The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

soPROGRESS OF ECCLESIASTICAL SUPREMACY.did the occupant of the fisherman'^s chair craftily weavethe intricate web of his tyrannical and blasphemous powerover all the churches and clergy of the west.Another well-marked stage in the rise of the ecclesiasticalsupremacy is a.d. 445. In that year came the memorableedict of Valentinian III. and Theodosius II., in which the Romanpontiff was styled the " Director of all Christendom,"*and the bishops and universal clergy were commanded to obeyhim as their ruler.-f- It is believed that the decree was issuedon the application of Pope Leo. Amongst other advantagesenjoyed by the pontiff was that of ready access to the Court,and thus he sometimes became the prompter of the imperialpolicy. The suggestions noted down by his secretary, submittedto the Emperor, and approved of by him, wereushered into the world with thefull authority of an imperial edict.customary forms and the" Henceforth," that is,from the publication of the decree we have just noted, " thepower of the Roman bishops,"says Ranke, " advanced beneaththe protection of the Emperor himself.";]: At aboutthe distance of a century from the decree of Theodosius §came the celebrated letter of Justinian to the Pope, in whichthe Emperor still farther enlarged the prerogatives whichprevious edicts had conferred upon the Bishop of Rome.These imperial recognitions of a rank which the councilsof the Church had previously conferred, tended greatly, asmay easily be conceived, to consolidate and advance thearrogant assumptions of the Roman bishop. They gavehis power, by investing him with a positive andsolidity tolegal jurisdiction.The code of Justinian, which had beenpublished a few years before this time,|| was now the lawof western Europe. Its influence, too, was favourable tothe growth of the ecclesiastical supremacy.Contemporarily* " Rector totius Ecclesia3." (D'Aiibignd's History, vol. i. p. 42.)t Sir J. Newton on Daniel, p. 120.t Ranke's History of the Popes, book i. chap, i, sec. i. ; Bohn's edition,1847.§ Dated March 533. || Dated a.d. 529.