whatsoever He is. And when and since He was, from that time He has subsisted from God. He, being a strong God, praises in His degree the Superior. To speak in brief, God is ineffable to His Son. For He is to Himself what He is, that is, unspeakable. So that nothing which is called comprehensible does the Son know how to speak about; for it is impossible for Him to investigate the Father, who is by Himself. For the Son does not know His own essence: For, being Son, He really existed at the will of the Father. What argument then allows, that He who is from the Father should know His own parent by comprehension? For it is plain that for that which hath a beginning to conceive how the Unbegun is, or to grasp the idea, is not possible.-N. & P.-N.F. iv. 457 sq.

No. 15.-Nullity of Ordination by a Presbyter From the Encyclical of the Council of Alexandria, 339, ap. Athanasius, Apol. c. Arianos [? 351], § 12 (Op. i. 106: P.G. xxv. 269 A).

[§ 12] By what means then did Ischyras become a presbyter? Who was it that ordained him? Was it Colluthus? For this is the only supposition that remains. But it is well known, and no one has any doubt about the matter, that Colluthus died a presbyter, and that every ordination of his was invalid, and that all that were ordained by him during the schism were reduced to the condition of laymen, and in that rank appear in the congregation. How then can it be believed that a private person, occupying a private house, had in his possession a sacred chalice? But the truth is they gave the name of presbyter at the time to a private person, and gratified him with this title. to support him in his iniquitous conduct towards us; and now as the reward of his accusations they procure for him the erection of a church. So that this man had then no church; but, as the reward of his malice and subserviency to them in accusing us, he receives now what he had not before; nay, perhaps they have even repudiated his services with the episcopate, for so he goes about reporting and accordingly behaves towards us with great insolence. Thus are such rewards as these now bestowed by bishops

upon accusers and calumniators; though indeed it is reasonable, in the case of an accomplice, that as they have made him a partner in their proceedings, so they should also make him their associate in their own episcopate.Historical Tracts of St. Athanasius: L.F. xiii. 30 sq.

No. 16. The Council of Gangra, 340

From the Synodal Letter and Canons in Mansi, Concilia, ii. 1095-1122.

To our lords and honoured fellow-ministers in Armenia, Eusebius, etc., send greeting in the Lord.-The most sacred Synod of the bishops in Gangra has assembled on account of certain necessities of the Church, and for investigation of the affair of Eustathius ;1 and having found that many improprieties have been committed by his followers, it has therefore determined to remove the evils which Eustathius 1 has brought about

1

(1) If any one despises wedlock, abhorring and blaming the woman who sleeps with her husband, even if she is a believer and devout, as if she could not enter the Kingdom of God, let him be anathema.

(2) If any one condemns him who eats meat, though he abstains from blood, things offered to idols, things strangled, and is faithful and devout, as though by his partaking he has no hope of salvation, let, etc.

(3) If any one teaches a slave, under pretext of piety, to despise his master, to forsake his service, and not to serve him with goodwill and all respect, let, etc.

(4) If any one maintains that, when a married priest offers the sacrifice, no one should take part in the service, let, etc. (5) If any one teaches that the House of God is to be despised, and likewise the assemblies there held, let, etc.

(6) If any one, avoiding the churches, holds private. meetings, and in contempt of the Church performs that which belongs to her alone, without the presence of a priest with authority from the bishop, let, etc.

(7) If any one appropriates to himself the tithes of produce. which belong to the Church, or distributes them outside the Church, without the consent of the bishop, or of one

Bishop of Sebaste and Metropolitan of Armenia 1,357–†80.

appointed by him, and will not act according to the bishop's wishes, let him, etc.

(8) If any one gives or receives such offerings without the will of the bishop, or of one appointed by him for the administration of the benefaction, both giver and receiver shall be anathema.

(9) If any one lives unmarried or practises continence, avoiding marriage with abhorrence, and not because of the beauty and holiness of virginity, let, etc.

(10) If any one of those who for the Lord's sake remain unmarried exalts himself above those who have married, let, etc.

(11) If any one despise those who in faith observe the agape, and for the honour of the Lord invite their brethren, and refuses to take part in these invitations because he lightly esteems the matter, let, etc.

(12) If any one from pretended asceticism wears the philosopher's cloak, and, as if he were thereby made. righteous, despises those who wear ordinary coats, and make use of other such clothing as is everywhere customary, let, etc.

(13) If a woman from pretended asceticism alters her dress, and instead of the customary female dress assumes male attire, let, etc.

(14) If a woman leaves her husband and would separate herself through abhorrence of marriage, let, etc.

(15) If any one forsakes his children, and does not educate them and, as far as he can, train them in fitting habits of piety, but neglects them under pretext of asceticism, let, etc.

(16) If children, specially those of the faithful, forsake their parents under pretext of piety, and do not show them due honour, on the plea of esteeming piety as the higher duty, let, etc.

(17) If a woman, from supposed asceticism, cuts off her hair which has been given her by God to remind her of her subjection, and thus renounces the command of subjection, let, etc.

(18) If any one, from supposed asceticism, fasts on Sunday, let, etc.

(19) If an ascetic without bodily necessity, but from

pride, neglects the fasts which are observed by the whole Church, as though he possesses full understanding, let, etc.

(20) If any one out of pride regards with abhorrence the assemblies of the martyrs and the services there held, or the commemoration of the martyrs, let, etc.-E. F. Morison, St. Basil and his Rule, App. C.

No. 17.—The Claims of the Roman See, 340 From Julius, Bishop of Rome, 337-152, ap. Ath. Apol. c. Ar. § 35 (Op. i. 121; P.G. xxv. 308).

[§35] ... Let us grant the "removal," as you write, of Athanasius and Marcellus from their own places; yet what must one say of the case of the other bishops and presbyters who, as I said before, came hither from various parts, and who complained that they also had been forced away, and had suffered the like injuries? O dearly beloved, the decisions of the Church are no longer according to the Gospel, but tend only to banishment and death. Supposing, as you assert, that some offence rested upon these persons, the case ought to have been conducted against them, not after this manner, but according to the Canon of the Church. Word should have been written of it to us all, that so a just sentence might proceed from all. For the sufferers were bishops, and churches of no ordinary note, but those which the Apostles themselves had governed in their own persons.

And why was nothing said to us concerning the church of the Alexandrians in particular? Are you ignorant that the custom has been for word to be written first to us, and then for a just sentence to be passed from this place? If, then, any such suspicion rested upon the bishop there, notice thereof ought to have been sent to the church of this place; whereas, after neglecting to inform us, and proceeding on their own authority, as they pleased, now they desire to obtain our concurrence in their decisions, though we never condemned him. Not so have the constitutions of Paul, not so have the traditions of the Fathers directed. What we have received from the blessed Apostle Peter, that I signify to you.-L.F. xiii. 56 sq.

No. 18.-The Dedication Creed, 341 From the Council of Antioch, 341, ap. Ath. De Synodis, § 23 (Op. ii. 587 sq.; P.G. xxvi. 721).

We believe, conformably to the evangelical and apostolical tradition, in One God, the Father Almighty, the Framer and Maker and Provider of the Universe, from whom are all things.

And in One Lord Jesus Christ, His Son, Only-begotten. God, by whom all are things, who was begotten before all ages from the Father, God from God, whole from whole, sole from sole, perfect from perfect, King from King, Lord from Lord, Living Word, Living Wisdom, True Light, Way, Truth, Resurrection, Shepherd, Door, both unalterable and unchangeable; exact Image of the Godhead, Essence, Will, Power and Glory of the Father: the firstborn of every creature, who was in the beginning with God, God the Word, as it is written in the Gospel, "and the Word was God" by whom all things were made, and in whom all things consist; who in the last days, descended from above, and was born of a Virgin, according to the Scriptures, and was made Man, mediator between God and man, and Apostle of our faith, and Prince of life, as He says, "I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will but the will of Him that sent Me"; who suffered for us and rose again on the third day, and ascended into heaven and sat down on the right hand of the Father, and is coming again with glory and power, to judge quick and dead.

And in the Holy Ghost, who is given to those who believe for comfort, and sanctification, and initiation, as also our Lord Jesus Christ enjoined His disciples, saying, "Go ye, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Ghost"; namely, of a Father who is truly Father, and a Son who is truly Son, and of the Holy Ghost who is truly Holy Ghost, the names not being given without meaning or effect, but denoting accurately the peculiar subsistence, rank and glory of each that is named, so that they are three in subsistence, and in agreement one.

Holding then this faith, and holding it in the presence of God and Christ from beginning to end, we anathematize