63. You must not be surprised, dear brethren, that so many creeds have recently been written. The frenzy of heretics makes it necessary. The danger of the Eastern Churches is so great that it is rare to find either priest or layman that belongs to this faith, of the orthodoxy of which you may judge. Certain individuals have acted so wrongly as to support the side of evil, and the strength of the wicked has been increased by the exile of some of the bishops, the cause of which you are acquainted with. I am not speaking about distant events or writing down incidents of which I know nothing: I have heard and seen the faults which we now have to combat. They are not laymen but bishops who are guilty. Except the bishop Eleusius37    Eleusius is criticised by Socrates II. 40, for disliking any attempt at a repudiation of the “Dedication” creed of 341, although the “Dedication” creed was little better than a repudiation of the Nicene creed. He was, in fact, a semi-Arian. But his vigorous opposition to the extreme form of Arianism and the hopefulness with which Hilary always regarded the semi-Arians, here invest him with a reputation for the “true knowledge of God.” In 381 he refused to accept the Nicene creed or take part in the Council of Constantinople. and his few comrades, the greater part of the ten provinces of Asia, in which I am now staying, really know not God. Would that they knew nothing about Him, for their ignorance would meet with a readier pardon than their detraction. These faithful bishops do not keep silence in their pain. They seek for the unity of that faith of which others have long since robbed them. The necessity of a united exposition of that faith was first felt when Hosius forgot his former deeds and words, and a fresh yet festering heresy broke out at Sirmium. Of Hosius I say nothing, I leave his conduct in the background lest man’s judgment should forget what once he was. But everywhere there are scandals, schisms and treacheries. Hence some of those who had formerly written one creed were compelled to sign another. I make no complaint against these long-suffering Eastern bishops, it was enough that they gave at least a compulsory assent to the faith after they had once been willing to blaspheme. I think it a subject of congratulation that a single penitent should be found among such obstinate, blaspheming and heretical bishops. But, brethren, you enjoy happiness and glory in the Lord, who meanwhile retain and conscientiously confess the whole apostolic faith, and have hitherto been ignorant of written creeds. You have not needed the letter, for you abounded in the spirit. You required not the office of a hand to write what you believed in your hearts and professed unto salvation. It was unnecessary for you to read as bishops what you held when new-born converts. But necessity has introduced the custom of expounding creeds and signing expositions. Where the conscience is in danger we must use the letter. Nor is it wrong to write what it is wholesome to confess.

63. Fides in Oriente. Frequenter exposita; in paucis sana. Osius. Fidei coactae subscriptiones. Occidentales scriptas fides nesciunt.---Nihil autem mirum videri vobis debet, Fratres charissimi, quod tam frequenter 498 0522C exponi fides coeptae sunt: necessitatem hanc furor haereticus imponit. Nam tantum Ecclesiarum Orientalium periculum est, ut rarum sit hujus fidei (quae qualis sit, vos judicate) aut sacerdotes aut populum inveniri. Male enim per quosdam impietati auctoritas data est: et exsiliis episcoporum, quorum causam non ignoratis, vires auctae sunt profanorum. Non peregrina loquor, neque ignorata scribo: audivi ac vidi vitia praesentium; non laicorum, sed episcoporum. Nam absque episcopo Eleusio et paucis cum eo, ex majori parte Asianae decem provinciae, intra 0523A quas consisto, vere Deum nesciunt. Atque utinam penitus nescirent; cum procliviore enim venia ignorarent, quam obtrectarent. Sed horum episcoporum dolor se intra silentium non continens, unitatem fidei hujus quaerit, quam jam pridem per alios amisit. Nam illa in primo collatae expositionis fides hanc habuit necessitatem: quia apud Sirmium per immemorem gestorum suorum dictorumque Osium novae et tamen suppuratae jam diu impietatis doctrina proruperat. Sed de eo nil loquor, qui idcirco est reservatus, ne judicio humano ignoraretur qualis ante vixisset. Ubique autem scandala, ubique schismata, ubique perfidiae sunt. Hinc illud est, ut ad professionem subscribendae fidei aliqui eorum, qui ante aliud scripserant, cogerentur. Nec queror de patientissimis viris Orientalibus episcopis, quibus suffecit 0523B post blasphemiae voluntatem coactae saltem fidei professio: gratulandum enim videtur in tanta blasphemantium episcoporum haeretica pertinacia, aliquem ex his suscipi poenitentem. Sed inter haec, o beatos vos in Domino et gloriosos, qui perfectam atque apostolicam fidem conscientiae 499 professione retinentes, conscriptas fides huc usque nescitis! Non enim eguistis littera, qui spiritu abundabatis. Neque officium manus ad scribendum desiderastis, qui quod corde a vobis credebatur, ore ad salutem profitebamini. Nec necessarium habuistis episcopi legere, quod regenerati neophyti tenebatis. Sed necessitas consuetudinem intulit, exponi fides, et expositis subscribi. Ubi enim sensus conscientiae periclitatur, illic littera postulatur. Nec sane scribi impedit, quod 0523C salutare est confiteri.