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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
president, that, instead of being expelled from the city, a church
had been assigned him for his own use. Eusebius, on finding all his
endeavors 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 called after him, Luciferian.
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 lien 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 meantime 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 had 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 Nicaean council in the regions of the
West.
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