23) prescribed, and all the Bishops of the east subscribed, after the
Patriarch John of Constantinople, a formulary of faith and of Catholic
Communion, where, among other remarkable points, this is worthy of
particular attention:--that as all Churches make but one Church, so all the
thrones of the Apostolate, and all the Sees of the Episcopate, spread
through all the earth, are but one apostolic see, inseparable from the see
of Peter." This is the view of St. Augustin, expressed again and again in
his writings, especially when he is explaining those remarkable words of
our Lord to St. Peter, on which Roman Catholics ground the _scriptural_
proof of his Primacy. "For it is evident that Peter, in many places of the
Scriptures, represents the Church, (_personam gestet Ecclesiae_) chiefly in
that place where it is said, 'I give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of
Heaven. Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in Heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.' What! did
Peter receive those keys, and Paul not receive them? Did Peter receive
them, and John and James not receive them, and the rest of the Apostles? Or
are not those keys in the Church, where sins are daily remitted? But since
in meaning hinted, but not expressed, (_in significatione_), Peter was
representing the Church, what was given to him singly, was given to the
Church. So, then, Peter bore the figure of the Church: the Church is the
body of Christ."[9] So St. Chrysostom: "But when I speak of Paul, I mean
not only him, but also Peter, and James, and John, and all their choir. For
as in a lyre there are different strings, but one harmony, so, too, in the
choir of the Apostles, there were different persons, but one teaching;
since one, too, was the Musician, even the Holy Spirit, who moved their
souls. And Paul signifying this, said: 'Whether, therefore, it were they or
I, so we preach.'"[10] How little, on the one hand, the pre-eminence of St.
Peter's see derogated from the apostolicity of other Bishops, or, on the
other hand, their distinct descent and jurisdiction hindered them from
paying due deference to the Chief See, is apparent likewise in these words
of St. Jerome: "But, you say, the Church is founded upon Peter; although,
in another place, this self-same thing takes place upon all the Apostles,
and all receive the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, _and the strength of the
Church is consolidated equally upon them_: n