216 THE CHANGE GRADUALLY CREPT IN. But if we shall attentively search and scan passages, we may per- haps find reason to judge that this form crept in soon after the synod of Nice, without any solemn appointment, by spontaneous assump- tion and submission, accommodating things to the political course; the great bishops, who, by the amplification of their cities in power, wealth, and concourse of people, were advanced in reputation and interest, assuming such authority to themselves, and the lesser bishops easily complying. And of this we have some arguments.' Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem, being deposed and extruded byAcacius, metro- politan of Palestine, " appealed to a greater judicatory, ' being the first, as Socrates wits, who ever used that course; because it seems there was no greater in being till about that time, which was some years before the synod of Constantinople, inwhich there is mention " of a greater synod of the diocese." There wasaconvention of thebishops ofthe Ponticdiocese at Tyana (distinguished from theAsian bishops), of which Eusebius of Czesarea is reckoned in the first place as president, in the time of Valens.' Nectarius, bishop of Constantinople, is said by the synod of Chal- cedon to have presided in the synodof Constantinople.' A good argument is drawn from the very canon of the synod of Constantinople itself,' which speaks concerning " bishops over dio- ceses," as already constituted or extant; not instituting that order of bishops, but supposing it, and, together withan implicit confirmation, regulating practice according to it, by prohibiting bishops to leap . over the bounds of their diocese, so as to meddle in the affairs of other dioceses, and by ordering " appeals to the synod of a diocese." Of authority gained by such assumption and concession, without law, there might be produced divers instances. As, particularly, that the see of Constantinople assumed to itself ordination, and other acts ofjurisdiction, in threedioceses, before any such power was granted to it by any synodical decree, which to have done divers instances show, some of which are alleged in the synod of Chalcedon ;6 as St Chrysostom, of whom it is there said, "That going into Asia he deposed fifteen bishops, and consecrated others in their room."' done, and allotted to every diocese what belonged to it; on thecontrary, charging that no one of one diocese should encroach upon another." ' Theod. ii. 26; Soz. iv. 25. 2 B,Cxiov ro.ç xecAaxoúrr Sravralt4.átvavo; psriav iarrxaxioaro Srxarrñprav . . roúra /Ay oiv pcávoç xai vrpmrot vrapá râ rúvv)Asç ixxxrroraorrxïy =vim KÚpxT.oç iarnio)rav, &C. .Socr. ii. 40. 3 Soz. vi. 12. 4 Tmv Si Nsxrápro; rúv rpnyopiá, ñys¡cavrav dparo. (In prosphonetico ad Imper.) 5 Toil lorip Sroixeory ivrioxóaous, &C. (;an. ii. npa0rivar /.osiSovr 01vóóá rmv rr',s Srorxñosaç ivrrcxbara,v, &c.Can. vi. Syn. Chalc., Act. xvi. p. 463. 'I aivnryt SEe says iarrrxÓar,üs zodsl)e', clraxAáv iv 'Aria, xai ixarp):ovnasv üxx-u; áve' airwv.Syn. Chale., Act. xi. p. 411.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=