PartIII。
II。ThedevotionofindividualswasthefirstcircumstancewhichdistinguishedtheChristiansfromthePlatonists:thesecondwastheauthorityofthechurch。Thedisciplesofphilosophyassertedtherightsofintellectualfreedom，andtheirrespectforthesentimentsoftheirteacherswasaliberalandvoluntarytribute，whichtheyofferedtosuperiorreason。ButtheChristiansformedanumerousanddisciplinedsociety；andthejurisdictionoftheirlawsandmagistrateswasstrictlyexercisedoverthemindsofthefaithful。Theloosewanderingsoftheimaginationweregraduallyconfinedbycreedsandconfessions；
^40thefreedomofprivatejudgmentsubmittedtothepublicwisdomofsynods；theauthorityofatheologianwasdeterminedbyhisecclesiasticalrank；andtheepiscopalsuccessorsoftheapostlesinflictedthecensuresofthechurchonthosewhodeviatedfromtheorthodoxbelief。Butinanageofreligiouscontroversy，everyactofoppressionaddsnewforcetotheelasticvigorofthemind；andthezealorobstinacyofaspiritualrebelwassometimesstimulatedbysecretmotivesofambitionoravarice。Ametaphysicalargumentbecamethecauseorpretenceofpoliticalcontests；thesubtletiesofthePlatonicschoolwereusedasthebadgesofpopularfactions，andthedistancewhichseparatedtheirrespectivetenetswereenlargedormagnifiedbytheacrimonyofdispute。AslongasthedarkheresiesofPraxeasandSabelliuslaboredtoconfoundtheFatherwiththeSon，^41theorthodoxpartymightbeexcusediftheyadheredmorestrictlyandmoreearnestlytothedistinction，thantotheequality，ofthedivinepersons。Butassoonastheheatofcontroversyhadsubsided，andtheprogressoftheSabellianswasnolongeranobjectofterrortothechurchesofRome，ofAfrica，orofEgypt，thetideoftheologicalopinionbegantoflowwithagentlebutsteadymotiontowardsthecontraryextreme；andthemostorthodoxdoctorsallowedthemselvestheuseofthetermsanddefinitionswhichhadbeencensuredinthemouthofthesectaries。^42AftertheedictoftolerationhadrestoredpeaceandleisuretotheChristians，theTrinitariancontroversywasrevivedintheancientseatofPlatonism，thelearned，theopulent，thetumultuouscityofAlexandria；andtheflameofreligiousdiscordwasrapidlycommunicatedfromtheschoolstotheclergy，thepeople，theprovince，andtheEast。TheabstrusequestionoftheeternityoftheLogoswasagitatedinecclesiasticconferencesandpopularsermons；andtheheterodoxopinionsofArius^43weresoonmadepublicbyhisownzeal，andbythatofhisadversaries。Hismostimplacableadversarieshaveacknowledgedthelearningandblamelesslifeofthateminentpresbyter，who，inaformerelection，haddeclared，andperhapsgenerouslydeclined，hispretensionstotheepiscopalthrone。^44
HiscompetitorAlexanderassumedtheofficeofhisjudge。Theimportantcausewasarguedbeforehim；andifatfirstheseemedtohesitate，heatlengthpronouncedhisfinalsentence，asanabsoluteruleoffaith。^45Theundauntedpresbyter，whopresumedtoresisttheauthorityofhisangrybishop，wasseparatedfromthecommunityofthechurch。ButtheprideofAriuswassupportedbytheapplauseofanumerousparty。HereckonedamonghisimmediatefollowerstwobishopsofEgypt，sevenpresbyters，twelvedeacons，andwhatmayappearalmostincrediblesevenhundredvirgins。AlargemajorityofthebishopsofAsiaappearedtosupportorfavorhiscause；andtheirmeasureswereconductedbyEusebiusofCaesarea，themostlearnedoftheChristianprelates；andbyEusebiusofNicomedia，whohadacquiredthereputationofastatesmanwithoutforfeitingthatofasaint。SynodsinPalestineandBithyniawereopposedtothesynodsofEgypt。Theattentionoftheprinceandpeoplewasattractedbythistheologicaldispute；andthedecision，attheendofsixyears，^46wasreferredtothesupremeauthorityofthegeneralcouncilofNice。
[Footnote40:Themostancientcreedsweredrawnupwiththegreatestlatitude。SeeBull，JudiciumEccles。Cathol。，whotriestopreventEpiscopiusfromderivinganyadvantagefromthisobservation。]
[Footnote41:TheheresiesofPraxeas，Sabellius，&c。，areaccuratelyexplainedbyMosheimp。425，680—714。Praxeas，whocametoRomeabouttheendofthesecondcentury，deceived，forsometime，thesimplicityofthebishop，andwasconfutedbythepenoftheangryTertullian。]
[Footnote42:Socratesacknowledges，thattheheresyofAriusproceededfromhisstrongdesiretoembraceanopinionthemostdiametricallyoppositetothatofSabellius。]
[Footnote43:ThefigureandmannersofArius，thecharacterandnumbersofhisfirstproselytes，arepaintedinverylivelycolorsbyEpiphanius，tom。i。Haeres。lxix。3，p。729，andwecannotbutregretthatheshouldsoonforgetthehistorian，toassumethetaskofcontroversy。]
[Footnote44:SeePhilostorgiusl。i。c。3，andGodefroy\'sampleCommentary。YetthecredibilityofPhilostorgiusislessened，intheeyesoftheorthodox，byhisArianism；andinthoseofrationalcritics，byhispassion，hisprejudice，andhisignorance。]
[Footnote45:Sozomenl。i。c。15representsAlexanderasindifferent，andevenignorant，inthebeginningofthecontroversy；whileSocratesl。i。c。5ascribestheoriginofthedisputetothevaincuriosityofhistheologicalspeculations。Dr。JortinRemarksonEcclesiasticalHistory，vol。ii。p。178hascensured，withhisusualfreedom，theconductofAlexander。]
[Footnote46:TheflamesofArianismmightburnforsometimeinsecret；butthereisreasontobelievethattheyburstoutwithviolenceasearlyastheyear319。Tillemont，Mem。Eccles。tom。
vi。p。774—780。]
WhenthemysteriesoftheChristianfaithweredangerouslyexposedtopublicdebate，itmightbeobserved，thatthehumanunderstandingwascapableofformingthreedistrict，thoughimperfectsystems，concerningthenatureoftheDivineTrinity；
anditwaspronounced，thatnoneofthesesystems，inapureandabsolutesense，wereexemptfromheresyanderror。^47I。
Accordingtothefirsthypothesis，whichwasmaintainedbyAriusandhisdisciples，theLogoswasadependentandspontaneousproduction，createdfromnothingbythewillofthefather。TheSon，bywhomallthingsweremade，^48hadbeenbegottenbeforeallworlds，andthelongestoftheastronomicalperiodscouldbecomparedonlyasafleetingmomenttotheextentofhisduration；
yetthisdurationwasnotinfinite，^49andtherehadbeenatimewhichprecededtheineffablegenerationoftheLogos。Onthisonly—begottenSon，theAlmightyFatherhadtransfusedhisamplespirit，andimpressedtheeffulgenceofhisglory。Visibleimageofinvisibleperfection，hesaw，atanimmeasurabledistancebeneathhisfeet，thethronesofthebrightestarchangels；yetheshoneonlywithareflectedlight，and，likethesonsoftheRomansemperors，whowereinvestedwiththetitlesofCaesarorAugustus，^50hegovernedtheuniverseinobediencetothewillofhisFatherandMonarch。II。Inthesecondhypothesis，theLogospossessedalltheinherent，incommunicableperfections，whichreligionandphilosophyappropriatetotheSupremeGod。
Threedistinctandinfinitemindsorsubstances，threecoequalandcoeternalbeings，composedtheDivineEssence；^51anditwouldhaveimpliedcontradiction，thatanyofthemshouldnothaveexisted，orthattheyshouldeverceasetoexist。^52TheadvocatesofasystemwhichseemedtoestablishthreeindependentDeities，attemptedtopreservetheunityoftheFirstCause，soconspicuousinthedesignandorderoftheworld，bytheperpetualconcordoftheiradministration，andtheessentialagreementoftheirwill。Afaintresemblanceofthisunityofactionmaybediscoveredinthesocietiesofmen，andevenofanimals。Thecauseswhichdisturbtheirharmony，proceedonlyfromtheimperfectionandinequalityoftheirfaculties；buttheomnipotencewhichisguidedbyinfinitewisdomandgoodness，cannotfailofchoosingthesamemeansfortheaccomplishmentofthesameends。III。Threebeings，who，bytheself—derivednecessityoftheirexistence，possessallthedivineattributesinthemostperfectdegree；whoareeternalinduration，infiniteinspace，andintimatelypresenttoeachother，andtothewholeuniverse；irresistiblyforcethemselvesontheastonishedmind，asoneandthesamebeing，^53who，intheeconomyofgrace，aswellasinthatofnature，maymanifesthimselfunderdifferentforms，andbeconsideredunderdifferentaspects。Bythishypothesis，arealsubstantialtrinityisrefinedintoatrinityofnames，andabstractmodifications，thatsubsistonlyinthemindwhichconceivesthem。TheLogosisnolongeraperson，butanattribute；anditisonlyinafigurativesensethattheepithetofSoncanbeappliedtotheeternalreason，whichwaswithGodfromthebeginning，andbywhich，notbywhom，allthingsweremade。TheincarnationoftheLogosisreducedtoamereinspirationoftheDivineWisdom，whichfilledthesoul，anddirectedalltheactions，ofthemanJesus。Thus，afterrevolvingaroundthetheologicalcircle，wearesurprisedtofindthattheSabellianendswheretheEbionitehadbegun；andthattheincomprehensiblemysterywhichexcitesouradoration，eludesourinquiry。^54
[Footnote47:Quidcredidit?Certe，auttrianominaaudienstresDeosessecredidit，etidololatraeffectusest；autintribusvocabulistrinominemcredensDeum，inSabelliihaeresimincurrit；
autedoctusabArianisunumesseverumDeumPatrem，filiumetspiritumsanctumcrediditcreaturas。Autextrahaecquidcrederepotueritnescio。Hieronymadv。Luciferianos。Jeromreservesforthelasttheorthodoxsystem，whichismorecomplicatedanddifficult。]
[Footnote48:AsthedoctrineofabsolutecreationfromnothingwasgraduallyintroducedamongtheChristians，Beausobre，tom。
ii。p。165—215，thedignityoftheworkmanverynaturallyrosewiththatofthework。]
[Footnote49:ThemetaphysicsofDr。ClarkeScriptureTrinity，p。276—280coulddigestaneternalgenerationfromaninfinitecause。]
[Footnote50:Thisprofaneandabsurdsimileisemployedbyseveraloftheprimitivefathers，particularlybyAthenagoras，inhisApologytotheemperorMarcusandhisson；anditisalleged，withoutcensure，byBullhimself。SeeDefens。Fid。Nicen。sect。
iii。c。5，No。4。]
[Footnote51:SeeCudworth\'sIntellectualSystem，p。559，579。
ThisdangeroushypothesiswascountenancedbythetwoGregories，ofNyssaandNazianzen，byCyrilofAlexandria，JohnofDamascus，&c。SeeCudworth，p。603。LeClerc，BibliothequeUniverselle，tomxviii。p。97—105。]
[Footnote52:AugustinseemstoenvythefreedomofthePhilosophers。Liberisverbisloquunturphilosophi……Nosautemnondicimusduoveltriaprincipia，duosveltresDeos。DeCivitat。Dei，x。23。]
[Footnote53:Boetius，whowasdeeplyversedinthephilosophyofPlatoandAristotle，explainstheunityoftheTrinitybytheindifferenceofthethreepersons。SeethejudiciousremarksofLeClerc，BibliothequeChoisie，tom。xvi。p。225，&c。]
[Footnote54:IftheSabellianswerestartledatthisconclusion，theyweredrivenanotherprecipiceintotheconfession，thattheFatherwasbornofavirgin，thathehadsufferedonthecross；
andthusdeservedtheepithetofPatripassians，withwhichtheywerebrandedbytheiradversaries。SeetheinvectivesofTertullianagainstPraxeas，andthetemperatereflectionsofMosheim，p。423，681；andBeausobre，tom。i。l。iii。c。6，p。
533。]
IfthebishopsofthecouncilofNice^55hadbeenpermittedtofollowtheunbiaseddictatesoftheirconscience，Ariusandhisassociatescouldscarcelyhaveflatteredthemselveswiththehopesofobtainingamajorityofvotes，infavorofanhypothesissodirectlyaversetothetwomostpopularopinionsoftheCatholicworld。TheArianssoonperceivedthedangeroftheirsituation，andprudentlyassumedthosemodestvirtues，which，inthefuryofcivilandreligiousdissensions，areseldompractised，orevenpraised，exceptbytheweakerparty。TheyrecommendedtheexerciseofChristiancharityandmoderation；
urgedtheincomprehensiblenatureofthecontroversy，disclaimedtheuseofanytermsordefinitionswhichcouldnotbefoundintheScriptures；andoffered，byveryliberalconcessions，tosatisfytheiradversarieswithoutrenouncingtheintegrityoftheirownprinciples。Thevictoriousfactionreceivedalltheirproposalswithhaughtysuspicion；andanxiouslysoughtforsomeirreconcilablemarkofdistinction，therejectionofwhichmightinvolvetheAriansintheguiltandconsequencesofheresy。A
letterwaspubliclyread，andignominiouslytorn，inwhichtheirpatron，EusebiusofNicomedia，ingenuouslyconfessed，thattheadmissionoftheHomoousion，orConsubstantial，awordalreadyfamiliartothePlatonists，wasincompatiblewiththeprinciplesoftheirtheologicalsystem。Thefortunateopportunitywaseagerlyembracedbythebishops，whogovernedtheresolutionsofthesynod；and，accordingtothelivelyexpressionofAmbrose，^56theyusedthesword，whichheresyitselfhaddrawnfromthescabbard，tocutofftheheadofthehatedmonster。TheconsubstantialityoftheFatherandtheSonwasestablishedbythecouncilofNice，andhasbeenunanimouslyreceivedasafundamentalarticleoftheChristianfaith，bytheconsentoftheGreek，theLatin，theOriental，andtheProtestantchurches。Butifthesamewordhadnotservedtostigmatizetheheretics，andtounitetheCatholics，itwouldhavebeeninadequatetothepurposeofthemajority，bywhomitwasintroducedintotheorthodoxcreed。Thismajoritywasdividedintotwoparties，distinguishedbyacontrarytendencytothesentimentsoftheTritheistsandoftheSabellians。Butasthoseoppositeextremesseemedtooverthrowthefoundationseitherofnaturalorrevealedreligion，theymutuallyagreedtoqualifytherigoroftheirprinciples；andtodisavowthejust，butinvidious，consequences，whichmightbeurgedbytheirantagonists。Theinterestofthecommoncauseinclinedthemtojointheirnumbers，andtoconcealtheirdifferences；theiranimositywassoftenedbythehealingcounselsoftoleration，andtheirdisputesweresuspendedbytheuseofthemysteriousHomoousion，whicheitherpartywasfreetointerpretaccordingtotheirpeculiartenets。TheSabelliansense，which，aboutfiftyyearsbefore，hadobligedthecouncilofAntioch^57toprohibitthiscelebratedterm，hadendearedittothosetheologianswhoentertainedasecretbutpartialaffectionforanominalTrinity。ButthemorefashionablesaintsoftheAriantimes，theintrepidAthanasius，thelearnedGregoryNazianzen，andtheotherpillarsofthechurch，whosupportedwithabilityandsuccesstheNicenedoctrine，appearedtoconsidertheexpressionofsubstanceasifithadbeensynonymouswiththatofnature；andtheyventuredtoillustratetheirmeaning，byaffirmingthatthreemen，astheybelongtothesamecommonspecies，areconsubstantial，orhomoousiantoeachother。
^58Thispureanddistinctequalitywastempered，ontheonehand，bytheinternalconnection，andspiritualpenetrationwhichindissolublyunitesthedivinepersons；^59and，ontheother，bythepreeminenceoftheFather，whichwasacknowledgedasfarasitiscompatiblewiththeindependenceoftheSon。^60Withintheselimits，thealmostinvisibleandtremulousballoforthodoxywasallowedsecurelytovibrate。Oneitherside，beyondthisconsecratedground，thehereticsandthedaemonslurkedinambushtosurpriseanddevourtheunhappywanderer。
Butasthedegreesoftheologicalhatreddependonthespiritofthewar，ratherthanontheimportanceofthecontroversy，thehereticswhodegraded，weretreatedwithmoreseveritythanthosewhoannihilated，thepersonoftheSon。ThelifeofAthanasiuswasconsumedinirreconcilableoppositiontotheimpiousmadnessoftheArians；^61buthedefendedabovetwentyyearstheSabellianismofMarcellusofAncyra；andwhenatlasthewascompelledtowithdrawhimselffromhiscommunion，hecontinuedtomention，withanambiguoussmile，thevenialerrorsofhisrespectablefriend。^62
[Footnote55:ThetransactionsofthecouncilofNicearerelatedbytheancients，notonlyinapartial，butinaveryimperfectmanner。SuchapictureasFraPaolowouldhavedrawn，canneverberecovered；butsuchrudesketchesashavebeentracedbythepencilofbigotry，andthatofreason，maybeseeninTillemont，Mem。Eccles。tom。v。p。669—759，andinLeClerc，BibliothequeUniverselle，tom。xp。435—454。]
[Footnote56:WeareindebtedtoAmbroseDeFide，l。iii。
knowledgeofthiscuriousanecdote。Hocverbumquodvideruntadversariisesseformidini；utipsisgladio，ipsumnefandaecaputhaereseos。]
[Footnote57:SeeBull，Defens。Fid。Nicen。sect。ii。c。i。p。
25—36。Hethinksithisdutytoreconciletwoorthodoxsynods。]
[Footnote58:AccordingtoAristotle，thestarswerehomoousiantoeachother。\"ThatHomoousiosmeansofonesubstanceinkind，hathbeenshownbyPetavius，Curcellaeus，Cudworth，LeClerc，&c。，andtoproveitwouldbeactumagere。\"ThisisthejustremarkofDr。Jortin，vol。iip。212，whoexaminestheAriancontroversywithlearning，candor，andingenuity。]
[Footnote59:SeePetavius，Dogm。Theolog。tom。ii。l。iv。c。
16，p。453，&c。，Cudworth，p。559，Bull，sect。iv。p。
285—290，edit。Grab。Thecircumincessio，isperhapsthedeepestanddarkesthewholetheologicalabyss。]
[Footnote60:ThethirdsectionofBull\'sDefenceoftheNiceneFaith，whichsomeofhisantagonistshavecallednonsense，andothersheresy，isconsecratedtothesupremacyoftheFather。]
[Footnote61:TheordinaryappellationwithwhichAthanasiusandhisfollowerschosetocomplimenttheArians，wasthatofAriomanites。]
[Footnote62:Epiphanius，tomi。Haeres。lxxii。4，p。837。SeetheadventuresofMarcellus，inTillemont，Mem。Eccles。tom。v。
i。p。880—899。Hiswork，inonebook，oftheunityofGod，wasansweredinthethreebooks，whicharestillextant，ofEusebius。
Afteralongandcarefulexamination，Petaviustom。ii。l。i。c。
14，p。78hasreluctantlypronouncedthecondemnationofMarcellus。]
Theauthorityofageneralcouncil，towhichtheAriansthemselveshadbeencompelledtosubmit，inscribedonthebannersoftheorthodoxpartythemysteriouscharactersofthewordHomoousion，whichessentiallycontributed，notwithstandingsomeobscuredisputes，somenocturnalcombats，tomaintainandperpetuatetheuniformityoffaith，oratleastoflanguage。Theconsubstantialists，whobytheirsuccesshavedeservedandobtainedthetitleofCatholics，gloriedinthesimplicityandsteadinessoftheirowncreed，andinsultedtherepeatedvariationsoftheiradversaries，whoweredestituteofanycertainruleoffaith。ThesincerityorthecunningoftheArianchiefs，thefearofthelawsorofthepeople，theirreverenceforChrist，theirhatredofAthanasius，allthecauses，humananddivine，thatinfluenceanddisturbthecounselsofatheologicalfaction，introducedamongthesectariesaspiritofdiscordandinconstancy，which，inthecourseofafewyears，erectedeighteendifferentmodelsofreligion，^63andavengedtheviolateddignityofthechurch。ThezealousHilary，^64who，fromthepeculiarhardshipsofhissituation，wasinclinedtoextenuateratherthantoaggravatetheerrorsoftheOrientalclergy，declares，thatinthewideextentofthetenprovincesofAsia，towhichhehadbeenbanished，therecouldbefoundveryfewprelateswhohadpreservedtheknowledgeofthetrueGod。^65