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as the rock and supreme ruler of the Church; but immediately before leaving this world and ascending into heaven, He actually committed to the Apostle's hands the government of His Church, that he might discharge in it the office of visible head. We read this in the Gospel of St. John, xxi. 15-17. Christ appointed Peter universal shepherd to feed His whole flock; but as the manifestation of a sublime faith had been required before his establishment as the immovable rock of the Church, so now an extraordinary charity, surpassing that of his fellow Apostles, was exacted, in order that he might be invested with the title of shepherd, which so specially belonged to his Master. This was, in truth, one of the most glorious titles under which the Divine Saviour had been prophetically announced in the Old Testament. "I raise one shepherd over them," said God, by the mouth of Ezechiel, “and he feeds them, even my servant David. He shall feed them,. and he shall be their shepherd."158 "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd," is the prophecy of Isaias; “He shall gather together the lambs with his arm, and shall take them up in his bosom."159 He is also presented under the same figure by others of the prophets, as. Micheas and Osee.160 And the Divine Redeemer chose that one title before all attributed to Him by the prophets, and was pleased to call Himself a shepherd "I am the Good Shepherd." 161 He represented His disciples and followers as His sheep, who hear His. voice,162 promising to bring all His sheep into one fold, that there might be one fold and one shepherd ;163 lastly, as a good shepherd, He laid down His life for Hissheep, 164 Now this favourite title He gives to Peter

158 Ezech. xxxiv. 23. 100 Michæas v. 4. Osee iii. 5.

159 Isaias xl. ii.

162 S. Joan. x. 27.

163 S. Joan. x. 16.

161 S. Joan. x. II—14. 164 S. Joan. x. II.

to whose care He intends to commit His whole flock, placing it under his rule. "Feed My lambs, feed My sheep." That charge, thrice repeated by our Lord to Peter, regards Peter, and Peter alone, because it refers to him who was thrice asked: "Simon, son of Jona, lovest thou Me more than these?" Moreover, the power here conferred is no more limited than is the number of those over whom it is given; and "My lambs," "My sheep," comprise not only all the faithful, but even the Apostles themselves, as belonging to the flock of Christ so that Christ entrusted His sheep to Peter without any exception or limitation whatsoever. Thus, by those words, our Lord invested Peter with authority over the whole body of the Apostles; that is to say, He appointed him œcumenical pastor. Such is the doctrine taught by the Fathers both of the East and of the West. St. Ephrem speaks of the flock committed to St. Peter's care, as spread over the whole world, and of St. Peter being their pastor and their head.165 "To him," writes St. Epiphanius, "was committed the flock: he leads the way admirably in the power of his own master.' St. Chrysostom, commenting on these words of St. John, speaks yet more forcibly. "Why," he says, "passing by the rest, does He discourse with Peter concerning these things? He was the chosen one of the Apostles, and the mouth of the disciples, and the head of the company. For this cause, also, did St. Paul take his journey and visit him before the rest. And, withal, showing him that henceforth he must have confidence, for his denial has been done away with, Christ places in his hands the empire

" 166

165 Penes Assemani: Bibl. Orient., t. i., p. 95.

166 S. Epiphanius: In Anchorato, n. 9 (Op., t. ii. Edit. Pet., P. 15). ̔Ο πεπιστευμένος τὴν ποίμνην ὁ καλῶς ὁδηγῶν ἐν τῇ δυνάμει

τῇ ἰδία δεσπότε.

over the brethren.” 167 Hence the saint concludes: "Should anyone say, 'Why then did James receive the episcopate of Jerusalem?' this is my answer: that He appointed Peter, teacher not of that church, but of the habitable globe."168 St. Asterius is still more explicit on this point. "When our Saviour," he says, "was about to sanctify the human race by a voluntary death, he commits the Universal and Ecumenical Church as a special trust to Peter, after having thrice asked him, 'Lovest thou me?' But as he readily replied to these three questions by as many confessions, he received the world in charge, as it were one fold under one shepherd; having heard 'Feed My lambs,' &c."169 We shall mention, later on, the letter of the Eastern bishops to Pope Symmachus, as well as the Libellus Precum presented by the Bishop of Dora to Pope Martin I., both of which express the like view. It would be useless to bring a catena of Fathers of the Latin Church in support of this doctrine. Some we have already quoted. We promised to be brief in this matter; and so we shall be content with adding the words of St. Ambrose only. "The Lord," he says, "does not doubt: He puts a question, not in order to learn, but to teach him, now that He is about to be raised to heaven, whom He would leave unto us as the vicar of His own love. And therefore,

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167 Hom. lxxxviii., in Joan., n. 1 (Op., t. viii, p. 525). XEIPILETI τὴν προστασίαν τῶν ἀδελφῶν προΐστασο τῶν ἀδελφῶν. It is surprising to find Mr. Palmer quoting the second part of this passage of St. Chrysostom in order to show that we cannot rely on the words of St. John with regard to St. Peter's supremacy. It is lost labour to read the Fathers merely in the light of preconceived opinion.

168 Ibid. n. 1, p. 527.

169 S. Asterius: Hom. viii., in SS. Petrum et Paulum. Edit. Migne, cit., p. 281.

because he alone of all makes this profession, he is preferred before all, for his love is greater than that of all. . And now he is ordered to feed His lambs; not only His younger sheep, as in the second instance, but also His sheep, that the more perfect may govern the more perfect.” 170

IX. From what we have briefly stated in the two preceding sections, it appears evident that "there is something in the Apostolic system which gives an authority to the Pope over the Church." And the patrons of Tract XC. would have found it, had they studied that system with more care and freedom from prejudice. Doubtless, all the Apostles were entrusted with the power of binding and loosing; but Peter, and Peter alone, received the keys of the kingdom of heaven. All were to concur in laying the foundation of the Church of Christ; but Peter, and Peter alone, was to be its rock. All the faithful were to be founded upon the Apostles; but the Apostles themselves, together with all their several flocks, were to be grounded on the great rock, Peter. All the Apostles were sent to feed all nations with the doctrine of Christ; but Peter alone was to be the supreme and œcumenical pastor over the whole world. All nations were the sheep of the Apostles; but all nations, together with their pastors, were to be the sheep of Peter, since all the sheep of Christ, without exception, were committed to him. Such truly is the doctrine expressed by the Fathers on the inequality of the Apostles with reference to St. Peter's supremacy. "To Peter," remarks St. Cyprian, "He says, after His resurrection, Feed My sheep.' Upon him, being one, He builds His Church, and though He gives to all the Apostles an equal power, and says, 'As My Father sent

170 S. Ambrosius: Comm. in Lucam, 1. x., n. 175-76 (Op., t. i. Edit. cit., p. 1542).

Me, &c.,' yet, in order to manifest unity, He has by His supreme authority so placed the source of the same unity as to begin from one."171 Origen,172 St. Basil,17% St. Gregory Nazianzen,174 St. Optatus of Milevis,175 St. Ambrose,176 St. Jerome,177 St. Augustin,178 St. Leo,179 St. Asterius,180 and other Fathers bear witness, precisely and definitely, to the same doctrine. Indeed, there is no Father who has ventured to ascribe either to individual Apostles, or to the Apostolic College, the titles assigned by Christ to Peter; but on him, in order to show his real pre-eminence and authority over his fellow Apostles, they lavish the most singular expressions of praise.181 Moreover, regarding St. Peter as the head of the Apostolic College, they represent the power of the Apostles to be derived from him, and to

171 S. Cyprianus: De Unitate Ecclesiæ, p. 195. In many MSS. and editions, after the quoted words we find—“Et primatus Petro datur, ut una Christi Ecclesia et cathedra una monstretur."

172 Origenes: In Matt., t. xiii., n. 31 (Op., t. iii., p. 613).

173 S. Basilius: Serm. vii., n. 5 (Op., t. iii., p. 508, et in Præf. de Judicio, n. vii. (Op., t. ii., p. 221).

174 S. Greg. Naz.: Orat. xxxii., n. 18 (Op., t. i. 175 S. Optatus Mil.: De Sch. Don., l. ii., c. Migne.

Edit. cit., p. 591).

ii., p. 947. Edit.

176 S. Ambrosius: Comm. in S. Lucam, 1. x., pp. 175-6 et 1542 (Op., t. i.).

177 S. Hieron.: Adv. Jovin., 1. i., n. 26 (Op., t. ii. Edit. Vallarsii, p. 279).

178 S. Aug. Serm. xlvi., c. xiii., n. 30 179 S. Leo: Serm. iv., c. ii. (Op., t. i.

xiv., c. xi., p. 691, seq.

(Op., t. v., pp. 168-69). Edit. Ball., p. 16); Epist.

Edit. Migne, p. 268, seq.

180 St. Asterius: Serm. viii., cit. 181 The Greek Fathers called St. Peter Tov pov, Tòv MÉVISTOV, τὸν μέγαν κατ' εξοχὴν; τὸν πρόκριτον, τὸν Θαυμάσιον, τὸν πανένδοξον, πανάγιον; ἀρχηγὸν τῶν αὐτοῦ μαθητῶν, προτάρχον τῶν λοιπῶν ἀποστόλων, κορυφαιότατον καὶ προστάτην τῶν ἀποστόλων. The Latin Fathers have the like expressions. See Father Schrader, S.J., De Unitate Ecclesiæ Romanæ, l. i., c. iv., n. viii., pp. 166–68, in notis. Edit. Friburgi, 1862.

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