together and consult the next day; and after their breaking up told them, that the bishops were there ready, that each of them should draw up the confession of his faith; that Athanasius was there too, (for by this time he and his company were come to Antioch,) and that whoever was ignorant, or unsatisfied in the faith, might learn of him. The issue of the several addresses and conferences was, that Euzoius, the Arian bishop of Antioch, who improved all his interest to settle Lucius in the see of Alexandria, lost his labour; Lucius himself was commanded to be gone, and quietly to behave himself; Probatius, lord chamberlain, and the other eunuchs, (who at Euzoius's instigation had stickled hard for Lucius and the Arian cause,) chastised and punished; the emperor proclaiming, that whoever should dare to undertake any such cause against Christians, should be served in the same manner. After this, Athanasius was honourably dismissed by the emperor, with great commendations of his virtue and the integrity of life, his wisdom and prudence, as well as his orthodox belief.

III. But we must not leave Antioch, before we have seen what became of the attempts that were made by some other parties at that time. The emperor's sweet and excellent temper being known, the principals of every sect flocked about him,' hoping to establish their particular interests, and to suppress their adversaries. Amongst these the Macedonian party appeared very forward: Basil bishop of Ancyra, Silvanus of Tarsus, Sophronius of Pompeiopolis, and some others, presented a petition in behalf of the Homoiousians, and against the Anomæans; wherein they set forth, that they blessed God for advancing his majesty to the Roman empire, desiring him either that those things might be ratified, which had been concluded in the synods of Ariminum and Seleucia; and those things cancelled, which by some men's power and interest had been effected; or else that the breach remaining in the churches, as it was before those synods, the bishops from all places might meet together in what place they pleased, and freely debate things amongst themselves, none else being admitted into their society; and that the attempts of any who had a mind to act clandestinely, and to impose upon others, (as had been done in the time of the emperor Constantius,) might not be suffered to take effect. That they had not

r Socrat. 1. iii. c. 25. Sozom. 1. vi. c. 4.

themselves come to court, lest their numbers might give offence; but if commanded, they were most ready to do it at their own charge. The emperor taking their petition, gave them no other answer, but that he hated contention, but loved and honoured all that were studious of peace and concord. Much about the same time a synod was held at Antioch, wherein the Acacian party tacked about, and made it appear that they could at any time be of the emperor's religion, and therefore readily joined with the rest in confirming the Nicene "consubstantial" doctrine, which they represented to the emperor in this following address.

66

To our most pious and religious prince Jovian, the August, the Conqueror, the synod of Bishops assembled at Antioch out of several provinces.

"We are not ignorant, most pious emperor, that it is your majesty's chief care and study to promote the peace and concord of the church; nor are we ignorant that you very rightly apprehend a form of the true orthodox faith to be the foundation of this unity. Therefore, that we may not seem to be of the number of those that corrupt the true doctrine, we acquaint your piety, that we embrace and firmly maintain the faith heretofore agreed on in the holy synod of Nice. For the word 'consubstantial,' which to some seemed new and strange, was cautiously expounded by those fathers, so as to signify that the Son is begotten of the substance of the Father, and that he is in substance like unto the Father; so as neither any passion may be understood to be in that ineffable generation, nor the word 'substance' be taken according to the use and custom of the Greeks; but so as to overthrow what Arius presumed to assert, that the Son was made out of nothing: which also the upstart Anomæans do with a greater boldness and impudence affirm, to the rending asunder the peace and agreement of the church. And for this reason we have to this our address annexed a copy of the creed composed by the bishops in the Nicene council, which we also own, and is as follows: We believe in one God, the Father Almighty,' &c."

6

This declaration of their faith was subscribed by seventeen prelates, and by Acacius bishop of Cæsarea amongst the rest,

than whom no man had heretofore more vigorously opposed the Nicene creed. But he knew, it seems, how to steer his course in all weathers, and softly to comply with what made most for his present ease and interest.

S

IV. While things passed thus at Antioch, the Anomaan party was not idle at Constantinople. Aetius, head of that sect, had conceived great hopes from what Euzoius of Antioch, with his synod of nine bishops, had done in his behalf in the reign of Julian. For at the earnest instance of Eudoxius bishop of Constantinople, he had nulled the sentence of deposition passed upon Aetius, and had drawn up a libel in defence of him and his doctrine. But the change of affairs by the succession of Jovian to the crown, and the late council at Antioch that had expressly condemned the Anomaan doctrine, had broken their measures, and Euzoius thought best to proceed no further in that matter. Whereupon Aetius and Eunomius, who were at this time at Constantinople, conceived it high time to look after their own affairs, and to strengthen and secure their interest in all places. To which purpose they consecrated several new bishops of their sect; at Constantinople they ordained Pomenius, who dying soon after, Florentius succeeded in his room; Thallus at Lesbos, Euphronius for Galatia and Cappadocia, Julian for Cilicia; Theophilus the Indian was sent to Antioch to persuade Euzoius to perfect what he had begun in the cause of Aetius, and upon refusal, to take the charge of that people upon himself. In Egypt and Libya, Serras and his brethren were to administer the affairs and interests of the party. Over the churches of Lydia and Ionia they set Candidus and Arianus, whom Aetius himself accompanied home to give them possession of their charge. But he met with an opposition which he looked not for. For one Theophilus, a bishop of his own faction, set himself against him, and associating with Phebus, and seven bishops more, met in a synodal assembly, and protested against him and his proceedings, and wrote letters to Eudoxius, and Maris of Chalcedon, wherein they charged Aetius's ordination as irregular and uncanonical, and that when he had been degraded from his deaconship, he had, without the leave and allowance of his deposers, invaded the episcopal office. They disowned the ordinations he had given to Candidus and Arianus, and any of the rest, as acts done rashly,

s Philost. 1. vii. c. 6. 1. viii. c. 2—6.

and without the common suffrage. The letter was very welcome to Eudoxius, who highly resented Aetius's ordaining a bishop under his own nose at Constantinople; and wrote back to Theophilus and his associates, that they should go on vigorously in what they had begun, and proceed severely rather against Aetius and the rest of the ordainers, than against those who had been ordained by them; and perhaps he might at that time be the more tender in the case of Candidus and Arianus, because they were near akin to the emperor Jovian, and had gone to him while he lay yet at Edessa, to solicit him against Athanasius. But he wisely concealing his own opinion, referred the matter to a more public assembly, which soon after met, when he arrived at Antioch. Afterwards Eudoxius wrote likewise to Euzoius to engage him against Candidus and Arianus. But he rejected the motion with some indignation, and in his answer rebuked the rashness and confidence of the man, and advised him to let fall that design; calmly putting him in mind of his great neglect in not performing what he had solemnly engaged to do in the behalf of Aetius. This opposition, and the mutual feuds of these great men, gave a notable check to the Anomæan faction, and made the catholic cause, lately espoused by the council at Antioch, run more clear and smooth.

SECTION XV.

HIS ACTS FROM THE DEATH OF JOVIAN; WITH HIS OWN DEATH AND CHARACTER.

Valens in the East espouses the Arian side. A miserable persecution hereupon raised against the Catholics. Warrants particularly issued out against Athanasius. The people of Alexandria remonstrate the true state of his case. Athanasius retires, and happily escapes the fury of his persecutors. The embassy of the Alexandrians to court in his behalf. The quiet that ensued upon it, while the persecution raged in all other places. His interposals in the affairs of foreign churches. His assisting Basil to compose the distractions in the church of Antioch. His age, death, and successor. The opposition made by the Arians against Peter his successor, and the heavy persecution that commenced thereupon at Alexandria. His admirable character drawn by Nazianzen. His natural parts, and acquired learning, what. His great accuracy in theological studies. Charged with skill in magic, and why. His style and way of writing highly commended. His writings justly held in great esteem. His works distinguished into doctrinal, polemical, and historical. A general account of each. Spurious books fathered upon him. His writings enumerated.

THINGS thus happily proceeded, when these hopeful beginnings

t

of the church's prosperity were checked by Jovian's sudden and unexpected death, after he had reigned not above eight months. To him succeeded Valentinian, a sweet and good natured prince, and a great patron of the catholic cause; who chose the West for the seat of his empire, assigning the East to his brother Valens, whom he assumed to be his colleague in the government, one of somewhat a more rough and intractable temper; who being baptized by Eudoxius bishop of Constantinople, in order to his more prosperous expedition against the Goths, soon after declared himself in favour of the Arians. They were not to be taught how to improve the advantage of having the imperial authority on their side. Edicts were hereupon sent to the governors of provinces, that the bishops, who in the time of Constantius had been banished, and restored by Julian, should be again expelled their churches; Valens hoping hereby to decline the envy of the fact, by insinuating that he did but revive the law of his predecessor. We may be sure that Athanasius was not without his share in the common calamity, nay, a more particular regard was had of him, very severe both pecuniary and corporal mulcts being threatened to all officers from the highest to the lowest, if they did not herein faithfully and diligently execute their warrants. But the people of Alexandria began to remonstrate, entreating the governor that he would not rashly force away their bishop; that he would more considerately weigh the tenor of the imperial letters, which were directed only against such as being banished by Constantius, had been recalled by Julian: that Athanasius was not within this compass; that he had indeed fled under Constantius, but that he was by him recalled and restored to his see; and that when Julian restored all the rest, he was the only person whom he persecuted, but that Jovian had again recalled him. All would not satisfy, the governor persisted immoveable in his resolution; which the multitude seeing, made head, and resolved to defend him from force and violence. And now all things openly tended to sedition, the people threatening to burn the corn-ships, that transported grain from Alexandria, and to set fire to the public buildings; to prevent which, the governor prudently let the thing rest at present, till he could give the emperor an account of it. So that the storm seemed to be wholly

VOL. II.

t Sozom. 1. vi. c. 12.

2 A