Restored at length to his See, amidst the acclamations of Christendom, he has for the last fifteen years been encompassed with difficulties such as had fallen to the lot of few among his Predecessors in modern times, of none probably, if we except the two Sainted men who bore his name—Pius VI. and Pius VII. Beset with political machinations from without and with conspiracies from within, he has been always like a lamb in the midst of wolves; a lamb in meekness, but a lion in courage. He has put his trust in God, and he has not been confounded. He has clothed himself with the armor of God, and he has proved invulnerable to all the fiery shafts of the evil one. With St. Paul he could say with truth: "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty unto God, for the destruction of fortresses, destroying counsels, and every height that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every understanding to the obedience of Christ." (II. Corinthians, x. 4, seq. 9.) He has ever conquered, and he will yet conquer, by wielding only the sword of the spirit, which is the word of life. His words are even now far more powerful than the mighty weapons of his adversaries. He speaks in the name of Christ, and Christendom receives his words with reverence and with love; even his enemies are startled at their utterance, and they tremble amidst the clamorous indignation to which they give expression, apparently to drown their apprehensions. They seem to feel instinctively, that there is, after all, something mysteriously impressive, and approaching at once the sublime and the divine, in the declarations of that feeble old man who sits in the Vatican.
His warning against the errors of the times forcibly remind Us, Venerable and Beloved Brethren, of those uttered by the first Apostle Pontiff, whose Successor he is: "Even as there shall be among you false teachers, who will bring in sects of perdition, and denying the Lord who bought them, bring on themselves swift destruction; and many shall follow their excesses, through whom the way of truth shall be dishonored; and through covetousness, with feigned
