35. This, however, is less admirable than
his conduct. What wonder that he, who had already made actual
ventures on behalf of the truth, should confess it in writing?
Yet this point I will add to what has been said, as it seems to me
especially wonderful and cannot with impunity be passed over in a time
so fertile in disagreements as this. For his action, if we take
note of him, will afford instruction even to the men of this day.
For as, in the case of one and the same quantity of water, there is
separated from it, not only the residue which is left behind by the
hand when drawing it, but also those drops, once contained in the hand,
which trickle out through the fingers; so also there is a separation
between us and, not only those who hold aloof in their impiety, but
also those who are most pious, and that both in regard to such
doctrines as are of small consequence (a matter of less moment) and
also in regard to expressions intended to bear the same meaning.
We use in an orthodox sense the terms one Essence and three Hypostases,
the one to denote the nature of the Godhead, the other the
properties
Properties. Cf. Orat. xliii. 30. note. of the Three; the
Italians The Italians,
etc. Cf. Newman’s Arians, pp. 376–384. S.
Athanasius’ Orations against the Arians, Ed. Bright, p. lxxxi.
Pelav. de Trin. IV. ii. 5–10 and iv. mean the same, but,
owing to the scantiness of their vocabulary, and its poverty of terms,
they are unable to distinguish between Essence and Hypostases, and
therefore introduce the term Persons, to avoid being understood to
assert three Essences. The result, were it not piteous, would be
laughable. This slight difference of sound was taken to indicate
a difference of faith. Then, Sabellianism was suspected in the
doctrine of Three Persons, Arianism in that of Three Hypostases, both
being the offspring of a contentious spirit. And then, from the
gradual but constant growth of irritation (the unfailing result of
contentiousness) there was a danger of the whole world being torn
asunder in the strife about syllables. Seeing and hearing this,
our blessed one, true man of God and great steward of souls as he was,
felt it inconsistent with his duty to overlook so absurd and
unreasonable a rending of the word, and applied his medicine to the
disease. In what manner? He conferred in his gentle and
sympathetic way with both parties, and after he had carefully weighed
the meaning of their expressions, and found that they had the same
sense, and were in nowise different in doctrine, by permitting each
party to use its own terms, he bound them Bound
them, etc. At the Council of Alexandria, a.d. 362. Newman’s Arians, pp. 364,
sqq.
together in unity of action.