Hitherto, in what I have said, we have been contemplating the perpetual supremacy of Peter, both in truth and jurisdiction, throughout the Church diffused in all the world. Now, we have to contemplate a higher and more sovereign exercise of his prerogatives in the Church congregated in Council.
It belongs to the successors of Peter alone to convoke, to direct, to prorogue, to translate, to confirm, and to dissolve the Œcumenical Councils of the Church. The highest prerogatives of the Pontificate are partly dormant while the Church is diffused, but are fully exercised when the Church is congregated. More than this; the prerogative of Peter as the confirmer of his brethren is never so explicitly manifest as in the direction and confirmation of Councils. Every Council of the Church, from Nice to Trent, has reflected more visibly and vividly the supremacy and infallibility of the Chair of Peter. The Council of Constance, with an exceptional and explicit act, recognises and declares the same Divine order. Supreme while as yet the See of Peter was vacant, or was claimed by competitors of doubtful election, it submitted at once when the person of the Apostle was visible upon his Chair. It would be too long to draw out in full the historical proofs of the fact, that in no part of his action upon the Church has the successor of Peter more supremely exercised his singular prerogatives than in the series of the Œcumenical Councils. For such as doubt this assertion I may give reference to proofs, which will be
