No Church authority greater than the Apostles', yet faith did not rest on an Apostle; Galatians 1
Besides, no greater authority ever was in the Church, or ever will be, than the authority the Apostles held. Yet the faith of those who believed the Apostles' preaching did not rest on any Apostle's authority. Paul's words make that plain (Galatians 1): "Even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel other than what we preached to you, let him be anathema."
If the Apostles' authority had been the sole or principal foundation on which believers leaned, then once that foundation was removed their faith would necessarily have been removed or would have tottered. Yet even if Apostles — indeed angels themselves — had taught the contrary of what was first preached, Paul wills that the Gospel's faith remain no less firm and unshaken.
Latin
XXI. Praeterea nulla unquam in Ecclesia major fuit, aut erit authoritas, illa qua fuerunt praediti Apostoli. Et tamen fides eorum, qui praedicationi Apostolorum crediderunt, non nitebatur ullius Apostoli authoritate. Quod patet ex Pauli verbis, Galat. 1. Licet, inquit, nos, aut Angelus e caelo, evangelizet vobis praeterquam quod vobis evangelizavimus, anathema sit. Nam si Apostolorum authoritas fuisset fundamentum solum vel praecipuum quo nixi fuissent fideles, certe sublato isto fundamento, necesse quoque fuisset fidem illorum tolli, vel labascere. Et tamen si Apostoli, imo Angeli ipsi, contrarium docuissent ejus quod primo praedicatum fuerat, vult Paulus ut nihilo minus Evangelii fides firma sit et inconcussa.