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| The Emperor also summons to the Synod Acesius, Bishop of the Novatians.
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Chapter X.—The Emperor
also summons to the Synod Acesius, Bishop of the Novatians.
The emperor’s diligence
induces me to mention another circumstance expressive of his mind, and
serving to show how much he desired peace. For aiming at ecclesiastical
harmony, he summoned to the council Acesius also, a bishop of the sect
of Novatians. Now, when the declaration of faith had been written out
and subscribed by the Synod, the emperor asked Acesius whether he would
also agree to this creed to the settlement of the day on which Easter
should be observed. He replied, ‘The Synod has determined nothing
new, my prince: for thus heretofore, even from the beginning, from the
times of the apostles, I traditionally received the definition of the
faith, and the time of the celebration of Easter.’ When,
therefore, the emperor further asked him, ‘For what reason then
do you separate yourself from communion with the rest of the
Church?’ he related what had taken place during the persecution
under Decius; and referred to the rigidness of that austere canon which
declares, that it is not right persons who after baptism have committed
a sin, which the sacred Scriptures denominate ‘a sin unto
death’191
to be considered worthy of participation in the sacraments:192
that they should indeed be exhorted to repentance, but were not to
expect remission from the priest, but from God, who is able and has
authority to forgive sins.193
When Acesius had thus spoken, the emperor said to him, ‘Place a
ladder, Acesius, and climb alone into heaven.’194
Neither Eusebius Pamphilus nor any other has ever mentioned these
things: but I heard them from a man by no means prone to falsehood, who
was very old, and simply stated what had taken place in the council in
the course of a narrative. From which I conjecture that those who have
passed by this occurrence in
silence, were actuated by motives which have influenced many other
historians: for they frequently suppress important facts, either from
prejudice against some, or partiality towards others.
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