iversary day of us his servant, and this
festival, by whose advocacy we have been thought worthy to share his seat
itself, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ helping us in all things, Who
liveth and reigneth with God the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and
ever." I have before me similar passages in abundance; but these are enough
to show how far the teaching of St. Leo, as to his own office, agreed with,
how far went beyond, that of St. Augustin. The combination of the
Patriarch's, and still more of the universal Primate's, power with that of
the Bishop, is a nice point. If this be pushed too far, it issues in a
monarchy; if the other alone be allowed, it converts the one kingdom of
Jesus Christ into an unlimited number of petty republics. On the one hand
there is danger pregnant to the high priesthood of the Church; on the other
hand, to the sacrament of unity. The one-sided development of St. Leo's
teaching has produced the Papacy, in which the Bishops, who represent the
Apostles, are no longer the brethren, co-ordinate in authority, but the
delegates, of St. Peter's successor: but the one-sided development of St.
Cyprian's teaching has rent into pieces the seamless robe of Christ. Yet
this need not be so: in the bright days of the Church of Christ it was not
so. Surely the first six centuries of her existence are not a dream; and
that beautiful image of St. Augustin not an imagination, but what he saw
before his eyes: "to sit on our watch-towers, and guard the flock, belongs
in common to all of us who have episcopal functions, although the hill on
which you stand is more conspicuous than the rest."

A Pontiff so deeply and religiously impressed with the prerogatives of St.
Peter's successor was likely to be energetic in discharging his duties. In
truth we behold St. Leo set on a watch-tower, and directing his gaze over
the whole Church: over his own West more especially, but over the East too,
if need be. He can judge Alexandria, Antioch, and Constantinople, as well
as Eugubium, and is as ready too. Wherever Canons are broken, ancient
custom disregarded, encroachments attempted, where Bishops are neglectful,
or Metropolitans tyrannical, where heresy is imputed to Patriarchs, in
short, wherever a stone in the whole sacred building is being loosened, or
threatens to fall, there is he at hand to repair and restore, to warn, to
protect, or to punish. But still they are brethren, they are equals, they
are fellow-apostl