CENT. V.

form of

vernment

CHAPTER II.

Concerning the Doctors and Ministers of the Christian Church, and its Form of Government.

I. SEVERAL causes contributed to bring about a The external change in the external form of ecclesiastical government. The power of the bishops, particularly those church go of the first order, was sometimes augmented, and Somewhat sometimes diminished, according as the times and the occasions offered; and in all these changes the intrigues of the court and the political state of the empire had much more influence, than the rules of equity and wisdom.

changed.

These alterations were, indeed, matters of small moment. But an affair of much greater consequence now drew the general attention; and this was the vast augmentation of honors and rank, accumulated upon the bishops of Constantinople, in opposition to the most vigorous efforts of the Roman pontiff. In the preceding century, the council of Constantinople had, on account of the dignity and privileges of that imperial city, conferred on its bishops a place among the first rulers of the Christian church. This new dignity adding fuel to their ambition, they extended their views of authority and dominion; and, encouraged, no doubt, by the consent of the emperor, reduced the provinces of Asia Minor, Thrace, and Pontus, under their spiritual jurisdiction. In this century, they grasped at still farther accessions of power; so that not only the whole eastern part of Illyricum was added to their former acquisitions, but they were also exalted to the highest summit of ecclesiastical authority; for, by the 28th canon of the council holden at Chalcedon in 451, it was resolved, that the same rights and honors, which had been conferred upon the bishop of Rome, were due to the bishop of Constantinople, on account of the equal dignity and lustre of the two cities, in which these

prelates exercised their authority. The same council CENT. V. confirmed also, by a solemn act, the bishop of Constantinople in the spiritual government of those provinces over which he had ambitiously usurped the jurisdiction. Pope Leo the Great, bishop of Rome, opposed with vehemence the passing of these decrees; and his opposition was seconded by that of several other prelates. But their efforts were vain, as the emperors threw their weight into the balance, and thus supported the decisions of the Grecian bishops °. In consequence then of the decrees of this famous council, the prelate of Constantinople began to contend obstinately for the supremacy with the Roman pontiff, and to crush the bishops of Alexandria and Antioch, so as to make them feel the oppressive effects of his pretended superiority; and no one distinguished himself more by his ambition and arrogance in this affair, than Acacius P.

tion of

Juvenal.

II. It was much about this time that Juvenal, The ambibishop of Jerusalem, or rather of Ælia, attempted to withdraw himself and his church from the jurisdiction of the bishop of Cæsarea, and aspired to a place among the first prelates of the Christian world. The high degree of veneration and esteem, in which the church of Jerusalem was holden among all other Christian societies (on account of its rank among the apostolical churches, and its title to the appellation of mother-church, as having succeeded the first Christian assembly founded by the apostles), was extremely favorable to the ambition of Juvenal, and rendered his project much more practicable than it would otherwise have been. Encouraged by this, and animated by the favor and protection of the younger Theodosius, the aspiring prelate not only assumed the dignity of patriarch of all Palestine 9, • Le Quien, Oriens Christ. tom. i. p. 36.

P See Bayle's Dictionaire Historique, at the article Acacius. By all Palestine, the reader is desired to understand three distinct provinces, of which each bore the name of Palestine; and accordingly the original is thus expressed, Trium Palæstinarum Episcopum seu Patriarcham. After the destruc

CENT. V. a rank that rendered him supreme and independent of all spiritual authority, but also invaded the rights of the bishop of Antioch, and usurped his jurisdiction over the provinces of Phoenicia and Arabia. Hence arose a warm contest between Juvenal and Maximus, bishop of Antioch, which the council of Chalcedon decided, by restoring to the latter the provinces of Phoenicia and Arabia, and confirming the former in the spiritual possession of all Palestine, and in the high rank which he had assumed in the church. Thus were created, in the fifth century, five superior rulers of the church, who were distinguished from the rest by the title of Patriarchst. The oriental historians mention a sixth, viz. the bishop of Seleucia and Ctesiphon, to whom, according to their account, the bishop of Antioch voluntarily ceded a part of his jurisdiction". But this addition to the number of the patriarchs is unworthy of credit, as the only proof of it is drawn from the Arabic laws of the council of Nice, which are notoriously destitute of all authority.

The rights III. The patriarchs were distinguished by consiand privi- derable and extensive rights and privileges, that were leges of the patriarchs. annexed to their high station. They alone consecrated the bishops, who lived in the provinces that belonged to their jurisdiction. They assembled yearly in council the clergy of their respective districts, in order tion of Jerusalem, the face of Palestine was almost totally changed; and it was so parceled out and wasted by a succession of wars and invasions, that it scarcely preserved any trace of its former condition. Under the Christian emperors there were three Palestines formed out of the ancient country of that name, each of which was an episcopal see; and it was of these three dioceses that Juvenal usurped and maintained the jurisdiction. See, for a farther account of the three Palestines, Spanhemii Geographia Sacra.

r See also, for an account of the Three Palestines, Caroli à S. Paulo Geographia Sacra, p. 307.

s See Mich. Le Quien, Oriens Christianus, tom. iii.

t See the authors who have written of the patriarchs, mentioned and recommended by the learned Fabricius, in his Bibliograph. Antiquar. cap. xiii. p. 453.

" Assemani Biblioth. Orient. Vatican, tom. i.

to regulate the affairs of the church. The cognisance CENT. V. of all important causes, and the determination of the more weighty controversies, were referred to the patriarch of the province where they arose. They also pronounced a decisive judgement in those cases, where accusations were brought against bishops; and, lastly, they appointed vicars", or deputies, clothed with their authority, for the preservation of order and tranquillity in the remoter provinces. Such were the great and distinguishing privileges of the patriarchs; and they were accompanied with others of less moment, which it is needless to mention.

It must, however, be carefully observed, that the authority of the patriarchs was not acknowleged through all the provinces without exception. Several districts, both in the eastern and western empires, were exempted from their jurisdiction *. The emperors, who reserved to themselves the supreme power in the Christian hierarchy, and received, with great facility and readiness, the complaints of those who considered themselves as injured by the patriarchs; and the councils also, in which the majesty and legislative power of the church immediately resided; were obstacles to the arbitrary proceedings of the patriarchal order.

veniences

chal autho

IV. This constitution of ecclesiastical government The inconwas so far from contributing to the peace and pro- that attended sperity of the Christian church, that it proved, on the patriarthe contrary, a perpetual source of dissensions and rity and goanimosities, and was productive of various inconve-vernment. niences and grievances. The patriarchs, who, by their exalted rank and extensive authority, were equally able to do much good and much mischief, began to encroach upon the rights, and trample upon

w Dav. Blondel, de la Primauté de l'Eglise, chap. xxv. p. 332. Theod. Ruinart, de Pallio Archi-Episcopali, p. 445; tom. ii. of the posthumous works of Mabillon."

* Brerewood's Dissert. de veteris Ecclesiæ Gubernatione patriarchali, printed at the end of archbishop Usher's book, entitled, Opusculum de Origine Episcoporum et Metropolitanorum.

CENT. V. the prerogatives of their bishops, and thus introduced, gradually, a sort of spiritual bondage into the church; and that they might invade, without opposition, the rights of the bishops, they permitted the latter, in their turn, to trample with impunity, upon the ancient rights and privileges of the people; for, in proportion as the bishops multiplied their privileges and extended their usurpations, the patriarchs gained new accessions of power by the despotism which they exercised over the episcopal order. They fomented also divisions among the bishops, and excited animosities between them and the other ministers of the church. They went still farther, and sowed the seeds of discord between the clergy and the people, that all these combustions might furnish them with perpetual matter for the exercise of their authority, and procure them a multitude of clients and dependents. They left no artifice unemployed to strengthen their own authority, and to raise opposition against the prelates from every quarter. For this purpose it was that they engaged in their cause by the most alluring promises, and attached to their interests by the most magnificent acts of liberality, whole swarms of monks, who served as intestine enemies to the bishops, and as a dead weight on the side of patriarchal tyranny. The efforts of these monastic hirelings contributed more than any other means to ruin the ancient ecclesias tical discipline, to diminish the authority of the bishops, and raise, to an enormous and excessive height, the power and prerogatives of their insolent and ambitious patrons.

The conten

patriarchs

V. To these lamentable evils, were added the tions of the ambitious quarrels, and the bitter animosities, that rose among the patriarchs themselves, and which produced the most bloody wars, and the most detestable and horrid crimes. The patriarch of Constantinople distinguished himself in these odious contests. Elate with the favor and proximity of the imperial court, he cast a haughty eye on all sides, where any objects were to be found on which he might exercise his