hould lie in
dust and ashes seek for themselves vanitous names: glory in new and profane
titles.

"Am I in this defending a cause proper to myself? Am I resisting my own
special injury? Nay, it is the cause of Almighty God: the cause of the
universal Church. Who is he who, in spite of the commands of the Gospel, in
spite of the decrees of councils, presumes to usurp a new title for
himself? I would that he who has agreed to be called universal may be
himself one, without the diminution of others.

"And we know, indeed, that many bishops of Constantinople have fallen into
the gulf of heresy; have become not heretics only but heresiarchs. Thence
came Nestorius, who, deeming Jesus Christ, the Mediator of God and man, to
be two persons, because he did not believe that God could become man, went
even to the extent of Jewish unbelief. Thence came Macedonius, who denied
the Godhead of the Holy Spirit, consubstantial with the Father and the Son.
If, then, anyone seizes upon that name for himself, as in the judgment of
all good men he has done, the whole Church--which God forbid--falls from
its state when he who is called universal falls. But far from the hearts of
Christians be that blasphemous name in which the honour due to all bishops
is taken away, while one madly arrogates it to himself.

"I know that in honour of St. Peter, prince of the Apostles, that title was
offered to the Roman Pontiff during the venerable Council of Chalcedon. But
no one of them ever consented to use this name of singularity; lest while
something peculiar was given to one, all bishops should be deprived of the
honour due to them. Do we, then, not seek the glory of this name, even when
offered to us, and does another catch at it for himself, when it is not
offered?

"Your Majesty, then, must bend that neck which refuses obedience to the
canons. He must be restrained, who does an injury to the whole Church; who
is proud in heart; who has a greed after a name given to none other; who by
such a singular name throws a slur upon your empire also in putting himself
over it.

"We are all scandalised at this: let the author of the scandal return to
right, and all contest between bishops will cease. For I am the servant of
all bishops so long as they live like bishops. But whoever, through
vainglory and contrary to the statutes of the Fathers, lifts his neck
against Almighty God, I trust in Almighty God that he will not bend me even
with the sword."

A