Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/397

 A T li A N A S I U S. 361 many grievous accufutions, which, however, appeared in Oic end to be f.ilfe and grourulicls. Among others ihcy crr,i^< I him with threatening that he would take c.u e no ( o; n fhould bs carried fr dm Alex . iftantinoplej and laid, that there were lour i>< ly to terrify that they had In an! fuch word;, from his own mciuh. This 5/1 early incenfed the emperor, and he exiled him into France : though Come writers intimate, th,-.t this fentence was not the efrecl: of his it but his prlL-y, which indeed is more probable. 1'ur it was t'ie deiireof the ctnperor to remove all frivolous ciiiputcs about words to allay the heats and animohties amon- Chriftians, and to reftore peace and unanimity to the church. Me muft look upon Athanafius to be a great o'.*- ftacle to this his favourite e'efign, as he could by no meansbe brought to communicate with the Arians. So that this part of Ath:ma(ius's conduct may feem to us at this diftance to he indcfenfiblc : for to all appearance, there was at that time but one compound word, vizf bomoeufioSi i. e. of ons jul^ance* t!:e fi:l^:.l cuufe of contention between them ; a word un- vr.rraiued by fcripture authority, indeterminate and vague in its fi^ni neat ion, and applied to a fubjeii:, to which, as is confelled by all, huma-n comprehenfion is inidequate. After the death of the emperor, he was recalled by his fuc- ceflbr Corrftantine the younger, and rcflored to his fee, and received by his people with great joy. This emperor'.s reign v;s fhort : and his enemies foon found means to drawdown upon him the difpleafure of Conftantius : fo that, being ter- rified with his threats, he fought his fafety by flight, and by hiding himfelf in a fecret and obfcure place. Julius, at this time bifhop of Rome, being greatly affecied with the inju- rious treatment of Athanafius, fought him out in his obfcu- rity, and took him under his protection. He fummoned a general council at Sardis, where the Nicene creed was ra- tified, and where it was determined that Athanafius with fome others ihould be reftored to their churches. This de- cree the emperor (hewed great unwiilingnefs to comply with, till he was influenced by the warm interpofition of hii brother in the weft; tor at this time the empire was divided between the two furviving brothers. Being thus prevailed upon, or rather indeed conftrained by neceflity, he wrote feveral letters with his own hand, which are ftill extant, to Atha- nafius, to invite him to Conftantinople, and to ailure him of a fafe conduit. He reftored him, by anedit, to his bifhop- rick ; wrote letters both to the clergy and laity of Alexan- to give him a welcome reception 3 anu commanded that fuch