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AFTER the death of Constans, Magnentius assumed the chief
authority over the Western empire; and, to repress his usurpation,
Constantius repaired to Europe. But this war, severe as it was,
did not put an end to the war against the Church. Constantius, who
had embraced Arian tenets and readily yielded to the influence of
others, was persuaded to convoke a council at Milan , a city of
Italy, and first to compel all the assembled bishops to sign the
deposition enacted by the iniquitous judges at Tyre; and then, since
Athanasius had been expelled from the Church, to draw up another
confession of faith. The bishops assembled in council on the receipt
of the imperial letter, but they were far from acting according to its
directions. On the contrary, they told the emperor to his face that
what he had commanded was unjust and impious. For this act of courage
they were expelled from the Church, and relegated to the furthest
boundaries of the empire.
The admirable Athanasius thus mentions this circumstance in his
Apology : "Who," he writes, "can narrate such atrocities as they
have perpetrated? A short time ago when the Churches were in the
enjoyment of peace, and when the people were assembled for prayer,
Liberius , bishop of Rome, Paulinus, bishop of the metropolis of
Gaul , Dionysius, bishop of the metropolis of Italy , Luciferus,
bishop of the metropolis of the Isles of Sardinia , and Eusebius,
bishop of one of the cities of Italy , who were all exemplary bishops
and preachers of the truth, were seized and driven into exile, for no
other cause than because they could not assent to the Arian heresy,
nor sign the false accusation which had been framed against us. It is
unnecessary that I should speak of the great Hosius, that aged and
faithful confessor of the faith, for every one knows that he also was
sent into banishment. Of all the bishops he is the most illustrious.
What council can be mentioned in which he did not preside, and
convince all present by the power of his reasoning? What Church does
not still retain the glorious memorials of his protection? Did any one
ever go to him sorrowing, and not leave him rejoicing? Who ever asked
his aid, and did not obtain all that he desired? Yet they had the
boldness to attack this great man, simply because, from his knowledge
of the impiety of their calumnies, he refused to affix his signature to
their artful accusations against us."
From the above narrative will be seen the violence of the Arians
against these holy men. Athanasius also gives in the same book an
account of the numerous plots formed by the chiefs of the Arian faction
against many others: "Did any one," said he, "whom they
persecuted and got into their power ever escape from them without
suffering what injuries they pleased to inflict? Was any one who was
an object of their search found by them whom they did not subject to the
most agonizing death, or else to the mutilation of all his limbs? The
sentences inflicted by the judges are all attributable to these
heretics; for the judges are but the agents of their will, and of
their malice. Where is there a place which contains no memorial of
their atrocities? If any one ever differed from them in opinion, did
they not, like Jezebel, falsely accuse and oppress him? Where is
there a church which has not been plunged in sorrow by their plots
against its bishop? Antioch has to mourn the loss of Eustathius, the
faithful and the orthodox . Balaneae weeps for Euphration; Paltus
and Antaradus for Cymatius and Carterius. Adrianople has been
called to deplore the loss of the well-beloved Eutropius, and of
Lucius his successor, who was repeatedly loaded with chains, and
expired beneath their weight. Ancyra, Beroea, and Gaza had to
mourn the absence of Marcellus, Cyrus and Asclepas, who, after
having suffered much ill-treatment from this deceitful sect, were
driven into exile. Messengers were sent in quest of Theodulus and
Olympius, bishops of Thrace, as well as of me and of the presbyters
of my diocese; and had they found us, we should no doubt have been put
to death. But at the very time that they were planning our destruction
we effected our escape, although they had sent letters to Donatus,
the proconsul, against Olympius, and to Philagrius, against me."
Such were the audacious acts of this impious faction against the most
holy Christians. Hosius was the bishop of Cordova, and was the most
highly distinguished of all those who assembled at the council of
Nicaea; he also obtained the first place among those convened at
Sardica.
I now desire to insert in my history an account of the admirable
arguments addressed by the far-famed Liberius, m defence of the
truth, to the emperor Constantius. They are recorded by some of the
pious men of that period in order to stimulate others to the exercise of
similar zeal in divine things. Liberius had succeeded Julius, the
successor of Silvester, in the government of the church of Rome.
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