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ALTHOUGH all the houses of prayer were at this period in the
possession of the Catholic Church, many troubles occurred in various
parts of the empire, instigated by the Arians. The Emperor
Theodosius, therefore, soon after the council above mentioned, again
summoned together the presidents of the sects which were flourishing,
in order that they might either bring others to their own state of
conviction on disputed topics, or be convinced themselves; for he
imagined that all would be brought to oneness of opinion, if a free
discussion were entered into, concerning ambiguous points of doctrine.
The council, therefore, was convened. This occurred in the year of
the second consulate of Merobaudes, and the first of Saturninus, and
at the same period that Arcadius was associated with his father in the
government of the empire. Theodosius sent for Nectarius, consulted
with him concerning the coming Synod, and commanded him to introduce
the discussion of all questions which had given rise to heresies, so
that the church of the believers in Christ might be one, and might
agree on the doctrine according to which piety ought to be observed.
When Nectarius returned home, feeling anxious about the affair
confided to him, he made known the mandate of the emperor to Agelius,
the president of the church of the Novatians, who held the same
religious sentiments as himself. Agelius proved the virtue of his life
by works, but was unaccustomed to the finesse and deception of words;
he therefore proposed as a substitute, one of his readers, by name
Sisinius, who afterwards succeeded him as bishop, a man who could see
what was practical, and could debate, if that were necessary.
Sisinius possessed powers of intellect and of expression; he had an
accurate knowledge of the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, and
was well acquainted with profane and with ecclesiastical literature.
He proposed that all disputation with the heterodox, as being a
fruitful source of contention and war, should be avoided; but
recommended that inquiries should rather be instituted, as to whether
the heretics admitted the testimony of the expositors and teachers of
the sacred words, who lived before the Church was rent in division.
"If they reject the testimony of these great men," said he, "they
will be condemned by their own followers; but if they admit their
authority as being adequate to resolve ambiguous points of doctrine, we
will produce their books." For Sisinius was well aware that, as the
ancients recognized the Son to be eternal like the Father, they had
never presumed to assert that He had had an origin from some
beginning. This suggestion received the approbation of Nectarius,
and afterwards of the emperor; and investigations were set on foot as
to the opinions entertained by heretics concerning the ancient
interpreters of Scripture. As it was found that the heretics
professed to hold these early writers in great admiration, the emperor
asked them openly whether they would defer to the authority of the
aforesaid on controverted topics, and test their own doctrines by the
sentiments propounded in those works. This proposition excited great
contention among the leaders of the various heretical sects, for they
did not all hold the same view about the books of the ancients; the
emperor knew that they were convicted by the debates over their own
words alone, and withdrew the proposition. He blamed them for their
opinion, and commanded each party to draw up a written exposition of
its own creed. On the day appointed for the presentation of these
documents, Nectarius and Agelius appeared at the palace, as
representatives of those who maintain the consubstantiality of the Holy
Trinity; Demophilus, the Arian president, came forward as the
deputy of the Arians; Eunomius represented the Eunomians; and
Eleusius, bishop of Cyzicus, appeared for the sectarians denominated
Macedonians. The emperor, after receiving their formularies,
expressed himself in favor of that one alone in which consubstantiality
of the Trinity was recognized, and destroyed the others. The
interests of the Novatians were not affected by this transaction, for
they held the same doctrines as the Catholic Church concerning the
Divine nature. The members of the other sects were indignant with the
priests for having entered into unwise disputations in the presence of
the emperor. Many renounced their former opinions, and embraced the
authorized form of religion. The emperor enacted a law, prohibiting
heretics from holding churches, from giving public instructions in the
faith, and from conferring ordination on bishops or others. Some of
the heterodox were expelled from the cities and villages, while others
were disgraced and deprived of the privileges enjoyed by other subjects
of the empire. Great as were the punishments adjudged by the laws
against heretics, they were not always carried into execution, for the
emperor had no desire to persecute his subjects; he only desired to
enforce uniformity of view about God through the medium of
intimidation. Those who voluntarily renounced heretical opinions
received commendation from him.
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