Letter 169: We have left no means untried -- courtesy, firmness, entreaty, eloquence -- before the most pious emperor and the...

To Alexander, Bishop of Hierapolis, We have left no means untried -- courtesy, firmness, entreaty, eloquence -- before the most pious emperor and the distinguished assembly. We have testified before God who sees all things, and our Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the world in righteousness, and the Holy Spirit and His elect angels, that the faith is being corrupted by the promoters and brazen signatories of heretical doctrines. We have urged that the faith be reaffirmed in the same terms as at Nicaea, and that the heresy introduced to the ruin of true religion be rejected. Yet up to now we have produced not the slightest effect. Our hearers are pulled this way and that. Still, none of these difficulties have been able to deter me. By God's grace I have pressed on. I even declared to our pious emperor with an oath that it is absolutely impossible for Cyril and Memnon to be reconciled with me, and that we can never communicate with anyone who has not first repudiated the heretical Chapters. That is our position. The goal of the men who seek "their own interests, not the things of Jesus Christ" [Philippians 2:21] is to reconcile us with Cyril's party against our will. But that is not my concern. God weighs our motives and tests our character. He does not punish what is done against our will. Your holiness should know this: whenever I said a word about our friend [Nestorius], whether before the emperor or the assembly, I was immediately branded as a rebel. The hatred toward him at court is intense and deeply troubling. The most pious emperor in particular cannot bear to hear his name. He has said publicly, "Let no one speak to me about this man." On one occasion he made this very clear to me personally. Nevertheless, as long as I am here, I will not cease to serve the interests of this father of ours, knowing that the impious have wronged him. My wish is that both your piety and I could be done with all of this. There is nothing good to hope for, since all the judges put their trust in gold, and they all maintain that the nature of Godhead and manhood is one. The people, however, by God's grace, are in good spirits and constantly come out to us. I have begun preaching to them and have celebrated very large communions. On one occasion I spoke at length about the faith, and they listened with such delight that they did not disperse until well into the evening.

Letter 169