Letter 129

129. To Meletius, Bishop of Antioch

I knew that the charge now brought against Apollinaris — who finds it so easy to say anything — would strike your Perfection's ear as strange. For neither was I myself in the time before this aware that he held such views; but now the Sebastenes, having ferreted them out from somewhere, have brought them into the open, and they carry about a treatise on the strength of which they especially condemn us too, as holding the same opinions. It contains expressions such as these: "So that everywhere it is necessary to conceive the first identity as conjoined — rather, as united — with the otherness, and to call the same a second and a third. For what the Father is in the first place, this the Son is in the second, and the Spirit in the third. And again, what the Spirit is in the first place, this is the Son in the second — inasmuch as the Lord too is the Spirit — and the Father in the third, inasmuch as God is Spirit. And, to signify the ineffable in a more forced manner, the Father is paternally Son, and the Son filially Father; and likewise in the case of the Spirit, inasmuch as the Trinity is one God."

These are the things now noised abroad, which I can by no means believe to be fabrications of those who circulate them — though, given their slander against us, I reckon nothing too daring for them. For in writing to certain of their own party, and adding their calumny against us, they appended these things, calling the words those of heretics, but concealing the author of the composition, so that to the many we might be thought to be the writers. Still, their ingenuity would never have gone so far as actually to compose such words — so at least I persuade myself. Therefore, in order both to repel the blasphemy that prevails against us and to show all men that we have nothing in common with those who say such things, we were compelled to make mention of the man, as one who approaches the impiety of Sabellius. And on this matter, so much.

From the imperial court someone has come announcing that, upon the first impulse of the emperor — which those who pour out their slanders against us had stirred up in him — a second resolution has been reached, that we should not be given up to our accusers, nor handed over to their will, as had been decreed from the first, but that some delay should for the present be granted. If, then, either these arrangements stand, or something more humane than these is decided, we shall make it known to your Reverence. But if the former counsels prevail, this too shall not escape you.

The brother Sanctissimus has assuredly been with you for some time, and what he is seeking has been made plain to your Perfection. If, then, the letter to those of the West seems to require anything necessary, deign to draft it and send it to us, so that we may have it signed by those of one mind with us and have the signature ready, set out on a separate sheet which we can attach to the document carried by our brother the fellow-presbyter. For I myself, finding nothing of substance in the memorandum, had nothing about which to write to those in the West. The necessary matters have already been dealt with, and to write what is superfluous is wholly idle. And to trouble them again about the same things — would that not be ridiculous?

But this point seemed to me, as it were, unexercised and to afford scope for a letter: to urge them not to receive without discrimination the communions of those who come from the East, but, having once chosen a single party, to admit the rest on the testimony of those in communion; and not to attach themselves to everyone who writes out a creed under the mere pretext of orthodoxy. For in this way they will be found in communion with men at war with one another, who often put forward the same words, yet fight among themselves as much as those who are furthest apart. In order, then, that the heresy may not be the more inflamed, with men at strife with one another putting forward against each other their respective letters, they should be urged to make discriminating judgements both about the communions of those who come to them and about those granted in writing, according to the practice of the Church.