428: Augustine: Harmony

420: Cassian: Conferences

600: Veronica Legend

800: Aquinas: Eternity of the World

As the usefulness of any Book must very much depend on the belief entertained of the orthodoxy of its author, I have thought it right to discuss as briefly as possible the following questions: First, The alleged Arianism of Eusebius: secondly, his views of Prophecy, generally; and thirdly, his belief that no restoration of the Jews, and no personal reign of Christ on earth, are to be expected. I think it right to use my best endeavour to place these questions in their true light, because I conceive much mistake exists respecting them.

Section I.

On the alleged Arianism of Eusebius, and on the manner in which he has expressed his opinions.

In prosecuting this inquiry, our first business will be to determine, what the opinions of Arius were: our second, what those were which our author himself held, and how he has usually expressed these.

I would premise then, that in endeavouring to ascertain the religious belief of any writer, it is our duty to abide by his positively expressed opinions, and to attach to his words the precise sense, which it is most obvious be intended they should bear. If indeed, we think we see reason for suspecting his honesty, or feel difficulties in accounting for his conduct on certain occasions, we ought perhaps to put the best construction we can on these things; because the sources, from which they may have come down to us, might in the first instance have been any thing but pure; and in the second, from the little we can now know of the exact bearing of all such particulars, our knowledge respecting them must necessarily be very imperfect.

Our questions however,—whatever may be the difficulties inherent in them in some respects,—do not appear to me to be greatly embarrassed in these. The great questions are, What did Arius positively propose for belief? And, What does Eusebius appear to have believed, with reference to the creed of this Heresiarch ?

The leading opinion of Arius was, as it appears from his own statements, that there was a time in which Christ, the Son of God, had no positive existence whatsoever [Socratis Hist. Eccl. Lib. I. c. v. "GREEK" "Si Pater genuit Filium, existendi initium habet is qui genitus est. Ex quo manifeste liquet, fuisse aliquando tempus, cum non esset Filius : et necessario conficitur, eundem ex nihilo subsistere."  We have ib. cap. vi. the Bishop of Alexandria's Letter to the Bishops generally, containing his comments on the dogmas of Arius. After which follows that of Constantine, exhorting both the parties to merge their differences, and not to dispute on matters such as these, which were small and of no moment! which Socrates praises as evincing great wisdom; and to this Le Clerc seems to agree. Constantine's words are,... "GREEK" "De quadam parte inanis quaestionis." And, a little lower down, that no new dogma had been introduced, but as both held the same opinion (virtually), they might well agree together. "GREEK" I would remark here, that Constantine evinced neither the mind of an enlightened Believer, nor of a wise Governour; as indeed the sequel most abundantly proved. To be so liberal as to disregard the truth, is as rotten a policy, as it is to deal out secular pains and punishments on account of religious belief, however erroneous such belief might be. We have a similar account of the opinions of Arius, in Sozomen, Hist. Eccl. Lib. i. c. xv. Theodoret. Hist. Eccl. Lib. i. cc. ii. iv. The Epistle of Arius himself, ib. c. v. The Epistle of Eusebius of Nicomedia to Paulinus Bishop of Tyre, ib. c. vi. Philostorg. Hist. Eccl. Lib. n. 3. Epiphan. Heres. v. 69, as quoted by Le Clerc. Montfaue. Colleet, nov. Patr. p. xvii. &c. and Cave's Hist. Lit. Tom. I. p. 120. Edit. 1088.]; that He was begotten; by which he understood, was produced out of nothing. These I take to have been the leading doctrines of Arius; and those, out of which, and about which, the great controversy that agitated the Church, soon after it was established by Constantine, originated and was carried on.

What, in the next place, are the opinions positively and clearly expressed, and maintained, by Eusebius? In our following work, p. 5, Christ is termed " the only (begotten) Word of God, whom the Maker of all generated of Himself, as a ray of light from His own Godhead." He is next spoken of as a Mediator, (p. 6,) appointed by the Father, to whose Godhead perishable beings, such as we are, could make no possible approach. The Word of God is then described as having meekly lowered Himself, become the efficient Cause of all things (p. 8. seq.), the Creator, Ruler, and Governour, of all.

The Person of the Father is then (p. 11. seq.) more particularly described as the (primary) Cause of every thing; incomprehensible, unrevealed, and reserved in the unseen depth of (His own) knowledge. From Him, the Son, or Word of God, is next described as a river ever flowing from an unlimited fountain, and distilling as rain to beings otherwise perishing. The Father is next spoken of as, in some respects, similar to the mind concealed within man ; the Son, to the Word, sent forth announcing its determina­tions: and this again, in a manner exceeding all comparison, and least of all like the word of man, which is produced by a mere percussion of the air [Guarding in this against the errors of Marcellus, as we shall see hereafter. And let it be remembered, that, although our author has in­stituted comparisons with regard to the Father, the Son, and the Holy-Ghost, his intention seems to have been, only to give an illustration, and not by the illustration to determine the abstract nature of the Beings so illustrated, as this context is sufficient to shew.] : the Divine Word being the living minister of God, " the power of God," and " the Wisdom of God."

In the next place (p. 14.), He is said to be the God that is begotten of God, and then John i. 1. is cited as the Scriptural warrant for this. Again, (p. 15.) He is termed the LIFE and the Light which cannot be described. A little farther on (p. 18.), the Father is said to be the Head (source) of the generation of the Word," and the originating cause of all, and therefore truly styled the Father and God above all, beyond whom no cause can be assigned. From Him, it is added, proceeded forth the Son, the only begotten Saviour of all. Again, He is said to be in all things like to His Father, (so also p. 30), and to extend Himself throughout all things. Again, (p. 21) He is declared to be in nothing incomplete because horn of God; and, as being God of God, He is sufficient for all, and Almighty : and is the one, image of His (Father's) essence. Again, (p. 26. seq.) a comparison is instituted between the Father and the Son, with reference to the Divine Economy, by a royal court; the King remaining concealed and unapproachable; the Son sustaining the office of first minister, and sending forth the determination of His Father's will throughout the various orders of society under his government.

In Book ii. Sect. 3, the Son, or Word of God, is said to have had no beginning; and Book in. p. 178, it is affirmed, that He still remained with His Father, notwithstanding His incarnation, just as He was before, immaterial, incor­poreal, and unchanged, as to His (eternal) essence [It will be objected perhaps, that the word Eternal does not occur in our text. I answer, the term is generally used in the Syriac in this sense; and, if it be a translation,—which it most likely is,—of the Greek ούσία, there can be no doubt on the mind of those who are accustomed to read the Philosophers, that, in this place the Eternal Essence is meant.]: and (ib. p. 179), that even when He conversed among men, He filled all things, was with the Father, and was in Him. So far we may perhaps conclude, that there does appear to be a wide and palpable difference of opinion, between our author and the celebrated heresiarch Arius.

Before however, we can fully enter into the mind of Eusebius on these questions, we must inquire how he rea­soned about Deity in the abstract, and of created Beings with reference to this : we shall then be able to see, what he meant when he spoke of a Being generated of God, coming forth of God, and, at the same time, having a positive existence, subsistency, or person, and sustaining the character of a rational agent.

On this subject then, he has delivered himself most fully and unreservedly in his Praeparatio Evangelica. The place to which I now allude is Lib. xi. cap. ix. p. 523. seq. He commences with Exod. iii. 14, where Moses, speaking in the person of God, says, / am that (Being) which I am. "Σγώ είμτ ό ών" Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel, The Being hath sent me to you;" laying it down, that God is the only Being truly existing; and shewing, that He (alone) is properly and conveniently worthy of this appellation. This, he goes on to tell us, is the real source and origin of all things both spiritual and corporeal. He then cites Plato to the same effect, and reasons accordingly, just as he has in our work, (Book 11. sect. 24, 33, with the notes, also ib. sect. 44, 46, with the notes [It should be borne in mind, in reading the works of Eusebius, that, as he reasons very much in imitation of Plato, we should be careful to understand him accordingly. When, for example, he speaks of Being (ό ών, or τ όν), in the abstract, he means that Being alone which is properly called God, as in the following work, pp. 31, 89: p. 96, sect. 33, with the Notes: also p. 104, sect. 44: p. 106, sect. 45; ib. p. 108. So Le Clerc. of Plato. Bibl. Univers. Ann. 1088, p. 387. "II croit qu'il n'y, qu'un Dieu supreme, spirituel et invisible, qu'il appelle d'Etre meme, le Bien meiue, le PeRe et la Cause de tons les autres.—Hence too, we occasionally find the Syriac term , word, used in our work in the sense of Reason, which I have marked in the notes, just as the Platonists did the Greek λόγος.]). This is followed up in the Praeparatio Evangelica, with a long extract from Numenius, (cap. x.), and another from Plutarch, (cap. xi.) which we shall presently notice. We are then taught, that the Godhead is incapable of description by words (cap. xii.) ; and then that He is One ; Deut. vi. 4. is now cited to establish this. The opinions of Plato are again quoted, expressive of God's all pervading character, power, justice, and the like; and, as corresponding with this, we have Isaiah xli. 4; Ps. x. 8; Deut. xxxii. 35; Ps. xxx. 24; Deut. xiii. 4; James iv. 6; and Job xx. 5, according to the lxx. All of which is apparently intended to afford a determinate, ample, and full view of the abstract nature of the Deity, as conceived by our author.

We are taught in the next place, and in the same context, that all Being must be one of two kinds only; either that which is spiritual, and to be perceived by the intellect only ; or that which is material, and is known by the senses; that the former of these is immortal and impervious to de­cay; the latter, the contrary. And it is elsewhere argued, that of spiritual Beings, those which are brought nearest to the Godhead, are those which partake most largely of its character (not of its essence necessarily) : those, which are otherwise, the reverse [Our Work, pp. 24, 27, 29, 30, 35, &c.]: that it is through the mediation of the Son alone, that any such approximation as this can be made by the creatures; and that light, life, and every heavenly virtue can be known by them.—That the Son is of the same essence, (ούσία) with the Father, is ever with Him, and in Him: is filled with all the fulness of His Father's Godhead bodily [Eccles. Theol. Lib. in. p. 195 A... "GREEK" Com. in Is. xlii. "GREEK" Col. ii. 9, and again, Com. in Psalm. p. 354.  "GREEK"   "Neque enim modo habitavit in illo, modo recessit ab eo; sed in infinitum ac semper Pater in Filio inhabitat."  He had just before said, that this indwelling is not such as that of God is, when it is said that He walks in his people. (2 Cor. vi. 16.)] : and that, notwithstanding His incarnation, humiliation, sufferings, and death, His Godhead remained, just as it was before, complete and perfect [Our Work below, pp. 21, 25, 55, 89, 96,104, 108, &c.], immaterial, all-pervading, almighty, unutterable. We have here therefore, a full and marked distinction established between the Divine nature, and, that of the creatures, whether spiritual or corporeal.

The Deity is next viewed by our author, with respect to the Divine Economy (ή οίκονομία), which term however does not occur in our Work [It is to be found however in his Eccles. Hist. Lib. i. cap. i. twice, p. l.... "άπό πρώτης άρξομαι τής κατά τον Σωτήρα καί κύριον ήμών GREEK..." Ab ipsa Servatoris ac Domini nostri Jesu Christi incarnatione" (dispensatione) "initium ducam." Ib. p. 2.... "GREEK"..."Ab ipsa quae captum longe superat humanum Servatoris Christi dispensatione, et ab ejusdem divinitatis expositione repetetur." Where we have a manifest distinction made between the terms θεολογϊας, and οίκονομίας : the former having respect to the Deity of our Lord considered in the abstract; the second, to his office sustained in the Divine Economy. This term occurs also in the very valuable Greek work of Eusebius, lately published by Dr. Gaisford, entitled "Eclogae Prophetarum," (Oxonii. 1842.) pp. 13, 17, 32, &c.—According to the Fathers generally, the Economy (οίκονομία) had respect (i.) to the providence and government of God generally. So Epiphanius Haeres. lxiii. "GREEK" "Non norunt Dei potentiam, neque bonitatem, neque ipsius sapientiae gubernationem." So also Greg. Nyss. Catechet. Mag. cap. xii. Tom. iii. p. 67. Chrysost. Lib. i. de Provid. cap. vii. &c, as cited by Suicer. Thesaur. Eccles. sub voce.   (ii.) To the ministry of the New Test. Eph. iii. 2. Col. i. 25. 1 Cor. ix. 17: termed by Gregory of Nyssa, "GREEK". Orat. Catechet. cap. xxv. Tom. iii. p. 83, &c. cited ib. by Suicer.   (iii.) To the Incarnation of our Lord. So Theodoret. Dial. ii. cap. ix. Tom. iv. p. 62. (ib. Suicer), "GREEK". "Incarnationem Dei verbi, aeconomiam vel assumtam humanitatem, vocamus." Our author however, speaks of this as being in operation previous to the incarnation of our Lord, (Eclog. Prophet, as noticed above, p. 13), where, speaking of God's appearing to Abraham, Gen. xviii. I9), and shewing that it cannot apply either to the God of all (i.e. the Father), or the angelic nature, he says it must apply to the Word, "GREEK". Whom we have believed both to have variously appeared, even before the incarnation for the salvation of men, and to have effected the dispensations contained in the divine Scriptures. He goes on to say, that to Him alone, after the God of all (the Father), is the four-lettered appellation (i.e. Jehovah) found to be applied. The same is implied (ib. pp. 31, 32.) on Exod. xiii. 21, where the Hebrew text has Jehovah]. But this is of no importance, as it is most clear, the thing itself does: and, it is worthy of remark, Eusebius is perhaps more particular than the Fathers generally in marking the dealings of the Deity with the creatures, in this respect, at a much earlier period than they usually do. For example, he makes our Lord a mediator between God and the Angels, even before man had a being [Contra Marcel, p. 8. B.]. In this respect generally it is, that he speaks of the Holy and thrice blessed Trinity, as he now terms the Godhead, and speaks of the generation, or issuing forth, both of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. To each of these he assigns a peculiar office, and Person or ύπόστασις, for the aid and benefit of the rational creatures, and in order that all these,—which are capable of this,—might be made such as their rational nature, received from the Son, declares they ought to be; and thence, to be made partakers of a higher nature and of higher joys in His immediate presence above. It appears therefore, that he speaks of the Deity under two points of view. One, under which he views Him in His abstract character, and as being the Creator, Governour, and God of all (termed ή μοναρχία) : another, under which he considers Him, as subsisting in the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, revealed as such with reference to the Divine Economy, and particularly as it respects the creation, redemption, and final salvation of Man: directly and positively asserting, that these are of one and the same Essence (ούσία) : that the Son, and the Holy Ghost, have proceeded out of the Father; and that, as far as it respects their offices in the Economy, they are considered inferior to the Father, inasmuch as He is superior [See page 11. of our work. The same sentiment is expressed by Philo Judaeus, in the Tract entitled, "GREEK"  Edit. Steph. p. 91. "GREEK" To be free from labour is most appropriate to God. See also p. 83.] to the every thing like ministration, either of office or of rule: that He can be revealed to His creatures, only by the mediation and ministration of the Son : and known to any saving extent, solely by the ministration of the Holy Ghost  [Comm. in Psalm, p. H09. Com. in Is. p. 520-7, 574. Eccles. Theol. p. 171, seq. ]. In conformity with this latter mode of viewing the Deity, He terms the Father the First Cause, the Son, the Second, and the Holy Ghost, the Third: not for the purpose, as far as I can see, of lowering in any degree the Divine nature of either: but solely for that of speaking more intelligibly and definitely respecting the Office and Person of each, as sustained in the Divine Economy. Whether Eusebius did right or wrong in making this technical distinction, is not the question here: with this I have now nothing to do. I have only to inquire, what he meant, when he set it up, and reasoned accordingly.

These questions are discussed at some length, in the xith, xiith, and xiiith chapters of the Seventh Book of the Praeparatio Evangelica, and again, from chap. ix. to chap. xx. of the Eleventh Book of the same work : from some of which I shall make a few extracts, sufficient, as I trust, to shew what the mind of our author was. In chap. xii. then of the Seventh Book he tells us, that the Hebrews introduce a Second Essence [The text stands thus: "GREEK". Which Viger translates, "Naturam alteram" (incorrectly, and then warns the reader of the Arianism of Eusebius, which he himself had created. See also his note on the passage) "constituunt, vimque divinam, quae cum eorum omnium quae gignuntur principium sit, tum ante caeteras omnes extiterit, ab eodemque primo Principio genita fuerit, quam ipsi (i.e. Hebraei) Verbum, Sapientiam, Deique Virtutem appellare solent." Where it may also be remarked, "constituunt, vimque divinam," is any thing but an accurate translation of the Greek. In the first of these cases, he has supposed that ούσία was to be taken in the sense of Φυσις which is indeed often done by the Fathers. It seems not to have occurred to him, that they do nevertheless use ούσία in the sense of ύπόστασις:, Person, with the view of guarding against the errors of Marcellus, Paulus of Samosata, and others; with the first of whom our author had a warm controversy, "Ousia vero vocabulum" (says Suicer sub voce).."de Christo usurpari coepit, quia Samosatenus et Marcellus Filium Dei vocarunt (GREEK), verbum, quod ex ore prodit: ut docet Epiphanius haeresi LXIII. pag. 366." And hence we are told (page 12 of our work) that Christ is not "constituted in His nature by the enunciation of names and words," &c. &c. It is worthy of remark, too, that the Arians were most averse to the term ούσία, Essence, as applied either to the Father or the Son, (see Suiceri Thes. ib.) because, by this, when applied to Christ, His being Homoousian with the Father was implied.] and Divine Power, the Principle of all created beings; the First subsisting, and Begotten of the First (Essence), terming Him the Word, and the Wisdom, and the Power of God. He goes on to shew, that Job (xxviii. 20), David (Ps. xxxiii. 6), Solomon (Prov. viii. 12, ib. 22—30): also Wisd. vi. 24; vii. 22; viii. I. [I omit citing these passages in order to save space. I would suggest that they ought to he examined. Le Clerc adds, Wisd. Sol. viii.19: ix. 2: xviii. 15, 10: which are sufficient to determine the Platonizing character of its author. ] had this Being in view. And he then tells us, that this Divine Word is variously represented in Holy Scripture, as sent by the Father for the salvation of men : that He shewed Himself to Abraham, Moses, and other Prophets beloved of God, and taught them many things by Divine enouncements and predictions, where it is said that God and the Lord appeared and spoke to them ; that the same came for the knowledge of all, as a Saviour and Physician of diseased souls, being sent by a Greater [Here Viger warns us again, that this is to be read with caution. "Locus hie caute legendus." But, might he not as well have cautioned us against St. John, nay against our Lord Himself, in the same way, where it is said, "My Father is greater than I?" (Chap. xiv. 28.) The question is not so much in cases of this sort, as to what the naked words are, but as to the manner in which we ought to view them. Our author is manifestly speaking here of our Lord as engaged in the office of a ministering servant in the Divine Economy; and this as before, prior to His Incarnation: which however he has, more than once, affirmed had no influence whatever in lowering the character of His Divine nature.]. He then cites Ps. cvi. 20.  " He sent His word and healed them," &c. Ps. cxlvii. 4. "His word runneth very swiftly:" and after this John i. 1—5. We are next told, that Moses, inspired as he was, introduces God speaking to His First-begotten Word, on the creation of Man, thus; "Let us make man in our image and likeness :" and as agreeing with this, Ps. xxxiii. 9, is cited, "He spake and they were made; he commanded, and they were created.'"  This he says evidently marks the discourse of the First with the Second Cause, as of a Father with a Son. We are then informed that Moses speaks in other places of Two Lords, as in the destruction of Sodom ; "The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrha brimstone and  fire, from the Lord out of heaven." (Gen. xix. 24). So "The Lord said unto my Lord" &c. (Ps. cx. 8.) is a similar place: and, in the same (Ps. ver. 4.) the inexplicable and mysterious Generation of the Son is intimated. In the same work (Lib. xi. cc. xxiii. xiv.) the same question is discussed ; and here, Prov. viii. 12, 22. seq. is cited, as is also, Wisd. vi. 24; vii. 25; viii. l, as already remarked. All of which appears to me, to have been intended to mark, as existing under the former dispensation, a recognition of the distinct personality and Divinity of the Son; it being more than once affirmed, that this Person was that designated by the name Jehovah (τετράγραμμον) under that dispensation [This inquiry is prosecuted to a still greater length, in the work of our author lately published by Dr. Gaisford, entitled "Eclogae Prophetarum." I will here point out a few places only. In pages 6, 6, we have Gen. xi. 5, 6, 7 cited, where the term (HEBREW) is used, and is applied by our author to Christ, as ministering to the Father in the Divine Economy. Again (p. 6 seq.), Gen. xii. 1. 7: xiii. 14: xv. 1, 7. (Not Gen. 7, as there marked), xvii. 1: xviii. 1 : 16—20, 22—25, 33. All of which, we are told (p. 9), cannot, as revealed to Abraham and enounced in the four-lettered name (i.e. Jehovah), apply either to any Angel, or to any Divine Power a little superior to the Angels, but does to God Himself. After noticing some other passages, in which mere angels are said to have appeared as to Abraham and Lot, we are told (p. 11 seq.) that a comparison of the Old with the New Testament, will shew that the Father is invisible, nevertheless that God is said both by Moses and the Prophets to have variously appeared. (Is. vi. 5 is pointed out, which St. John, xii. 41 explains of Christ, all of which is referred to Christ, (ib. p. 13), and as done by him under the Divine Economy, even before His incarnation, as already noticed. I mention these few places, merely as specimens of our author's mode of treating on the Person of Christ, which I think could not have been done by any Arian. Similar interpretations of places in Genesis are given by Cyril of Alexandria against Julian. Lib. viii. p. 267, &c. Edit. 1696. et ib. p. 292 seq. as they also are by Theodoret in his work published by Dr. Gaisford, p. 84 seq.].

We are next presented with an account of the Word, according to the mind of Philo Judaeus, and Aristobulus, a Jewish writer contemporary with the Ptolemies ; the most remarkable parts of which only I shall notice. Philo tells us then,—after stating that the Divine Oracles well ascribe the Image of God to the Word, as to a second God; no mortal nature being adequate to the bearing of such impression, and the like,—that the Eternal Word of the Everlasting God, is the most powerful and firm support of all things." "GREEK" Where we may observe, the Word (λογος) is said to be eternal; as it is above, to be a second God. Philo proceeds, very much in the manner of our author [Theoph. p. 7, seq.], "GREEK" Which Viger translates, "Hoc enim illud est, cujus arbitrio dum a mediis ad extrema, simulque a summis ad media pertinet, constitutus ac perpetuus naturae cursus peragitur. Partes enim omnes inter se se consociat atque constringit, quod illud Pater, a quo genitum est, firmissimum quoddam totius universi vinculum esse voluerit." Aristobulus (ib. Lib. vn. cap. xiv.) tells us, that the Wisdom which Solomon describes (Prov. viii.) as being prior to the creation of the world, the Stoics consider as a sort of Lamp to be followed during their whole lives, in order to be preserved from every sort of perturbation. Again, (Lib. xi. c. xv.) Philo goes on : "GREEK" "Decet enim, eos qui cum scientia societatem inierunt, ejus quod est, videndi desiderio teneri: aut si minus id possint, ejus saltern imaginis, hoc est sacratissimi Verbi." And again, (ib.) "GREEK" [Zech. vi. 12, according to the LXX] "Ut quis minus adhuc filii Dei appellatione dignus fuerit, se ipsum tamen ad primogenitum illius Verbum...conformare conetur.  Etenim Principium, Dei Nomen, Verbum, Homo secundum Imaginem, et videns Israel appellatur."  A little lower down ("the Man whose name is Anatole (lit. Rising as of the Sun, Auth. Vers. the Branch) [This passage is found in Philo's work, entitled, "GREEK" . Edit. Steph. p. 231.] is said to have been spoken of by one of the friends of Moses; and He is said to have been thus named, who is otherwise called the Firstborn, because the Father of all caused Him to arise (as the Sun) : "GREEK"

It must be obvious I think from all this, that, whatever Philo and Aristobulus might have been as Platonists, they could not, as Jews, have supposed this second God to have been any thing less than Jehovah Himself; and this Philo seems to imply when he says, that He is the Being, termed the Beginning [Alluding perhaps to Is. xii. 4, &c. In the Tract however, (GREEK), &c. p. 343. Edit. Steph. God is said to be the Principle or Beginning of generation. (GREEK)] or Principle, the Name of God, and Word ; the Man according to Image, and the seeing Israel [The place probably had in view is Gen. xvi. 13, where it is said that "She called the name of the Lord (Jehovah  (HEBREW))  that spake unto her, Thou God seest me:" where Israel seems to stand for the Hebrew El (HEBREW) Philo explains this passage, in the outset of his Tract entitled "(GREEK)" (p. 306), and says, that the Angel who met Hagar was the Divine Word (GREEK): which the Hebrew text shews was Jehovah. Again, in the Tract "(GREEK)" ib. p. 400, The Archangel, the Lord, is said to have stood on the top of the ladder (in Jacob's dream, Gen. xxviii. 13.)  (GREEK) and to have said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father, &c. (GREEK) Where there can be no doubt, the Divine Word is meant; and, that it is intended to identify this with Jehovah. Many similar places may be cited: but this is unnecessary.], (comp. Gen. xvi. 13.) The name of God, it is well known, is often put for God in the Old Testament. [Cruden's Concord, under "Name," will supply the places.]  In this respect therefore there is, if we may rely on this reasoning, between Philo and our author a complete agreement.

The opinions of Plato, on the Second Cause or Deity, will be found in the Praeparatio Evangelica of our author, (Lib. xi. cap. ix. xvi., and ib. xvii, as taken from his Commentator Plotinus; ib. xviii. from Numenius; ib. xix. from Amelius), and in the Second Book of our following Work (sectt. 24, 27, 29); they need not therefore be repeated here. Nor is it intended to enter at length either on the opinions of Plato, or on those of his Commentators. It will be sufficient for our purpose, and it will have greater weight, to state, as briefly as we can, the general results arrived at by Cyril of Alexandria,—a writer by no means likely to favour Arian views,—and Theodoret, the very elegant, learned, and judicious Bishop of Cyrus, on this subject.

Cyril then, in his work against Julian (Lib. vni. p. 267 seq. Edit. 1696), after citing Gen. i. 26. "Let us make man in our image," &c. as well as several other passages, and shewing that both the Son and Holy Ghost are here implied, as subsisting in the Deity, proceeds (p. 270) to shew, that even the Philosophers acknowledged three primitive Subsistences; and held, that to the Essence of the Deity there appertained Subsistences to the number of three: sometimes too, laying down the term Trinity, they assent to the opinions of the Christians; nor would any thing have been wanting to them, if they had chosen to apply the term Homoousian to the three Subsistences. [His words are,..."(GREEK)" We have in the Bibl. Univers. of Le Clerc (Ann. 1688, p. 393) a passage cited from Porphyry, in which the term Trinity occurs. "Platon, dit Porphyre, a enseigne que l'essence divine peut s'entendre jusqu'a trois hypostases, &c...de sorte que c'est par l'Esprit qu'il faut commencer a conter la Trinite (GREEK), &c."  He has also shewn in the same work, that the terms Homoowian (GREEK), Eterousian (GREEK), Hypostasis  (GREEK), Essence  (GREEK), and others common to the Fathers, had been used much in the same sense by the Platonists. He has also given a good outline on the general subject now before us, which he concludes, by condemning our author as an Arian.]

We have in the next page (271) a citation from Porphyry stating, that Plato extended the Essence of the Deity as far as to three Subsistences; that the supreme God was (the chief) Good ; that after Him was the second, the Maker of the world; and the third, was the Soul of the world: (implying) that the Deity extended to (this) Soul [The words are: (GREEK)]. And the conclusion of Cyril upon this is, that, as no difference can subsist between those that are of the same nature ((GREEK) [As it is desirable fully to understand the Fathers when using the term (GREEK), with reference to the Deity, I think it right to give in this place their own manner of defining it. Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria Speak thus of it: "(GREEK)" And Athanasius again, on the Trinity: (GREEK)" "Essentia communitatem notat; et si quid essentiae proprium est, id commune est personis, quae sub essentia sunt." See Suicer. Thes. Eccles. sub voce. Theodoret's reasoning on Plato's Epistles, &c. will afford some good exemplifications of the application of this. Gaisford's Edit. p. 87, seq.] it may be sufficient for the Christians to believe, as these Philosophers did, in a Divinity extended to three Subsistences, and hence to be mindful of the Trinity (so propounded).

Plato's Epinomis, and Epistle to Hermias, Erastus, and Coriscus, are then cited, (Book n. sectt. 27, 29 below), and commented upon, as is the passage from Numenius the Pythagorean (p. 272), and that from Plotinus (p. 273), which have also been cited by our author. In the last, the supreme Deity is termed the Most Perfect: the Second Cause the Mind, and the Image of God: and these are said (p. 274) to be the Generating and the Generated; to be one and inseparable, although distinct. In the former, the First God is, it is said, to be considered the Father of the Maker of the World. [(GREEK)] And the Second and Third God, as one. [GREEK]   To this Cyril objects as inconsistent, although he does not appear averse to the doctrine generally; which may be inferred from his stating (p. 273), that he finds the knowledge of the Holy Trinity among the wise men of the Greeks, as most closely connected and admitting of nothing intervening: that they say, these (Subsistences) are present with one another; and that the order which the Mind has to the First, the same in like manner has the Third or Soul, to the Mind which is (derived) from the First.  [GREEK] Where, as it should seem, no inferiority of nature in either could have been intended, although a distinction of order is insisted upon.

We have, in the next place, a description of the Spirit or Soul of the world also from Plotinus, (ib. p. 275), to the effect that it affords life to all, whether on the earth, in the air, or the heavens: that this formed the Sun, the great Heavens, this makes them to revolve; and, that being of a nature different from that of the things so formed, and moved, and to which it gives life, it is necessarily more honourable than they : these having been made, and being subject to destruction ; but it ever existing  [GREEK], &c. And, a little lower down, after matter much to the same effect, it is said, that this Spirit is like to the Father that generated it, both as to its Unity, and Ubiquity  [GREEK]. This Cyril affirms, points out the creative and enlivening energy of the Holy Ghost, which is in nature not diverse from that of the Father, or of the Son.  [GREEK] To this is added another extract from Plotinus, nearly to the same effect; to the weakness of the comparisons, instituted in which, Cyril objects: although he does not to the general doctrine taught; and, what is more to our purpose, maintains that no inferiority exists in the Persons.

This subject is touched upon by our author in his Praep. Evang. (Lib. xi. cap. xx. p. 541), where he tells us, that the Hebrew Oracles place the Holy Spirit third in order, with respect to the Father and the Son; and, in such a manner, lay down the Holy and thrice blessed Trinity, that by this Third Power all created nature is surpassed  [GREEK]. He then gives Plato's letter to Dionysius, which states the matter thus: about the King of all are all things, and His are all things, He too is the Author of all good things. But the Second (Cause) is about the things second; and the Third, about the third  [GREEK]. He remarks upon this, that those who undertake to explain the mind of the Philosopher, refer these things to the First, Second, and Third, Cause or Soul of the world, which they also determine to be a third God; but, he adds, the Sacred Scriptures place the Holy and blessed Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in the predicament of Principle, according to the things already given  [GREEK The sense and bearing of dp^ij, as applied by the Philosophers, is thus given by Tiiuseus Locrensis. (Theodoret. Edit. Gaisford, p. 101.) (GREEK) There is one ungenerated Principle of all things ; for, if it were generated, it would not then be Principle, but that (would be) Principle out of which it were generated. See also Suidas sub vocc.] It will be found that Theodoret has adopted reasoning on these passages, quite in unison with that of Eusebius and Cyril of Alexandria, as just now noticed. And, as a very neat Edition of this portion of Theodoret's works, by Dr. Gaisford, is accessible to all, it is the less necessary I should cite much from it. This subject will be found discussed at p. 87. seq. of Dr. Gaisford's publication, as it will in Tom. iv. p. 498. B. of the Edition of 1642. The only question I shall now touch upon, is one which has been discussed and pronounced upon, in similar terms, by these three Fathers. I mean, the opinions expressed by Amelius on the first few verses of St. John's Gospel. (Praep. Evang. Lib. xi. cap. xix. p. 540. Cyril contra Julian. Lib. viii. p. 283. Theodoret. Edit. Gaisford, p. 92.)

The reasoning of Amelius on John i. 1, &c. is to this effect: This then was the Word, according to which,— ever existing,—the things in being were made, even as Heraclitus also deemed: and indeed, the Barbarian thinks it right to have placed Him in the order and dignity of Principle, and to be with God, and to be God: that by Him alone (singly) all things were made; in whom, that which was made became living, and life, and Being: that he descended into Body, put on flesh, and appeared as man: after which, he then also shewed the greatness of His nature; and being forthwith set free (by death), returned to the Deity, and was God, such as He was before He de­scended to the Body, the flesh, and the man. [The following is tlie text of Eusebius, which differs in a few particulars from that of Dr. Gaisford, and of Cyril. (GREEK) It certainly does seem, from the reasoning of Philo on the Logos, and from the Targumists, who use the term (HEBREW) (Word) in the same way, as well as from St. John's adoption of the term (GREEK), that this mode of viewing the Deity, with reference to the Divine Economy, had then got very considerable footing among the Jews,—from whose Scriptures it was, as I think, most probably taken at first. St. John's statement is moreover, that this Being "was made flesh, and dwelt among us:" adopting, apparently, the general belief on this subject as correct, but taking care to restrict it to the Person of our Lord.]—Which, according to the opinion of these three Fathers, truly sets forth the Divine character of our Lord. And I may here affirm that, if these Fathers (i.e. Cyril and Theodoret) cannot be justly charged with Arianism, because they have made this use of the Greek Philosophers, and have set to their seal, that the view which treats the Father as the First Cause, the Son as the Second, and the Holy Ghost as the Third, in the Holy and thrice blessed Trinity, does not tend to lower the Divine nature of either; neither can our author, who has only done the same thing, and this I think, in every case, with regard to the Divine Economy. It ought to be borne in mind too, these Fathers believed that the Philosophers universally took these notions from the Holy Scriptures, whether right or wrong signifies nothing to our argument. They held accordingly, that the statements so made conspired with revealed truth, and thence they cited them. For my own part, I believe they were right in so doing, as I can discover no other source, from which they could have possibly been taken. [See the Praep. Evang. Lib. xm. cap. xii. Clemens Alexand. ib. cap. xiii. Le Clerc, Bibl. Univers. Ann. 1688, p. 403, seq. Theodoret. ib. p. 91, seq. tells us that Plotinus, who wrote a book on the three Hypostases, Plutarch, Numenius, and others, of the same class, coming after the advent of our Lord, inserted many things of the Christian Theology in their works. Plotinus therefore and Numenius, explaining the mind of Plato, state that he spoke of three time-exceeding and eternal (Beings), the (chief) Good, the Mind, and the Soul of all; which, he goes on to say, we term the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. (GREEK)  I think it extremely likely, that the Text of the New Testament afforded these later Philosophers much new matter on this very abstruse subject, although that of the Old might have supplied quite as much as Plato and Philo were able to say upon it: nothing being more common in the East, even at this day, than the adoption of Christian opinions by the Idolaters.]

It is true Cyril has, as noticed above, occasionally expressed his dissatisfaction with certain modes of comparison instituted by the heathen Philosophers, whose opinions and expressions our author occasionally adopted : and of this, Viger and others have availed themselves, to his injury. But it is not with modes of expression merely that we have now to deal; it is, with these, also to ascertain as far as we can, the things discussed and positively intended. All must see that every sort of comparison, instituted with respect to the Deity, must be inadequate; and consequently, that if we endeavour to ascertain a writer's opinions, through a medium so faulty and insufficient, the result must be, we shall either deceive ourselves, or injure him. Our author has however, guarded himself abundantly against this again and again, declaring, that the nature of the Deity exceeds every effort of comparison or description ; whence it should seem, he intended to provide, that his opinions should not be judged of in a way so unlikely to do them justice. If he has adopted too much of the Platonic mode of reasoning, or entered too particularly into questions, on which later times have deemed it prudent to say little or nothing; these are things with which we have now nothing to do: all we have before us is, simply to ascertain as far as we can, what his views respecting the Deity positively were.—Having then, so far inquired into, and ascertained, his modes of thinking and stating his opinions, we may now proceed to examine them upon other grounds.

Section II.

On the Opinions of Eusebius, as deducible from the History of the Council of Nice.

We now come to consider the Letter of our .Author addressed to the Church of Caesarea, respecting the proceedings of the Council of Nice, particularly as this has been made one of the chief grounds of accusation against him.