and fertile in exceptions. 3 I. goodness of the Father, and admire the Son's economy for CHAP. our sakes. However, this they did not say; no, nor liked to witness what He was doing; or they witnessed indeed, for this they could not help, but they changed their ground of complaint again, "Why healest Thou the paralytic, why makest Thou the born-blind to see, on the sabbath day?" But this too was an excuse, and mere murmuring; for on other days as well did the Lord heal all manner of sickness, Mat. 4, and all manner of disease, but they complained still according to their wont, and by calling Him Beelzebub, preferred the suspicion of Atheism', to a recantation of their own wickedness. And though in such sundry times and diverse manners the Saviour shewed His Godhead and preached the Father to all men, nevertheless, as kicking against the pricks, they contradicted in the language of folly, and this they did, for ungodliness, sórnros. Thus Aetius was called datos, the ungodly. de Synod. §. 6; and Arius complains that Alexander had expelled him and his from Alexandria, s végous alsovs. Theodor. Hist. i. 4. "Atheism" and "Atheist" imply intention, system, and profession, and are so far too strong a rendering of the Greek. Since Christ was God, to deny Him was to deny God. The force of the term, however, seems to be, that, whereas the Son had revealed the "unknown God," and destroyed the reign of idols, the denial of the Son was bringing back idolatry and its attendant spiritual ignorance. Thus in the Orat. contr. Gent. §. 29. fin. written before the Arian controversy, he speaks of "the Greek idolatry as full of all Atheism" or ungodliness, and contrasts with it the knowledge of "the Guide and Framer of the Universe, the Father's Word," "that through Him we may discern His Father, and the Greeks may know how far they have separated themselves from the truth." And Orat. ii. 43. he classes Arians with the Greeks, who "though they have the name of God in their mouths, incur the charge of Atheism, because they know not the real and true God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (vid. also Basil in Eunom. ii. 22.) Shortly afterwards he gives a further reason for the title, observing that Arianism was worse than previous heresies, such as Manicheism, inasmuch as the latter denied the Incarnation, but it tore from God's substance His connatural Word, and, as far as so, atheistical or ungodly, "who are sos. Hist. Arian. 45. Another reason for the title seems to have lain in the idolatrous character of Arian worship on its own shewing, viz. as worshipping One whom they yet maintained to be a creature. 23. NICEN. according to the divine proverb, that by finding occasions, they might separate themselves from the truth". DEF. §. 2. 3. As then the Jews of that day, for acting thus wickedly and denying the Lord, were with justice deprived of their laws and of the promise made to their fathers, so the Arians, Judaizing now, are, in my judgment, in circumstances like those of Caiaphas and the contemporary Pharisees. For, perceiving that their heresy is utterly unreasonable, they invent excuses, Why was this defined, and not that?" Yet wonder not if now they practise thus; for in no long time they will turn to John 18, outrage, and next will threaten the band and the captain h. Forsooth in these their heterodoxy has such consistence as we see; for denying the Word of God, reason have they none at all, as is equitable. Aware then of this, I would have made no reply to their interrogations; but, since thy friendliness has asked to know the transactions of the Council, I have without any delay related at once what then took place, shewing in few words, how destitute Arianism is of a religious spirit, and how its very business is to frame 12. evasions. A reference to Prov. 18, 1. which runs in the Septuagint, 66 a man seek eth occasions, when desirous of separating himself from friends." h Apparently an allusion to the text in the margin. Elsewhere, he speaks of "the chief captain" and "the governor," with an allusion to Acts 23, 22-24. &c. &c. Hist. Arian. §. 66. fin. vid. also §. 2. Speaking of the Council of Tyre, A.D. 335. he asks, Apol. contr. Arian. §. 8. "How venture they to call that a Council in which a Count presided, and an executioner was present, and a registrar [or jailer] intro duced us instead of the deacons of the Church ?" vid. also §. 10. and 45. Orat. ii. §. 43. Ep. Encycl. §. 5. Against the use of violence in religion, vid. Hist. Arian. §. 33. 67. (Hil. ad Const. i. 2.) On the other hand, he observes, that at Nicæa, "it was not necessity which drove the judges to" their decision, "but all vindicated the Truth from deliberate purpose." ad Ep. Æg. 13. i diabios. vid. also Hist. Arian. §. 45. Orat. ii. §. 4. where Parker maintains without reason that it should be translated, "external condition." vid. also Theod. Hist. i. 4. init. I. goodness of the Father, and admire the Son's economy for CHAP. our sakes. However, this they did not say; no, nor liked to witness what He was doing; or they witnessed indeed, for this they could not help, but they changed their ground of complaint again, "Why healest Thou the paralytic, why makest Thou the born-blind to see, on the sabbath day?” But this too was an excuse, and mere murmuring; for on other days as well did the Lord heal all manner of sickness, Mat. 4, and all manner of disease, but they complained still according to their wont, and by calling Him Beelzebub, preferred the suspicion of Atheism', to a recantation of their own wickedness. And though in such sundry times and diverse manners the Saviour shewed His Godhead and preached the Father to all men, nevertheless, as kicking against the pricks, they contradicted in the language of folly, and this they did, f or ungodliness, alsórnros. Thus Aetius was called aftos, the ungodly. de Synod. §. 6; and Arius complains that Alexander had expelled him and his from Alexandria, ŵs žvlęŵrous biovs. Theodor. Hist. i. 4. "Atheism" and “Atheist” imply intention, system, and profession, and are so far too strong a rendering of the Greek. Since Christ was God, to deny Him was to deny God. The force of the term, however, seems to be, that, whereas the Son had revealed the "unknown God," and destroyed the reign of idols, the denial of the Son was bringing back idolatry and its attendant spiritual ignorance. Thus in the Orat. contr. Gent. §. 29. fin. written before the Arian controversy, he speaks of "the Greek idolatry as full of all Atheism" or ungodliness, and contrasts with it the knowledge of "the Guide and Framer of the Universe, the Father's Word," "that through Him we may discern His Father, and the Greeks may know how far they have separated themselves from the truth." And Orat. ii. 43. he classes Arians with the Greeks, who "though they have the name of God in their mouths, incur the charge of Atheism, because they know not the real and true God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (vid. also Basil in Eunom. ii. 22.) Shortly afterwards he gives a further reason for the title, observing that Arianism was worse than previous heresies, such as Manicheism, inasmuch as the latter denied the Incarnation, but it tore from God's substance His connatural Word, and, as far as an Atheism or rather Judaism against sos, atheistical or ungodly, "who are sos. Hist. Arian. 45. Another reason for the title seems to have lain in the idolatrous character of Arian worship on its own shewing, viz. as worshipping One whom they yet maintained to be a creature. 23. NICEN. according to the divine proverb, that by finding occasions, they might separate themselves from the truth®. DEF. §. 2. 3. As then the Jews of that day, for acting thus wickedly and denying the Lord, were with justice deprived of their laws and of the promise made to their fathers, so the Arians, Judaizing now, are, in my judgment, in circumstances like those of Caiaphas and the contemporary Pharisees. For, perceiving that their heresy is utterly unreasonable, they invent excuses, "Why was this defined, and not that?" Yet wonder not if now they practise thus; for in no long time they will turn to John 18, Outrage, and next will threaten the band and the captain". Forsooth in these their heterodoxy has such consistence as we see; for denying the Word of God, reason have they none at all, as is equitable. Aware then of this, I would have made no reply to their interrogations; but, since thy friendliness has asked to know the transactions of the Council, I have without any delay related at once what then took place, shewing in few words, how destitute Arianism is of a religious spirit, and how its very business is to frame evasions. 12. A reference to Prov. 18, 1. which h Apparently an allusion to the text duced us instead of the deacons of the Church ?" vid. also §. 10. and 45. Orat. ii. §. 43. Ep. Encycl. §. 5. Against the use of violence in religion, vid. Hist. Arian. §. 33. 67. (Hil. ad Const. i. 2.) On the other hand, he observes, that at Nicæa, "it was not necessity which drove the judges to" their decision, "but all vindicated the Truth from deliberate purpose." ad Ep. Æg. 13. i diaberis. vid. also Hist. Arian. §. 45. Orat. ii. §. 4. where Parker maintains without reason that it should be translated, "external condition." vid. also Theod. Hist. i. 4. init. CHAP. II. CONDUCT OF THE ARIANS TOWARDS THE NICENE COUNCIL. Ignorant as well as irreligious to attempt to reverse an Ecumenical Council; proceedings at Nicæa; Eusebians then signed what they now complain of; on the unanimity of true teachers and the process of tradition; changes of the Arians. II. 1. AND do thou, beloved, consider whether it be not so. If, CHAP. the devil having sowed their hearts with this perverseness*, they feel confidence in their bad inventions, let them defend themselves against the proofs of heresy which have been advanced, and then will be the time to find fault, if they can, with the definition framed against them'. For no one, on being convicted of murder or adultery, is at liberty after the trial to arraign the sentence of the judge, why he spoke in this way and not in that". For this does not exculpate the convict, but rather increases the crime on the score of petulance and audacity. In like manner, let these either prove that their sentiments are religious, (for they were then accused and convicted, and their complaints are since, and κ ἐπισπείραντος τοῦ διαβόλου, the allusion is to Matt. 13, 25. and is very frequent in Athan. chiefly with a reference to Arianism. He draws it out at length, Orat. ii. §. 34. Elsewhere, he uses the image for the evil influences introduced into the soul upon Adam's fall, contr. Apoll. i. §. 15. as does S. Irenæus, Hær. iv. 40. n. 3. using it of such as lead to backsliding in Christians, ibid. v. 10. n. 1. Gregory Nyssen, of the natural passions and of false reason misleading them, de An. et Resurr. p. 640. vid. also Leon. Ep. 156. faith and ignorant in their criticism; m And so St. Leo passim concerning is 66 |