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chah. nity would be less pernicious than public scan-„,dal: and the Nicene council was edified by hispublic declaration, that if he surprised a bishopjn the act of adultery, he should cast his impe-rial mantle over the episcopal sinner. 2, Thedomestic jurisdiction of the bishops was at oncea privilege and a restraint of the ecclesiasticalorder, whose civil causes were decently with-drawn from the cognizance of a secular judge.Their venial offences were not exposed to theshame of a public trial or punishment; and thegentle correction, which the tenderness of youthmay endure from its parents or instructors, wasinflicted by the temperate severity of the bi-shops. But if the clergy were guilty of anycrime which could not he sufficiently expiatedby their degradation from an honourable andbeneficial profession, the Roman magistratedrew the sword of justice, without any regardto ecclesiastical immunities. 3, The arbitra-tion of the bishops was ratified by a positivelaw; and the judges were instructed to exe-cute, without appeal or delay, the episcopaldecrees, whose validity had hitherto dependedon the consent of the parties. The conversionof the magistrates themselves, and of the wholeempire, might gradually remove the fears andscruples of the Christians. But they still re-sorted to the tribunal of the bishops, whoseabilities and integrity they esteemed; and theyenerahle Austin enjoyed the satisfaction of

sentiments and language of Constantine. Mem. Ecclcs. tom. jii, p.719 - 750 .