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The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret (CCEL)

Chapter VII. Confutation of Arianism deduced from the Writings of Eustathius and Athanasius.

The above-named bishops, however, did not consent to it in sincerity, but only in appearance. This was afterwards shewn by their plotting against those who were foremost in zeal for religion, as well as by what these latter have written about them. For instance, Eustathius, the famous bishop of Antioch, who has been already mentioned, when explaining the text in the Proverbs, ‘The Lord created me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old ¹,’ wrote against them, and refuted their blasphemy.

²“I will now proceed to relate how these different events occurred. A general council was summoned at Nicæa, and about two hundred and seventy bishops were convened. There were, however, so many assembled that I cannot state their exact number, neither, indeed, have I taken any great trouble to ascertain this point. When they began to inquire into the nature of the faith, the formulary of Eusebius was brought forward, which contained undisguised evidence of his blasphemy. The reading of it before all occasioned great grief to the audience, on account of its departure from the faith, while it inflicted irremediable shame on the writer. After the Eusebian gang had been clearly convicted, and the impious writing had been torn up in the sight of all, some amongst them by concert, under the pretence of preserving peace, imposed silence on all the ablest speakers. The Ariomaniacs, fearing lest they should be ejected from the Church by so numerous a council of bishops, sprang forward to anathematize and condemn the doctrines condemned, and unanimously signed the confession of faith. Thus having retained possession of their episcopal seats through the most shameful deception, although they ought rather to have been degraded, they continue, sometimes secretly, and sometimes openly, to patronize the condemned doctrines, plotting against the truth by various arguments. Wholly bent upon establishing these plantations of tares, they shrink from the scrutiny of the intelligent, avoid the observant, and attack the preachers of godliness. But we do not believe that these atheists can ever thus overcome the Deity. For though they ‘gird themselves’ they ‘shall be broken in pieces,’ according to the solemn prophecy of Isaiah ³.”

These are the words of the great Eustathius. Athanasius, his fellow combatant, the champion of the truth, who succeeded the celebrated Alexander in the episcopate, added the following, in a letter addressed to the Africans.

“The bishops convened in council being P. 45 desirous of refuting the impious assertions invented by the Arians, that the Son was created out of that which was non-existent ⁴, that He is a creature and created being ⁵, that there was a period in which He was not ⁶, and that He is mutable by nature, and being all agreed in propounding the following declarations, which are in accordance with the holy Scriptures; namely, that the Son is by nature only-begotten of God, Word, Power, and sole Wisdom of the Father; that He is, as John said, ‘the true God ⁷,’ and, as Paul has written, ‘the brightness of the glory, and the express image of the person of the Father ⁸,’ the followers of Eusebius, drawn aside by their own vile doctrine, then began to say one to another, Let us agree, for we are also of God; ‘There is but one God, by whom are all things ⁹; ‘Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new, and all things are of God ¹⁰.’ They also dwelt particularly upon what is contained in ‘The Shepherd ¹¹:’ ‘Believe above all that there is one God, who created and fashioned all things, and making them to be out of that which is not.’

“But the bishops saw through their evil design and impious artifice, and gave a clearer elucidation of the words ‘of God,’ and wrote, that the Son is of the substance of God; in order that while the creatures, which do not in any way derive their existence of or from themselves, are said to be of God, the Son alone is said to be of the substance of the Father; this being peculiar to the only-begotten Son, the true Word of the Father. This is the reason why the bishops wrote, that He is of the substance of the Father.

“But when the Arians, who seemed few in number, were again interrogated by the Bishops as to whether they admitted ‘that the Son is not a creature, but Power, and sole Wisdom, and eternal unchangeable ¹² Image of the Father; and that He is very God,’ the Eusebians were noticed making signs to one another to shew that these declarations were equally applicable to us. For it is said, that we are ‘the image and glory of God ¹³;’ and ‘for always we who live ¹⁴:’ there are, also, they said, many powers; for it is written—‘All the power of God went out of the land of Egypt ¹⁵.’ The canker-worm and the locust are said to be ‘a great power ¹⁶.’ And elsewhere it is written, The God of powers is with us, the God of Jacob helper ¹⁷.’ To which may be added that we are God’s own not simply, but because the Son called us ‘brethren ¹⁸.’ The declaration that Christ is ‘the true God’ does not distress us, for, having come into being, He is true.

“Such was the corrupt opinion of the Arians; but on this the bishops, having detected their deceitfulness in this matter, collected from Scripture those passages which say of Christ that He is the glory, the fountain, the stream, and the express image of the person; and they quoted the following words: ‘In thy light we shall see light ¹⁹;’ and likewise, ‘I and the Father are one ²⁰.’ They then, with still greater clearness, briefly declared that the Son is of one substance with the Father; for this, indeed, is the signification of the passages which have been quoted. The complaint of the Arians, that these precise words are not to be found in Scripture, is proved groundless by their own practice, for their own impious assertions are not taken from Scripture; for it is not written that the Son is of the non-existent, and that there was a time when He was not: and yet they complain of having been condemned by expressions which, though not actually in Scripture, are in accordance with true religion. They themselves, on the other hand, as though they had found their words on a dunghill, uttered things verily of earth. The bishops, on the contrary, did not find their expressions for themselves; but, received their testimony from the fathers, and wrote accordingly. Indeed, there were bishops of old time, nearly one hundred and thirty years ago, both of the great city of Rome and of our own city ²¹, who condemned those who asserted that the Son is a creature, and that He is not of one substance with the Father. Eusebius, the bishop of Cæsarea, was acquainted with these facts; he, at one time, favoured the Arian heresy, but he afterwards signed the confession of faith of the Council of Nicæa. He wrote to the people of his diocese, maintaining that the word ‘consubstantial’ was ‘used by illustrious bishops and learned writers as a term for expressing the divinity of the Father and of the Son ²².’”

So these men concealed their unsoundness through fear of the majority, and gave their P. 46 assent to the decisions of the council, thus drawing upon themselves the condemnation of the prophet, for the God of all cries unto them, “ This people honour Me with their lips, but in their hearts they are far from Me ²³.” Theonas and Secundus, however, did not like to take this course, and were excommunicated by common consent as men who esteemed the Arian blasphemy above evangelical doctrine. The bishops then returned to the council, and drew up twenty laws to regulate the discipline of the Church.

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Histoire de l'Église

CHAPITRE VII.

Concile de Nicée.

L'EMPEREUR, qui était un Prince rempli de sagesse, n'eut pas sitôt appris ces désor- 121 dres qu'il tâcha de les arrêter dans leur naissance. II envoya pour cet effet à Alexandrie un homme d'une rare prudence avec des Lettres, afin qu'il apaisât les disputes, et qu'il réunît les esprits. Mais ce voyage n'ayant point réussi, comme, il espérait, il convoqua ce Concile si célèbre de Nicée, et permit aux Evêques de s'y rendre avec leur fuite sur des chevaux et des mulets du public. Lorsque tous ceux qui purent supporter la fatigue du voyage, s'y furent rendus, l'Empereur s'y rendit lui-même, tant pour voir une nombreuse assemblée de Prélat, que pour rétablir parmi eux une parfaite intelligence. Il commanda qu'on leur fournît tout ce qui leur serait nécessaire. Ils se trouvèrent au nombre de trois cens dix-huit Evêques. Celui de Rome ne s'y trouva point à cause de son grand âge, mais il envoya deux Prêtres pour prendre connaissance de ce qui y serait traité, et pour donner leur consentement aux réformes qui y seraient prises.

Il y en avait plusieurs qui avaient reçu de Dieu les mêmes dons que les Apôtres, et plusieurs, qui comme le divin Paul, portaient imprimées sur leur corps les marques du Seigneur. Jaques Évêque d'Antioche Ville de Migdonie, et que les Syriens, et les Assyriens appellent Nisibe, a ressuscité des morts, et fait quantité d'autres miracles, que je crois qu'il est inutile de rapporter dans cette Histoire, puisque je les ai déjà racontés dans une autre, sui a pour titre Philothée. Paul Évêque de Néocésarée, Fort assis sur le bord de l'Euphrate, avait senti les effets de la fureur de Licinius. Il avait perdu l'usage des mains, parce qu'on avait brûlé avec un fer chaud, les nerfs qui leur donnent le mouvement. II y en avait d'autres, auxquels on avait arraché l'œil droit, et d'autres auxquels on avait coupé le jarret. Paphnuce d'Egypte était du nombre de ces derniers. Enfin c'était une assemblée de Martyrs. 122 Mais cette assemblée si célèbre ne laissait pas d'être remplie de plusieurs personnes divisées entre elles par des sentiments différents. Il y en avait quelques-uns en fort petit nombre, qui n'étaient pas moins dangereux que des écueils cachés sous la mer, et qui favorisaient secrètement les erreurs d'Arius.

L'Empereur leur fit préparer dans le Palais un grand appartement, où il y avoir autant de sièges qu'il en fallait, et leur donna ordre d'y aller, et d'y délibérer touchant les matières dont il était question. Il entra incontinent après, suivi de quelques-uns des siens avec une contenance, et une bonne mine, qui était relevée par sa modestie. Il s'assit sur un petit siège qui avait été placé au milieu, après en avoir demandé permission aux Evêques, et ils s'assirent tous avec lui. Le grand Eustate que les Evêques, les Ecclésiastiques, et les autres Fidèles d'Antioche avaient contraint de se charger de la conduite de cette Eglise, après la mort de Philogone, dont nous avons ci-devant parlé, prononça un Panégyrique en l'honneur de l'Empereur, et releva par des louanges fort avantageuses le soin qu'il prenait des affaires de l'Eglise. Lorsqu'il eut achevé son discours, l'Empereur en commença un autre, par lequel il exhorta les Prélats à la paix, leur rappela dans la mémoire la cruauté des tyrans qui avaient été exterminés, et la paix que Dieu leur avait rendue par son moyen. Il leur remontra que c'était une chose très- fâcheuse, que depuis que la puissance des ennemis était abattue, et qu'il n'y avait plus personne, qui osât faire la moindre résistance, ils s'attaquassent les uns les autres, et donnassent sujet à ceux qui ne les aimaient pas, de rire et de se moquer de leurs différends ou il s'agissait de questions de Théologie, dont la décision dépendait des instructions que l'Esprit saint leur avait laissées.

« L'Evangile, leur dit-il, les Lettres 123 des Apôtres, et les Ouvrages des anciens Prophètes nous enseignent aussi clairement ce que nous sommes obligés de croire touchant la nature Divine. Renonçons donc à toute sorte de contestations, et cherchons dans les Livres que le saint Esprit a dictés, la rons, renoncèrent aux disputes, et embrassèrent la saine doctrine. Ménophante Evêque d'Ephèse, Patrophile Evêque de Scythopole, Théognis Evêque de Nicée, Narcisse Évêque de Néromade, qui est une Ville de la seconde Cilicie, et que l'on appelle maintenant Irénopole, Théonas Evêque de Marmarique, et Second Evêque de Ptolémaïde en Egypte combattaient la doctrine des Apôtres, et appuyaient celle d'Arius, aussi bien qu'un petit nombre d'autres, donc nous avons parlé auparavant. Ils composèrent un formulaire de foi, mais il fut déchiré et déclaré qu'il contenait une fausse doctrine. Les Evêques ayant fait un grand bruit contre eux, et ayant élevé leur voix, pour les condamner comme des hommes qui trahissaient la piété, ils se levèrent tous saisis de crainte à la réservée de Second et de Thomas, et excommunièrent Arius. Cet impie ayant été de la sorte chassé de l'Eglise, le formulaire de foi qui est encore reçu aujourd'hui, fut dressé d'un commun consentement, et dès qu'il eût été signé, le Concile se sépara.

Mais les Evêques que je viens de nommer, ne le signèrent pas de bonne foi; comme il paraît tant par ce qu'ils brassèrent depuis contre les défenseurs de la piété, que par ce que ceux-ci écrivirent contre eux. Eustate Evêque d'Antioche dont j'ai déjà parlé, expliquant ce prodige des Proverbes de Salomon. Le Seigneur m'a possédée au commencement de ses voies, avant qu'il créât aucune chose, rapporte ce qui fut résolu contre eux dans le Concile, et réfute leur impiété.