Barrow - BX1805 .B3 1852

ST CHRYSOSTOM ADDRESSES THE POPE AS A BROTHER. 151 " I hate the pride of that church ;" which humour in them that good man would not be guilty of fostering by too much obsequiousness. St Chrysostom having, by the practice of envious men combined against him, in a packed assembly of bishops, upon vain surmises, been sentenced and driven from the see,' did thereupon write an epistle to Pope Innocent I., bishopofRome, together withhis brethren the bishops of Italy;' therein representing his case, complaining of the wrong, vindicating his innocency, displaying the iniquity of the proceedings against him, together with their mischievous conse- quences toward thewhole church, [and] then requiring his succour for redress. Yet although the sense of his case and care of his in- terest were likely to suggest the greatest deference that could be, neither the style, which is very respectful, nor the matter, which is very copious, implies any acknowledgment of the pope's supremacy. He does not address to him as to a governor of all, who could by his authority command justice to be done, but as to a brother and a friend of innocence, from whose endeavour he might procure relief. Hehad " recourse," not to his sovereign power, but "to his brotherly love," (vrplç r,7v iìpiripav civadpap,s7v icycíeriv); he "informed his cha- rity," (dilcí otcev v¡.cwv s- ie,ycí rryv), did not appeal to his bar. In short, he did no more than implore bis assistance, in an ecclesiastical way; that he would express his resentment of so irregular dealings; that he would avow communion with him, as with an orthodox bishop, innocent and abused; that he would procure his cause to be brought to a fair trial in a synod of bishops, lawfully called and indifferently affected.' Had thegood man had anyconceit of the pope's supremacy, he would, one would think, have framed his address in other terms, and sued for another course of proceeding in his behalf; but it is plain enough that he had no such notion of things, nor had any ground for such. For indeed Pope Innocent, in his answer to him, could do no more than exhort him to patience; in another, to his clergy and people, could only comfort them, declare his dislike of the adversaries' proceedings and grounds, signify his intention to procure a general synod, with hopes of a redress [from] thence his sovereign power, it seems, not availing to any such purposes. " But what," says he, " can we do in such cases? A synodical cognizance is necessary; which we heretofore said ought to be called, and which alone can allay the commotions of such tempests. "' ' Tom. vii., Ep. 122. P Vide Laun., Ep. i. 3. ee 8 - `Hpcáç ai 7.oúç ' x áxñv1.aç, avx D.EyxapetvaUf, ailx G9ra0ErVimeÇ úvreuA11vavç, , , neetepá7.av T;v ip eTipar óó7.E 4vro7.a11E,, ouvEx;ç, am) 7.;;ç áy[[vrE2s, xai vr[iv7.av T ;r äxaar, aowsp xa) ipes p r u. "But as for us, we who are not condemned, nor convicted, nor proved guilty, let us continually enjoy the benefit of your letters, and love, and all other things, as before." 4 'AXXA 14 ,u,m r;v 7.01:111.00 vüv iv , sraphr vrotivapcsv; ávayxa7á iaT Óriyvao'1ç ouvo-

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=