When, therefore, I had met the brethren, and learnt how
great was their brotherly love, their regard for you, and yet more
their love for Christ, and their exactitude and firmness in all that
concerns the faith, and moreover their earnestness in compassing two
ends, the not being separated from your love, and the not abandoning
their sound faith, I approved of their good disposition; and I now
write to your reverence beseeching you with all love to retain them in
true union, and associated with you in all your anxiety for the
Church. I have moreover pledged myself to them for your
orthodoxy, and that you too by God’s grace are enrolled to fight
with all vigour for the truth, whatever you may have to suffer for the
true doctrine. My own opinion is that the following conditions
are such as will not run counter to your own feeling and will be quite
sufficient to satisfy the above mentioned brethren; namely, that you
should confess the faith put forth by our Fathers once assembled at
Nicæa, that you should not omit any one of its propositions, but
bear in mind that the three hundred and eighteen who met together
without strife did not speak without the operation of the Holy Ghost,
and not to add to that creed the statement that the Holy Ghost is a
creature, nor hold communion with those who so say, to the end that the
Church of God may be pure and without any evil admixture of any
tare. If this full assurance is given them by your good feeling,
they are prepared to offer proper submission to you. And I myself
promise for the brethren that they will offer no opposition, but will
show themselves entirely subordinate, if only your excellency shall
have readily granted this one thing which they ask
for.