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| The Emperor Constantine being grieved at the Disturbance of the Churches, sends Hosius the Spaniard to Alexandria, exhorting the Bishop and Arius to Reconciliation and Unity.
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Chapter VII.—The
Emperor Constantine being grieved at the Disturbance of the Churches,
sends Hosius the Spaniard to Alexandria, exhorting the Bishop and Arius
to Reconciliation and Unity.
When the emperor was made
acquainted with these disorders, he was very deeply grieved; and
regarding the matter as a personal misfortune, immediately exerted
himself to extinguish the conflagration which had been kindled, and
sent a letter to Alexander and Arius by a trustworthy person named
Hosius, who was bishop of Cordova, in Spain. The emperor greatly loved
this man and held him in the highest estimation. It will not be out of
place to introduce here a portion of this letter, the whole of which is
given in the life of Constantine by Eusebius.143
| 143Euseb. Life of Const. II. 64–72.
|
Victor Constantine Maximum Augustus to Alexander and
Arius.
I am informed that your present controversy originated
thus. When you, Alexander, inquired of your presbyters what each
thought on a certain inexplicable passage of the written Word, rather
on a subject improper for discussion; and you, Arius, rashly gave
expression to a view of the matter such as ought either never to have
been conceived, or when suggested to your mind, it became you to bury
it in silence. This dispute having thus been excited among you,
communion144
| 144σύνοδος; lit.,
‘coming together.’
|
has been denied; and the most holy people being rent into two factions,
have departed from the harmony of the common body. Wherefore let each
one of you, showing consideration for the other, listen to the
impartial exhortation of your fellow-servant. And what counsel does he
offer? It was neither prudent at first to agitate such a question, nor
to reply to such a question when proposed: for the claim of no law
demands the investigation of such subjects, but the idle useless talk
of leisure occasions them. And even if they should exist for the sake
of exercising our natural faculties, yet we ought to confine them to
our own consideration, and not incautiously bring them forth in public
assemblies, nor thoughtlessly confide them to the ears of everybody.
Indeed how few are capable either of adequately expounding, or even
accurately understanding the import of matters so vast and
profound!
And even if any one should be considered able to
satisfactorily accomplish this, how large a portion of the people would
he succeed in convincing? Or who can grapple with the subtilties of
such investigations without danger of lapsing into error? It becomes us
therefore on such topics to check loquacity, lest either on account of
the weakness of our nature we should be incompetent to explain the
subject proposed; or the dull understanding of the audience should make
them unable to apprehend clearly what is attempted to be taught: and in
the case of one or the other of these failures, the people must be
necessarily involved either in blasphemy or schism. Wherefore let an
unguarded question, and an inconsiderate answer, on the part of each of
you, procure equal forgiveness from one another. No cause of difference
has been started by you bearing on any important precept contained in
the Law; nor has any new heresy been introduced by you in connection
with the worship of God; but ye both hold one and the same judgment on
these points, which is the Creed.145
| 145κοινωνίας
σύνθημα = σύμβολον
τῆς πίστεως.
Cf. Eus. Life of Const. II. 10.
|
Moreover, while you thus pertinaciously contend with one another about
matters of small or scarcely the least importance, it is unsuitable for
you to have charge of so many people of God, because you are divided in
opinion:146
| 146For the textual variation at this place, see
Valesius, note.
|
and not only is it unbecoming, but
it is also believed to be altogether unlawful.
In order to remind you of your duty by an example of an
inferior kind, I may say: you are well aware that even the philosophers
themselves are united under one sect. Yet they often differ from each
other on some parts of their theories: but although they may differ on
the very highest branches of science, in order to maintain the unity of
their body, they still agree to coalesce. Now, if this is done amongst
them, how much more equitable will it be for you, who have been
constituted ministers of the Most High God, to become unanimous with
one another in such a religious profession. But let us examine with
closer consideration, and deeper attention, what has been already
stated. Is it right on account of insignificant and vain contentions
between you about words, that brethren should be set in opposition
against brethren; and that the honorable communion should be distracted
by unhallowed dissension, through our striving with one another
respecting things so unimportant, and by no means essential? These
quarrels are vulgar and rather consistent with puerile thoughtlessness,
than suitable to the intelligence of priests and prudent men. We should
spontaneously turn aside from the temptations of the devil. The great
God and Saviour of us all has extended to all the common light. Under
his providence, allow me, his servant, to bring this effort of mine to
a successful issue; that by my exhortation, ministry, and earnest
admonition, I may lead you, his people, back to unity of
communion.147
For since, as I have said, there is but one faith among you, and one
sentiment respecting religion,148
| 148αἱρέσεως
σύνεσις: lit.
‘understanding of heresy.’ On the various uses of the word
αἵρεσις, see
Sophocles, Greek Lex. of the Rom. and Byz. Periods. Here it
evidently means the common creed of the whole Church looked at as a
sect.
|
and since the precept of the law,149
| 149νόμος, used in analogy to the law
of the Old Testament. The law here is the ethical system of
Christianity.
|
in all its parts, combines all in one purpose of soul, let not this
diversity of opinion, which has excited dissension among you, by any
means cause discord and schism, inasmuch as it does not affect the
force of the law as a whole. Now, I say these things, not as compelling
you all to see exactly alike on this very insignificant subject of
controversy, whatever it may be; since the dignity150
of the communion may be preserved unaffected, and the same fellowship
with all be retained, even though there should exist among you some
dissimilarity of sentiment on unimportant matters. For, of course, we
do not all desire the same thing in every respect; nor is there one
unvarying nature, or standard of judgment in us. Therefore, in regard
to divine providence, let there be one faith, one sentiment, and one
covenant of the Godhead:151
| 151τοῦ
κρείττονος :
for this use of the word, see Eus. Life of Const. II. 24 et
al.; Greg. Naz. III. 1101 B; Jul. 398 A; Clem. Hom. V.
5.
|
but those minute investigations which ye enter into among yourselves
with so much nicety, even if ye should not concur in one judgment in
regard to them, should remain within the sphere of your own reflection,
kept in the secret recesses of the mind. Let then an ineffable and
select bond of general friendship, with faith in the truth, reverence
for God, and a devout observance of his law, remain unshaken among you.
Resume mutual friendship and grace; restore to the whole people their
accustomed familiar embraces; and do ye yourselves, on the strength of
having purified your own souls, again recognize one another. For
friendship often becomes sweeter after the removal of animosity. Thus
restore to me tranquil days, and nights free from care; that to me also
some pleasure in the pure light may be preserved, and a cheerful
serenity during the rest of my life: otherwise, I must necessarily
groan, and be wholly suffused with tears; neither will the remaining
period of my earthly existence be peacefully sustained. For while the
people of God (I speak of my fellow-servants) are severed from one
another by so unworthy and injurious a contest, how is it possible for
me to maintain my usual equanimity? But in order that you may have some
idea of my excessive grief on account of this unhappy difference,
listen to what I am about to state. On my recent arrival at the city of
Nicomedia, it was my intention immediately after to proceed into the
East: but while I was hastening toward you, and had advanced a
considerable distance on my way, intelligence of this affair altogether
reversed my purpose, lest I should be obliged to see with my own eyes a
condition of things such as I could scarcely bear the report of. Open
to me therefore by your reconciliation henceforth, the way into the
East, which ye have obstructed by your contentions against one another:
and permit me speedily to behold both you and all the rest of the
people rejoicing together; and to express my due thanks to the Divine
Being, because of the general harmony and liberty of all parties,
accompanied by the cordial utterance of your praise.152
| 152Socrates’ lack of theological training can be
inferred from his admiration for this rather superficial letter of
Constantine’s; so also the rudimentary character of
Constantine’s views of Gospel truth and his want of appreciation
for the vital nature of the question in the Arian controversy. It may
be noted, however, that the statesmanship shown in the tone and
recommendations of the letter is just as farsighted as the theology of
it is superficial. Constantine had sought to unite the empire through
the church, and now that very church threatened to disrupt the empire;
and this, at the very time, when by his final victory over Licinius and
the foundation of his new capital, he seemed to have realized the ideal
of a reunited empire.
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