we have seen this a thousand times written on the
Acts.

"But in a matter so clear, they have only one thing to object drawn out of
antiquity, the saying of St. Innocent, 'that Peter is the author of the
Episcopal name and honour.'[153] And again,[154] 'whence the Episcopate
itself and all the authority of that name sprung.' And of St. Leo,[155] 'If
he willed that anything should be enjoyed by the other heads (that is, the
Apostles) in common with him (Peter), he never gave save through Peter
whatever he denied not to the rest.' And elsewhere also, 'that Christ
granted to the rest of the Apostles the ministry of preaching on this
condition, that he poured into them, as into the whole body, his gifts from
Peter, as from the head.'[156] Whence also came that expression of Optatus
of Milevi: 'For the good of unity, the blessed Peter was thought worthy to
be preferred to all the Apostles, and alone received the keys of the
kingdom of heaven to be imparted to the rest,'[157]--and that of Gregory of
Nyssa, 'Through Peter He gave to the Bishops the keys of heavenly
honours.'[158] And that of St. Caesarius of Arles to Pope Symmachus: 'As
from the person of the blessed Apostle Peter the Episcopate takes its
beginning, so is it necessary that by suitable rules of discipline your
Holiness should plainly show to every Church what they ought to
observe.'[159]

"If they push these and such like expressions to the utmost, they will come
to assert that the Apostles were appointed by Peter, not by Christ, or by
Christ through Peter, but not by Him immediately and in person: as if any
other but Christ called the Apostles, sent them, and endued them with
heavenly power by the infusion of His Spirit; and Peter and not Christ
said: 'Go ye, teach, preach, baptize, receive, and, as My Father sent me,
even so send I you.'

"I am aware that John of Turrecremata, and a few others, thinking that the
words now quoted of St. Leo and others cannot be defended by them
sufficiently, unless the Apostles also received their jurisdiction from St.
Peter, have been hurried away even into this folly, against the most
manifest truth of the Gospel. Which fiction Bellarmine himself has
confuted.

"But this being the greatest absurdity, it will appear that what follows is
the teaching of the Fathers quoted.

"First; the episcopal authority and jurisdiction is contained in the keys,
and in the power of binding and loosing, which is clear of itself.

"Sec