Antioch. His talents were of service on this occafion; his difputation againft Paul was preferved. in writing to the time of Eufebius; and he fo preffed the ambiguous Paul, that he made him to declare himself and fhew what he really was. There needed no more to condemn him. All the bishops agreed to his depofition and exclufion from the chriftian church.

No fact in church-history is more certain than this, and the demonstration is clear from thence, that Socinianifm in the year two hundred and fixty-nine was not fuffered to exift within the pale of the chriftian church. I ufe that term, because it is now well understood, and it fairly expreffes the ideas of Paul. In truth, no injury was done. to the man he had certainly no more right to christian preferment than a traitor has to hold any office in any government; and to oblige him to fpeak out what he really held, was no more than what juftice required. Truth and openness are effential to the character of all teachers; he who is void of them deferves to be without fcholars or hearers. At the fame time I cannot help feeing, that the doctrine ufually called Trinitarian was univerfal in the church in these times. Dionyfius, Firmilian, Gregory, Theotecnes, feventy bishops, the whole chriftian world were unanimous in it, and this unanimity may fairly be traced upward to the Apofties.

Paul being depofed, and a new bishop being. chofen in his room, an epiftle was written by the council to Dionyfius of Rome and Maximus of Alexandria, and fent abroad through the Roman world, in which they explained their own labour in this business, the perverfe duplicity of Paul, and the objections against him. The chief part

of

of this from Eufebius will deferve to be tran fcribed as the fairest account of the business*.

"To Dionyfius and Maximus, and all our féllow bishops, elders, and deacons throughout the world, and to the whole univerfal church, Helenus, Hymenæus, Theophilus, Theotecnes, &c. with all the other bifhops who with us inhabit the neighbouring cities and prefide over the nations, together with the prefbyters and deacons and holy churches of God, to the beloved brethren in the Lord fend greeting :

We have called many bishops from far to heal this deadly and poifonous doctrine, as Dionyfius of Alexandria, and Firmilian of Cæfarea in Cappadocia, men bleffed in the Lord, one of whom writing hither to Antioch vouchfafed not once to falute the author of error; for he wrote not to his perfon, but to the whole congregation, the copy of which we have annexed. But Firmilian came twice and condemned this ftrange doctrine.-The second time he came as far as Tarfus; but while we affemble, while we fummon him, and wait for his coming, he departed this life.-At the firft he was poor and had no inheritance derived from his parents, or acquired by any regular profeffion; yet is the man grown exceffively rich by facrilege, extortion, and iniquity: he deceived the brethren by his pretended patronage, imposed on their eafinefs, obliged them to make him prefents to be delivered from him, and thus he turned godliness into gain. He was full of vanity, and fond of fecular dignities, and would rather be called Deuenarius than Bishop. He has been used to walk in a pompous manner through the streets, reading

Book 7, chap. 29.

An Officer of the Revenue; he probably held this office under Zenobia.

reading letters, and inditing publickly, maintaining about him a great troop to guard his perfon, and much scandal has accrued to the faith from his conduct. In church affemblies he ufed theatrical artifices to ftrike the imagination and procure ap plaufe to himself by furprizing the fimple. He conftructed for himself a tribunal and throne fet on high, not as became a difciple of Jefus Chrift; and he had a private clofet like the fecular magiftrates, to which he gave the fame name. When he harangued the people, he ftruck his hand upon his thigh, and his feet upon his tribunal. If any did not applaud him, as is ufual in the theatre, by clapping their hands and shaking their handkerchiefs, who did not cry out and rife up, the usual custom of his partizans, he expreffed his displeasure, reproving and reviling thofe who, fenfible that they were in the houfe of God, behaved with decency and fobriety. The deceased expofitors of holy fcripture he openly inveighed againft, like a fophift and impoftor extolling himfelf. The hymns made in honour of Jefus Chrift he fuppreffed, as the compofition of modern authors; and ordered others to be fung by women in his own praise in the church on Ealterday, which caused horror in the hearers; and he encouraged, as far as in him lay, fimilar practices in the neighbouring bishops. He refused to acknowledge the Son of God to have come down from heaven. fhall this be barely afferted, but proved out of the commentaries published by us to the world, efpecially where he faith that Chrift Jefus is of the earth. Yet his admirers affirm him to be an angel come do vn from heaven, to which flatteries he

Nor

gives

The language of Paul's parafites, which candour requires to be understood not literally but metaphorically. Even fo it tells fafficiently to his difcredit.

gives all poffible encouragement. He has women, nis private affociates, as they are called at Antioch. His priefts and deacons have the fame. Their crimes have been proved, but he conceals them, and prevents them from accufing himself. He even enriches them to engage them the more ftrongly to his intereft. We know, dear brethren, that the bishop and all the clergy ought to give the people an example of all good works; and we are not ignorant how many have fallen by indulg ing this evil cuftom of keeping private women, and many again are fubject to fufpicion and flander. Admitting therefore that he hath committed no actual crime, he ought at least to be afraid of the fufpicion arifing from fuch a conduct, for fear of giving offence or a bad example to any. For how can he reprove another, or warn him not to converfe with a woman for fear of ftumbling, as it is written, he who hath already divorced one woman, and keeps two with him, both handsome and in the flower of their age, and whom he carries about wherever he goes, at the fame time living in a delicate and luxurious manner. All figh for these things in fecret indignation, but tremble at his power, and dare not accufe him. Severe cenfures would doubtlefs be due to him, were he our dearest friend, and perfectly orthodox in his fentiments. But he who hath renounced christian mysteries lies out of the reach of our cenfures.

Neceffity conftraining us, we have expelled from the church the adverfary of God, and placed in his room Domnus, a man adorned with all gifts required in a bishop, fon of Demetrian of worthy memory, the predeceffor of Paul."

It is fashionable, at prefent, to despise all religious councils whatever; I fuppofe because it is

fashionable

fashionable to defpife religion. For on all subjects, which are esteemed of moment, common fenfe hath ever dictated to mankind to hold councils; and politics, agriculture, and the fine arts have their councils continually. Not to be carried away by the torrent of the times I think it to be an hiftorian's duty. Men who follow fashion will gain the reputation of being fenfible and judicious, without either learning, industry, or reflection. This makes the temptation fo ftrong. I fhail venture however to affirm, that all religious councils are not foolish, because many have been fo. That at Jerufalem* was worth more than all the wealth and power of the Roman empire; in this way also we have feen Cyprian to have ferved the church fubftantially, though in one inftance he failed: and the council which dictated the letter concerning Paul will deferve, under God, the thanks of the church of Chrift to the end of the world. Circumftanced as Paul was, fuperior in artifice, eloquence, and capacity, fupported by civil power and uncontrouled in his own diocefe, nothing feemed fo likely to weaken his influence and encourage the true difciples of Chrift as the concurrent teftimony of the chriftian world af fembled against him. And though it may be difficult for the foftnefs of sceptical politenefs to relish the blunt tone of the council, there feems to me evident marks of the fear of God, chriftian gravity, and confcientious regard to truth in their proceedings. Common, no doubt, must rumours have been of Paul's actual lewdnefs in Antioch! But for want of specific proof the council check themselves, and affert no more than what they know. True, they did no more than they ought, but had they been overheated with malice they would have exaggerated. It is grievous to fee

See Acts of the Apostles.