Chapter II.—Conduct of the Arians towards the Nicene Council. Ignorant as well as irreligious to attempt to reverse an Ecumenical Council: proceedings at Nicæa: Eusebians then signed what they now complain of: on the unanimity of true teachers and the process of tradition: changes of the Arians.

And do thou, beloved, consider whether it be not so. If, the devil having sowed their hearts with this perverseness15    ἐπισπείραντος τοῦ διαβόλου, the allusion is to Matt. xiii. 25, and is very frequent in Athan., chiefly with a reference to Arianism. He draws it out at length, Orat. ii. §34. Elsewhere, he uses the image for the evil influences introduced into the soul upon Adam’s fall, contr. Apoll. i. §15. as does S. Irenæus, Hær. iv. 40. n. 3. using it of such as lead to back-sliding in Christians. ibid. v. 10. n. 1. Gregory Nyssen, of the natural passions and of false reason misleading them, de An. et Resurr. p. 640. vid. also Leon. Ep. 156. c. 2., they feel confidence in their bad inventions, let them defend themselves against the proofs of heresy which have been advanced, and then will be the time to find fault, if they can, with the definition framed against them16    The Council did two things, anathematise the Arian positions (at the end of the Creed), and establish the true doctrine by the insertion of the phrases, “of the substance” and “one in substance.” Athan. says that the Arians must not criticise the latter before they had cleared themselves of the former. Thus he says presently, that they were at once irreligious in their faith and ignorant in their criticism; and speaks of the Council negativing their formulæ, and substituting those which were “sound and ecclesiastical.” vid. also n. 4.. For no one, on being convicted of murder or adultery, is at liberty after the trial to arraign the sentence of the judge, why he spoke in this way and not in that17    And so S. Leo “passim” concerning the Council of Chalcedon, “Concord will be easily established, if the hearts of all concur in that faith which, &c., no discussion being allowed whatever concerning any retractation,” Ep. 94. He calls such an act a “magnum sacrilegium,” Ep. 157. c. 3. “To be seeking for what has been disclosed, to retract what has been perfected, to tear up what has been laid down (definita), what is this but to be unthankful for what we gained?” Ep. 162. vid. the whole of it. He says that the attempt is “no mark of a peace-maker but a rebel.” Ep. 164. c. l. fin. vid. also Epp. 145, and 156, where he says, none can assail what is once determined, but “aut antichristus aut diabolus.” c. 2.. For this does not exculpate the convict, but rather increases his crime on the score of petulance and audacity. In like manner, let these either prove that their sentiments are religious (for they were then accused and convicted, and their complaints are subsequent, and it is just that those who are under a charge should confine themselves to their own defence), or if they have an unclean conscience, and are aware of their own irreligion, let them not complain of what they do not understand, or they will bring on themselves a double imputation, of irreligion and of ignorance. Rather let them investigate the matter in a docile spirit, and learning what hitherto they have not known, cleanse their irreligious ears with the spring of truth and the doctrines of religion18    Vid. Orat. iii. §28..

3. Now it happened to Eusebius and his fellows in the Nicene Council as follows:—while they stood out in their irreligion, and attempted their fight against God19    θεομαχεῖν, θεομάχοι. vid. Acts v. 39; xxiii. 9. are of very frequent use in Athan. as is χριστομάχοι, in speaking of the Arians, vid. infra passim. also ἀντιμαχόμενοι τῷ σωτῆρι, Ep. Encycl. §5. And in the beginning of the controversy, Alexander ap. Socr. i. 6. p. 10. b.c.p. 12. p. 13. Theod. Hist. i. 3. p. 729. And so θεομάχος γλῶσσα, Basil. contr. Eunom. ii. 27. fin. χριστομάχων. Ep. 236. init. vid. also Cyril (Thesaurus, p. 19 e. p. 24 e.). θεομάχοι is used of other heretics, e.g. the Manichees, by Greg. Naz. Orat. 45. §8., the terms they used were replete with irreligion; but the assembled Bishops who were three hundred more or less, mildly and charitably required of them to explain and defend themselves on religious grounds. Scarcely, however, did they begin to speak, when they were condemned20    i.e. “convicted themselves,” infr. §18. init. ἑαυτῶν ἀεὶ κατήγοροι, ad. Ep. Æg. §6. i.e. by their variations, vid. Tit. iii. 11αὐτοκατάκριτος, and one differed from another; then perceiving the straits in which their heresy lay, they remained dumb, and by their silence confessed the disgrace which came upon their heterodoxy. On this the Bishops, having negatived the terms they had invented, published against them the sound and ecclesiastical faith; and, as all subscribed it, Eusebius and his fellows subscribed it also in those very words, of which they are now complaining, I mean, “of the essence” and “one in essence,” and that “the Son of God is neither creature or work, nor in the number of things originated21    γενητῶν., but that the Word is an offspring from the substance of the Father.” And what is strange indeed, Eusebius of Cæsarea in Palestine, who had denied the day before, but afterwards subscribed, sent to his Church a letter, saying that this was the Church’s faith, and the tradition of the Fathers; and made a public profession that they were before in error, and were rashly contending against the truth. For though he was ashamed at that time to adopt these phrases, and excused himself to the Church in his own way, yet he certainly means to imply all this in his Epistle, by his not denying the “one in essence,” and “of the essence.” And in this way he got into a difficulty; for while he was excusing himself, he went on to attack the Arians, as stating that “the Son was not before His generation,” and as thereby rejecting His existence before His birth in the flesh. And this Acacius is aware of also, though he too through fear may pretend otherwise because of the times and deny the fact. Accordingly I have subjoined at the end the letter of Eusebius, that thou mayest know from it the disrespect towards their own doctors shewn by Christ’s enemies, and singularly by Acacius himself22    The party he is writing against is the Acacian, of whom he does not seem to have had much distinct knowledge. He contrasts them again and again in the passages which follow with the Eusebians of the Nicene Council, and says that he is sure that the ground they take when examined will be found substantially the same as the Eusebian. vid. §6 init. et alib. §7. init. §9. circ. fin. §10. circ. fin. §13. init. τότε καὶ νῦν. §18. circ. fin. §28. fin [On Acacius see Prolegg. ch. ii. §8 (2) b.].

4. Are they not then committing a crime, in their very thought to gainsay so great and ecumenical a Council? are they not in transgression, when they dare to confront that good definition against Arianism, acknowledged, as it is, by those who had in the first instance taught them irreligion? And supposing, even after subscription, Eusebius and his fellows did change again, and return like dogs to their own vomit of irreligion, do not the present gain-sayers deserve still greater detestation, because they thus sacrifice23    προπίνοντες vid. de Syn. §14. their souls’ liberty to others; and are willing to take these persons as masters of their heresy, who are, as James24    James i. 8. has said, double-minded men, and unstable in all their ways, not having one opinion, but changing to and fro, and now recommending certain statements, but soon dishonouring them, and in turn recommending what just now they were blaming? But this, as the Shepherd has said, is “the child of the devil25    Hermas, Mand. ix., who is speaking immediately, as S. James, of wavering in prayer.,” and the note of hucksters rather than of doctors. For, what our Fathers have delivered, this is truly doctrine; and this is truly the token of doctors, to confess the same thing with each other, and to vary neither from themselves nor from their fathers; whereas they who have not this character are to be called not true doctors but evil. Thus the Greeks, as not witnessing to the same doctrines, but quarrelling one with another, have no truth of teaching; but the holy and veritable heralds of the truth agree together, and do not differ. For though they lived in different times, yet they one and all tend the same way, being prophets of the one God, and preaching the same Word harmoniously26    Thus S. Basil says the same of the Grecian Sects, “We have not the task of refuting their tenets, for they suffice for the overthrow of each other.” Hexaem. i. 2. vid. also Theod. Græc. Affect. i. p. 707. &c. August. Civ. Dei, xviii. 41. and Vincentius’s celebrated Commonitorium passim..

5. And thus what Moses taught, that Abraham observed; and what Abraham observed, that Noah and Enoch acknowledged, discriminating pure from impure, and becoming acceptable to God. For Abel too in this way witnessed, knowing what he had learned from Adam, who himself had learned from that Lord, who said, when He came at the end of the ages for the abolishment of sin, “I give no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment, which ye have heard from the beginning27    1 John ii. 7..” Wherefore also the blessed Apostle Paul, who had learned it from Him, when describing ecclesiastical functions, forbade that deacons, not to say bishops, should be double-tongued28    1 Tim. iii. 8.; and in his rebuke of the Galatians, he made a broad declaration, “If anyone preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be anathema, as I have said, so say I again. If even we, or an Angel from heaven should preach unto you any other Gospel than that ye have received, let him be anathema29    Gal. i. 8, 9..” Since then the Apostle thus speaks, let these men either anathematise Eusebius and his fellows, at least as changing round and professing what is contrary to their subscriptions; or, if they acknowledge that their subscriptions were good, let them not utter complaints against so great a Council. But if they do neither the one nor the other, they are themselves too plainly the sport of every wind and surge, and are influenced by opinions, not their own, but of others, and being such, are as little worthy of deference now as before, in what they allege. Rather let them cease to carp at what they understand not; lest so be that not knowing to discriminate, they simply call evil good and good evil, and think that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. Doubtless, they desire that doctrines which have been judged wrong and have been reprobated should gain the ascendancy, and they make violent efforts to prejudice what was rightly defined. Nor should there be any reason on our part for any further explanation, or answer to their excuses, neither on theirs for further resistance, but for an acquiescence in what the leaders of their heresy subscribed; for though the subsequent change of Eusebius and his fellows was suspicious and immoral, their subscription, when they had the opportunity of at least some little defence of themselves, is a certain proof of the irreligion of their doctrine. For they would not have subscribed previously had they not condemned the heresy, nor would they have condemned it, had they not been encompassed with difficulty and shame; so that to change back again is a proof of their contentious zeal for irreligion. These men also ought therefore, as I have said, to keep quiet; but since from an extraordinary want of modesty, they hope perhaps to be able to advocate this diabolical30    This is Athan.’s deliberate judgment. vid. de Sent. Dion. fin., ib. §24. he speaks of Arius’s “hatred of the truth.” Again, “though the diabolical men rave” Orat. iii. §8. “friends of the devil, and his spirits,” Ad Ep. Æg. 5. Another reason of his so accounting them, was their atrocious cruelty towards Catholics; this leads him elsewhere to break out: “O new heresy, that has put on the whole devil in irreligious doctrine and conduct!” Hist. Arian. §66, also Alexander, ‘diabolical,’ ap Theod. Hist. i. 3, p. 731. ‘satanical,’ ibid. p. 741. vid. also Socr. i. 9. p. 30 fin. Hilar. contr. Const. 17. irreligion better than the others, therefore, though in my former letter written to thee, I have already argued at length against them, notwithstanding, come let us now also examine them, in each of their separate statements, as their predecessors; for now not less than then their heresy shall be shewn to have no soundness in it, but to be from evil spirits.

σκόπει δὲ καὶ σύ, ἀγαπητέ, εἰ μὴ οὕτως ἔχει. εἰ θαρροῦσιν οἷς ἐφεῦρον αὐτοὶ κακοῖς ἐπισπείραντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ διαβόλου τὴν κακοφροσύνην, ἀπολογείσθωσαν περὶ ὧν ἐγκληθέντες ἀπεδείχθησαν αἱρετικοί, καὶ τότε λοιπὸν αἰτιάσθωσαν, εἰ δύναν ται, τὰ κατ' αὐτῶν ὁρισθέντα. οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἐλεγχθεὶς ἐπὶ φόνῳ καὶ μοιχείᾳ μετὰ τὴν δίκην χώραν ἔχει τὴν ἀπόφασιν τοῦ κρίναντος αἰτιᾶσθαι, διατί μὴ οὕτως ἀλλ' ἐκείνως ἐλάλησε. τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκ ἐλευθεροῖ τὸν κριθέντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον αὐτοῦ τὸ ἔγκλημα διὰ τὴν προπέτειαν καὶ τὴν τόλμαν ἐπαυξάνει. οὐκοῦν καὶ οὗτοι ἢ δεικνύτωσαν τὸ φρό νημα ἑαυτῶν εὐσεβές –κατηγορηθέντες γὰρ ἠλέγχθησαν, οὐ μεμψάμενοι πρότερον· καὶ δίκαιόν ἐστι τοὺς αἰτιαθέντας μηδὲν ἕτερον ποιεῖν ἢ ἀπολογεῖσθαι– ἢ εἰ τὸ συνειδὸς ἔχουσι ῥυπαρὸν καὶ συνορῶσιν ἑαυτοὺς ἀσεβοῦντας, μὴ αἰτιάσθωσαν ἃ ἀγνοοῦσιν, ἵνα μὴ καὶ διπλοῦν ἀσεβείας ἔγκλημα καὶ ἀπαιδευσίας ἀπενέγκωνται μέμψιν. ἐξε ταζέτωσαν δὲ μᾶλλον φιλομαθῶς, ἵν' ἐπιγνόντες ἃ πρότερον ἠγνόουν, ἀπονίψωνται τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἀσεβεῖς ἀκοὰς τῷ τῆς ἀληθείας νάματι καὶ τοῖς τῆς εὐσεβείας δόγμασιν. οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῇ κατὰ Νίκαιαν συνόδῳ γέγονε τοῖς περὶ Εὐσέβιον. Ὡς ἐφιλονείκουν ἀσεβοῦντες καὶ θεομαχεῖν ἐπεχείρουν, τὰ μὲν λεγόμενα παρ' αὐτῶν ἀσεβείας ἦν μεστά, οἱ δὲ συνελθόντες ἐπίσκοποι, ἦσαν δὲ πλέον ἢ ἔλαττον τρια κόσιοι, πρᾴως καὶ φιλανθρώπως ἀπῄτουν αὐτούς, περὶ ὧν ἔλεγον διδόναι λόγον καὶ ἀποδείξεις εὐσεβεῖς. ὡς δὲ καὶ μόνον φθεγγόμενοι κατεγινώσκοντο καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς διεμάχοντο πολλὴν ὁρῶντες τῆς ἑαυτῶν αἱρέσεως τὴν ἀπορίαν, ἀχανεῖς μὲν ἔμενον οὗτοι καὶ διὰ τῆς σιωπῆς ὡμολόγουν τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ κενοδοξίᾳ αὐτῶν αἰσχύνην. οἱ τοίνυν ἐπίσκοποι λοιπὸν ἀνελόντες τὰ παρ' αὐτῶν ἐπινοηθέντα ῥήματα οὕτως ἐξέθεντο κατ' αὐτῶν τὴν ὑγιαίνουσαν καὶ ἐκκλησιαστικὴν πίστιν· πάντων τε ὑπογραψάντων ὑπέ γραψαν καὶ οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον τούτοις τοῖς ῥήμασιν, οἷς αἰτιῶνται νῦν οὗτοι· λέγω δὴ τῷ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας καὶ τῷ ὁμοουσίῳ, καὶ ὅτι μήτε κτίσμα ἢ ποίημα μήτε τῶν γενητῶν ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ υἱός, ἀλλὰ γέννημα ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ πατρός ἐστιν ὁ λόγος. καὶ τό γε παράδοξον, Εὐσέβιος ὁ ἀπὸ Καισαρείας τῆς Παλαιστίνης, καίτοι πρὸ μιᾶς ἀρνούμενος, ὅμως ὕστερον ὑπογράψας ἐπέστειλε τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἑαυτοῦ, λέγων ταύτην εἶναι τῆς ἐκ κλησίας τὴν πίστιν καὶ τῶν πατέρων τὴν παράδοσιν, πᾶσί τε φανερῶς ἔδειξεν, ὅτι πρό τερον ἐσφάλλοντο καὶ μάτην ἐφιλονείκουν πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν. εἰ γὰρ καὶ ᾐσχύνθη τότε ταύταις ταῖς λέξεσι γράψαι καὶ ὡς ἠθέλησεν αὐτὸς ἀπελογήσατο τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἀλλά γε διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τὸ ὁμοούσιον καὶ τὸ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας μὴ ἀρνησάμενος φανερῶς τοῦτο σημᾶναι βούλεται. καὶ πέπονθέ τι δεινόν· ὡς γὰρ ἀπολογούμενος κατηγόρησε λοιπὸν τῶν Ἀρειανῶν, ὅτι γράψαντες «οὐκ ἦν ὁ υἱὸς πρὶν γεννηθῆναι» οὐκ ἤθελον αὐτὸν εἶναι οὐδὲ πρὸ τῆς κατὰ σάρκα γεννήσεως. καὶ τοῦτο οἶδε καὶ Ἀκάκιος, ἂν μὴ καὶ αὐτὸς φοβηθεὶς νῦν διὰ τὸν καιρὸν ὑποκρίνηται καὶ ἀρνήσηται τὴν ἀλήθειαν. ὑπέταξα γοῦν ἐν τῷ τέλει τὴν ἐπιστολὴν Εὐσεβίου, ἵνα ἐκ ταύτης γνῷς τῶν τε χρι στομάχων καὶ κατὰ περιττὸν τὴν Ἀκακίου πρὸς τοὺς ἑαυτῶν διδασκάλους ἀγνωμοσύνην. Πῶς τοίνυν οὐκ ἀδικοῦσιν οὗτοι κἂν ἐνθυμούμενοι μόνον ἀντιλέγειν τῇ τοσαύτῃ καὶ οἰκουμενικῇ συνόδῳ; πῶς οὐ παρανομοῦσι τολμῶντες ἀντιβλέπειν τοῖς καλῶς ὁρι σθεῖσι κατὰ τῆς ἀρειανῆς αἱρέσεως καὶ μαρτυρουμένοις ὑπὸ τῶν αὐτοὺς πρότερον ἀσεβεῖν διδαξάντων; εἰ δὲ καὶ μετὰ τὸ ὑπογράψαι μετεβάλοντο οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον καὶ ὡς κύνες εἰς τὸ ἴδιον ἐξέραμα τῆς ἀσεβείας ἐπέστρεψαν, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ μᾶλλον ἄξιοι μίσους οἱ νῦν ἀντιλέγοντες, ὅτι τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς ἑαυτῶν ψυχῆς ἄλλοις προπίνοντες τούτους καὶ καθηγεμόνας τῆς αἱρέσεως ἔχειν ἐθέλουσιν, ἀνθρώπους, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ Ἰάκωβος, «διψύχους καὶ ἀκαταστάτους ὄντας ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν», καὶ μὴ μίαν μὲν ἔχοντας γνώμην, ἄλλοτε δὲ ἄλλως μεταβαλλομένους, καὶ νῦν μὲν ἐπαινοῦντας ὃ λέγουσι, μετ' ὀλίγον δὲ ψέγοντας ὅπερ εἰρήκασι, καὶ πάλιν ἐπαινοῦντας ὅπερ πρὸ μικροῦ διέβαλλον. τοῦτο δέ, ὡς ὁ Ποιμὴν εἴρηκεν, ἔκγονόν ἐστι διαβόλου καὶ καπήλων δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ οὐ διδασκάλων ἐστὶ γνώρισμα. ἔστι γάρ, ὡς οἱ πατέρες παραδεδώκασιν, ὄντως διδασκαλία καὶ διδασκάλων ἀληθῶν τοῦτο τεκμήριον τὸ τὰ αὐτὰ ἀλλήλοις ὁμολογεῖν καὶ μὴ ἀμ φισβητεῖν μήτε πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς μήτε πρὸς τοὺς ἑαυτῶν πατέρας. οἱ γὰρ μὴ τοῦτον δια κείμενοι τὸν τρόπον μοχθηροὶ μᾶλλον καὶ οὐκ ἀληθεῖς ἂν καλοῖντο διδάσκαλοι. Ἕλ ληνες γοῦν οὐχ ὁμολογοῦντες τὰ αὐτά, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀμφισβητοῦντες, οὐκ ἀληθῆ τὴν διδασκαλίαν ἔχουσιν· οἱ δὲ ἅγιοι καὶ τῷ ὄντι τῆς ἀληθείας κήρυκες ἀλλή λοις τε συμφωνοῦσι καὶ οὐ διαφέρονται πρὸς ἑαυτούς. εἰ γὰρ καὶ διαφόροις χρόνοις γεγόνασιν, ἀλλ' εἰς ταὐτὸν ἀλλήλοις ὁρμῶσιν ἑνὸς ὄντες τοῦ θεοῦ προφῆται καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν συμφώνως εὐαγγελιζόμενοι λόγον. Ἃ γοῦν Μωσῆς ἐδίδασκε, ταῦθ' Ἁβραὰμ ἐφύλαττεν· ἃ δὲ Ἁβραὰμ ἐφύλαττε,ταῦτα Νῶε καὶ Ἐνὼχ ἐγίνωσκον διακρίναντες καθαρὰ καὶ ἀκάθαρτα καὶ εὐάρεστοι γινόμενοι τῷ θεῷ. καὶ γὰρ καὶ Ἄβελ οὕτως ἐμαρτύρησεν ἐπιστάμενος ταῦτα, ἅπερ ἦν μαθὼν παρὰ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ τοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ μαθόντος παρὰ κυρίου, ὃς καὶ ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων ἐλθὼν εἰς ἀθέτησιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἔλεγεν· «οὐκ ἐντολὴν καινὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν, ἀλλ' ἐντολὴν παλαιάν, ἣν ἠκούσατε ἀπ' ἀρχῆς». διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ παρ' αὐτοῦ μαθὼν ὁ μακάριος ἀπόστολος Παῦλος τὰ μὲν ἐκκλησιαστικὰ διατυπῶν οὐδὲ διακόνους ἠθέλησεν εἶναι διλόγους, μήτι γε ἐπισκόπους, τοῖς δὲ Γαλάταις ἐπιπλήττων ἀπεφήνατο καθόλου λέγων· «εἴ τις ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελίζεται παρ' ὃ παρελάβετε, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω, καθὼς προείρηκα, καὶ πάλιν λέγω· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐὰν ἡμεῖς ἢ ἄγγελος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ εὐαγγελίσηται ὑμᾶς παρ' ὃ παρελάβετε, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω». τοῦ τοίνυν ἀποστόλου ταῦτα λέγοντος ἢ καὶ οὗτοι τοὺς περὶ Εὐσέβιον μεταβαλλομένους καὶ λέγοντας ἕτερα παρὰ τὰ ὑπέγραψαν ἀνάθεμα ποιείτωσαν, ἢ εἰ γινώσκουσιν αὐτοὺς καλῶς ὑπογράψαντας, μὴ γογγυζέτωσαν κατὰ τῆς τηλικαύτης συνόδου. εἰ δὲ μήτε τοῦτο μήτ' ἐκεῖνο ποιοῦσι, δῆλοί εἰσι καὶ αὐτοὶ παντὶ ἀνέμῳ καὶ κλύδωνι περιφερόμενοι καὶ μὴ ταῖς ἰδίαις ἀλλὰ ἀλλοτρίαις ἑλκόμενοι γνώμαις. τοιοῦτοι δὲ ὄντες οὐδὲ νῦν τοιαύτας προβαλλόμενοι προφάσεις ἀξιόπιστοί εἰσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ παυέσθωσαν αἰτιώμενοι ἃ μὴ γινώσκουσι· τάχα δὲ οὐδὲ διακρίνειν εἰδότες ἁπλῶς «τὸ μὲν πονηρὸν λέγουσι καλόν, τὸ δὲ καλὸν πονηρόν, καὶ νομίζουσι τὸ μὲν πικρὸν εἶναι γλυκύ, τὸ δὲ γλυκὺ πικρόν». ἀμέλει τὰ μὲν κριθέντα κακὰ καὶ ἀποδοκιμασθέντα κρατεῖν ἐθέλουσι, τὰ δὲ καλῶς ὁρισθέντα βιάζονται διαβάλλειν. ἔδει μὲν οὖν μήθ' ἡμᾶς ἔτι τινὰ τούτων ἀπόλογον ποιεῖσθαι καὶ πρὸς τὰς ματαίας αὐτῶν προφάσεις ἀποκρί νεσθαι μήτ' ἐκείνους ἔτι φιλονεικεῖν, ἀλλὰ συντίθεσθαι, οἷς ὑπέγραψαν οἱ ἡγεμόνες τῆς αἱρέσεως αὐτῶν, εἰδότας ὡς ἡ μὲν μετὰ ταῦτα μεταβολὴ τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον ὕποπτός ἐστι καὶ κακοήθης. τὸ δὲ ὑπογράψαι μετὰ τὸ δυνηθῆναι κἂν τὸ βραχύτατον ἀπολο γήσασθαι τοῦτο δείκνυσιν ἀληθῶς ἀσεβῆ τὴν ἀρειανὴν αἵρεσιν. καὶ γὰρ οὐ πρότερον ὑπέγραψαν, εἰ μὴ κατέγνωσαν αὐτῆς· καὶ οὐ πρότερον κατέγνωσαν, εἰ μὴ πανταχόθεν ἀπορήσαντες ᾐσχύνθησαν· ὥστε τὸ μεταβάλλεσθαι τῆς εἰς ἀσέβειαν φιλονεικίας ἔλεγχός ἐστι. διὸ ἔδει μέν, καθάπερ εἴρηται, καὶ τούτους ἠρεμεῖν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ δεινοὶ πρὸς ἀναισχυντίαν εἰσί, καὶ νομίζουσιν ἴσως αὐτοὶ μᾶλλον ἐκείνων δύνασθαι προστῆναι τῆς διαβολικῆς ταύτης ἀσεβείας. εἰ καὶ ἔφθασα διὰ τῆς προτέρας ἐπιστολῆς τῆς πρὸς σὲ γρα φείσης πλατυτέρῳ τῷ κατ' αὐτῶν ἐλέγχῳ κεχρημένος, ὅμως φέρε καὶ νῦν τούτους ὥσπερ ἐκείνους καθ' ἕκαστον τῶν ὑπ' αὐτῶν λεγομένων ἐξετάσωμεν. δειχθήσεται γὰρ οὐδὲν ἧττον καὶ νῦν οὐχ ὑγιής, ἀλλά τις δαιμονιώδης αὐτῶν ἡ αἵρεσις.