Eusebius’s Own Words Against the Arians of Our Time

Eusebius clearly testifies that this term, “of one substance,” is not new, nor an invention of the fathers assembled at the council, but that it had been handed down from the very beginning, from father to son. He states that everyone then assembled accepted, with one accord, the creed then published. He bears witness to the same fact again in another work, in which he highly praises the conduct of the great Constantine. He writes as follows. [a]

“The emperor gave this address in Latin, and an interpreter translated it into Greek. Then he gave the leaders of the council freedom to speak. Some at once began to bring complaints against their neighbors, while others answered with countercharges and reproaches. Each side had much to say, and at first the debate grew very heated. The emperor listened patiently and attentively to everything that was put forward, and gave full attention to what each side urged in turn. He calmly tried to reconcile the opposing parties, speaking to them mildly, in a sweet and gentle manner, in Greek, a language he knew. “Some he persuaded by argument, others he put to shame. He praised those who had spoken well and urged everyone toward agreement, until at last he brought them all to one mind and one opinion on every disputed point. So they all agreed to hold the same faith and to celebrate the feast of salvation on the same day. What had been decided was put in writing and signed by all the bishops.” [c]

A little further on, the author continues his account. “When matters had been settled in this way, the emperor gave them leave to return to their own dioceses. They went back with great joy, and ever since they have held to the one view agreed on in the emperor’s presence; though once widely divided, they are now joined together, as it were, in one body. Constantine, glad at the success of his efforts, made these happy results known by letter to those who were far away. He ordered large sums of money to be generously distributed among the people of the countryside and of the cities, so that the twentieth anniversary of his reign might be celebrated with public festivities.”

The Arians, in their ungodliness, contradict what the other fathers say. Even so, they ought to believe what was written by this father, whom they have always admired. So they ought to accept his testimony that the confession of faith was signed by all with one accord. But since they reject the opinions of their own leaders, they ought to learn of the most foul and terrible way in which Arius died, and to flee with all their strength from the ungodly doctrine he fathered. Since probably not everyone knows how he died, I will tell it here.