Defence Before Constantius.
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1. Knowing that you have been a Christian for
many years1282
| 1282 [cf. Acts xxvi. 2.] Constantius, though here called a Christian, was not
baptized till his last illness, a.d. 361, and
then by the Arian Bishop of Antioch, Euzoius. At this time he was 39
years of age. Theodoret represents him making a speech to his whole
army on one occasion, exhorting them to Baptism previous to going to
war; and recommending all to go thence who could not make up their mind
to the Sacrament. H. E. iii. 1. Constantius, his grandfather,
had rejected idolatry and acknowledged the One God, according to
Eusebius, V. Const. i. 14, though it does not appear that he had
embraced Christianity. |
, most
religious Augustus, and that you
are godly by descent, I cheerfully undertake to answer for myself at
this time;—for I will use the
language of the
blessed Paul, and
make him my advocate before you, considering that he was a
preacher of
the
truth, and that you are an
attentive hearer of his words.
With respect to those ecclesiastical matters,
which have been made the ground of a conspiracy against me, it is
sufficient to refer your Piety to the testimony of the many Bishops who
have written in my behalf1283
; enough too is the
recantation of Ursacius and Valens
1284
to
prove to
all men, that none of the charges which they set up against me had any
truth in them. For what evidence can others produce so
strong, as what
they declared in writing? ‘We lied, we
invented these things; all
the
accusations against Athanasius are full of
falsehood.’ To
this clear
proof may be added, if you will vouchsafe to hear it, this
circumstance that the accusers brought no evidence against Macarius the
presbyter while we were present; but in our absence
1285
, when they were by themselves, they managed
the matter as they pleased. Now, the
Divine Law first of all, and next
our own
Laws1286
| 1286 Cf.
Apol. Ar. ii. 51. |
, have expressly declared, that such
proceedings are of no force whatsoever. From these things your piety,
as a lover of God and of the truth, will, I am sure, perceive that we
are free from all suspicion, and will pronounce our opponents to be
false accusers.
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