Egypt, feven prefbyters, twelve deacons, and CHAP. (what may appear almost incredible) seven hun- XXI. dred virgins. A large majority of the bishops of Afia appeared to fupport or favour his caufe; and their measures were conducted by Eufebius of Cæfarea, the most learned of the Christian prelates; and by Eufebius of Nicomedia, who had acquired the reputation of a statesman without forfeiting that of a faint. Synods in Palestine and Bithynia were opposed to the fynods of Egypt. The attention of the prince and people was attracted by this theological difpute; and the decifion, at the end of fix years, was referred to the A.D. 318 fupreme authority of the general council of Nice. When the mysteries of the Chriftian faith were dangerously expofed to public debate, it might be obferved, that the human understanding was capable of forming three diftin&t, though imperfect, fyftems, concerning the nature of the Divine Trinity; and it was pronounced, that none of these systems, in a pure and abfolute sense, were exempt from herefy and error 47. I. According Arianifın. to the first hypothesis, which was maintained by Arius and his difciples, the Logos was a depend 46. The flames of Arianism might burn for some time in secret; but there is reafon to believe that they burst out with violence as early as the year 319. Tillemont, Mem. Ecclef. tom. vi. p. 774 -780. 47 Quid credidit? Certe, aut tria nomina audiens tres Deos effe credidit, et idololatra effectus eft ; aut in tribus vocabulis trinominem gredens Deum, in Sabellii hærefium incurrit; aut edo&tus ab Arianis pnum effe verum Deum Patrem, filium et fpiritum fan&tum credidit ereaturas. Aut extra hæc quid credere potuerit nefcio. Hieronym. adv. Luciferianos. Jerom referves for the last the orthodox system, which is more complicated and difficult. ent ---3250 Three fyf tems of the Trinity. 48 CHAP. ent and fpontaneous production, created from XXI. nothing by the will of the Father. The Son, by whom all things were made 4, had been begotten before all worlds, and the longest of the aftronomical periods could be compared only as a fleet. ing moment to the extent of his duration; yet this duration was not infinite 49, and there bad been a time which preceded the ineffable genera. tion of the Logos. On this only begotten Son the Almighty Father had transfufed his ample fpirit, and impreffed the effulgence of his glory. Vifible image of invifible perfection, he faw, at an im measurable distance beneath his feet, the thrones of the brighteft archangels: yet he fhone only with a reflected light, and, like the fons of the Roman emperors, who were invefted with the titles of Cæfar or Auguftus, he governed the universe in obedience to the will of his Father and Tritheifm. Monarch. II. In the fecond hypothefis, the Logos poffeffed all the inherent, incommunicable perfections, which religion and philofophy appro priate to the Supreme God. Three diftinct and infinite minds or fubftances, three co-equal and co-eternal beings, compofed the Divine Effence " and A 48 As the doctrine of abfolute creation from nothing, was gradually introduced among the Chriftians (Beaufobre, tom. ii. p. 165—215.), the dignity of the workman very naturally refe with that of the work. 4? The metaphyfics of Dr. Clarke (Scripture Trinity, p. 276---280.) could digeft an eternal generation from an infinite cause, 50 This prophane and abfurd ûmile is employed by several of the primitive fathers, particularly by Athenagoras, in his Apology to the emperor Marcus and his fon; and it is alleged without cenfure, by Bull himself. See Defenf, Fid. Nicen. f.iii. c. 5. No 4. 5 See Cudworth's Intellectual Syftem, p. 559. 579. This dan gerous hypothefis was countenanced by the two Gregories, of Nyffa and and it would have implied contradiction, that any CHAP, of them should not have exifted, or that they XXI. fhould ever ceafe to exift 52. The advocates of a fyftem which feemed to establish three independent Deities, attempted to preserve the unity of the First Caufe, fo confpicuous in the defign and order of the world, by the perpetual concord of their administration, and the effential agreement of their will. A faint refemblance of this unity. of action may be difcovered in the focieties of men, and even of animals. The caufes which disturb their harmony proceed only from the imperfection and inequality of their faculties: but the omnipotence which is guided by infinite wifdom and goodness, cannot fail of chufing the fame means for the accomplishment of the fame ends. III. Three Beings, who, by the felf-derived Sabellianneceffity of their existence, poffefs all the divine attributes in the most perfect degree; who are eternal in duration, infinite in fpace, and intimately prefent to each other, and to the whole universe; irresistibly force themselves on the aftonifhed mind, as one and the fame Being ", who, in the œconomy of grace, as well as in that of and Nazianzen, by Cyril of Alexandria, John of Damascus, &c. See Cudworth, p. 603. Le Clerc, Bibliotheque Univerfelle, tom. xviii. p. 97-105. 52 Auguftin feems to envy the freedon of the Philofophers. Liberis verbis loquuntur philofophi . . . . Nos autem non dicimus duo vel tria principia, duos vel tres Deos. De Civitat. Dei, x. 23. 53 Boetius, who was deeply verfed in the philofophy of Plato and Ariftotle, explains the unity of the Trinity by the in difference of the three perfons. See the judicious remarks of Le Clerc, Bibliotheque Choife, tom. xvi. p. 225, &c. nature, ifin. CHA P. nature, may manifeft himself under different forms, and be confidered under different afpects. By this hypothefis, a real fubftantial Trinity is refined into a trinity of names, and abstract modifications, that fubfift only in the mind which conceives them. The Logos is no longer a perfon, but an attribute; and it is only in a figurative fenfe, that the epithet of Son can be applied to the eternal reafon which was with God from the beginning, and by which, not by whom, all things were made. The incarnation of the Logos is reduced to a mere infpiration of the Divine Wisdom, which filled the foul, and directed all the actions of the man Jefus. Thus, after revolving round the theological circle, we are furprised to find that the Sabellian ends where the Ebionite had begun; and that the incomprehenfible mystery which excites our adoration, eludes our enquiry $4. Council If the bishops of the council of Nice ss had been permitted to follow by the unbiaffed dictates 5+ If the Sabellians were ftartled at this conclufion, they were driven down another precipice into the confeffion, that the Father was born of a virgin, that be had fuffered on the crofs; and thus deferved the odious epithet of Patri paffians, with which they were branded by their adverfaries. See the invectives of Tertullian again& Praxeas, and the temperate reflections of Mofheim (p. 423.681.); and Beaufobre, tom. i. 1. iii. c. 6. p. 533. 55 The transactions of the council of Nice are related by the ancients, not only in a partial, but in a very imperfect, manner. Such a picture as Fra-Paolo would have drawn, can never be recovered; but fuch rude sketches as have been traced by the pencil of bigotry, and that of reason, may be seen in Tillemont (Mem. Ecclef. tom. v. p. 669-759.) and in Le Clerc (Bibliotheque Univerfelle, tom. x. p. 435-454.). of their confcience, Arius and his affociates could CHAP. 56 We are indebted to Ambrose (de Fide, 1. iii. cap. ult.) for the knowledge of this curious anecdote. Hoc verbum pofuerunt Patres, ques |