It can not be disputed that these pastors have received from Jesus Christ the powers necessary to govern well the Church. Furthermore, it can not be denied that these powers given to the apostles were also transmitted to their legitimate successors; for the Church and the body of pastors should, according to Christ's word, be perpetuated for all ages. Before leaving the earth, Christ said to his apostles: "Go teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." (Matt. 28:19, 20.)
Jesus Christ is then perpetually with the body of the pastors of the Church. It is to them he has said in the person of the apostles: "He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me." It is still to them he says: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained."
This power, given in a general manner to all the apostles, had been promised to St. Peter previously, and in the same terms. This is one of the proofs that the Popes bring to support their theory of a special and superior power that Peter had received from Jesus, and that has been transmitted to them; but they do not remark that the power was given to all, that it was not promised to Peter personally, but to all the apostles in his person. This is the observation of St. Cyprian, and of the greater number of the Fathers of the Church. Other texts are also cited to support this theory. We will consider them. Here is the first:
"Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."[1]
- ↑ Matt. 16:18, 19. It will here be remembered that both the text and its application lose nearly all their power when translated into English. In French, the word stone and the Christian name Peter are both rendered "Pierre."
