ave already related, the
Egyptians had been familiar with various trinities, different ones being
worshipped in different cities, the devotees of each exercising a
peaceful toleration toward those of others. But now things were greatly
changed. It was the settled policy of Constantine to divert ambition
from the state to the Church, and to make it not only safer, but more
profitable to be a great ecclesiastic than a successful soldier. A
violent competition, for the chief offices was the consequence--a
competition, the prelude of that still greater one for episcopal
supremacy.

We are now again brought to a consideration of the variations of opinion
which marked this age. It would be impossible to give a description of
them all. I therefore propose to speak only of the prominent ones. They
are a sufficient guide in our investigation; and of the Trinitarian
controversy first.

[Sidenote: Prelude of sectarian dissent.]

For some time past dissensions had been springing up in the Church. Even
out of persecution itself disunion had arisen. The martyrs who had
suffered for their faith, and the confessors who had nobly avowed it,
gained a worthy consideration and influence, becoming the intermedium of
reconciliation of such of their weaker brethren as had apostatized in
times of peril by authoritative recommendations to "the peace of the
Church." From this abuses arose. Martyrs were known to have given the
use of their names to "a man and his friends;" nay, it was even asserted
that tickets of recommendation had been bought for money; and as it was
desirable that a uniformity of discipline should obtain in all the
churches, so that he who was excommunicated from one should be
excommunicated from all, it was necessary that these abuses should be
corrected. In the controversies that ensued, Novatus founded his sect on
the principle that penitent apostates should, under no circumstances, be
ever again received. Besides this dissent on a question of discipline,
already there were abundant elements of dispute, such as the time of
observance of Easter, the nature of Christ, the millennium upon earth,
and rebaptism. Already, in Syria, Noetus, the Unitarian, had
foreshadowed what was coming; already there were Patripassians; already
Sabellianism existed.

[Sidenote: Arius, his doctrines.]

[Sidenote: Constantine attempts to check the controversy,]

[Sidenote: and summons the Council of Nicea.]

But it was in Alexandria that