Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume II/Socrates/Book I/Chapter 26

by Philip Schaff et al.

Chapter XXVI.—Arius, on being recalled, presents a Recantation to the Emperor, and pretends to accept the Nicene Creed.

They having drawn up a declaration to the following effect, presented it to the emperor. ‘Arius and Euzoïus, to our Most Religious and Pious Lord, the Emperor Constantine.

‘In accordance with the command of your devout piety, sovereign lord, we declare our faith, and before God profess in writing, that we and our adherents believe as follows:

‘We believe in one God the Father Almighty: and in the Lord Jesus Christ his Son, who was begotten^[1]

of him before all ages, God the Word through whom all things were made, both those which are in the heavens and those upon the earth; who descended, and became incarnate, and suffered, and rose again, ascended into the heavens, and will again come to judge the living and the dead. [We believe] also in the Holy Spirit, and in the resurrection of the flesh, and in the life of the coming age, and in the kingdom of the heavens, and in one Catholic Church of God, extending from one end of the earth to the other.

‘This faith we have received from the holy gospels, the Lord therein saying to his disciples:^[2]

“Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” If we do not so believe and truly receive the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as the whole Catholic Church and the holy Scriptures teach (in which we believe in every respect), God is our judge both now, and in the coming judgment. Wherefore we beseech your piety, most devout emperor, that we who are persons consecrated to the ministry, and holding the faith and sentiments of the church and of the holy Scriptures, may by your pacific and devoted piety be reunited to our mother, the Church, all superfluous questions and disputings being avoided: that so both we and the whole church being at peace, may in common offer our accustomed prayers for your tranquil reign, and on behalf of your whole family.’

Footnotes

1. The old English translation rendered ‘made’ on the assumption that the Greek was γεγενημένον , not γεγεννημένον . So also Valesius read and translated ‘factum’; but Bright without mentioning any variant reading, gives γεγεννημένον , and we have ventured to translate accordingly.
2. Matt. xxviii. 9.