Theoppressionwhichhehadfelt，thedisordersofwhichhewasthespectatorandthevictim，appeased，duringashortinterval，theangrypassionsofhissoul；andinthefollowingpassage，ofwhichIshalltranscribeafewlines，thebishopofPoitiersunwarilydeviatesintothestyleofaChristianphilosopher。\"Itisathing，\"saysHilary，\"equallydeplorableanddangerous，thatthereareasmanycreedsasopinionsamongmen，asmanydoctrinesasinclinations，andasmanysourcesofblasphemyastherearefaultsamongus；becausewemakecreedsarbitrarily，andexplainthemasarbitrarily。TheHomoousionisrejected，andreceived，andexplainedawaybysuccessivesynods。ThepartialortotalresemblanceoftheFatherandoftheSonisasubjectofdisputefortheseunhappytimes。Everyyear，nay，everymoon，wemakenewcreedstodescribeinvisiblemysteries。Werepentofwhatwehavedone，wedefendthosewhorepent，weanathematizethosewhomwedefended。Wecondemneitherthedoctrineofothersinourselves，orourowninthatofothers；andreciprocallytearingoneanothertopieces，wehavebeenthecauseofeachother\'sruin。\"^66
[Footnote63:Athanasius，inhisepistleconcerningtheSynodsofSeleuciaandRimini，tom。i。p。886—905，hasgivenanamplelistofAriancreeds，whichhasbeenenlargedandimprovedbythelaborsoftheindefatigableTillemont，Mem。Eccles。tom。vi。p。
477。]
[Footnote64:Erasmus，withadmirablesenseandfreedom，hasdelineatedthejustcharacterofHilary。Torevisehistext，tocomposetheannalsofhislife，andtojustifyhissentimentsandconduct，istheprovinceoftheBenedictineeditors。]
[Footnote65:AbsqueepiscopoEleusioetpauciscumeo，exmajoreparteAsianaedecemprovinciae，interquasconsisto，vereDeumnesciunt。Atqueutinampenitusnescirent!cumproclivioreenimveniaignorarentquamobtrectarent。Hilar。deSynodis，sivedeFideOrientalium，c。63，p。1186，edit。Benedict。Inthecelebratedparallelbetweenatheismandsuperstition，thebishopofPoitierswouldhavebeensurprisedinthephilosophicsocietyofBayleandPlutarch。]
[Footnote66:HilariusadConstantium，l。i。c。4，5，p。1227，1228。ThisremarkablepassagedeservedtheattentionofMr。
Locke，whohastranscribeditvol。iii。p。470intothemodelofhisnewcommon—placebook。]
Itwillnotbeexpected，itwouldnotperhapsbeendured，thatIshouldswellthistheologicaldigression，byaminuteexaminationoftheeighteencreeds，theauthorsofwhich，forthemostpart，disclaimedtheodiousnameoftheirparentArius。Itisamusingenoughtodelineatetheform，andtotracethevegetation，ofasingularplant；butthetediousdetailofleaveswithoutflowers，andofbrancheswithoutfruit，wouldsoonexhaustthepatience，anddisappointthecuriosity，ofthelaboriousstudent。Onequestion，whichgraduallyarosefromtheAriancontroversy，may，however，benoticed，asitservedtoproduceanddiscriminatethethreesects，whowereunitedonlybytheircommonaversiontotheHomoousionoftheNicenesynod。1。
IftheywereaskedwhethertheSonwaslikeuntotheFather，thequestionwasresolutelyansweredinthenegative，bythehereticswhoadheredtotheprinciplesofArius，orindeedtothoseofphilosophy；whichseemtoestablishaninfinitedifferencebetweentheCreatorandthemostexcellentofhiscreatures。
ThisobviousconsequencewasmaintainedbyAetius，^67onwhomthezealofhisadversariesbestowedthesurnameoftheAtheist。
Hisrestlessandaspiringspiriturgedhimtotryalmosteveryprofessionofhumanlife。Hewassuccessivelyaslave，oratleastahusbandman，atravellingtinker，agoldsmith，aphysician，aschoolmaster，atheologian，andatlasttheapostleofanewchurch，whichwaspropagatedbytheabilitiesofhisdiscipleEunomius。^68ArmedwithtextsofScripture，andwithcaptioussyllogismsfromthelogicofAristotle，thesubtleAetiushadacquiredthefameofaninvincibledisputant，whomitwasimpossibleeithertosilenceortoconvince。SuchtalentsengagedthefriendshipoftheArianbishops，tilltheywereforcedtorenounce，andeventopersecute，adangerousally，who，bytheaccuracyofhisreasoning，hadprejudicedtheircauseinthepopularopinion，andoffendedthepietyoftheirmostdevotedfollowers。2。TheomnipotenceoftheCreatorsuggestedaspeciousandrespectfulsolutionofthelikenessoftheFatherandtheSon；andfaithmighthumblyreceivewhatreasoncouldnotpresumetodeny，thattheSupremeGodmightcommunicatehisinfiniteperfections，andcreateabeingsimilaronlytohimself。
^69TheseArianswerepowerfullysupportedbytheweightandabilitiesoftheirleaders，whohadsucceededtothemanagementoftheEusebianinterest，andwhooccupiedtheprincipalthronesoftheEast。Theydetested，perhapswithsomeaffectation，theimpietyofAetius；theyprofessedtobelieve，eitherwithoutreserve，oraccordingtotheScriptures，thattheSonwasdifferentfromallothercreatures，andsimilaronlytotheFather。Buttheydenied，thehewaseitherofthesame，orofasimilarsubstance；sometimesboldlyjustifyingtheirdissent，andsometimesobjectingtotheuseofthewordsubstance，whichseemstoimplyanadequate，oratleast，adistinct，notionofthenatureoftheDeity。3。Thesectwhichdesertedthedoctrineofasimilarsubstance，wasthemostnumerous，atleastintheprovincesofAsia；andwhentheleadersofbothpartieswereassembledinthecouncilofSeleucia，^70theiropinionwouldhaveprevailedbyamajorityofonehundredandfivetoforty—threebishops。TheGreekword，whichwaschosentoexpressthismysteriousresemblance，bearssocloseanaffinitytotheorthodoxsymbol，thattheprofaneofeveryagehavederidedthefuriouscontestswhichthedifferenceofasinglediphthongexcitedbetweentheHomoousiansandtheHomoiousians。Asitfrequentlyhappens，thatthesoundsandcharacterswhichapproachthenearesttoeachotheraccidentallyrepresentthemostoppositeideas，theobservationwouldbeitselfridiculous，ifitwerepossibletomarkanyrealandsensibledistinctionbetweenthedoctrineoftheSemi—Arians，astheywereimproperlystyled，andthatoftheCatholicsthemselves。ThebishopofPoitiers，whoinhisPhrygianexileverywiselyaimedatacoalitionofparties，endeavorstoprovethatbyapiousandfaithfulinterpretation，^71theHomoiousionmaybereducedtoaconsubstantialsense。Yetheconfessesthatthewordhasadarkandsuspiciousaspect；and，asifdarknesswerecongenialtotheologicaldisputes，theSemi—Arians，whoadvancedtothedoorsofthechurch，assailedthemwiththemostunrelentingfury。
[Footnote67:InPhilostorgiusl。iii。c。15thecharacterandadventuresofAetiusappearsingularenough，thoughtheyarecarefullysoftenedbythehandofafriend。Theeditor，Godefroy，p。153，whowasmoreattachedtohisprinciplesthantohisauthor，hascollectedtheodiouscircumstanceswhichhisvariousadversarieshavepreservedorinvented。]
[Footnote68:Accordingtothejudgmentofamanwhorespectedboththesesectaries，AetiushadbeenendowedwithastrongerunderstandingandEunomiushadacquiredmoreartandlearning。
Philostorgiusl。viii。c。18。TheconfessionandapologyofEunomiusFabricius，Bibliot。Graec。tom。viii。p。258—305isoneofthefewhereticalpieceswhichhaveescaped。]
[Footnote69:Yet，accordingtotheopinionofEstiusandBull，p。297，thereisonepower—thatofcreation—whichGodcannotcommunicatetoacreature。Estius，whosoaccuratelydefinedthelimitsofOmnipotencewasaDutchmanbybirth，andbytradeascholasticdivine。DupinBibliot。Eccles。tom。xvii。p。
45。]
[Footnote70:Sabinusap。Socrat。l。ii。c。39hadcopiedtheacts:AthanasiusandHilaryhaveexplainedthedivisionsofthisAriansynod；theothercircumstanceswhicharerelativetoitarecarefullycollectedbyBaroandTillemont]
[Footnote71:Fidelietpiaintelligentia……DeSynod。c。77，p。1193。InhishisshortapologeticalnotesfirstpublishedbytheBenedictinesfromaMS。ofChartresheobserves，thatheusedthiscautiousexpression，quiintelligerumetimpiam，p。
1206。Seep。1146。Philostorgius，whosawthoseobjectsthroughadifferentmedium，isinclinedtoforgetthedifferenceoftheimportantdiphthong。Seeinparticularviii。17，andGodefroy，p。352。]
TheprovincesofEgyptandAsia，whichcultivatedthelanguageandmannersoftheGreeks，haddeeplyimbibedthevenomoftheAriancontroversy。ThefamiliarstudyofthePlatonicsystem，avainandargumentativedisposition，acopiousandflexibleidiom，suppliedtheclergyandpeopleoftheEastwithaninexhaustibleflowofwordsanddistinctions；and，inthemidstoftheirfiercecontentions，theyeasilyforgotthedoubtwhichisrecommendedbyphilosophy，andthesubmissionwhichisenjoinedbyreligion。TheinhabitantsoftheWestwereofalessinquisitivespirit；theirpassionswerenotsoforciblymovedbyinvisibleobjects，theirmindswerelessfrequentlyexercisedbythehabitsofdispute；andsuchwasthehappyignoranceoftheGallicanchurch，thatHilaryhimself，abovethirtyyearsafterthefirstgeneralcouncil，wasstillastrangertotheNicenecreed。^72TheLatinshadreceivedtheraysofdivineknowledgethroughthedarkanddoubtfulmediumofatranslation。ThepovertyandstubbornnessoftheirnativetonguewasnotalwayscapableofaffordingjustequivalentsfortheGreekterms，forthetechnicalwordsofthePlatonicphilosophy，^73whichhadbeenconsecrated，bythegospelorbythechurch，toexpressthemysteriesoftheChristianfaith；andaverbaldefectmightintroduceintotheLatintheologyalongtrainoferrororperplexity。^74Butasthewesternprovincialshadthegoodfortuneofderivingtheirreligionfromanorthodoxsource，theypreservedwithsteadinessthedoctrinewhichtheyhadacceptedwithdocility；andwhentheArianpestilenceapproachedtheirfrontiers，theyweresuppliedwiththeseasonablepreservativeoftheHomoousion，bythepaternalcareoftheRomanpontiff。TheirsentimentsandtheirtemperweredisplayedinthememorablesynodofRimini，whichsurpassedinnumbersthecouncilofNice，sinceitwascomposedofabovefourhundredbishopsofItaly，Africa，Spain，Gaul，Britain，andIllyricum。Fromthefirstdebatesitappeared，thatonlyfourscoreprelatesadheredtotheparty，thoughtheyaffectedtoanathematizethenameandmemory，ofArius。Butthisinferioritywascompensatedbytheadvantagesofskill，ofexperience，andofdiscipline；andtheminoritywasconductedbyValensandUrsacius，twobishopsofIllyricum，whohadspenttheirlivesintheintriguesofcourtsandcouncils，andwhohadbeentrainedundertheEusebianbannerinthereligiouswarsoftheEast。Bytheirargumentsandnegotiations，theyembarrassed，theyconfounded，theyatlastdeceived，thehonestsimplicityoftheLatinbishops；whosufferedthepalladiumofthefaithtobeextortedfromtheirhandbyfraudandimportunity，ratherthanbyopenviolence。ThecouncilofRiminiwasnotallowedtoseparate，tillthemembershadimprudentlysubscribedacaptiouscreed，inwhichsomeexpressions，susceptibleofanhereticalsense，wereinsertedintheroomoftheHomoousion。Itwasonthisoccasion，that，accordingtoJerom，theworldwassurprisedtofinditselfArian。
^75ButthebishopsoftheLatinprovinceshadnosoonerreachedtheirrespectivedioceses，thantheydiscoveredtheirmistake，andrepentedoftheirweakness。Theignominiouscapitulationwasrejectedwithdisdainandabhorrence；andtheHomoousianstandard，whichhadbeenshakenbutnotoverthrown，wasmorefirmlyreplantedinallthechurchesoftheWest。^76
[Footnote72:TestorDeumcoeliatqueterraemecumneutrumaudissem，sempertamenutrumquesensisse……RegeneratuspridemetinepiscopatualiquantispermanensfidemNicenamnunquamnisiexsulaturusaudivi。Hilar。deSynodis，c。xci。p。
1205。TheBenedictinesarepersuadedthathegovernedthedioceseofPoitiersseveralyearsbeforehisexile。]
[Footnote73:SenecaEpist。lviii。complainsthateventheofthePlatoniststheensofthebolderschoolmencouldnotbeexpressedbyaLatinnoun。]
[Footnote74:ThepreferencewhichthefourthcounciloftheLateranatlengthgavetoanumericalratherthanagenericalunitySeePetav。tom。ii。l。v。c。13，p。424wasfavoredbytheLatinlanguage:seemstoexcitetheideaofsubstance，trinitasofqualities。]
[Footnote75:Ingemuittotusorbis，etArianumseessemiratusest。Hieronym。adv。Lucifer。tom。i。p。145。]
[Footnote76:ThestoryofthecouncilofRiminiisveryelegantlytoldbySulpiciusSeverus，Hist。Sacra，l。ii。p。
419—430，edit。Lugd。Bat。1647，andbyJerom，inhisdialogueagainsttheLuciferians。ThedesignofthelatteristoapologizefortheconductoftheLatinbishops，whoweredeceived，andwhorepented。]
ChapterXXI:PersecutionOfHeresy，StateOfTheChurch。
PartIV。
Suchwastheriseandprogress，andsuchwerethenaturalrevolutionsofthosetheologicaldisputes，whichdisturbedthepeaceofChristianityunderthereignsofConstantineandofhissons。Butasthoseprincespresumedtoextendtheirdespotismoverthefaith，aswellasoverthelivesandfortunes，oftheirsubjects，theweightoftheirsuffragesometimesinclinedtheecclesiasticalbalance:andtheprerogativesoftheKingofHeavenweresettled，orchanged，ormodified，inthecabinetofanearthlymonarch。
TheunhappyspiritofdiscordwhichpervadedtheprovincesoftheEast，interruptedthetriumphofConstantine；buttheemperorcontinuedforsometimetoview，withcoolandcarelessindifference，theobjectofthedispute。Ashewasyetignorantofthedifficultyofappeasingthequarrelsoftheologians，headdressedtothecontendingparties，toAlexanderandtoArius，amoderatingepistle；^77whichmaybeascribed，withfargreaterreason，totheuntutoredsenseofasoldierandstatesman，thantothedictatesofanyofhisepiscopalcounsellors。Heattributestheoriginofthewholecontroversytoatriflingandsubtlequestion，concerninganincomprehensiblepointoflaw，whichwasfoolishlyaskedbythebishop，andimprudentlyresolvedbythepresbyter。HelamentsthattheChristianpeople，whohadthesameGod，thesamereligion，andthesameworship，shouldbedividedbysuchinconsiderabledistinctions；andheseriouslyrecommendtotheclergyofAlexandriatheexampleoftheGreekphilosophers；whocouldmaintaintheirargumentswithoutlosingtheirtemper，andasserttheirfreedomwithoutviolatingtheirfriendship。Theindifferenceandcontemptofthesovereignwouldhavebeen，perhaps，themosteffectualmethodofsilencingthedispute，ifthepopularcurrenthadbeenlessrapidandimpetuous，andifConstantinehimself，inthemidstoffactionandfanaticism，couldhavepreservedthecalmpossessionofhisownmind。Buthisecclesiasticalministerssooncontrivedtoseducetheimpartialityofthemagistrate，andtoawakenthezealoftheproselyte。Hewasprovokedbytheinsultswhichhadbeenofferedtohisstatues；hewasalarmedbythereal，aswellastheimaginarymagnitudeofthespreadingmischief；andheextinguishedthehopeofpeaceandtoleration，fromthemomentthatheassembledthreehundredbishopswithinthewallsofthesamepalace。Thepresenceofthemonarchswelledtheimportanceofthedebate；hisattentionmultipliedthearguments；andheexposedhispersonwithapatientintrepidity，whichanimatedthevalorofthecombatants。NotwithstandingtheapplausewhichhasbeenbestowedontheeloquenceandsagacityofConstantine，^78aRomangeneral，whosereligionmightbestillasubjectofdoubt，andwhosemindhadnotbeenenlightenedeitherbystudyorbyinspiration，wasindifferentlyqualifiedtodiscuss，intheGreeklanguage，ametaphysicalquestion，oranarticleoffaith。ButthecreditofhisfavoriteOsius，whoappearstohavepresidedinthecouncilofNice，mightdisposetheemperorinfavoroftheorthodoxparty；andawell—timedinsinuation，thatthesameEusebiusofNicomedia，whonowprotectedtheheretic，hadlatelyassistedthetyrant，^79mightexasperatehimagainsttheiradversaries。TheNicenecreedwasratifiedbyConstantine；andhisfirmdeclaration，thatthosewhoresistedthedivinejudgmentofthesynod，mustpreparethemselvesforanimmediateexile，annihilatedthemurmursofafeebleopposition；which，fromseventeen，wasalmostinstantlyreducedtotwo，protestingbishops。EusebiusofCaesareayieldedareluctantandambiguousconsenttotheHomoousion；^80andthewaveringconductoftheNicomedianEusebiusservedonlytodelay，aboutthreemonths，hisdisgraceandexile。^81TheimpiousAriuswasbanishedintooneoftheremoteprovincesofIllyricum；hispersonanddiscipleswerebrandedbylawwiththeodiousnameofPorphyrians；hiswritingswerecondemnedtotheflames，andacapitalpunishmentwasdenouncedagainstthoseinwhosepossessiontheyshouldbefound。Theemperorhadnowimbibedthespiritofcontroversy，andtheangry，sarcasticstyleofhisedictswasdesignedtoinspirehissubjectswiththehatredwhichhehadconceivedagainsttheenemiesofChrist。^82
[Footnote77:Eusebius，inVit。Constant。l。ii。c。64—72。Theprinciplesoftolerationandreligiousindifference，containedinthisepistle，havegivengreatoffencetoBaronius，Tillemont，&c。，whosupposethattheemperorhadsomeevilcounsellor，eitherSatanorEusebius，athiselbow。SeeCortin\'sRemarks，tom。ii。p。183。
Note:HeinichenExcursusxi。quoteswithapprobationtheterm\"goldenwords，\"appliedbyZieglertothismoderateandtolerantletterofConstantine。MayanEnglishclergymanventuretoexpresshisregretthat\"thefinegoldsoonbecamedim\"intheChristianchurch?—M。]
[Footnote78:EusebiusinVit。Constantin。l。iii。c。13。]
[Footnote79:Theodorethaspreservedl。i。c。20anepistlefromConstantinetothepeopleofNicomedia，inwhichthemonarchdeclareshimselfthepublicaccuserofoneofhissubjects；hestylesEusebiusandcomplainsofhishostilebehaviorduringthecivilwar。]
[Footnote80:SeeinSocrates，l。i。c。8，orratherinTheodoret，l。i。c。12，anoriginalletterofEusebiusofCaesarea，inwhichheattemptstojustifyhissubscribingtheHomoousion。ThecharacterofEusebiushasalwaysbeenaproblem；
butthosewhohavereadthesecondcriticalepistleofLeClerc，ArsCritica，tom。iii。p。30—69，mustentertainaveryunfavorableopinionoftheorthodoxyandsincerityofthebishopofCaesarea。]
[Footnote81:Athanasius，tom。i。p。727。Philostorgius，l。i。
c。10，andGodefroy\'sCommentary，p。41。]
[Footnote82:Socrates，l。i。c。9。Inhiscircularletters，whichwereaddressedtotheseveralcities，Constantineemployedagainstthehereticsthearmsofridiculeandcomicraillery。]