Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume I/Constantine/The Life of Constantine/Book IV/Chapter 24

.&#8212;That he described himself to be a Bishop, in Charge of Affairs External to the Church.

it was not without reason that once, on the occasion of his entertaining a company of bishops, he let fall the expression, &#8220;that he himself too was a bishop,&#8221; addressing them in my hearing in the following words: &#8220;You are bishops whose jurisdiction is within the Church: I also am a bishop, ordained by God to overlook whatever is external to the Church.&#8221; And truly his measures corresponded with his words: for he watched over his subjects with an episcopal care, and exhorted them as far as in him lay to follow a godly life.