22 A B E L A R D. feflors, whofe pupils left them to go to AbelarJ, being (lung with envy, began to raife perfecutions againfl him. He had two formidable enemies in La' n, who perceiving the preju- dices done to their fchocls in Rheims by his great reputation, fought an opportunity to ruin him ; and they were at Inft fur- r.ifhed with one by his treatiieon the Trinity, where they pre- tended to have difcovered a mod dreadful heiefy[F]. Upon this they prevailed on their aichbifhop to call a council at SoifTons, in the year n 2 i : which, without allowing Abelard to make his defence, fentenced him to throw the book into the flames, and to (hut hi-nlelf t:p in the cloyfter of St. Medard. Soon after he was ordered to return to the convent of St. Dennis: where happening to fay, that he did not believe their St. Den- nis to be the Aieopagite mentioned in fcripture, he expofed hirrfdf to the abbot ; who was overjoyed with the opportunity or. blending a ftate crime with an accufation of fa'fe doctrine. The abbot immediately called a chapter; and declared, that he was going-to deliver up to the fecular power a man, who had auuacioufly trampled on the glory and diadem of the king- dom. Abelard, knowing thefe menaces were not to be de- fpifed, fltd by night into Champagne ; and, after the abbot's death, obtained leave to lead a monaftic life wherever he pleafed. He now retired to a folitude in the diocefe of Troies, isnd there built an oratory, which he named the Paraclet ; where great numbers of pupils reforted to him. This revived that envy, by which he had been fo often perfecuted ; and he now fell into the moft dangerous hands: for he drew upon himfelf the fury and malice of St. Norbert and St. Bernard, who had fet up for being reftoiers of the ancient difcipline, ' and were entbufiafis whom the populace followed as new apo- files. They raifed fuch calumnies againft him, as hurt him greatly with his principal friends ; and thofe, who flill con- tinued to efteem him, durft not fnew him any outward marks
- j
of their friendfhip. His life became fo uneafy to him, that he iieiard. was upon the point of flying to fome country where Chrifti- ^iic, p. 3^-anity was not profefTed ; but fate determined otherways, and he was brought anew amongft Chriftians, and monks worfe than Turks. The monks of the abbey of Ruis, in the diocefe of Vannes, having chofen him their fuperior, he now hoped [F] It was alleged that A'uelard ad- to three ; and yet he is not accufed of nutted three God?, though it is certain Sabelliamim, but of Triiheifm. Thisjs lie was othodox with regard 10 this myf- his comparifon, As the three propofitions tery. The comparifon he diew from logic, of a fyllogifm are but one and the fame tends rather to make the divine perfuns truth; fo the Father, Sun, ard Holy than to multiply t{ie elTestc of Gtd Ghoft are one and the fame eflence. he
