OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 327

and people was attracted by this theological chap.

dispute; and the decision, at the end of six„^_

years,’ was referred to the supreme authority of a. d. sis.the general council of Nice.

When the mysteries of the Christian faith Threewere dangerously exposed to public debate, it Sent °*might be observed that the human understand- mty ‘ing was capable of forming three distinct, thoughimperfect, systems, concerning the nature of thedivine trinity; and it was pronounced that noneof these systems, in a pure and absolute sense,were exempt from heresy and error.* i, Ac- Arianism.cording to the first hypothesis, which wasmaintained by Arius and his disciples, the logoswas a dependent and spontaneous production,created from nothing by the will of the father.

The Son, by whom all things were made, 1 ’ hadbeen begotten before all worlds, and the longestof the astronomical periods could be comparedonly as a fleeting moment to the extent of hisduration; yet this duration was not infinite,'and there had been a time which preceded theineffable generation of the logos. On this only

* The flames of arianism might burn for some time in secret; butthere is reason to believe that they burst out with violence as early asthe year 319. Tillemont, Mem. Eccles. tom. vi, p. 774-780.

* Quid credidit? Certe, aut tria nomina audiens tres Deos essecredidit, et idololatra effectus est : aut in tribus vocabulis trinominemcredens Deum, in Sabeliii haeresim incurrit; aut edoctus ab Arianisuimm esse verum Deum patrera, filiuin et spiritum sanctum crediditcreaturas. Aut extra ha»c quid credere potuerit nescio. Hieronym.adv. Lucifcrianos. Jerom reserves for the last the orthodox system,which is more complicated and difficult.

b As the doctrine of absolute creation from nothing was graduallyintroduced among the Christians (Beausobre, tom. ii, p. 165-215), thedignity of the workman very naturally rose with that of the work*

* The metaphysics of Dr. Clarke (Scripture Trinity, p 276-280)tcould digest an eternal generation from an infinite cause.