But _Athanasius_, _Basil_, and the other Champions of the Orthodox Party, were not so much alarmed at the cruel Persecution raised against them by their Enemies, as at the unhappy Divisions that reigned at this very time among themselves. It was to procure a Remedy for these Divisions, to heal a dangerous Schism, that rent the Orthodox Party into two opposite Factions, that _Basil_, by the Advice of _Athanasius_, writ the above-mentioned Letter to _Damasus_, and that the Orthodox Bishops of the East writ in common a Letter to all their Brethren in the West. As this Schism did more Hurt to the Orthodox Cause than it was in the Power of their Enemies to have done, I shall not think it foreign to my Purpose to insert a succinct Account of its Rise and Progress. [Sidenote: _What occasioned this Division._] _Eustathius_, the Orthodox Bishop of _Antioch_, being deposed by the _Arians_ in 331. and one of their own Party put in his room, the greater Part of the Clergy and People of that City, acknowleging the new-chosen Bishop, and his _Arian_ Successors, assisted at their Assemblies, mixed with the _Arians_, and received the Sacraments at their Hands, though they disagreed with them in Belief. But some more zealous than the rest, refusing to own any other Bishop so long as _Eustathius_ lived, held their Assemblies apart, under the Direction of Presbyters animated with the like Zeal. These, from their steady Attachment to _Eustathius_, were called _Eustathians_, and with them alone _Athanasius_ communicated while he was at _Antioch_[1033]. This Schism or Separation continued even after the Death of _Eustathius_, those of his Party declining not only the Communion of the _Arians_ and their Bishops, but of the Orthodox, who communicated with them. In the Year 360. the See of _Antioch_ being vacant, by the Translation of _Eudoxius_ the _Arian_ to that of _Constantinople_, the _Arians_, and the Orthodox, who communicated with them, chose with one Consent the famous _Meletius_ to succeed him. Both Parties joyfully concurred in this Election; the Orthodox, because they knew his Doctrine to be no less pure than his Manners; and the _Arians_, because they hoped, by such a distinguishing Mark of their Friendship and Esteem, to win him, and by his Means to gain over to their Party the whole City of _Antioch_, nay, and the _Eustathians_ themselves[1034]. But they soon found, to their great Mortification, that the Orthodox were better acquainted with _Meletius_ than they, that he was most zealously attached to the Orthodox Party, and was not to be swayed by Friendship or Enmity, by Hopes or Terrors. [Sidenote: Meletius _the new Bishop of_ Antioch _declares in favour of the Orthodox_.] He was no sooner installed, which Ceremony was performed with the greatest Solemnity, than he loudly declared in favour of _Consubstantiality_, and boldly cut off from his Communion, as rotten and incurable Members, all who held the opposite Doctrine. The _Arians_ of _Antioch_ were