"this time; you yourself have to-day said, "We come as A. D. 381. "Christians to Christians;' therefore you owned us to be "Christians. You promised to assign your reasons, and to "hear those which we had to give. I have offered you the "letter which Arius wrote, in regard to which you say that "we have wronged you: you say that you are not followers "of Arius. You must to-day declare your opinion; either "condemn or defend him by such passages as you think fit." Afterwards he added: "Then according to Arius' letter, "Jesus Christ the Son of God is not eternal." Palladius still shifted the matter to the question of the validity of the Council. St. Ambrose added: "He who said that the Son of God is not eternal has been unanimously condemned: Arius hath "said it: Palladius followeth him, refusing to condemn Arius. "Let us see therefore whether we are to approve his opinion, "and whether he speaks agreeably to the Scripture or contrary

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to it. For we read: The eternal power of God and His Rom. 1. 20. Divinity; and again: Jesus Christ is the power of God. 1 Cor. 1.24. "If therefore the power of God is eternal, Jesus Christ "is eternal." St. Eusebius of Bologna said, "This is our "faith, this is the Catholic doctrine; anathema to him "that doth not own it." All the Bishops cried out: "Anathema."

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Palladius said: "I have never seen Arius, and know not § 14. "who he is." St. Eusebius said: "The blasphemy of Arius "wherein he denies the eternity of the Son of God has been "set before us; will you condemn it together with its author, For defend it?" Palladius said: "I will not speak but in a "plenary Council." St. Ambrose continuing to ask their opinions, addressed himself to the deputies from Gaul: and Constantius Bishop of Orange said: "We have always condemned § 15. "this impiety, and we still condemn not only Arius, but "whosoever does not own that the Son of God is eternal." St. Ambrose asked the opinion of St. Justus in particular, as being deputed from another part of Gaul; and St. Justus replied: "Whoever does not confess, that the Son of God is "coeternal with the Father, let him be anathema." St. Ambrose likewise asked the opinion of the deputics from Africa, and the Bishop Felix answered in the name of all the rest, § 16. that they had already condemned that error, and that they

A. D. 381. would still condemn it. Aneminius as Bishop of Sirmium the capital of Illyricum, pronounced the same anathema.

XIII.

the Son of

Rom. 9. 5.

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St. Ambrose said: "Hear what follows." Then these Divinity of words were read, in Arius' letter, concerning the Father: God. "Who only is eternal, Who only is without beginning, Who "only is true, Who only hath immortality." St. Ambrose $ 17. said: "Condemn in this point likewise him that saith that "the Son is not very God." Palladius answered: “Who is "there that denies that He is very Son?" St. Ambrose replied, "Arius hath said it." Palladius said: "Since the Apostle says, that Jesus Christ is God over all, can any one deny that He is very Son of God?" St. Ambrose said: § 18. "That you may know with what simplicity we seek the truth, "observe that I too say what you say, but you say it only by "halves. For by speaking thus you seem to deny His being "very God. If then you confess simply that the Son of God "is very God; speak these words in the same order as I utter "them." Palladius said, "I speak to you according to the Scriptures; I say that the Lord is very Son of God." St. Ambrose replied: "Do you say that the Son of God is "very Lord?" Palladius answered: "Since I say that He "is very Son, what needs there more?" St. Ambrose said: "I require you not only to say that He is very Son, but that "the Son of God is very Lord." St. Eusebius of Bologna said: "Jesus Christ is very God according to the Catholic "faith." Palladius said: "He is very Son of God." St. Eusebius said: "We likewise are sons of God by adoption, but "He is so by divine generation. Do you confess then, that "the very Son of God is very Lord, properly and essentially?" Palladius replied: "I say that He is very only-begotten Son $ 20. "of God." Eusebius said: "Do you then believe that it is "speaking contrary to the Scriptures, if we say that Jesus "Christ is very God?" Palladius making no answer, St. Ambrose said: "He that only saith that He is very Son, and "does not say that He is very Lord, has the appearance of "denying it. Let Palladius therefore acknowledge it in this "order, if he can prevail upon himself to do it, and let him "declare whether he says that the Son of God is very Lord." St. John 17. Palladius replied: "The Son saith: That they may know "Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.

"Does he speak this by way of feeling only, or in reality?" A. D. 381. St. Ambrose replied: "St. John hath said in his Epistle: Ie 1St. John5. "is the true God. Do you deny it?" Palladius answered: "When I tell you that he is very Son, I also confess a true

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Divinity." St. Ambrose replied: "Even in this, there is "an evasion; for when you speak of one only and true “Divinity, you ascribe it to the Father only, and not to "the Son: if therefore you would speak plainly, since you "refer us to the Scriptures, say with the Evangelist St. John, "He is true God; or deny that he hath said it." Palladius answered: "There is none other but the Son who is "begotten." St. Eusebius said: "Jesus Christ is true God § 21. "according to the belief of the whole world and the Catholic "profession. Is He not so in your opinion?" Palladius said: "He is the power of our God." St. Ambrose said: "You do not declare yourself frankly; and consequently let "him be anathema who does not confess that the Son of God "is very Lord." All the Bishops cried out "Anathema to "him who will not say that the Christ, the Son of God, is "very Lord."

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15, 16.

As they continued to read Arius' letter, they examined this expression; The Father only possesseth immortality; and St Ambrose said; "The Son of God, hath He immortality "or not, according to His Divinity?" Palladius answered: "Do you receive these words of the Apostle or not, the King 1 Tim. 6. "of Kings who only hath immortality?" St. Ambrose replied, "What say you of Christ the Son of God?" Palladius answered, "The name Christ, is it divine or human?" St. § 23. Eusebius said, " According to the mystery of the Incarnation, "we call Him Christ, but the same is God and man." Palladius answered, "Christ is a name of the flesh, the name of a "man; do you the rest likewise answer me." St. Eusebius said, "Wherefore do you dwell upon useless matters? This 'passage of the Apostle which you have cited in favour of "Arius, expresses, if you understand it, when speaking of "God, the dignity of the whole Divine nature; for the Father "and the Son are both signified under the notion of God." St. Ambrose said, "I ask you to give me your opinion "plainly. Hath the Son of God immortality according to § 24. "the divine generation, or hath He not?" and after several

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A. D. 381. evasions of Palladius, he added; "What think you of him "who denieth that the Son of God hath immortality?" All the Bishops cried out: "Let him be anathema." Palladius § 25. said, “The divine generation is immortal." St. Ambrose replied, "This is a farther evasion to avoid explaining your"self clearly concerning the Son of God. I affirm that the "Son of God hath immortality according to His Divinity; "do you deny it?" Palladius said, "Is Jesus Christ dead or "not ?" "He is," replied St. Ambrose, "according to the "flesh: even our souls do not die. Do you then think that "Jesus Christ is dead according to His Divinity?" Palladius said, “What makes you afraid of the word death?" St. Ambrose replied, "I am not afraid of it; on the contrary, I con"fess that He is dead according to our flesh; for it is He "Himself that hath delivered me from the bands of death." And as Palladius still continued speaking ambiguously, affirming that he knew not Arius, and refusing to condemn him, $26. St. Ambrose said, "Let him be anathema who will not explain his faith freely." All the Bishops cried, "Let him "be anathema."

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They continued reading Arius' letter: Who only is wise: and Palladius said, "The Father is wise of Himself, but the "Son is not wise." St. Ambrose and St. Eusebius both exclaimed against this impiety, and Palladius confessed that the Son of God is the Wisdom. St. Ambrose asked him, "Is He wise or not?" Palladius answered, "He is the Wis"dom." "He is wise therefore," saith St. Ambrose," since 1 Cor. 1. 24. "He is the Wisdom." Palladius replied, "We answer you "according to the Scripture." St. Eusebius said, "Let him "be anathema who denies that the Son of God is wise." All the Bishops cried out, "Let him be anathema." They also § 28. examined Secundianus upon this point, but he would not explain himself.

They proceeded to the term good; and Palladius owned that Jesus Christ is good. St. Ambrose said, " Arius was then "in the wrong when he affirmed that the Father only is good." Palladius said, "He that doth not say that Jesus Christ is $29. "good, speaketh amiss." St. Eusebius said, "You confess that

"Jesus Christ is good, but so am I also; for it is to me to St. Mat. 25. "whom it is said, Well done thou good and faithful servant;

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12.

"and, the good man out of the good treasure of his heart A. D. 381. "bringeth forth that which is good." Palladius replied, “I have St. Luke 6. already said it, I will not answer you until there is a full "Council." St. Ambrose said, "The Jews said he is a good St. John 7. "man; and Arius denies that the Son of God is good." "Who can deny it?" replied Palladius. St. Eusebius said, "The Son of God then is a good God." Palladius answered, "The Father who is good hath begotten a good Son." St. Ambrose replied, "He hath likewise begotten us good, but § 30. "not according to the divinity." And not being able to get any thing else from him, he said: "Let him be anathema who "doth not confess that the Son of God is a good God." All the Bishops said, "Let him be anathema."

They continued reading: Who alone is powerful. St. Am- § 31. brose said, "The Son of God, is He powerful or not?" Palladius replied, "He that made all things is He not powerful ?" St. Ambrose said, "Arius therefore hath spoken wrong, let him be condemned in this at least ?" Palladius answered, "How do I know who he is? I answer for myself." Then he confessed that the Son of God is powerful, but he would not own Him to be the mighty Lord. St. Ambrose said, "Men § 32. "are likewise powerful, for it is written; Why boastest thou thy- Ps. 52. 1. "self in mischief, O mighty man? And in another place: For 2Cor.12.10. "when I am weak then am I strong. I require you to confess "that Christ the Son of God is the mighty Lord; or to prove "the contrary. For I, who affirm that the Father and the "Son have but one power, say that the Son of God is "powerful as the Father is." Palladius answered, “I have "said it already; we answer you in this dispute as well as we can. You yourselves will at once be judges and parties. "We will not answer you now; we will answer you in a "plenary Council." St. Ambrose said, "Let him be anathema "who denies that Christ is the mighty Lord.” Bishops cried out, "Anathema."

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All the

the Son of

They examined the quality of judge, and Palladius allowed XIV. that the Son of God is Judge of all. But he added, "There Equality of "is He that giveth, and He that receiveth;" meaning by this God. that the Father gives the Son the power of judging. St. Ambrose said, "Hath He given it Him by grace, or by "nature? for it is likewise given to men." Palladius replied,

D

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