CLXIX. Letter written by Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus, from Chalcedon to Alexander of Hierapolis.
We have left no means untried, of courtesy, of sternness, of entreaty, of eloquence before the most pious emperor, and the illustrious assembly, testifying before God who sees all things and our Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the world in justice, and the Holy Spirit and his elect angels, lest the Faith be despised which is now being corrupted by the maintainers and bold subscribers of heretical doctrines: and that charge be given for it to be laid down in the same terms as at Nicæa and for the rejection of the heresy introduced to the loss and ruin of true religion. Up to this time however we have produced not the slightest effect, our hearers being carried now in one direction and now in another.
Nevertheless all these
difficulties have not been able to deter me from urging my point, but
by God’s grace I have pressed on. I have even stated to our pious
emperor with an oath that it is perfectly impossible for Cyril and
Memnon to be reconciled with me, and that we can never communicate with
any one who has not previously repudiated the heretical Chapters. This
then is our mind. The object of men who “seek their own not the
things which are Jesus Christ’s” is to be reconciled with them against
our will. But this is no business of mine, for God weighs our motives
and tries our character, nor does He inflict chastisement for what is
done against our will. Be it known to your holiness that if ever I said
a word about our friend either before
the very pious emperor or the illustrious assembly, I was at once
branded as a rebel. So intensely is he hated by the court party. This
is most annoying. The most pious emperor, especially, cannot bear to
hear his name mentioned and says publicly “Let no one speak to me
of this man.” On one occasion he gave an instance of this to me. Nevertheless as long as I am here I shall not cease to serve the interests of this our father, knowing that the impious have done him wrong.
My desire is that both your
piety and I myself get quit of this. No good is to be hoped from it, in
as much as all the judges trust in gold, and contend that the nature of
the Godhead and manhood is one.
All the people however by
God’s grace are in good case, and constantly come out to us. I
have begun to discourse to them and have celebrated very large
communions.
On the fourth occasion I spoke
at length about the faith and they listened with such delight that they
did not go away till the seventh hour but held out even till the midday
heat. An enormous crowd was gathered in a great court, with four
verandahs, and I preached from above from a platform near the
roof.
All the clergy with the
excellent monks are on the contrary utterly opposed to me, so that when
we came back from the Rufinianum, after the visit of the very pious
emperor, stone throwing began and many of my companions were wounded, by the people and false monks.