362

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP.

XXL

ness or festivity he employed whole days, andeven nights, in selecting the words, and weigh-ing the syllables, which composed his fluctua-ting creeds. The subject of his meditation stillpursued and occupied his slumbers; the inco-herent dreams of the emperor were received ascelestial visions; and he accepted with com-placency the lofty title of bishop of bishops,from those ecclesiastics who forgot the interestof their order for the gratification of their pas-sions. The design of establishing an uniform-ity of doctrine, which had engaged him to con-vene so many synods in Gaul, Italy , Illyricum,and Asia, was repeatedly baffled by his ownlevity, by the divisions of the arians, and by theresistance of the catholics; and he resolved, asthe last and decisive effort, imperiously to dic-tate the decrees of a general council. The de-structive earthquake of iXicomedia, the difficul-ty of finding a convenient place, and perhapssome secret motives of policy, produced an al-teration in the summons. The bishops of theEast were directed to meet at Seleucia, in Isau-ria; while those of the West held their delibe-rations at Rimini, on the coast of the Hadriatic;and, instead of two or three deputies from eachprovince, the w hole episcopal body was order-ed to march. The Eastern council, after con-suming four days in fierce and unavailing de-

Eccles. tom vii, p. 947) lias cottertid several instances of the haughtyfanaticism of Constantins from the detached treatises of Lucifer ofCagliari. The very titles of these treatises inspire zeal and terror;“ Moriendum pro Dei Fi! : .o.” “ De Kegihns Apostaticis." “ De

“ non conveniendo cum Haeretico ” “ De non parcendo in Deum

“ delinquentibus ”