28 4 Church-Hillmy of Dijhops and them two, and they received them. But they put thecafe themfelves to the Council at Conftantinople, Whether they were to be under the Bithop of Rome, or of Confiantinople ? The matter held a great debate. The Pope's Legates pleaded, that they had already received Bithops from Rome, &c. The Greeks pleaded, that their Countrey was part of the Empire, and under the Bithop of Confiantinople, till they conquered it; and that they found there Greek Churches and Bithops, who were hill there, and the Conqueft did not tranflate them from the Bifhop of Conftant, to Rome. How the Controverfie ended is hard to know : Some fay that theCouncil gave them to the Pope, and Tome fay other- wife. But this is confeffed , that this Roman ambition fo greatly dif- pleafed the new Emperor Bafslius, that it turned him after againft the Pope, and inclined him the more to reftore Photius, which he did when Ignatius was dead. § 66. Here I would call the Reader to confider, whether the Pope's Univerfal Government was in.thofe days believed ? even by thatCoun- cil which was fuppofed tobe partial (by the Emperor's inducement) on the Pope's fide. What place elfe could there be for fuch a ftrife, whether the Bulgarians were under the Government of the Bifhop of Rome, or Conftantinople ; if all the World were under the Bifhop of Rome ? They will fay that it was only queftioned, whofe Diocefs or Pa- tED. triarchate they were under ? But Rome never pretended that they were of that Diocefs or Patriarchate as anciently divided. But the queftion was, Whole Government they werenow fallen under ? And would any dilpute whether e. g. Wefiminfter were under the Government of the King, or of the Lord Mayor of London ? when all the Kingdom is un- der the King. This Controverfie clearly fheweth,that the Church then took the Pope to have but the firft Seat and Voice in Councils, but not to be the Governor beyond his circuit,, § 67. It is here allo to be noted,that Bafil theEmperor's revolt from the Pope was fo great, that Hadrian is put to write fharply to him as accufing the Bithops of Rome, and derogating from them, admonifhing him to repent; but we find not that this changed his mind. § 68. Yet one thing more is here to be obferved. In the life ofHa- drian the zd ( Bin. p. 88z.) we find that the Pope taking. the advan- tage of Bafsl's prefent Rate and mind, and the inrereft of Ignatius much depending on him, Pent a new Libel to be fubfcribed by all the Bishops, before they fhould be permitted to fit in Council. The Greek Bithops grudged at this, and complained to the Emperor, [ Thatthe Church of Conftantinople byy theft offered Libels, was brought under the power of Rome, by the doubtfulnefs of Subfcriptions. ] But though fiebiliter con- yuerunear, they complain with tears, the Emperor was angry with them, and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=