an plausible, for
men like the Caesarean Eusebius dreaded Sabellianism, and Marcellus was
practically Sabellian, and the others aiders and abettors of his
misbelief. Some even of the darker charges may have had some ground, or
at least have seemed truer than they were. Thus Eusebius had a very
heterogeneous following, and it would be scant charity if we laid on all
of them the burden of their leader's infamy.

[Sidenote: Attacks on: (1.) Eustathius.]

They began with Eustathius of Antioch, an old confessor and a man of
eloquence, who enjoyed a great and lasting popularity in the city. He
was one of the foremost enemies of Arianism at Nicaea, and had since
waged an active literary war with the Arianizing clique in Syria. In one
respect they found him a specially dangerous enemy, for he saw clearly
the important consequences of the Arian denial of the Lord's true human
soul. Eustathius was therefore deposed (on obscure grounds) in 330, and
exiled with many of his clergy to Thrace. The vacant see was offered to
Eusebius of Caesarea, and finally accepted by the Cappadocian Euphronius.
But party spirit ran high at Antioch. The removal of Eustathius nearly
caused a bloody riot, and his departure was followed by an open schism.
The Nicenes refused to recognise Euphronius, and held their meetings
apart, under the presbyter Paulinus, remaining without a bishop for more
than thirty years.

[Sidenote: (2.) Marcellus.]

The system was vigorously followed up. Ten of the Nicene leaders were
exiled in the next year or two. But Alexandria and Ancyra were the great
strongholds of the Nicene faith, and the Eusebians still had to expel
Marcellus and Athanasius. As Athanasius might have met a charge of
heresy with a dangerous retort, it was found necessary to take other
methods with him. Marcellus, however, was so far the foremost champion
of the council, and he had fairly exposed himself to a doctrinal attack.
Let us therefore glance at his theory of the incarnation.

[Sidenote: Character of Marcellus.]

Marcellus of Ancyra was already in middle life when he came forward as a
resolute enemy of Arianism at Nicaea. Nothing is known of his early years
and education, but we can see some things which influenced him later on.
Ancyra was a strange diocese, full of uncouth Gauls and chaffering Jews,
and overrun with Montanists and Manichees, and votaries of endless
fantastic heresies and superstitions. In the midst of this turmoil
Marcellu