are the natural
enemies of the Son. Compare Dr. Jortin's Remarks on Ecclesiastical
History, vol. iv. p. 3 with a certain genealogy in Candide, (ch. iv.,)
which ends with one of the first companions of Christopher Columbus.]

[Footnote 87: Sulpicius Severus in Hist. Sacra, l. ii. p. 405, 406.]

[Footnote 88: Cyril (apud Baron. A. D. 353, No. 26) expressly observes
that in the reign of Constantine, the cross had been found in the bowels
of the earth; but that it had appeared, in the reign of Constantius, in
the midst of the heavens. This opposition evidently proves, that Cyril
was ignorant of the stupendous miracle to which the conversion of
Constantine is attributed; and this ignorance is the more surprising,
since it was no more than twelve years after his death that Cyril was
consecrated bishop of Jerusalem, by the immediate successor of Eusebius
of Caesarea. See Tillemont, Mem. Eccles. tom. viii. p. 715.]

[Footnote 89: It is not easy to determine how far the ingenuity of Cyril
might be assisted by some natural appearances of a solar halo.]

[Footnote 90: Philostorgius, l. iii. c. 26. He is followed by the
author of the Alexandrian Chronicle, by Cedrenus, and by Nicephorus. (See
Gothofred. Dissert. p. 188.) They could not refuse a miracle, even from
the hand of an enemy.]

The sentiments of a judicious stranger, who has impartially considered
the progress of civil or ecclesiastical discord, are always entitled to
our notice; and a short passage of Ammianus, who served in the armies,
and studied the character of Constantius, is perhaps of more value than
many pages of theological invectives. "The Christian religion, which,
in itself," says that moderate historian, "is plain and simple, he
confounded by the dotage of superstition. Instead of reconciling the
parties by the weight of his authority, he cherished and promulgated, by
verbal disputes, the differences which his vain curiosity had excited.
The highways were covered with troops of bishops galloping from every
side to the assemblies, which they call synods; and while they labored
to reduce the whole sect to their own particular opinions, the public
establishment of the posts was almost ruined by their hasty and repeated
journeys." [91] Our more intimate knowledge of the ecclesiastical
transactions of the reign of Constantius would furnish an ample
commentary on this remarkable passage, which justifies the rational
apprehensions of Athanasius, that the restle