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EUSEBIUS clearly testifies that the aforesaid term
"consubstantial" is not a new one, nor the invention of the fathers
assembled at the council; but that, from the very first it has been
handed down from father to son. He states that all those then
assembled unanimously received the creed then published; and he again
bears testimony to the same fact in another work, in which he highly
extols the conduct of the great Constantine. He writes as follows :
"The emperor having delivered this discourse in Latin, it was
translated into Greek by an interpreter, and then he gave liberty of
speech to the leaders of the council. Some at once began to bring
forward complaints against their neighbours, while others had recourse
to recriminations and reproaches. Each party had much to urge, and at
the beginning the debate waxed very violent. The emperor patiently and
attentively listened to all that was advanced, and gave furl attention
to what was urged by each party in turn. He calmly endeavoured to
reconcile the conflicting parties; addressing them mildly in Greek,
of which language he was not ignorant, in a sweet and gentle manner.
Some he convinced by argument, others he put to the blush; he
commended those who had spoken well, and excited all to unanimity;
until, at length, he reduced them all to oneness of mind and opinion
on all the disputed points, so that they all agreed to hold the same
faith, and to celebrate the festival of Salvation upon the same day.
What had been decided was committed to writing, and was signed by all
the bishops."
Soon after the author thus continues the narrative.
"When matters had been thus arranged, the emperor gave them
permission to return to their own dioceses. They returned with great
joy, and have ever since continued to be of the one opinion, agreed
upon in the presence of the emperor, and, though once widely
separated, now united together, as it were, in one body.
Constantine, rejoicing in the success of his efforts, made known
these happy results by letter to those who were at a distance. He
ordered large sums of money to be liberally distributed both among the
inhabitants of the country and of the cities, in order that the
twentieth anniversary of his reign might be celebrated with public
festivities."
Although the Arians impiously gainsay the statements of the other
fathers, yet they ought to believe what has been written by this
father, whom they have been accustomed to admire. They ought,
therefore, to receive his testimony to the unanimity with which the
confession of faith was signed by all. But, since they impugn the
opinions of their own leaders, they ought to become acquainted with the
most foul and terrible manner of the death of Arius and with all their
powers to flee from the impious doctrine of which he was the parent.
As it is likely that the mode of his death is not known by all, I
shall here relate it.
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