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| To Marcian Augustus.
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Letter
LXXXII.
To Marcian Augustus.
I. After congratulating the Emperor on
his noble conduct, he deprecates random inquiries into the tenets of
the Faith.
Although I have replied415
| 415 i.e. Lett. LXXVIII. of
the series. |
already to your Grace by the hand of the Constantinopolitan clergy, yet
on receiving your clemency’s mercy through the illustrious
prefect of the
city,
my son Tatian, I found still greater cause for congratulation, because
I have learnt your strong eagerness for the Church’s peace.
And this holy desire as in fairness it deserves, secures for your
empire the same happy condition as you seek for religion. For
when the Spirit of God establishes harmony
among Christian princes, a twofold confidence is produced throughout
the world, because the progress of love and faith makes the power of
their arms in both directions unconquerable, so that God being propitiated by one confession, the falseness of
heretics and the enmity of barbarians are simultaneously overthrown,
most glorious Emperor. The hope, therefore, of heavenly aid being
increased through the Emperor’s friendship, I venture with the
greater confidence to appeal to your Grace on behalf of the mystery of
man’s salvation, not to allow any one in vain and presumptuous
craftiness to inquire what must be held, as if it were uncertain.
And although we may not in a single word dissent from the teaching of
the Gospels and Apostles, nor entertain any opinion on the Divine
Scriptures different to what the blessed Apostles and our Fathers
learnt and taught, now in these latter days unlearned and blasphemous
inquiries are set on foot, which of old the Holy Spirit crushed by the
disciples of the Truth, so soon as the devil aroused them in hearts
which were suited to his purpose.
II. The points to be settled are only
which of the lapsed shall be restored, and on what
terms.
But it is most inopportune that through the
foolishness of a few we should be brought once more into hazardous
opinions, and to the warfare of carnal disputes, as if the wrangle was
to be revived, and we had to settle whether Eutyches held blasphemous
views, and whether Dioscorus gave wrong judgment, who in condemning
Flavian of holy memory struck his own death-blow, and involved the
simpler folk in the same destruction. And now that many, as we
have ascertained, have betaken themselves to the means of amendment,
and entreat forgiveness for their weak hastiness, we have to determine
not the character of the Faith, but whose prayers we shall receive, and
on what terms. And hence that most religious anxiety which you
deign to feel for the proclamation of a Synod, shall have fully and
timely put before it all that I judge pertinent to the needs of the
case, by means of the deputies who will with all speed, if God permit, reach your Grace. Dated the 23rd of
April in the consulship of the illustrious Adelfius
(451). E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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