to that great foundation of the Church, and that most firm rock, on which Christ built his Church, O thou of little Faith, why didst thou doubt?” Matt. xiv. 31.-Hom. v. in Exod. T. 11. p. 145.—“ What before (Matt. xvi. 19.) was granted to Peter alone, here (Matt. xviii. 18.) seems to have been granted to all who should have thrice reproved any sinners: but as something peculiarly excellent was to be given to Peter, it was given singly to him: I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. This was done before the words, whatsoever you shalt bind on earth, $c. were, in the eighteenth chapter, uttered. And, truly, if the words of the Gospel be attentively considered, we shall there find, that the last words were common to Peter and the others; but that the former, spoken to Peter, imported a great distinction and superiority.” Tom. xii. Com. in Matt. T. iii. p. 613.
St. CYPRIAN, L. C.-“ For the Lord, in the first place, gave to Peter, on whom he built his Church, and where he instituted and shewed the origin of Unity, the power that, what he loosed on earth, should be loosed in heaven. And after his resurrection, he speaks also to the Apostles, saying: (John xx. 21.) As the Father sent me, I send you ; receive the Holy Ghost, whose sins you shall forgive, &c.” Ep. lxxiii. ad Jubaianum, p. 131.-“ Nor did Peter, whom the Lord chose the first, and on whom he built his Church, when afterwards he disagreed with Paul concerning circumcision, arrogate anything to himself, saying, that he held the priтасу, and that he ought to be obeyed by those who came after him. He despised not Paul, because he had persecuted the Church, but listened to the voice of truth, and assented to reason.” Ep. lxxi. ad Quintum, p. 127. He repeats in many other places, that the Church was built on Peter.
