Chapter 4

From what hath been already said, it is manifest to all that the Eastern Church is above the accusations which her enemies have invented against her, and knew nothing of, and did not publish, and did not believe, either the presumed chapters of Cyril, or the impiety contained in them. For it is foreign to her nature not to stand steadfastly for the faith of the Apostles and Prophets, and to be carried about, as clouds without water are carried about by the wild winds, since she is endowed with the Holy Spirit for her teacher and guide. But since it was granted unto us at the beginning to repeatedly speak about this very point, and in various ways to endeavour to expose the sophistry concealed under the guise of piety, and the quibbling of our accusers; in order to demolish the entire invention of the aforesaid, and for the ready comprehension of the pious reader, we say that they ought to know this, that it is either impossible for the Eastern Church to believe, as the chapters of Cyril purport; or if she did so believe, it were quite impossible for her to have part with Christ.

And that the first is true is manifest. For it behoved them (the Easterns), if they indeed had lapsed into the folly of their adversaries, not to have believed by bare words, but also by deeds. And firstly [they ought] to have caused the Confession to have been entered and secured by the peculiar conditions mentioned in the third chapter. And secondly [they ought] to have confounded all the degrees of the priesthood, and especially that of the Episcopate, with the other degrees; so that Bishops should differ in nowise from Presbyters, as the insanity of Calvin suggesteth. But this hath never happened to the Easterns,—neither, forsooth, shall happen, while they have the help of God, since, until now, with them the degrees of the priesthood really differ. Consequently, the Easterns have never given their adhesion to the insane notions of Calvin.

Further, that they should not have the seven Mysteries, and that they should cast out of their houses of prayer the holy Eikons, and should not sign themselves with the sign of the precious Cross, that they should not honour the Relics of the Saints, nor should forsooth devote to them hymns and public Feasts. They should abstain from commemorations of the Departed, and from almsgiving on their behalf, and should celebrate the holy Mysteries as their enemies themselves would.

But never did any such thing obtain with the Easterns, so that they not only acknowledge the Mysteries to be absolutely seven, but also by these are they daily sanctified. And not only is not the house of prayer, but neither is the house of any of the Christians, devoid of holy Eikons, and of representations of the life-giving Cross, which they also ever have as an unconquerable shield against the demons. And so are holy Relics honoured by them, that in all sicknesses, they generally have recourse to these physicians; and they honour [the Saints] themselves as the servants of God; as witness the Paracletike, which is sung by them every day, the Triodion and the twelve Menza. But as to commemorations, they so maintain that always, and especially on every Sabbath, and on every Feast-day, they offer to God the unbloody Sacrifice for every soul of the Orthodox Christians, living, or dead, and propitiate the Deity with alms and divine offerings. And, in fine, the Easterns so regard the teaching of the said chapters as to be, as hath been said above, diametrically opposed to it, in nowise departing from the Apostolical and Patriarchal traditions, even in the least. It is, therefore, impossible that the Easterns should have known of the Confession of Cyril.

And it remaineth to be said of the other side, that if perhaps it must be granted that the Easterns once believed as their enemies contend, it would have been impossible for them to have been Christians. For to the believer three things are especially necessary—faith from the heart without doubting unto righteousness, confession from the mouth unto salvation, and the fruit of this faith and confession, that is, the works of a life according to Christ, which are well pleasing to God.

The Easterns, therefore, if they believed, as the Confession of Cyril contendeth, have not indeed given expression to their belief in words, since even in the present hour, they profess all that is opposite to the faith of the chapters.

But neither in their works have the Easterns ever been like the Calvinists, as hath been said above; it could only, therefore, have been in their hearts (for this puerile assertion the Calvinists make in their childishness) that they agreed with these heretics, and published the faith of these chapters. But if this were so, it would be impossible for them to be Christians, since they that believe one thing with their heart, and confess another with their mouth, and with their words (as it hath happened, we are supposing in the case of Cyril) are obviously unworthy of even the name of Christian, much less of part with Christ. For in this wise Judas believing, and apparently indeed being a disciple, but secretly a traitor, was delivered over to the eternal fire.

But this also was impossible. For we being men, how otherwise could we communicate to one another what is in our souls, except sometimes by our voices and by signs? But it hath already been shewn that the Easterns have always believed and confessed, both by their voices and by signs, what is the opposite to the Confession of Cyril, and consequently in their heart.

Further, if indeed the Easterns had in their heart fallen away to the Calvinists, it behoved them, if hindered by some cause from being in unison with them with their mouth and with their works, at least, not to have behaved towards them unsympathetically. But they so behave towards them that on the Lord’s-day after the 11th day of the month of October, and on the first Lord’s-day of the Great Quadragesima (which for distinction they call that of Orthodoxy), they subject to anathema the Iconoclasts, and those that assert that the bread and wine of the Eucharist are after the consecration typically, or in similitude, or figuratively, or metaphorically, and not really and truly changed into the true Body and Blood of the Lord.

And it may be permitted to give some extracts from what is said on these Feasts.

‘On the Lord’s-day after the 11th of the present month (that is, of October) we celebrate the memory of the holy Fathers of the Seventh Holy and Œcumenical Synod, who met the second time at Nicæa, for the destruction and overthrow of the atheistical dogmas of the Christ-hating and Christian-reviling Iconoclasts, and of Copronymus, and of the Bishops and unholy High Priests that were in agreement with him, and of his unlawful and abominable conventicle.’ And what is the import of this Feast, its title even alone is sufficient to shew; and what is maintained thereon by the Church against these heretics.

And from the Lord’s-day of Orthodoxy, a few things that follow the title may be given. (And the inquirer should know that all that is said on this Lord’s-day is to be found in the Triodion.)

To those that do not admit that the Sacrifice which is offered every day by those who have received by tradition from Christ the celebration of the Divine Mysteries, is offered to the Holy Trinity, as thereby contradicting the sacred and divine Fathers, Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!

To those that hear the Saviour saying concerning the celebration of the Divine Mysteries delivered by Himself, ‘This do ye for My Memorial,’ but who do not rightly interpret the Memorial; and, therefore, infer that this is other than that which was accomplished by the Saviour at the beginning, and refer it unto that figuratively and typically, so that they make void the Mystery of fearful and divine celebration, through which we receive the earnest of the life to come; though our divine Father John Chrysostom hath shewn that the Sacrifice is not different, and hath said that it is one and the same in many places in his famous Commentaries upon the Epistles of the great Paul, Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!

To the conventicle that furiously raged against the venerable Eikons, Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!

To those that apply what is said in divine Scripture against idols to the venerable Eikons of Christ our God, and of his Saints, Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!

To those that knowingly communicate with such as insult and dishonour the venerable Eikons, Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!

To those that say that the Christians go to the Eikons as to gods, Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!

To those that dare to say that the Catholic and Apostolic Church ever received idols, thus overturning the whole mystery [of piety], and doing despite to the Christian faith, Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!

If any dare to vindicate one belonging to this Christian-reviling heresy, or that hath spent his life in it, Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!

If any adore not our Lord Jesus Christ pourtrayed in an Eikon according to His human [form], Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!

If, therefore, these and the like sentiments are approved of by the Greeks, acquiesced in, professed, and daily given expression to in song; in no way could they ever have been at one with the Calvinists on those points which the latter boastingly aver.

Further, if any such thing had happened to the Eastern Church, the hindrance could have been nothing else except some fear; and this fear could only have been, either forsooth spiritual, or bodily. If the fear of the Easterns had been divine and spiritual, it would have been impossible for them not to have professed aright in all things. For where there is divine fear, one must not believe one thing and profess another. For that is execrable. But if the fear were human, it would forsooth have been some consideration for man that they were unable to openly proclaim what was in their hearts, as happeneth to the most cursed and guilty Jews that are found in Spain; but this is foreign to the Orthodox faith of Christians. For he that preferreth glory from men rather than glory from God cannot be a Christian at all. But this [failing] is not characteristic of the Easterns. Since, if this were possible with them, it would be possible for them to be indeed Christians in their hearts, but with their mouth and with signs to be one in faith with their rulers. For so they might be delivered from the terrible things which they suffer. But this is impossible for the Easterns to entertain, even in thought; and, therefore, the more impossible. For if iniquity seemeth to differ from iniquity, yet both lead to one end those that they infect, to eternal chastisement forsooth; and, therefore, all iniquity whatsoever, as incurring eternal punishment, is to be shunned of those who would obtain salvation.

Then what fear of their rulers have the Iberi that are near the Black Sea, and those that are by the Caspian, and the Colchi? What fear have the Leci that inhabit the Caucasus, and the Zenychi, and who are commonly called the Apchasi; of whom some are entirely like the Iberi and the Colchi; but some, and the most part, like the rest enumerated Orthodox? What fear have they that inhabit Great, and Little, and White Russia, and the prosperous kingdom of Moscovy, from Poland unto the nations of the farest East, and from Gotthia or Sphetzia unto the Uni and those that inhabit the region of the Caspian, and from the Tyrba which they commonly call the Nistrus, and from the Tauronesus or Chersonesus unto the ocean? What fear have they that are in Poland, and in the Islands, in Venice, in Lybia, and in Persia; who are all children of the Eastern Church, but are free from the dominion of the rulers of the East, and who agree with us in what concerneth the faith; that if they had considered this their enemies’ doctrine of perdition as orthodox, they should not have believed the same? Or perhaps these fine gentlemen imagine that we are in what concerneth the faith in such a manner forced with impunity by some, as they themselves deal with our brethren in Hungary; whom they daily harass in all manner of ways that they may be brought over to them; and now indeed they define that the will of God is the eternal predestinating cause why one should be justified, but another should be causelessly condemned; and now, as tyrants, and in opposition to the teaching of the Gospel, they act tyrannically towards the Orthodox, that they may be brought over to their folly; themselves resting upon no foundation; but, as clouds without water, being carried about by their leaders, not to say by Satan. If, therefore, the rulers of the East do not thus force with impunity the Easterns to abjure Orthodoxy; but their calumniators do thus force them, the former are much more humane than the latter. And no fear whatever hindereth us from professing what we will.

And this is further to be said, that from the year of salvation 600 until 1430, the land of the Romans was in part devastated by its present rulers, and all is now so ruled and harassed, as never a prostrate nation was harassed in external matters by any government. But, nevertheless, they [that is, the Easterns] are above fear and threats; so that they have come to shine as martyrs, not only every day, but also every hour and moment, and so laugh at this storm, at the mere mention of which their adversaries are affrighted and amazed, that they count it joy to be afflicted for Christ, considering that they become partakers of the sufferings of Christ through obedience, with the Apostles, Prophets, and Martyrs, in whom is fulfilled the saying of David: ‘For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long’; and: ‘We went through fire and water, and Thou broughtest us out into refreshment.’

Since, therefore, nothing hindered the Easterns from believing and professing as they would, what hath been objected is impossible; that they indeed professed one thing with their mouth and with signs, but believed another with their heart; but with heart and mouth and signs, they believe and profess only the doctrine which the Catholic Church hath believed from the beginning, for which they rejoice to suffer death, and are above the calumnies of their adversaries.