so say, drove their opponents into a corner, and tendered to them the shibboleth of catholicism, which, according as they accepted or refused it, proved them to be catholics or Arians. Thus the following questions were put to persons suspected of Arianism : Was there ever a time when the Son did not exist? Was the Son of one substance with the Father? These two questions were found to be the only tests which the Arians could not evade. They were willing to call Jesus Christ God, and to say that he was very God, aλnowòs cost; they allowed that he was begotten of the Father; and they expressed great horror at the idea of Christ being a creature. But they constantly affirmed, that there was a time when Christ was not, and they denied his consubstantiality with the Father. Accordingly we find that the creed, which the council adopted, provided against every subterfuge and equivocation upon these two articles: and the questions given above were the touchstone by which all persons were tried, whose faith was in any way doubtful.

It is needless to observe, that the difference between catholics and Arians was slight, when compared with that between catholics and Unitarians : but whoever is acquainted with the history of the council of Nice will know, that the orthodox party by no means considered the dispute to turn upon mere words: nor can we ever say with truth, that the difference between the two parties in those days was small or unimportant. If Christ was of a different substance from the Father, and yet each is God, it would surely be very difficult to comprehend

Some of them would not agree to this. Athanas. Epist. ad Episc. Ægypt. et Lyb. vol. I. p. 281 and 283.

that there are not two Gods: and if there was a time when Christ was not, it is almost impossible to conceive, that Christ, who took our nature upon him, was that very God who had existed from all eternity. We cannot be surprised therefore, that both parties were anxious to claim the early Fathers as supporting their respective tenets: and we cannot quote the Ante-Nicene Fathers as agreeing perfectly with ourselves, unless we shew that their doctrines are opposed to those of the Arians, as well as to those of the Unitarians.

But the two tests mentioned above will make this part of our task comparatively easy. If we can shew that the Ante-Nicene Fathers believed Jesus Christ to have been begotten of the substance of the Father, and to have existed from all eternity, the leading tenets of the Arians are overthrown. But these two points are surely proved, even to demonstration, by the quotations in the preceding pages. With respect to the consubstantiality of the Father and the Son, the reader is referred to N°. 305: and with respect to his eternity, the expressions used at No. 21, 48, 100, 159, 206, 262, 300, 301, 302, 303, 316, 318, 320, 324, p. 421. seem to leave no doubt, that the persons who used them never imagined a time when Christ did not exist.

Seeing therefore that we are encompassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us hold fast the profession of our faith, and, without forgetting that charity which becomes true believers, let us earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints. We have indeed a cloud of witnesses to prove that the faith delivered by our Lord to his apostles, and by the apostles to their

successors, was essentially that which our church professes and cherishes. If the preceding pages should have unfolded this series of testimony, so as to convince the mind of any one person, who before was wavering; if they should lead any one sincere inquirer after truth to a conviction of his own belief being that of the primitive church, the earnest hopes of the writer will not be altogether disappointed: and let us also hope and pray, that He who has promised, that blasphemy against the Son of Man shall be forgiven, will hereafter have mercy upon those, who having a zeal, but not after knowledge, have been led by ignorance and error to speak lightly of his holy name.