Letter 4003: Gregory to Constantius, Bishop of Mediolanum. It has come to my knowledge that certain bishops of your diocese, seeking out rather than finding an occasion, have attempted to sever themselves from the unity of your Fraternity, saying that you had given a security at the Roman city for your condemnation of the three Chapters. And the fact is tha...

Gregory to Constantius, Bishop of Milan. It has come to my attention that certain bishops of your diocese, having manufactured rather than found a pretext, have tried to break from your Fraternity's unity, claiming that you gave a formal guarantee in Rome for your condemnation of the Three Chapters. The truth is, they say this because they do not know how I am accustomed to trust your Fraternity — even without any guarantee. Had anything of the sort been needed, your word of mouth alone would have been sufficient. I do not recall any mention of the Three Chapters passing between us, either spoken or written. As for these bishops, if they quickly return from their error, they should be treated with forbearance, since, as the Apostle Paul says, "They understand neither what they say nor the things about which they make such confident assertions." For our part, with truth as our guide and our conscience as our witness, we declare that we keep the faith of the holy Council of Chalcedon inviolate in every respect. We presume neither to add anything to its definition nor to subtract anything from it. If anyone takes it upon himself to think otherwise — whether adding to or diminishing from that faith — we anathematize him without hesitation and declare him cut off from the body of Mother Church. Anyone, therefore, whom this confession of mine does not bring to his senses no longer loves the Council of Chalcedon but hates the bosom of Mother Church. If these men acted rashly out of sincere zeal, then having received this assurance, they have every reason to return to the unity of your Fraternity and stop dividing themselves from the body of Christ, which is the holy universal Church.

Book IV, Letter 3 To Constantius, Bishop. Gregory to Constantius, Bishop of Mediolanum. It has come to my knowledge that certain bishops of your diocese, seeking out rather than finding an occasion, have attempted to sever themselves from the unity of your Fraternity, saying that you had given a security at the Roman city for your condemnation of the three Chapters. And the fact is that they say this because they do not know how I am accustomed to trust your Fraternity even without security. For if there had been need for anything of the kind, your mere word of mouth could have been trusted. I, however, do not recollect any mention between us of the three Chapters either in word or in writing. But as for them, if they soon return from their error, they should be spared, because, according to the saying of the Apostle Paul, They understand neither what they say nor whereof they affirm 1 Timothy 1:7. For we, truth guiding us and our conscience bearing witness, declare that we keep the faith of the holy synod of Chalcedon in all respects inviolate, and venture not to add anything to, or to subtract anything from, its definition. But, if any one would fain take upon himself to think anything, either more or less, contrary to it, and to the faith of this same synod, we anathematize him without any hesitation, and decree him to be alien from the bosom of Mother Church. Any one, therefore, whom this my confession does not bring to a right mind, no longer loves the synod of Chalcedon, but hates the bosom of Mother Church. If then those who appear to have been thus daring have presumed thus to speak in zeal of soul, it remains for them, having received this satisfaction, to return to the unity of your Fraternity, and not divide themselves from the body of Christ, which is the holy universal Church. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360204003.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.