Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/354

 3iS A R I U S; ARIUS, a divine of the fourth century, the head and founder of the Arians, a fe<5l which denied the eternal divi- nity and confubftantiality of the Word [A], was born iri Libya, near Egypt. Eufebius, bifhop of Nicomedia, a great favourite of Conftantia, filler of the emperor Conftan- Hiero ad l ' ne > an< ^ wife of Licinius, became a zealous promoter of t. Arianifm. He took Arius under his protection, arid intro- duced him to Conftantia ; fo that the fee} increafed, and fe- veral bifhops embraced it openly [B]. There arofe, how- ever, fuch difputes in the cities, that the emperor, in order to remedy thefe diforders, was obliged to aflernble the council of Nice, where, in the year 325, the dolrine of Arius was condemned. Arius was banifhed by the emperor, all his books were ordered to be burnt, and capital punifhment was denounced againft whoever dared to keep them. After five years banifhment, he was recalled to Conftantinople, where he prefented to the emperor fuch a profeflion of faith, as made him believe Arius quite orthodox. Jn 331, Arius went to Alexandria, here St. Athananus refufed to receive him, notwithftandin-j all his menaces and recommendatory letters. O / He came to this city again in 335; but though AthanafiuS had been fent into exile, yet the people cf Alexandria reject- ed Arius, who began to raife disturbances in Eeypt. Con- framine, being informed thereof, fent orders to him to come to Conftantinople, where his friends intended that he (hould be received into the communion of that city. Conftanune demanded of Arius, if he followed the Nicene faith ? Arius afTured him he did, by an oath ; and the emperor having demanded a profeflion of his faith, he prefented it to him in writing : but he had difguiled his heretical tenets under the fimplicity of Scripture expreffions, and he took oath of his belief in the contents of the paper which he delivered. Con- ftantine, being perfuaded of the fmcerity of Arius, ordered [A] The Arian principles, accord- tmft excellent of all r,rcatn*es; that ing to Su.-mheim, were, that Chrift was the eiYence of the Father was different only called God by way of title ; that from the eflence of the Son, neither was he was lefs than the Father, who was he co-cternai, co-equal, nor cor.fub- on!y eternal, nnd ithout beginning ; flantial with the Father : that the, that he was a creature, having a be- Holy Ghoft was not God, but the crea- ginning of exigence, created out of ture ot the Son, begr.t an 1 created by thing?, havini; no being before the be- him, inferior in dignity to the Father ginning of all things : hence he was and Son, and co-worker in tht crea- rrade God, an I the Son of God by tion. adoption, nnt 1 y rtduuej and that the [B] There wcrr, befides Eufebius Word was alfo lobip^ to change : thar Theog:>is of Niciea, Vians ut Choice- the Fatlv.-r credt'-.i >!! ihings by h-.m as don, Sectindu; of Ptulethiii', and Theo- an iufttument j aod .riat he was the nas of Marmaricft, 8 Alexander