ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ' ΑΥΤΟ'ΘΕΟΣ OR AN Historical Account OF THE HERESIE Denying the GODHEAD OF CHRIST LONDON Printed by Tho. Hodgkin for Robert Clavell at the Sign of the Peacoak in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1696. TO THE READER AFter the Heresie denying the Divinity of Christ had been long silenced by Argument and Discipline it was again brought upon the Stage by Arius whose Character makes not much for its Credit For tho' in holy Orders he was proud and aspiring subtle witted and an excellent Proficient in the Art of Flattery Besides he was one that had such an overweaning Conceit of his own Abilities that he thought all to be his Inferiours in Desert And through this his vain unhappy Temper he became impatient of Contradiction full of Envy and Stomach and bold to broach Heresie And it was observed That Discipline and good Counsel which usually make others better made Arius the worse and the more his Heresie was condemned the more he labour'd to propagate and defend it Sulpitius lib. 2. observes that the Arian Heresie receiv'd no small Advantage from the Quality of the Persons chosen to be its publick Managers Who as he tells us were Senes callidi old stanch Disputants who had been long vers'd in Controversie Whereas the Managers chosen by the Orthodox were Young Men parùm docti parùm cauti fuller of Warmth than of Learning And this had a great Influence upon the Cause all Men concluding of the rest on either side by the Quality of the Managers Besides the Orthodox dealt plainly argued with Openness and Simplicity and in their Forms of Confession were clear and ingenuous Whereas the Hereticks wrought with great Subtilty declining no Artifice that might advantage their Cause and in their Confessions they loved Ambiguity and Equivocation and which did not a little turn to their Advantage they always laboured to beget in the several Emperours their Favourites a good liking of their Doctrine and either to gain them to it or not greatly to disapprove it But according to an Ancient Writer it may justly create our Wonder Phrob contna Ar. that notwithstanding the Authors of this Venom are long since dead and gone the wicked Doctrine shou'd still remain and that after so many Confutations and Censures thereof any shou'd be found to maintain and diffuse it But our Wonder will cease when we consider with judicious Hooker That the Weeds of Heresie being grown up to Ripeness do even in cutting down sometimes scatter those Seeds which for a while lie unseen and buried in the Earth but afterwards freshly spring up again no less pernicious than at the first And the same learned Author observes that the Heresies concerning the Holy Trinity have of later Years grown up no where so fast as where the Athanasian Creed and the Gloria Patri have not been made use of And no Wonder that Heresies should thrive in those Places where the best Preservatives against them have been neglected For as to the Creed of Athanasius what is it else but a Divine Explication of the chief Articles of the Christian Faith Which Creed was so highly valued by the Church that she made it part of her Liturgy And as for the Gloria or the Hymns and Sentences of Glory they were a Part of the Liturgy long before the Athanasian Belief And they were ever look'd upon as an heavenly Acclamation of joyful Applause to his Praise in whom we believe And from the beginning the Church of Christ by a secret universal Impulse of God's Spirit always ty'd it self to end neither Sermon nor almost any special Matter wherein the Things of God were concerned without some peculiar Words of Honour and Glory to the Trinity which all true Christians believe and worship And whoever omitted to do this was suspected to want a right Faith of the Trinity and to doubt of the Equality of the Persons For if we really believe The Godhead of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost to be all one the Glory Equal and the Majesty Coeternal why do we not publickly own it by ascribing equal Glory to each of them And where can we do this with more Solemnity than at the Close of those Homilies and Discourses which we make unto the People The Use of the Gloria was never quarrell'd at or omitted by any till Arius who being press'd with this Usage of the Church as an Argument against the Heresie which makes the Son inferiour to the Father labour'd to corrupt this Hymn saying Glory be to the Father by the Son in the Holy Ghost But the Church was careful to maintain the ancient Usage Con. Va. c. 7. adding on Purpose against Arius As it was in the Beginning is now and ever shall be The Gloria Patri it has ever been esteem'd the Christians Creed and Hymn For the Summ of the Christians Faith is the Mystery of the Trinity by which he declares against all Hereticks in the World And it is also the Christians Hymn wherewith he ought to close all his Religious Services Praises Prayers Thanksgivings Confession of Faith and Sins And as to the great Mystery contain'd in the Gloria it was well with Christianity when Men went no farther therein than the Scripture led them and when they rested in such Discoveries of the Trinity as God has been pleas'd to give in his Word By which Word if we wou'd once guide our Sentiments and submit them to it we might hope to see all those Disputes buried in silence which now make so great a Noise Ridente Turcâ non dolente Judaeo And if those very Men who are at present so keenly engag'd in Debates about the Trinity wou'd speak out they wou'd tell us That Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is a Mystery surpassing their Abilities to explain and that it surmounts the Power of humane Nature to give a satisfactory Answer to all the Doubts Cavils and Questions which bold Men may raise about it Let the Mysteries of Christianity continue at that Distance where God has set them to be believ'd and ador'd and then Peace and Truth will meet and embrace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR AN Historical Account OF THE HERESIE Denying the GODHEAD of CHRIST WE may know the better how to determine of the Opinion which denies the Divinity of our Saviour if we pursue it through its whole History and consider where it first took Root when it began to spread and how in time it over-ran so great a Part of the Christian Church Now in doing this we must look beyond the Annals of Christianity For long before that Christianity was known by Name in the World its Author was robb'd of his Godhead by that very People which hop'd for the largest Benefits from him For at least ever since the Schools of the Rabbins gain'd Authority among the Jews that infatuated Nation have been of Opinion that the Messiah whom they still expect is not to be the Son of
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
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