where order should be taken for Athanasius his appearing And accordingly Eusebius and the Antiochian Council in their reply to Julius his Letters did agree thereto and promised to send to Rome their charge against Athanasius with their Delegates to proceed against him And this might be a ground for the Bishop of Rome to send to Athanasius to come to Rome and for the Bishop of Rome at the Council there to hear the Cause and for the Council at Antioch to send their delegates thither and yet no Supremacy hereby vested in the Bishop of Rome over the Asian or Affrican Churches Thus escaped Athanasius to Rome Sect. 3. where he finds Paulus the banished Constantinopolitan Bishop waiting there also for relief as well as himself But as yet whatever the Antiochian Councils letters mention concerning Athanasius his Trial at Rome they proceeded nevertheless to banish him the Emperour also confirming the same This was one illegality Soc. lib. 2. cap. 8. But a second ensued much worse which was their sudden election of Gregory Bishop of Alexandria in the room of Athanasius who was a man altogether unknown both to the Church and Province of Alexandria and yet which was worst of all they being a Council did send him and settle him with a force that brought him in by bloud And all this done by a Vote procured as ill as all the rest Athan. Apol. 2. Epist Jul. Ibid. For whereas their Council consisted of one hundred Votes well nigh yet they could not find forty to agree in this Vote Onely the Emperours Vote concurring put all the rest to silence But such as the work such was the issue for Gregory continued there not long before not onely the Orthodox Christians but even the Arians also were weary of him and for his cruel and bloody entrance and his imperious government Soc. lib. 2. cap. 10. Soz. lib 3. cap. 6. and gluttonish indulgence thrust him out of his government and put in George of Capadocia in his place and yet he also nor St. George neither as will hereafter appear The Council at Antioch having thus done what they can against Athanasius Sect. 4. have one thing more to do For the Bishop of Rome had sorely taxed this Council for siding with the Arians against the Nicene Council unto which neverthelesse all the several members of this Council or the most part of them had subscribed This the Antiochian Council fear will stick upon them for their consciences told them that they had done somewhat that might deserve such imputation and that it would be a shame for so many learned men to be relapsed in a Council and so many reverend Bishops to be reputed disciples to Arius who was but a Presbyter defamed in his doctrine life and death They bethink themselves therefore of a declaration to the Churches Soc. lib. 2. cap. 7. wherein they set forth That they are not faln from the Nicene Faith neither are they disciples of Arius and in witnesse thereof they there make Confession of their Faith A company of fickle hearted Bishops they were They are not faln from the Nicene Faith nor will they own it They will have a Confession of their own and yet will own none They frame a Confession and publish it and then like it not By that time that they are warm in their work of Confession they repent of what they have confessed and confesse anew to this purpose Soc lib. 2. cap. 7. We believe in one God the Father Almighty Maker of All things And in one Lord Jesus Christ His Onely begotten Son God by whom all things are made Begotten before all things of the Father God of God Whole of Whole Onely of Onely Perfect of Perfect King of King Lord of Lord The Living Word Wisdom Life True Light Way of Truth Resurrection Power Door That He cannot be converted nor changed The Expresse Image of the Deity Essence Virtue Council and Glory of the Father The First Begotten of every Creature Who was in the beginning with God The Word by whom all things are made and in whom all things consist Who in the last dayes came from Heaven is born of the Virgin Made Man and the Mediator of God and Man The Apostle of our Faith and Lord of Life who suffered for us arose for us the third day and ascended to Heaven And sitteth at the right hand of the Father And shall come with glory and power to judg the Quick and the Dead And in the Holy Ghost which giveth comfort sanctification and perfection to Believers And the words Father Son and Holy Ghost do exactly expresse the proper Person Order and Glory of every of them so named That they are three in persons but in consent one If any man shall teach ought against the right and sound Faith of the Scriptures or that there is or was a time or age before the Son of God was made Let him be accursed And if any man shall call the Son a creature as one of the creatures or a branch as one of the branches Let him be accursed Many more words they are then in the Nicene Confession and yet not enough They will seem to allow to Christ all that can be desired and heap up many of his titles and might have out of the Text heaped many more And for all this they will not allow Christ all his excellencies He shall be allowed to be before all time Soz. lib. 2. cap. 5. but not coeternal with the Father he shall be Lord of Lord but not consubstantial with the Father If their meaning then be one and the same with the Nicene Confession why then do they differ in words unlesse they intend thereby that people should stick to no one form but to take up any that shall come to hand and thereby swallow down errour more unsensibly Like to many in these late Parliaments wherein much endeavour hath been for a form of Articles of Faith that might be established by Law but little or nothing could be effected The consciences of men have been so tender that they cannot endure any form of wholesome words but like this Antiochian Council they like the Nicene Faith and yet will have liberty to differ from it they will publish one so as they be not bound thereto but be at liberty to change The newes of this new Antiochian Confession coming to Athanasius Sect. 5. made him the more earnest to assert the Nicene Confession and being now to make his defence before the Council at Rome he as was usual in such cases declared the substance of his Faith before the Council so compendiously and with such apt expressions that the Council caused the same to be published for the further clearing forth of the Nicene Faith which formerly had passed abroad variously in regard of the losse of the Original Copy of the Acts of the Nicene Council Basil Epist yet it seems that Athanasius his Confession
was somewhat more large then the Nicene in the doctrine concerning the Holy Ghost to obviate the Macedonian Heresie which sprang up of later times But whether that Confession of Athanasius had those particulars concerning the Catholick Church the Communion of Saints and the estate after death or whether they were added afterwards I know not but they have been thus received by the Churches and this Church of England to this day Whatever more then this was done at the Antiochian Council Sect. 6. I shall not meddle with but thus far Constantius hath seemed to gain his intentions and yet he gained not his ends For he now had taken up a resolution to bring all the Eastern people into one Religion with himself And Eusebius told him this could never be done so long as Athanasius stood thus in his way which in plainer words is that Athanasius must be put to death before the Emperour can accomplish his work But God had otherwise determined The Antiochian Council could do little more then shew their teeth For Athanasius is now out of their reach and God finds other work for Constantius Soc. lib. 2. cap. 7. The newes comes to him of the falling of the Franks in upon the borders of the Empire and he must look to that and the Eastern parts of the Empire especially the City of Antioch is grievously tossed by Earthquakes successively renuing by the space of a whole year and the Council there assembled must look to that and move and remove and at length give over before they have done what they intended And thus Athanasius is left to stand or fall at the Council at Rome CAP. XII Athanasius acquitted by the Council at Rome Constans the Emperour favoureth the Orthodox Christians THe City of Rome hath now the honour to be an Assylam Sect. 1. or a City of refuge for the persecuted Bishops who are fled from the rage of Constantius his persecution which so afflicted the hearts of the Western Bishops that a Council is called at Rome Athan. Apol. Desuga many of the Eastern Bishops also being movers thereof and upon the Summons no lesse then three hundred Bishops met together And there also Athanasius upon his Summons appeared ready to make his Just Defence And hereof notice is given to them at Antioch Vid. Epist Jul. and that the Council was ready for the hearing of the cause if the cause on their part was ready for them and therefore desired them to send to Rome some with authority from them at Antioch to prosecute the matters in charge against Athanasius This Message from the Roman Council passed also under the shadow of Constans his Imperial Letters to his brother Constantius to the same purpose Soc. lib. 2. cap. 24. Soz. lib. 3. cap. 9. The Antiochian Council hereupon send four of their Members as Delegates who first made their application to the Emperour Constans and endeavoured to vindicate the honour of the Antiochian Council in their proceedings against Athanasius as also as touching their doctrine and as evidence thereof they produced before the Emperour Constans a Confession of Faith which they pretend to be the Confession made by them at the Council at Antioch but in truth framed by the Messengers themselves more suitable to their present purpose For by their principles of tendernesse and liberty of conscience as the Council did alter their Confession according to the occasion so it seems might these their representatives do the like so as might best serve their own turn This Confession which they thus produced though the value thereof be small in regard of the contrivers thereof and their aimes in contriving the same yet seeing by comparing of the one with the other the truth of their design though not their design of truth will the better appear I shall set down the same We believe in one God the Father Almighty Maker and Worker of all things from whom all fatherhood of Heaven and Earth is named And in his one begotten Son Our Lord Jesus Christ before all ages begotten of the Father God of God Light of Light By whom all things are made Visible and Invisible Who is the Word Wisdom Vertue Life true Light Who in the last dayes is inearnate for us born of the Holy Virgin Crucified dead and buried On the third day he arose again Ascended into Heaven sitteth at the right hand of the Father And at the end of ages shall come to judge both the Quick and the Dead and to render to every one according to his works of whose Kingdom shall be no end but it shall remain for ever For he shall sit at the right hand of the Father to the end of this World and in the future And in the Holy Ghost that is the Comforter whom the Father promised to the Apostles and after His ascention into Heaven sent that he should teach and inform them all things by whom all Believers souls shall be sanctified who truly believe in Him And the Church determ nes all those to be faln from it who do say that the Son of God is of nothing or of other substance then the Father Or that time was when He was not So as these men will have the Emperour believe that the Council at Antioch do adhere to the Nicene Faith Sect. 2. whiles they affirm that the Son is of no other substance then the Father and yet will not hold forth that he is coeternal with the Father But the Emperour Constans being fully informed in all particulars and observing the unconstancy and unsetled conclusions and principles of the Antiochian Council that they first agree upon one Confession of Faith and then fall from that and take up a second and that their Delegates now wave that also and hold forth a third he dismissed them with their Faith to the Council at Rome where when they arrived pretending to prosecute their charge against Athanasius and finding him prepared with his witnesses and that the Emperour had none there to represent his person as President but that the Council was left to regular proceedings Athan. Epist ad Solit. Vit. The Delegates failed in their prosecution and pretending frivolous excuses departed home Neverthelesse the Council expected the return of them or some others in their stead to prosecute their complaints but after a years waiting finding their expectation vain Soz. lib. â— cap. 7. they proceeded to examine the defence made by Athanasius and upon perusal of the Letters from the Alexandrian Churches and hearing of Witnesses produced the Council acquit Athanasius and restore him to his Church again The like they did also with others by vertue whereof they repaired to their several places and possessed them again Niceph. Hist lib. 9. cap. 8. Tripart Hist lib. 4. cap. 17. Soz. lib. 4. cap 8. And some Writers affirm that Athanasius did return to Alexandria again upon that account also which if he did it was not long ere
he is informed that Hillarius the Emperours Lievtenant had given order to his Soldiers for a Randezvous and thereupon or upon other cause of suspicion he provided for himself accordingly And the night following cometh Hillarius to Alexandria in a dark stormy night and being informed that Athanasius had hid himself in the Church called Theona he beset the same on all sides and the soldiers breaking in suddenly at once by the doors and windows on all sides made as strict a search as they could but found nothing concerning Athanasius and so returned as they came And the next news that is had of Athanasius is that he is at Rome again The Council at Rome having done what they could in the matter concerning Athanasius Sect. 3. certifie the same by their Letters to the Eastern Bishops the penning of which letters they leave to the Bishop of Rome and so the Council is dissolved The Bishop of Rome accordingly wrote the Letters and whither the matter it self or the manner of writing was too poinant or the Eastern Bishops were already exasperated I determine not but they instead of writing an answer childe and tell the Bishop of Rome that he took too much upon him Soc. lib. 2. cap. 11. Niceph. Hist lib. 9. cap. 8. and that they will not abide his order And thus if Historians borrow not too much from fancy sprang the schism between the Eastern and the Western Churches upon the point of Supremacy which also was not a little increased from the diversity of the Civil interests between Constans and Constantius who also were no less divided in their Principles in matters of Religion which did blow the sparks formerly hidden in the embers into a flame of persecution Religion may be in danger in a government under one Head but is never safe in a government under many Athanasius now at Rome again Sect. 4. having formerly represented his condition to Constantius by an Apology made and transmitted to him yet could obtain no favour he now after three years waiting sends that to the Emperour Constans who by this time was no less then his brother Constantius awakened with the loud peal that the Letters between the Eastern and Western Bishops did ring in the world and thereupon their Councils advise them for the safety of both their Empires to unite together against the common Enemy now upon their borders and to lay aside animosities and compose the differences in matters concerning Religion by a general Council This season Athanasius chooseth for his application to the Emperour Constans and by the Bishop of Rome's means gains access to the Emperour to whom he represented the many calumnies and injuries he daily suffered from the Arians Theod. lib. 2. c. 4. and his unjust deprivation and banishment by the Council at Antioch and that they lay in wait continually to take away his life and that they pursued him not so much for any personal respects as for the rooting up the Nicene Faith which he had hitherto asserted and which also was asserted an owned by Constantine the Great and therefore Athanasius humbly besought Constans to remember his fathers piety in calling the Council at Nice for the vindicating of the Truth and that he would succeed his Father in undertaking the cause of Religion and protection of the Orthodox Faith and regard the persecuted estate of himself who was ready to justifie against all the criminations that his enemies can produce against him Hereunto also the Bishop of Rome subjoyned his request that Constans would endeavour with his brother Constantius that a general Council of the Bishops of both Empires might be joyntly holden for the setling of the people of both Empires in peace and unity And well it was that there was some that studied the peace of the Church so far as to be earnest for a general Council For possibly if such a thing should be now moved in England it would be answered that its necessary for the Church to be under a perpetual separation as many hold it no less necessary that the Common-wealth should be for ever kept from their liberty of a free and full Parliament Constans the Emperour now at Millain being thus importuned Sect. 5. determined to proceed therein accordingly And because it appeared that the Eastern Bishops began to interpose touching Supremacy he writes therefore to his brother Constantius shewing him the necessity of calling a general Council of the Churches of both Empires and importuning him to improve his authority in calling the Eastern Bishops to appear at a Council to be holden at Sardica in Illiria This City was upon the confines of both Empires yet more commodious for those of the Eastern Empire Soz. lib. 3. cap. 9. whereunto the Emperour Constans had ordered summons for the Bishops of the Western Empire to come at a time appointed Constantius having received Constans his Letters made no difficulty therein but forthwith issued forth his Letters of summons also according to Constans his Letters After this agreement Athanasius comes to Millain by express order from Constans and there in the presence of the Emperour and many others Athan. Apol. ad Constant Athanasius declareth the manner of his return from Triers to Alexandria and of his carriage at Alexandria the complaints against him by the Arians his justification of himself the proceedings of the Council at Antioch against him the manner of his escape his Apology sent to Constantius to mollifie his displeasure against him the Letters testimonial from the Alexandrian Churches and he offered to prove all by witnesses viva vocc But the Emperour replied that Athanasius shall have a full hearing before the General Council at Sardica and therefore willed him to prepare himself for his defence there Nevertheless Constans was unwilling those things should be opened before a General Council and therefore endeavoured to prevail with Constantius as well in the behalf of Athanasius as others for the restitution of them to their several places in a private way but the Arians were in the negative and too powerfull and thus there passed a year and six months before the day of the meeting of the Council came CAP. XIII The Council at Sardica The Schism by the Arian Council at Philippopolis THe Council being met at Sardica upon the day prefixed Sect. 1. which was about Six years after the Council called at Antioch and about eleven years after the death of Constantine the Great Soc. lib. 2. cap. 16. So as Athanasius hath been absent from Alexandria at Rome Six years intirely or three years and three years which makes up the six years spoken of by writers Soz. lib. 2. cap. 10. allowing onely a small time for Athanasius his return from the Council at Rome to Alexandria and his flight from thence back again to Rome upon the coming of Hillarius The first three years being spent in debate between the two Councils at Antioch and Rome and the
with the differences concerning these opinions and that concerning Easter-Day although as yet they held communion together have now gotten the ball on their foot and resolve to carry the same some upon grounds of judgment or opinion others out of faction so as now no course is left but to endeavour to settle the minds of men by way of a general Council of the Churches throughout the whole Empire For as by the conviction of teachers the errors of the learners will soon pine away so the joynt conclusions of many of such teachers assembled in Council will soon put to naught the private opinions of several single persons because every one single wise man will think the conclusions of many such joyned in Council more wisely determined then he alone can do his own private opinion CAP. IV. The Council of Nice and the banishment of Arius BUt the Devil and pride was more predominant then reason in this case Sect. 1. as the event shewed For Constantine the Emperour though he knew it would cost him vast expences yet not regarding that he did call a Council of all the Churches and appointed the same to be holden at Nice a City of Bithinia unto which place assembled all the Bishops of the Empire who had no reasonable cause of absenting themselves besides the Presbyters and other learned men The number of the Bishops were three hundred and eighteen unto all of whom the Emperour gave entertainment at his own cost Euseb Vit Const cap 47. and unto this Council by special message Arius is injoyned to come This entertainment was much for the Emperours honour being of so many and for so long a time for some Writers report that the Council lasted three years others lesse but doubtlesse it did hold for a long time And it was much more for the honour of the Emperor and the Council that there were so many holy men amongst them most or many of whom carried about them the marks of their Religion scars and mutilation of members and dismembrings Trophies of their Profession every one of which carried efficacy with their determinations and brought honour to their persons even in the eyes of the Emperor himself when he beheld them in their Assembly The Emperor at the first entry upon their work Sect. 2. Sec. lib. 1. cap. 5. Enseb Vit. Const cap. 12. made a short Speech testifying his thankfulnesse to God for his victory over all his enemies and for the publick peace of his Empire and for the joyful sight of them in their meeting and exhorting them to preserve peace and unity in the Church of God and purity of Doctrine and holinesse of life And especially he commendeth two things in particular to their care One for establishing one practice of the Church in the observation of the Feast of Easter Euseb Vit. Const cap. 16 17 18. upon one certain day The other concerned the Arian doctrine The first of which the Council happily determined and the same was confirmed by the Emperours edict although the acts of the Council now published make little mention thereof But the second concerning Arian doctrine required much dispute For Arius appeared in the maintenance of his opinions And Alexander the Alexandrian Bishop principally opposed him and with him Athanasius then his Deacon And they produced against him divers of his blasphemous assertions which he had uttered at the Council at Alexandria which also are mentioned by Athanasius The most general whereof comprehending others are as followeth Athan. Disâ—ut cont A an That God was not alwayes the Father That the Son was not alwayes the Son That the Son was made by God of nothing That he was made God by participation of the Deity That He is not the Natural Son of God but his Son by Grace That God foreknowing his Son to be good gave Him that Glory which the Son afterward merited That the Son is not properly that wisdom or word in which God created the World but there is another Word and wisdome in which He made the Son and another proper wisdom or word in which God oreated the World That Christ is not the power of God otherwise then as worms are said so to be That the Father cannot be known perfectly by the Son That the Son doth not perfectly know his own essence That God made not us for Christ but Christ for us Athan. Epist ad Synod That the Holy Ghost is a creature made and renaoves from place to place That the Substances of the Father Son and Holy Ghost are incommunicable each to other That the Trinity is not equal one with another in majesty and glory but one insinitely exceeds the other Some of these the Council of Nice observed out of Arius his book called Thalia Sect. 3. upon the reading thereof at the Council Yet it may be observed that Arius waved his opinion concerning the Holy Ghost because the Nicene Council in the Confession on of their Faith as it was first published so far as appeareth did not enlarge their sence concerning it and besides we find not that the most rigid Arians did assert the same but rather oppose them when as afterward the Macedonians took them up Upon these points therefore that principally concerned the Second Person was the principal debate and as touching them Athanasius was ingaged against Arius in a solemn disputation which is published in Athanasius his Works wherewith I shall not meddle further then to set down the points in controversie Athan. Disput cont Arian as I find them set down by Athanasius wherein first Athanasius delivers to Arius his own judgment in nature of a formal confession of his faith in these words I believe in One God the Father Almighty God alwayes Father and in God the Word the Onely begotten Son of God and that He doth coexist with the Father and is of the same Substance of the Father and is equal to the Father as touching His Deity that He is alwayes present with the Father in all places and contains all things in His Essence and is contained of none as also God His Father is And I believe in the Holy Spirit that He is of the Substance of the Father and coeternal with the Father and the Son and I affirm the Word was in the Flesh This Athanasius wrote in opposition to the Arian Doctrine Sect. 4. and to offer to Arius occasion of declaring his full faith in writing as to each particular which he did accordingly in manner following I believe in God Eternal and in his Son whom before all ages He as God created and made Him His Son and whatsoever things the Son hath those when He had them not He received of God and therefore He is not equal to the Father nor of the same dignity but remaineth a creature and is inferiour to the Glory of God and inferiour to Him as touching the Power of God I believe in the Holy Ghost begotten of
occasion Writers do not mention yet it seems he was restrained from returning to Alexandria For they that mention his return thither make it to be about the last year of Constantines Empire which was about ten years after Arius his banishment And that this favour was shewed to Arius is evident from the supplication that Eusebius and Theognis made to the Emperour for therein they take notice of the favour done to Arius who is the principal in the matter sentenced by the Emperour and the Nicene Council and therefore they beseech the Emperors lenity as to themselves also It may seem also that Arius had gained that favour by retractation of his errours Soc. lib. 1. cap. 20. For both Eusebius and Theognis made their retractations also which they presented to the Emperor and the Bishops wherein they do declare That they do consent to the Confession of the Faith agreed upon by the Nicene Council and do promise that they will study the peace of the Church and further more they shew the cause of their refusal to subscribe the Confession was not that they did disagree from the same faith with the Council but because they could not consent to the sentence against Arius who had in private conference with them declared that his judgement was other then what was apprehended by the Council And therefore they pray to be admitted to subscribe their consent to the Confession of Faith as it was agreed by the Council Though not so much said they to avoid the penalty of banishment as that they might not lie under the heavy burthen of being reputed Hereticks being neverthelesse willing to submit to the determination of the Council And they the rather beseech this because the Emperour and Bishops had permitted him who was deemed by them the principal offender to return and have courteous entertainment with them And this retractation thus presented Sect. 11. could not be long after the Council at Nice because these Retractors are admitted to return and are sent home restored to their Churches and others removed who had been placed in their stead and which is yet more strange are admitted into favour with the Emperor and were the ring-leaders in all the troubles which Athanasius endured from his first entrance into his Episcopal See at Alexandria which was within half a year after the Council at Nice and wherein Athanasius continued all the time of Constantines government afterward as by the sequel will appear So as though the Council at Nice ended with the rout of Arius and his party and renown of Alexander and Athanasius who is now become eminent amongst all the Churches yet Arius and his followers are rallied again by dissimulation For who ever he be that will make a Schisme and not upon a cleer truth will believe or not believe according to the turn of times Neverthelesse this alaied not the spirit of Arius Sect. 12. Eusebius and Theognis for they with others of their party to this novel subscription never were quiet till they had by indirect means gained into their hands the original of the Synodical determinations Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 20. from him to whom the same was committed by the Emperor to be safely kept and having defaced their subscriptions disposed of the same in that manner in the conclusion that it became utterly lost from the view of the Churches in future times These gilded Arians now thinking themselves at liberty from ingagement cast off their Vail and by their tongues and pens appear plain Arians and enter into open defiance against the Nicene Faith which breaks forth into Tumults against the Catholick Church Forced and fained Retractations and Subscriptions do not onely not bind the will thereto but contrarily enrage the Athanasius But that as smoke also vanished away when Athanasius came to answer for himself nor could Athanasius rationally submit himself to such an Election in those times especially when as it could be neither honourable for him nor safe so to do if he had intended to keep a good conscience But I shall let that passe for if the Election were once questioned it became unquestionable by being questioned and shall take it for a concluded case that Athanasius after he had passed through all Ecclesiastical degrees Nazian Encom is legally become Bishop of Alexandria and thereby and by the Decree of the Council at Nice Conc. Nicen can 6. hath power in all the Churches of Egypt Libia and Pentapolis according to the ancient Canon Athanasius his age at this time is not mentioned in any Writer unlesse conjectured by Baronius but it s agreed by all that it was within six moneths after his return from the Council at Nice Euseb Vit. Const lib. 3. cap. 14. which as Eusebius saith was holden in the twentieth year of Constantines Empire and Hierome saith That Athanasius was elected in the four and twentieth of his Reign and then the Council must continue three years or there is a mistake amongst Writers No sooner was this great trumpet of Truth as Nazianzen calls Athanasius setled in his place at Alexandria Sect. 3. but Eusebius at Nicomedia now in favour with the Emperor and the great Courtier of the times strained his utmost endeavour to unsettle Athaniasius he often tells the Emperour how unfitting a man Athanasius was for such a place Soc lib. 1. cap. 18. but the Emperor listens not thereto then he resolves to try Athanasius his mettle and as if himself had been the Primate of the World he writes to Athanasius to admit Arius and his associates into their places and into communion with the Alexandrian Church again or otherwise he must expect what will follow Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 17. But Athanasius neither perswaded by requests nor scared by threats returned answer that he could not admit into communion such as were excommunicated by the Council and hereupon ensues a publique defiance by Eusebius against Athanasius he will neither endure Athanasius nor his doctrine publique disputes and preachings are by him owned and patronized against the determination of the Council And thus the Arian Schisme revives again And Eusebius fearing that Athanasius would make some sudden addresse after his Election to the Emperor and so win the Emperors favour He together with Theognis and others of the Arian party repair to the Emperor with Articles against the election of Athanasius as being unduly gained by combination amongst a few And in particular that after the death of Alexander fifty and four of the Egyptian Bishops assembled for an election to be made of his Successor Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 16. and when they had upon their oathes given their votes for one person neverthelesse seven of that number contrary to their oathes separated from the rest and elected Athanasius and ordained him and that thereupon many of the Egyptian Churches as well Ministers as people refused communion with Athanasius They further more informed that Athanasius was a
but to permit several Councils publiquely holden at once is absolutely destructive thereto These two Councils at Sardica and Phillippopolis thus out-facing one another strook the second blow of the fray which lasted divers ages wherein much bloud was lost but in the conclusion the Arians lost life and all Henceforth is a perpetual separation between the Eastern and the Western Churches Soc. lib. 2. cap. 28. No communion is allowed by them at the East beyond the confines of Thracia nor by them of the West beyong the confines of Illiria Yet even in those times such respect was had to common charity and the common good of Mankind that a place is agreed upon in the borders of both Empires to be holden as sacred wherein all persons of different opinions in matters of Religion are permitted to have free resort and to communicate together without scandal or breach of charity and this place is a blessed Mountain on the borders of Illiria and Thracia called Tisucis How warrantable this was in matters so fundamental is not for me to determine but do for my part think it a great part of the misery of England that amongst such as professe one and the same Unity in Trinity such differences should be concerning matters of Church Order as neither time nor place can be found for such a blessed priviledge to take place as Christian Communion is CAP. XIV The Second Return of Athanasius to Alexandria The Death of the Emperour Constans THe Council at Sardica thus ended Sect. 1. each man returns to his own home who can finde his way open thereunto But as touching Athanasius because the Emperour Constans by his Letters to his brother Constantius having endeavoured to open as easie a way for him to return to Alexandria as he had done for others but found the way more strait for Athanasius then for all others therefore he commands Athanasius to return to Narsy and from thence afterwards to come to Aquileia under his own protection where after some consideration the Emperour intends another trial of Constantius by a more particular way For he sends Letters to Constantius of a more serious nature then the former minding him how deeply both their Honours are concerned in bringing the determinations of the Synod at Sardica to effect the same being called by their joynt Authority and he told him moreover that he for his own part held himself so deeply concerned therein that he could not but use all means to see the Decrees of the Council executed and if any man Soz. lib. 3. cap. 19. yea Constantius himself did interpose to hinder him he must put the matter to trial by the dint of Sword These Letters were sent with another transcript of the determinations of the Council Sect. 2. Theod. lib. 2. c. 9 10. and likewise with Letters from the Council to Constantius by the hands of Euphrates and Vincentius two Bishops both members of the Sardican Council who being arrived at Constantinople and not finding the Emperour there went further for Antioch and being in the way thereto are discovered to Stephen Bishop of Antioch who had been one at the Council at Philippopolis and he to stop their purpose and to bring shame upon their cause suborned a rude young man named Onager to bring a common strumpet into the Inne at Antioch that night where Euphrates and Vincentius were lodged And they laid their designe so cunningly that immediately upon the entry of the strumpet into the room where the two Bishops were lodged a company should be ready to enter forth-with after her and find the strumpet and the Bishops together and charge the Bishops with fornication And accordingly Onager acted his part so well that he brought the strumpet into the Chamber where Euphrates was lodged and was in bed Vincentius being also in bed in an inner Chamber and the company ready for that purpose soon after also entred the Chamber and found the strumpet in the same room where Euphrates lay in bed and thereupon a tumult is raised Vincentius gets up and the gates of the Inne are shut up yet Onager and some others made their escape but seven of the conspirators are taken together with the strumpet and the next morning are carried before the Judges and the strumpet examined said she was brought into the Inne and directed into the Chamber by a young man Athar Epist ad Solit. Vit. after the youngest of the conspirators being examined discovered Onager the cause of all and then Onager is examined who answered that what he did was done by the direction and instigation of Stephen the Bishop of Antioch who being examined could not deny the same And thereupon by the command of the Judges Stephen is banished by the Bishops and deposed from the See at Antioch without any Act of Council Nor did the Arians save ought of their honour thereby for as they had put out Stephen for scandal so they elect into his room Leontius a man no lesse filthy and unclean in conversation and had to add to all the rese castrated himself that he might the more safely without scandal keep company with a woman whom he pretended to be a Virgin And yet is this man good enough for the Arians ends Which was to continue a succession of persecuting Fishops at Antioch Neverthelesse the foulnesse of this fact of Stephens was such as it being reported to Constantius upon serious consideration had that the Arians may have dealt thus unhandsomely in many other matters and with many other of the Orthodox Christians as with these Bishops he is the rather inclined to hearken to his brother Constans his proposal concerning Athanasius and accordingly at the coming of these two Bishops with the Letters from the Council at Sardica he speedily writes to all his Lieutenants to abstain from further troubling the Orthodox Christians and having taken the Emperour Constans his Letters into consideration Soz. lib. 3 cap. 19. together with his Arian Bishops to whom he communicated them they are all of opinion that it is not safe to adventure their cause upon a Civil War especially at that instant when as tidings came of the invading of the Eastern borders of the Empire by the Persians And thus after ten moneths Baron An. 348. num 14. by advise he writes his Letters to the Emperour Constans Letting him understand that Constantius was alwayes forward to execute the Order of the Council at Sardica in the restitution of Athanasius and that he had kept the Church of Alexandria vacant now along time expecting when Athanasius would return and that it was free for him to return when he pleased How the Church at Alexandria became void Sect. 3. will appear when Athanasius returns for as yet he trusted not Constantius his courtesie but departed from Aquileia to Millain where he had not been long ere he was saluted with a Letter from Constantius to himself therein pitying Athanasius his long
Sect. 1. Soc. lib. 2. cap. 24 25.26 Soz. lib. 4. cap. 5. when as Photinus began to act his part and it incensed him not a little that such innovations durst put up head in his own presence and therefore he is easily induced to call a Council there whereas Photinns was at that time Bishop The Arians furthered him also therein being as earnest therein as himself and procured the Emperour also to send for Hossius whom once gained they hoped to gain many more and he came though unwillingly as he had cause In the transaction thereof the Arians dealt cunningly For they made a Confession of Faith that on the one side aimed to strike Photinus in the right vein and which also on the other side may go down with Hossius and others of his way and yet must be safe for the Arians to approve For the Council consisted most of such And this Confession is thus framed We believe in one God Father Almighty the Maker and Framer of all things of whom all the Father-hood in Heaven and Earth is named And in his onely begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ before all ages begotten of the Father God of God Light of Light by whom all things are made which are in Heaven and in Earth visible and invisible Who is the Word Wisdom True Light and Life Who in these last dayes is made Man for us born of the Holy Virgin crucified dead and who arose from the dead the third day and ascended into Heaven sits at the right hand of God the Father and shall come at the end of the World to judge the Living and the Dead and to render to every man according to his works of whose Kingdome there is no end but remaineth for ever For He shall sit at the right hand of the Father not onely whilst this World last but also in the World to come And in the Holy Ghost that is the Comforter whom the Lord promised to send after his Ascention unto his Disciples that He might teach them and mind them all things and did send Him by whom the souls of such as sincerely believe in Him are sanctified 1. Those therefore that affirm that the Son is of things which are not or of any other substance then of God the Father Or that there was time or age when He was not are accursed 2. So if any man affirm that the Father and the Son are two Gods 3. Or that Christ was God before all ages and therewith doth not confesse that the Son of God with the Father made all things 4. Or that the Son of God or any part of Him is begotten of Mary 5. Or that the Son is born of Mary according to fore-knowledge and not before all ages begotten of the Father and was with God and that by Him all things were made 6. Or that the substance of God may be dilated or contracted 7. Or that the essence of God dilated makes the Son or shall call the Son as it were the dildting of His Essence 8. Or shall call the Son the Word of God in the mind of the Father seated or the Word brought forth 9. Or that God Man is begotten of the Virgin Mary understanding thereby that God is begotten 10. Or that shall expound these words besides Me there is no God to exclude thereby the onely begotten who is God from everlasting 11. Or shall expound those words the Word was made Flesh to be transmutation into Flesh 12. Or by crucifying the onely begotten Son of God shall understand that the Son of God did undergo passion destruction change diminution or annihilation 13. Or that shall expound these words Let us make man c. as spoken from God the Father to himself and not to God the Son 14. Or that shall affirm that Jacob wrastled with God as God or with God the Father and not with the Son as Man 15. Or shall expound those words the Lord gained from the Lord not of the Father and the Son but the Father rained from Himself 16. Or that shall expound those forms of speech God the Father or God the Son or God of God to determine two Gods thereby 17. Or when he saith Lord of Lords shall thereby understand two Gods For we do not place the Son in the same degree with the Father but we make Him subject to the Father 18. Or shall affirm the Father Son and Holy Spirit to be one Person 19. Or that calling the Holy Ghost the Comforter shall intend thereby God begotten 20. Or that shall call any the Comforter besides whom the Son of God hath so called 21. Or that shall affirm the Holy Ghost to be part of the Father and the Son 22. Or that the Son as one of the Creatures is made by the will of the Father 23. Or that the Son is begotten without the will of the Father 24. Or that Jesus Christ the Son of God is not from Eternity but to be the Son and Christ onely when he was born of Mary and began then to be God as Samosetanus said This Confession thus framed as on the one side it doth not assert that the Son is consubstantial with the Father so on the other side it saith not in so many words that he is like to the Father So being as it were silent in the point of similitude they hoped both the Orthodox and the Arian would subscribe thereto and agree in the condemning of Photinus if he should prove obstinate Besides this Confession thus framed Sect. 2. there were two other Confessions offered which were suffered to passe abroad but which of all these was offered to Photinus to subscribe appeareth not by the History but it appeareth that Photinus resused to subscribe and unde took to desend his opinions by dispute yet not satisfying the Council they declared him excommunicated and banished him and accordingly he retired himself all his dayes Neverthelesse he published a discourse against all Heresies For even Hereticks will condemne Heresies Of these two other Confessions one is wholy concealed by the Historians Sect. 3. onely they say that therein that the words Substance and Consubstantial were not onely omitted but expresly forbidden to be used either in teaching or disputation For the way to bring in Heresie is to do it by degrees they first conceal the words that do difference truth from crrour and then afterwards foist in words that may lead in their errours But this is not all for in the same Confession thus concealed they affirm That the Father is greater then the Son in Honour Dignity and Deity and in the Name Father And that the Father is without beginning and that the Generation of the Son is known onely to the Father But as touching the third Confession although it be not concealed yet it seems it was reserved to be owned by another Council as not so fitting for the present purpose where such divers Confessions were propounded and the members each of
return fretting and grudging that they are not satisfied as they came feeding themselves with hope of their desired prey and then they trouble themselves at the manner of his escape some suspecting treachery in their own councils others that Athanasius is a conjurer and had revelations from the Devil The people on the other side as much wondered as they some conclude that he had Revelations from God who doubtlesse was the principal Worker in his escape Others conclude that Athanasius was not led by jealousie of the Governour so much as of the people whose inclinations he saw were mutinous and if any death or bloud-shed should ensue thereupon it might be wholly imputed to him and that therefore he resolving not to be party in any such motions with-drew himself But the greatest wonder on all hands is what should become of him of whom they can find neither scent nor foot-steps neither in the Wildernesse nor City neither amongst enemies nor friends And no marvel if it be true that all this while he was hidden in his fathers Monument for the space of four moneths as one free amongst the dead for who would seek for the living amongst the dead nor is it altogether impossible if the largenesse of the Egyptian Monuments be considered and that though for the most part it might be the place of his ordinary retirement yet he might find opportune times to look abroad for the fresh aire But whiles thus Athanasius lies hid his people mindful of their promised endeavour to pacifie the Emperours displeasure they send to Constantinople where now Valens the Emperour was earnest in preparation for his expedition against the Goths but the Messengers prevailed neverthelesse to have their suit made known to the Emperour who was not now so angry as formerly because Eudoxius the fomentor of all this bitter progresse of persecution was lately dead Soz. lib. 6. cap. 13. and was gone to give up his account to God of his eleven years bloudy designe against the Alexandrian Churches CAP. XXV Valentinian his Constancy to the Nicene Faith Ambrose is made Bishop of Millain The Sects of the Anthropomorphites and Messalians AS Valens the Emperour was thus destroying the Churches in the Eastern Empire Sect. 1. so Valextinian advanced the Church of God in the West And by some it was thought that they both erred in their several Governments the more because they yielded too much power to the Clergy on both parts by means whereof the one was more cruel unto the Orthodox and the other not so regardful of their defence as esteeming himself a lay person and the lesse concerned to intermeddle in Church-matters And yet he would have done better then he did but that he was unequally yoked with an Arian wife who was no lesse mad against the Orthodox then her Sister Valens was and that appeared in her upholding of Auxentius in the See at Millain which was become the Imperial City of the West Soz. 〈◊〉 cap. 2 and Rome left to the Bishop there to order it without controul For Auxentius having been Bishop of Millain a long time was an earnest Arian and did nor onely maintain That the Son of God is unlike unto the Father but that the Holy Ghost is also unlike the Father and for this cause Athanasius had stirred up the Bishop of Rome to excommunicate him yet do what they could they could never prevail with Valentinian to banish him for though his will was good Ruffinâ—… Hist lâ—â— cap. 1. yet his wife was better at the will then he though her will was worse But he still continued at Millain to his dying day And after his death troubles ensued about his Successor and the matter coming before Valentinian Theodâ— 4. cap. Soc. lib. cap. 2â— he called the Bishops together and told them that they could not be ignorant what manner of man was fitting for such a place as the See of Millain where his Imperial residence was and that he must be such a man whose doctrine and life must match one another And by that means the people might the better learn to serve God and live in obedience under him and in peace with each other and therefore advised them to proceed to the election of such an one having respect also that he must be such an one whom the Emperour might rest upon for advice exhortation and reproof The Bishops answered that they would be glad to understand the Emperours mind more particularly by nominating the man But the Emperour refused alledging it was their work to determine the nomination The Bishops go to their work but the heat grew so great especially from the people of the Arian part that a tumult ensues as is usual in all popular elections especially where Church matters are concerned and Ambrose the Governour of Millain under the Emperour hearing thereof comes suddenly into the Church and commands them to be careful to observe good order and carry themselves gravely and soberly as becomes their places and the work they were about They having heard him speak think him a man very meet for the place and forth-with proceeded to the work and elected him to be their Bishop of Millain But he opposed it telling them that he was not so much as one of their members much lesse capable of such a place as to be a Bishop yet all is in vain for they proceeded immediately to baptise him which he submitted unto for he had been hitherto but one of the Catecumeni although he had been an ancient disciple and had been familiar with Origen and served him as his Amanuensis and had suffered persecution for Christs cause under Maximinus and upon that account had not onely been a Professor but a Confessor about five and fifty years Euseb Hist lib. 6. cap. 27. and yet not baptised till now For it seems that the times were so troublesome as that men were not over forward to take up that Honourable Badge of Baptisme although they were capable for even children of Believers were baptized by a known custome in the Church before Origens time if we may believe him and by tradition from the Apostolick Age. Ambrose baptised thus willingly is neverthelesse absolutely resolved against their Episcopal Election so as the matter comes before the Emperour who wondring at the conclusion but more at the unanimity thereof saith its Gods work and confirmes the Election without further debate Theod. lib. 4. c. 7. and so Ambrose is ordained and the Emperour himself giving publick thanks to God This way that Valentinian took in seeming to be rather ruled in Church matters then to rule was wisely contrived by him considering that if he had led on the work his wife would have led him for she was a passionate Arian and seeing she cannot now stop this election of Ambrose she neverthelesse resolves perfect enmity against him and accordingly maintained it all her dayes and by her wivish and womanish solicitations so hampered Valentinian
the Son It shall not trouble me whether this Disputation was in the presence of the publick Council or apart Sect. 5. for the more rigid sort of Arians from time to time did assert the same things with Arius and therefore there is the lesse question in the reality of Arius his tenets and that the particulars were debated at the Council may appear by the result so particularly opposite to the Arian opinions For the Council agreed upon a collection of their conclusion into one Summary in the nature of the confession of their faith Athan. Epist ad Solet Vit. Soc. lib. 1. cap. 5. Bosil Epist 60. 78. which also was done by Hossius Bishop of Corduba and published as a Directory to the Doctrine of the Churches for future times The same according to Socrates and with some transposition of words not varying sense is published by Basil in this manner We believe in one God the Father Almighty Creator of all things visible and invisible and in one Lord Jesus Christ Begotten of the Father Onely begotten that is to say of the Substance of the Father God of God Light of Light very God of very God Begotten not made Consubstantial to the Father by whom all things are made both in the Heaven and in the Earth Who for us men and our Salvation descended is incarnate is made man suffered arose again the third day Ascended into Heaven shall come to judge the Living and the Dead And in the Holy Ghost Those therefore that shall affirm that time was when He was not before He was begotten Or that He did come from Nothing Or that He is begotten of other Essence then of the Fathers Substance Or that the Son of God is created Or that He may be altered or changed Unto all such the Church denounceth the Anathema Then the Council proceeded against such as had been criminous Sect. 6. Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 23. Soc. lib. 1. cap. 6. and deprived Meletus from all Episcopal Authority and power yet left to him the Name and Title of Bishop and permitted him to continue still in his City at Lyco For though the Meletians made a matter of fact and male administration in government a Cause sufficient to ground their separation upon yet the Nicene Council determined it to be pertinax inscitia Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 20. a willful ignorance and therefore did not continue or confirm that separation but taking away the Authority of Meletus and his Presbyters until confirmed again by the Alexandrian Churches the people are enjoyned to communicare with the Alexandrians which they did accordingly But as touching Arius they did actually excommunicate and banish him They further proceeded to determine matters concerning the government of the Church Sect. 7. by confirming the government by Provincial Councils under the Pastors of the Mother Churches Bishops Presbyters and Deacons each of them to enjoy the same powers which Customary permission of the Churches had formerly allowed to them Nothing can I find that de nova was granted to them but rather such power which by corruption was encroached was thereby regulated and restrained And thus for the future there seems hereby a door shut and barred against Schisme and heresie so long as Provincial Councils and their members are true to themselves or to the Church of God and the Christian Magistrate will be Christian indeed to execute the Law as he ought to do For before the Council at Nice Sect. 8. the prudential agreement of Churches and Councils in Associations or apart by themselves bound no further then ingenuity or conscience did lead any party or person and under no worse penalty then Separation or if you will Excommunication from this or that Church which some might account a priviledg in those days as well as now and what was the fruit of all but Sects Schismes Heresies and the Spirits of Professors never satisfied but still lingring as now a-days after new opinions and liberty from being under Church Government which they call Liberty of conscience This sore the Nicene Council well eyed and seeing no other way in humane opinion to prevent the worst found it necessary to bind the Government of the Church under the Law of the Christian Magistrate and therefore having finished their conclusions tendred them to be confirmed by the Seal of the Imperial power by which they had assembled themselves and under other penalties besides that of separation And hereby the Christian Magistrates power becomes incorporate into the government of the Church in all cases where the Law of God determines not otherwise to enforce the determinations of the Church as by the Law the Magistrate is enabled to do And therefore if any Congregation will independ or be at liberty from the power of the Christian Magistrate in such cases they do not only outlaw themselves but upon their own principle allow every one of their fellow members to consist with them in no other manner then they did in the Churches before Constantines Conversion under a liberty to separate to any schism or error as they shall please and as it were thrust out the Christian Magistrate from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord and leave him to serve other Gods as Constantine did before his Conversion which thing no Church or Congregation of Christians though never so schismatical ever did althouth they held their principles of separation in as high account as any in these dayes can pretend unto until of later times the Anabaptists in Germany brought that principle into the Church But forbearing further digression herein I shall proceed with the subject in hand The determinations of the Nicene Council being thus concluded Sect. 9. the Bishops and members are called to subscribe the same and amongst the rest seventeen of them are observed to decline their subscription being somewhat insnared in the Arian Principles and the conclusions of the Council attested are presented to the Emperors consideration who highly applauding the same declared that all such as had refused to subscribe thereto Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 5. should be forthwith banished whereupon eleven of those seventeen who were dissenters do now submit and do subscribe the same though some were more willing then others And thus are the Church decrees now backed not only with the penalty of Ecclesiastical but also with civil excommunication Theod. lib. 1. c. 12. which was accompanied also with loss of habitation and personal estate But nothing will prevail with Arius nor with five others amongst which were Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia Theogenis Bishop of Nice Euzoius a Deacon of Alexandria who had been formerly excommunicated by the Synod at Alexandria and others are made Bishops in their steads Nevertheless it was not long ere some expedient was found for Arius his stay or speedy return from banishment for he is found acquitted from banishment before Eusebius and Theogenis Soz. lib. 2. cap. 15. but how or upon what
Primo Imperii tempore Optimis Principibus altimo mediis comparandus Eutrop. Vit. Const A man in his first time equal to the best of Princes but in his later times inferiour yet in the general stream of his government he shewed himself wise couragious and after his manner zealous in advancement of Gods Worship though in his later times more for the Ceremony and scarce short of Superstition the ordinary fault of Christian Princes He executed the greatest part of his will before he made it which was the disposing of his Empire amongst his three Sons and setling them therein whiles he was yet alive He made his second Son Constantius his Execuor yet bequeathed Athanasius to his eldest Son Constantine to restore him to his place at Alexandria so as it seemeth the equity of Athanasius his case rested with Constantine though he passed Sentence against him The certain time of the beginning of his Life and Raign and the continuance thereof are all uncertain yet it is certain that he died but the most approved account by Historians is that his Raign began about the year of our Lord three hundred and six and continued with Maximinus Maxentius and Licinus or one of them till about the year three hundred twenty and four and thenceforth until about three hundred thirty and seven he raigned alone and died in the sixty sixth year of his age After his death his three Sons succeed him in their several parts of the Empire Sect. 3. Constantine the eldest had his lot in the western parts of the Empire bounded on the East by the unconquered parts of Germany containing the British Isles Spain France Germany Constans the youngest had Illiricum Greece and Affrick and it seemeth Italy Constantius had Thracia Constantinople and what was conquered in Asia Constantine the eldest was like his Father in affecting greatnesse but not in successe For he thought he might be bold with his youngest brother Constans and endeavoured to gain Italy from him but therein he lost his life in the field and therewith that part of the Empire dissolved to Constans by way of Conquest after that his eldest brother had raigned about three years Constans also was a brave and a just man till he grew disabled for action by the Gowt but then betaking himself to ease he contracted diseases and grew into dislike of the people and was murthered by Magnentius who had been his Subject after he had raigned about seventeen years Both these Emperors continued friends to the Orthodox Christians during their times but they being dead the whole Empire remained to Constantius yet could he not gain quiet possession without the Sword For Magnentius had gotten possession of Constans his part of the Empire but he lost his life or rather cast it away in the quarrel with Constantius which cost the Empire so much blood as for want of Souldiers the Northern people had an easie entrance opened to them into the Empire to the utter ruin thereof in the conclusion The beginnings of the Raigns of these three Emperors are so differently observed by Writers as it makes the order of story concerning all affairs perplexed and amongst the rest of those affaires concerning Athanasius For sometimes they reflect upon the death of Constantine the Father as the beginning of the Raigns of his Sons and sometimes upon their several entries upon their government in the life-time of their Father and they observe that Constantine the Son began his Government in the tenth year of his Fathers Raign Euseb Vit. Const lib. 4. cap. 40. soc lib. 1. cap. 25. and Constantius in the twentieth year and Constans in the thirtieth year which cannot well consist with the joynt government of Maxentius Maximinus and Licinus together with Constantine the Father of these three whose beginning being also uncertain I shall skip over this block and account the beginning of the Raigns of these three Emperours from the death of their Father and have principal relation in the prosecution thereof to the Raigne of Constantius because he was the chief in action in matters concerning Athanasius and was the survivor of them all The beginning of his Raigne therefore will befal about the three hundred and seven and thirtieth year after the Incarnation of Christ Sect. 5. at which time Constantine the Great is supposed to have died by whose death the propagation of the Nicene Faith is left in much hazard in respect of humane help by reason principally of the difference in judgment in matters of Religion wherein Constantius differed from the other Emperors his brothers For many-headed Government never were nor will be able to induce or propagate true Religion because truth is but one and many heads are supposed to have many minds and many wills and many temptations And though Constantius as well as his brothers was trained up in Orthodox Principles Theod. lib. 2. cap. 3. yet the Arian Presbyter formerly mentioned was too hard for him for he delivering to Constantius his Father Constantines Will therewith delivered himself and Constantius took both and delivered himself to the Presbyter and hereby the Arian poyson insinuates into the Imperial bloud and gains the throne that formerly had been but attendant thereupon A cunning man doubtlesse this Presbyter was who being thus in favour with two Emperors successively did neverthelesse thus cloud himself kept at Court do so much and yet no more then a namelesse Presbyter all this while And as cunning he was in his working gaining his interest by degrees Soc. lib. 2. cap. 2. first with the servants at the Court then with the Empresse and then with the Emperor spreading this Arian infection as Leaven through the Imperial Family and from thence into the City of Constantinople And thus as God had formerly made use of the Imperial power to induce and propagate Religion so now the Devil makes use of the like power to propagate error yet with this difference Gods will is done in both Constantius now come into power in the Eastern Empire the Arian Bishops Eusebius Theognis Sect. 6. Maris Vrsatius and Valens are at his elbow and are still the great Courtiers and imploy their utmost interest for the advancement of the Arian Cause for those Church-men whose conscience will allow them to forsake their pastoral charge to live at the Court that conscience will also allow them to turn Apostates to any errour that shall come into fashion there And by this means principally the Arian Heresie becomes now past a babe and stands in need no longer of their Meletian tutors But the Meletian Churches stand rather in need of their pupils assistance and if themselves will thrive they must not onely forgo their name but their principles also and turn Arians or incur the danger of their displeasure But the condition of Athanasius becometh very difficult Soz lib. 2. cap. 21. for though it was Constantines will that he should be restored to his Church
souls Athan. Epist ad Lucit yet there was means used to convey to him Letters Messages and necessaries But the pursuers are at length wearied and return without their sport yet watches are set in all places with such care and diligence that Athanasius dare not look abroad and this he saith so sadded his spirit that Nec lachrimis cessaverit ab oculis nec gemitus ab animo c. he spent his time in weeping and mourning because he durst not go abroad to visit his brethren and parents then alive nor adventure to look into the fresh aire yet had he his times of studying and writing Letters and Discourses of vindicating himself and the truth such as are his Epist ad Solitariam Vitam agentes his Apologies De fuga sua and another ad Constantium and his second Apology His Epistle ad Serapion concerning the Deity of the Holy Ghost his Consolatory Letter to the Holy Virgins and other discourses whereof all ages ever since have reaped the benefit God hereby making his Wildernesse our Paradice and the losse of Alexandria our gain yet was that good man so far sensible of his condition as to endeavour by all means to regain his liberty and sometimes it s in his purpose to come in and cast himself at Constantius his feet for mercy and one time was so fully resolved as to do it forthwith but even at the same time news comes of a new fire kindled in Constantius his brest that burst out with great fury against the Western Bishops Athan. Apol. ad Constan an unmeet time this is for Athanasius to adventure and therefore he now rather keeps himself more concealed then ever yet do not his friends at Alexandria give over they still by all the friends they can make to gain accesse into Constantius his favour in behalf of Athanasius but still receive the repulse his rage swells the more the more he is sought to He commands the Alexandrians to submit and be silent he tells them that Athanasius is an impostor a conjurer a wicked wretch a cheator worthy to die a thousand deaths and many such disgraceful reproaches like an Emperour he heaped upon him And thus brave Athanasius at once suffered in his good name his body and mind yet with a pure conscience he maintains the field CAP. XVII The Council at Millain intended against Athanasius yet in vain BUt the Arians think Athanasius quite routed and gone Sect. 1. and all their care is to entrench and fortifie themselves against his return for so long as he is alive they fear he will retreat and face about again And therefore supposing that Constantius is able to sway a General Council they prevail with him to call a General Council at Millain for they mean to beat the Bishop of Rome and the Western Bishops upon their own dung-hill Theod. lib. 2. c. 15. Soc. lib. 2. cap. 29. and expecting that the Bishop of Rome will be personally there they resolve to assault him in the midst of his strength This Bishop now was Liberius for Julius was lately dead and Liberius a new intrant Soz. lib. 4. cap. 8. is suspected by the Arians to be a dangerous man and must be reclaimed at the first before he takes deeper root and do more hurt The Council being assembled many of them out of the East but about three hundred out of the West the Eastern Bishops propound that a Decree might be made for the confirming of the banishment of Athanasius never to return to Alexandria again But the Western Bishops no whit abashed at the boldnesse of the Eastern Bishops Paulinus Bishop of Triers Eusebius Bishop of Vercellis and Dionisius Bishop of Alba told the Eastern Bishops plainly that the proceedings of the Eastern Bishops against Athanasius had been altogether unjust That none of the crimes charged against Athanasius were ever proved nor he ever allowed liberty to answer for himself and that its notoriously known to all the World that what had been done against Athanasius whether at the Council at Tyrus or at the Council at Antioch was not done to finde out and favour the truth but to oppresse it And which is yet worse it is evident that this their proposal beginning against Athanasius will end in the subversion of the determinations of the Council at Nice which the Western Bishops resolved they would never yield unto and thereupon they dismiss the Council The Emperour Constantius finding himself neither feared nor loved but contrarily that they are not afraid to declare in the publique Council that his government was wicked and unjust he forth-with without hearing of them banishes divers of them Athan. Epist ad Solit. Vit Hossius the old Bishop of Corduba being one of the Council a man of great learning wisdome and sharpnesse of wit a grave man now about a hundred years old and highly reverenced of all wrote a Letter to the Emperour Beseeching him to hearken to the advice of his servant now grown old in experience of the contrivances of the enemies of the Church even the Arians whom he had well known and observed in their course even from their first budding forth and that he ever found them such as that he cannot but in faithfulnesse unto him beseech him to beware of their wayes and Councils which cannot endure the light and therefore would not appear at the Sardican Council which was called by the Emperours own Authority whereto also they were summoned and where their criminations against Athanasius were found and declared malicious deceitful forgeries And therefore it will not be for the Emperours Honour nor peace of conscience to decline the advice of his Council of so many Bishops fearing God and approving themselves faithful to his Imperial Majesty Nor to engage his power and authority in the defence of those dangerous and abominable errours of Arius Much lesse will it be safe for him to adventure so deeply in the pursuit of Athanasius without hearing of his cause and first of all if he take into consideration his former Letters Messages Promises Oath and publick Edicts And as it becomes Hossius in faithfulness to mind the Emperour hereof so also will it not be unbecoming the Emperour to take it in good part and therefore he prayed the Emperour to remember that he is a mortal man and to fear the Day of Judgement and to be sure that he keep a good conscience against that Dreadful Day But Constantius used to be humoured by the flatteries of the Arian Bishops Sect. 2. and lifted up by the glorious titles that they give him and especially by that new invented Title of Eternal Emperour which he brooked very well and yet could be contented to deny the Son of God to be Eternal could not endure this bitter pill of plain dealing from Hossius but his anger rises and forth-with he banishes Hossius also And then he sends Eusebius an Eunuch that waited on him to Liberius Bishop of
party But the Council at Constantinople seeing the Emperours endeavour unsuccesseful they take up another course and hope to finde out a Confession of Faith that may seem to hold forth the truth and yet not dis-affirm either the Emperours Confession at Syrmium nor that of the Acasians nor of the Semi-Arians but consist with all and this they more easily and readily compose because they make the Emperours Confession their ground-work and over-lay the same with a varnish of other words not apparantly altering the substance but explaining it in manner following Soc. lib. 2. cap. 32. We believe in one God the Father Almighty from whom are all things And in the onely begotten Son of God begotten of God before all ages and before all beginning by whom all things are made visible and invisible the alone onely begotten of the Father alone begotten God of God like to the Father which begat him according to the Scriptures whose generation no man knows but the Father onely which begat him We know this onely begotten Son of God to be sent from the Father to have deseended from Heaven as it is written and conversed with Disciples and having fulfilled all order according to his Fathers will to be crucified dead and buried to have descended into Hell at whom the Devils trembled to have risen from the dead the third day conversed with his Disciples and after forty dayes taken up into Henven to sit on the right hand of the Father That he shall come at the last day of the Resurrection with the glory of his Father that he may render to every one according to his Works And in the Holy Ghost whom the onely begotten Son of God Christ the Lord and our God promised that he would send to Mankind The Comforter as it is written the Spirit of Truth which he sent when He was taken up into Heaven The word Substance we utterly disallow and take away The word Subsistence of the Father Son and Holy Ghost ought likewise not to be mentioned We affirm that the Son is like to the Father And thus the Arians produce many formes contrary to the Nicene Confession Sect. 2. to the end that if they gain not the day for their principles to settle in the minds of men yet at least their minds may be possessed with many notions and unsetled in the Nicene Doctrine And that these notions may seem more solid they are countenanced by Councils whose pride would never suffer them to stoop to the truth nor to the same expressions of one and the same errour And these Councils are holden many of them at the same place or places of the same name where formerly Orthodox Councils were holden as at Nice Sardica and Arminum that the common people might be confounded the more in their right understandings of the determination of their principles Neverthelesse the Arian wound still bleeds fresh Manasse is against Ephraim and both against Judah The Acasians are angry both with the Semi-Arians and Orthodox but the Semi-Arians are stark mad against the Orthodox Soc. lib. 2. cap. 30. Macedonius the Leader of the Semi-Arians spares none that comes within his Ecclesiastical Power and will not communicate with him and where his Ecclesiastical Power falls short the souldiers help him with fire and sword But the Orthodox will not satisfie them Sect. 3. the Novatians also stand in their way though they communicate not with the Orthodox yet they will not communicate with Macedonius and therefore he heaps on them all the insolencies that the souldiers can devise with that extremity that the Novatians can endure no longer but take armes in their own defence and in a plain battel in the field winne a victory with the effusion of much blood both of the Emperours souldiers and their Arian associates Hereat the Emperour is troubled if his souldiers cannot prevail against a tumultuary party how shall they stand against a formed army of enemies but the Arian party is extremely vexed and both Emperour and Arian fall upon Macedonius and banish him from Constantinople and so that See void once more of Macedonius Eudoxius gets into his room after his wonted manner no man knows how for the Emperour disowned his election Neverthelesse once in Soz. lib. 4. cap. 25. he seeks the peoples approbation and to shew his deep reach into matters of divinity strained his wit into a higher pitch of blasphemy then any formerly had attained he tells the people what they never heard before Namely That God the Father is impious and that God the Son is pious and whiles men are wondring at the strangenesse of the doctrine he opens the riddle and tells them That God the Father did not worship any one but God the Son worshipped the Father Hereat saith the Writer the people laughed which is no lesse strange but They that feed upon Heresie will make no bones of Blasphemy Otherwise both Bishop and people had more cause to weep However the Emperour is so well satisfied in him as he did not onely not depose him but shewed so much respect either to him or others of his perswasion as to condescend that they of Arius his highest forme should hold another Council at Antioch But the Novatians having approved themselves thus good souldiers against the Macedonian party Sect. 4 bethink of strengthening themselves by growing in amity with the Orthodox as they were now baptised in enmity with the Semi-Arians For though they still hold to their principles concerning the observation of Easter and non-communion with such as had relapsed and such as after Baptisme had committed mortal sin as they termed it in all which they were in the negative yet in other points more fundamemal Soc. lib. 2. cap. 30. Soz. lib. 4. cap. 19. they were so grounded that they loved the Orthodox above all others they would joyn in prayer with them they would pray for them and would even die for them and were requited with the like observance from the Orthodox to them again yet could not these come full home to one another in all the Publick Ordinances to communicate together The Acasians or Eudoxians also labour to fortifie their party Sect. 5. and therefore as unanimously as they can they assemble at the Council now called at Antioch yet the Semi-Arians come thither also more in number but inferiour to the other Arians in power who being more potent at the Court and the other discountenanced did rule all at this Council and put in and out as they pleased Eudoxius is confirmed Bishop of Constantinople and Meletus made Bishop of Antioch although in him as well as others they were mistaken Soc. lib. 2. cap. 34. Theod. lib. 2. c. 31. Soz. lib. 4. cap. 27. For Meletus was Bishop of Sebastia one of excellent parts of learning eloquence and prudence and of an excellent plausible carriage which added a lustre to all the rest On this man the Eudoxians look as one
the Churches and so chief enemies to Athanasius during all their time And by the nigh conjunction with the Emperours grown to that height that though Rome might about those times begin to put up head for the Supremacy the Bishops of Constantinople appeared as a check upon them and might have given them the mate but that the Roman Bishops had the advantage of the Orthodox Bishops ioyning with them as assertors together with them of the doctrine of the Sacred Trinity in Unity of the Godhead Although it afterwards appeared that the Roman Bishops abused their principles to the gaining of Authority for themselves over the consciences of the Orthodox Churches in the Conclusion Now as touching Athanasius his return to the Churches at Alexandria Sect. 4. it was so acceptable and their joy so triumphant as it occasioned the Arians to envy thereat and taking offence where no offence was given Theod. lib. 2. cap. 2. Soz. lib. 3. cap. 2. they give offence themselves by raising tumults and then charge the same upon Athanasius as if his coming to Alexandria was the cause of sedition tumults and bloud-shed when as the true cause was their own envy and distempered minds at what they saw was come to passe Now in what relation the City of Alexandria and Egypt then stood whether in subjection to Constantine Constantius or Constans appeareth in no Writer that I can find But the Arians at Alexandria have recourse to Constantinople with their complaints against Athanasius where they meet with Eusebius and Theognis who glad of their acquaintance undertake to countenance the same before the Emperour CAP. XI The Council at Antioch where Athanasiusis banished His escape from his enemies The first Arian Confession of Faith is made at Antioch EUsebius now Bishop of Constantinople Sect. 1. having now gotten both Wind and Sun of Athanasius brings in complaints against Athanasius with full sail and unlades them before the Emperour who easily believes any thing against Athanasius that hath but a criminal sound and is soon resolved to call a Council at Antioch Soc. lib. 2. cap. 5. and try the matter before himself in full Council Now had Athanasius holden quiet possession of his Church at Alexandria since his return by the space of four years that is to say during the life of Constantine the Son of the great Constantine and until the Council at Antioch Ibid. which as Socrates noteth was about five years after the death of Constantine the Great Soz. lib. 3. cap. 5. So as now Athauasius his Patron being dead for he was slain at Aquileia the influence from Constantius upon him was the more malevolent but yet much worse by the conjunction with Eusebius now Bishop of Constantinople who having gained the Imperial City he writes his Letters to Julius Bishop of Rome Theod. lib. 2. c. 4. letting him know of the complaints made against Athanasius and that it was the Emperours mind that the same should be tried before a Council and that the Emperour had summoned a Council to be holden at Antioch for the solemn Consecrating of a Church there which formerly was begun by Constantine the Great and now finished by Constantius A fair pretence of building of Churches but most men understood them aright that it was rather for the pulling down of the Church of Christ by banishment of Athanasius which is generally known they threaten And for this cause divers of the Orthodox Bishops come not at all and others of them that are in their journey are seized upon and imprisoned by the way and by that unjust means many escaped strong temptations which otherwise they had been exposed unto by their presence at the Council Sozom. lib. 3. c. 5. Nevertheless there met at that Council one hundred Bishops saving one and amongst the rest Eusebius now Bishop of Constantinople failed not for Athanasius is his designed morsel without which his appetite cannot be satisfied yet it s probable he missed his expectation for if he were at the beginning of the work before he could swallow what he imagined was his own death took him out of the way and carried him to his last account concerning the Deity of the Son of God Sozom. lib. 3. c. 6. Niceph. Hist lib. 9. cap. 7. and concerning the outrages done to the people of God Nevertheless the Council goes on and Constantius himself sees to the chace and Athanasius his matter comes to consideration although he neither was present nor for ought appears was summoned The Crimes laid to his charge First that without Warrant or Order from any Council Soc. lib. 2. cap. 5. he returned from banishment and possessed himself of the Church of Alexandria Secondly That being come thither he raised Tumults amongst the people wherein some are slain others imprisoned and other otherwise punished And lastly for want of other matters they revived the complaints raised against him at the Council of Tyrus and these are charged against him anew How unjustly these things are thus charged against Athanasius may thus appear The last charge concerning the matters at the Council at Tyrus needed no answer for they were buried in their very birth and their own evidence failing can never be revived The second Article concerning Tumults was by the Apologetical Epistle of the Alexandrian Church declared to be false wherein they tell Constantius that the Catholick Church uses no such weapons in their warfare as death imprisonment bonds or corporal punishments concerning which the civil Magistrate can give further accompt And as to the first charge it was a wilfull mistake For Athanasius was not banished by the Emperour in order to the sentence of the Council at Tyrus which depended upon appeal before him but upon new matters originally arising before him and these being of a political consideration concerning the publick peace the Emperour might as well restore Athanasius without the Council as banish him without the Council But Athanasius cast a block in the way of their whole proceedings he saw their intentions Sect. 2. for who saw them not he therefore delayes his appearing at Antioch if he were summoned and left them to proceed without hearing of both parts This being understood by Constantius he sends to apprehend Athanasius but he being aware thereof withdrew himself out of the way Soz. lib. 3. c. 5 8. and hid himself for the present and afterwards escaped away to Rome Some write that he was sent for by the Bishop of Rome upon the Letters of complaint from Eusebius Theod. lib. 2. c. 4 and both may be true for after that Eusebius had sent his Letters it s said that the Bishop of Rome answered the same by his Letters and intimated that Athanasius could not with safety come for trial where so much prejudice was against him and therefore he tells Eusebius that those matters against Athanasius should be heard at Rome where also a Council was to be holden and