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Correspondence (1716–1725)

Eastern Patriarchs and the Nonjurors, ed. Williams, 1868

A Synodical Answer to the Question, What are the Sentiments of the Oriental Church of the…

It is a thing by no means below the polity of the Gospel, but rather much to the honour of it, that those who have had the advantage of being instructed by God, should always open a door of information to him that knocks, and be ready to meet him that is inquisitive after it. For, we are taught by the Apostles command, to be ready to give an Answer to those who shall ask us an account of the Faith which is in us, and to do it with meekness in a good conscience, as we are commanded. But since we are not able to do or think any thing of ourselves; we shall make our Applications to Him that discovers all the Paths of knowledge, and gives understanding to Jacob His Son, and Israel His beloved: and shall endeavour to give an Answer out of the saving Doctrines of Religion, revealed unto the Orthodox by Him and His Son and Word, in whom are all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge, and by the Spirit the Paraclete; having learnt to shun every word and thought that is foreign to the Doctrine of our Lord. Since therefore some persons, moved with I can’t tell what kind of curiosity to know some of our sentiments, have sent to us to enquire of some ecclesiastical Questions, and desire an answer; as how many Sacraments our Catholick and Apostolick Eastern Church holds; and what is our belief concerning the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist; and as to Illumination, whether it be necessary for Infants to be baptized, with some other Speculative questions concerning it; concerning the High-priesthood also, whether it be necessary to the Church; and whether a Bishop is jure divino superior to Priests; and whether those who give the preference to Celibacy, men or women, oppose the Scriptures; and whether the Catholick Church of Christ shall be always visible, and out of the reach of error; concerning the worship of Saints also, and the relative worship of images; the Injunction of fasting, and abstinence from certain meats; concerning the controverted books of the Old Testament, Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch and the Maccabees, whether we look upon them as any part of Scripture, or reject them as uncanonical performances. We do not think it right, wholly to pass over their Questions in silence, lest with others we should be censured for neglect; but have made them some short extempore answers in truth and sincerity, as far as the great unseasonableness of the time would permit us, to avoid the accusation of silence. We declare then unto the Querists, that we enjoy seven holy and venerable Sacraments, coeval with the Gospel, and all of them true and necessary unto the salvation of the Faithful. The first is holy Baptism, by which we have remission of Original Sin and actual also, wheresoever it is; thro’ which being spiritually regenerated, we are again put in the way to eternal Life. The second is that of the holy Ointment; by which we receive Spiritual Strength, to enable us to speak boldly the belief of our hearts. The third is that of the holy Participation; in which being spiritually nourished, we are preserved, and encrease in spiritual Life. The fourth is that of Repentance; thro’ which, all actual Sins being forgiven, the good which a man has lost by sin, is again renew’d in him. The fifth is Marriage; which is by the Apostle plainly declared to be a Sacrament. The sixth is that of the Priesthood, instituted by Christ, for the communion of Grace, and the ministration of the other Sacraments. The seventh is that of Chrism, called also by us the consecrated oyl, which has a double effect; the one conducing to the Soul’s health, the other to that of the Body. But as to the venerable Sacrament of the Eucharist, we firmly believe and confess, that the living Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, is invisibly present, by an actual παρουσία in the Sacrament. For, when the officiating priest has repeated the words of our Lord, and says, Make this Bread the precious Body of Thy Christ; and what is in this cup, the precious Blood of Thy Christ, changing them by Thy Holy Spirit; then by the supernatural and ineffable operation of the Holy Ghost, the bread is actually truly and properly changed into the very Body of our Saviour Christ, and the wine into His living Blood: and we believe it to be intire Christ, that both offers and is offered; that receives and is given to all; and is entirely eaten without pain. Therefore those who worthily partake of Him, are vivified, being made one with Christ himself; but those who do it unworthily, are condemn’d, and plunge themselves into Destruction. Which Sacrament is, and is called Latria; and therein the Deified Body of Christ our Saviour is worship’d with divine worship; and is offered up as a Sacrifice for all Orthodox Christians living and dead. Concerning Baptism we believe, that it is absolutely necessary for all Infants; by which they receive the seal of Christ’s servants, and renouncing the Devil, are, by their Sponsor and pledge, united to Christ for their purgation from original sin, and to preserve them from the snares of the enemy; (for, an unsealed Treasure is liable to thieves; and a Sheep not mark’d, is easily ensnared; says the Great Basil,) and to make them susceptive of happiness. For, he that is not regenerated from above, is uncapable of the Kingdom of Heaven. And tho’ they are not yet possessed of Faith, yet are they justified by the grace of God thro’ the faith of the Church and of their Parents. As to the Questions concerning Baptism, we say, that in Holy Baptism, Original Sin is perfectly done away. So that if any baptized person should happen to dye in infidelity, we must not say that his Baptism did not cleanse him from Original Sin: for, we acknowledge, that a person once justified and made the Son of God, may after his Justification fall from Grace, thro’ unbelief or some other deadly sin, and be joined to Satan, and be made the Child of the Devil: for, the commission of sin alienates from the Lord and associates to the Devil, says Ouranophantor¹. Notwithstanding therefore a man be once justified, he is uncertain whether he shall remain so unto the end; and consequently, his election, which he has obtained by justification, is uncertain also of its end. For, as we said, he may fall, and be disappointed of his portion among the elect. Therefore S. Peter commands us to make our election sure by good works; The rather, Brethren, says he, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; then he adds, for, if ye do these things, ye shall never fall². And S. Paul, to put them the more upon their guard, says, Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall³. The same author will serve to their other Question, that a person formerly justified, if he falls into fornication, adultery, murder and such like, and does not recover himself by repentance, he wholly cuts himself off from the adoption and grace he had obtain’d and disappoints himself of eternal life: For the Wages of Sin is death⁴. As to the necessity of the High-priesthood to the Church, we say, that our great High-priest who is passed into the Heavens, hath placed in the Church Pastors and Teachers, as says the Apostle, for the perfecting of the Saints, and the edifying the body of the Church⁵. As necessary therefore as is the edifying the body of the Church, so necessary is the High Priesthood, by which that edification is perfected: and, Christ’s being an High-Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck, can no otherways be effected than by the Priests his successors, in the midst of whom he constantly officiates, and will do so unto the end of the world. But the fountain and source of the Priesthood is no other than the Bishop, as S. Dionysius says. Nor indeed can he be a Priest, who is not called to that office by episcopal Ordination. Therefore Titus and Timotheus were by the Apostles necessarily vouchsafed the Episcopate, to ordain in every City Deacons and Priests and other inferior Ministers, for the compleating the sacred Oeconomy of Christ’s Church. From hence we may collect the other question, that a Bishop is jure divino superior to Priests, who from him receive the Divine Grace, and minister in a capacity subordinate to him. For, the less is blessed of the greater, and is altogether subject to it. As for those who are against marrying, and choose to keep their Virginity, whether men or women, we do by no means say, they oppose the Holy Scriptures. On the contrary, they will receive more glorious Crowns from God, as having made choice of the better path of salvation. For, he that marries, does well; but he that marries not, does better, says the Apostle: For the unmarried person cares for the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but he that marries, cares for the things of the world, how he may please his wife⁶. But it is better to care for the things of the Lord, than to care for the things of the world; and he that does so, shall be espoused with a better reward. Concerning the Catholick Orthodox Church of Christ, we say, that it is infallible; as being under the direction of its proper head which is Christ, who is Truth itself, and under the Guidance of the Spirit of truth. It is impossible for her to be deceived by these Guides; therefore she is called by the Apostle, the pillar and ground of truth⁷. But she will also be always visible; because the Orthodox will never fail from off the Earth until the end of the world; for, all shall not sleep, yet shall all be changed⁸, as the Apostle speaking of the Faithful, says. It is plain then, that the Church of Christ will be always visible unto the end of the world. We worship the Saints, as those who have suffer’d for Christ; and we make them Mediators with God, as the friends of God, and such as have a liberty of access to Him; asking help of God thro’ them, which from many places of Holy Scripture may be proved to be a work of piety, and necessary for our Assistance. As for what some say, that to worship the immaculate Mother of God according to her merit, as more glorious than the immaterial Powers, and His saints with reverence, is a diminution of the honour due to Jesus; we look upon it as vain talk: for, they are different ways of worship; nor is the worship and honour of Christ, which is performed with Latria, lessen’d by it. Besides, we believe that the Prayers and supplications of the Priests and virtuous men, are acceptable to God: and we do always reverently petition for them, according to the directions we find in many places of holy Scripture, and according to Paul, who from the womb of his mother was separated unto the Gospel of God; whom we hear saying unto the Romans, strive together with me in your Prayers to God for me⁹. And he makes the same entreaty in his Epistle to the Ephesians, and Hebrews. Besides, we embrace the most pious and profitable custom of worshipping Images, as having been begun in the Apostolical age, according to ecclesiastical history; worshipping them, not with Latria, but relatively. We don’t fix our thoughts upon the wood or paint; but through them we are put in mind of, and refer the honour to the Archetype. As to fasting; we confess the Church has a power to enjoin it, and also Abstinence from certain meats, as it has been always done among us: for, by such Obligations to fasting, the Christian Complement is purified: Nor, do we only hold a mere fast, but also abstain from various Meats; flesh, fish, and cheese; and such injunctions are rightly made, for the mortification of the Lusts of the flesh, to dispose us the better to prayer, and for the advantages of humiliation. As to the books of Scripture; we find them differently numbred by the Apostolical Canons and those of the holy Synods of Laodicea and Carthage, (not to mention the Clementine Constitutions, which the second Canon of the sixth Council rejects, as being corrupted by Hereticks,) which he that will, may consult, and be satisfied what Books of the Old Testament are not included in the number of the ἁγιόγραφα: tho’ those books which are not so included, are not therefore repudiated as heathen and profane writings, but have the Character of good and pious performances, and are not wholly laid aside. This we offer at present, as a compendious Answer to the Querists; making an open and sincere confession of our Religion, for their information in our orthodox sentiments; that they may have no room to doubt of them hereafter, nor be moved by any, who are disposed to say false things of us. Written in the Patriarchate of Constantinople, in the year 1672. in the month of January. 10th day.

✠ Dionysius, by the mercy of God. Archbishop of Constantinople, the new Rome, and Œcumenical Patriarch.

✠ Païsius late Patriarch of Constantinople. ✠ Dionysius late Patriarch of Constantinople. ✠ Methodius late Patriarch of Constantinople. ✠ Païsius Patriarch of Alexandria. ✠ Bartholomew Bishop of Heraclia. ✠ Metrophanes of Cyzicus. ✠ Jeremias of Chalcedon. ✠ Gregory of Cesarea in Cappadocia. ✠ Gabriel of Philopopolis. ✠ Anthimus of Bursa. ✠ Neophytus of Adrianople. He was Patriarch of Constantinople. ✠ Meletius of Sophia. He was Archbishop of Achrida. ✠ Anthimus of Athens. ✠ Joachim of Rhodes. ✠ Daniel of Eurippus. ✠ Theodoret of Lacedæmon. ✠ Daniel of Palapatra. ✠ Eugenius of Christianople. ✠ Chrysanthus of Derci. ✠ Kallistus of Corinth. ✠ Gerasimus of Amasia. ✠ Meletius of Thessalonica. ✠ John of Trabezond. ✠ Macarius of Drystia. ✠ Daniel of Bydne. ✠ Gerasimus of Turnovus. He was Patriarch of Constantinople. ✠ Ananias of Maronia. ✠ Laurence of Proilavus. ✠ Metrophanes of Barnia. ✠ Theophanes of Mesembria. ✠ Gregorius of Didymotichus. ✠ Daniel of Media. ✠ Daniel of Anchiola. ✠ Laurentius of Monembasia. ✠ Bartholomew of Naupactus and Arta. ✠ Germanus of Philippi and Drama. ✠ David the humble, Archbishop of Phanarius and Neochorius.

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