, which is most salutary for the Church of Constantinople, which I ask: that the monk Carosus, exceedingly unskilled and exceedingly perverse, who, as I have learned, subverts the hearts of many, may by the benefit of your Piety no longer put forth his poisons: lest where, by the holy zeal of your Gentleness, well-nigh every attempt of the heretics has been extinguished, there both your glory of faith and the synodal authority should be violated by a most worthless and reprobate defender of condemned perfidy. Given on the fourth day before the Kalends of June, in the consulship of the most illustrious men Aetius and Studius. CHAP. I.

— The solicitude which I had concerning the observance of Easter I rejoice to have been resolved, at my petition, by the holy zeal of your Clemency, in that you ordered a more diligent inquiry to be made in the Church of Alexandria, whether the coming Easter festival could rightly be celebrated on the eighth day before the Kalends of May, according to the determination of Bishop Theophilus, contrary to the ancient observance; since in all our annals the fifteenth day before the Kalends of May is recorded as inscribed from the Passion of the Lord. But since to the Egyptians another reckoning is pleasing, I have lent my consent, lest any discrepancy concerning the observance of so venerable a feast should arise throughout the provinces:

so that the greatest sacrament of the Lord's resurrection may nowhere be celebrated on a different day, and among the priests of the Lord there may be nothing at variance in so great a solemnity, but throughout all the Churches supplication may be made equally to our God for the prosperity of your Piety and for your reign. I signify moreover that I have received the letters of my brother and fellow-bishop Proterius, bishop of the city of Alexandria, in which I replied to your Piety concerning my consent: not because manifest reason had taught this, but because the care for the unity which we most greatly guard has persuaded it. CHAP. II.

— This too I have thought fit reasonably to append to this letter, that concerning what I petitioned your Piety in my earlier letters I might make my plea, namely, that you would not permit the stewards (oeconomi) of the Church of Constantinople, by a novel precedent, and especially in the times of your Piety, to be heard by the public judges; and that you would remove this injury also from the sacred orders; but that you would order the affairs of the Church to be inquired into, according to the transmitted custom, by priestly examination. Given on the fourth day before the Kalends of June, in the consulship of the most illustrious men Aetius and Studius.