Wulfila as described by Auxentius

The Letter of Auxentius (Jim Marchands translation) tells about Wulfila, his foster-father. It is choke full of theological statements, actually listings of words, epithets of Christ and deep in the controversy against the (Nicean) Homousians.

Here in this I have tried to distil from Auxentius writing sentences that give information about Wulfila's life.

"[Wulfila was] of great propriety, verily a confessor of Christ, a teacher of piety and a preacher of truth. He never hesitated to preach quite openly and very clearly to willing and unwilling alike the one true Cod, the Father of Christ, and the second rank of this same Christ..."

Arian theologian:
"Wherefore he scattered the sect of the Homousians... In his preaching and exposition he asserted that all heretics were not Christians, but Antichrists..."

Fluent in languages:
"Following this and similar doctrines for 40 years flourishing splendidly in the bishopric through apostolic grace, he preached in the Greek, Latin, and Gothic tongues without ceasing in the one and only Church of Christ;"

Student of Scriptures:
"And whoever reads this, let him know that he taught and expounded to us all this concerning the Sacred Scriptures. He also left behind in those very three languages several treatises and many interpretations, for the use and edification of the willing, for his own eternal memory and grace."


Mentor of Auxentius (deacon in Alexandria):
"Whom I am unable to praise sufficiently; yet I cannot be silent, who more than all others am in his debt, in that he worked more richly on me, taking me in early years from my parents as his student, he taught me the Holy Scriptures and made manifest to me the truth. And by the kindness of God and the grace of Christ he reared me bodily and spiritually as a son in the faith."

Bishop of the Goths:
"According to God's providence and Christ's kindness he was ordained -- for the salvation of many -- bishop among the people of the Goths at the age of 30 from the position of lector"

Missioner:
"...teach the people of the Goths, who were living in hunger and deprivation of preaching indifferently; he made manifest to them and taught them to live in accord with the rule of the Gospel, the Apostles and the Prophets, and as Christians to be truly Christians, and thus increased the number of Christians." 


Persecution of Christian Goths at the time of Wulfila:
"...but with Christ's aid and help, they became martyrs and confessors, that the persecutor might be confounded and those who suffered persecution be crowned. He who sought to conquer, blushed as vanquished, and they who were tempted rejoiced as victors."

Wulfila in Consantius II (317-361) court:
"Then after the glorious martyrdom of many servants and handmaidens of Christ, the most holy man, the blessed Ulfilas, having completed seven years in the office of bishop, was driven out by the vehemently threatening persecution from the country of the barbarians with a great host of confessors onto Roman soil and here honorably received by the Prince Constantius, of blessed memory."


Escape of the Goths (to Moesia):
"...so did God free the Goths through the often named confessor of his Holy Only-begotten Son out of the lands of the barbarians and cause them to cross the Danube and to serve Him in the mountains according to the example of the saints."

Death at the age of 70 (383 AD):
"Remaining with his people, not counting those 7 years, 33 years on Roman soil, he preached the truth -- just as he was also an imitator of certain ancient Saints in this matter too -- he completed a space of 40 years, so that he left this life at the age of 70 after the completion of many deeds."

Illness and death in Constantinople:
"After 40 years had been completed, he departed at the imperial behest to Constantinople to a disputation against the ... and he insisted on going in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that they might not teach and infest the churches of Christ dedicated by him to Christ. ...

Having entered into the above city, he immediately began to fall ill, since the impious ones had again reconsidered the situation of the council, so that the more to be pitied as miserable might not be shown to be condemned by their own judgement and be shown to be punishable by the eternal judgement. In which sickness he was taken away in the manner of the Prophet Elisha."