THE DECLINE AND FALL

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chap, and the sentence, which, after a long hesitation,...... he pronounced, was that of a jealous ostracism,

rather than of an ignominious exile. In the re-mote province of Caul, but in the hospitablecourt of Treves, Athanasius passed about twen-ty-eight months. The death of the emperorchanged the face of public affairs ; and amidstand res- the general indulgence of a young reign, thea/d.'ms. primate was restored to his country by an ho-nourable edict of the younger Constantine, whoexpressed a deep sense of the innocence andmerit of his venerable guest.'

His second The death of that prince exposed Athanasius a X 'd’ 341 a secort d persecution; and the feeble Con-stantius, the sovereign of the East, soon becamethe secret accomplice of the eusebians. Ninetybishops of that sect or faction assembled atAntioch, under the specious pretence of dedi-cating the cathedral. They composed an am-biguous creed, which is faintly tinged with thecolours of semi-arianism, and twenty-five can-ons, which still regulate the discipline of theorthodox Greeks. 3 It was decided, with someappearance of equity, that a bishop, deprivedby a synod, should not resume his episcopalfunctions, till he had been absolved by the judg-ment of an equal synod: the law was iinme-

r In liis return lie saw Constantins twice, at Viminiacum and at Cae-saiea in Cappadocia . (Athanas. tom. i, p. 676). Tillemont supposesthat Constantine introduced him to the meeting of the three royal bro-thers in Pannonia . (Mcmoires Eccles. tom. viii, p. 69).

* See Beveridge Pandect, tom. i, p. 429-452, and tom. ii, Annotation,p. 182. Tillemont, Mem. Eccles. tom. vi, p. 310-324. St. Hilary ofPoitiers has mentioned this synod of Antioch with too much favour andrespect. He reckons ninety-seven bishops.