1836.] Memoir of St. Nierses Clajensis. 147 



as the Rock and the Head of the corner over the two sundered walls of our 

 Churches. Let not the subject be discussed with that fruitless and violent 

 mode of controversy, which has hitherto been carried on by the sister Churches 

 with detrimental consequences on both sides. Let brotherly love, unanimity, 

 and an ardour after divine truths distinguish the whole course of the proceed- 

 ings of the council. Let us, in accordance with the injunctions of St. Paul, 

 bear one another's burden, and the infirmities of the weak, and so fulfil the law of 

 Christ.' In laying open our spiritual distempers to the observation of one 

 another, let each party reciprocally look for, in the other, a sympathising and 

 confidential physician. Whatever may be beyond the reach of our penetration, 

 let it be referred to the testimony of those whose judgment and experience have 

 rendered them distinguished in the decision of similar questions. Able physi- 

 cians do not consider their qualifications under-rated by taking medicines from 

 the hands of their scholars, when they are labouring under the attacks of sick- 

 ness. The eyes, though sharp enough in seeing the objects presented to their 

 gaze, fall short of beholding themselves and the members of the body by which 

 they are surrounded ; and on their being attacked with soreness, they seek a 

 cure from the eyes and hands of another. What has been stated above, will, we 

 hope, be considered sufficiently satisfactory to your Imperial Majesty. We have 

 communicated to you multum in parvo, and have desired your ambassador to 

 furnish you with such other information, as may be thought to content the ar- 

 dour of your curiosity. Adieu 1 Augustus Emperor ! May your Majesty live 

 long under the protection of the Almighty." 



At the express desire of Sumbat, who was at the head of the em- 

 bassy, Nierses the Graceful drew out another form of the Creed of the 

 Armenian Church, being assured that it would tend to throw more 

 light on the disputed points of religion, and carry conviction to the 

 mind of every philanthropic inquirer. The contents of this letter 

 were a clear, distinct, and comprehensive recapitulation of all that he 

 had stated in the former one, presented to Alexius, the son-in-law of 

 the emperor. The letter commenced with the following beautiful 

 preamble : 



" It now becomes us to address ourselves to you, not with eloquence of speech, 

 in which we are deficient, but in the truth of the spirit, in which we were in- 

 structed by those favoured with divine inspiration. We do not attempt giving 

 colour to a schismatical darkness, by clothing our Creed with the light of ortho- 

 dox faith, as we have unjustly been supposed to do by others guilty of a similar 

 line of conduct ; but what we have stored in the invisible spirit, we embody the 

 same in visible writing, by the testimony of our minds, and the dictation of the 

 Holy Ghost, who sees, judges and examines the utmost recesses of our hearts." 



After making long and sensible observations on the mystery of the 

 Holy Trinity, and the incarnation of Jesus Christ, leaning on the in- 

 controvertible testimonies of the Fathers of the Church, he proceeds 

 thus : 



" Concurring in the fundamental principles of the Christian religion, we be- 

 lieve that the word, who was made flesh according to St. John, was not changed 

 into flesh by being divested of his divine nature, but that by an unconfounded 

 u 2 



