evertheless, for this reason,
out of the twelve one is selected, that, by the appointment of a head, the
occasion of Schism may be taken away."[11] Thomassin doubts whether at the
Council of Nicea, or even at that of Antioch, sixteen years afterwards, the
name even of Archbishop was yet in use; the highest title used in those two
Councils being that of Metropolitan. St. Epiphanius quotes a letter of
Arius to Alexander, of Alexandria, in which he only gives him the quality
of Pope and Bishop, but nowhere that of Archbishop.

So much for the equality of the names of Bishops in the fourth century,
which recognises the essential equality and unity of their office. The laws
in force respecting their consecration and jurisdiction are as decisive.
Every Bishop, after being elected by the Clergy and people, and the
assembled provincial Bishops, was consecrated by the Metropolitan of his
province, except, indeed, in the Patriarchate of Alexandria, where the
Primate, as we have seen, and not the Metropolitans under him, consecrated
all Bishops. Where a Metropolitan had no immediate superior, in case of a
vacancy, the Bishops of his own province consecrated him, as in the case of
Carthage. Whatever might be the particular privileges of Patriarchs and
Metropolitans, as a general rule, no one Bishop had direct jurisdiction in
the diocese of another. The Bishops of the great sees, specially Rome,
Alexandria, and Antioch, announced their accession to each other, together
with a profession of the orthodox faith. But as for any jurisdiction
emanating from Rome to the great Bishops of the east, such a thing was
never even imagined. Let us even rest the whole question on this important
point, for it is absolutely necessary to the Papal theory; and I do not
think any vestige of such a doctrine can be found in the first six
centuries. At least, let it be shown; for, to assert it in the face of
Canons which imply a system the very reverse of it, is merely begging the
whole question. That in cases of difficulty, or disputed succession, or
heresy, or schism, the voice of the Bishop of Rome would have great weight,
is, indeed, indisputable. When the ship of the Church was in distress, whom
should we expect to see at the rudder but St. Peter? Thus St. Jerome,
himself baptized at Rome, naturally looks to Rome in this difficulty. Mr.
Newman says:[12] "The divisions at Antioch had thrown the Catholic Church
into a remarkable position; there were two