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| Declension of the Emperor Constantius from the true Faith.
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Chapter II.—Declension of the
Emperor Constantius from the true Faith.
Constantia, the widow of Licinius, was the half-sister of Constantine451
| 451 Vide
Pedigree. Philostorgius (ii. 16) said the will was given to Eusebius of
Nicomedia. Valesius (on Soc. i. 25) thinks that if the story had been
true Athanasius would have recorded it, with the name of the
Presbyter. | . She was intimately acquainted with a
certain priest who had imbibed the doctrines of Arius. He did not
openly acknowledge his unsoundness; but, in the frequent conversations
which he had with her, he did not refrain from declaring that Arius had
been unjustly calumniated. After the death of her impious husband, the
renowned Constantine did everything in his power to solace her, and
strove to prevent her from experiencing the saddest trials of
widowhood. He attended her also in her last illness452
, and rendered her every proper attention.
She then presented the priest whom I mentioned to the emperor, and
entreated him to receive him under his protection.
Constantine acceded to her request, and soon after fulfilled his
promise. But though the priest was permitted the utmost freedom of
speech, and was most honourably treated, he did not venture to reveal
his corrupt principles, for he observed the firmness with which the
emperor adhered to the truth. When Constantine was on the point of
being translated to an eternal kingdom, he drew up a will, in which he
directed that his temporal dominions should be divided among his sons.
None of them was with him when he was dying, so he entrusted the will
to this priest alone, and desired him to give it to Constantius, who,
being at a shorter distance from the spot than his brothers, was
expected to arrive the first. These directions the priest executed, and
thus by putting the will into his hands, became known to Constantius,
who accepted him as an intimate friend, and commanded him to visit him
frequently. Perceiving the weakness of Constantius, whose mind was like
reeds driven to and fro by the wind, he became emboldened to declare
war against the doctrines of the gospel. He loudly deplored the stormy
state of the churches, and asserted it to be due to those who had
introduced the unscriptural word “consubstantial” into the
confession of faith, and that all the disputes among the clergy and the
laity had been occasioned by it. He calumniated Athanasius and all who
coincided in his opinions, and formed designs for their destruction,
being used as their fellow-worker by Eusebius453
| 453 Of
Nicomedia, now transferred to the see of Constantinople. | ,
Theognis, and Theodorus, bishop of Perinthus.
The last-named, whose see is
generally known by the name of Heraclea, was a man of great erudition,
and had written an exposition of the Holy Scriptures454
.
These bishops resided near the
emperor, and frequently visited him; they assured him that the return
of Athanasius from banishment had occasioned many evils, and had
excited a tempest which had shaken not only Egypt, but also Palestine,
Phœnicia, and the adjacent countries455
| 455 The
ground of objection to the return was (i) that Athanasius had been
condemned by a Council—that of Tyre, and (ii) that he was
restored by the authority of the state alone. The first intention was
to get the Arian Pistus advanced to the patriarchate. | .E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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