Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

speak before God in Christ. I kept silence from utter inability to say a word commensurate
with my grief.
5. While I was in this position another letter came to me, addressed to a certain Dazizas,
but in reality written to all the world. This is obvious from its very rapid distribution, for
in a few days it was delivered all over Pontus, and was travelling about Galatia; indeed it is
said that the carriers of this good news traversed Bithynia, and reached the Hellespont itself.
What was written against me to Dazizas 3062 you are very well aware, for they do not reckon
you as so far beyond the bounds of their friendship as to have left you alone undistinguished
by this honour. However, if the letter has not reached you, I will send it to you. In it you
will find me charged with craft and treachery, with corruption of Churches and with ruin
of souls. The charge which they think the truest of all is, that I made that exposition of the
faith for secret and dishonest reasons, not to do service to the Nicopolitans, but with the
design of disingenously extracting a confession from them. Of all this the Lord is Judge.
What clear evidence can there be of the thoughts of the heart? One thing I do wonder at in
them, that after signing the document presented by me, they show so much disagreement,
that they confuse truth and falsehood to satisfy those who are accusing them, quite forgetful
that their written confession of the Nicene Creed is preserved at Rome, and that they with
their own hand delivered to the council at Tyana the document brought from Rome which
is in my hands, and contains the same creed. They forgot their own address, when they
came forward and bewailed the deceit by which they had been tricked into giving their adhesion
to the document drawn up by the faction of Eudoxius, 3063 and so bethought them
of the defence for that error, that they should go to Rome 3064 and there accept the creed of
the Fathers, that so they might make amends, for the mischief they had done the Church
by their agreement in evil, by their introduction of something better. Now the very men
who undertook long journeys for the faith’s sake, and made all these fine speeches, are reviling
me for walking craftily, and for playing the plotter under the cloke of love. It is plain from
the Letter, now being carried about, that they have condemned the faith of Nicæa. They
saw Cyzicus, and came home with another creed. 3065
6. But why say anything of mere verbal inconsistency? The practical proofs of their
change of position afforded by their conduct are far stronger. They refused to yield to the
sentence of fifty bishops passed against them. 3066 They declined to resign the government
3062 In Letter cxxxi. the name appears as Dazinas, or Dexinas. In this place the mss. agree in the form Dazizas.
3063 ? The Creed of Arminum.
3064 Eustathius, Silvanus, and Theophilus went to Rome after the Lampsacene Council of 365.
3065 The Synod of Tyana had been ready to recognise the Eustathians as Catholics in 374. The Semi-Arian
Council of Cyzicus was held in 375 or 376 (Mansi iii. 469).
3066 i.e. at Constantinople in 360.
To Patrophilus, bishop of Ægæ.
790