this. Moreover, the Fathers generally express a view about other Bishops
which is utterly incompatible with this theory as now received, which by no
process of development can be made to agree with it. And I confess that I
am unable to understand the meaning of words, if this so-called "Catholic
truth" of the Pope being the universal Bishop, is not distinctly considered
in these passages of St. Gregory, formally repudiated for himself as well
as for others, and the very notion declared to be, in any case whatsoever,
_that of the Pope being specially named_, blasphemous and antichristian.
Could heretics say any thing of the kind against the doctrine of the
Apostolical succession, out of the first six centuries, they would have an
advantage against the Church, which, thank God, they are far from
possessing.

And it is of no small importance that we have here speaking a Pope, one to
whom twelve centuries have given the name of Great, one who, with St. Leo,
stands forth out of the ancient line of St. Peter's heirs as an especially
legislative mind. Every Catholic is bound to take his words without
suspicion. Now St. Gregory asserts, as we have seen, the right of his See
to call _any_ Bishop to account, even the four Patriarchs, in case of a
violation of the Canons; declaring at the same time that, when the Canons
are kept, the meanest Bishop is his equal in the estimation of humility.
Even while arguing against this title he says, "To all who know the Gospel
is manifest that the charge of the whole Church was entrusted by the voice
of the Lord to the holy Apostle Peter,"--"and yet he is not called
Universal Apostle;" but this title, he asserts, and the theory implied in
it, is devilish, an imitation of Satan, an anticipation of Antichrist. What
else can we conclude but that which so many other documents prove, that
this Primacy over the whole Church, the ancient and undoubted privilege of
the Bishop of Rome, was something quite different from what he is here
reprobating? For St. Gregory, least of all men, was so blind as to use
arguments which might be retorted with full force against himself. And yet,
any one reading these words of his, and not knowing whence they came, would
suppose they were written by a professed opponent of the present Papal
claims. For in these letters St. Gregory acknowledges all the Patriarchs as
co-ordinate with himself, acknowledges our Lord to be sole Head of the
Church, declares the title of Uni