with which he was charged, and at length convicted himself of his own accord of every kind of infamy beyond belief, and changed to groans even the hope which we had entertained, believing and desiring that he might be cleared from such shameful blots; except, indeed, that it was so far a relief to our sorrows that he had delivered us from the labour of a longer enquiry, and by confession had applied some sort of remedy to his own wounding: though, sir and brother, it was unwilling and done with a struggling conscience.

Premising, therefore, our due regards to you, we earnestly implore you that, for the future, you do not readily admit to a hearing persons coming hence, nor choose to receive to your communion those who have been excommunicated by us, because your Reverence will readily perceive that this has been prescribed by the Nicene decrees. For though this seems to be there forbidden in respect of the inferior clergy or the laity, how much more did it will this to be observed in the case of bishops, lest those who had been suspended from communion in their own province might seem to be restored to communion hastily or unfitly by your Holiness. Let your Holiness reject, as is worthy of you, that unprincipled taking shelter with you of presbyters likewise, and inferior clergy, both because by no ordinance of the Fathers hath the Church of Africa been deprived of this right, and the Nicene decrees have most plainly committed not only the clergy of inferior rank, but the bishops themselves, to their own Metropolitans. For they have ordained with great wisdom and justice that all matters should be terminated where they arise; and they did not think that the grace of the Holy Spirit would be wanting to any Province for the priests [sc. bishops] of Christ wisely to discern and firmly to maintain that which is right, especially since whosoever thinks himself wronged by any judgment may appeal to the Council of his Province or even to a General Council [of all Africa], unless it be imagined that God can inspire a single individual with justice and refuse it to an innumerable multitude of priests [sc. bishops] assembled in Council. And how shall we be able to rely on a sentence passed beyond the sea, since it will not be possible to send thither the necessary witnesses, whether from weakness of sex or

of advanced age or any other impediment. For that your Holiness should send any on your part we can find ordained by no Council of the Fathers. Because with regard to what you have sent us by our brother-bishop Faustinus, as being contained in the Nicene Council, we can find nothing of the kind in the more authentic copies of that Council, which we have received from the holy Cyril, our brother bishop of the Alexandrine Church, and from the venerable Atticus, Bishop of Constantinople, and which we formerly sent by Innocent the presbyter and Marcellus, the subdeacon, through whom we received them, to Boniface the bishop, your predecessor of venerable memory. For the rest, whosoever desires you to delegate any of your clergy to execute your orders, do not comply, lest it seem that we are introducing the pride of secular dominion into the Church of Christ, which exhibits before those who desire to see God the light of simplicity and the splendour of humility; for now that the miserable Apiarius has been removed out of the Church of Christ for his horrible crimes, we feel confident respecting our brother Faustinus that, through the uprightness and moderation of your holiness, our brotherly charity not being violated, Africa will by no means any longer be forced to endure him! Sir and brother, may our Lord long preserve your Holiness to pray for us.-E. Denny, Papalism, 307-9.

No. 155. The Independence of the Church in
Persia, 424

From the Synod of Dadišô, 424, ap. J. B. Chabot,
Synodicon Orientale, 285, 302.

Assembly of the Metropolitans and Bishops, which took place at Markabta of the Arabs, in the time of Waran,1 the king of kings [420-†38].

In the fourth year of Waran, king of kings; in the presence of Mar Dadišô, Catholicus [421-†56], supreme head of the bishops and governor of all Eastern Christendom, there were assembled at Markabta of the Arabs, the bishops [thirty-six in number].

1 Bahrâm V.

As for that which has been decreed by the Western Fathers: "That the bishops are not permitted to hold an assembly against the will of their head, nor to prepare in writing heads of accusation or reproach, but that, if they have any complaint to make and obtain no satisfaction at the assembly in presence of the Patriarch, they must appeal to his colleagues, who will decide between him and them, after having examined the affair"; since we have often had experience of the fact that those who complain of the Catholicus were treated as blameworthy; received punishment for their folly by deprivation and deposition; were robbed and spoiled of the title of their order and of the vesture which they wore: Now, by the word of God, we decree that the Easterns will not be permitted to carry complaints against their Patriarch before the Western Patriarchs; and that every cause which cannot be determined in the presence of their Patriarch shall be left to the judgment of Christ.-K.

No. 156. The Beginnings of Arianism, c. 320 From Sozomen [fl. c. 425], H.E., I. xv. §§ 1−7.

[§ 1] Although, as we have shown, religion was in a flourishing condition at this period, yet the Church was disturbed by sore contentions; for under the pretext of piety, and of seeking the more perfect knowledge of God, certain questions were agitated which had not, till then, been examined. Arius was the originator of these disputations. He was a presbyter of the Church at Alexandria in Egypt, [§ 2] and was at first a zealous supporter of truth, yet upholding at the same time the innovations of Meletius. Eventually, however, he abandoned these opinions, and was ordained deacon by Peter, Bishop of Alexandria, who afterwards cast him out of the Church, because he reprehended the conduct of this prelate in preaching against the Meletians, and in rejecting their baptism. After the martyrdom of Peter, Arius asked forgiveness of Achillas, and was restored to his office as a deacon, and afterwards elevated to the presbyterate. Alexander, also, held him in high repute. [§ 3] He was a most expert logician, but perverted his talents to evil

purposes, and had the audacity to preach what no one before him had ever suggested, namely, that the Son of God was made out of that which had no prior existence; that there was [a period of time] when He existed not; that, as possessing free-will, He was capable of virtue or of vice; and that He was created and made; to these, many other similar assertions were added in support of the argument. [§ 4] Those, who heard these doctrines advanced, blamed Alexander for not opposing opinions which seemed at variance with the faith. But this bishop deemed it more advisable to leave each party to the free discussion of doubtful topics, so that, by persuasion rather than by force, unanimity might be restored; hence he assembled some of his clergy around him, and sat down, as judge, to hear the statements of contending parties. [§ 5] But it happened on this occasion, as is generally the case in a strife of words, that each party claimed the victory. Arius defended the assertions he had advanced against the Son, but the others contended that He was consubstantial and co-eternal with the Father. The Council was convened a second time, and the same points contested; but they came to no agreement among themselves. During the debate, Alexander seemed to incline first to one party and then to the other. [§ 6] Finally, however, he declared himself in favour of those who affirmed that the Son was consubstantial and co-eternal with the Father, and he commanded Arius to receive this doctrine, and to reject his former opinions. Arius, however, would not be persuaded to compliance, and many of the bishops and clergy considered his statements of doctrine to be correct; Alexander therefore ejected him, and the clergy who concurred with him in sentiment, from the Church.-The Greek Ecclesiastical Historians, iv. 29 sq. (Bagster, 1846).

No. 157. The Martyrdom of Shimun bar Saba'i, +341

From Sozomen [fl. c. 425], H.E., II. ix. §§ 1-6; x. §§ 1, 2.

[ix. § 1] When, in course of time, the Christians [sc. in Persia], increased in number, assembled as churches, and appointed priests and deacons, the Magi, who had from

time immemorial acted as priests of the Persian religion, became deeply incensed against them. The Jews, who, through envy, are in some way naturally opposed to the Christian religion, were likewise offended. They therefore brought accusations before Sapor, the reigning sovereign, against Symeon, who was then Archbishop of Seleucia and Ctesiphon, royal cities of Persia, and charged him with being a friend of the Cæsar of the Romans, and with communicating the affairs of the Persians to him.

[§ 2] Sapor believed these accusations, and at first imposed intolerably oppressive taxes upon the Christians, although he knew that the generality of them had voluntarily embraced poverty. He appointed cruel men to exact these taxes, hoping that, by the want of necessaries, and the atrocity of the tax-gatherers, they might be compelled to abjure their religion; for this was his aim. Afterwards, however, he commanded that the priests and ministers of God should be slain with the sword. The churches were demolished, their vessels were deposited in the treasury, and Symeon was arrested as a traitor to the kingdom and the religion of the Persians.

[§ 3] Thus, the Magi with the co-operation of the Jews quickly destroyed the houses of prayer. Symeon, on his apprehension, was bound with chains and brought before the king. There he evinced the excellence and firmness of his character; for when Sapor commanded that he should be led away to the torture, he did not fear, and would not prostrate himself.

[§ 4] The king, greatly exasperated, demanded why he did not prostrate himself as he had done formerly. Symeon replied that formerly he was not led away bound, in order that he might abjure the truth of God, and therefore did not then object to pay the customary respect to royalty; but that, on the present occasion, it would not be proper for him to do so; for he stood there in defence of godliness and of the one true faith.

[§ 5] When he ceased speaking, the king commanded him to worship the sun; promising, as an inducement, to bestow gifts upon him, and to raise him to honour; but, on the other hand, threatening, in case of non-compliance, to visit him and the whole body of Christians with destruction.