The works of Nathaniel Lardner - The Christian Researcher - Home

580 Credibility of the Gospel History.
' see ihe Son, but tlie linbegotten God, or a part of liiin, let
' Iiiiii be anathema. If any one say it was not the Son who
' wrestled with Jacob, but the unbegotten God, or a part of
' him, let him be anathema. If any one understand those
' Avords in Gen. xix. 24, " the Lord rained fire from the
' Lord," not of the Father and Son, but that God rained from
' himself, let him be anathema. For the Lord the Son rained
' from the Lord the Father.'
Indeed I think, that this sect showed little moderation in
the fourth century. Whenever*^ they had the emperor on
their side, they failed not to make use of his authority.
Between the emperors Valentinian and Valens, two brothers,
the former the elder, emperor in the West, and favourer of
the Nicene doctrine, the latter emperor in the East, Socrates
observes this diflerence ; Valentinian^ encouraged the men
of his own principles, without being at all troublesome to the
Arians : but Valens, desirous to promote Arianism, grievously
entreated those who were not of that
sequel of our history will show.
opinion, as the
So Socrates, who is the more to be regarded, because he
shows a great deal of impartiality, and censures the bishops
of his own principles, MJien they assumed a lordly power
and authority ; of which some instances were given'^ formerly.
Another is this. ' Theodosius, bishop of Synada in Phrygia
' Pacatiana,' he says, ' cruelly' persecuted the heretics in
' that city: of which there were many of the Macedonian
' sect. He not only expelled them the city, but the country :
' in M'hich he did not act agreeably to the custom of the
' orthodox church. Nor was he inHuenced by a zeal for
' the right faith, but by love of money, which he endea-
' voured to extort from the heretics.'
I know not how to forbear observing Acacius's bitter
manner of writing controversy ; who tells Marcellus, that''
he deserved to have his tongue cut out.
If any desire to see some other instances of their partiality,
' VTroaxiTu re ctfia Krti (po^tpirtfioic, on toiq fiamXiKotg TrpoTayiiam,
Kai TH PaaiXtwg OvaXivTog BrvfK^t tvavTinaOe, roiQui] ^aXofiivoiQ Kara tijv avrtov
TTi'^iv (pipiaOai. Epiph. H. 69. n. 34. p. 757. B.
* OvaXtVTivtavot; jxev yap thq fj.ev oikhhq avveKpora' TOtg ci aptiavi^HViv
sCafKOQ r]v o-^Tipoq' Ova\r)Q £e AptiavH^ av^i]Uui Trpoainnfitvog, Suva Kara rwv
roiavra f(jj (ppovavTuv iipyaaaro.—Socr. 1. iv. c. I. p. 211. B.
'' Sec p. 2.'52. ' 'Og Tsg iv avry aiptriKHg, iroXKoc Se iv
avTy ovTtQ irvyxavov rrjc MaKtOoviavwv ^pr^aKtiag, avvrovbig iSiojKiv' i^tXavvwv
avTHc fir] fjLovov Tt)Q TToKtwc, ahXa ci] kui rojvayptov. Kai thto tTroui, eK huj9u>q
ciwKHv Ty opQoSo'iii) tKK\r](jiq.. L. vii. c. 3. in.
^ tKTtTfiT)(y6ai Tt}v avoatav wpiiXig yXwrrav. Ap. Epiph. H. 72.
n.vm. in.