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| Eusebius and Theognis who at the Council of Nice had assented to the Writings of Arius restored to their own Sees.
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Chapter XVI.—Eusebius
and Theognis who at the Council of Nice had assented to the Writings of
Arius restored to their own Sees.
Not long after the council of
Nice, Arius was recalled from exile; but the prohibition to enter
Alexandria was unrevoked. It shall be related in the proper place how
he strove to obtain permission to return to Egypt. Not long after,
Eusebius, bishop of Nicomedia, and Theognis, bishop of Nicæa,
regained possession of their churches after expelling Amphion and
Chrestos who had been ordained in their stead.1164
| 1164Cf. Soc. i. 14. The variations of text are slight.
Is the original from Sabinus’ ἡ
συναγωγή
τῶν
συνοδικῶν?
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They owed their restoration to a document which they had presented to
the bishops, containing a retractation: “Although we have been
condemned without a trial by your piety, we deemed it right to remain
silent concerning the judgment passed by your piety. But as it would be
absurd to remain longer silent, when silence is regarded as a proof of
the truth of the calumniators, we now declare to you that we too agree
in this faith, and after a diligent examination of the thought in the
word ‘consubstantial,’ we are wholly intent upon preserving
peace, and that we never pursued any heresy. Having proposed for the
safety of the churches such argument1165
| 1165The facts (as we learn from the Epistle of Eusebius
of Cæsarea, which is given by Soc. i. 8, and Theodoret, H.
E. i. 12) are as follows: The bishops, who demurred to the term
ὁμοούσιον, as
defined in the Nicene symbol, proposed another alleged older Antiochan
form to the Synod. But the Nicene Fathers rejected it, and refused to
depart from their own definition. Eusebius Pamphilus and his party then
signed the Catholic and Orthodox creed, for fear of the emperor and
other motives.
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as occurred to us, and having been fully convinced, and fully
convincing those who ought to have been persuaded by us, we undersigned
the creed; but we did not subscribe to the anathema, not because we
impugned the creed, but because we did not believe the accused to be
what he was represented to us; the letters we had received from him,
and the arguments he had delivered in our presence, fully satisfying us
that he was not such an one. Would that the holy Synod were convinced
that we are not bent on opposing, but are accordant with the points
accurately defined by you, and by this document, we do attest our
assent thereto: and this is not because we are wearied of exile, but
because we wish to avert all suspicion of heresy; for if you will
condescend to admit us now into your presence, you will find us in all
points of the same sentiments as yourselves, and obedient to your
decisions, and then it shall seem good to your piety to be merciful to
him who was accused on these points and to have him recalled. If the
party amenable to justice has been recalled and has defended himself
from the charge made, it would be absurd, were we by our silence to
confirm the reports that calumny
had spread against us. We beseech you then, as befits your piety, dear
to Christ, that you memorialize our emperor, most beloved of God, and
that you hand over our petition, and that you counsel quickly, what is
agreeable to you concerning us.” It was by these means that
Eusebius and Theognis, after their change of sentiment, were reinstated
in their churches.
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