266 THE EMPEROR GAVE THE EFFECTUAL CONFIRMATION comply in observing good rules of discipline; that, as every vote had force, so the suffrage of one in so great dignity and reputation might adjoin some regard to their judgment.' The pope's confirmation of synods, what was it in effect but a decla- ration of his approbationand assent? the which confirmed by addition of suffrage; as those who were present by their vote, and those who were absent by their subscription, are said to confirm the decrees of councils, every such consent being supposed to increase the autho- rity: whence the number of bishops is sometimes reckoned according to the subscriptions of bishops absent; as the council of Sardica is sometimes related to consist of three hundred bishops, although not two hundred were present, the rest concurring by subscription to its definitions.e Other bishops, in yielding their suffrage, express it by, " I confirm, I define, I decree."' But the effectual confirmation of synods, which gave them the force of laws, was in other hands, and depended on the imperial sanction. So Justinian affirms generally: "All these things, at divers times following, our above-named predecessors, of pious memory, corrobo- rated and confirmed by their laws what each council had determined, and expelled those heretics who attempted to resist the definitions of the aforesaid four councils, and disturb the churches."4 So particularly Constantin,e, as Athanasius himself reports, " con- firmed by law the decrees of the great synod of Nice."' AndEusebius assures the same. " He," says he, " ratified the decrees of the synod by his authority."' His lettersare extant, which he sent about the world, exhorting and requiring all to conform to the constitutions of that synod. So Theodosius confirmed the decrees of the second general synod, " adding," says Sozomen, " his confirmatory suffrage to their de- cree;"7 which he did at the supplication of the fathers, addressed to him in these terms: " We therefore beseech your grace, that by IIapaxaaoüpaav Toivuv Tipentov Taïç ova; 4'4n Tq, xpitrv. Syn. Chale. adLeon., p. 476. 3 KaTá mñv tuvoórxñv ixUpártaptaa &c. Ep. Syn. Chalc. ad Leon., p. 475; Socr. ii. 20, et Vales. ann. ibid. 3 Sententias fratrummanes sequimur, omnes confirmamus, omnes observandas esse decernimus. Conc. Rom. P. Hil., p. 579. 4 His itaque omnibus per diversa tempora subsecutis, prsedicti pise recordationis nostri patres ea quse in unoquoque concilio judicata sunt, legibus suis corroboraverunt et confirmaverunt; et hsereticos qui definitionibusprodictorum S. quatuor conciliorum resistere, et ecelesias conturbare conati scent, expulerunt.Justin. in Cone. V., Coll. i. p. 210. a Tá Trap' imams, ypafívma, To; OVYafiou xarvwvmv, ixpámvvt vá. . Athavt., apud Theod. ii. 4. s Tá mñç ovvbóov áóypeama xvpw "v ivrttppeevi via.Euseb. de Vit. Const. iii. 23. 'Ta',lí- xtoAar ,t It r4,'mary ólptíatmt. Ibtid, lu. 20. Ka; Tá pip a:Sa mñ tvs,34 114s, xal 3 Pea-4%14 ía'a1.n9;caara. So¢. vii. 9.
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