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| The Eunomians divide into Several Factions.
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Chapter XXIV.—The
Eunomians divide into Several Factions.
But neither did the followers
of Eunomius remain without dissensions: for Eunomius807
himself had long before this separated from Eudoxius who ordained him
bishop of Cyzicus, taking occasion from that bishop’s refusal to
restore to communion his master Aëtius who had been ejected. But
those who derived their name from him were subsequently divided into
several factions. For first Theophronius a Cappadocian, who had been
instructed in the art of disputation by Eunomius, and had acquired a
smattering of Aristotle’s
Categories, and his Book of Interpretation, composed some
treatises which he entitled, On the Exercise of the Mind.
Having, however, drawn down upon himself the reprobation of his own
sect, he was ejected as an apostate. He afterwards held assemblies
apart from them, and left behind him a heresy which bore his own name.
Furthermore at Constantinople a certain Eutychius from some absurd
dispute, withdrew from the Eunomians, and still continues to hold
separate meetings. The followers of Theophronius are denominated
‘Eunomiotheophronians’; and those of Eutychius have the
appellation of ‘Eunomieutychians.’ What those nonsensical
terms were about which they differed I consider unworthy of being
recorded in this history, lest I should go into matters foreign to my
purpose. I shall merely observe that they adulterated baptism: for they
do not baptize in the name of the Trinity, but into the death of
Christ.808
| 808Apost. Can.50 reads: ‘If any bishop or
presbyter does not perform the one initiation with three immersions,
but with one immersion only into the death of the Lord, let him be
deposed.’ Also the Second General Synod (that of Constantinople,
381) in its 7th Canon passed the following: ‘But the Eunomians,
who only baptize with one immersion, and the Montanists, who are
here called Phrygians, and the Sabellians, who teach the doctrine of
the Fatherhood of the Son…(if they wish to be joined to the
Orthodox faith) we receive as heathen; on the first day we make them
Christians, on the second, catechumens, &c.’ See Hefele,
Hist. of the Church Councils, Vol. II. p. 367, 368.
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Among the Macedonians also there was for some time a division, when
Eutropius a presbyter held separate assemblies, and Carterius did not
agree with him. There are possibly in other cities sects which have
emanated from these: but living at Constantinople, where I was born and
educated, I describe more particularly what has taken place in that
city; both because I have myself witnessed some of these transactions,
and also because the events which have there occurred are of
pre-eminent importance, and are therefore more worth of commemoration.
Let it however be understood that what I have here related happened at
different periods, and not at the same time. But if any one should be
desirous of knowing the names of the various sects, he may easily
satisfy himself, by reading a book entitled Ancoratus,809
| 809Epiphan. Ancoratus, 13. Photius calls the
Ancoratus a synopsis of the treatise of Epiphanius on
Heresies (Biblioth. 123). The subject here referred to
was treated by Epiphanius in Hær. LXVI. and LXVIII.
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composed by Epiphanius, bishop of Cyprus: but I shall content myself
with what I have already stated. The public affairs were again thrown
into agitation from a cause I shall now refer to.
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