orbis teiTarum, et Arianum se esse miratus est." ^ He also says : ^ " Ecclesia non parietibus consistit, sed in dogmatum veritate, Ec- clesia ibi est ubi fides vera est. Ceterum ante annos quindecim aut viginti parietes omnes hie ecclesiarura haeretici (Ariani) pos- sidebant, Ecclesia autem vera illic ei'at, ubi vera fides erat." It is here asserted that the whole world had become Arian ; and that all the churches were in the possession of heretics. These state- ments must be taken with due allowance. They nevertheless prove that the great majority of the bishops had adopted the Arian, or semi- Arian Creed. To the same effect Athanasius says: " Quae nunc ecclesia libere Christum adorat ? Si quidem ea, si pia est, periculo subjacet ? . . . . Nam si alicubi pii et Christi studiosi (sunt autem ubique tales permulti) illi itidem, ut Prophetse et magnus ille Elias, absconduntur, .... et in speluncas et cavernas terras sese abstrudunt, aut in solitudine aberrantes commorantur." ^ Vincent of Lerins * says : " Ariano- rum venenum non jam portiunculam quamdam, sed pene orbem totum contaminaverat, adeo ut prope cunctis Latini sermonis epis- copis partim vi partim fraude deceptis caligo quaedam mentibus ef- funderetur." To these ancient testimonies any number of author- ities from modern theologians might be added. We give only the testimony of Dr. Jackson, one of the most distinguished tlieolo- gians of the Church of England : " After this defection of the Romish Church in the bishop Liberius, the whole Roman empire was overspread with Arianism." ^
Whatever doubt may exist as to details, the general fact of this apostasy cannot be doubted. Through defection from the truth, through the arts of the dominant l)arty, through the influence of the emperor, the great majority of the bishops did join in condem- nation of Athanasius, and in subscribing a formula of doctrine drawn up in opposition to the Nicene Creed ; a formula afterwards renounced and condemned ; a formula which the Bishop of Rome was banished for two years for refusing to sign, and restoi-ed to his see when he consented to subscribe. If, then, we apply to this case the same rules which are applied to the decisions of the Ni- cene Council, it must be admitted that the external Church aposta- tized as truly under Constantius, as it professed the true faith under Constantine. If many signed the Eusebian or Arian formula in-
1 Dialogus contra Luciferanos, 19, vol. ii. p. 172 c, edit. Migne, Paris, 1845.
2 Comment, on Ps. cxxxiii., vol. vii. p. 1223 a, edit. Mij^ne.
« "Ad Soiitariara Vitam Agentes Epist.," Works, p. 846, edit. Paris, 1627.
* Comm. I. iv. p. 642, vol. I. Migne, Patrol., Paris, 1846.
6 On (he Church, p. 160. Edited by W. Goode. Philadelphia, 1844.