PartIII。
II。ThedevotionofindividualswasthefirstcircumstancewhichdistinguishedtheChristiansfromthePlatonists:thesecondwastheauthorityofthechurch。Thedisciplesofphilosophyassertedtherightsofintellectualfreedom，andtheirrespectforthesentimentsoftheirteacherswasaliberalandvoluntarytribute，whichtheyofferedtosuperiorreason。ButtheChristiansformedanumerousanddisciplinedsociety；andthejurisdictionoftheirlawsandmagistrateswasstrictlyexercisedoverthemindsofthefaithful。Theloosewanderingsoftheimaginationweregraduallyconfinedbycreedsandconfessions；
^40thefreedomofprivatejudgmentsubmittedtothepublicwisdomofsynods；theauthorityofatheologianwasdeterminedbyhisecclesiasticalrank；andtheepiscopalsuccessorsoftheapostlesinflictedthecensuresofthechurchonthosewhodeviatedfromtheorthodoxbelief。Butinanageofreligiouscontroversy，everyactofoppressionaddsnewforcetotheelasticvigorofthemind；andthezealorobstinacyofaspiritualrebelwassometimesstimulatedbysecretmotivesofambitionoravarice。Ametaphysicalargumentbecamethecauseorpretenceofpoliticalcontests；thesubtletiesofthePlatonicschoolwereusedasthebadgesofpopularfactions，andthedistancewhichseparatedtheirrespectivetenetswereenlargedormagnifiedbytheacrimonyofdispute。AslongasthedarkheresiesofPraxeasandSabelliuslaboredtoconfoundtheFatherwiththeSon，^41theorthodoxpartymightbeexcusediftheyadheredmorestrictlyandmoreearnestlytothedistinction，thantotheequality，ofthedivinepersons。Butassoonastheheatofcontroversyhadsubsided，andtheprogressoftheSabellianswasnolongeranobjectofterrortothechurchesofRome，ofAfrica，orofEgypt，thetideoftheologicalopinionbegantoflowwithagentlebutsteadymotiontowardsthecontraryextreme；andthemostorthodoxdoctorsallowedthemselvestheuseofthetermsanddefinitionswhichhadbeencensuredinthemouthofthesectaries。^42AftertheedictoftolerationhadrestoredpeaceandleisuretotheChristians，theTrinitariancontroversywasrevivedintheancientseatofPlatonism，thelearned，theopulent，thetumultuouscityofAlexandria；andtheflameofreligiousdiscordwasrapidlycommunicatedfromtheschoolstotheclergy，thepeople，theprovince，andtheEast。TheabstrusequestionoftheeternityoftheLogoswasagitatedinecclesiasticconferencesandpopularsermons；andtheheterodoxopinionsofArius^43weresoonmadepublicbyhisownzeal，andbythatofhisadversaries。Hismostimplacableadversarieshaveacknowledgedthelearningandblamelesslifeofthateminentpresbyter，who，inaformerelection，haddeclared，andperhapsgenerouslydeclined，hispretensionstotheepiscopalthrone。^44
HiscompetitorAlexanderassumedtheofficeofhisjudge。Theimportantcausewasarguedbeforehim；andifatfirstheseemedtohesitate，heatlengthpronouncedhisfinalsentence，asanabsoluteruleoffaith。^45Theundauntedpresbyter，whopresumedtoresisttheauthorityofhisangrybishop，wasseparatedfromthecommunityofthechurch。ButtheprideofAriuswassupportedbytheapplauseofanumerousparty。HereckonedamonghisimmediatefollowerstwobishopsofEgypt，sevenpresbyters，twelvedeacons，andwhatmayappearalmostincrediblesevenhundredvirgins。AlargemajorityofthebishopsofAsiaappearedtosupportorfavorhiscause；andtheirmeasureswereconductedbyEusebiusofCaesarea，themostlearnedoftheChristianprelates；andbyEusebiusofNicomedia，whohadacquiredthereputationofastatesmanwithoutforfeitingthatofasaint。SynodsinPalestineandBithyniawereopposedtothesynodsofEgypt。Theattentionoftheprinceandpeoplewasattractedbythistheologicaldispute；andthedecision，attheendofsixyears，^46wasreferredtothesupremeauthorityofthegeneralcouncilofNice。
[Footnote40:Themostancientcreedsweredrawnupwiththegreatestlatitude。SeeBull，JudiciumEccles。Cathol。，whotriestopreventEpiscopiusfromderivinganyadvantagefromthisobservation。]