And that the universal and supreme authority over the Church of Christ, was in these words committed to Peter by the Lord, is the belief of antiquity. Thus, S. Ambrose, in the west: "It is not doubtful that Peter believed, and believed because he loved, and loved because he believed. Whence, too, he is grieved at being asked a third time, Lovest thou Me? For we ask those of whom we doubt. But the Lord does not doubt, but asks not to learn, but to teach him whom, on the point of ascending into heaven, He was leaving, _as it were, the successor and representative of His love_.[21] It is because he alone out of all makes a profession, that _he is preferred to all_. Lastly, for the third time, the Lord asks him, no longer, _hast_ thou _a regard_ (diligis me) for Me, but _lovest_ (amas) thou Me: and now he is ordered to feed, not the lambs, as at first, who need a milk diet, nor the little sheep, as secondly, but the more perfect sheep, _in order that he who was the more perfect might have the government_."[22] In the East, S. Chrysostome, "Why, then, passing by the rest, does He converse with him on these things? _He was the chosen of the Apostles, and the mouthpiece of the disciples, and the head of the band._ Therefore, also Paul once went up to see him rather than the rest. It was, besides, to shew him, that for the future he must be bold, as his denial was done away with, that _He puts into his hands the presidency over the brethren._ And He does not mention the denial, nor reproach him with what had past; but He says, if thou lovest Me, _rule the brethren_, and show now that warm affection which on all occasions thou didst exhibit, and in which thou didst exult, and the life which thou didst offer to lay down for Me, now spend for My sheep." Again, "thrice He asks the question, and thrice lays on him the same command, showing at how high a price He sets _the charge of His own sheep_." Again, "he was put in charge with the direction of his brethren." "He made him great promises _and put the world into his hands_." Thus John and James, and the rest of the Apostles were committed to Peter, but never Peter to them: and he adds, "But if any one asks, How then did James receive the throne of Jerusalem? I would reply that He elected Peter _not to be the teacher of this throne, but of the whole world_." And in another place, "Why did He shed His blood to purchase those sheep _which He committed to Peter and his successors_? With reason then said Christ, 'who is the faithful and prudent servant whom his Lord hath set over His own[23] house?'" Theophylact repeated, seven hundred years later, the perpetual tradition of the East. "He puts into Peter's hands the headship over the sheep of the whole world, and to no other but to him gives He this; first, because he was distinguished above all, and the mouth-piece of the whole band; and secondly, showing to him that he must be confident, as his denial was put out of account." And if S.