CHAPTER XIII

CONCERNING PAULINUS AND MELETIUS, ARCHBISHOPS OF ANTIOCH. DISPUTE BETWEEN EUSEBIUS AND LUCIFER; EUSEBIUS AND HILARIUS DEFEND THE NICENE FAITH

ON the termination of the council, Eusebius repaired to Antioch, and found dissension prevailing among the people. Those who were attached to Meletius would not join Paulinus, but held their assemblies apart. Eusebius was much grieved at the state of affairs; for the ordination ought not to have taken place without the unanimous consent of the people, yet from respect towards Lucifer, he did not openly express his dissatisfaction. He refused to hold communion with either party, but promised to redress their respective grievances by means of a council. While he was thus striving to restore concord and unanimity, Meletius returned from exile, and finding that those who held his sentiments had seceded from the other party, he held meetings with them beyond the walls of the city. Paulinus in the meantime assembled his own party within the city, for his mildness, his virtuous life, and his advanced age, had so far won the respect of Euzoius, the Arian bishop, that, instead of being expelled from the city, a church had been assigned him for his own use. Eusebius, on finding all his endeavours for the restoration of concord frustrated, quitted Antioch. Lucifer fancied himself injured by him because he had refused to approve the ordination of Paulinus, and in displeasure, seceded from communion with him. As if purely from the desire of contention, Lucifer then began to cast aspersions on the enactments of the Council of Alexandria; and in this way he seems to have originated the heresy which has been distinguished by his name. Those who espoused his cause, seceded from the church; but although he was deeply chagrined at the aspect affairs had taken, yet, because he had deputed a deacon to accompany Eusebius in lieu of himself, he yielded to the decrees of the council of Alexandria, and conformed to the doctrines of the Catholic Church. About this period, he repaired to Sardinia. In the mean time Eusebius traversed the Eastern provinces, restored those who had declined from the faith, and taught them what it was necessary to believe. After passing through Illyria, he went to Italy, and there he met with Hilarius, bishop of Poictiers in Aquitania. Hilarius had returned from exile before Eusebius, and had taught the Italians and the Gauls what doctrines they were to receive, and what to reject: he expressed himself with great eloquence in the Latin tongue, and wrote many admirable works, it is said, in refutation of the Arian dogmas. Thus did Hilarius and Eusebius maintain the doctrines of the Nicæan council in the regions of the West.