Upon the Death of _Mark_ the See was vacant for the Space of Four Months, that is, to the 6th of _February_ 337. when _Julius_ was chosen[671]. He is said to have held a Council of an Hundred and Sixteen Bishops in the _December_ of the same Year[672]. But the Date of this Council puts _Baronius_ to a Stand; for in the Date are marked the Consuls, the Year of the Emperors, and the Indiction. Now, according to the Consuls, it must have been held in 337. according to the Year of the Emperors, in 340. and, according to the Indiction, in 347. The Annalist spares neither his Words nor his Labour to solve, or rather to patch up, this Difficulty; but, being sensible, after a long, tedious, and puzzling Descant, that he labours in vain, he concludes, that the Text has been altered[673]. He might have saved himself a great deal of Trouble, by owning at once what has been plainly proved since by _Blondel_[674], _viz._ that no such Council was ever held. When _Julius_ was raised to the Pontificate, the celebrated _Athanasius_, Bishop of _Alexandria_, lived in Banishment at _Treves_; but the Year following he was allowed to return to his Church by the Three Emperors, _Constantine_, _Constantius_, and _Constans_, who had succeeded their Father in 337. [Sidenote: _The_ Arians _write to_ Julius _against_ Athanasius.] The _Eusebians_, that is, the _Arian_ Faction headed by _Eusebius_ Bishop of _Nicomedia_, at whose Instigation he had been banished by _Constantine_, alarmed at his Return, writ bitter Letters against him to the Three Princes, and likewise to the Bishop of _Rome_. To the latter they dispatched with their Letters _Macarius_ a Presbyter, and the Two Deacons _Martyrius_ and _Hesychius_. _Athanasius_ no sooner heard of this Embassy than he, in his Turn, dispatched some Presbyters to oppose the Attempts of his Enemies, and defend his Innocence against the Calumnies, which he well knew they were sent to spread against him, not only at _Rome_, but all over the West[675]. [Sidenote: _They desire_ Julius _to assemble a Council_.] Upon their Arrival, _Macarius_ privately withdrew from _Rome_, and the other Two were so confounded by the Deputies of _Athanasius_, at a private Conference held before the Pope, that, to gain Time, they had no other Resource but to appeal to a Council, which they begged the Pope to assemble, and to give timely notice thereof both to _Athanasius_ and the _Eusebians_. They bragged that, before the Council, they would make good the Charge they had brought against _Athanasius_, and offered to take _Julius_ himself for their Judge[676]. This Offer, we may be sure, was readily accepted by the Bishop of _Rome_, who immediately writ to _Athanasius_ inviting him to the Council, and at the same time desired the Deputies of the _Eusebians_ to acquaint their Party, that, agreeably to their Request, a Council should be soon convened. _Athanasius_, upon the Receipt of the Pope’s Letter, set out, without Delay, for _Rome_,