31. Constantius begins to persecute
康士坦丢开始逼迫
He compelled then the people in every city to change their party; and on arriving at Arles and Milan , he proceeded to act entirely in accordance with the designs and suggestions of the heretics; or rather they acted themselves, and receiving authority from him, furiously attacked every one. Letters and orders were immediately sent hither to the Prefect, that for the future the grain should be taken from Athanasius and given to those who favoured the Arian doctrines, and that whoever pleased might freely insult them that held communion with him; and the magistrates were threatened if they did not hold communion with the Arians. These things were but the prelude to what afterwards took place under the direction of the Duke Syrianus. Orders were sent also to the more distant parts, and Notaries dispatched to every city, and Palatines, with threats to the Bishops and Magistrates, directing the Magistrates to urge on the Bishops, and informing the Bishops that either they must subscribe against Athanasius, and hold communion with the Arians, or themselves undergo the punishment of exile, while the people who took part with them were to understand that chains, and insults, and scourgings, and the loss of their possessions, would be their portion. These orders were not neglected, for the commissioners had in their company the Clergy of Ursacius and Valens, to inspire them with zeal, and to inform the Emperor if the Magistrates neglected their duty. The other heresies, as younger sisters of their own , they permitted to blaspheme the Lord, and only conspired against the Christians, not enduring to hear orthodox language concerning Christ. How many Bishops in consequence, according to the words of Scripture, were brought before rulers and kings Mark 13:9, and received this sentence from magistrates, ‘Subscribe, or withdraw from your churches, for the Emperor has commanded you to be deposed!’ How many in every city were roughly handled, lest they should accuse them as friends of the Bishops! Moreover letters were sent to the city authorities, and a threat of a fine was held out to them, if they did not compel the Bishops of their respective cities to subscribe. In short, every place and every city was full of fear and confusion, while the Bishops were dragged along to trial, and the magistrates witnessed the lamentations and groans of the people.
他强迫每个城市的居民改变立场；当Arles到达米兰的时候，他完全根据异端的规划推行他的政策；或，他们甚至自己动手，从他获得授权狂怒的攻击每一个人。无数的信件和命令被发给此处的总督（Perfect），谷物不能再给亚他那修，而要给那些支持亚流教义的人，他们也可以随意侮辱那些与亚他那修交往的人；不与亚流派交往的地方安全长官责备威胁。那些事情都是Syrianus大公接下来执行之事的前奏。那些命令也被发往帝国最为偏远的地区，公证人被派至每个城市，那些威胁主教和地方安全长官的高级官员则指挥安全长官去催促主教们，告知主教们，他们要吗就签字反对亚他那修，与亚流派交通，要吗就被放逐，作为惩罚，凡与他们有关的百姓被困锁，羞辱，鞭打，没收财产，这就是他们所得的份。那些命令风驰雷行，因为负责的人都是Ursacius和Valens的手下，他们的热心被激发，并报告皇帝任何安全长官有失职的表现。其他的各种异端，就如同亚流派的好姐妹一样，被允许亵渎主，谋划破坏基督徒，无法忍受任何关于基督的正统描述。多少的主教因着这个缘故，根据圣经，被带到执政者和掌权者面前，被安全长官判刑，‘要吗签字，要吗就滚出你的教会，因为皇帝已经命令你被放逐了！’每个城市中都有许多人，不过就是被控告为主教的同情者，就被粗暴的对待。数不清的信件被寄给城市当局，威胁若他们无法说服他们的主教们签字，就要对他们处以罚款。简单的说，每个城市的各个角落都充满了恐惧和混乱，而主教们被拖去审判，安全长官则见证了百姓的悲叹和呻吟。
32. Persecution by Constantius
康士坦丢的逼迫
Such were the proceedings of the Palatine commissioners; on the other hand, those admirable persons, confident in the patronage which they had obtained, display great zeal, and cause some of the Bishops to be summoned before the Emperor, while they persecute others by letters, inventing charges against them; to the intent that the one might be overawed by the presence of Constantius, and the other, through fear of the commissioners and the threats held out to them in these pretended accusations, might be brought to renounce their orthodox and pious opinions. In this manner it was that the Emperor forced so great a multitude of Bishops, partly by threats, and partly by promises, to declare, ‘We will no longer hold communion with Athanasius.’ For those who came for an interview, were not admitted to his presence, nor allowed any relaxation, not so much as to go out of their dwellings, until they had either subscribed, or refused and incurred banishment thereupon. And this he did because he saw that the heresy was hateful to all men. For this reason especially he compelled so many to add their names to the small number of the Arians, his earnest desire being to collect together a crowd of names, both from envy of the Bishop, and for the sake of making a show in favour of the Arian impiety, of which he is the patron; supposing that he will be able to alter the truth, as easily as he can influence the minds of men. He knows not, nor has ever read, how that the Sadducees and the Herodians, taking unto them the Pharisees, were not able to obscure the truth; rather it shines out thereby more brightly every day, while they crying out, ‘We have no king but Cæsar ,’ and obtaining the judgment of Pilate in their favour, are nevertheless left destitute, and wait in utter shame, expecting shortly to become bereft, like the partridge , when they shall see their patron near his death.
这就是分封王的作为；在另一方面，那些令人尊敬的人，因着所获得的资助自信满满，表现出极大的热忱，造成部分的主教被聚集在皇帝面前，他们同时又用信件逼迫其他的主教，炮制针对他们的罪名；其目的就是要用康士坦丢来吓倒他们，他们也借由对专员的恐惧，用炮制之控告作为威胁，让他们宣布放弃正统和敬虔的观点。这就是皇帝用来强迫大量主教的方式，一部分是危险，一部分是应许，以宣告，“我们不再与亚他那修有任何的往来。”因为那些主教，除非签字或拒绝并被放逐，否则就不允许参见皇帝，或有任何喘息的计划，甚至不能回家。他之所以如此行，就是因为他看清了所有的人都憎恨异端。因着这个缘故，他特意强迫许多的主教把他们的名字加在一小群亚流派的人后面，他急切的收集大量的名字，不管主教是否愿意，并为了表明对亚流派不敬虔行为的支持；并认为，他就能够轻易的颠倒真理，就如同他能够影响人民的想法一样。然而，他不知道，他也没有读到过，撒督该人和希律党人与法利赛人对抗的时候，也无法使真理昏暗不明；反而使得真理一天比一天明亮，同时，他们还喊着说，“除了改撒，我们没有王，”他们虽然获得了比拉多的判决，然而却成为穷途潦倒者，在极度的羞辱中等待（主的审判），他们立刻就如同山鹑 一般失去亲人，直到死时才得以看见对他们的保护人。
33. Persecution is from the Devil
从魔鬼来的逼迫
Now if it was altogether unseemly in any of the Bishops to change their opinions merely from fear of these things, yet it was much more so, and not the part of men who have confidence in what they believe, to force and compel the unwilling. In this manner it is that the Devil, when he has no truth on his side , attacks and breaks down the doors of them that admit him with axes and hammers. But our Saviour is so gentle that He teaches thus, ‘If any man wills to come after Me,’ and, ‘Whoever wills to be My disciple Matthew 16:24;’ and coming to each He does not force them, but knocks at the door and says, ‘Open unto Me, My sister, My spouse Song of Songs 5:2;’ and if they open to Him, He enters in, but if they delay and will not, He departs from them. For the truth is not preached with swords or with darts, nor by means of soldiers; but by persuasion and counsel. But what persuasion is there where fear of the Emperor prevails? Or what counsel is there, when he who withstands them receives at last banishment and death? Even David, although he was a king, and had his enemy in his power, prevented not the soldiers by an exercise of authority when they wished to kill his enemy, but, as the Scripture says, David persuaded his men by arguments, and suffered them not to rise up and put Saul to death. 1 Samuel 26:9 But he, being without arguments of reason, forces all men by his power, that it may be shown to all, that their wisdom is not according to God, but merely human, and that they who favour the Arian doctrines have indeed no king but Cæsar; for by his means it is that these enemies of Christ accomplish whatsoever they wish to do. But while they thought that they were carrying on their designs against many by his means, they knew not that they were making many to be confessors, of whom are those who have lately made so glorious a confession, religious men, and excellent Bishops, Paulinus Bishop of Treveri, the metropolis of the Gauls, Lucifer, Bishop of the metropolis of Sardinia, Eusebius of Vercelli in Italy, and Dionysius of Milan, which is the metropolis of Italy. These the Emperor summoned before him, and commanded them to subscribe against Athanasius, and to hold communion with the heretics; and when they were astonished at this novel procedure, and said that there was no Ecclesiastical Canon to this effect, he immediately said, ‘Whatever I will, be that esteemed a Canon; the Bishops of Syria let me thus speak. Either then obey, or go into banishment.’
若主教看起来还不会向恐惧低头，改变心意，他们还有别的招式，人里面没有任何部分能够自信，认为没有人能够强迫那些不愿意的人妥协。这就是魔鬼的方法，真理不在他那边，他就用斧头和锤子打破那些接待他之人的家门。然而，我们的救主是那么的柔细，因而教导我们，‘若有人要跟从我，’以及‘若有人要作我的门徒（马太16：24）；’他并没有强迫那些前来的人，而是叩门并说，‘我的妹子，我的佳偶，求你给我开门（雅歌5：2）；’若他们向祂敞开，祂就会进去，若他们迟延或不愿意，祂就立刻他们。因为真理并不是用刀剑宣扬的，也不能用士兵；而是借由劝诫和劝告。然而，在对皇帝的恐惧前，能有什么劝诫？当脱离他们的人被放逐或判死刑的时候，能有什么劝告？甚至，连是国王的大卫，用他的权能控制了他的敌人的时候，还用权柄避免他的士兵们去残杀他的敌人，就如同经上说的，大卫说服了跟从他的人，并不让他们起来杀害扫罗。（撒上26：9）然而，他（康士坦丢—译者）根本就是蛮不讲理的人，用他的权能强迫众人，好让众人看见，他们的智慧不是从神而来的，都是人的智慧，所以他们偏爱亚流的教训，除了改撒外，没有别的王（暗示康士坦丢党不以基督为他们的王—译者）；因为基督的敌人借用他的手完成他们想要成就的。然而，当他们认为他们已经借由皇帝的手，根据自己的图谋而对付了所有的人的同时，他们并不知道他们也让许多人成为认信者（Confessor，因坚守正统信仰而被逼迫者—译者），他们许多人随后发表了许多极其荣耀的信仰宣言，这些敬虔的人，杰出的主教们包括高卢行省Treveri主教Paulinus，Sardinia行省主教露西弗，意大利Vercelli的优西比乌，意大利行省米兰的丢尼修。皇帝召集了他们，命令他们签字反对亚他那修，并与异端交往；当他们被皇帝这种新奇的手法吓到的时候，他们说大公教会的正典可没有这一条，皇帝的立刻说，‘凡我想要做的，就压过正典；叙利亚的主教，听清楚我说的。要吗顺从，要吗就被放逐。’
34. Banishment of the Western Bishops spread the knowledge of the truth
放逐西方的主教反而造成真理的广传
When the Bishops heard this they were utterly amazed, and stretching forth their hands to God, they used great boldness of speech against him teaching him that the kingdom was not his, but God’s, who had given it to him, Whom also they bid him fear, lest He should suddenly take it away from him. And they threatened him with the day of judgment, and warned him against infringing Ecclesiastical order, and mingling Roman sovereignty with the constitution of the Church, and against introducing the Arian heresy into the Church of God. But he would not listen to them, nor permit them to speak further, but threatened them so much the more, and drew his sword against them, and gave orders for some of them to be led to execution; although afterwards, like Pharaoh, he repented. The holy men therefore shaking off the dust, and looking up to God, neither feared the threats of the Emperor, nor betrayed their cause before his drawn sword; but received their banishment, as a service pertaining to their ministry. And as they passed along, they preached the Gospel in every place and city , although they were in bonds, proclaiming the orthodox faith, anathematizing the Arian heresy, and stigmatizing the recantation of Ursacius and Valens. But this was contrary to the intention of their enemies; for the greater was the distance of their place of banishment, so much the more was the hatred against them increased, while the wanderings of these men were but the heralding of their impiety. For who that saw them as they passed along, did not greatly admire them as Confessors, and renounce and abominate the others, calling them not only impious men, but executioners and murderers, and everything rather than Christians?
当主教们听见这件事情的时候，他们都极其惊讶，并向神伸出双手，他们放胆宣扬反对皇帝的话，并教导国度并不是皇帝的，而是神的，乃是神将国赐个他，他们也要求皇帝要畏惧神，否则神就会立即把国度从他手中夺去。他们也以审判的日子威胁他，并警告他他侵犯了大公教会的次序，把罗马帝国的主权与教会的组织混合在一起，并反对将亚流异端引入神的教会。然而皇帝却不可听从他们，也不允许他们继续讲道，而是进一步威胁他们，以刀剑相向，并命令处决其中的一部分人；虽然他随后也像法老一样后悔。圣洁的人们因此抖下了身上的尘土，仰望神，不惧怕皇帝的威胁，也不在他的刀剑前退缩；而是领受了对他们的惩罚，如同他们职事的一部分一样。他们在路上，虽然在捆锁中，仍然向每一个地方和城市传讲福音，宣告正统的信仰，咒逐亚流派异端，并职责Ursacius和Valens的背叛。然而，这种做法抵触了其敌人的意图；因为主教们被放逐的越远，民众对他们的仇恨就更深，凡是这些主教经过的地方，都传扬着他们不敬虔的行为。因为，凡看见亚流派经过的人，都不会承认他们是认信者，都会因厌恶而拒绝他们，不单单称他们为污秽的人，还叫他们为刽子手和凶手，以及其他的名称，就是不称他们为基督徒。
35. Persecution and Lapse of Liberius
LIBERIUS的逼迫和间歇期
35. Now it had been better if from the first Constantius had never become connected with this heresy at all; or being connected with it, if he had not yielded so much to those impious men; or having yielded to them, if he had stood by them only thus far, so that judgment might come upon them all for these atrocities alone. But as it would seem, like madmen, having fixed themselves in the bonds of impiety, they are drawing down upon their own heads a more severe judgment. Thus from the first they spared not even Liberius, Bishop of Rome, but extended their fury even to those parts; they respected not his bishopric, because it was an Apostolical throne; they felt no reverence for Rome, because she is the Metropolis of Romania ; they remembered not that formerly in their letters they had spoken of her Bishops as Apostolical men. But confounding all things together, they at once forgot everything, and cared only to show their zeal in behalf of impiety. When they perceived that he was an orthodox man and hated the Arian heresy, and earnestly endeavoured to persuade all persons to renounce and withdraw from it, these impious men reasoned thus with themselves: ‘If we can persuade Liberius, we shall soon prevail over all.’ Accordingly they accused him falsely before the Emperor; and he, expecting easily to draw over all men to his side by means of Liberius, writes to him, and sends a certain eunuch called Eusebius with letters and offerings, to cajole him with the presents, and to threaten him with the letters. The eunuch accordingly went to Rome, and first proposed to Liberius to subscribe against Athanasius, and to hold communion with the Arians, saying, ‘The Emperor wishes it, and commands you to do so.’ And then showing him the offerings, he took him by the hand, and again besought him saying, ‘Obey the Emperor, and receive these.’
若是康士坦丢一开始就完全未曾接触过异端就好了；即便与异端有关，若他未曾向那些不敬虔的人屈服就好了；或，即便他向那些人屈服了，若他跟他们保持一定的距离，那个审判也只会因为这些暴行，而只落在那些人头上。然而，他们就像个疯子一样，把自己用不敬虔捆绑起来，为自己的脑门引来更为严峻的审判。故此，从一开始他们就不单单放过了罗马的主教Liberius，而把他们的触角延伸到了帝国的那个部分；他们毫不因为使徒宝座所在之地的缘尊重他的主教职位；他们也不因为罗马尼亚行省的缘故（罗马帝国的发源地，在罗马帝国中享有极高的地位—译者）而尊敬罗马；他们也不记得他们在原先的信件中曾提及她的主教是使徒的传人。而是把事情搅和的乱七八糟，他们就可以立即忘记这一切，而只在意如何用不敬虔的行为来表现自己的热忱。当他们察觉到Liberius乃是一个正统的人，并憎恶亚流派异端，并热切的说服众人弃绝亚流派，并立刻亚流派后，那些不敬虔的人就如此盘算：‘如果我们能够说服Liberius，我们就能够打败其他的人。’他们因此在皇帝前诬告他；皇帝期盼能够轻易的用Liberius把百姓拉到他那边，就写信给他，并差派了一个叫做优西比乌的太监，带着信和条件，用礼物勾引Liberius，也用信件威胁Liberius。太监就道理罗马，先建议Liberius签字反对亚他那修，并与亚流派交往，说，‘这是皇帝所期盼的，并命令你如此行。’接着就给他看皇帝提供的条件，牵着他的手，再次说服他说，‘顺服皇帝，并接受这一切。’
36. The Eunuch Eusebius attempts Liberius in vain
太监优西比乌徒劳无功的诱惑LIBERIUS
But the Bishop endeavoured to convince him, reasoning with him thus: ‘How is it possible for me to do this against Athanasius? How can we condemn a man, whom not one Council only, but a second assembled from all parts of the world, has fairly acquitted, and whom the Church of the Romans dismissed in peace? Who will approve of our conduct, if we reject in his absence one, whose presence among us we gladly welcomed, and admitted him to our communion? This is no Ecclesiastical Canon; nor have we had transmitted to us any such tradition from the Fathers, who in their turn received from the great and blessed Apostle Peter. But if the Emperor is really concerned for the peace of the Church, if he requires our letters respecting Athanasius to be reversed, let their proceedings both against him and against all the others be reversed also; and then let an Ecclesiastical Council be called at a distance from the Court, at which the Emperor shall not be present, nor any Count be admitted, nor magistrate to threaten us, but where only the fear of God and the Apostolical rule shall prevail; that so in the first place, the faith of the Church may be secure, as the Fathers defined it in the Council of Nicæa, and the supporters of the Arian doctrines may be cast out, and their heresy anathematized. And then after that, an enquiry being made into the charges brought against Athanasius, and any other besides, as well as into those things of which the other party is accused, let the culprits be cast out, and the innocent receive encouragement and support. For it is impossible that they who maintain an impious creed can be admitted as members of a Council: nor is it fit that an enquiry into matters of conduct should precede the enquiry concerning the faith ; but all diversity of opinions on points of faith ought first to be eradicated, and then the enquiry made into matters of conduct. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not heal them that were afflicted, until they showed and declared what faith they had in Him. These things we have received from the Fathers; these report to the Emperor; for they are both profitable for him and edifying to the Church. But let not Ursacius and Valens be listened to, for they have retracted their former assertions, and in what they now say they are not to be trusted.’
然而主教反过来说服他，与他讲道理：‘我怎么可能反对亚他那修呢？我们怎么能够定罪一个不单单被一个教会大会，而也被第二个从全时间各处代表参加的大会所公正的宣判无罪，并被罗马教会在和平中迁回的人呢？若我们在他缺席的情况下拒绝他，而他又是被我们欢喜的接纳到我们的交通中，谁会承认我们的做法呢？这不是大公教会正典的做法；我们也没有从那些直接从有福的彼得，领受过真理的教父们领受过这样的传统。若皇帝真的在乎教会的和平，若他要求我们推翻我们原先关于亚他那修的信件，那么这就不只是反对亚他那修，而是反对所有推翻自己原先立场的人了；那么，不然在远离朝廷的地方，召开一个大公教会的会议，皇帝与官员都不要出席，也别让安全长官威胁我们，让那里只有对神的敬畏和使徒的规范；在这个前提下，教会的信仰才能够被保证，就如同教父们在尼西亚大会上所定义的一样，并让亚流的支持者被赶出教会，他们的异端被咒逐。在这一切之后，我们再来审理对于亚他那修以及其他人士的控告，以及另外一党之人所被控诉的事件，让罪犯被逐出，无辜者被鼓励并被支持。因为我们不可能让那些坚持不敬虔信经的人成为大会的一份子：我们也不会让关于行为的议题凌驾于关于信仰的议题之上；我们要先根除一切关于信仰不同的观点，再审视行为的问题。我们的主耶稣基督并没有医治那些刚刚被感染的人，而是直到他们显出并宣告他们在祂里面的信心之后。那些我们已经从教父们所领受之事；那些皇帝收到的报告；都是对祂有益，也是为了建造教会。然而不要让Ursacius和Valens先为自己辩解，因为他们收回了他们原先的立场，他们现在所说的，都不可信。’
37. Liberius refuses the Emperor’s offering
LIBERIUS拒绝皇帝的条件
These were the words of the Bishop Liberius. And the eunuch, who was vexed, not so much because he would not subscribe, as because he found him an enemy to the heresy, forgetting that he was in the presence of a Bishop, after threatening him severely, went away with the offerings; and next commits an offense, which is foreign to a Christian, and too audacious for a eunuch. In imitation of the transgression of Saul, he went to the Martyry of the Apostle Peter, and then presented the offerings. But Liberius having notice of it, was very angry with the person who kept the place, that he had not prevented him, and cast out the offerings as an unlawful sacrifice, which increased the anger of the mutilated creature against him. Consequently he exasperates the Emperor against him, saying, ‘The matter that concerns us is no longer the obtaining the subscription of Liberius, but the fact that he is so resolutely opposed to the heresy, that he anathematizes the Arians by name.’ He also stirs up the other eunuchs to say the same; for many of those who were about Constantius, or rather the whole number of them, are eunuchs , who engross all the influence with him, and it is impossible to do anything there without them. The Emperor accordingly writes to Rome, and again Palatines, and Notaries, and Counts are sent off with letters to the Prefect, in order that either they may inveigle Liberius by stratagem away from Rome and send him to the Court to him, or else persecute him by violence.
这些就是Liberius主教说的话。那个喋喋不休的太监，对这个不肯签字的主教一点办法都没有，因为他发现Lieberius乃是异端的敌人，在威胁主教后，他竟然忘了他是站在主教面前，而直接带着礼品走了；接着他犯了一个基督徒不会犯的罪，甚至对于一个太监而言也是前所未闻的。他效法那个犯罪的扫罗，直接跑到殉道的使徒彼得前，献上礼物。然而Liberius察觉到这个行动，并因看管该处的人员没有禁止太监而感到震怒，他把礼物当作非法的祭物丢了出去，使得那个心智残缺的被造之物更为憎恨他。因此，他在皇帝面前恼怒的攻击Liberius，‘我们不该再在乎是否能够获得Liberius的前面，事实上，他是那么坚决的抵制异端，他还指名道姓的咒逐亚流派。’他也鼓动其他的太监说同样的话；因为他们许多人都是同情康士坦丢的，甚至可以说几乎是全部的太监都全神贯注的要影响他，没了他们，几乎什么事都做不了。所以皇帝写了信给罗马，罗马分封的王，公证管，和法院都写信给了护民官，好用诡计诱骗Liberius立刻罗马，要吗把他骗到法庭里面，要吗就用暴力逼迫他。
38. The evil influence of Eunuchs at Court
太监们对于朝廷的邪恶影响
Such being the tenor of the letters, there also fear and treachery immediately became rife throughout the whole city. How many were the families against which threats were held out! How many received great promises on condition of their acting against Liberius! How many Bishops hid themselves when they saw these things! How many noble women retired to country places in consequence of the calumnies of the enemies of Christ! How many ascetics were made the objects of their plots! How many who were sojourning there, and had made that place their home, did they cause to be persecuted! How often and how strictly did they guard the harbour and the approaches to the gates, lest any orthodox person should enter and visit Liberius! Rome also had trial of the enemies of Christ, and now experienced what before she would not believe, when she heard how the other Churches in every city were ravaged by them. It was the eunuchs who instigated these proceedings against all. And the most remarkable circumstance in the matter is this; that the Arian heresy which denies the Son of God, receives its support from eunuchs, who, as both their bodies are fruitless, and their souls barren of virtue, cannot bear even to hear the name of son. The Eunuch of Ethiopia indeed, though he understood not what he read Acts 8:27, believed the words of Philip, when he taught him concerning the Saviour; but the eunuchs of Constantius cannot endure the confession of Peter , nay, they turn away when the Father manifests the Son, and madly rage against those who say, that the Son of God is His genuine Son, thus claiming as a heresy of eunuchs, that there is no genuine and true offspring of the Father. On these grounds it is that the law forbids such persons to be admitted into any ecclesiastical Council ; notwithstanding which they have now regarded these as competent judges of ecclesiastical causes, and whatever seems good to them, that Constantius decrees, while men with the name of Bishops dissemble with them. Oh! Who shall be their historian? Who shall transmit the record of these things to another generation? Who indeed would believe it, were he to hear it, that eunuchs who are scarcely entrusted with household services (for theirs is a pleasure-loving race, that has no serious concern but that of hindering in others what nature has taken from them); that these, I say, now exercise authority in ecclesiastical matters, and that Constantius in submission to their will treacherously conspired against all, and banished Liberius!
这就是那些信件的目的，恐惧和背信忘义立刻蔓延至整个城市。许多抗拒威胁的家庭被捉拿！许多人因着他们敌对Liberius的行为而获得了应许的奖赏！许多的主教看见这样的事情痛心疾首！许多尊贵的妇女因着基督敌人之毁谤的缘故，隐居于乡间！许多的贵族成为阴谋的目标！许多聚集在该处的人，并以该处为家的人，被逼迫！他们严格的看管进出港口和城门的人，免得任何正统派人士得以探访Liberius！罗马曾经审判过基督的敌人，如今却经历了其他城市所经历的，被他们所劫掠，毁坏。太监就是煽动这些事件的始作俑者。最为令人难忘的事件乃是；否认神儿子的亚流异端竟然从太监们得到了支持，这些太监不但身体是残缺的，连他们的心灵都是缺乏道德的，甚至无法忍受听见神儿子的名字。然而，埃塞尔比亚的太监虽然不了解自己所读的（行传8：27），当腓力教导他关于救主的事，他却相信腓力的话；但是康士坦丢的太监们却无法忍受彼得关于信仰的宣告，不！当父显明子的时候，他们却转脸不见，所以我们该称它为太监的异端，在其中没有父真正的流出（儿子）。也是在这个基础上，律法禁止这样的人加入大公教会的会议；更别说他们如今还把大会当作从教会方面差来的，称职的审判官，凡他们认为好的，康士坦丢就附议，而有些披着主教之名的人还掩护他们。哦！谁将会成为他们的史官？谁将会把这些事情记载下来，代代相传？当人们听见那些原被严肃托付家庭中服侍的太监（他们的服侍乃是比赛追求享乐，根本不在乎那些享乐的本质为何）；我说，如今那些人却在管理教会事务，而康士坦丢则背信弃义的顺服他们的意愿，企图谋害众人，并放逐Liberius！
39. Liberius’s speech to Constantius
LIBERIUS回应康士坦丢的话
For after the Emperor had frequently written to Rome, had threatened, sent commissioners, devised schemes, on the persecution subsequently breaking out at Alexandria, Liberius is dragged before him, and uses great boldness of speech towards him. ‘Cease,’ he said, ‘to persecute the Christians; attempt not by my means to introduce impiety into the Church. We are ready to suffer anything rather than to be called Arian madmen. We are Christians; compel us not to become enemies of Christ. We also give you this counsel: fight not against Him who gave you this empire, nor show impiety towards Him instead of thankfulness ;’ persecute not them that believe in Him, lest you also hear the words, ‘It is hard for you to kick against the pricks Acts 9:5.’ Nay, I would that you might hear them, that you might obey, as the holy Paul did. Behold, here we are; we have come, before they fabricate charges. For this cause we hastened hither, knowing that banishment awaits us at your hands, that we might suffer before a charge encounters us, and that all may clearly see that all the others too have suffered as we shall suffer, and that the charges brought against them were fabrications of their enemies, and all their proceedings were mere calumny and falsehood.’
在皇帝不断的写信给罗马，威胁，差派专员，图谋策划，以及接下来在亚历山大爆发的逼迫后，Liberius被带到他的面前，放胆向皇帝说话。他说，‘停止逼迫基督徒；也别想让我把不敬虔引入教会中。我们已经预备好承受所有的逼迫，而不愿意被称作亚流派疯子。我们是基督徒；别强迫我们成为基督的敌人。我们也给你这个劝告：别对抗赐给你帝国的那位，也别不献上感谢，而向祂献上不敬虔；别逼迫那些相信祂的人，除非你也想听见下面的话‘你别螳臂当车（行传9：5）。’哼，我还能用你听见这样的话，好叫你顺从，就如同圣保罗一样。看啊，我们在这里；我们来面对他们所炮制的罪名。因为这个缘故，我们快快的来到此处，明知你手中握有放逐我们的命令，为的是要我们被控告受苦，好叫众人都能够清楚的看见，别人也忍受了我们所受的苦难，而控告他们的罪名也是他们的敌人所炮制的，他们所做的一切不过就是毁谤和虚假。’
40. Banishment of Liberius and others
LIBERIUS以及其他的放逐
These were the words of Liberius at that time, and he was admired by all men for them. But the Emperor instead of answering , only gave orders for their banishment, separating each of them from the rest, as he had done in the former cases. For he had himself devised this plan in the banishments which he inflicted, that so the severity of his punishments might be greater than that of former tyrants and persecutors. In the former persecution Maximian, who was then Emperor, commanded a number of Confessors to be banished together , and thus lightened their punishment by the consolation which he gave them in each other’s society. But this man was more savage than he; he separated those who had spoken boldly and confessed together, he put asunder those who were united by the bond of faith, that when they came to die they might not see one another; thinking that bodily separation can disunite also the affections of the mind, and that being severed from each other, they would forget the concord and unanimity which existed among them. He knew not that however each one may remain apart from the rest, he has nevertheless with him that Lord, whom they confessed in one body together, who will also provide (as he did in the case of the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings 6:16) that more shall be with each of them, than there are soldiers with Constantius. Of a truth iniquity is blind; for in that they thought to afflict the Confessors, by separating them from one another, they rather brought thereby a great injury upon themselves. For had they continued in each other’s company, and abode together, the pollutions of those impious men would have been proclaimed from one place only; but now by putting them asunder, they have made their impious heresy and wickedness to spread abroad and become known in every place.
那些乃是Liberius当时所说的话，他因着那些话而被众人所敬仰。然而，皇帝不但不回应，反而命令他们被放逐，彼此隔绝，就像他过去所做的一样。因为他自己想出来这种放逐的方法，好叫他的残酷能够胜过过去的暴君和逼迫者。在以往Maximian皇帝的逼迫中，还允许几个认信者一同被放逐，这还能够使得他们因彼此的联系减轻惩罚的痛苦。然而，这个人比他还残酷；他分隔了那些一同放胆说话并承认信仰的人，他把枷锁放在那些因信仰联合在一起的人，使得他们在临死之际也看不到其他的人；想想，这样大胆的隔绝也能够分解心思的影响，因着彼此隔绝，他们就会忘记在他们之间曾经存在的一致和无异议。他却不知道，不论他们彼此相距多页，他仍然有那位他们在一个身体中所承认的主与他同在，祂会（就如同王下六16中先知以赛亚的事例）丰丰富富的与他们同在，其同在远超过康士坦丢的士兵。真实的离开是盲目；因为在盲目中他们认为能够以隔离影响认信者，他们反而对自己产生更大的伤害。因为，若他们继续住在一起，从那些不敬虔的人所产生的污染只会从一个地方出来；然而，如今把他们分开，他们就把他们的异端和邪恶传于四邻，扬名各处。