r establishing the doctrine of the
Trinity, concludes with an admonition to all who shall object to it,
that,

"Besides the condemnation of divine justice, they must expect
to suffer the severe penalties, which _our_ authority, guided
by heavenly wisdom, may think proper to inflict upon
them."[447:4]

This orthodox emperor (Theodosius) considered every heretic (as he
called those who did not believe as he and his ecclesiastics
_professed_) a rebel against the supreme powers of heaven and of earth
(he being one of the supreme powers of earth), _and each of the powers_
might exercise their peculiar jurisdiction _over the soul and body of
the guilty_.

The decrees of the Council of Constantinople had ascertained the _true_
standard of the faith, _and the ecclesiastics, who governed the
conscience of Theodosius, suggested the most effectual methods of
persecution_. In the space of fifteen years he promulgated at least
fifteen severe edicts against the heretics, _more especially against
those who rejected the doctrine of the Trinity_.[448:1]

_Arius_ (the presbyter of whom we have spoken in Chapter XXXV., as
declaring that, in the nature of things, _a father must be older than
his son_) was _excommunicated_ for his so-called _heretical_ notions
concerning the Trinity. His followers, who were very numerous, were
called Arians. Their writings, _if they had been permitted to
exist_,[448:2] would undoubtedly contain the lamentable story of the
persecution which affected the church under the reign of the impious
Emperor _Theodosius_.

In Asia Minor the people were persecuted by orders of Constantius, and
these orders were more than obeyed by Macedonius. The civil and military
powers were ordered to obey his commands; the consequence was, he
disgraced the reign of Constantius. "The rites of baptism were conferred
on women and children, who, for that purpose, had been torn from the
arms of their friends and parents; the mouths of the communicants were
held open by a wooden engine, while the consecrated bread was forced
down their throats; the breasts of tender virgins were either burned
with red-hot egg-shells, or inhumanly compressed between sharp and heavy
boards."[448:3] The principal assistants of Macedonius--the tool of
Constantius--in the work of persecution, were the two bishops of
Nicomedia and Cyzicus, who were esteemed for their virtues, and
especially for their charity.[448:4]

Julian, the su