{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/203/2030113.htm","path":"chr/ecf/203/2030113.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/203/2030113.htm","text":"Chapter VII.\u2014Letters of the Emperors Valentinianus and Valens, written to the diocese 681 of Asia about the Homo\u00fcsion, on hearing that some men in Asia and in Phrygia were in dispute about the divine decree.\nValentinian ordered a council to be held in Illyricum 682 and sent to the disputants the decrees ratified by the bishops there assembled. They had decided to hold fast the creed put forth at Nic\u00e6a and the emperor himself wrote to them, associating his brother with him in the dispatch, urging that the decrees be kept.\nThe edict clearly proclaims the piety of the emperor and similarly exhibits the soundness of Valens in divine doctrines at that time. I shall therefore give it in full. The mighty emperors, ever august, augustly victorious, Valentinianus, Valens, and Gratianus, 683 to the bishops of Asia, Phrygia, Carophrygia Pacatiana, 684 greeting in the Lord.\nA great council having met in Illyricum, 685 after much discussion concerning the word of salvation, the thrice blessed bishops have declared that the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is of one substance. 686 This Trinity they worship, in no wise remitting the service which has duly fallen to their lot, the worship of the great King. It is our imperial will that this Trinity be preached, so that none may say \u201cWe accept the religion of the sovereign who rules this world without regard to Him who has given us the message of salvation,\u201d for, as says the gospel of our God which contains this judgment, \u201cwe should render to C\u00e6sar the things that are C\u00e6sar\u2019s and to God the things that are God\u2019s.\u201d 687\nWhat say you, ye bishops, ye champions of the Word of salvation? If these be your professions, thus then continue to love one another, and cease to abuse the imperial dignity. No longer persecute those who diligently serve God, by whose prayers both wars cease upon the earth, and the assaults of apostate angels are repelled. These striving through supplication to repel all harmful demons both know how to pay tribute as the law enjoins, and do not gainsay the power of their sovereign, but with pure minds both keep the commandment of the heavenly King, and are subject to our laws. But ye have been shewn to be disobedient. We have tried every expedient but you have given yourselves up. 688 We p. 112 however wish to be pure from you, as Pilate at the trial of Christ when He lived among us, was unwilling to kill Him, and when they begged for His death, turned to the East, 689 asked water for his hands and washed his hands, saying I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man. 690\nThus our majesty has invariably charged that those who are working in the field of Christ are not to be persecuted, oppressed, or ill treated; nor the stewards of the great King driven into exile; lest to-day under our Sovereign you may seem to flourish and abound, and then together with your evil counsellor trample on his covenant, 691 as in the case of the blood of Zacharias, 692 but he and his were destroyed by our Heavenly King Jesus Christ after (at) His coming, being delivered to death\u2019s judgment, they and the deadly fiend who abetted them. We have given these orders to Amegetius, to Ceronius to Damasus, to Lampon and to Brentisius by word of mouth, and we have sent the actual decrees to you also in order that you may know what was enacted in the honourable synod.\nTo this letter we subjoin the decrees of the synod, which are briefly as follows.\nIn accordance with the great and orthodox synod we confess that the Son is of one substance with the Father. And we do not so understand the term \u2018of one substance\u2019 as some formerly interpreted it who signed their names with feigned adhesion; nor as some who now-a-days call the drafters of the old creed Fathers, but make the meaning of the word of no effect, following the authors of the statement that \u201cof one substance\u201d means \u201clike,\u201d with the understanding that since the Son is comparable to no one of the creatures made by Him, He is like to the Father alone. For those who thus think irreverently define the Son \u201cas a special creation of the Father,\u201d but we, with the present synods, both at Rome and in Gaul, hold that there is one and the same substance of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in three persons, that is in three perfect essences. 693 And we confess, according to the exposition of Nic\u00e6a, that the Son of God being of one substance, was made flesh of the Holy Virgin Mary, and hath tabernacled among men, and fulfilled all the economy 694 for our sakes in birth, in passion, in resurrection, and in ascension into Heaven; and that He shall come again to render to us according to each man\u2019s manner of life, in the day of judgment, being seen in the flesh, and showing forth His divine power, being God bearing flesh, and not man bearing Godhead.\nThem that think otherwise we damn, as we do also them that do not honestly damn him that said that before the Son was begotten He was not, but wrote that even before He was actually begotten He was potentially in the Father. For this is true in the case of all creatures, who are not for ever with God in the sense in which the Son is ever with p. 113 the Father, being begotten by eternal generation.\nSuch was the short summary of the emperor. I will now subjoin the actual dispatch of the synod.\nThe twelve dioceses of the Empire, as constituted under Diocletian, were (1) Oxiens; (2) Pontica; (3) Asiana; (4) Thracia; (5) M\u0153sia; (6) Pannonia; (7) Britanni\u00e6; (8) Galli\u00e6; (9) Viennensis; (10) Italiciana; (11) Hispani\u00e6; (12) Africa.\n111:682\nUnder Constantine Illyricum Occidentale included Dalmatia, Pannonia, Noricum, and Savia; Illyricum Orientale, Dacia, M\u0153sia, Macedonia and Thrace.\n111:683\nEldest son of Valentinian I. Born a.d. 359. Named Augustus 367. Succeeded his father 375; his uncle Valens 378. Murdered 383. The synod was convoked in the year of Valentinian\u2019s death.\n111:684\nPhrygia Pacatiana was the name given in the fourth century to the province extending from Bithynia to Pamphylia. \u201cCum in veterum libris non nisi du\u00e6 Phrygi\u00e6 occurrant, Pacatiana et salutaris, mavult Valesius h. l. scribere, \u03ba\u03b1\u03c1\u03b9\u03b1\u03c2 \u03c6\u03c1\u03c5\u03b3\u03af\u03b1\u03c2 \u03c0\u03b1\u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b9\u03b1\u03bd\u1fc6\u03c2. Sed consentientibus in vulgata lectione omnibus libris mallem servare \u03ba\u03b1\u03c1\u03b1\u03c6\u03c1\u03c5\u03b3\u03af\u03b1\u03c2 \u03c0\u03b1\u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b9\u03b1\u03bd\u1fc6\u03c2, quam Pacatianam \u03ba\u03b1\u03c1\u03bf\u03c6\u03c1\u03c5\u03b3\u03af\u03b1\u03bd dictam esse putaverim quod Cari\u00e6 proxime adh\u00e6resceret.\u201d Schulze.\n111:685\nThe date of this Council is disputed. \u201cPagi contending for 373, others for 375, Cave for 367.\u201d Dict. Ch. Ant. i. 813.\n111:686 111:687 111:688\n\u1f21\u03bc\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u1f10\u03c7\u03c1\u03b7\u03c3\u03ac\u03bc\u03b5\u03b8\u03b1 \u03c4\u1ff7 \u1f05\u03bb\u03c6\u03b1 \u1f15\u03c9\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u1f60 \u1f51\u03bc\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c2 \u03b4\u1f72 \u1f11\u03b1\u03c5\u03c4\u03bf\u1f7a\u03c2 \u1f00\u03c0\u03b5\u03b4\u03ce\u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5\nThe passage is obscure and perhaps corrupt. Schulze\u2019s note is \u201cNisi mendosus sit locus, quod quidem suspicabatur Camerarius, sensus talis esse videtur: \u2018Nos quidem primis usi sumus ad extrema,\u2019 h.e. omnia adhibuimus et tentavimus ad pacem restituendam et cohibendas vexationes, \u2018vos vero impotenti\u00e6 obsecuti estis.\u2019 Alias interpretationes collegit suamque addidit Valesius.\u201d The note of Valesius is as follows: hic locus valde obscurus est. Et Epiphanius quidem scholasticus ita eum vertit: et nos quidem subjicimur ei qui primus est et novissimus: vos autem vobismet arrogatis. Qu\u00e6 interpretatio, meo quidem iudicio, ferri non potest. Camerarius vero sic interpretatur: nos quidem ordine a primo ad ultimum processimus tractatione nostra: ipsi vero vosmet ipsos abalienastis. At Christophersonus ita vertit: nos patientia semper a principio usque ad finem usi sumus: vos contra animi vestri impotenti\u00e6 obsecuti estis\u2026mihi videtur verbum \u03c7\u03c1\u1fc6\u03c3\u03b8\u03b1\u03b9 hoc loco idem significari quod communicare et commercium habere. Cujus modi est illud in Evangelio: non co\u00fctuntur Jud\u00e6i Samaritanis. (Johon IV. 9.)\n112:689\nThe turning to the East is not mentioned in the Gospel of St. Matthew or in the Apocryphal Acts of Pilate; and the Imperial Decree seems here to import a Christian practice into the pagan Procurators tribunal. Orientation was sometimes observed in Pagan temples and the altar placed at the east end; perhaps in connexion with the ancient worship of the sun. cf. \u00c6sch. Ag. 502; Paus. V. 23. i; Cic. Cat. iii. \u00a743. In. Virg. \u00c6n. viii. 68 \u00c6neas turns to the East when he prays to the Tiber. cf. Liv 1. 18. But praying towards the East is specially a primitive Christian custom, among the earliest authorities being Tertullian (Apol. XVI.) and Clemens Al. (Stromat. VII. 7).\n112:690 112:691\n\u201cLocus densis,\u201d says Valesius, \u201ctenebris obvolutus\u201d\u2026The note of Schulze is \u201cprimum \u1f41 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03b1\u03ba\u03b5\u03ba\u03bb\u03b7\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2 videtur malus genius esse (\u03c6\u03b8\u03bf\u03c1\u03b9\u03bc\u03b1\u1fd6\u03bf\u03c2 \u03b4\u03b1\u03af\u03bc\u03c9\u03bd postea dicitur) qui excitaverat (\u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03b5\u03ba\u03ac\u03bb\u03b5\u03c3\u03b5) episcopos ad dissentientes vexandos plane ut crudeles Jud\u00e6i excitaverant Pilatum ut Christum interimerent; sic enim in superioribus Valentinianus dixerat. Porro Valent. non modo ad historiam Zachari\u00e6 a Jud\u00e6is in templo interfecti alludit, sed, si quid video, etiam ad verba ea quibus utitur Paulus, Heb. x. 29 \u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u03c5\u1f31& 232\u00b7\u03bd \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u0398\u03b5\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1\u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5\u1fd6\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c4\u1f78 \u03b1\u1f37\u03bc\u03b1 \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03b8\u03ae\u03ba\u03b7\u03c2 \u03ba\u03bf\u03b9\u03bd\u1f78\u03bd \u1f21\u03b3\u03ae\u03c3\u03b1\u03c3\u03b8\u03b1\u03b9, quare placet conjectura Valesii \u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5\u1fd6\u03bd\u201d (the reading adopted in the translation above), \u201c\u03c4\u1f70 \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03b8\u03ae\u03ba\u03b7\u03c2 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u1f61\u03c2 \u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u0396\u03b1\u03c7\u03b1\u03c1\u03af\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03b1\u1f35\u03bc\u03b1\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2, ut tota sententia sit: ne hodie sub nostro imperio incrementa capiatis et cum eo qui vos incitat conculcetis sanguinem f\u0153deris, fere ut Zachari\u00e6 tempore factum est a Jud\u00e6is.\u201d\n112:692\nIt is to be observed that the imperial letter does not add the probably interpolated words \u201cson of Barachias\u201d which are a difficulty in Matt. xxiii. 35, and do not appear in the Codex Sinaiticus.\n112:693\nHere for the first time in our author we meet with the word Hypostasis to denote each distinct person. Compare note on page 36. \u201cOrigen had already described Father, Son and Holy Spirit as three \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03c3\u03c4\u03ac\u03c3\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 or Beings, in opposition to the Monarchians, who saw in them only three modes of manifestation of one and the same Being. And as Sabellius had used the words \u03c4\u03c1\u03af\u03b1 \u03c0\u03c1\u03cc\u03c3\u03c9\u03c0\u03b1 for these modes of manifestation, this form of expression naturally fell into disfavour with the Catholics. But when Arius insisted on (virtually) three different hypostases in the Holy Trinity, Catholics began to avoid applying the word hypostases to the Persons of the Godhead. To this was added a difficulty arising from the fact, that the Eastern Church used Greek as the official language of its theology, while the Western Church used Latin, a language at that time much less well provided with abstract theological terms. Disputes were caused, says Gregory of Nazianzus (Orat. xxi. p. 395), \u03b4\u03b9\u1f70 \u03c3\u03c4\u03b5\u03bd\u03cc\u03c4\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1 \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u1f70 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c2 \u1fbd\u0399\u03c4\u03ac\u03bb\u03bf\u03b9\u03c2 \u03b3\u03bb\u03ce\u03c4\u03c4\u03b7\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f40\u03bd\u03bf\u03bc\u03ac\u03c4\u03c9\u03bd \u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03af\u03b1\u03bd. (Compare Seneca Epist. 58.) The Latins used essentia and substantia as equivalent to the Greek \u03bf\u1f50\u03c3\u03af\u03b1 and \u1f51\u03c0\u03cc\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2, but interchanged them, as we have seen in the translation of the Nicene Creed with little scruple, regarding them as synonyms. They used both expressions to describe the Divine Nature common to the Three. It followed that they looked upon the expression \u201cThree Hypostases\u201d as implying a division of the substance of the Deity, and therefore as Arian. They preferred to speak of \u201ctres Person\u00e6.\u201d Athanasius also spoke of \u03c4\u03c1\u03af\u03b1 \u03c0\u03c1\u03cc\u03c3\u03c9\u03c0\u03b1, and thus the words \u03c0\u03c1\u03cc\u03c3\u03c9\u03c0\u03b1 and Person\u00e6 became current among the Nicene party. But about the year 360, the Neo-Nicene party, or Meletians, as they are sometimes called, became scrupulous about the use of such an expression as \u03c4\u03c1\u03af\u03b1 \u03c0\u03c1\u03cc\u03c3\u03c9\u03c0\u03b1, which seemed to them to savour of Sabellianism. Thus a difference arose between the old Athanasian party and the Meletians.\u201d Archd. Cheetham in Dict. Christ. Biog. Art. \u201cTrinity.\u201d\n112:694","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Ser. II, Vol. III: The Ec...","type":"page"}