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/398

 362 A T H A N A S I U S. fuch acts as were recorded againft him in their courts and fynods fhould be erafcd. It may not be improper to mention here, that when the emperor' reftored Athanafius, he told him, that there were ieveral people in Alexandria who differed in opinion from him, and feparated themfelves from his communion ; and he requefted of him, that he would permit them to have one church for thcmfclves. The bifhop replied, the emperor's commands fhould be obeyed ; but he humbly prefumed to beg one favour in return, viz. t^hat he would be pleafed to grant one church in every city for fuch as did not communi- cate with the Arians. The propofal was made at the fuit, and through the infmuaticns of the Arians ; who, when they heard the reply, and had nothing either reafonable or plaufi- ble to ol>jec~t to it, thought proper to ddift from their fuir, and make no more mention of it. This is one proof among many others, that the Arians had no reaion to reproach Atha- nafius with intolerant principles. At the death of Conftans, which happened foon afterwards, he was again depofed, and Conftantius gave orders that he fhould be executed wherever he was taken. He was rein- itiated by Julian ; but, before the end of that apoftate's reign, was again obliged to have recourfe to flight for fafety. When pure Chnilianity found a patron in Jovian, and the Nicene ere. d became again the flandard of catholic faith, Athana- fius recovered his credit and his fee, which he enjoyed unmo- lefted in the time of Valentinian : and even Valens, that furious and perfecting Arian, thought it expedient to let him exercile his function unmolcfied, becaufe he found there was a great multitude of people in Egypt and Alexandria, who were determined to live and die with Athanafius. He died in peace and tranquillity in 371, after having been hifhop forty-llx years. His works vere publifhed in Greek and Latin, at Heidelberg 1601, at Paris 1627, at Cologne 1686 : but the beft edition of all by far is that given by the Benedictine monks at Paris 1698, in three volumes folio. Photius greatly extols Athanafius as an elegant, clear, and excellent writer. It is controverted among learned men, whether Athanafius ccmpofed the creed commonly received under his na'^e. Baron ius is of opinion that it was com- pofed by Athanafius when he was at Rome, and offered to pope Julius, as a confeflion of his faith : which circumftance is not at all likely ; for Julius never queftioned his faith. However, a great many learned men have afcribed it to Atha- nafius ; as cardinal tfona, Peuvius, Bel]armine 3 and Rivet, with