Many benches were

the thirteenth of the calends of July, answering to the nineteenth of June,* A. D. 325. On the arrival of that day, says Eusebius, all those who were to be present at the council, assembled in an apartment in the centre of the palace which was larger than any of the others. disposed on each side, and every one took his proper place. When all were seated with suitable decorum, they awaited the coming of the emperor. First one, then another, and then a third, of his attendants entered the hall. Others also preceded, not armed men, nor any of his usual guard, but only his particular friends. At the signal which announced the entrance of the emperor, all arose, and he appeared in the midst of them, his purple robe, resplendent with gold and precious stones, dazzling the eyes of the beholders. That his mind was impressed with religious awe was evident in his downcast eyes, his blushing countenance, and his modest step and movement. He was taller than any of those, by whom he was surrounded. Nor was he in stature only, but also in elegance of form, and robustness of frame, superior to the others. These external advantages were heightened by courteousness of behavior, and a princely condescension, indicative, says his biographer, of the noble qualities of his mind. When he had reached the upper end of the hall, he remained standing in the middle, between the highest places, before a small chair, buruished with gold, which was prepared for his accommodation, until he was requested to be seated by the bishops, who then resumed their places.

The prelate who occupied the seat on the right side of the emperor then addressed him in a short speech, giving thanks and praise to Almighty God for the benefits conferred on the

* Socrates says, that it was on the 20th of May, but Valesius thinks he was mistaken. Atticus, bishop of Constantinople, mentions the 14th of June, but the date assumed by the writer is supported by the council of Calcedon and the Alexandrian Chronicle. The reader who may wish to see a full examination of this difficulty, is referred to Tillemont, mémoires pour servir à l'histoire ecclesiastique, Tom. VI. Note I, sur le Concile de Nicée.

↑ Vit. Cons. III. 7.

Eustathius, according to Theodoret. I. 7.

Church through his instrumentality. When he was seated, the spectators all continued in silence, fixing their eyes upon the emperor, who, surveying them with a cheerful and serene expression of countenance, and employing a few moments to collect his thoughts, spake to the following purport, in a pleasant and subdued tone of voice. "It was, my dear friends, my most cherished wish, that I might one day enjoy the sight of this convention. Having been indulged in this desire, I return thanks to God, the ruler of all, who, in addition to innumerable other favors, has granted me this greatest of all blessings, to see you assembled together, and united in your minds. May no malignant foe disturb in future our public happiness. After the complete subversion, by the help of God our preserver, of the tyranny of those, who warred against the Most High, let no malevolent demon again expose the divine law, in any other manner, to slander and detraction. An internal sedition in the Church is, in my apprehension, more dangerous and formidable than any war, in which I can be engaged; nor do foreign concerns, however unfortunate, affect my mind with so sensible a grief as this unhappy affair. After I had become victorious, by divine assistance, over all my enemies, I thought that it only remained for me to render thanks to God, and to participate in the universal joy with those, whose liberation he has accomplished through my agency and efforts. But when the unwelcome news of your dissensions was brought to my ears, I conceived that the report should by no means be neglected; and hoping that, by my interference, a remedy might be applied to the evil, I sent for you all, without delay. Great indeed is my satisfaction to see you assembled together. But I shall consider the object of my prayers and labors as fully obtained, when I shall behold you united in the purpose of promoting harmony and concord; which, as persons consecrated to God, it is your duty to preach, and to inculcate on others. Endeavor then, my friends, ministers of God, and faithful servants of a common master and Saviour, that, the causes of your disagreement being removed,

*

all the asperities of controversy may be smoothed by the dictates of peace. By pursuing this course, you will not only do that, which is pleasing to God, who is exalted above all, but will confer an important benefit on myself, your fellow servant." The emperor also remarked, that the power of the enemy being destroyed, and no one remaining to make any resistance, it would be deplorable indeed, if they should now molest one another, and give occasion to those, who regarded them with no friendly aspect, to turn their quarrels into ridicule. Their business, he said, was with matters of theology, the decision of which depended on the instructions which the Holy Spirit had left them. The gospel, the letters of the apostles, and the works of the ancient prophets, teach us, with sufficient clearness, what we are obliged to believe concerning the divine nature. Let us then renounce all angry contentions, and seek in the books which the Holy Ghost has dictated, the solution of our doubts.

The oration of Constantine was pronounced in Latin, which was his vernacular tongue. Another person translated it into Greek, which was better understood by most of the fathers, as it was generally diffused in all parts of the East. The emperor then gave those who presided in the council an opportunity of speaking, and permitted the members to examine matters of doctrine and religious differences.

occasions.

The opinions of Arius were first examined in the presence of the emperor. He repeated what he had said on former The Eusebians, anxious to defend him, entered into the dispute. The other bishops, who were beyond comparison the greater number, mildly required them to give an account of their doctrine, and to support it by suitable proofs. But no sooner had they begun to speak, than they seemed to be at variance with themselves; they remained confounded, and seeing the absurdity of their heresy, confessed their shame by their silence. The bishops having refuted their allegations,

*Theodoret, I. 7.

+ Athan. de decretis, p. 251.

explained the holy doctrine of the Church. The emperor patiently listened to these disputes, which were agitated at first with considerable warmth. He gave great attention, says Eusebius, to what was advanced on either side; and sometimes reproving, sometimes encouraging the speakers, he moderated by degrees the violence of the contending parties. He spake kindly to every one in the Greek language, with which he was not unacquainted, gaining over some of them to his opinion by the strength of his arguments, and softening others by his entreaties. He commended those who spake judiciously, persuaded them all to concord, and reduced them at last to an agreement on the contested points.*

A letter of Eusebius of Nicomedia was read in the council, which evidently contained the heretical opinion, and discovered the management of the party. It excited so much indignation that it was rent in pieces, and Eusebius was overwhelmed with confusion. He says, among other things, that if the Son of God was acknowledged to be uncreated, it would be necessary to admit, that he was consubstantial with the Father. It has been thought that this was the letter to Paulinus of Tyre, in which the same idea is expressed in other words. The Arians also presented to the council a confession of faith, which was torn on being read, and pronounced to be spurious and false. A great outcry was raised against them, and they were generally accused of having betrayed the truth. The council wishing to set aside the terms employed by the Arians, and to use words au

*Eus. III. 13.

+ Eustath. as quoted by Theodoret. I. 8.

According to Ambrose, occasion was taken from this expression of Eusebius, which discovered so great a dread of the word consubstantial, to adopt that formidable term against the Arians. "Hoc verbum posuerunt patres, quòd viderunt adversariis esse formidini; ut tanquam evaginato ab ipsis gladio, ipsum nefando caput herœseos amputarent." de fide L. III. c. 7.

§ Documents, D.

Theodoret, I. 7.

thorized by scripture, said that our Lord was by nature the only Son of God, the alone Word, power and wisdom of the Father, true God, according to St. John; the splendor of the glory, and the image of the substance of the Father, as St. Paul writes. The partisans of Eusebius said among themselves,* let us consent to this, for we also are of God, since it is written, "there is one God, from whom all things proceed." And in another place, "old things have passed away, and all things are new, but all things are of God." The bishops, however, who comprehended their design, explained more clearly the words "of God," by saying that the Son was of the substance of God. It is true, they remarked, that creatures are said to be from God, because they exist not of themselves, nor without a cause; but the Son alone is properly of the substance of the Father. For this is peculiar to the only begotten and true Word of the Father, and therefore the expression "of the substance of the Father" has been employed.

The prelates having again asked the Arians, who seemed to be few in number, if they allowed that the Son was not a creature, but the alone power, wisdom and image of the Father, and in no respect whatever different from him, and that he is true God, it was observed, that Eusebius and his adherents made signs to one another that all these particulars might agree to men, for we too, said they, are called the image and glory of God. There are many powers, for it is written, "all the powers of God went out of Egypt." The caterpillars and locusts too are called the great power. "The God of powers is with us, the God of Jacob, our protector." We are not merely the children of God, since the Son of God himself calls us his brethren. And as to their denominating the Son true God, that occasions us, they said, no embarrassment, for he is so truly, because he has been made so. But the bishops perceiving their sophistry and dissimulation, produced a collection of passages

* Athan. de decret. p. 367, et epist. ad Africanos, as reported by Theodoret. I. 8.