APOSTOLIC POWER DEVOLVED ON THE CHURCH. 123 As, for instance, in the Roman empire, before any rule of succes- sion was established therein, the emperor was sovereign governor, and he might die consul of Rome, having assumed that place to himself; yet, when he died, the supreme authoritydid not lapse into the hands of the consul who succeeded him, but into the hands of the senate and people, his consular authority only going to his suc- cessor in that office. So might St Peter's universal power be trans- ferred unto the ecclesiastical college of bishops and of the church, his episcopal, inferior authority over the singular aapotzía, or province of Rome, being transmitted to his followers in that chair. 3. That in truth it was thus, and that all the authority of St Peter, and of all the other apostles, was devolved to the church, and to the representative body thereof, the fathers supposed, affirming the church to have received from our Lord a sovereign power. " This," says St Cyprian, " is that one church which holds and possesses all the power of her Husband and Lord; in her we preside; for her honour and unity we fight,"' says he, in his epistle to Jubi- anus, wherein he impugns the proceedings of Pope Stephanus; the which sentence St Augustine appropriates to himself, speaking it absolutely, without citingSt Cyprian To this authority of the church St Basil would have all that confess the faith of Christ to submit: " To which end we exceedingly need your assistance, that they who confess the apostolic faith, renouncing the schisms which they have devised, may submit themselves henceforth to the autho- rity of the church.' They, after the holy Scripture, (which says that each bishop hasa " care of God's church," 1 Tim. iii. 5, 15; and is obliged to " feed the church of God," Acts xx. 28 ; and is appointed to " edify thebody of Christ," Eph. iv. 12,) suppose the administration of ecclesiastical affairs concerning the public state of the church, the defence of the common faith, the maintenance of order, peace, and unity, jointly to belong to the whole body of pastors;' according to that of St Cyprian to Pope Stephanus himself, " Therefore, most dear brother, the body of priests is ample, being so joined together by the cement of mutual concord and the bond of unity, that if any of our college should at- tempt to commit heresy, and to tear and waste the flock of Christ, the rest may come to the succour, and, like useful and merciful shep- a Hmest una quee tenet et possidet omnem Sponsi sui et Domini potestatem; in hac prasidemus; pro honore ejus et imitate pugnamus, &c. Cypr., Ep. lxxiii. 2 Aug. de Bap. cont. Don. iv. 1. s 'Ep' ärrap xai i áX,oma 4 ç rrap' v¡cmv xpgo¡cav /3anAaias, mama mails mpv á?oamaÀlxfJY ¿0oXoyouvraf 714041v, ürap hrivónoav, mxlepecra haÀVaavraa, ¿vcocayñva, 4oú Àolrr,í 4» aúAarmig 4ñt ix,) salas. Bas., Ep. lais. Collegium sacerdotum.Cypr., Ep. lxvii. 62. 'Trip sráons ïrriaxorrñs 47;s ú+aó 4òr oú¡avbr. Apast. Const. viii. 10.
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