on has
enjoined me in his commands, saying that scandal ought not to grow between
us, for the term of a frivolous name. But I beg your Imperial Piety to
consider, that some frivolities are very harmless, some highly injurious.
When Antichrist at his coming calls himself God, will it not be very
frivolous, but yet cause great destruction? If we look at the amount of
what is said, it is but two syllables, (_Deum_,) if at the weight of
iniquity, it is universal destruction. _But I confidently affirm that
whoever calls himself, or desires to be called, Universal Priest, in his
pride goes before Antichrist_; because through pride he prefers himself to
the rest. And he is led into error by no dissimilar pride, because like
that perverse one, he wishes to appear God over all men; so, _whoever he is
who desires to be called sole Priest_, he lifts up himself above all other
Priests. But since the Truth says, 'every one who exalteth himself shall be
abased,' I know that the more any pride inflates itself, the sooner it
bursts."

"Gregory to the Emperor Mauritius."[139] ... "But since it is not my cause,
but God's, and since not I only, but the whole Church, is thrown into
confusion, since sacred laws, since venerable synods, since the very
commands even of our Lord Jesus Christ are disturbed by the invention of
this haughty and pompous language, let the most pious Emperor lance the
wound, &c.... _For to all who know the Gospel, it is manifest that the
charge of the whole Church was entrusted by the voice of the Lord to the
holy Apostle Peter, chief of all the Apostles._ For to him is said, Peter,
lovest thou me? Feed my sheep. To him is said, Behold, Satan hath desired
to sift you, &c. To him is said, Thou art Peter, &c. _Lo he hath received
the keys of the kingdom of heaven, the power of binding and loosing is
given to him, the care of the whole Church is committed to him, and the
Primacy, and yet he is not called Universal Apostle._ And that holy man, my
fellow-priest, John, endeavours to be called Universal Bishop.... Do I, in
this matter, most pious Lord, defend my own cause? is it a private injury
that I pursue? the cause of Almighty God, the cause of the universal
Church. Who is he, who, in violation of the statutes of the Gospel, in
violation of the decrees of Canons, presumes to usurp a new name to
himself? _Would that he who desires to be called universal may exist
himself without diminution to others!_... If, then, any o