Letter 103: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Just as it is consonant with reason that those who are in doubt should seek counsel, so it is equally fitting to respond to those who seek it, because the one who does not instruct the ignorant himself drives them into error, and nothing is more fitting for one zealous in religion than the inquiry after truth, since one more easily avoids going astray who asks about the road on which he must walk. But before I take up the duty of responding to those matters about which your affection inquires, I confess that I gladly found in your letter the fervor of your faith, by whose heat you are inflamed and sigh that the revived perversity of the faithless flourishes in those regions. A most worthy grief, fit to sadden hearts devoted to God; nor indeed is the fall unlamented among those in whom there is some spark of charity, because the single prayer of the spiritual is the unshaken salvation of all. But the tempest from storms of this kind is neither unknown nor unfamiliar to the churches of God: although the church stands unshaken by the helm of its pilot, it is nonetheless troubled, vexed by the varied turbulence of rising waves. For whence comes the voice of the psalmist prophet, who, assuming the person of the church itself by the Spirit with which he was filled, often says: "They have greatly oppressed me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me" [Ps. 129:2]? They shake us, but they will prevail in nothing. We are still on the threshing floor; the wheat is mixed with the chaff; the good groan at their fellowship with the wicked; but the flame awaits what is not needed, and the granaries are prepared for those already proven. Where on earth is this intermixture not found? It befits us to stand with feet firmly planted: we shall profit amid our adversaries by our own goods, if we are not entangled in the errors of others; for whoever is unmoved when pushed proves the strong vigor of his own virtue. Where are the stings of varied temptation not found? What cunning deceptions, veiled with subtle craft, and poisons serving their hatreds under the cloak of religion, have we endured throughout almost this entire year from certain Scythians who bore the appearance of monks in semblance, not in truth — in profession, not in deed — while we strove to heal them from their inward wound with the moderation of healing patience, not keeping silent about the admonitions of blessed Paul: "Do not wrangle over words; it is of no use for anything except to ruin those who are listening" [2 Tim. 2:14]. But when is the venom that has penetrated the vitals ever extracted? When do hearts that have wrongly trusted in themselves obey the teachings of truth? When does pride, fortified by its own opinions, put on the humility of obedience? When do those accustomed to the pursuits of contention acquiesce to peace — those who love only to seize upon disputes about religion and to neglect what is commanded? Among them, charity, commended by the new commandment, is never found; among them, peace, left behind at the Lord's departure, is never found: the one concern of their obstinate purpose is to wish to command reason, not to yield to it; despisers of ancient authorities, eager for novel questions. They have been so swollen with pride as to think that the judgment of both parts of the world ought to be bent to their will, not counting as faithful those who follow the tradition of the fathers if they see them refusing to yield to their own opinion; skilled at sowing accusations, composing the poisons of slander, hating the whole body of the church, organizing seditions, stirring up ill-will, and, in place of the obedience which holds the first place of regular discipline in monasteries, loving the stubbornness of obstinate pride. We were unable to restrain them by admonitions, by gentleness, or by authority. They went so far as to appear in a public assembly, crying out even around the statues of the emperors to shake the public peace, and had not the constancy of the faithful people resisted, through the abominable seeds of diabolical tares they would have stirred up among them the dissension and discord which by God's help has been driven from their regions. Too late we proved that the apostle spoke with prophetic voice: "In the last days distressing times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid them!" [2 Tim. 3:1-2, 5]. These things we have thought it right to make known to your affection on this occasion, lest, if they should happen to be carried there, those unaware of how they conducted themselves in the city of Rome might be deceived by some pretense of words. As for those whom you indicated in your letter that you have consulted regarding the sayings of a certain Faustus, a Gallic bishop [Faustus of Riez, 5th-century Semi-Pelagian], let them have this for their answer: that neither he nor anyone whom the examination of the fathers does not receive into authority can generate any ambiguity regarding the catholic faith or ecclesiastical discipline, or create any prejudice for the religious. The teachings that the faithful must follow have been fixed by the fathers; whether it be an interpretation, a sermon, or a writing composed for the edification of the people — if it accords with the right faith and sound doctrine, it is admitted; if it disagrees, it is abolished. There is one foundation beyond which, if any structure rises, it is unsound; whoever builds upon it, whether with cheap or precious materials, let him consider [cf. 1 Cor. 3:10-12]. He errs who deviates from the way which the choice of the fathers has shown. Nor, however, is the diligence that ranges through many writings disapproved, but rather the spirit that turns away from the truth. Often from these very writings by which the rivals themselves are refuted, a necessary instruction is provided, and it cannot be counted as a fault to know what you should flee; and therefore not those who read unsuitable things fall into blame, but those who follow them. If it were not so, that teacher of the nations [Paul] would never have consented to announce to the faithful: "Test everything; hold fast to what is good" [1 Thess. 5:21]. It is not out of place, even if worldly, to mix in a saying not devoid of reason. It is said that a certain man, noble in the art of painting, when he wished to depict a perfect horse with his brush, set before himself a donkey to paint from, asserting not that he would imitate the unshapely beast, but so that he might not lapse into the likeness of any misshapen feature. Not without foresight did the venerable wisdom of the fathers define for the faithful posterity what the canonical teachings are, specifying also, by the institution of the Holy Spirit, certain books of the ancients to be received into authority, lest a reader, indulging his own opinion, should assert not what was fitting for ecclesiastical edification but what his own will had conceived. Why then is it necessary for detractors to extend their questions beyond the established boundaries of the church and to raise disputes about things which are so regarded as said that they might as well not have been said, when the Christian faith is guided by canonical books and synodal precepts and the regular constitutions of the fathers on a stable and unshaken path? Concerning free will and the grace of God, however, what the Roman — that is, the catholic — church follows and maintains, although it can be learned from the various books of the blessed Augustine and especially those addressed to Hilary and Prosper [5th-century theologians debating grace and free will], there are also explicit chapters contained in the ecclesiastical archives [the so-called Indiculus, a collection of authoritative statements on grace], which, if they are lacking there and you believe them necessary, we shall send — although whoever diligently considers the words of the apostle clearly recognizes what he ought to follow.

HORMiSDA possESSORi EPiscopo. Sicut ratioui congruit, ut consulant ambigentes, ita par est respondere consultos, quia ipse impellit in errorem, qui non instruit ignorantem, nec quicquam aptius est studioso religionis quam inquisitio ueritatis, quando facilius deuium uitat. qui iter per quod gradiatur 2 rogat. sed priusquam respondendi curam de his, quae dilectio tua percontatur, aggrediar, libenter in litteris tuis fidei tuae 3 mm presumsi V 9 ante hanc F, corr. Car. 12 praerogatiua F, corr. Car. 281 • Dat. a. 5J90 die 13*Aug.; respondet epistulae 230. Primua epistulam edidit ex codice et uetusto neque ex V pendente loh. Cochlaeus interopera lohannis Maaentii (Hagenouiae 1520) fol. ixvm (= 6-). uerba iisque ad initium § 10 ab ipso adferuniur Maxentio in tractatu, quem ex eodem codice Cochlaeus edidit ihid. fol. xxn (= p.); cf. Proleg. cap. III. e libris coUecHonis Auellanae ed. Car. I^ 538, guem secuti sunt Bar. ad a. 520, 16; Collect. Concil; BTA I 441; Thiel 926. 16 Incipit epistola quae dicitur esse papae Ormisdae ad Posses- 8orem episcopum Aphrum qui est Constantinopoli. Dilectissimo fratri Possessori Hormisda 0- 17 consolant V par est d-jji: par6 F 19 est aptius trsp. ^[i. 20 facilius F; faciilime om fj. deuia per Ffi: om. ^ graditur p. 22 adgrediar *|ji: aggrediatur F Epist. CCXXX 4 — CCXXXI 7. 697 me fateor inuenisse feruorem, cuius calore succensus rediuiuam io illis partibus infidelium peruersitatem uigere suspiras. dignissimus dolor, qui dedita deo corda contristet, nec enim est apud eos lapsus inlamentabilis, quibus eqt igniculus 6 caritatis, quia unum spiritalium uotum est salus inconcussa cunctorum. sed non est ignota ecclesiis dei de huiusmodi 3 procellis aut insueta tempestas : quamuis rectoris sui gubemaculo inconcussa persistat, uariis tamen insurgentium fluctuum laborat uexata turbinibus. nam unde est psalmidici uox 4- 10 prophetae, qui ipsius ecclesiae personam spiritu, quo implebatur, adsumens saepe inquit expugnaueruntme aiuuentute mea, etenim non potuerunt mihi? concutiunt, sed in nihilo praeualebunt. adhuc in area sumus, mixta sunt frumenta cum paleis, gemunt boni consortia malorum; sed superest 15 flamma non necessariis et parata sunt horrea iam probatis. ubi terrarum non ista permixtio? nos fixis decet instare 5 uestigiis: proficiemus inter aduersantes propriis bonis, si erroribus non inuoluamur alienis; probat enim uirtutis suae ualidum robur, qui cum impellitur non mouetur. ubi non 6 20 uariae temptationis aculei? quales per hunc fere iugem annum quorundam Scjtharum, qui monachos praeferebant specie non ueritate, professione non opere, subtili tectas calliditate uersutias et sub religionis obtentu famulantia odiis suis uenena pertulimus studentes eos ab interno uulnere medica- 25 bilis patientiae moderamine sanare, beati Pauli monita non tacentes: noli uerbis conteudere; ad nihil enim utile est nisi ad subuersionem audientium? sed 7 11 Psalro. 128, 2 26 Tim. II 2, 14 698 Hormisda Possessori episcopo quando uirus, quod uiscera penetrarit, euellitur? quando corda inale sibi credula ueritatis obtemperant institutis? quando induit oboedientiae humilitatem opinionibus suis uallata superbia? quando acquiescunt paci contentionum studiis adsueti, sola certamina amantes de religione captare et 5 8 mandata neglegere? numquam apud eos caritas nouo commen- data praecepto, numquam pax dominico relicta discessu: una pertinacis cura propositi rationi uelle imperare, non cedere; contemptores auctoritatum ueterum, nouarum cupidi quaesti- onum; solam putantes scientiae rectam uiam qualibet conceptam lo facilitate sententiam; eo usque tumoris elati, ut ad arbitrium suum utiiusque orbis putent inclinandum esse iudicium, nec in numero fidelium deputantes sequaces traditionis paternae, si suae uiderint cedere noUe sententiae; docti crimina serere, obtrectationum uenena componere. integrum ecclesiae corpus i5 odisse, seditiones instruere, inuidiam concitare et pro oboe- dientia, quae in coenobiis principatum regularis obtinet 9 disciplinae, obstinationem pertinacis amare superbiae. non illos potuimus monitis, non mansuetudine, non auctoritate comprimere. in publicum usque prodiere conuentum ad concussionem quietis circa regum etiam statuas inclamantes, et nisi fidelis populi constantia restitisset, per diabolicae semina nefanda zizaniae apud illos dissensionem et discordiam commouiasent, per quos adiutorio dei de regionibus eonim est pulsa dissensio. sero probauimus prophetica apostolum uoce dixisse in nouissimis diebus instare tempora periculosa 26 sqq. Tim. II 3, 1—2 et 5 concepta F, susceptam 13 sequacem O-jji 14 sua euiderint V credere *|Ji 16 struere d-ji 17 cenobiis V obtinet F^: tenet |a 19 potuimus illos trsp. jjl non ante mansuet. om. 0- 21 concursio- nem V inclartites F 23 illos Ffi*: eos jj. dissensioncm ^|ji: dis- pensationem F 24 regionibus F|x: regione * eorum ^fi: am. V 25 dissensio ^jjl: dissent F, de eis Car., • dissensio> de eis Bar. 26 in- staret F Epist. CCXXXI 7—12. 699 et fore homines sui tantum amatores, habentes formam pietatis. uirtutem autem eius abnegantes, itaque esse uitandos. haec ideo dilectioni uestrae indicanda sub occassione credi-10 dimus, ne, si illuc fuerint foi-te delati, ignorantes, quemadmodum 5 se in Komana urbe tractauerint, sub aliqua uerbomm simula- tione deciperent. hi uero, quos uos de Tausti cuiusdam Galli antistitis dictis consuluisse litteris indicastis, id sibi responsum habeant neque illum neque quemquam, quos in auctoritatem patrum non recipit examen, catholicae fidei aut ecclesiasticae la disciplinae ambiguitatem posse gignere aut religiosis praeiu- dicium compai-are. fixa sunt a patribus, quae fideles sectari debeant instituta; siue interpretatio seu praedicatio seu uerbum pro populi aedificatione compositum, si cum fide recta et doctrina sana concordat, admittitur, si discordat, aboletur, 15 uDum est fundamentum, extra quod quaelibet fabrica si consurgit, infirma est; super illud, quisquis aedificat seu uilia seu pretiosa, consideret. errat autem is, qui a uia, quam patrum electio monstrauit, exorbitat. nec tamen improbaturll diligentia per multa discurrens sed animus a ueritate declinans. saepe ex his necessaria prouidetur, de quibus ipsi aemuli conuincantur, instructio nec uitio dari potest nosse, quod fugias, atque ideo non legentes incongrua in culpam ueniunt sed sequentes. quod si ita non esset, numquam doctor ille gentium adquieuisset nuntiare fidelibus: omnia probate, 25quod bonum est tenete. non ab re est etsi mundanum, 12 non tamen a ratione discretum miscere sermonem. fertur 15 cf. Cor. I 3, 10—12 24 Thessal. I 5, 21 a uia quam es a uia qui quam V, a uia qui ab eo quod 20 ei V^i de Car. iis 0- prouidentur . . instructioni ^ 24 ad- nunciare * omnia \autem> a cum Vulgata 25 abs edit. reg. 26 sqq. fertur . . proposuisse ^ : fert . . profuisse V 700 lustinus Aagnstus Hormisdae quidam nobilis arte pingecdi, cum equum peniculo uellet explicare perfectum, asellum sibi proposuisse pingenti, asserens non ut iumentum imitaretur informe sed ne in alicuius 13 deformis liniamenti similitudinem lapsus incideret. non improuide patrura ueneranda sapientia fideli posteritati, quae essent & canonica dogmata, definiuit, certa librorum etiam ueterum in auctoritatem recipienda sancto spiritu instituente praefigens, ne opinioni suae lector indulgens non quod aedificationi ecclesiasticae conueniret sed quod uoluntas sua concepisset assereret. quid ergo calumniantibus opus extra constitutos lo ecclesiae terminos porrigere quaestiones et de his, quae ita habentur dicta, quasi dicta non sint, mouere certamina, cum Christiana ifides canonicis libris et synodalibus praeceptis et patrum regularibus constitutis stabili et inconcusso tramite 141imitetur? de arbitrio tamen libero et gratia dei quid Komana 15 hoc est catholica sequatur et seruet ecclesia, licet et in uariis libris beati Augustini et maxime ad Hilarium et Prosperum possit cognosci, tamen et in scriniis ecclesiasticis expressa capitula continentur, quae si ibi desunt et necessaria creditis, destinabimus, quamquam qui diligenter apostoli dicta consi- 20 15derat, quid sequi debeat euidenter agnoscat. Data Id. Aug. Rusticio u. c. cons. 2 perfectum om. 3 informem V 4 deformis formis F, informis Car. lineamenti ^ inprouida * 6 definiunt V 10 opus <erat> 5ar. 11 quaestiones V: quae rationis d- 13 prae- ceptis V: *aJ. disciplinis' V man. 1 in marg., disciplinis 9« 15 quid d-: quod V 16 et in V: ex 0- 17 augusti V 18 possit cognosci V: abunde posset agnosci ^ 19 capla V si ibi 0-: sibi V, si tibi 0* 20 destinabimus destinamus V apostoli dicta V: apostolicaO* 21 post T agnoscat addit deus te incolumem custodiat frater charissime ^ id ag ceteris omissia V 22 u. c. cons. acripsi: ac consulibus ac <01ybrio> con- Buiibus interpolauenmt Fulgentxi edd. recentiores Epist. CCXXXI 13 — CCXXXII 8. 701