153。]
[Footnote124:Thosemodestoratorsacknowledged，that，astheyweredestituteofthegiftofmiracles，theyendeavoredtoacquiretheartsofeloquence。]
VII。TherepresentativesoftheChristianrepublicwereregularlyassembledinthespringandautumnofeachyear；andthesesynodsdiffusedthespiritofecclesiasticaldisciplineandlegislationthroughthehundredandtwentyprovincesoftheRomanworld。^125Thearchbishopormetropolitanwasempowered，bythelaws，tosummonthesuffraganbishopsofhisprovince；torevisetheirconduct，tovindicatetheirrights，todeclaretheirfaith，andtoexaminethemeritsofthecandidateswhowereelectedbytheclergyandpeopletosupplythevacanciesoftheepiscopalcollege。TheprimatesofRome，Alexandria，Antioch，Carthage，andafterwardsConstantinople，whoexercisedamoreamplejurisdiction，convenedthenumerousassemblyoftheirdependentbishops。Buttheconvocationofgreatandextraordinarysynodswastheprerogativeoftheemperoralone。Whenevertheemergenciesofthechurchrequiredthisdecisivemeasure，hedespatchedaperemptorysummonstothebishops，orthedeputiesofeachprovince，withanorderfortheuseofpost—horses，andacompetentallowancefortheexpensesoftheirjourney。Atanearlyperiod，whenConstantinewastheprotector，ratherthantheproselyte，ofChristianity，hereferredtheAfricancontroversytothecouncilofArles；inwhichthebishopsofYorkofTreves，ofMilan，andofCarthage，metasfriendsandbrethren，todebateintheirnativetongueonthecommoninterestoftheLatinorWesternchurch。^126Elevenyearsafterwards，amorenumerousandcelebratedassemblywasconvenedatNiceinBithynia，toextinguish，bytheirfinalsentence，thesubtledisputeswhichhadariseninEgyptonthesubjectoftheTrinity。Threehundredandeighteenbishopsobeyedthesummonsoftheirindulgentmaster；theecclesiasticsofeveryrank，andsect，anddenomination，havebeencomputedattwothousandandforty—eightpersons；^127theGreeksappearedinperson；andtheconsentoftheLatinswasexpressedbythelegatesoftheRomanpontiff。
Thesession，whichlastedabouttwomonths，wasfrequentlyhonoredbythepresenceoftheemperor。Leavinghisguardsatthedoor，heseatedhimselfwiththepermissionofthecouncilonalowstoolinthemidstofthehall。Constantinelistenedwithpatience，andspokewithmodesty:andwhileheinfluencedthedebates，hehumblyprofessedthathewastheminister，notthejudge，ofthesuccessorsoftheapostles，whohadbeenestablishedaspriestsandasgodsuponearth。^128Suchprofoundreverenceofanabsolutemonarchtowardsafeebleandunarmedassemblyofhisownsubjects，canonlybecomparedtotherespectwithwhichthesenatehadbeentreatedbytheRomanprinceswhoadoptedthepolicyofAugustus。Withinthespaceoffiftyyears，aphilosophicspectatorofthevicissitudesofhumanaffairsmighthavecontemplatedTacitusinthesenateofRome，andConstantineinthecouncilofNice。ThefathersoftheCapitolandthoseofthechurchhadalikedegeneratedfromthevirtuesoftheirfounders；butasthebishopsweremoredeeplyrootedinthepublicopinion，theysustainedtheirdignitywithmoredecentpride，andsometimesopposedwithamanlyspiritthewishesoftheirsovereign。Theprogressoftimeandsuperstitionerasedthememoryoftheweakness，thepassion，theignorance，whichdisgracedtheseecclesiasticalsynods；andtheCatholicworldhasunanimouslysubmitted^129totheinfallibledecreesofthegeneralcouncils。^130
[Footnote125:ThecouncilofNice，inthefourth，fifth，sixth，andseventhcanons，hasmadesomefundamentalregulationsconcerningsynods，metropolitan，andprimates。TheNicenecanonshavebeenvariouslytortured，abused，interpolated，orforged，accordingtotheinterestoftheclergy。TheSuburbicarianchurches，assignedbyRufinustothebishopofRome，havebeenmadethesubjectofvehementcontroversySeeSirmond，Opera，tom。iv。p。1—238。]