The close Intimacy between _Hypatia_ and _Orestes_ the Governor of
_Alexandria_, very displeasing to _Cyril_ the Bishop.
At the Time that _Hypatia_ thus reigned the brightest Ornament of
_Alexandria_, _Orestes_ was Governor of the same Place for the Emperor
_Theodosius_, and _Cyril_ Bishop or Patriarch. As _Orestes_ was a Person
educated suitable to his Rank, he could not but take Notice of those
Perfections in _Hypatia_, which all the World admired; and, as he was a
wise Governor, he would not be so far wanting to his Charge, as not to
ask her Advice in Matters difficult or dangerous, when every Body else
consulted her as an Oracle. This created of Course an Intimacy between
them that was highly displeasing to _Cyril_, who mortally hated
_Orestes_. But because this Emulation proved fatal to _Hypatia_, I shall
take the Subject a little higher. ’Tis observed by _Socrates_,
_Nicephorus_, and others, that _Cyril_ (who was elevated to the See by
Sedition and Force against one _Timothy_ an Archdeacon of no
extraordinary Reputation), intermeddled more in temporal or civil
Matters, than his Predecessors took upon them to do, and that the
Example was greedily followed by his Successors; _who not keeping within
the Bounds of their Priestly Ordination, took upon them an arbitrary
kind of Principality, and the absolute Disposal of Affairs_. The first
Act of Authority that _Cyril_ exercised was, to shut up the Churches of
the _Novatians_, from which Step he proceeded to seize upon their sacred
Vessels and Church-Ornaments, till at length he robbed their Bishop
_Theopemptus_ of all he had. Yet these _Novatians_ profess’d the same
Doctrine to a Tittle that he did, and differed only in some Points of
Discipline. But they must be mere Novices in _Ecclesiastical History_,
who know not that _Discipline_ has been ever reckoned of greater
Consequence than _Doctrine_; if one may judge by the Commotions that
have happened in Churches, or the Durations of their Schisms. The Reason
is obvious. For if a Man believes otherwise than his Teacher, and yet
prudentially conforms to the publick Ritual and Discipline, or perhaps
eagerly stickles for it, as thinking it the most conducing to Order, be
his Speculations what you will, still he preserves the Unity of the
Church; or, in other Words, he obeys his Spiritual Governors, and
teaches others by his Example to do the like; whereas if his belief be
ever so right, or at least ever so agreeable to that prescribed in the
Society whereof he is a Member; yet if he boggles at any Part of the
publick Ritual and Discipline, he then promotes a Spiritual Rebellion,
and rends the Unity of the Church; that is, he weakens the Government of
the Clergy. These were the Maxims of those Times, and hence it sprung,
that Schism is counted so damnable a Sin in their Writings, a Sin more
dreadful than any other, that it may the better serve for a Scare-crow.