At the same time the Emperor _Arcadius_, strangely prepossessed against _Chrysostom_, and those of his Communion, caused Two Edicts to be published; the one directed to the Governors of the Provinces, whom he strictly injoined not to suffer, in their respective Jurisdictions, any private Assemblies or Meetings of Persons, who, despising the Churches, worshiped elsewhere, lest they should seem to communicate with the _most Reverend Prelates of the holy Law_, _Arsacius_, _Theophilus_, and _Porphyrius_. The other commanded such Bishops as refused to communicate with them, to be driven from their Sees, and their Effects to be seized. The Persecution, which still raged, though it was soon after stopt at the Remonstrances of _Studius_ the _Præfectus Prætorio_, and the Severity, with which the Two Imperial Edicts were put in Execution, drove great Numbers, both of the Clergy and Laity, from _Constantinople_, and the Provinces subject to _Arcadius_. Among the former were _Cyriacus_ Bishop of _Synnada_, _Eulysius_ of _Apamea_ in _Bithynia_, _Palladius_ of _Helenopolis_, _Germanus_ a Presbyter, and _Cassianus_ a Deacon, who afterwards embraced the Monastic Life, and became famous for his Ascetic Writings. [Sidenote: _Several Bishops, and the whole Clergy of_ Constantinople, _write to_ Innocent.] _Eulysius_ brought Letters to _Innocent_ from Fifteen Bishops of _Chrysostom_’s Communion, acquainting him with the deplorable State of the _Constantinopolitan_ Church, and one from _Anysius_ of _Thessalonica_, declaring, that in the present unhappy Divisions he had resolved to conform intirely to the Sentiments of the _Roman_ Church. _Germanus_ and _Cassianus_ likewise delivered Letters to _Innocent_, written in the Name of the whole Clergy of _Constantinople_, and giving him an Account of the Persecution that still raged, and of the cruel Treatment their Bishop had met with[1419]. [Sidenote: _His Answer to the Clergy._] _Innocent_, in his Answer to this Letter, expresses, in the most pathetic Terms, his Concern for the unhappy State of that Church, and their Sufferings; he encourages them to bear, with Patience, their present Tribulation and Afflictions, nay, and with Joy, since it is for the sake of Justice they suffer, and are thus persecuted; he complains of the undue Deposition of his Collegue, and Installation of another in his Life-time, which he shows to be against the Canons of the Council of _Nice_, the only Canons admitted and obeyed by the _Roman_ Church: he concludes with informing them, that as he had always thought it necessary, that an Oecumenical Council should assemble, he had long considered, and was still considering, by what Means it might be assembled, _since a Council, and nothing else, could appease so violent a Storm_, and restore to the Church the so much wished for Tranquillity[1420].