he had tottered on the sea, and when with carnal feeling he called back the Lord from the Passion, and when he cut off the ear of the servant with the sword, and had thrice denied the Lord."-T. vi. de Agone Christiano, n. 32, p. 439.

"In the Catholic Church......the succession of priests from the see itself of the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord, after His resurrection, commended His sheep to be fed, even to the present episcopate holds me."-T. viii. c. ep. Manich. Fundam. n. 5, p. 269.

"Enumerate the priests even from the see itself of Peter, and, in that order of Fathers, see who succeeded to whom; this is the rock which the proud gates of hell overcome not."-T. ix. Ps. in Part. Donat. p. 49, 50.

Great, we know, is the merit of Cyprian, bishop and martyr, but is it greater than that of Peter, the apostle and martyr? Of whom Cyprian himself, in a letter to Quintus, speaks thus: For neither did Peter, whom the Lord chose the first, and upon whom He built His Church,' &c.* See how Cyprian commemorates what we have also learnt in the Holy Scriptures, that the Apostle Peter, in whom the primacy of the apostles is pre-eminent by so excellent a grace, when accustomed to act as regards the circumcision otherwise than truth demanded, was corrected by a later apostle....I think, without any contumely to himself, Cyprian the Bishop may be compared to Peter the Apostle, so far as regards the crown of martyrdom. Indeed, I ought rather to fear lest I be contumelious towards Peter. For who knows not that that principality of the apostolate is to be preferred before any episcopate whatever. But even if the grace of the chair

* See the passage under St. Cyprian, p. 27.

is different, yet one is the glory of the martyrs."T. ix. L. 11, c. Donatist. de Bapt. n. 2, p. 181-2. Cf. Ib. n. 5, p. 184.

PALLADIUS, G. C. 402.-"Whom do you say that I am?' Not all answer, but Peter alone, interpreting the sentiment of all. "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God'; of which answer the Saviour acknowledging the correctness, replied and said, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock,' that is, this confession, 'I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."—De Vita Chrysost. c. 19, p. 317, Galland. viii.

66

By the permission of the Lord, these things were in the beginning for the discipline of the saints, the devil seeking to have them, as the saving Word says, 'Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not.' And not solely did Jesus pray for Peter, but for all who have the faith of Peter."-Ib. c. 20, p. 322.

PRUDENTIUS, L. C. 405.-" And we already hold most trustworthy pledges of this hope, for here already reign two princes of the apostles; one the apostle of the Gentiles, the other, possessing the first chair, flings open the gates of eternity that have been entrusted to him."-Hymn. 2, in S, Laurent. 457-64, Galland. viii. p. 440.

"Simon, whom they call Peter, the very chief disciple of God."-Ib. L. 11, c. Symm. v. 1, 2, p.

509.

VICTOR OF ANTIOCH, G. C. 405.-" And to Simon He gave the name Peter.' (Mark iii. 16.) Lest any may think the apostles chosen by chance or at random, the Evangelist gives the names of each in order. And he says that 'to Simon He gave the

name Peter,' that the name may anticipate the event itself; because as Christ the Lord was about to build His Church on Peter, that is, on the unbroken and sound doctrine of Peter, and his unshaken faith, therefore in prophetic spirit does He call him Peter."-In Ev. Marc. c. 3, p. 377, Bibl. Max. v.

"But whom do you say that I am?' (Mark viii. 29.) What to this question says the mouth of the apostle Peter, who never shows himself but fervent? All being asked, he alone answers, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Matthew sets forth this place more fully than the present Evangelist. For Mark, lest he may seem to say anything in favour of his master, content with a compendium, omits a fuller explanation of this history." -Ib. in c. 8, p. 389.

ST. INNOCENT I. POPE, L. C. 410.-"As you have earnestly asked for the pattern and authority of the Roman Church...Let us then begin with the help of the holy Apostle Peter, through whom both the apostolate and episcopate took its beginning in Christ."-Ep. 2, Victricio, n. 1, 2, p. 546, Galland.

viii.

"The Church of Antioch, which, before he came to the city of Rome, the blessed Apostle Peter made illustrious by his presence, has not long suffered itself, as kindred to the Church of Rome, to be alien from that Church."-Ib. Ep. 23, Bonifacio. p. 583.

"Wherefore we observe, that this (privilege) has not been assigned to this city (Antioch), so much on account of its magnificence, as because it is known to have been the first see of the first apostle; where also the Christian religion took its name, and had the honour to have held within it a most celebrated assembly of the apostles; a city which would not

yield to the see of the city of Rome, save that Antioch was honoured by him but temporarily, whereas this city rejoices that she received him to herself, and that he there consummated (his martyrdom)."-Ib. Ep. 24, ad Alexand. Ep. Antioch, n. 1, p. 584.

"Who knows not, or notices not, that what was delivered to the Roman Church by Peter, the prince of the apostles, and is even until now preserved, ought to be observed by all; nor anything be superinduced, or introduced, which has not authority, or which may seem to derive its pattern elsewhere; especially as it is manifest, that no one has instituted Churches throughout the whole of Italy, the Gauls, Spain, Africa, Sicily, and the interjacent islands, except those whom the venerable Apostle Peter, or his successors, constituted priests. Let them read whether, in those provinces, any other of the apostles is found, or is recorded, to have taught. But if they read of no other, for they never can find any other, it is needful that they follow what is observed by the Roman Church, from which there is no doubt that they received their beginning; lest whilst they court foreign assertions, they may seem to set aside the head of their institutions."-Ib. Ep. 25, Decentio, n. 2, p. 586.

"Keeping to the examples of ancient tradition, and mindful of ecclesiastical discipline, you have, no less now in consulting, than before when pronouncing (your sentence), confirmed in a true manner the vigour of your religion; you that have approved that reference be made to our judgment; knowing what is due to the Apostolic See, since all set in this place desire to follow the apostle, from whom the episcopate itself, and the whole authority of this name, has sprung."-Ib. Ep. 29, ad Concil. Carthag. n. 1, p. 599.

"Diligently, therefore, and congruously, do you

consult the arcana of this apostolic dignity—a dignity, I repeat, upon which falls, besides those things that are without, the solicitude of all the Churches' as to what opinion is to be held in matters of such moment, following herein the form of an ancient rule, which you, as well as I, know has been preserved by the whole world. But I pass these things by; for I believe that this is not unknown to your prudence. Why indeed have you confirmed this by your own action, but because you know that, throughout all the provinces, answers to questions always emanate from the apostolic fountain head. Especially, as often as a principle of faith is ventilated, I am of opinion that all our brethren and fellow bishops ought not to refer save to Peter, that is, to the author of their name and dignity."-Ib. Ep. 30, ad Concil. Milev. n. 1, p. 602.

ST. ZOSIMUS, POPE, 417.-" Although the tradition of the fathers has assigned so great authority to the Apostolic See... (an authority) derived also from the very promise of Christ our God, that he should loose what is bound,' and 'bind what is loosed;' an equal condition of power being bestowed on those who, by his will, may be found worthy of the inheritance of his see. For he has both charge of all Churches, and especially of this wherein he sat."Ep. xi. ad Ep. Afr. n. 1, p. 15, 16, Galland. ix.

ST. BONIFACE, POPE, 419.-"The blessed Apostle Peter, to whom the highest place of the priesthood was granted by the voice of the Lord, is immeasurably gratified as often as he sees that he has sons of peace, the guardians of the honour bestowed upon him by the Lord. For what ought he to ponder with greater joy than that he sees the rights of the