Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/The Decretals/The Epistle of Pope Urban First/Chapter 4

IV.

Of the seats of the bishops.

Furthermore, as to the fact that in the churches of the bishops there are found elevated seats set up and prepared like a throne, they show by these that the power of inspection and of judging, and the authority to loose and bind, are given to them by the Lord.&#160; Whence the Saviour Himself says in the Gospel, &#8220;Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.&#8221; &#160; And elsewhere:&#160; &#8220;Receive ye the Holy Ghost.&#160; Whose soever sins ye remit, are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.&#8221;