Section 460
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 429 decurions, or any others, these thou shalt cause immediately to be restored to their churches. Since we have previously deter mined, that whatsoever these same churches before possessed, shall be restored to their right. When, therefore, your fidelity has understood this decree of our orders to be most evident and plain, make all haste to restore, as soon as possible, all that be longs to the churches, whether gardens or houses, or any thing else, that we may learn thou hast attended to, and most carefully observed this our decree. Farewell, most esteemed and beloved Anulinus." Copy of the Emperor's Epistle, in which he ordains a council of bishops to be held at Rome, for the unity and peace of the church. " CONSTANTINE AUGUSTUS, to Miltiades bishop of Rome, and to Marcus. As many communications of this kind have been sent to me from Anulinus, the most illustrious proconsul of Africa, in which it is contained that Csecilianus, the bishop of Carthage, was accused, in many respects, by his colleagues in Africa ; and as this appears to be grievous, that in those provinces which divine Providence has freely entrusted to my fidelity, and in which there is a vast population, the multitude are found inclining to deteriorate, and in a manner divided into two parties, and among others, that the bishops were at variance; I have re solved that the same Caecilianus, together with ten bishops, who appear to accuse him, and ten others, whom he himself may consider necessary for his cause, shall sail to Rome. That you, being present there, as also Reticius, Maternus, and Marinus, your colleagues, whom I have commanded to hasten to Rome for this purpose, may be heard, as you may understand most con sistent with the most sacred law. And, indeed, that you may have the most perfect knowledge of these matters, I have sub joined to my own epistle copies of the writings sent to me by Anulinus, and sent them to your aforesaid colleagues. In which your gravity will read and consider in what way the aforesaid cause may be most accurately investigated and justly decided