The History of Persecution, from the Patriarchal Age, to the Reign of George IIChandler, Samuel
History
The History of Persecution, from the Patriarchal Age, to the Reign of George II
Chandler, Samuel
Persecution -- Great Britain; Persecution -- History
However, the emperor brought them at last to some temper, so that they
fell in good earnest to creed-making, and drew up, and subscribed that,
which, from the place where they were assembled, was called the Nicene.
By the accounts of the transactions in this assembly, given by
[O]Athanasius himself, in his letter to the African bishops,[97] it
appears, that they were determined to insert into the creed such words
as were most obnoxious to the Arians, and thus to force them to a public
separation from the church. For when they resolved to condemn some
expressions which the Arians were charged with making use of, such as,
“the Son was a creature; there was a time when he was not,” and the
like; and to establish the use of others in their room, such as, “the
Son was the only begotten of God by nature, the Word, the Power, the
only Wisdom of the Father, and true God;” the Arians immediately agreed
to it: upon this the fathers made an alteration, and explained the
words, “from God,” by the Son’s “being of the substance of God.” And
when the Arians consented also to this, the bishops farther added, to
render the creed more exceptionable, that “he was consubstantial, or of
the same substance with the Father.” And when the Arians objected, that
this expression was wholly unscriptural, the Orthodox urged, that though
it was so, yet the bishops that lived an hundred and thirty years before
them, made use of it. At last, however, all the council subscribed the
creed thus altered and amended, except five bishops, who were displeased
with the word “consubstantial,” and made many objections against it: and
of these five, three, viz. Eusebius, Theognis, and Maris, seem
afterwards to have complied with the rest, excepting only, that they
refused to subscribe to the condemnation of Arius.
-----
Footnote O:
See note [O] at the end of the volume.
Footnote 97:
Theod. E. H. l. 1. c. 3.
-----
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account