Letter CCLI.1360    Placed in 376.

To the people of Evæsæ.1361    Euassai.  Possibly Ptolemy’s Σείουα.  Ramsay, Hist. Geog. A. M. 304.  Now Yogounes, i.e. ῞Αγιος ᾽Ιωάννης.

1.  My occupations are very numerous, and my mind is full of many anxious cares, but I have never forgotten you, my dear friends, ever praying my God for your constancy in the faith, wherein ye stand and have your boasting in the hope of the glory of God.  Truly nowadays it is hard to find, and extraordinary to see, a Church pure, unharmed by the troubles of the times, and preserving the apostolic doctrine in all its integrity and completeness.  Such is your Church shewn at this present time by Him who in every generation makes manifest them that are worthy of His calling.  May the Lord grant to you the blessings of Jerusalem which is above, in return for your flinging back at the heads of the liars their slanders against me, and your refusal to allow them entry into your hearts.  I know, and am persuaded in the Lord, that “your reward is great in heaven,”1362    Matt. v. 12. even on account of this very conduct.  For you have wisely concluded among yourselves, as indeed is the truth, that the men who are “rewarding me evil for good, and hatred for my love,”1363    Ps. cix. 5. are accusing me now for the very same points which they are found to have themselves confessed and subscribed.

2.  Their presenting you with their own signatures for an accusation against me is not the only contradiction into which they have fallen.  They were unanimously deposed by the bishops assembled at Constantinople.1364    i.e. in January 360.  Soc. ii. 41–43; Soz. iv. 24.  They refused to accept this deposition and appealed to a synod of impious men,1365    The Synod of Lampsacus in 365 is probably referred to, but Socrates (v. 14) mentions several synods of the Homoiousians. refusing to admit the episcopacy of their judges, in order not to accept the sentence passed upon them.

The reason alleged for their non-recognition was their being leaders of wicked heresy.  All this1366    i.e. the deposition. happened nearly seventeen years ago.  The principal men of those who deposed them were Eudoxius, Euippius, George,1367    Of uncertain see. Acacius, and others unknown to you.1368    A ms. variety is “to me.”

The present tyrants of the churches are their successors, some ordained to fill their places, and others actually promoted by them.

3.  Now let those who charge me with unsound doctrine tell me in what way the men whose deposition they refused to accept were heretical.  Let them tell me in what way those promoted by them, and holding the same views as their fathers, are orthodox.  If Euippius was orthodox, how can Eustathius, whom he deposed, be other than a layman?  If Euippius was a heretic, how can any one ordained by him be in communion with Eustathius now?  But all this conduct, this trying to accuse men and set them up again, is child’s play, got up against the Churches of God, for their own gain.

When Eustathius was travelling through Paphlagonia, he overthrew the altars1369    θυσιαστήρια . of Basilides of Paphlagonia,1370    i.e.Basilides, bishop of Gangra.  cf. Letter ccxxvi. p. 268. and used to perform divine service on his own tables.1371    τραπεζῶν .  Now he is begging Basilides to be admitted to communion.  He refused to communicate with our reverend brother Elpidius, because of his alliance with the Amasenes;1372    i.e.the Arian bishop of Amasia, who was intruded into the place of Eulalius.  On the state of the Amasene church at his time, cf. Soz. vii. 2. and now he comes as a suppliant to the Amasenes, petitioning for alliance with them.  Even ye yourselves know how shocking were his public utterances against Euippius:  now he glorifies the holders of Euippius’s opinions for their orthodoxy, if only they will cooperate in promoting his restitution.  And I am all the while being calumniated, not because I am doing any wrong, but because they have imagined that they will thus be recommended to the party at Antioch.  The character of those whom they sent for last year from Galatia, as being likely by their means to recover the free exercise of their episcopal powers, is only too well known to all who have lived even for a short time with them.  I pray that the Lord may never allow me leisure to recount all their proceedings.  I will only say that they have passed through the whole country, with the honour and attendance of bishops, escorted by their most honourable bodyguard and sympathizers; and have made a grand entry into the city, and held an assembly with all authority.  The people have been given over to them.  The altar has been given over to them.  How they went to Nicopolis, and could do nothing there of all that they had promised, and how they came, and what appearance they presented on their return, is known to those who were on the spot.  They are obviously taking every single step for their own gain and profit.  If they say that they have repented, let them shew their repentance in writing; let them anathematize the Creed of Constantinople; let them separate from the heretics; and let them no longer trick the simple-minded.  So much for them and theirs.

4.  I, however, brethren beloved, small and insignificant as I am, but remaining ever by God’s grace the same, have never changed with the changes of the world.  My creed has not varied at Seleucia, at Constantinople, at Zela,1373    cf. Letter ccxxvi. p. 268. at Lampsacus, and at Rome.  My present creed is not different from the former; it has remained ever one and the same.  As we received from the Lord, so are we baptized; as we are baptized, so we make profession of our faith; as we make profession of our faith, so do we offer our doxology, not separating the Holy Ghost from Father and Son, nor preferring Him in honour to the Father, or asserting Him to be prior to the Son, as blasphemers’ tongues invent.1374    cf. De Sp. S. chap. xii. p. 18.  Who could be so rash as to reject the Lord’s commandment, and boldly devise an order of his own for the Names?  But I do not call the Spirit, Who is ranked with Father and Son, a creature.  I do not dare to call slavish that which is royal.1375    cf. Ps. li. 12, LXX.  And I beseech you to remember the threat uttered by the Lord in the words, “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”1376    Matt. xii. 31, 32.  Keep yourselves from dangerous teaching against the Spirit.  “Stand fast in the faith.”1377    1 Cor. xvi. 13.  Look over all the world, and see how small the part is which is unsound.  All the rest of the Church which has received the Gospel. from one end of the world to the other, abides in this sound and unperverted doctrine.  From their communion I pray that I may never fall, and I pray that I may have part and lot with you in the righteous day of our Lord Jesus Christ, when He shall come to give to every one according to his conduct.

ΕΥΑΙΣΗΝΟΙΣ

[1] Εἰ καὶ πολὺ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν περιεχόντων ἡμᾶς πραγμάτων καὶ φροντίσι μυρίαις συνέχεται ἡμῶν ἡ διάνοια, ὅμως οὐδέποτε τῆς μνήμης ἡμῶν ἐξεβάλομεν τὴν περὶ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης μέριμναν, δεόμενοι τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν διαμεῖναι ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πίστει ἐν ᾗ ἑστήκατε καὶ καυχᾶσθε ἐπ' ἐλπίδι τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ δυσεύρετον λοιπὸν καὶ πάνυ σπάνιον ἰδεῖν Ἐκκλησίαν εἰλικρινῆ μηδὲν ἐκ τῆς τῶν καιρῶν χαλεπότητος παραβλαβεῖσαν, ἀλλ' ἀκεραίαν καὶ ἄθραυστον τὴν ἀποστολικὴν διασώζουσαν διδασκαλίαν, οἵαν τὴν καθ' ὑμᾶς ἔδειξεν ἐν τοῖς παροῦσι καιροῖς ὁ ἀναδεικνὺς τοὺς καθ' ἑκάστην γενεὰν ἀξίους τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κλήσεως. Καὶ δῴη Κύριος ὑμῖν τὰ ἀγαθὰ Ἱερουσαλὴμ τῆς ἄνω, ἀνθ' ὧν τὰς ψευδεῖς καθ' ἡμῶν διαβολὰς ἐπὶ τὰς τῶν ψευδολόγων κεφαλὰς ἀπεπέμψασθε μὴ δόντες αὐτοῖς εἴσοδον ἐπὶ τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν. Καὶ οἶδα καὶ πέπεισμαι ἐν Κυρίῳ ὅτι ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τῇ πράξει ταύτῃ. Ἐλογίσασθε γὰρ τοῦτο σοφῶς παρ' ἑαυτοῖς, ὃ καὶ ἔστι κατ' ἀλήθειαν, ὅτι οἱ ἀνταποδόντες μοι πονηρὰ ἀντὶ ἀγαθῶν καὶ μῖσος ἀντὶ τῆς ἀγαπήσεώς μου τῆς εἰς αὐτοὺς διαβάλλουσί με νῦν ἐπ' ἐκείνοις εἰς ἃ αὐτοὶ εὑρίσκονται ἐγγράφους ὁμολογίας ἐκθέμενοι.

[2] Καὶ οὐ μόνον εἰς ταύτην ἐνέπεσον τὴν ἐναντίωσιν ἴδια ἔγγραφα ἡμῖν ἀντὶ κατηγορίας προσφέροντες, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ παμψηφὶ παρὰ τῶν συνελθόντων εἰς τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν καθαιρεθέντες οὐκ ἐδέξαντο τὴν καθαίρεσιν αὐτῶν, σύνοδον ἀθετούντων προσαγορεύοντες καὶ μὴ καταδεχόμενοι ἐπισκόπους αὐτοὺς λέγειν, ἵνα μὴ τὴν κατ' αὐτῶν ἐξενεχθεῖσαν ψῆφον κυρώσωσι. Καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν προσετίθεσαν τοῦ μὴ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἐπισκόπους, διότι αἱρέσεως, φησί, πονηρᾶς προεστήκασι. Ταῦτα δὲ ἐγένοντο πρὸ δέκα καὶ ἑπτὰ οὐχ ὅλων ἐτῶν. Ἦσαν δὲ οἱ ἔξαρχοι τῶν καθελόντων αὐτοὺς Εὐδόξιος, Εὐίππιος, Γεώργιος, Ἀκάκιος καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ἡμῖν ἀγνοουμένων. Οἱ δὲ νῦν κρατοῦντες τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἐκείνων εἰσὶ διάδοχοι: οἱ μὲν ἀντ' αὐτῶν χειροτονηθέντες, οἱ δὲ ὑπ' ἐκείνων αὐτῶν προαχθέντες.

[3] Νῦν οὖν οἱ ἡμῖν τὴν κακοδοξίαν ἐγκαλοῦντες εἰπάτωσαν ἡμῖν πῶς μὲν αἱρετικοὶ ἦσαν ἐκεῖνοι ὧν τὴν καθαίρεσιν οὐκ ἐδέξαντο, πῶς δὲ ὀρθόδοξοι οὗτοι οἱ παρ' ἐκείνων προαχθέντες καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ φρόνημα τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν διασώζοντες. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ὀρθόδοξος Εὐίππιος, πῶς οὐχὶ λαϊκὸς Εὐστάθιος, ὁ παρ' ἐκείνου καθῃρημένος; Εἰ δὲ αἱρετικὸς ἐκεῖνος, πῶς κοινωνικὸς Εὐσταθίῳ νῦν, ὁ διὰ τῆς ἐκείνου χειρὸς προαχθείς; Ἀλλὰ παιδιαὶ αὗται κατὰ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ παιζόμεναι πρὸς τὸ αὐτῶν συμφέρον, καὶ διαβάλλειν ἀνθρώπους καὶ πάλιν συνιστᾶν ἐπιχειρούντων. Τὰ Βασιλείδου τοῦ Παφλαγόνος θυσιαστήρια ἀνέτρεψε παριὼν τὴν Παφλαγονίαν Εὐστάθιος καὶ ἐπὶ ἰδίων τραπεζῶν ἐλειτούργει, καὶ νῦν ἱκέτης ἐστὶ Βασιλείδου ὥστε δεχθῆναι. Ἀφώρισεν Ἐλπίδιον τὸν εὐλαβέστατον ἀδελφὸν διὰ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἐν Ἀμασείᾳ συνάφειαν, καὶ νῦν ἱκέτης ἐστὶ τῶν Ἀμασέων ἐπιζητῶν αὐτῶν τὴν συνάφειαν. Τὰ κατὰ Εὐιππίου κηρύγματα καὶ ὑμεῖς αὐτοὶ ἐπίστασθε ὅπως ἦν φρικτά, καὶ νῦν τοὺς τὰ ἐκείνου φρονοῦντας ἐπὶ ὀρθότητι ἀποσεμνύνει, μόνον ἐὰν εἰς τὴν τῆς ἀποκαταστάσεως αὐτοῦ σπουδὴν συνεργήσωσιν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ διαβαλλόμεθα οὐκ ἐπειδὴ ἡμεῖς ἀδικοῦμέν τι, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο ἐνόμισεν εὐδοκίμησιν αὐτῷ φέρειν παρὰ τοῖς ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ. Οὓς δὲ πέρυσιν ἐκ τῆς Γαλατίας μετεστείλαντο, ὡς δι' αὐτῶν δυνάμενοι τὴν παρρησίαν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἀπολαβεῖν, τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν οἵους ἴσασι μὲν οἱ πρὸς ὀλίγον συγγεγονότες αὐτοῖς. Ἐμοὶ δὲ μὴ παράσχῃ ὁ Κύριος τοσαύτην σχολήν ποτε ὥστε τὰς ἐκείνων πράξεις ἀπαριθμεῖσθαι. Πλὴν ἀλλ' ὑπὸ δορυφόροις τοῖς τιμιωτάτοις αὐτῷ καὶ συμμύσταις παραπεμφθέντες διεξῆλθον μὲν διὰ πάσης αὐτοῦ τῆς χώρας τὰς τῶν ἐπισκόπων τιμὰς καὶ θεραπείας ἔχοντες. Εἰσήχθησαν δὲ περιφανῶς εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐκκλησιάσαντες μετὰ αὐθεντίας. Παρεδόθη γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὁ λαός, παρεδόθη τὸ θυσιαστήριον. Οἵ, ἐπεὶ μέχρι Νικοπόλεως προελθόντες οὐδὲν ἠδυνήθησαν ὧν ἐπηγγείλαντο διαπράξασθαι, πῶς ἐπανῆλθον καὶ πῶς ὤφθησαν κατὰ τὴν ἐπάνοδον ἴσασιν οἱ παρόντες. Οὕτως ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ ἑαυτῶν συμφέρον πάντα ποιοῦντες φαίνονται. Εἰ δὲ λέγουσιν ὅτι μετενόησαν, δειξάτωσαν αὐτῶν ἔγγραφον τὴν μετάνοιαν καὶ ἀναθεματισμὸν τῆς ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει πίστεως καὶ χωρισμὸν τῶν αἱρετικῶν, καὶ μὴ ἐξαπατάτωσαν τοὺς ἀκεραιοτέρους. Καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐκείνων τοιαῦτα.

[4] Ἡμεῖς δέ, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί, μικροὶ μὲν καὶ ταπεινοί, ἀεὶ μέντοι οἱ αὐτοὶ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι, οὐδέποτε ταῖς μεταβολαῖς τῶν πραγμάτων συνδιετέθημεν. Πίστις παρ' ἡμῖν οὐκ ἄλλη μὲν ἐν Σελευκείᾳ, ἄλλη δὲ ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει καὶ ἄλλη ἐν Ζήλοις καὶ ἐν Λαμψάκῳ ἄλλη καὶ ἐπὶ Ῥώμην ἑτέρα καὶ ἡ νῦν περιφερομένη διάφορος παρὰ τὰς προτέρας, ἀλλὰ μία καὶ ἡ αὐτή. Ὡς γὰρ παρελάβομεν ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, οὕτω βαπτιζόμεθα: οὕτω πιστεύομεν ὡς βαπτιζόμεθα: ὡς πιστεύομεν, οὕτω καὶ δοξολογοῦμεν: οὔτε χωρίζοντες Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, οὔτε προτιθέντες Πατρὸς ἢ πρεσβύτερον εἶναι τοῦ Υἱοῦ τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγοντες, ὡς αἱ τῶν βλασφήμων γλῶσσαι κατασκευάζουσι. Τίς γὰρ οὕτω τολμηρὸς ὃς τὴν δεσποτικὴν παρωσάμενος νομοθεσίαν ἰδίαν τολμᾷ τοῖς ὀνόμασι τάξιν ἐπινοεῖν; Ἀλλ' οὔτε κτιστὸν λέγομεν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ μετὰ Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ τεταγμένον, οὔτε δουλικὸν τολμῶμεν εἰπεῖν τὸ ἡγεμονικόν. Καὶ ὑμᾶς παρακαλοῦμεν μεμνημένους τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου ἀπειλῆς, τοῦ εἰπόντος: »Πᾶσα ἁμαρτία καὶ βλασφημία ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἡ δὲ εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον βλασφημία οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται οὔτε ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι οὔτε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι«: φυλάξατε ἑαυτοὺς τῶν βλαβερῶν κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος διδαγμάτων. Στήκετε ἐν τῇ πίστει, περιβλέψασθε εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην καὶ ἴδετε ὅτι μικρόν ἐστι τοῦτο τὸ μέρος τὸ νενοσηκός: ἡ δὲ λοιπὴ πᾶσα Ἐκκλησία, ἡ ἀπὸ περάτων εἰς πέρατα δεξαμένη τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, ἐπὶ τῆς ὑγιοῦς ἐστι ταύτης καὶ ἀδιαστρόφου διδασκαλίας. Ὧν καὶ ἡμεῖς εὐχόμεθα τῆς κοινωνίας μὴ ἐκπεσεῖν καὶ ὑμῖν συνευχόμεθα τὴν μερίδα λαβεῖν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῇ δικαίᾳ, ὅταν ἔλθῃ δοῦναι ἡμῖν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν αὐτοῦ.