|
At Antioch in Syria another heresiarch sprang up, Aetius, surnamed
Athens. He agreed in doctrine with Arius, and maintained the same
opinions: but separated himself from the Arian party because they had
admitted Arius into communion. For Arius, as I have before
related, entertaining one opinion in his heart, professed another with
his lips; having hypo-critically assented to and subscribed the form
of faith set forth at the council of Nicaea, in order to deceive the
reigning emperor. On this account, therefore, Aetius separated
himself from the Arians. He had, however, previously been a
heretic, and a zealous advocate of Arian views. After receiving some
very scanty instruction at Alexandria, he departed thence, and
arrived at Antioch in Syria, which was his native place, was
ordained deacon by Leontins, who was then bishop of that city. Upon
this he began to astonish those who conversed with him by the
singularity of his discourses. And this he did in dependence on the
precepts of Aristotle's Categories; there is a book of that name,
the scope of which he neither himself perceived, nor had been
enlightened on by intercourse with learned persons: so that he was
little aware that he was framing fallacious arguments to perplex and
deceive himself. For Aristotle had composed this work to exercise the
ingenuity of his young disciples, and to confound by subtle arguments
the sophists who, affected to deride philosophy. Wherefore the
Ephectic academicians, who expound the writings of Plato and
Plotinus, censure the vain subtlety which Aristotle has displayed in
that book: but Aetius, who never had the advantage of an academical
preceptor, adhered to the sophisms of the Categories. For this
reason he was unable to comprehend how there could be generation without
a beginning, and how that which was begotten can be co-eternal with
him who begat. In fact, Aetius was a man of so superficial
attainments, and so little acquainted with the sacred Scriptures, and
so extremely fond of caviling, a thing which any clown might do, that
he had never carefully studied those ancient writers who have
interpreted the Christian oracles; wholly rejecting Clemens and
Africanus and Origen, men eminent for their information in every
department of literature and science. But he composed epistles both to
the emperor Constantius, and to some other persons, wherein he
interwove tedious disputes for the purpose of displaying his sophisms.
He has therefore been surnamed Atheus. But although his doctrinal
statements were similar to those of the Arians, yet from the abstruse
nature of his syllogisms, which they were unable to comprehend, his
associates in Arianism pronounced him a heretic. Being for that
reason expelled from their church, he pretended to have separated
himself from their communion. Even in the present day there are to be
found some who from him were formerly named Aetians, but now
Eunomians. For some time later Eunomius, who had been his
amanuensis, having been instructed by his master in this heretical mode
of reasoning, afterwards became the head of that sect. But of
Eunomius we shall speak more fully in the proper place.
|
|