198 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP. Several councils were held, confutations were publish- ed, excommunications were pronounced, ambiguous ex- planations were by turns accepted and refused, treaties were concluded and violated ; and at length Paul of Samosata was degraded from his episcopal character, by the sentence of seventy or eighty bishops, who as- sembled for that purpose at Antioch, and who, without consulting the rights of the clergy or people, appointed a successor by their own authority. The manifest ir- regularity of this proceeding increased the numbers of the discontented faction; and as Paul, who was no stranger to the arts of courts, had insinuated himself into the favour of Zenobia, he maintained above four years the possession of the episcopal house and office. The victory of Aui'elian changed the face of the east; and the two contending parties, who applied to each other the epithets of schism and hei'esy, were either commanded or permitted to plead their cause before the tribunal of the conqueror. This public and very singular trial affords a convincing proof, that the exist- ence, the property, the privileges, and the internal policy of the christians were acknowledged, if not by the laws, at least by the magistrates of the empire. As a pagan and as a soldier, it could scarcely be expected that Aurelian should enter into the discussion, whether the sentiments of Paul or those of his adversaries were most agreeable to the true standard of the orthodox The sen- faith, llis determination, however, was founded on tCtlCG IS executed by the general principles of equity and reason. He con- "^"rf o°i sidered the bishops of Italy as the most impartial and respectable judges among the christians ; and as soon as he was informed that they had unanimously ap- proved the sentence of the council, he acquiesced in their opinion, and immediately gave orders that Paul should be compelled to relinquish the tempoi'al pos- sessions belonging to an office of which, in the judge- ment of his brethren, he had been regularly deprived. But while we applaud the justice, we should not over- look the policy of Aurelian, who was desirous of restor-
