ever shew the Copies out of which they transcrib'd their pretended Corrections But this was not all for the old Hereticks who denied Christ to be God were not content only to corrupt the Scriptures to make them speak in Favour of their Heresie but some of them quite rejected both the Law and the Prophets under a Pretence of the Grace given by the Gospel This is the Account which Eusebius gives of the first Impugners of the Divinity of our Lord And they appear to have been bold crafty assuming Men Men of that Impudence as to affirm the first Christians even the Apostles themselves to have been of their Opinion tho' they can't be ignorant how that both the Inspired Scriptures and the first and best Christian Writers attested the quite contrary And had we no other Proof hereof than the Psalms and Hymns composed and sung by the first Christians in Praise of Christ even these wou'd sufficiently demonstrate that they did own him to be true God or else we must conclude them to have been Idolaters who sang those Hymns to him as God But the Villany and Poison of these Hereticks was most signally display'd in those Corruptions of the Scriptures which they called Corrections For this was to envenome the Spring and to keep both themselves and others from ever coming to the Knowledge of the Truth But their Devices and Councils were all disappointed in their Disagreement about that which they called the Corrections of Scripture For they cou'd never hit of any Harmony in their Copies nor determine which of their correct Copies of Scripture shou'd be the Conon After the Heresie of Artemon had been condemned and refuted by the Writers of those Times we hear no more of it till about the middle of the third Century when it began again to be revived by Paul of Samosata This Paul was Bishop of Antioch and notorious for the abject mean Opinion which he had of our Saviour denying that the Word was ever truly united to the Humanity in the Person of Christ and that he was ever any more but a meer Man For the Suppressing of which Heresie and Censure of its Reviver a Council was held at Antioch where all the Pastors of the Churches did assemble only Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria was not there which he excus'd by reason of his Age and Infirmity of Body But he declar'd by Letter his Sense and Opinion concerning the Matter in Debate At this Council there was assembled the most eminent Bishops of those Times such as Firmilianus Bishop of Caesaria in Cappadocia Gregory and his Brother Athenodorus Bishops of the Churches of Pontus There were also present Helenus Bishop of Tarsus Nichomas Bishop of Iconium Hymenaeus Bishop of Jerusalem Theotecnus Bishop of Caesaria on the Confines of Jerusalem Maximus of Bostra together with many eminent Priests and Deacons All these being assembled in the same Place Disputations and Questions were raised about the Heresie of Paul In all which he was observed to use great Art in concealing his heterodox Opinions whilst others were as diligent in finding them out and exposing them At last the Synod which consisted of a very great Number of Bishops convicted Paul and unanimously condemn'd him of false Doctrine and by Excommunication cast him out of the Catholick Church The deepest Wound the Heretick received in this Council was from Malchio a Presbyter of the Church of Antioch an eloquent Man and one very famous for teaching the Grecian Philosophy He was also much taken Notice of for his surpassing Sincerity in the Christian Faith This Malchio having undertaken to dispute against Paul wonderfully detected and confuted the Frauds and Sophistries of that crafty Heretick by which and his Excellent Virtues Malchion gained such a Credit and Renown that he was thought worthy to be canoniz'd in the Greek Menology at 28th of October The Prelates being assembled in Council at Antioch they agreed upon sending a Letter to Dionysius Bishop of Rome and to Maximus who succeeded Dionysius in the Bishoprick of Alexandria and having done this they sent the same Letter over all the Provinces wherein they set down the pernicious and obstinate Heterodoxy of Paul the Confutations and Disputes that had been held against him together with a Narrative of his Life and Carriage A Copy of which Epistle as it stands entire in Eusebius and translated at Cambridge I have thought not improper here to insert The Synodical Epistle of the Antiochian Fathers concerning Paul of Samosata Bishop of Antioch excommunicated by them for denying the Divinity of Christ To Dionysius and Maximus and to all our Fellow-Ministers over the whole World Bishops Presbyters and Deacons and to the whole Catholick Church under Heaven Helenus Hymenaeus Theophilus Theotecnus Maximus Proclus Nichomas Aâ—lianus Paul Bolanus Protogenes Hierax Eutychius Theodorus Malchion Lucius and all the Bishops of the Neighbouring Cities and Provinces which are with us the Presbyters and Deacons and the Churches of God to the beloved Bretheren in the Lord Health WE have written to and entreated many of the Bishops far remote that they would come to assist in the curing of this pestilent Doctrine For we wrote to Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria and to Firmilianus Bishop of Capadocia Men of blessed Memory The first of them wrote to Antioch but did â—oâ— so much as vouchsafe the Author of the Heresie a Salutation neither did he write to him by Name but to the whole Church A Copy of which Letter we have here inserted The other to wit Firmilianus came twice and condemned Paul 's Novelties as we who were then present do attest and many others do also know as well as we But when Paul promised to recant Firmilianus believing him and hoping that the Business might be compos'd without any Reproach to our Religion he deferr'd his Sentence being deceiv'd by him who denyed his God and Lord and who kept not the Faith which he formerly profess'd But Firmilianus was now coming to Antioch and came as far as Tarsus For he had Experience of his malicious Wickedness who denyed his God But in the Interim of our Assembling and whilst we were sending for him and expecting his Coming he died But since that Paul has return'd to forg'd and spurious Opinions departing from the true Rule it is not our Concern to examine the Actions of one who is out of the Church neither how he who was formerly poor and indigent having no Estate of his Parents nor got any thing by any Trade or Profession is now become incredibly rich by his unlawful and sacrilegious Dealings by Extortion and Vexatiousness used towards the Brethren and by taking Bribes from those that were injur'd promising them to help them to their Right for a Reward But he deceiv'd them getting Money for doing nothing through their Willingness who were entangled in Suits to give any thing to be delivered from those Troubles He supposed Gain to be Godliness Neither declare we how proud and insolent this Hertick
not abominate these Men that say the Son is one of the Creatures But how can he be one of those Things that were made by him Or how can he be term'd The only Begotten who according to the Sentiments of Arius is reckon'd among all the other Creatures How can he be made of Nothing when as the Father himself saith my Heart hath indited a good Matter And before the Morning I have begotten thee in the Morning Or how can he be unlike the Father in Essence when as he is the perfect Image and the Brightness of the Father and when as he himself testifieth he that hath seen me hath seen the Father Now if the Son be the Word and Wisdom of the Father how can there be a Time when he was not For it is the same Absurdity as if they should say There was a Time when God was without both his Word and Wisdom How can he be mutable and subject to Change who says concerning himself I am in the Father and the Father in me and I and the Father are one I spake also by the Prophet behold me for I am the Lord and am not changed And tho' some may say that this was spoken in Reference to the Father yet it will be more accommodate to understand it now to be spoken in Relation to the Word because altho' he became Man yet was he not chang'd but as the Apostle says Jesus Christ the same Yesterday and to Day and for ever But what Motive could they have to say that he was made for us when as Paul saith for him are all things and by him are all things But concerning their Blasphemy in affirming that the Son doth not perfectly know the Father it ought not to be wondred at For having once resolv'd to fight against Christ they despise even the Words of the Lord himself who says as the Father knoweth me even so know I the Father If therefore the Father knoweth the Son only in Part it is manifest that the Son also knoweth the Father only in part But if it be impious to assert this and if the Father knoweth the Son perfectly it is perspicuous that as the Father knoweth his own Word so doth the Word know his own Father whose Word he is By asserting of these things and explaining the sacred Scriptures we have frequently confuted them But they like Chamaelions have again been chang'd pertinaciously contending to appropriate to themselves this that is written When the Impious is arrived at the very Extreams of Wickedness he despiseth There have indeed been many Heresies before these Persons which by their too much Audaciousness have fallen into Imprudence and Folly But these Men who by all their Discourses attempt nothing less than the Subversion of the Divinity of the Word have to the utmost of their Power made those preceding Heresies to be accounted just in regard they approach nearer to Antichrist Wherefore they are expell'd out of the Church and anathematiz'd We are really troubl'd at the Destruction of these Men and the rather because they were heretofore instructed in the Doctrine of the Church but have now renounc'd it Yet we do not look upon this as so strange a Thing For the same befell Hymenaeus and Philetus and before them Judas who tho' he had been our Saviour's Disciple yet was afterwards his Betrayer and an Apostate Neither have we continu'd unadvis'd of these very Persons For our Lord hath foretold Take heed that no Man deceive you For many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ And the time draweth near and they shall deceive many Go ye not therefore after them And Paul having learn'd these things from our Saviour wrote thus That in the latter Days some shall depart from the sound Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils who detest the Truth Since therefore our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ hath himself commanded this and also by his Apostle has given us Intimation concerning these we being Eye-witnesses of their Impiety have deservedly anathematiz'd them as we said before and openly declar'd them estrang'd from the Catholick Church and Faith Moreover we have signified thus much to your Piety Beloved and dearest Fellow-Ministers that if any of them should have the Confidence to come to you you might not entertain them and that you should not be persuaded to believe Eusebius or any one else that shall write to you concerning them For it is our Duty as we are Christians to detest all those that speak or devise any thing against Christ and to look upon them as the Enemies of God and the Corrupters of Souls and not to say to such Men so much as God speed lest we become Partakers of their Iniquities as St. John has commanded us salute the Brethren that are with you they that are with us salute you Alexander having writ after this Manner to all the Bishops in every City the Acceptance of his Letters was very different Those of his Opinion receiv'd them with great Respect and readily subscrib'd to their Contents praising his Zeal and Conduct in so important an Affair But others did the quite contrary scoffing at and ridiculing what he writ and instead of being thereby stir'd up to Peace they began to be enflam'd with a pertinacious Desire of Contention So that as Socrates observes the Mischief grew worse and the Disease was encreas'd by the Misapplication of the Remedy design'd to cure it Eusebius of Nicomedia appear'd most concerned at Alexander's Letter as finding himself therein mention'd by Name and not without a particular Mark of Reproach Constantine at the same time kept his Residence at Nicomedia in the Palace which Dioclesian had built there which gave Eusebius an Opportunity of making an Interest in him And being a smooth subtle Courtier he quickly gain'd his Point and grew very gracious with the Emperour which the Court-Bishops observing they became very obsequious to Eusebius who writ frequently to Alexander advising him to suppress the Controversie and to restore Arius and his Adherents to the Peace of the Church He wrote likewise to Bishops of every particular City that they should not consent to Alexander This occasion'd great Animosities and fill'd all Places with Tumults and Disturbances and not only the Prelates of the Church but the Populace also were miserably divided some inclining to one Party and some to another and the Matter at length came to that Height of Indignity and Insolence that the Christian Religion was made the Ridicule in the publick Theatres Eusebius still press'd Alexander to abrogate the Sentence of Excommunication that had been pronounc'd against Arius and his Party and to re-admit them into the Church alledging that they asserted nothing that was perverse and impious On the other Hand those who look'd upon the Opinion of Arius as absurd and blasphemous approv'd of Alexander's Proceedings maintaining the Condemnation of Arius and of all that favoured his Heresie to be just and equitable
God the Word who was in the the Beginning with the Father who but the Father alone can clearly and perfectly comprehend The Proposition that saith The Son is of the same Substance with the Father being also discuss'd Eusebius Caes declared that it was not to be understood according to the manner of Bodies nor in a Sense agreeable to mortal Creatures For this Constantiality said he cannot be either by the Division of Substance or Abscission or Change of the paternal Essence and Power For all these things are inconsistent with the uncreated Nature of the Father But this Proposition To be of the same Substance with the Father signifies no more than that the Son of God hath no Community with nor Resemblance to created Beings but that in every Respect he is like to the Father only who hath begotten him and that he does exist of no other Substance or Essence but of the Father To this Opinion thus explained Eusebius gave his Assent And he was the more inclinable to do this because that he knew some of the Ancient Learned and Eminent Bishops and Writers had used the Term Homoousios in their Explanations of the Divinity of the Father and of the Son And Eusebius Pamphilus having said thus much concerning the Creed published at Nice the Historian observes that the Bishops did not hastily but with deep Consideration and mature Examining agree unto it and that every Man's Sense was fairly discuss'd before the Emperour and that their Consents to what was concluded was free and unanimous As to the Anathematism published by the Fathers after the Creed the same was lik'd by Eusebius in regard it did prohibit the Use of Terms that occur not in the Scriptures From the use of which Terms came almost all the Confusion and Disturbance that had been raised in the Church And since no Part of the Scripture given by Divine Inspiration has made use of these Arian Terms viz. of Things which exist not And there was a time when he was not It was concluded as a thing agreeable to Reason that these things should neither be mentioned nor taught which Eusebius calls a good and sound Determination and saith that in former Times no such Expressions were made use of so that they were the Invention of the Heretick Arius and first used by him Eusebius having given the People of his Diocess this Account of his Backwardness in consenting to the Creed drawn up and formed by the Nicene Fathers and of his final Agreement with them All things were happily concluded and the Holy Synod decreed to send an Epistle to the Church of Alexandria and to the Inhabitants of Aegypt Libya and Pentapolis and therein to acquaint them with the Matters determined by the Synod and how they had degraded Arius and all those who embraced his Opinion A Copy of which Letter is as now follows The Synodical Epistle To the Holy and great Church of the Alexandrians and to our Beloved Brethren the Inhabitants of Aegypt Libya and Pentapolis the Bishops assembled at Nice who fill up that Great and Holy Synod send Greeting in the Lord. FOrasmuch as by the Grace of God and the Summons of the pious Emperour Constantine who has call'd us together out of divers Cities and Provinces a Great and Holy Synod has been conven'd at Nice it seem'd altogether necessary that a Letter should be written unto you in the Name of the Sacred Synod whereby you might understand what things were there proposed and what taken into Examination as also what were decreed and establish'd First of all therefore the Impiety and Iniquity of Arius and his Complices was enquir'd into in the Presence of the most pious Emperour Constantine and the Council's Determination which was confirm'd by the Suffrages of all was that his impious Opinion and execrable Terms and Names should be anathematiz'd which he blasphemously used affirming that the Son of God had his Being of Nothing and that there was a time when he was not as also saying that the Son of God had a Freedom of Will whereby he was capable of Vertue or Vice and calls him a Creature and a Work All these Tenets the Holy Synod hath anathematiz'd not enduring so much as patiently to hear this impious Opinion or rather Madness and these blasphemous Expressions But what Issue these Proceedings against them are arriv'd at you have either heard already or will hear lest we should insult over a Man who hath receiv'd a condign Recompence for his own Wickedness But his Impiety was grown so prevalent that he drew into the same Pit of Perdition Theonas Bishop of Marmarica and Secundus Bishop of Ptolemais For the same Sentence that had been given against him was pronounc'd against them Thus far the Synodical Letter respects the Synod's Proceeding against Arius The Residue of the Letter concerns Melitus and those that by him had been admitted into Holy Orders It pleased the Synod to use Gentleness toward Melitus and not to treat him according to the strictest Sense and Rigour of the Law For they suffered him to continue in the City but to have no Jurisdiction nor to ordain nor to propose the Names of those that were to be ordained or to appear in any Village or City upon this Pretence but that he should barely enjoy his Appellation and Title But to return to the Synodical Epistle Wherein it evidently appears that the Nicene Fathers did not only anathematize Arius and his Followers but also the very Terms of his Opinion They also condemned his Book entitled Thalia which he writ in Defence of his Heresie The Doctrine contain'd in that Book was loose and dissolute much resembling saith Socrates Scholasticus the Songs and Verses of Sotades the Maronite an obscene Greek Poet. This Thalia written by Arius Athanasius takes Notice of in his Second Oration against the Arians Nor was the Synod only sollicitous about writing Letters concerning the Peace restored to the Church but also the Emperour Constantine signified the same as appears by his Epistles extant in Socrates one of which was written to the People of Alexandria and is as follows Constantinus Augustus to the Catholick Church of Alexander GOd save you Beloved Brethren We have received this great Blessing from the Divine Providence that being releas'd from all Errour we now embrace and profess one and the same Faith The Devil hath no longer Dominion over us For all the Machinations he design'd against us are now totally destroyed The bright Lustre of Truth has defeated and expell'd all Dissentions Schisms Tumults and if I may so term them all fatal Poysons of Discord We all adore one God in Name and we believe that he is And that this might be effected by the Wisdom and Goodness of God we conven'd a great Number of Bishops at the City of Nice and we our self made one of the Number and it is our singular Joy that we are your Fellow-Servant and have undertook the Disquisition of the Truth
Calumny against our selves for this we declare to you that we have unanimously agreed to the Determination about the Faith And also after we had made Researches into the Notion of Homoousios with our utmost Earnestness labour'd for Peace having never been Followers of any Heresie And when we had suggested whatever came into our Minds upon the Account of the Churches Security and had fully satisfied those that ought to be persuaded by us we subscrib'd the Faith but have not subscrib'd the Anathematism Not that we had any thing to object against the Faith but because we did not believe the Person accused to be such a one as he was represented having been fully satisfied that he was no such Person partly by the private Letters that he wrote us and partly by the Discourse that he made in our Presence But if your Holy Council was then satisfied we now make no Resistance but agree to what you have determined And by this Libel we do fully declare and confirm our Consent which we are induc'd to do not because we look upon our Exile to be tedious and burthensome but that we might avoid the Suspicion of Heresie For if you shall now vouchsafe to let us return to your Presence you shall find us to be of the same Opinion with you in all Points and quietly adhere to what you have determin'd And since it hath seem'd to your Piety to treat with great Gentleness even Arius who is accus'd for these things and to recall him from Banishment Seeing that he who seem'd guilty is recall'd and has made his Defence in Reference to those things laid to his Charge upon this Consideration it may justly seem absurd that we should be silent and by that Means yield an Argument against our selves Do you therefore as befits the Piety of such as love Christ Remind the Emperour of us and to offer up our Supplications to him and speedily to determine concerning us as shall be most agreeable to your Prudence By this Libel it appears that Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia and Theognis Bishop of Nice did subscribe the Faith which had been published but wou'd not give their Consent to the deposing of Arius It likewise appears by the same Libel that Arius was recall'd from Banishment before the two Bishops which was done by the Emperour and not the Fathers But tho' he was recall'd yet he was forbid to enter Alexandria And this Socrates concludes from the Way he afterwards invented for his own Return into that Church and City which was saith Socrates his making use of a counterfeit Repentance 'T is certain Eusebius of Nicomedia and his Confederates made it their Business to bring Arius back again to Alexandria But how they prevail'd in their Design and after what Manner the Emperour was wrought upon to admit Arius and Euzoius into his Presence comes now to be succinctly reported The Emperour Constantine had a Sister call'd Constantia who had been married to Licinius once Collegue with him in the Empire This Constantia had a Priest for her Confident who was reckon'd among her Domesticks and a great Favourer of Arianism This Man prompted thereunto by Eusebius and those of his Faction did in his familiar Discourse with Constantia let fall some Words concerning Arius saying That the Synod had done him Wrong and that his Sentiments were not as they represented Constantia was easily induc'd to believe what was told her by the Presbyter But she wanted Confidence to declare it to the Emperour It happen'd that Constantia fell dangerously sick and was daily visited by the Emperour and finding her Distemper to grow mortal and expecting nothing but immediate Death she recommended the Presbyter to his Royal Favour praising his Diligence and Piety assuring the Emperour of his good Affection to his Government Constantia dying her Brother made the same Presbyter one of his greatest Confidents who having by Degrees got a Liberty of speaking to the Emperour took his Opportunity to tell him many things concerning Arius affirming he had no other Sentiments than what were agreeable to the Synod's Determination and that if the Emperour would admit him to his Presence he would give Consent unto what the Synod had decreed He told him also that Arius without all Reason had been falsly accus'd The Emperour seem'd much surpriz'd with what the Presbyter told him and said that if Arius would consent to the Synod's Determination and declare that he was of the same Judgment with the Nicene Fathers he would admit him to his Presence and also send him back to Alexandria with Repute and Honour And the Emperour having said thus he immediately wrote to Arius after this Manner Victor Constantinus Maximus Augustus to Arius IT has sometime since been made known to your Gravity that you should repair to our Court in order to your being admitted to the Enjoyment of our Presence And we much admire that you have not forthwith perform'd this Wherefore immediately take a publick Chariot and come with speed to our Court that having experienc'd our Care and good Will you may return to your own Country God preserve you Beloved Brother Dated before the first of the Calends of December Arius upon receiving this Letter instantly repair'd to Constantinople being accompanied with Euzoius whom Alexander had divested of his Deaconship when he depos'd Arius and his Associates The Emperour admits them both into his Presence and ask'd them whether they would agree to the Nicene Faith and they readily giving their Assent the Emperour commanded them to deliver in a Libel containing their Faith Whereupon they drew up a Libel of Repentance which they presented to the Emperour and was as follows Arius and Euzoius to our most Religious and most Pious Lord Constantine the Emperour ACcording to the Order of your Piety most acceptable to God our Lord the Emperour we declare our Faith and in Writing profess in the Presence of God that we and all our Adherents do believe as follows WE believe in one God the Father Almighty and in the Lord Iesus Christ who was made before all VVorlds God the VVord by whom all things were made that are in Heaven and that are in Earth VVho came down from Heaven and was incarnate and suffered and rose again and ascended into the Heavens who also shall come again to judge the Quick and the Dead VVe also believe in the Holy Ghost and in the Resurrection of the Flesh and in the Life of the VVorld to come and in the Kingdom of Heaven and one Catholick Church of God which is spread from one God of the VVorld to the other This Faith we have received from the Holy Gospels the Lord saying to his Disciples Go ye and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost If we do not believe these things and if we do not admit of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost in such Manner as the Holy Catholick Church and
Because when they knew the Hypocrisie of Arius they admitted him into their Fellowship This Aetius by what we find recorded of him appears to have been a Man of little Learning unskilful in the Scriptures and of a wonderful contentious and disputing Humour He was not at all studious in the Perusal of those ancient Writers who had explain'd the sacred Books of the Christian Religion And tho' he was of the same Opinion with the Arians yet he was so obstruse in his Arguments for it and his Sentiments were so perplex'd that the Arians themselves not being able to understand 'em judg'd him to be an Heretick And as such he was driven from their Communion But to conclude all I have to say at present on this Subject There happen'd at last such an happy Agreement amongst the Bishops as thro' the Blessing of God turn'd to the casting out of that evil Spirit of Arianism which had so long tormented the Church For the Bishops being by the Death of Constantius freed from that Violence and Oppression which that Emperour and his Officers had put upon the Discipline of the Church and being at Liberty to exert that Authority wherewith Christ himself had vested them They restor'd that Peace and Concord to the Church which they could never compass under Constantius and put an End to the Arian Heresie and establish'd the Nicene Faith over the Christian World Which wonderful Felicity was by God's Providence chiefly procur'd by the Zeal Piety and wise Conduct of Athanasius who being restored by the Synod of Sardica returned to Alexandria Where he presently call'd a Council for the Resettlement of the Catholick Church which by the furious and long Oppression of Constantius had been miserably harass'd and disturb'd The Bishops being assembled they luckily hit upon several healing Conclusions As 1. That those Bishops who had joyn'd with the Hereticks either out of Ignorance Surprize or Violence upon their Return to the Catholick Church should be receiv'd without Deprivation of Dignity because their Compliance with the Arians was to be look'd upon as Want of Prudence and not as an Apostacy from the Orthodox Faith For tho' for Peace sake some of the Bishops that were restor'd had consented to have the Word Hoomousios or Consubstantial left out of the Nicene Creed yet they anathematiz'd all the Points of the Arian Heresie and shew'd that they were not tainted therewith But as to those Bishops who had been the Ring-leaders of Heresie they were so depriv'd as never to rise Lay-Communion Which was agreeable to the standing Discipline of the Church 2. The Synod adjusted the Controversie which had lately happen'd between the Greeks and Latins concerning the Words Hypostasis and Persona For Hypostasis being the same with Ousia signifying Substance the Latins thought that the Greeks own'd three distinct Substances when they profess'd the Belief of three Hypostases And the Greeks finding that the Latins rejected the Word Hypostasis and in Lieu thereof used the Word Persona they thought that they asserted nothing real but a meer relative Distinction The word Persona generally denoting not the Man himself but his Office and Relation And the Contest about these Words ran so high that it had like to have produc'd a Breach between the Greek and Latin Churches Which being foreseen by Athanasius he prudently to accommodate the Dispute propounded to the Synod That both Words should indifferently be made use of in both Churches And the Proposition being agreed unto by the Synod all Suspicion on both sides was remov'd the present Controversie silenced and so continues to this Day 3. Athanasius finding that the Confession of Faith which the Eusebian Party had presented in the Council of Sardica was by some mightily cry'd up as if it had been approv'd of by that Council the Alexandrian Fathers took Care to undeceive the People in this important Affair which they did by proving that the Eusebian Confession was utterly rejected by the Council of Sardica and that that Synod refused to alter any thing of the Nicene Faith And the Council having thus adjusted all Matters and finished their Decrees they drew them up in a Circular Letter which they sent to the Bishops of the CHRISTIAN WORLD And as Athansius took much Pains for settling the Church in Africa so Hilarius did the like to restore the Church in France And in order to this he got a Council to be call'd at Paris wherein the Proceedings at Ariminum were condemned and the ancient Liberties restored to the Church which she enjoyed till they were invaded by Constantius In this Council those that had subscribed the Creed of Ariminum confess'd their Fault in leaving out the Word Ousia or Substance frankly owning that they had been over-reacht and they took the Sacrament that they meant no harm in what they did and that they abhorr'd the Consequence that all Men made out of it and so begg'd Pardon for what through Ignorance and Surprize had been done by them This Council was so unanimous in their Opinions that there was but one Dissenter Namely Saturninus Bishop of Arles who for his disagreeing from the Synod was deposed by it And thus by the pious and discreet Care of Athanasius in the East and of Hilary in France the Church was settled in Peace and Truth and a good Correspondence maintain'd betwixt the Oriental and French Bishops which occasioned no small Regret to the Enemies of Christianity especially to Julian the Emperour who used all imaginable Artifice to root it out and to replant Paganism in its Room This Apostate now put off his Visor of pretended Kindness to the Christians And this happy Settlement of the Church so heightend his Malice that as both Sozomen and Socrates observed he out-did all his Ancestors in Fury and Rage against the Christians who likewise out-did all their Ancestors in Patience and Obedience Julian famously known by the Stigma of Apostate being dead Jovian succeeded him in the Empire He found the Affairs of the Christians in a very unsedate Condition partly by reason of the malicious Industry his Predecessour had used totally to suppress them and partly by the Divisions that were among the Christians themselves The last Stratagem invented by Julian to extirpate the Christians was the Law he made That Christians should not be allow'd an Education in Humane Literature lest said he when they have therewith sharpen'd their Tongues they shou'd with greater Readiness answer the Heathen Disputants This Law occasion'd the two Apollinaris's Father and Son to write with good Success in Behalf of the Christians The one was famous for Grammar and the other for Rhetorick But Divivisions among the Christians were most obstructive of their Peace At Jovian's Entrance upon his Reign the Principal Heads of every Party made their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Addresses to the Emperour in hopes they shou'd obtain from him Power and Authority against those whom they reputed their Adversaries Basilius Bishop of Ancyra with six
Pieces of Gold the whole Mass or by Derivation as Children from their Parents or by Eruption as a Branch from the Root But seeing that the Son of God could by none of these Ways be from the Father they cou'd not therefore give Consent to this Draught of the Creed in which the Word Homoousios was used Great and tedious were the Cavils and Debates about this one Word Homoousios which Eusebius and his Party would by no Means admit of and because it was not eras'd out of the Creed they refused to subscribe the Degradation of Arius which Obstinacy of theirs mov'd the Synod to anathematize Arius and all of his Opinion forbidding Arius in particular to enter into Alexandria The Emperour also by his Edict banish'd Arius Eusebius and Theognis But the two latter soon after their Exile repented of their Contumacy and sent their penitentiary Libels to the most eminent Bishops and in these Libels they declared their Assent to the Word Homoousios and their Belief of it as it was used in the Creed and in every thing agreed to the Exposition of the Faith And upon their doing this they were by Imperial Order recalled from Banishment and restored to their own Churches At the same time Eusebius sirnamed Pamphilus Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine having made some Hesitancy in the Synod whether he might safely admit of this Form of Faith having taken time maturely to consider what in this Case he might with a safe Conscience and a satisfied Reason conclude he at length gave his Assent and subscribed And lest any of the People of his Diocess shou'd be offended at his Backwardness in subscribing the Creed and have an Ill Opinion of him for scrupling the Use of the Word Homoousios he sent a Letter unto them wherein he explained that Term and apologiz'd for his Hesitancy Eusebius Pamphilus 's Letter to those of his Diocess IT is very probable Beloved that you may have heard what hath been done concerning the Ecclesiastick Faith in the great Council conven'd at Nice and in Regard that Report doth usually out-run an accurate Narrative of the Matters transacted lest by such a bare Report the Matter might be represented to you otherwise than really it is we thought it requisite to send to you first the Form of Faith which we our selves proposed to the Council and likewise that other published by the Bishops who made some Additions to ours That Form of Faith drawn up by us we read in the Presence of our most pious Emperour and it appeared to all to be sound and Orthodox and is as follows WE believe in one God the Father Almighcy Maker of all things visible and invisible and in one Lord Iesus Christ the Word of God God of God Light of Light Life of Life the only begotten Son the first born of every Creature begotten of God the Father before all Worlds by whom also all things were move who for our Salvation was incarnate and convers'd among Men who suffered and rose again the third Day he ascended unto the Father and shall come again in Glory to judge the Quick and the Dead VVe also believe in the Holy Ghost we believe that each of these Persons is and doth subsist That the Father is truly the Father the Son really the Son and the Holy Ghost really the Holy Ghost As our Lord also when he sent his Disciples out to preach said Go ye and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Concerning which Articles we do averr that we thus maintain and hold them that these are our Sentiments of them that this was our Opinion formerly that this Opinion we will retain till Death that we we will persevere in this Belief and anathematize every impious Heresie VVe call God Almighty and Iesus Christ our Lord to VVitness that these were sincerely and heartily our Sentiments ever since we were capable of knowing our selves And that we do now speak and think what is most true and we are ready to demonstrate to you by most infallible Proofs and to persuade you that both in times past we thus believed and likewise thus preached Eusebius Pamphilus having given the People of his Diocess this Account of the Creed which he proposed to the Council he farther tells 'em That there was no body could oppose it That the Emperour did attest its Truth protesting that he was of the same Opinion and exhorted all to assent to and subscribe it and unanimously to agree in the Profession of it Only he desired that the Word Homoousios might be inserted tho' others with greater Probability affirm that that Word was added by the Bishops and that the Emperour explained it saying that he supposed that the Word Homoousios was not to be taken in such a Sense as is agreeable to the Affections of the Body and therefore that the Son had not his Subsistence from the Father either by Division or Abscission For it is impossible saith he that an immaterial intellectual and incorporeal Nature shou'd be subject to any corporeal Affection But that our Sentiments of such things should be expressed in Divine and Mysterious Terms The Emperour having thus Philosophized upon the Word Homoousios the Bishops drew up another Form of Belief in which they inserted that Word but in all other things it was the same with the first Now that the Form of Faith was agreed upon by the Bishops Eusebius Caesarienses gravely and maturely enquired of them What they meant by these Words Of the Substance of the Father and of the same Substance with the Father Which gave Occasion to many Questions and Answers and to an accurate Examination of the Importance of the Words And at last it was acknowledg'd by the Bishops that these Words To be of the Substance did only signifie thus much That the Son is of the Father but not as a Part of the Father To which Sense of the Words Eusebius Caesariensis thought it both reasonable and safe to give his Assent And having Peace before his Eyes as the Mark at which he aim'd and being cautious lest he should fall from a right Apprehension of the Faith he also admitted of the Words Begotten not made For Made said the Fathers is a common Term attributed to all other Creatures which were made by the Son of whom the Son hath no Resemblance Wherefore he is no Creature like those which were created by him but he is of a far more excellent Substance than any Creature Which Substance is begotten of the Father but in such a Manner of Generation as is ineffable and inexpressible by any created Being For his Generation who shall be able to declare Who can express how he was eternally begotten Who can explain of set forth his Divine Extraction No Man knoweth the Son but the Father That Light that shone before the World that Intellectual and Essential Wisdom that was before all Ages the living
the Scriptures which we believe in all things do teach God is our Judge both now and in the Judgment to come We therefore beseech your Piety O Emperour most acceptable to God That being Ecclesiastical Persons and holding the Faith and Sense of the Church and the Holy Scriptures we may by your peaceful and religious Piety be united to the Church All Questions and superfluous Disputations being wholly taken away and suppress'd that so both we and the Church enjoying a mutual Peace and Union may joyntly offer up our usual Prayers for the peaceable Reign of your imperial Majesty and for your whole Family Arius having deluded the Emperour with this Libel of Repentance obtain'd Leave to return to Alexandria where Athanasius being made Bishop upon the Death of Alexander denied him Reception whereupon Arius attempted to stir up new Commotions by dispersing his Heresie And albeit that both the Emperour and Eusebius wrote to Athanasius That Arius and his Complices might be admitted into the Church yet Athanasius utterly refused to grant them Admission acquainting the Emperour that it was impossible for those who once had rejected the Faith and were anathematiz'd to be entirely readmitted to their Degrees in the Church at their Return For he held that the Ring-leaders of Heresies are not so easily to be reconcil'd to the Church as their deluded Followers and that the Church had been always wont to punish them with greater and longer Severities Besides Athanasius declar'd that he was not at all satisfied concerning the Sincerity of Arius's Repentance and therefore till further Trial was had of him he would not hear of his Restitution This was presently seiz'd upon by Eusebius Nicomediensis as a fit Handle for his Design who immediately goes to the Emperour and informs him of Athanasius's Carriage complaining that he kept up Discord in the Church meerly to gratifie his private Piques and Animosities And that contrary to his Duty and the Laws of the Church he deny'd Arius Absolution when he desir'd it upon his Repentance The Emperour hearing this was highly incens'd and being instigated by Eusebius he wrote a threatning Letter to Athanasius Part of which was thus HAving receiv'd the Knowledge of our Wills do you grant a free Admission and Entrance into the Church to all such as desire it For if we receive Information that you have prohibited any of those that are desirous to be united to the Church or have hindred their Admission we will immediately send one who shall be empower'd by our Order to depose you and banish you your Country To this sharp Letter Athanasius returned such a soft satisfactory Answer as made the Emperour desist from interposing any further in the Business But Eusebius finding himself defeated in this his Stratagem against Athanasius tampers with the Meletian Schismaticks of Aegypt to form a Plot against him But this with all other Machinations were by the Divine Providence wonderfully disappointed as appears by the History of those Times Arius and his Followers were no sooner return'd to Alexandria but there began new Disturbances The People of that City were much troubled at the Return of them and at the Exile of Athanasius But the Emperour perceiving the perverse and turbulent Nature of Arius he orderd him to be sent for again to Constantinople to give an Account of the Troubles he had laboured to rekindle Alexander who sometime before this had succeeded Metrophanes did now preside over the Church at Alexandria This Man gave sufficient Proof of his Piety and Acceptableness unto God in the Conflict he at this Time had with Arius Upon whose Arrival at that City the People divided in Factions which caus'd an universal Commotion amongst them some of them affirming that the Nicene Creed ought to continue inviolate and without any Alteration and others pertinaciously asserted that Arius's Opinion was consonant to Reason Alexander thereupon was reduced to a great Streight and the more because Eusebius Nicomediensis had sorely threatned him saying that he would forthwith cause him to be deposed unless he would admit Arius and his Followers into Communion But Alexander was not so sollicitous about his own Deposition as he was fearful of weakening the Faith which the Heretick and his Associates endeavoured to subvert For looking upon himself as Guardian and Patron of the Determinations made by the Nicene Synod he made it his Business to prevent the Wresting and depraving of ' em Being therefore reduc'd to signal Extremities he entirely bad farewel to all Humane Assistances and humbly and solely depended upon God whom having made his only Refuge he devoted himself continually to Fasting and Prayer And having shut up himself in the Church Irene he went to the Altar and laying himself prostrate on the Ground under the Holy Table where for many Nights and Days together he poured forth his Prayers and Tears begging of God that if the Opinion of Arius was true he might not live to see the Day appointed to discuss it But if that which he profess'd was true that Arius might receive some visible condign Punishment for his Impiety in opposing it And God was pleased to hear his Prayer For the Emperour saith the History being desirous to make trial of Arius sends for him to the Palace and ask'd him whether he would give his Assent to the Nicene Determinations He without any Hesitation said he would and subscrib'd them in the Presence of the Emperour who admiring at it required him to swear to the Truth of what he had subscrib'd which he also did making use of Artifice and Fraud which was thus Arius having writ down his Opinion in Paper hid it under his Arm-pit and swore that he really thought as he had written That Arius did both swear and subscribe to the Determinations of the Nicene Synod appears by the Emperour 's own Letters but for the Deceit he used in swearing Historians are not positive But the Emperour believing that Arius dealt sincerely in what he swore and subscrib'd presently gave Order to Alexander Bishop of Constantinople to admit him to Communion It was then Saturday and on the next Day he expected to be a Member of the Assembly of Believers But Divine Vengeance follow'd him so closely that he did not live till next Day For when he came out of the Imperial Palace attended by the Eusebian Party like Guards through the midst of the City the Eyes of all People being upon him as he came near the Place call'd Constantine's Forum he was seiz'd with a horrible Terror proceeding from his Guilt which was accompanied with a Loosness Hereupon he enquired for a House of Office and understanding there was one behind Constantine's Forum he went thither whither he was no sooner come but he was seiz'd with a fainting Fit and together with his Excrements his Fundament fell down and a great Flux of Blood his Spleen Liver and Small Guts all gush'd out together So that he immediately expir'd The Suddenness and
Manner of Arius's Death occasion'd a great Fear and Anxiety amongst those of the Faction and it mov'd the Emperour to say that God himself had confirm'd the Nicene Faith But contrary to all Expectation the Heresie surviv'd the Heretick it being kept alive by Eusebius Who tho' he had no great Kindness for Arianism yet he could not endure the Word Homoousios nor those who defend-it And it is very observable that after the Nicene Council the Eusebians never appeared bare-fac'd in the Behalf of the Arian Doctrine and yet they were still angry with the Nicene Creed meerly for the sake of the Term Homoousios Eusebius by the Interest he had got in Constantine's Court had great Opportunity of doing much Mischief to the Church And where his Malice and Revenge were concern'd he was never wanting to do his worst It appears by what is related of his Carriage that he was a proud Man of an implacable Spirit and one who could not brook any thing that he apprehended to be an Injury or an Affront which unhappy Temper put him upon studying nothing so much as Revenge And Athanasius appear'd on all Occasions to be the main and peculiar Object of his Malice For he could never forget how that excellent Person had born down him and his whole Party in the Synod of Nice Now for so powerful a Prelate as Eusebius to be top'd by so mean a Person as Athanasius who had attain'd no higher Degree in the Church than that of a Deacon For Eusebius I say by so mean a Person to be brought on his Knees and forc'd to publick Submission was an Indignity so intolerable to the proud Spirit of Eusebius that neither the Blood of Athanasius nor of all his Friends was sufficient to satiate his unquenchable Revenge And all the Accusations forg'd against Athanasius were of such Crimes for which nothing less than capital Punishments could be inflicted For they laid to his Charge no Sin inferiour to Murther Rapes and Treason as is to be seen in Athanasius's second Apology Another Pique Eusebius had against Athanasius was his not restoring Arius at his Request And as Socrates informs us Eusebius set all his Wit at Work to undo Athanasius and to root out the Doctrine of Consubstantiality and that for no other Reason but because he was not the Author of it himself and that it was brought into the Creed by Athanasius and others whom he hated But not only Eusebius but also several others either by his Example or by his Instigation had their Minds much disturbed about the same Point And it appears saith Socrates by several Letters which the Bishops wrote to one another after the Synod of Nice that they were not all well pleas'd with the Term Homoousios which prov'd of ill Consequence For whilst they were busie about this Word making but too curious Enquiries into its Importance and Meaning they rais'd an intestine War amongst themselves And what was done herein was not unlike a Fight in the Dark For neither Side seemed to see perfectly what they fell out about or why they reviled one another They that had an Aversion for the Term Homoousios look'd upon them that embrac'd it as Introducers of Sabellianism and of the Opinion of the Followers of Montanus who denied the three Persons of the Godhead saying that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are one and the same Person On the other hand they that were for the Word Homoousios abominated those that were against it looking upon them as bringers in of Polytheism And tho' both sides asserted that the Son of God had a proper real and peculiar Person and Existence yet how it came to pass I know not they could in no wise agree among themselves nor endure to be quiet But the Bishops wrote one against another with as much Bitterness as if they had been utter Enemies But the Controversie being long continued between the Eusebians and the Assertors of the Nicene Faith the Arian Heresie as if it had taken the Opportunity of this Contrast began again to appear upon the Stage with a little Alteration in the Dress For Photinus Bishop of Sirmium in Illyricum reviv'd the old exploded Opinion of Paul of Samosata which differ'd from Arianism but in this one Circumstance viz. That it affirms the Son of God was created but not before his Nativity Whereas Arius will have him to have been created the first of the Creatures So that they differ only as to the time of his being created both agreeing in the Poyson of the Heresie Namely that Christ was created But yet Arius was not altogether so degrading of the Messias as Photinus The Former allow'd him a great Share in the Creation of the Universe and an Eminency Power and Dignity over all other Creatures But the Latter brought Christ down into the same Rank with every ordinary Man This bold Heresie alarm'd both the Catholicks and Eusebians and both agree to have a Council call'd at Sirmium about it where the Bishops being assembled they condemn'd the Photinian Heresie and compos'd a large Explication of the Faith which they sent to the Bishops of Italy In which Explication they take Notice that Photinus and his Followers deriv'd their Heresie from the Jews who deny the eternal Existence and Godhead of Christ holding that the Messias whom they still expect shall be by Nature a meer Man and be Deified only by Promotion Which Jewish Blasphemy being defended by Photinus he was justly depos'd by a Synod of Bishops which the Emperour conven'd at Sirmium But notwithstanding that he was Synodically deposed yet the Sentence of Deposition was not irrevocable For we find that Photinus might have been restor'd to his Bishoprick if he would have alter'd his Mind and anathematiz'd his Opinion and consented to the Sentiments of the Council But he was so far from doing this that he challeng'd the Bishops to a Dispute and to vindicate what he held Basilius at that time presiding over the Church of Ancyra accepted the Challenge and enter'd Disputation with Photinus and an Account of their Dispute was taken by Notaries appointed for that Purpose The Combat was on both sides manag'd with Warmth Photinus in the End was overcome and condemn'd to Exile in which he spent the Residue of his Life in writing against Heresies But the Mischief ended not in the Deposition and Banishment of Photinus For at Antioch in Syria there arose another Arch-Heretick one Aetius Sirnamed Atheus He was of the same Opinion with Arius but yet separated from the Arians because they had admitted Arius into Communion whom he detested for his Dissimulation in holding one Opinion in his Mind and making Profession of the contrary with his Mouth as all knew he did in his Subscription made before the Emperour to the Form of the Creed drawn up by the Nicene Fathers For tho' Aetius was a zealous Assertor of the Arian Doctrine yet he would not joyn in Communion with those who profess'd it