The Western Bishops Give Way

In the meantime the emperor forced the delegates of our party who had been sent from the council at Ariminum to enter into communion with the heretics. At the same time he handed them a confession of faith that these wicked men had drawn up. It was worded deceptively, so that it seemed to set out the catholic faith, while faithlessness lay hidden in it. For under a show of false reasoning, it abolished the use of the word ousia, on the grounds that it was ambiguous, that the fathers had adopted it too hastily, and that it rested on no authority in Scripture. The aim of this was that the Son might not be believed to be of one substance with the Father. The same confession acknowledged that the Son was like the Father. But a deception had been carefully built into the words, so that he would be like, but not equal. [a]

So the delegates were sent away, and orders were given to the prefect not to dissolve the synod until all had declared by their signatures that they agreed to the statement of faith that had been drawn up. If any held out with excessive stubbornness, they were to be driven into exile, provided their number did not reach fifteen. But when the delegates returned, they were refused communion, although they pleaded the force the emperor had brought to bear on them. For when it was found out what had been decreed, still greater turmoil arose in the bishops’ affairs and plans. Then little by little numbers of our people gave in to the opposite party, some overcome by weakness of character, and some swayed by the thought of a weary journey into foreign lands. By the time the delegates returned, these had become the stronger of the two bodies, and had taken possession of the church, after driving our side out of it. And once the minds of our people began to lean that way, they rushed over to the other side in flocks, until the number on our side had dwindled to twenty.