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. CHAP. XVII. _Cyril_ expels the _Jews_ out of _Alexandria_; _Orestes_ complains to the Emperor; _Cyril_ and _Orestes_ become irreconcileable Enemies.