Sermon on Saint Peters Day, Sermon

Sermon on Saint Peters Day · Sermon

Imprimatur,

JO. BATTELY. Oct. 14. 1686.

A SERMON PREACHED UPON St. Peter's Day. Printed at the Deſire of Some that heard it, WITH SOME ENLARGEMENTS.

By a Divine of the Church of ENGLAND.

LONDON: Printed for Ric. Chiſwell, at the Roſe and Crown in St. Pauls Church-Yard, MDCLXXXVII.

p. 1A SERMON PREACHED UPON Saint PETER's Day, &c.

MATTH. XVI. 18. beginning.

And I ſay alſo unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my Church.

THE Text, as we call it, is part of the Goſpel for this Day; and according to the Interpretation which ſome give of it, it is the whole Goſpel of Chriſt: Theſe two Words, PETER and CHURCH being ſo comprehenſive, that if they be well learnt, there needs no further pains to come acquainted with all the reſt of the Chriſtian Religion.

p. 2For in PETER, who they ſay is the Rock here ſpoken of, all the Biſhops of Rome, in all ſucceding Ages, are included; who inherit the very ſame Prerogative which St. Peter had, of being the Foundation of the Church. Which CHURCH, ſay they, is nothing elſe, but that Body of Men and Women who are united unto the Roman Biſhop as their Head: From whom all Eccleſiaſtical Power is derived unto all other Paſtors of the Church. Over whom, and conſequently over all Chriſtians, he hath a Soveraign Authority, to declare the Rule of Faith, to determine the Canonical Books of Scripture, and the Traditionary Word: In brief, To be as infallible a Guide in the way to Heaven, as Saint Peter was. So that if any Man would know infallibly, what the Chriſtian Religion is, he need be at no more trouble, but only to enquire of that Church which adheres to him as the Foundation, and reſign up himſelf to the belief of whatſoever it teaches him, becauſe it cannot poſſibly teach him amiſs.

Theſe are wonderful things, and we are highly concerned to examine, whether there be ground enough in this Speech of our Saviour, for the Church of Rome to raiſe upon it ſo large, ſo high, ſo glorious a Structure to it ſelf, as this is. Becauſe, if it appear that our Lord did give, not only to Saint Peter, but to all the Roman Biſhops, and to them alone, this Univerſal Paſtorſhip and Power, to Teach, to Rule and Govern all Chriſtians, of whatſoever ſort they p. 3be; we muſt without any Contradiction, obediently ſubmit unto it; and have not ſo much as this liberty left us, To enquire whether the Roman Biſhops do not extend their Power too far, in commanding us to do thoſe things which are directly contrary to the Commands of Him from whom all Power comes: Becauſe, tho we think we ſee clearly that they do, yet we muſt not believe our own eyes, but them who tell us they do not. On the contrary, if it can be demonſtrated that our Saviour in theſe Words to St. Peter, did not confer any ſuch power upon him, much leſs upon all that ſucceed in the Roman See, we ſhall diſcern how little reaſon we have to commit our ſelves to the Guidance of that Church which builds upon ſuch a ſandy Foundation: And that it is our certain duty to adhere to the Conſtitutions of this Church of England, whereof we are Members; which not only teaches, That no manner of Obedience and Subjection is due to any ſuch Forreign Power; but commands us who are Miniſters in it, To uſe the utmoſt of our Wit, Knowledg, and Learning, purely and ſincerely, (without any Colour or Diſſimulation) to teach, manifeſt, open and declare, four times every Year (at leaſt) that all ſuch Power is for juſt Cauſes taken away and aboliſhed.

In obedience to which Injunction, which is the An. 1603.very firſt Canon of our Church, I ſhall in this Diſcourſe endeavour, according to the beſt of my Underſtanding, and moſt diligent Enquiry, to give you the Genuine and Sincere Meaning of thoſe Words (which are the prime Foundation of that p. 4high Claim now mentioned) and that as they were expounded in the firſt and beſt Times of the Church; when the Doctors of it were not engaged in thoſe unhappy Controverſies, which now diſturb, or rather diſtract the Chriſtian World.

And if I prove, That neither the Apoſtles after they heard theſe Words from Chriſt, no not St. Peter himſelf, who is ſaid to be moſt, nay only concerned in them; nor the Ancient Biſhops that ſucceeded them, no not the Biſhops of Rome themſelves, when they on purpoſe treat of theſe Words, did think of any ſuch Monarchy (it may be truly called) as is now built upon them; you will conclude, that this is a new Doctrine, and that the Aſſerters and Maintainers of it, not we who oppoſe it, deſerve the Name of Innovators in Religion.

And for the clearer Expoſition of them, I think it will be neceſſary,

Firſt, To obſerve the Occaſion upon which they were ſpoken; and from thence proceed,

Secondly, To ſhow in what ſenſe they were anciently underſtood; And

Laſtly, What Inferences and Deductions are neceſſarily to be made from their Interpretations.

p. 5PART I. The Occaſion of the Words.

THE meaning of theſe Words of Chriſt will be better underſtood, when we have well weighed the occaſion on which they were ſpoken: which was this. The Opinion and Diſcourſe of the Country concerning our bleſſed Saviour; which was thus reported to him by his Diſciples, when he askt them about it, verſ. 14. Some ſay, that thou art John the Baptiſt, ſome Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the Prophets. That is, there were very various and uncertain Opinions conceived of him; for tho they all agreed in general, he was a great Man; nay, a Man of God (as they called the Prophets) yet they were not reſolved, much leſs ſetled in any particular determinate notion of him.

To try, therefore, the Proficiency of thoſe who were conſtantly bred in his School, he asks what their Opinion was, verſ. 15. But whom ſay ye, that I am? Unto which Simon Peter makes this reply, verſ. 16. Thou art Chriſt, the Son of the Living God. The Queſtion, ye may obſerve, is propounded to them all, not to Peter alone. He doth not ſay, Peter, whom doſt thou ſay, that I am? But he ſaith unto them, that is, to his Diſciples before mentioned, Whom ſay ye, that I am? Unto the ſame Perſons of whom he enquired, Whom do p. 6men ſay that I am? v. 13. He now ſaith, But whom ſay ye that I am? And yet the Anſwer to this Queſtion is not returned by them all, or by ſeveral of them, as before; but by one only, Simon Peter anſwered and ſaid, &c. What ſhould be the reaſon of this?

The plaineſt and moſt undoubted anſwer is, That there was no difference of Opinion among them, as there was among the common People; but they were all of one mind in this matter, and therefore no more offered to ſpeak but one; becauſe they had all, but one thing to ſay, That he was Chriſt, the Son of the Living God. To the firſt Queſtion, one of them alone would not return an Anſwer, becauſe they had not all met with the ſame Opinion, but ſome with one, ſome with another; and therefore every one related what he had heard the People ſay about him. But to this Queſtion, they had but one Anſwer to make, being all agreed in one and the ſame Belief; and therefore, it was ſufficient for one to ſpeak the mind of every one, to whom the Queſtion was put.

But ſtill the Reaſon is demanded, why St. Peter rather than any of the reſt, made this Anſwer? To which St. Chryſoſtom thinks it enough to reply, When men are moved by the Spirit to do or ſay a Thing, it is in vain to ask a Reaſon of it. Yet he, as well as others, have given us divers Reaſons which have a Foundation in the Holy Scriptures.

p. 7I. Firſt, Becauſe he was more warm and forward than the reſt; of a zealous and active Spirit, which made him ready in Speech, and all other Motions, as well as quick of Apprehenſion, and ardent in his Affection. Many of the Fathers aaS. Hierom. in loc. S. Cyril in Joh. 21. 15. S. Greg. Naz. Orat. 34.John 21:15have given this account of it, as well as St. Chryſoſtome, who mentions it often; and here particularly affirms it to be the reaſon, why he ſtept, or rather leaped forth (as his word is) and prevented the reſt, in this Confeſſion.

And if they had not told us this, the Story of the Goſpel would have furniſhed us with ten or twelve Inſtances of his forwardneſs, moſt of which are collected by bbMatt. 14. 28.Matt 14:28St. Hierom, I will name but two or three. The firſt of them, is mentioned in this very Chapter, v. 22. When our Lord acquainting his Diſciples what things he ſhould ſuffer, Peter, out of a certain heat, which was natural to him, and a vehement, but imprudent love to our Lord, (as St. Chryſoſtoms words are) takes upon him to chide our Lord, for having ſuch a purpoſe, adviſing him to be more favourable to himſelf. A ſecond inſtance is in the 14th Chapter, where we read of his forwardneſs to go unto our Saviour upon the Sea, tho he had not Faith enough to ſupport him there. A thrid, in his forwardneſs to draw his Sword on our Saviours defence, when the Soldiers laid hold on him in the Garden, 26. 51. Theſe things ſhow his temper to have been ſo warm and zealous, that we need no other Reaſon for his ſpeaking firſt, the mind of them all.

p. 8II. But others add that he was the eldeſt of the Company, being a married man when he entred into our Saviours Service. His Brother Andrew indeed, was firſt acquainted with our Saviour, Joh. 1. 40, 41. But, when they were called to be his conſtant Attendants, (which was not till ſome time after) Peter is mentioned before him, as the Elder of the two, St. Matth. iv. 18. Mark i. 16. Epiphanius aaHaereſi l. 1.indeed thinks otherwiſe, making Andrew the elder Brother; but it is unreaſonable to follow his Opinion alone (eſpecially when he alledges no Tradition for it) againſt the Senſe of many other Ancient Writers, who (Baronius bbAd An. 31. n. xxiii.confeſſes) lookt upon Peter as elder than him. Which St. Hierom gives as the Reaſon, why St. Peter was preferred before St. John, the beloved Diſciple, to be the firſt in the Order of the Apoſtles; becauſe he was the elder. His words are very remarkable, and worthy to be read of all, in his firſt Book againſt Jovinian, where he ſets forth the Prerogatives of St. John, as moſt dear to our Saviour, becauſe he was a Virgin, and ſo continued to the end. Unto which he brings in his Adverſary objecting, That the Church was founded upon Peter, who was a married Man: Tho in another place (ſaith St. Hierom) the very ſame is ſaid of all the Apoſtles, and they all received the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the ſolidity of the Church was equally eſtabliſhed on every one of them. Yet among the Twelve, one was therefore choſen, that an Head being conſtituted, p. 9all occaſion of Schiſm might be taken away. But why was not John, being a Virgin, choſen? This was yielded to his Age; for Peter was the Senior. Otherwiſe, he will have St. John to have had the Preheminence, as it there follows: Peter an Apoſtle, and John an Apoſtle; a Married man, and a Batchelor: But Peter only an Apoſtle; John both an Apoſtle, and an Evangeliſt, and a Prophet.

III. To which may be added, That he was the firſt of them all called to be Chriſts conſtant follower, as appears from what was now obſerved, That tho he was not the firſt that believed on Chriſt, yet he was the firſt that our Lord called from his ſecular Employment, to wait upon him, and to be always with him; And therefore called by ſome of the Ancients, the firſt Fruits of the Apoſtles.

IV. For, laſtly, upon ſuch accounts as theſe, he was made the firſt Apoſtle; not in Power and Authority; for therein, as hath been ſaid already, and will appear more anon, they were all alike; but in orderly Precedence, which is natural and neceſſary in all Societies. And being the Foreman, who ſo fit as he, to ſpeak for them all, as he did not only now, but upon other occaſions, Matth. xix. 27, and Joh. vi. 67, 68, 69. Upon which account, St. Chryſoſtome fitly calls him, foreign, the Mouth of the Apoſtles: Which he frequently repeats **In Matth. xvii. 24. Act. i. 25. Galat. ii. 2.Matt 17:24Acts 1:25Gal 2:2, and alledges this, together with his heat and zeal, as the Reaſon of his ſpeaking, rather than p. 10the reſt. For all of them could not make anſwer to the Queſtion our Saviour here askt, without Confuſion; and they all having but one thing to ſay, therefore one ſpake for them all. And who fitter to be their Speaker, than he that was the Senior of all; the leading man of the Company; whoſe Age and forward Zeal, and early entertainment into our Saviours family, had given him the priority of place among the Apoſtles?

But obſerve then, That if he ſpake becauſe he was the Mouth of the reſt (as the Ancient Opinion was); then, as he ſpake the Senſe of them all, ſo he ſpake in all their Names: And that which he ſaid, was the voice of all the Apoſtles. For either he was not the Mouth of the Apoſtles; or his Confeſſion was the Confeſſion of the whole Body of the Apoſtles, who ſpake the ſame in him. None of the Ancients, that I can find, doubted of this. St. Hierom, particularly, hath this note upon theſe words, Petrus ex perſona omnium Apoſtolorum, &c. Peter in the Perſon of all the Apoſtles confeſſeth, Thou art Chriſt the Son of the Living God. And the famous ſaying of St. Auſtin, is now grown ſo familiar to all, that I need only Tranſlate it, Peter anſwers, one for all. Thus St. Cyprian aaEpiſt. ad Cornel., and St. Ambroſe bbL. vi. in S. Luc. c. 9.Luke 9, from whom this Senſe is tranſmitted down to later times; for Dionyſius Carthuſianus follows it, whoſe words are theſe, in our language, Peter as the Principal, gives the anſwer for them all.

p. 11And there are two Reaſons the Fathers give for this; the one is a moral Reaſon, the other a myſtical. The Moral is, To avoid Confuſion; it being unſeemly and diſorderly for all to ſpeak at once; therefore he being firſt, ſpake the mind of them all. The Myſtical is, To denote the Unity that ſhould be among the Apoſtles (and conſequently the Unity of the Church, and of all that believe) according to the Prayer of our Saviour, when he was about to leave the World, (Joh. xvii. 21.) That they all might be one, as He and the Father were one: That ſpeaking the ſame thing, and perfectly agreeing in the Doctrine they preached, the World might believe that the Father had ſent him. This was much in the thoughts of St. Cyprian (in more places than I can eaſily number) and other African Fathers, who followed after him.

But I do not find any of thoſe Ancient Writers mention this as the reaſon of Peters ſpeaking, and not any of the reſt (which Bellarmine aaL. 1. de Pontif. Rom. C. xix.makes his peculiar Prerogative) Becauſe he alone knew at this time, that Jeſus was the Eternal Son of God. St. Hilary in the Latin Church, and Baſil of Seleucia in the Greek, were the firſt and only Perſons of any account, (who by the Rule of the Roman Church, ought not to be followed againſt the ſtream of ancient Interpreters) that had in their minds this conceit. For Euthymius, who follows them, is of no conſideration for his Antiquity.

What Advantage, they that contend for it, can make of this notion, I do not ſee; (becauſe, if p. 12Chriſt did now reveal this to St. Peter alone, it was that it might be known to them all) yet, I do not think fit to grant it; becauſe it is apparently againſt common Reaſon, and againſt the Hiſtory of the Goſpel, and againſt the beſt and moſt ancient Authority.

1. In reaſon we cannot think the Apoſtles to have been ſuch dullards, (to uſe no harder word) as in two years time and more, when they had been in our Saviours School, heard his words, and ſeen his wonderful Works, not to have learnt the foreign (as St. Athanaſius bbOrat. III. contra Arianos.calls this Confeſſion) the peculiar and principal Article of our Chriſtian Faith, that he was God Incarnate, the Word made Fleſh. Eſpecially, when they had been introduced into this belief by John the Baptiſt; who had told them as much, before they were admitted Chriſts Diſciples. Andrew, it is certain, was not ignorant of it, who thereupon ſought his Brother Simon, and told him, we have found the Meſſias, i. e. Chriſt, Joh. 1. 40, 41. For John the Baptiſt had reported, how he ſaw the Spirit deſcend on our Saviour, and had heard the voice from Heaven, and therefore bare record, ſaying, This is the Son of God, v. 34. Nay, he bare witneſs, that he was Gods only begotten; for he cryed, ſaying, No man hath ſeen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the boſom of the Father, he hath declared him, v. 15, 18. By this Teſtimony they were drawn to our Saviour, who at the very beginning manifeſted forth his Glory, (that is, his Divine Majeſty) by ſuch illuſtrious Miracles, That his Diſciples believed p. 13on him, (Joh. 2. 11.) That is, did not doubt of the truth of what John had ſaid; and which, as you ſhall ſee preſently, the very Devils themſelves openly acknowledged and confeſſed. Who then can believe after all this, that they were ignorant of the very firſt thing in our Religion? With other points we find them unacquainted; but to fancy them not to have known this, is to make them as inſenſible as ſo many ſtones; and in no other ſenſe to have deſerved the Name of Stones and Pillars, (whereby they are afterward called) but only, becauſe they were ſo hardned in ſtupidity, that nothing would enter into them, no more than our words will into the hardeſt Flint in the World. What wretched Chriſtians do we make them, if after ſuch means of Inſtruction, we ſuppoſe them to have learnt nothing of the very foundation of Chriſtianity?

2. But beſides this, it is directly againſt the expreſs Teſtmiony of the Holy Scriptures; which informs us, that ſeveral Perſons had before this time, made as full a Confeſſion of the Faith, as St. Peter himſelf. They, for inſtance, who were with our Saviour in the Ship, when it was toſſed on the Sea by a contrary Wind, and when St. Peter's heart had failed him, as he walkt with our Saviour on the Water, came and worſhipped him (after he had made the Sea calm) ſaying, Of a truth, thou art the Son of God, Matt. xiv. 33. Nay, more early than this, as ſoon as ever St. Peter was acquainted with our Saviour, Nathanael (who is thought not without ſome reaſon to be the Apoſtle Bartholomew) p. 14made as diſtinct, and clear a Confeſſion as his, Thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Iſrael, Joh. 1. 49. I ſhall not inſiſt on the Confeſſion of Martha, Joh. xi. 27. becauſe it was afterward, towards the Concluſion of our Saviours life: The plain acknowledgment of the Mariners and Paſſengers in the Ship (who were the perſons St. Hierom thinks, that came and worſhipped him, and made the foremention'd Confeſſion) is a ſufficient proof, that this was not a ſecret, known to St. Peter alone by a ſpecial Revelation.

St. Chryſoſtom, indeed, is of Opinion, That there is more in theſe Words of St. Peter, than in theirs, or in Nathanael's: Who only confeſſed him to be the adopted Son of God, but St. Peter went further, and confeſſed him his Son by Nature. But the reaſon he gives is inſufficient, which is only this: That our Lord here pronounces Peter bleſſed, which he doth not ſay to the reſt. For there might be other Reaſons for pronouncing him bleſſed: Particularly this, That the Shipmen perhaps made that Confeſſion only in a great tranſport of Paſſion; but he upon a ſetled and deliberate Perſwaſion; and that notwithſtanding the various opinions that were in the Country about him, which might have diſtracted the Apoſtles minds, if they had not been attentive Conſiderers of the Teſtimonies our Lord gave of his Divinity. Beſides, he ſeems in effect, to have called Nathanael bleſſed, tho he does not uſe the word: For, becauſe he believed upon ſuch a ſmall and ſingle Teſtimony of his Divinity, as his ſeeing him under the Figtree, He p. 15tells him he would reward his Faith with ſtronger Confirmations of it, Joh. i. 50. Thou ſhalt ſee greater things than theſe. Which is a promiſe containing much of his Grace and Favour toward him; and is thus inlarged, v. 51. And he ſaith unto him, Verily I ſay unto you, Hereafter ye ſhall ſee Heaven open, and the Angels of God aſcending and deſcending upon the Son of Man: That is, more manifeſt tokens of his Divinity, upon which the Angels waited and attended; juſt as they did upon the Divine Majeſty in the Old Teſtament, Gen. xxviii. 12. And if all this do not ſeem ſufficient to evince the Truth, what think you of the Teſtimony which St. Peter bears to them all, that they did believe and know that he was the Chriſt, the Son of the Living God? Joh. vi. 69. To which may be added, that our Bleſſed Lord and Saviour himſelf, ſolemnly gives Praiſe and Glory to God, for revealing thoſe things, which concerned his Kingdom (of which this was the firſt) unto them all, Matth. xi. 25, 26.

And laſtly, As this Opinion is againſt Reaſon and Scripture, ſo it is moſt certainly againſt the Authority of the Ancient Fathers. For as St. Hierom aaIn Matth. xiv. 33.Matt 14:33alledges the Confeſſion of the Mariners againſt the Arians: So the Orthodox commonly uſed this as an Argument againſt them, That the very Devils had more Faith than they; for they confeſſed what the Arians denied, That Jeſus was the true and natural Son of God. So they interpret thoſe words, Mark iii. 11. bbV. Athanaſium, de Incarn. Verbi, p. 85.. Which Maldonate himſelf acknowledges the Fathers are wont wonderfully p. 16to amplifie againſt thoſe Hereticks; which they could not have done, if they thought, leſs was meant by it, than by this Confeſſion of St. Peter's. Who if he were the only Perſon that at this time underſtood this ſecret, then the Quire of the Apoſtles (as Baſil calls them, when he ſpeaks of their Ignorance) had leſs knowledg of the Saviour of the World, than the Herd of unclean Spirits. Which we cannot affirm without the greateſt reproach to them; they having been ſo long under our Saviours Diſcipline, and ſeen his Power over thoſe Spirits; nay, received Power themſelves from him, as it there follows, to heal Sickneſſes, and to caſt out Devils, Mark iii. 15.

But I need not laboriouſly inlarge upon this Argument. St. Ambroſe ſaith ccL. vi. in Luc. cap. 9.Luke 9expreſly, they all knew, what St. Peter alone ſpake. And St. Chryſoſtom himſelf is of the ſame mind, when he makes him here the Mouth of all; and elſewhere ddIn Gal. ii. 2.Gal 2:2ſaith, he was their Tongue, and anſwered for them all; which he could not have done, if he had not known they were all of his belief. And therefore we can learn nothing in this matter, from ſuch Doctors as Bellarmine, but that they are reſolved to affirm any thing, to maintain their unjuſt Pretences. The ambitious claim of the Biſhop of Rome, muſt by all means be ſupported; elſe they would not proſtitute their Conſciences, and their Reputations too, in this manner, by aſſerting things which are ſo apparently untrue, that the ſmalleſt skill in the Holy Scripture, is ſufficient to confute them.

p. 17But of all the accounts of this Confeſſion of St. Peter, there is none ſo unaccountable, as that of Cardinal Baronius; who without the leaſt Syllable in all Antiquity to countenance it, adventures to ſay, That now St. Peter Defined, Decreed, and made a Rule of Faith for all the World: For he fancies our Bleſſed Saviour now to have held a Council with his Diſciples; in which St. Peter eeAd Annum 33. N. xvii. talem fert ſententium, ut erudiat atque decernat, ac fidei Canonem perpetuo per manſurum oonſtituat.Decreed and Conſtituted the Canon of Faith, for ever to endure. So that there was no need, ſaith he, our Saviour ſhould conſult the reſt of the Apoſtles (though the Text ſaith expreſly he askt them all, Whom ſay ye that I am)? What their Opinion was; it being ſufficient that Peter had ſpoken ffAcquid de fide ſentiendum eſſet, clavam fixiſſe. Ibid.; and ſo ſtruck the nail to the head; that he had ſetled what was to be thought of Faith. Which is ſuch an aſtoniſhing Inſtance of the Power of Prejudice, Paſſions of all ſorts, and worldly Intereſt, to corrupt and pervert the wiſeſt Minds, that it ought to be an admonition to us all, to employ the ſtricteſt Care, to diſcharge all theſe, when we are ſeeking after Truth, that they may not frame our Opinion for us. For how could ſuch a Thought as this, without a ſtrange Bias upon his Mind, enter into any Mans head? Or if it did, how could it ſtay there? or how ſhould he be perſwaded to publiſh ſuch an abſurdity to the Chriſtian World? Is it credible, that in the Company where the Lord Jeſus, the Eternal Son of God was preſent, any perſon, though never ſo great, ſhould take upon p. 18him to teach, nay to make an Article of Faith? St. Peter certainly was no Maſter in this Aſſembly, but a Scholar only; not an Inſtructor, but a Learner of Religion at this time, and in this place. Much leſs was he a Supreme Lawgiver, and a Judg of Truth (of which as yet he had not much Knowledg, it appears by what follows in this Chapter, where we read he ſo oppoſed our Saviour in another great point of Faith, that he calls him Satan); but barely pronounced what he had been taught to believe by our Lord himſelf; and had heard, as I have ſhown from John the Baptiſt; and ſeen proved by ſuch mighty Works, as none could do but God alone.

If I ſeem to have ſtood too long in explaining this Confeſſion, let thoſe who think ſo, conſider, that it was to open the clearer paſſage to all the reſt that follows; which will be the more plainly and eaſily underſtood. Particularly the next words of the Evangeliſt, who tells us, that upon this Confeſſion of St. Peter, our Lord anſwered and ſaid unto him, Bleſſed art thou Simon Barjona; for fleſh and blood (that is, man) hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven, v. 17. In which words he pronounces them all happy men; this not being revealed peculiarly unto him, but unto the whole Company; who were all taught of God, by ſuch means as I have named, as much as he. For if Peter were their Mouth, then as you have heard, his Confeſſion was their common voice in anſwer to a queſtion put to them all; and by the p. 19ſame reaſon, our Saviours reply to him, was the pronouncing a Bleſſing on them all; who in him had made this worthy Confeſſion, and thereby demonſtrated their proficiency in his School. In one regard indeed St. Peter was more happy than the reſt; that as he was the firſt in the Colledg of the Apoſtles, ſo he had the Honour, as you ſhall hear, to be the firſt employed in that glorious work unto which they were all choſen as much as he; and in which they ſo laboured, that they were partakers no leſs than himſelf in that Bleſſedneſs, which is elſewhere pronounced to that faithful and wiſe ſervant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his houſhold, &c. Matth. xxvi. 45, 46. Which words ggLib. ii. de Concil. c. 17.Bellarmin hath the confidence to apply peculiarly to St. Peter and the Roman Biſhop, but directly againſt the ſenſe of the Ancient Fathers, whom he was bound by ſolemn Oath to follow, who (as a learned Man hhIv. Launoy Epiſt. ad Raimundum Formentinum pars 2.of the Roman Communion hath largely proved) underſtand hereby every faithful Paſtor in the Church of Chriſt.

Who according to the way and method of the Divine Counſels, which is to give unto thoſe that have, to beſtow more on thoſe who make a good uſe of what they have already received, immediately hereupon opens to the Apoſtles his purpoſe of gathering a Church; and drawing more diſciples to him beſides themſelves, who ſhould perpetually keep and preſerve this Confeſſion; and withal declares, that he would uſe Peter as an eminent inſtrument in this great undertaking: foreign and I alſo, or moreover ſay unto thee; beſide what p. 20I have ſaid already, I tell thee further, Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my Church.

His Speech is directed to Peter, but it is evident from what hath been ſaid, that in him he comprehends all the Apoſtles; as they were all comprehended in his Confeſſion; Who knew already, that he was Chriſt, the Son of the Living God; but did not underſtand his intention of gathering a Church by their means.

This Name of Peter we met withal before (Matth. x. 2.) being given him at his firſt coming to our Saviour, John i. 42. Where he told him, Thou ſhalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation a ſtone, or Peter: Concerning which Juſtin Martyr aaDialog. cum Tryh. p. 333, 334. See alſo Tertullian L. iv. adv. Marcionem c. 13.hath this Excellent Obſervation, That it was to ſhow our Saviour was the very ſame God, who in the beginning had given new Names to Abraham and Sarah, to Jacob and Joſhua. And for the ſame reaſon he called other two Diſciples by the name of Boanerges; to ſignify that he had the ſame Authority, by which names were anciently changed; and that he was their Lord and Soveraign, of which the impoſing a name on any perſon was a mark: So that the Words of our Saviour in this place, are to be underſtood, as if he had ſaid, Thou art he, to whom when thou firſt cameſt to me, I gave a new Name, and called Peter, a Stone, and truly my Church ſhall be built on a bottom as firm as any ſtone, or rock.

p. 21It was the cuſtom of our Lord, when he was about to declare any Divine Truth, to lay hold on ſome ſenſible ſimilitude, then near at hand, the better to repreſent it to the minds of thoſe that heard him. As diſcourſing with the Woman of Samaria at the Well-ſide, he takes occaſion to tell her of living water, that he had to beſtow upon her: Such as ſhould be in thoſe that drank it, a well of water ſpringing up into everlaſting life, John IV. 10, 14. And at another time, feeding a Multitude miraculouſly with a few Barly Loaves and Fiſhes, he thence lays hold of the opportunity to diſcourſe of the bread of life which came down from heaven: which he admoniſhes them to labour after, becauſe if any man eat of this bread, he ſhall live for ever, John VI. 26, 27, 50, 51. In like manner here, from the Name he had given Peter, he takes the occaſion of repreſenting the ſtedfaſtneſs of that Foundation, on which his Church ſhould be built; ſaying, on this rock will I build my Church.

There was ſomething in Peter, no doubt, which was the motive to the beſtowing this Name upon him: and that was the forwardneſs of his Faith; which carried him to Chriſt, meerly upon the report which his Brother Andrew gave of him. Which was the reaſon, S. Gregory Nyſſen thinks, that though Abraham's Name was not changed, till after long acquaintance with God, and many Divine Apparitions to him; Peter's was changed at the very firſt p. 22ſight of our Saviour: he at the ſame time hearing his Brother, and believing on the Lamb of God, was conſummated by Faith, and being knit to the rock (viz. Chriſt) was made Peter **foreign. Hom. XV. in Cantic. Canticorum, p. 691.. For our Lord intended to imploy him (though not him alone) as an eminent inſtrument, to bring others to the Faith; and build them on the ſame Rock, that he himſelf was built, till they became a Church.

The word CHURCH ſignifies, the whole company of Believers, united unto Chriſt, as their Lord and Maſter: who are here compared to a Houſe.

The building of this Church is nothing elſe, but the joyning theſe Perſons with their Paſtors, into Company and Society one with another; in ſuch good order, as the Stones, which make an Houſe, are laid in, upon their Foundation.

All the difficulty is about the Rock, or the Foundation, upon which this Society ſtands; and, by holding faſt to which, it remains a Church. Which is the ſecond thing I undertook to treat of; unto which I now proceed.

p. 23PART II. What is here meant by the Rock.

COncerning this, there are various expoſitions, among the ancient Fathers; as is manifeſt to every one that hath read their Writings: though in truth (as you ſhall ſee before I have done) they differ rather in words, than in ſenſe; and quite overthrow all the pretenſions of the Church of Rome from this place of Holy Scripture. I will name four.

I. It is confeſſed by all Proteſtants, that ſome of the ancient Fathers, by the Rock do underſtand Peter. No Body, that I know of, diſputes about this: but only about their meaning, when they ſay he was this Rock on which Chriſt ſaid he would build his Church. Which undoubtedly is not ſuch, as they of the Church of Rome would have it; becauſe other Perſons, far more in number, and of as eminent rank in the Chriſtian Church, expound it of the Faith which S. Peter confeſſed. So that he was the Rock and the Foundation, only as he preached this Faith; which is the ſecond interpretation, and ſhall be made appear to be the meaning of thoſe, who call Peter the Foundation of the Church.

p. 24II. If numbers are to be followed, there are moſt I am ſure for this ſenſe of theſe words; that by the Rock we are to underſtand, that faith which S. Peter now confeſſed. It is mentioned by Fortunatus an African Biſhop, in a Council at Carthage **De Baptizan…is Hareticis apud Cyprian. p. 233. edit. Oxon., where he ſaith, the Lord hath built his Church, Supra petram, non ſuper haereſin, upon a Rock, not upon Hereſie. In which words Rock being oppoſed to Hereſie; without all doubt, he underſtood our Saviour to ſpeak of a ſound and ſolid Faith in him, when he ſaid he would build his Church upon this Rock. Which is exactly the ſenſe of Epiphanius alſo, who by the Gates of Hell underſtanding all ſorts of Hereſies, adds immediately ††foreign. Haereſ. LXXIV. n. 14., but they cannot prevail againſt the Rock, that is, againſt the Truth. To whom I could add Sixteen other ancient Writers (and not put S. Auſtin into the number, who often follows this Expoſition) four of which were Popes of Rome **Leo I. Foelix M. Gregorius I. Adrian I.: and I do not reckon neither, Iſidorus Hiſpalenſis, venerable Bede, and a great many other excellent Writers, later than they, down to Alphonſus Toſtatus, and lower: among whom are five or ſix Biſhops of Rome ††Nicholas I. John VIII. Steph. VI. Innocent II. Hadrian IV. Urban III., who expreſly ſay, The Rock that Chriſt here ſpeaks of, is the Faith which Peter confeſſed. For the Church, ſaith the laſt named Writer, is built upon faith: which faith is called a rock; becauſe it always remains firm and ſolid.

III. But there are others of no leſs name and credit, that underſtand Chriſt himſelf, by this Rock. Who then may be conceived to have p. 25pointed to his own perſon, when he ſpake theſe words; ſhewing by his voice and geſture, whom he meant by this Rock: Which as it is an elegant, ſo it is no unuſual form of Speech; but made uſe of by our Lord himſelf, on another occaſion (Joh. II. 19.) when he ſaith, deſtroy this Temple (intending the Temple of his Body) and in three days I will raiſe it up. And there are no ſmall number of the antient Doctors who thus expound theſe words; particularly S. Auſtin in divers places of his Works, as he himſelf takes notice in his Review of them. Where he ſaith ††Retract. L. 1…. Cap. 21.that in a certain place of his Book againſt the Epiſtle of Donatus, he made Peter the Rock on which the Church was founded; but ſince that time, had very often ſaid, it was Chriſt the Son of the living God. He leaves the Reader, indeed, to chuſe which he pleaſes: but any one may ſee he inclined to the laſt; which he followed in thoſe Books which he wrote after this of his Retractions. For which I muſt needs ſay there are no ſmall reaſons, that are worthy to be mentioned.

Firſt, this very Apoſtle (whoſe name is Peter, or Stone) calls Chriſt a living ſtone, unto whom ye coming (ſaith he to his flock) as lively ſtones, are built up a ſpiritual houſe, &c. 1 Pet. II. 4, 5. Who can read theſe words without prejudice, and not think that S. Peter lookt upon Chriſt as that Rock, on whom every one muſt be built, who will be a part of the ſpiritual Houſe; that is, of the Church? And therefore he adds, p. 26that Chriſt is that chief Corner Stone, elect and pretious, whom the Prophet Iſaiah foretold, God would lay in Sion. (v. 6.) And Chriſt alone: for if he had had any conceit, that he was a joynt, ſecondary foundation of this building, it would have been very ſeaſonable, or rather neceſſary, to have bidden his flock come to him, as that chief Corner Stone, which God of old predicted he would lay in Sion, as the foundation of his Church, together with Chriſt.

For ſo Bellarmin † is bold to expound that Praefat. ad Libros de ſummo Pontif.Prophecy of Iſaiah; indeavouring at large to prove that every particular there mentioned, belongs to Peter, and his Succeſſors in the See of Rome: who, he ſaith, are that tried Stone, that pretious, nay that corner Stone, that ſure foundation, in fundamento fundatus (as they tranſlate it) that ſtone laid in the foundation, which we read of Iſaiah XXVIII. 16. Directly againſt the words of S. Peter himſelf, who applys all this to Chriſt alone; and indeavours to faſten his flock unto him, as the only ſure Rock of their Redemption and Salvation.

This is a Doctrine frequent in the mouth of this very Apoſtle (whom againſt his own mind, they will needs make the Foundation of the Church) and which he had read in other places of the antient Prophets. For, long before the writing of this Epiſtle, he tells the Council of Jeruſalem, that Jeſus was the ſtone which was ſet at nought by ſuch Builders as they, but become the head of the Corner: Act. p. 27IV. 11. The great Men, that is, of the Jewiſh Church would not build on this Foundation, by joyning themſelves unto him, as the reſt of the Stones in a Houſe, are to that of the Corner: and ſo they excluded themſelves from his Body, and from Salvation; for there is no Salvation, ſaith he, in any other.

Secondly, Another great Apoſtle alſo tells us, that Chriſt is the Rock, 1 Corinth. X. 4. Who poured out his Spirit, after his Death, upon the Church; as the Rock in the Wilderneſs, after it was ſmitten, did Water for the Iſraelites.

Thirdly, And more than that, he tells us in that Epiſtle III. 11. Other foundation can no Man lay, than that is laid, which is Jeſus Chriſt. How is it poſſible to have a better interpreter of Chriſts words to Peter, than this which is here given us, by the great Apoſtle of us Gentiles. There are ſundry Elogiums indeed which the antient Fathers have beſtowed on S. Peter, in their writings; of which they of the Church of Rome are wont to boaſt: and we grant them all; nay, have often told them, that if it will do them any ſervice, we will furniſh them with as many more titles of Honour, out of the Fathers, as they have collected. But when we have done; we will preſent them with as many, and great, and tranſcendent, yea the very ſame, titles beſtowed upon S. Paul: Who here tells us in plain words whom we are to underſtand by the Foundation of the Church, and conſequently by the Rock, on which p. 28it is built. And indeed our Saviour doth not here ſay to Peter, Thou art Peter, and upon thee will I build my Church; but upon this Rock: as if he ſpoke of ſomething elſe; either himſelf, or that Faith concerning him, which Peter had confeſſed. Tu Petrus, Ego Petra, thou art Peter, and I am the Rock, on whom thou art built thy ſelf, and muſt help to build others. If Peter himſelf was the Rock, then how is he built upon the Rock? He would be a Rock and a Foundation to himſelf: For there is no mention of more Rocks than one; which if it be Chriſt, then Peter and all muſt be built on him.

Hear how handſomely S. Auſtin **Serm. 13. De verbis Domini Cap. 1, 2.expounds theſe words, Thou therefore art Peter, and upon this Rock, which thou haſt confeſſed, upon this Rock which thou haſt known, ſaying, Thou art Chriſt the Son of the living God, I will build my Church. Super me aedificabo te, non me ſuper te. I will build thee upon me, not me upon thee. For they that would build upon men, ſaid, I am of Paul, I am of Apollo, I am of Cephas, that is Peter: and others who would not be built upon Peter, but upon the Rock, ſaid, I am of Chriſt. Now S. Paul ſeeing them make choice of him, and contemn Chriſt, asks them, Is Chriſt divided? Was Paul Crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? No, neither in Paul's, nor in Peter's, but in the name of Chriſt; that Peter might be built upon the Rock, not the Rock upon Peter.

p. 29The like we meet withal in another place ††Tract. CXXIV. in evang. Johannis.. The Church is founded upon the Rock, whence Peter received his Name. For the Rock is not denominated from Peter, but Peter from the Rock, **Non enim à Petro Petra, ſed Petrus à Petra: directly contrary to Card. Baronius, who confidently ſays, non Petrus à Petra, ſed ipſe Petra; not Peter from that Rock, but he is the Rock. Ad An. 31. n. 24.as Chriſt hath not his name from Chriſtian, but a Chriſtian from Chriſt: for therefore the Lord ſaid, Ʋpon this Rock I will build my Church, becauſe Peter had ſaid, Thou art Chriſt the Son of the living God. Ʋpon this Rock therefore, ſaith he, which thou haſt confeſſed, will I build my Church. FOR THE ROCK WAS CHRIST: upon which foundation, even Peter himſelf is built. For other foundation can no Man lay, than that is laid, which is Chriſt Jeſus.

I will not trouble you with any more Authorities, ſuch as that of Venerable Bede ††In Cap. XXI. Johan., who hath tranſcribed theſe laſt words of S. Auſtin into his own Book: becauſe I have a fourth expoſition to add, which will help to clear the reſt, eſpecially the firſt.

IV. There are thoſe, who having what I have now ſaid in their mind, expound theſe words of all the Apoſtles and their Succeſſors; that is, of all Chriſtian Biſhops: who laid this foundation ſtone, and continued to build upon it after it was laid. Thus S. Cyprian **Ad Lapſos Epiſt. XXXIII. Edit. Oxon.moſt expreſly: Our Lord whoſe precepts we ought to reverence and obſerve, ordering the honour of the Biſhop, and the rule of his Church, ſaith in the Goſpel unto Peter, I ſay unto thee, thou art Peter, and upon this Rock, &c. From hence, through the courſe of times and ſucceſſions, runs down the Ordination of Biſhops, and the rule of the Church: p. 30THAT THE CHƲRCH MAY BE CONSTITƲTED ƲPON BISHOPS; and every affair of the Church be governed, by thoſe Overſeers. The very ſame is affirmed by S. Auſtin who in ſeveral places, looks upon the whole order of Biſhops as comprehended in S. Peter: particularly in an Epiſtle to three ††Epiſt. CLXV. vide Launoii Epiſt. Par. V. ad Carolum Magiſirum p. 47. &c. & ad Guliel…. Voellum, p. 12. &c.great perſons; where he ſaith, Chriſt ſpake theſe words to him, ſuſtaining the figure of the whole Church. It will not be fit to mention all the reſt of the antient Writers who thus extend the ſenſe of this place: I ſhall only note that Paſchaſius Radbertus, the founder of Tranſubſtantiation, was of this mind. For thus he writes **L. IV. in Matt. v. 26. p. 18.Matt 5:26, The Church of God is not built upon Peter alone; but upon all the Apoſtles, and the Succeſſors of the Apoſtles.

Unto theſe four Expoſitions, I might add a fifth, there being thoſe who have underſtood every Chriſtian Man and Woman, by this Rock; they being the ſtones and materials, as I may call them, of which the Church conſiſts. But I will paſs this by, though it have more great names to ſupport it, beſides Origen: becauſe I have ſaid enough already to expoſe the foul dealing, and unworthy reaſonings and concluſions of greateſt Doctors of the Church of Rome; which I ſhall repreſent in theſe following Conſiderations.

p. 31PART III. Reflections upon what hath been ſaid concerning theſe Interpretations.

I.

IF theſe things be certainly true, as I aſſure you they are, and themſelves cannot deny, that there are theſe ſeveral interpretations of this Scripture, among the ancient Doctors; then there can be no excuſe made for their partiality, who receive, and adhere only to one of theſe interpretations, as the Catholick Expoſition, and lay aſide all the reſt even thoſe which are far more Catholick. Thus doth Bellarmine **L. 1. de Pontif. Rom. C. X.; who finding fault with Eraſmus for contradicting their Expoſition of the Church being founded upon Peter, ſaith that all the Fathers teach it. And thus doth Cardinal Baronius ††Ad An. 33. n. XXVII.(to name no more) who is not aſhamed to ſay, that it is an interpretation received and approved by the conſent of the whole Catholick Church.

What truth can you expect from ſuch Men, or who can think it ſafe to give up himſelf to the conduct of ſuch Guides; who thus notoriouſly p. 32falſifie in a matter ſo evident, that for one antient Father or Eccleſiaſtical Writer, that by the Rock underſtands Peter himſelf, there are two, nay very near three, that interpret it, of the Faith which S. Peter confeſſed? For to all thoſe, which a very learned and ingenuous Doctor of the Roman Church hath collected, (which are XLIV. in number **V. Jo. Launoii Epiſt. P. V. ad Guil. Voellum, p. 18. &c.) others may be added, beſides Fortunatus and Epiphanius before mentioned. For example, Euagrius ſeems to have had this in his thoughts, who ſpeaking of Anaſtaſius Biſhop of Antioch (where S. Peter ſat before he was at Rome), to whom ſuch fierce aſſaults were given, as if they thought in his overthrow, to ſubvert the Church it ſelf, ſaith, he manfully withſtood them all; ††foreign. L. IV. C. 40.for he ſtood firm upon the impregnable Rock of Faith.

If the ſenſe of the Antients be to be reverenced at all, why not one ſenſe as well as another? And why not that moſt of all, which hath the moſt to aſſert it? With what conſcience do they fix upon one, and throw away, nay deteſt all the other, which are of more credit? Is it not highly unjuſt to make Peter this Rock here ſpoken of, rather than Chriſt our Lord, when there are ſo many reaſons, as well as great Authority, for the laſt, more than for the other? And yet they not only do this, but moſt immodeſtly ſay, all the Fathers are of their mind.

p. 33And which is worſe, they make this an Article of the Faith, That the Church is founded upon S. Peter, nay the prime Article of all; unto which it is evident the Church hath never agreed, but manifeſtly contradicted it.

Upon this Bellarmine grounds the Infallibility of the Biſhop of Rome; becauſe Peter is the Rock, and the Foundation of the Church, as the Supreme Governor of it; and therefore every Succeſſor of his, is in like manner, the Rock and Foundation of the Church. And thus he ſaith all the Fathers have expounded it **L. IV. de Pontif. Rom. C. III.. And hence proceeds ſo far, as to ſay, this is the ſumm of Chriſtian affairs ††Praefat. in illos Libros.: the whole frame of the viſible Church depending ſo much upon the Roman Biſhop, that if he be taken away, the Church falleth.

Upon this Foundation alſo they have raiſed to him ſuch an Authority, they make him, by Chriſts Inſtitution, the Monarch of the Church **Baron. ad An. 33. n XX.: and conſequently above the whole Church; above General Councils; the Supreme Judge of Controverſies, who can be judged by none, and I know not how many other extravagancies.

And to make all this indubitable, ſome have had the confidence, againſt the ſenſe of all Antiquity, to tranſlate theſe words thus, ††Jo. Hart. confer. with Doctor Reynolds, p. 22.Thou art Peter, and upon this Peter I will build my Church. Which Tranſlation, though the Rhemiſts have not put in the Text of their Engliſh Teſtament, (as a great Doctor among them would p. 34have had them done) yet they maintain in their Annotations that they who tranſlate out of Hebrew, Syriack or Greek, ought to have ſo tranſlated it: not obſerving that they herein condemn their own authentick Latin, which hath done otherwiſe.

But when Men are bent to ſerve a Cauſe, right or wrong, they cannot but thus contradict themſelves, as well as the ancient Fathers. Whoſe authority they pretend to reverence; but when it is againſt them, make ſo bold with it, as not only to reject, but to indeavour utterly to deſtroy it. Thus they have ordered theſe words to be expunged out of a Sermon of S. Chryſoſtom's **Serm. in Pentecoſt. in his Works printed at Baſil., though I have ſhown they are moſt Catholick, the Church is not built upon the man, but upon his Faith.

After all which confidence it is no wonder if they proceed to ſuch a height of boldneſs, as to call thoſe Innovators, and Hereticks; nay ſhameleſs Innovators, and impudent Hereticks ††Baronius ad An. 33. n. XXI. Bellarm. de Pontif. Rom. L. 1. C. X.; who interpret this place not of Peter, but of Chriſt, or the Faith which Peter confeſſed. I will not imitate their ill Language; though it might moſt juſtly be returned upon them: For their opinion, who make Faith the Rock (as the Lutherans commonly do) is ſo far from Novelty, that it hath the moſt Antiquity, among which ſeven or eight Popes of Rome, on its ſide: and they who ſay Chriſt is the Rock (as the followers of Mr. Calvin commonly do) are back'd alſo with the Authority of ancient **Such as S. Hierom, S. Auſtin, Theodoret, &c.Doctors, p. 35among whom are ſome Popes; particularly Innocent the Third, who mentioning theſe words, ſaith, Chriſt himſelf is both the Founder, and the Foundation of the Church ††Serm. 2. de Conſecr. Pont..

How then can they be ſaid to have loſt their modeſty, who ſay nothing; but what the greateſt Men in the Church of Chriſt have ſaid before them? And what Character do they deſerve, who, notwithſtanding this unqueſtionable evidence againſt it, not only affirm that Peter is meant by the Rock; but that this is the proper, and, as one may ſay, the immediate, and literal ſenſe **Bellarm. L. 1. C. X. de R. Pont.of the words: and hath the conſent of the whole Church, both of the Greek and of the Latin Fathers?

But that which aggravates all this guilt is ſtill behind; that they thus expound the place, directly againſt the Decree of the Council of Trent, and that Profeſſion of Faith which every Prieſt ſolemnly makes; wherein he promiſes, he will never underſtand and interpret the Scriptures, but according to the unanimous conſent of the Fathers **Bulla Pii IV. ſuper forma juramenti profeſſionis fidei.. Now it's as clear, as that there are ſuch Fathers, that they moſt unanimouſly conſent in that interpretation which theſe Men contradict; and that there are but few, in compariſon, who agree in that which they aſſert for the proper ſenſe of the place.

p. 36Think ſeriouſly of ſuch things as theſe, and you will not be moved from your ſtedfaſtneſs, by the confidence of thoſe, who bear the World in hand; that they alone hold the ancient Apoſtolick Catholick Faith, according to the expoſition of the ancient Doctors. It is meer pretence; for in their Expoſition of our Saviour's Words, they chuſe that which is leaſt Catholick; and more than that, they make that which is leaſt Catholick, to be a Principal point of the Catholick Faith.

If this be not the higheſt degree of partiality; it is becauſe they themſelves exceed it in what follows.

II.

They cannot but know, that thoſe very Perſons in the ancient Church, who by the Rock underſtand Peter, meant no more, than they do, who underſtand thereby Chriſt himſelf, or Faith in him. For theſe are not really three different ſenſes; but, in effect, no more than one: The ancient Doctors uſing only a diverſity of ſpeech, not of opinion, as S. Auſtin was wont to ſay. Which appears moſt manifeſtly in this, that the very ſame Perſon uſes theſe words promiſcuouſly, ſometimes Peter, ſometimes his Faith, ſometimes Chriſt. S. Hilary **Can. XVI. in Matth.for inſtance, is often quoted for this ſaying, (ſpeaking of S. Peter) O happy Foundation of the Church! But the ſame Hilary ſays in another p. 37place, This Faith is the Foundation of the Church ††L. VI. de Trinitate.; and in another, This is the one happy Rock of Faith, confeſſed by Peter's Mouth, Thou art the ſon of the living God **L. II. de Trin.. Theſe ſayings ought, in Juſtice, to be taken notice of, as much as the firſt: but then Peter, in his opinion, was no ſuch Foundation as they would have; unleſs the good Father be ſuppoſed to contradict himſelf. In like manner S. Chryſoſtom, who upon theſe words ON THIS ROCK, makes the ſenſe to be (as he doth in many other places) upon the Faith which he confeſſed; upon the very next Verſe, expounds the words thus, Thou art Peter, and upon thee I will build my Church.

Shall we think that ſo great a Man did, in one and the ſame breath, as I may ſay, forget and contradict himſelf? and not rather expound the later words by the former; that by upon Peter he ſtill meant upon the Faith that Peter then confeſſed, and afterward preached? Pope Leo the Firſt alſo, who in his Epiſtle to Leo Auguſtus, ſays Peter is the Rock; in four other places, interprets it of his Faith. S. Cyprian likewiſe, I have ſhown, expounds it of all the Biſhops and Paſtors of the Church, as well as of S. Peter. And S. Auſtin expounds it all the four ways before-mentioned, of Peter, of Chriſt, of Faith, and of all the Apoſtles.

What ſhall we ſay then? Did not theſe great Doctors know their own mind? Were they wavering and unſetled in their Opinions; not knowing p. 38what to determine? They were not ſuch Children in underſtanding: but by theſe various forms of Speech have plainly told us, That when they ſay Peter is the Rock, they did not mean his Perſon, much leſs him only; but his Doctrine which he preached, which was alſo preached as much by others. Juſt as when we bid one read Tully or Virgil; we mean their Works which they have left us.

The reaſon of all which is nothing elſe but this; that the Church is built upon Chriſt, by Faith in him, which was profeſſed and preached by Peter, and by the reſt of the Apoſtles. Chriſt is in proper ſpeaking, the Rock and the Foundation, upon which the whole Church relies. Peter was an eminent Miniſter of his, and ſo were the other Apoſtles, to lay this Foundation: that is, to Preach, and declare him to the World, and perſwade Men to believe on him; upon whom they themſelves were built, as their Foundation. They firſt believed on him: and then were co-workers with him, to bring others to the Faith: and laſtly, after they were dead, that Faith which they confeſſed and taught, ſtill remained to be preached, by their Succeſſors, in all Ages, as the Doctrine on which we muſt ſtand, and to which we muſt hold, if we intend to be owned by Chriſt, as Members of his Church.

So all theſe Expoſitions agree very well; and do not croſs one another: for when the Fathers uſe ſometimes one word, ſometimes another, they ſtill mean the ſame thing. If they ſay, S. Peter p. 39is the Rock, they mean only as a Miniſter that laid the Foundation-ſtone; and then ſo was S. Paul too, who calls himſelf, a chief Maſter-builder. If they ſay, Faith is the Rock, they mean a belief of this Doctrine that Jeſus is the Son of the living God: which is the firſt Principle of the Chriſtian Religion. And if they ſay the faithful are the Rock (for ſo ſome of them have ſpoken) they mean that being built upon this Faith in Chriſt, they alſo profeſs, maintain, and ſupport it. For, in effect, as I ſaid, all theſe Interpretations meet in one: Chriſt being the Principal cauſe of all; Peter a Miniſterial or Inſtrumental cauſe, by preaching Chriſt, while he lived, and perſwading Men to joyn themſelves to him, and become a Church: and their belief of that which he, and the reſt of the Apoſtles preached concerning Chriſt Jeſus, was both then and after they were dead, the means whereby they were joyned to Chriſt. He and the Doctrine concerning him, was the Foundation, upon which all were built; by the Miniſtry of Peter and his fellow Apoſtles, who ſquared and faſtened Men unto this living Stone: upon whom being ſetled by Faith in him, they became themſelves living Stones, (as S. Peter ſpeaks in the place before-mentioned) and were built up a Spiritual Houſe, or Temple, an Holy Prieſthood, to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jeſus Chriſt.

I will conclude this with an excellent ſaying of S. Chryſoſtom **foreign, &c.; who ſpeaking of S. Paul, and p. 40what he had preach'd and done, ſays, When I mention Paul, it is as if I had ſaid, Chriſt himſelf. For Chriſt moved and inſpired that bleſſed Soul; Chriſt ſpake by him, and his Voice was the Voice of Chriſt. Which I may fitly apply to the preſent matter, and ſay as truly of S. Peter; when he is named, Chriſt is named and nothing elſe is meant, but that upon him, that is upon Chriſt ſhould by him, or ſpeaking in him, the Church ſhould be built. Thus, it is certain, Tertullian underſtood theſe words; which he thus interprets: the Church is built on him, that is by him ††In ipſo Eccleſia exſtructa eſt; id eſt per ipſum. L. de pudicitia. C. XXI.. But not on him (that is by him) alone.

III.

For that is a farther piece of injuſtice to make theſe words ſpoken only to Peter: who I have ſhown was the mouth of the Apoſtles in the confeſſion he made, and ſpake the ſenſe of them all; and therefore, in all reaſon, this reply of our Saviour's is to be thought intended to them all; who were as much Rocks or foundations of the Church, as he. For did not our Lord propound the queſtion to them all, in thoſe words, whom do you ſay that I am? v. 15. And if he askt them the queſtion, did he not expect their Anſwer? Where then ſhall we find that Anſwer, unleſs the Foreman delivered in the ſenſe of the whole Body: and in the name of the reſt of his Brethren made this declaration, Thou art Chriſt the Son of the living God? p. 41Which is affirmed, I have told you, by S. Auſtin and others, who ſay, Peter anſwers, one for all. Now if they all made this confeſſion, then they were all concerned in our Saviours reply: who tells him, and in him tells them, that upon this Rock, that is himſelf which they confeſſed, he would build his Church by their Miniſtry; that is, by their conſtant preaching, what they had now confeſſed. And thus Venerable Bede our Countryman, underſtood this matter, in his Homily upon S. Peter; where he hath theſe very words; Nam ſicut interrogatis generaliter omnibus, &c. For as when all were askt in general, who he was, Peter anſwered, one for all: So what our Lord anſwered to Peter, in Petro omnibus reſpondit, in Peter he anſwered to all the Apoſtles.

Thus even common reaſon taught Men to expound words, when it was not ſwayed by prejudice, intereſt, or any private affection. Which when we ſuffer to intermeddle, they prevent our judgment, and make ſtrange gloſſes upon Gods word; caſting a miſt before our eyes, when the light of divine truth clearly ſhines into them. An inſtance of which we have in the Rhemiſts Annotations on theſe words, who could not but ſee, that the Fathers do ſome time ſay (if they could have ſpoke out, they would have ſiad, do very often, or rather moſt commonly ſay) the Church is bult on Peter's Faith: But immediately, as if darkneſs had come on a ſudden upon them, they add, the Fathers meant not, that it ſhould p. 42be built upon Faith, either ſeparate from the Man, or in any other Man (as we, they ſay, unlearnedly take them) but upon Faith, as in him, who here confeſſed that Faith. Which is as much as to ſay, the Church is built upon Peter's Faith alone; and not upon the ſame Faith, in any other Apoſtle. If this be Chriſtian learning, it is very new: never thought of till of late; as will more fully appear in the following Conſiderations.

IV.

If we ſhould grant that thèſe words of Chriſt were ſpoken only to him; yet it is very unjuſt to underſtand them, excluſively of all the reſt. For we may as well argue, that Chriſt intended S. Peter only ſhould draw Men to him by preaching the Goſpel (and ſo the reſt of the Apoſtles have nothing to do) becauſe he ſaid to him alone, and not to James and John, who were his Partners, Simon fear not, from henceforth thou ſhalt catch men, Luke V. 10. as that he intended him alone to be the Rock, becauſe he ſaid only to him, Thou art Peter, &c. without any mention of the reſt of the Apoſtles. Who ought not to be thought excluded, unleſs there had been ſome ſuch word of reſtriction, as limited the ſenſe to S. Peter only, and barred their claim to a joynt ſhare in this grant: for the Church may be built on him, and on them too; he may be the Rock, and they alſo in the ſame ſenſe that it is meant of him. And p. 43this appears to be true, from a great many things, that may be fit here to be obſerved.

1. Firſt, the Apoſtles never thought themſelves to be excluded; but by their behaviour declared they took themſelves to be equal to him. Which Alphonſus Toſtatus **In Matth. XVIII. qu. VII. and in Matth. XX. qu. 83.Matt 18Matt 20(no longer ago than in the Fifteenth Century) aſſerts moſt earneſtly, and, with great concern, alledges many undeniable arguments to prove, they did not underſtand any ſupremacy to have been given to Peter by theſe words. For after this, ſaith he, they contended for ſuperiority, diſputing who ſhould be the greateſt. Matth. XVIII. 1. Mark IX. 33. And again the two Sons of Zebedee (who always ſeemed to be equal with him in our Saviour's favour) have their deſire of preference promoted by their Mother, Matth. XX. 10. &c. Nay, this diſpute was renewed at his laſt Supper (as he underſtands Luke XXII. 24, 25.) concerning which his words are remarkable. Every Apoſtle, ſaith he, doubted which of them ſhould be the greater, and that doubt remained until the day of Chriſt's death: for in the laſt Supper of Chriſt, they began to inquire among themſelves, which of them ſhould ſeem the greater: and yet they would not have made this diſpute publickly, if they had thought Peter, by the collating of the Keys, to have been preferred above them.

Thus far then they thought themſelves equal, when they could not reſolve which ſhould be the greater.

2. And after our Lords Reſurrection, and the p. 44coming of the Holy Ghoſt, when they cannot be ſuppoſed ignorant of any thing concerning his Kingdom, they ſtill took themſelves, as much concerned in theſe words as Peter. For not only S. Paul, but S. John, a Man exceedingly beloved of our Saviour, and his boſome Diſciple, thought all the Apoſtles to be the Foundation, on which the Church is built. Read at your leiſure Epheſ. II. 20. and Revel. XXI. 14. where you will find, the Wall of the New Jeruſalem, that is the Chriſtian Church, had twelve Foundations, and in them the names of the twelve Apoſtles of the Lamb: Not one Foundation; and on that the name of Peter; but twelve Foundations bearing the name of the twelve Apoſtles. Peter was unum, ſed non unicum fundamentum, one Foundation, but not the only one. He was one of the next ſtones, which lay immediately upon the Rock Chriſt, and ſo may be called a Foundation: but ſo was S. John alſo, another of thoſe ſtones which immediately rely upon Chriſt: and ſo were all the reſt of the Apoſtles: None of which were built upon S. Peter, nor he on them; but all on Chriſt: Whom S. Auſtin ††In Pſalm. LXXXVII.Ps 87calls fundamentum fundamentorum, the Foundation of the Foundations; that is of the very Apoſtles and Prophets; upon whom the Church is ſaid to be built, becauſe by their Miniſtry it was erected. In this ſenſe Peter was a Rock; and ſo were all the reſt of the Apoſtles as much as he: equal in power; alike intruſted with this great work, of raiſing a Church upon him the living Stone.

p. 453. Whence it is, that St. Paul giving an account of the ſeveral Orders and Ranks of Men, which God hath placed in his Church, makes the higheſt Power in it, to be that which belongs unto them all: For he ſaith, God hath ſet theſe in the Church, firſt Apoſtles, &c. 1. Cor. 12. 28. He doth not ſay, firſt Peter (as he ſhould have done, if by theſe words, Thou art Peter, &c. he was ſet higher than the reſt) but the Apoſtles in general; who were all the prime Miniſters of Chriſt, of equal Dignity among themſelves, without any one ſet over them in Superiority above the reſt.

4. Which appears farther, from the Promiſe of beſtowing the Keys upon him (which here immediately follows, Verſ. 19. and is acknowledged on all ſides, to be the higheſt Power conferred upon him) which is promiſed to all the Apoſtles in the very next Chapter, Matth. 18. 18. in the very ſame words, without any alteration, but only a change of the ſingular into the plural. Here it is ſaid, Whatſoever thou ſhalt bind on Earth, &c. there, Whatſoever ye ſhall bind on Earth, &c. What reaſon then to fancy any difference between them? Which the ancient Chriſtians did not, but look'd upon them all as having a joynt ſhare in this Power: Which is ſo evident, that a Learned Man llJoh. Lanoi… Epiſt. ad Hadrianum Vallantium, p. 27, &c. Pa. 2.in the Roman Communion, hath ſhown at large, even by the Confeſſion of Popes themſelves, that in Peter Chriſt gave the Keys, or rather promiſed them, to the whole Church.

5 And the truth is, Nothing was here given to him by theſe words of Chriſt [Thou art Peter] p. 46with reſpect to the Apoſtles, but with reſpect to the Church only; which was raiſed by the joynt Labour and Pains of the whole Number. To whom another being afterwards added, he laboured more abundantly than they all, 1 Cor. 15. 10.

6. And was ſo far from thinking he had any Superiour (though he was choſen laſt of all, and look'd upon himſelf as a kind of Abortive, 1 Cor. 15. 8.) that he doubted not to ſay, He was not a whit (in nothing) behind the very chiefeſt of the Apoſtles; 2 Cor. 11. 5. & 12. 11. The words are very ſignificant in the Greek mmforeign, implying there were more very eminent, or ſuper-excellent Apoſtles than one; called in other places Pillars, Gal. 2. 9. and Chiefs nnforeign., ib. verſ. 2, 6. Peter no doubt was one of theſe, but there were others as eminent: and neither he nor they had a Preheminence of Power and Authority among them, there being nothing wanting in St. Paul, to make him equal to the moſt Eminent Apoſtles.

7. Particularly to St. Peter, with whom he contended, openly oppoſing and reprehending his Error, (Gal. 2. 11.) which he durſt not have done, if he had known any Superiority, in Power and Authority, to have been in St. Peter. Nay, here had been a fit occaſion for St. Peter to have aſſerted his Authority (if he had known any to have been in him, which was not in St. Paul) and not have ſuffered himſelf to be thus corrected by him for his Error. Of which we have not one word; nor did he, tho our Lord choſe him firſt, and built his Church upon him, challenge to himſelf p. 47any thing inſolently, or arrogantly; ſo as to ſay, he had the Primacy, and therefore ought rather to be obeyed by thoſe who were novel and later Perſons. They are the words of St. Cyprian ooEpiſt. lxxi. edit. Rigal. whoſe Notes there a. f. are worth peruſing., who plainly hereby declares his ſenſe to have been, that theſe words of our Lord to St. Peter, gave him no ſuch Primacy, as ſet him above Correction; that is, no Supremacy, or Dominion; and that it had been an inſolent and arrogant thing, if he had aſſumed to himſelf any ſuch Primacy.

8. For the Fathers, it muſt be next obſerved, never underſtood theſe words excluſively; but call all the Apoſtles by the very ſame names of Honour and Dignity that they do Peter; and other Biſhops afterwards by the ſame Names that they do the Biſhop of Rome. For Example, I find one called Father of Fathers, another Biſhop of Biſhops; nay, all of them called Vicarios Chriſti, the Vicars of Chriſt, whoſe place they here ſupplied. Which Eminent Title the Popes of Rome heretofore, were ſo far from appropriating to themſelves, that, as their common Title was Vicars of St. Peter, not Vicars of Chriſt, to this laſt they themſelves have honoured other Biſhops withal, as whole Councils have alſo done; who exhort the People to honour the Governours and Paſtors of Churches, as Fathers, and Chriſt's Vicars ppV. Joh. Lanoii par. 3. Epiſtol. ad Michaelem Marollium, p. 21, &c. & n. 36.. But that perhaps, which will be thought moſt to the purpoſe, is this: That as St. Chryſoſtome qqTom. v. p, 992. & 995. Edit. Savil.in his Sermon upon thoſe bleſſed pair, as he calls them, St. Peter, and St. Paul, gives them alike Titles, and ſays, God truſted them with the p. 48Souls of the whole World; ſo, ſpeaking of all the Twelve Apoſtles, he calls them expreſly in the ſingular Number, the Rock, or Foundation of the Church. Thus, I ſhow'd before, St. Cyprian alſo diſcourſes, when he ſaith from theſe words of our Saviour, is derived all the Power of Biſhops and Governours in the Church, who ſucceſſively ordain Paſtors; that the Church may be conſtituted upon Biſhops. To whom I will only add Theodoret, upon that known place in the Pſalms, lxxxvii. 1. His Foundation is in the Holy Mountains; which, in the ſpiritual Senſe, being meant of the New Jeruſalem, he thus expounds. The Foundations of Piety are the Divine Inſtructions which Chriſt hath given us: the Holy Mountains, upon whom he hath laid theſe Foundations, are the Apoſtles of our Savioar: Who are thence called themſelves Foundations, becauſe they laid the Foundation of Chriſtianity by the Divine Inſtructions, which they gave from Chriſt; according to that of St. Paul, which he immediately adds, Ye are built upon the Foundation of the Apoſtles and Prophets, Chriſt himſelf being the chief Corner-Stone.

9. And therefore, when the Fathers treat of this very matter, they give other reaſons why Chriſt named Peter only when he ſpake theſe words; not to give him any Prerogative, much leſs Monarchy; but to ſignifie the Unity he would have in his Church. This St. Cyprian diſcourſes of at large, in words as expreſs as can be deſired. Chriſt ſaid to Peter, Upon this Rock p. 49I will build my Church; and tho he gave to all his Apoſtles, after his Reſurrection, parem Poteſtatem, equal Power; yet, ut Ʋnitatem manifeſtaret, that he might declare the Unity he would have; he ſpake firſt to him alone, that on him he would build his Church. Not making him by theſe words, it is plain, the Imperial Head of the Church, but only a repreſentative Type of its Unity. For he immediately adds, The reſt of the Apoſtles were the very ſame that Peter was, endued with equal Co-partnerſhip both of Honour and of Power; but the beginning proceeds from Ʋnity, that the Church of Chriſt may be ſhewed to be one rrDe Unite Eccleſiae Cathol. edit. Rigalt. p. 180. Epiſcopatus unus eſt, cujus à ſingulis in ſolidum pars tenetur.. And a little after he conſiders all the Biſhopricks in the World as one Maſs or Lump, whereof every Biſhop in the World hath an intire part. The like I might add out of Pope Symmachus himſelf, in a Letter to the Biſhop of Arles ssBaron. ad An. 499. num. xxxvi., where he acknowledges, that as the power of the Holy Trinity is one, and undivided; ſo there is one Biſhoprick amongst divers Biſhops. But I have not room for more Authorities of this kind.

I will rather obſerve, That there is another plainer reaſon of Chriſt's ſpeaking thus to St. Peter, which is, that he was choſen by Chriſt to begin the glorious Work of gathering a Catholick Church, and therefore he directed his Speech particularly to him, as the Perſon who ſhould be firſt imployed in this buſineſs, telling him, I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; becauſe he was firſt to open the Gate or Door of Faith to the Gentiles, and let them into the Church p. 50of Chriſt. This appears from the memorable Hiſtory of Cornelius; upon which he reflects when he tells the Apoſtles in the Council at Jeruſalem, Ye know how that a good while ago, God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my Mouth ſhould hear the Word of the Goſpel, and believe, Acts 15. 7. The words are more ſignificant in the Greek. which we tranſlate a good while ago, foreign, from the ancient days, or the firſt times, God made choice of me from among the reſt: which may well refer to thoſe of our Saviour; whoſe times are the foreign, (Mark 1. 1.) the beginning of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, which St. Peter firſt publiſhed among the Gentiles.

This was an Honour peculiar to him, and beſtowed on him it's likely, becauſe of the forwardneſs of his Faith in Chriſt, and the vehemency of his Affection to him; as well as becauſe he was firſt choſen to be an Apoſtle. And with reſpect to this, we readily acknowledg, Chriſt promiſed ſomething ſingular to him in theſe words; which was that he ſhould firſt lay the Foundation of the Church among the Gentiles. Some add among the Jews alſo, becauſe we read he was the firſt Speaker upon the day of Pentecost, Acts 1. 14. But thoſe words ſufficiently intimate that the reſt of the Apoſtles then ſpake as well as he; eſpecially if we compare them with what goes before, Verſ. 7, 8, 9. where it is ſaid, The Multitude heard them ſpeak, every Man in his own Language, &c. Tertullian ssDe Pudicitia C. xxi.adds other inſtances p. 51of his firſt exerciſing the Power of the Keys; but none of them prove more than that he had the Honour to be primus, non ſupremus, firſt, not ſupream; Princeps, poſt quem alii deinceps, the chief, or beginning; whom all the reſt followed in equal Power and Authority. For he was chief only in Order and Place, not in Dominion, or Juriſdiction.

10. No: We muſt after all this conſider, that our Lord when he ſpake theſe words, did not lay the Foundation of the Church, but only promiſes he would hereafter build his Church upon this Rock, and give him the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: For ſo the words are in the future Time, I will build, and I will give thee, &c. Now, as he makes this Promiſe to them all, I ſhewed before, in the next Chapter; ſo, when he actually gives this Power, which he ſaith here he will give, he beſtows it upon every one of them, which was after his Reſurrection; John 20. 21. As my Father hath ſent me, even ſo I ſend you. Here he ſpeaks in the preſent Time, and gives them, in this Commiſſion, the Power, which they had not before; making them to be what they were ever after. In token of which, he breathed on them, and ſaid unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whoſe ſoever Sins ye remit, they are remitted, &c. Verſ. 22, 23. Can any one who reads theſe words, think that Peter was only ſent, and made the only Foundation, and the only Gate to let Men into the Church; when he hears ſuch an Authority as this, granted and ſealed to them all? He hath loſt then the p. 52ancient ſenſe of the Church, which Theophylact **Mat. 16. 19.Matt 16:19repreſents in theſe words, Though it was ſaid to Peter only, foreign, I will give thee, yet it was given to all the Apoſtles. When? Then, when he ſaid, Whoſe ſoever Sins ye remit, they are remitted to them. For, I will give, denotes the future Time; that is, after the Reſurrection. Hear alſo how St. Auſtin ttEnarratio in Pſal. 87.Ps 87diſcourſes upon theſe words of the Pſalmiſt before-mentioned; Why are they called the Foundations of the Apoſtles and Prophets? Becauſe their Authority ſupports our weakneſs. And why are they Gates? Becauſe by them we enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. For they preach to us; and when we enter by them, we enter by Chriſt. Is it not plain by this, that they did not think St. Peter to be the only Man that ſtands at the Gate, as it were, and with his Keys lets Men into Heaven? To ſay this, is as much as to ſay he only preached. Did not St. John preach alſo, and St. James? As for St. Paul, he laboured more than them all. Therefore I may truly ſay according to St. Auſtin's meaning, by John, and by James, as well as Peter, but eſpecially by Paul, we have an entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. They all had equal Power, they were all equally Gates, whereby Men entred into the New Jeruſalem; they were all equally Foundations of the Church of Chriſt. St. Peter laid the firſt Stone, as he let in the firſt of the Gentiles; but St. Paul let in more than he afterwards; as appears by the whole Story of his preaching the Goſpel of Chriſt.

p. 53To conclude this: St. Peter himſelf, it is manifeſt, did not know of any ſuch Authority, as is now claimed, reſiding in him. For, writing two Catholick Epiſtles, he gives not the leaſt intimation of any ſuch Univerſal Paſtorſhip, as is now pretended to be derived from him: but quite contrary, calls himſelf Fellow Elder with the Paſtors of the Church; to whom he gives the ſame Exhortation, that Chriſt did to him, Feed the Flock of God, 1 Pet. v. 1, 2. which doth not differ in ſenſe, from Feed my Sheep, or, Feed my Lambs, Joh. xxi. 15, 16. Nay more than this, in the Goſpel, which the ancient Fathers ſay, St. Mark wrote by St. Peter's direction, he doth not ſo much as mention this Speech of Chriſt to him; but only his own Confeſſion, Mark viii. 29. which we may look upon as an Argument, that he did not think it contained any Power, peculiar to him; which we may be ſure he would not have forgotten.

Againſt ſo many weighty Reaſons, ſome think Object. 1.it ſufficient to argue for his Supremacy meerly from his being conſtantly named firſt, when there is occaſion to ſpeak of him. Five places are alledged for this purpoſe, Matth. x. 2. Mark iii. 17. Luke vi. 14. Acts i. 13. John xxi. 2. Unto which I think fit to make a ſhort Reply.

Firſt; That this is not ſuch exact Truth, as Anſw.to admit of no Exception. For there are no leſs than four places, where he is named with other p. 54Apoſtles, and not ſet the firſt. 1 Cor. iii. 22. & ix. 9. Gal. ii. 9. Joh. i. 45.

Secondly; Suppoſing it was done deſignedly in thoſe places, where there is a Catalogue given of the Apoſtles, the meer placing of a Name firſt, will prove no Superiority of Power over thoſe who are named after him, as might be ſhown from a great many inſtances. For any little advantage of Age, Service, Affection, or the like, may well be a Reaſon for ſuch Precedence.

Thirdly; The exact truth is, when they were together as a Colledge, it was neceſſary ſome one ſhould be firſt in order: but afterward when they were ſcattered abroad all over the World, there was no ſuch Precedence thought of. For others, I have ſhown, are named before him, and ſometimes took place of him: as St. James did at Jeruſalem, where he preſided in the Council held there. Peter indeed ſpake and delivered his Opinion firſt, but the Decree is made by James, who ſaith, after he had taken notice of what Simeon had ſpoken, foreign, I determine, or judg, my Sentence is, (as we tranſlate it) That we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned unto God; but write to them, that they abſtain from Pollutions if Idols, &c. Acts xv. 19, 20. And accordingly it was drawn up in his very words, in that Letter, which was written in the name of them all, to the Gentile Chriſtians, Verſ. 28, 29.

This is no novel Criticiſm of Proteſtants, but acknowledged, heretofore by eminent Writers in the Roman Communion. Alphonſus Toſtatus rrIn Mat. 17.Matt 17, p. 55for inſtance, obſerves that in this Council, Peter did not produce the definition of the Church; but James alone ſpake definitively, as the Organ of the whole Church, and greater than any of the Aſſeſſors. And later than this, Lorinus **Comment. in Acta C. xv. fol. 645.the Jeſuite, here notes, that James ſeems to ſpeak authentically, and as a Judge; when Peter is ſaid ſimply to have ſpoken his mind.

How eaſie were it here (if I durſt take the liberty to ſtrain ſeveral Obſervations, beyond their true intention) to bid you mark and obſerve how St. James declares himſelf in this Council, the Head of the Church, ſet over all his Brethren. For, firſt, he being Biſhop of Jeruſalem, the Mother-Church of the whole World, thus begins his Speech; Men and Brethren, hearken unto me, ver. 13. as if he were the Succeſſor of Chriſt, of whom it was ſaid, Hear ye Him. Next, (ver. 14.) he calls him who had ſpoken before him, bare Simeon, not Peter now; as if that Name ſignified Nothing to him, who ſate above him. For he adds, as I have ſaid, his foreign, I judge, or give this ſentence. And, laſtly, when Peter had pleaded for an abſolute and indefinite liberty from the burden of all Legal Rites (ver. 10.) James thinks fit not to grant them an entire freedom, but to tie them ſtill to ſome neceſſary Obſervances, ver. 19, 28.

But we have not thus learned Chriſt, (as S. Paul ſpeaks) that is, the Chriſtian Religion: though from leſs Circumſtances than theſe, ſome endeavour to prove the Monarchy of St. Peter.

p. 56Our Saviour, ſay they, ſpeaks to him after ſuch a particular manner, as argues he intended to Object. 2.beſtow on him ſome particular Grace, not common to him with others. For he calls him by the Name he had before he came to him, and mentions his Father's Name, and the Name he himſelf had given him; and then alludes to that Name of Peter, in the word Rock, and gave him a particular Bleſſing, upon occaſion of a particular Act, of his confeſſing Chriſt's Divinity, which God in particular revealed to him. All theſe ſhow, that the Promiſe made to him, after ſuch a way, and introduced with ſuch peculiar Circumſtances, was not common to others, but peculiar to himſelf.

But after this labourious heaping up of meer circumſtantial things, the Conſequence they Anſw.would infer from hence falls to the ground. Becauſe we are informed by him who cannot deceive us, that he did not deſign the great Power here promiſed particularly to him alone, but to them all: for what he promiſes here to him, ver. 19. he promiſes to them all in the next Chapter, xviii. 18. And beſides this, as the ſubſtantial part of this Diſcourſe belongs to them all; ſo moſt of the Circumſtances which I have enumerated, are common to others, and not peculiar to him. For others confeſſed his Divinity, and were taught it by God, and were bleſſed, and deſigned alſo for Stones in the Fabrick of the Church; as hath been already proved. So that p. 57there is nothing left but Simon Bar-jona (that is, his own Name, and his Fathers Name) and the Name of Peter, to ſupport this weighty Foundation of St. Peter's Supremacy. And they are very ſlender things. For the mention of Barjona, Son of Jona, was neceſſary to diſtinguiſh this Simon, from the other Simon Zelotes: and Simon was neceſſary to be mentioned, that this Son of Jona might be diſtinguiſhed from Andrew, who was his Son alſo. And as for the Name of Peter, tho we ſhould grant it to be the very ſame with the Rock after mentioned, it is very far from proving that he alone had the thing, becauſe he alone had the Name: for they were all Rocks, I have ſhown, in the ſame ſenſe that he was a Rock. And the moſt we can gather from it, or from the reſt of theſe peculiar Circumſtances, is this; that he had the Honour promiſed him of being the firſt that ſhould lay the Foundation of Faith among the Gentiles. Which St. Ambroſe yySerm. xlvii. de fide Petri Apoſtoli., or ſome other old Homiliſt that aſſumed his Name, makes the reaſon of his being called a Rock: Petra dicitur, eo quod primus in Nationibus, fidei fundamenta poſuerit; He is ſaid to be the Rock, becauſe he firſt laid the Foundations of Faith among the Nations. Which, notwithſtanding, did not give him a Supremacy over them; but St. Paul was the Apoſtle of the Gentiles, Rom. xi 13. and as God wrought ſo mightily with him, that he made great Converſions among them; ſo being brought to Chriſt, he had upon him the Care of all the Churches, 2 Cor. xi. 28. Which if St. Peter had any p. 58where ſaid of himſelf, I am ſure it would have been urg'd as an evident proof of his Univerſal Paſtorſhip: but we make no ſuch Inference from it for St. Paul, becauſe we know Chriſt made no one Head of all Churches, nor gave to any of the Apoſtles, a Supremacy of Power, and Univerſality of Juriſdiction.

V.

But beyond all this, there is ſtill a higher Preſumption that they are guilty of, who extend the Prerogative ſuppoſed to be granted here to St. Peter, unto all the ſucceeding Biſhops of Rome, whom they make the Heirs of his Authority. In which there are a vaſt number of Suppoſitions, that can never be proved; as many Writers of our Church have ſhown, and therefore I will not here repeat them. It is ſufficient to tell them, that they themſelves are forced to grant, That ſome Speeches of our Saviour, were ſo perſonally directed to St. Peter, that he himſelf only was concerned in them, and not his Succeſſors zzSee Bellarm. Q. 2. de Pont. Rom. c. xii. Reſp. ad 5. Object. Calvini.Rom 12. Now if any, there is great reaſon to look upon this as one of thoſe Speeches which were limited to Peter's Perſon, and cannot be thought to be intended to any body after him. For,

1. Firſt, the deſcription of his Perſon, by the perſonal adjuncts, both of his Name, and of his Parentage, may moſt properly be urged to prove that this Speech is perſonal; limited to him alone by expreſs terms of individual difference. And p. 59it is obſervable, that both here, when he ſaith he will build his Church upon him, and when he bids him Feed his Sheep, Joh. xxi. 15, 16, 17. he uſes the very ſame terms of individual difference, calling him Simon Son of Jona: So that of all the places upon which they of the Church of Rome chiefly ground the claim of their Biſhops, as his Succeſſors, there are none more perſonal than theſe two; which moſt evidently reſtrain the words to Peter alone.

2. And this appears farther, from the impoſſibility that this Honour of founding the Church upon him, ſhould reach beyond his Perſon. Becauſe there can be no more Foundations of a Building, than are laid at firſt. All that comes after is built upon that, and is, as we call it, Superſtructure. If St. Peter therefore were the Foundation of the Church, his Succeſſors cannot be intended in this Name: becauſe the Church is not ſtill to be founded; but all that come after him, do themſelves rely upon that Foundation.

3. But the chief thing of all is, That Chriſt did not lay ſuch a Foundation of his Church, as might fail, and have need of the Succeſſion of another: which was alſo to fail it ſelf, and required another continued Succeſſion of Foundations. For as the Author to the Hebrews proves from hence the Infirmity of the Aaronical Prieſthood; that their High-Prieſts being mortal, could not adminiſter an Eternal Prieſthood, which belongs to Chriſt alone, who remains for ever: in p. 60like manner may we certainly argue in this matter. If the Foundation of the Church muſt be conſtant and permanent, they cannot be the Foundation of it, who dying frequently, make it neceſſary another ſhould be ſubſtituted in their ſtead: But it was abſolutely neceſſary the Foundation ſhould be perpetual, immoveable, and unalterable, always remaining the ſame, and never changing; and therefore we may be ſure they are not the Rock on which the Church is built, who are in a perpetual change, and cannot continue, but muſt give way to others. If we ſhould allow ſuch a Foundation of the Church, we muſt allow as many ſeveral Foundations as there are Popes: and ſo the Rock on which the Church is built, cannot be ſaid to be one and the ſame for ever.

All which ſhows how true it is, that Peter himſelf was not that Rock on which Chriſt promiſed to build his Church: unleſs we underſtand thereby only his Miniſterial Function, which he did not exerciſe ſolely, but had all the reſt Co-workers with him.

VI.

But let us, in the laſt place, ſuppoſe once more, that he was the Rock more than the reſt; yet it is a ſtrange Concluſion from hence, that Chriſt made him the Lord and ſole Governour of his Church. For what relation hath a Rock to Power, Government, and Dominion? We may as ſoon p. 61draw Water out of a Pumice, as any ſuch Doctrine out of this word Rock; which hath relation only to Solidity, Firmneſs, Stedfaſtneſs, or ſomething of that kind; as appears from the very nature of the word, and the uſe of it in all Authors; where it never imports any thing of that which is now ſo much pleaded for, and made the Subject of the greateſt Conteſts.

And therefore thoſe Writers who expound theſe words of Peter, ſay nothing of his Dominion, much leſs of the Dominion of the Popes of Rome, for which there is now ſo much ſtickling; but they give us quite another reaſon, why he is called the Rock. Becauſe of the ſolidity of his Devotion, ſaith one: becauſe he was foreign, as hard as a Rock, or ſtone, in the Faith, ſaith another: becauſe of the foreign, the firmneſs of his Faith, ſaith a third: becauſe of his Faith in the true Rock, ſaith a fourth: becauſe alſo he laid the firſt Foundation of Faith among the Gentiles: and becauſe that this Faith which he profeſſed, viz. That Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God, is the firſt Principle of our Religion, the beginning of Chriſtianity, the Foundation and Bottom of all that we believe. In which Faith he was ſo ſtedfaſt, that he did not fluctuate in uncertainty, like the reſt of the Jews, ſome of which ſaid, he was Elias, others Jeremias, others John the Baptiſt, but was ſetled in this conſtant Perſwaſion, that Jeſus was the Son of God; which he as conſtantly preached unto others, and converted unto this Faith.

p. 62I have not thought it neceſſary to quote the Authors, where all theſe things may be found: I will only name Epiphanius aaHaereſ. lix. num. 7, 8., who ſpeaking of St. Peter, whom he calls the moſt principal of the Apoſtles, he adds, Who truly was to us a firm Rock, founding the Faith of the Lord, upon which the Church is altogether built. Firſt, when he confeſſed Chriſt to be the Son of the Living God, and heard our Saviour ſay, Ʋpon this Rock, of an unſhaken Faith, will I build my Church. And again, he was a firm Rock, the Foundation of the Houſe of God; when denying Chriſt, he returned, and had thoſe words ſaid unto him, Feed my Sheep. For Chriſt ſaying this; draws us to Repentance; that on him may be built again a well-grounded Faith, which doth not deny Life to thoſe that truly repent.

Who doth not ſee, that this Father thought he was the Rock, becauſe he laid the Foundation of Faith in us? And there are thoſe who think, he had the Name of Peter given him, to ſhow alſo the Difficulties and Dangers he was to go through, in that Imployment unto which he was called, of preaching the Faith.

But more than ſuch things as theſe, is not to be drawn out of theſe words. No ſuch thing as the Infallibility of the Biſhop of Rome; which is another Preſumption built upon this word Rock. For ſuppoſing Peter to be the Rock; that is, ſaith Bellarmine, the Foundation of the Church; thence it follows, he could not err: becauſe then the Foundation would prove ruinous, and the Church, which is the Building, would fall to the ground. p. 63And conſequently his Succeſſors cannot err, for the ſame reaſon; becauſe they are what he was, the Foundation upon which the Church relies, and if they ſhould fail, the Chriſtian Religion might come to nothing. Which is ſo wretched a ſort of reaſoning, that it ſhows the greateſt Wits were not able to ſay any thing conſiderable in this cauſe. For it ſuppoſes that, which hath no proof at all, that Peter was the ſole Foundation of the Church. If he were not, then, if this reaſoning be good, it proves all Biſhops, who are the Succeſſors of the Apoſtles (and frequently ſo called by ancient Writers) to be infallible.

But I ſhall ſay no more of this; for there are ſo many flaws in ſuch Diſcourſes, as derive to the Succeſſors, all that was in Peter, or the reſt of the Apoſtles, that they are not eaſily numbred; and I have ſaid enough I hope to ſhow, that all the pretenſions of the preſent Church of Rome, grounded upon this place, are weak and without any bottom. They fall to the ground when we come to touch them with one rational thought; and prove like a Building that hath no Foundation. Or, they are not like a Structure built on a Rock; but like a Houſe that Men build on the Sand. There is nothing of ſolidity, nothing of ſtrength in their Arguments upon this Subject: but after much pains to connect a great many things together, they fall aſunder like a Rope of Sand. There is no ſolid reaſon to make us think that our Lord ſpake here of Peter, and not of Himſelf: Or, if he ſpake of Peter, that he p. 64meant his Perſon, and not that Doctrine which he preached. And no reaſon in the Earth that he ſpake concerning himſelf, or his Doctrine only to Peter, and not to them all: Or, if we ſhould make this large grant, that he ſpake only of Peter, there is not the leaſt ſhadow of reaſon, to make us think he ſpake of his Dominion, and ſupream Power; but only of his ſtedfaſtneſs in the Faith, and his being the firſt Inſtrument in gathering a Church among the Gentiles: tho he was not the prime Inſtrument, if we thereby underſtand the chiefeſt and greateſt, for that was St. Paul.

Some Ʋſes of what hath been ſaid.

I.

And therefore we are a true Church, though we have nothing to do with the Biſhop of Rome. This is no part of the definition of a Church, that it is united to him as its Head; but it is intire without it. The Biſhop of Rome makes all his claim from St. Peter; who, it is plain, had no Univerſal Juriſdiction granted or promiſed in theſe words; and therefore the Pope can get nothing by them. Faith in Chriſt Jeſus, Communion with our Chriſtian Brethren, and Subjection to thoſe Paſtors who are over us in the Lord, are ſufficient to make us a Church, whether the Pope will or no. Though there were no ſuch Biſhop in the World; though the Chair of St. Peter were overturned, and no where to be found; p. 65the Church of Chriſt would be where it was, built upon the Foundations of the Apoſtles and Prophets. There is not one of the Apoſtles that ſay a word, in their Writings, of the Prerogative of St. Peter. Among all their Admonitions to the Churches, they never bid them be ſubject unto him, much leſs to his Succeſſors: but only to thoſe that rule over them, to thoſe that admoniſh them, and watch for their Souls; that is, to their own Paſtors and Governors, in thoſe places where they lived.

II.

Since therefore we are undoubtedly a true Church of Chriſt, though we have no dependance on him, and ſhould have been ſo though we had never heard there was ſuch a Biſhop in the World: let us be mindful of the Exhortation of the Apoſtle St. Jude, ver. 20, 21. which contains the propereſt Uſe of what hath been ſaid.

20. But ye, Beloved, building up your ſelves on your most holy Faith, praying in the Holy Ghoſt,

21. Keep your ſelves in the Love of God, looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt unto Eternal Life.

Firſt; Build up your ſelves on your moſt holy Faith. Do not think of building upon the Succeſſor of St. Peter, as the Prieſts of the Church p. 66of Rome would perſwade you: but upon that Chriſt, and that most holy Faith, on which St. Peter himſelf was built.

There are three things which the Apoſtles of our Lord ſpeak concerning Faith.

Firſt, They ſpeak of laying the Foundation of it: which I hope is done already, ſo that there is no need to exhort you to it: but I may ſay, as the Apoſtle doth to the Hebrews, Ch. vi. 1. Let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the Foundation of Repentance from dead Works, and of Faith towards God.

Secondly, They ſpeak of continuing in the Faith, for by that we continue in the Church, the Body of Chriſt. Rom. xi. 20. Thou ſtandeſt by Faith, 2 Cor. i. ult. by Faith ye ſtand.

Thirdly, Of continuing ſtedfaſt in it; Col. ii. 5. I rejoyce, beholding your order, and the ſtedfaſtneſs of your Faith in Chriſt. 1 Cor. xvi. 13. Stand faſt in the Faith.

And here St. Jude adds an Exhortation to building up our ſelves on it; to endeavour, that is, to increaſe and grow ſtrong in Faith, by underſtanding all the Grounds and Reaſons on which it relies, by obſerving all the Teſtimonies which God hath given to his Son Jeſus Chriſt: for this is the very Foundation of Religion (to uſe the words of St. Chryſoſtom) the original of Righteouſneſs, the head and fountain of Sanctity, the beginning of all p. 67true Devotion, the light of the Soul, and the gate of Eternal Life.

But we need not go to Rome for any of theſe; and particularly we may know this great thing, St. Chryſoſtom ſpeaks of; and be ſure without conſulting them, that the Son of God is come (as it is in the laſt Verſe but one of the firſt Epiſtle of St. John) and hath given us an underſtanding, that we may know him that is true (i. e. the true God, whoſe Nature, and Will is declared by him) and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jeſus Chriſt; that is, Children of the true God, or his choſen People, in or by his Son Jeſus Chriſt; that is, by hearty Faith in him, who is his only Begotten, of one ſubſtance with the Father, full of Grace and Truth.

Of all this, I ſay we may be ſure, (and this, as it there follows, is the true God, and Eternal Life) though we never know whether there be ſuch a place as Rome, and ſuch a Biſhop as the Pope: of whom many Chriſtians, no doubt, in ſeveral parts of the World, never heard ſo much as one word. And therefore let us not be ſo weak as to think we muſt needs uſe any of his Tools and Inſtruments, for the laying the Foundation, or for the building up our ſelves in the Chriſtian Faith. Which relies upon the Teſtimony of all the Apoſtles; whoſe words we have recorded in the holy Books, and no where elſe: and which all the Miniſters of Chriſt have as much Authority to expound as they; and can give as good reaſon for what they ſay; as appears by what p. 68hath been ſaid upon this place, which is the Principle from whence they would wring (for derive they cannot) ſo great a Power as they challenge. To which if you ſubmit, it is to undo all that you have done, to lay again the Foundation of Faith, or rather to overturn it; and build upon Human Authority inſtead of Divine. Which is one thing, that would prevail with you, if it were conſidered, not to give up your ſelves to their Directions: whoſe great labour it is to unſettle your Faith, not to ſtrengthen it; to make you doubtful of every thing in the Chriſtian Religion, not to build you up on the Faith of Chriſt.

Secondly; But beſides this, he would have us pray in the Holy Ghost. That is, ardently and with ſuch devout Affections, as the Holy Ghoſt ſometimes inſpires; and for ſuch things as the Holy Ghoſt teaches us to ask, in the holy Goſpel, which is the Mind of the Spirit of God; and eſpecially to pray thus in the Chriſtian Aſſemblies. For the Apoſtle here oppoſes theſe things, to the practice of thoſe that ſeparated themſelves, being ſenſual, having not the Spirit, ver. 19. Our Lord would have us pray always, and in our Cloſet, eſpecially in the Aſſemblies of our Chriſtian Brethren: where we muſt take heed of being frigid or luke-warm; of praying to gratify any of our Carnal Deſires, eſpecially that of Revenge (as St. James teaches us, ch. iv. 1, 2, 3.) and of praying in the Name of St. Peter, or St. Paul, or any p. 69other Saint or Angel; for which the Holy Ghoſt hath given no direction; but quite contrary told us, by the Mouth of his holy Apoſtles, that to us there is but one God and one Lord, 1 Cor. viii. 6. One God, and one Mediator between God and Man, 1 Tim. ii. 5. So that, to uſe any other, is to fall into a Schiſm, to ſpoil the Unity, and break the Communion of the Church of Chriſt: as they of the Church of Rome have done; both by this, and by changing the ancient Government, Diſcipline and Faith of the Chriſtian Church: which believed nothing heretofore, concerning St. Peter, and his Succeſſor's Supream Power over all the Biſhops in the World: who took themſelves to be the Vicars of Chriſt, as much as the Biſhop of Rome. Take a Review of what I have ſaid, and you will ſee that it is they who have ſeparated themſelves from the reſt of the Chriſtian World, by uſurping this Univerſal Juriſdiction, as well as by many other things; and ſo broken that Charity, and quenched that loving and kind Spirit, which gives the greateſt efficacy to our Prayers, and makes them moſt fervent and moſt prevalent. Joyn not therefore your ſelves to them; but as the Apoſtle adds in the third place,

Thirdly, Keep your ſelves in the Love of God. Our Lord Chriſt tells you how, Joh. xv. 10. If ye keep my Commandments, ye ſhall abide in my Love, &c. adding ver. 12. This is my Commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you: which he repeats again, Verſe 17. Theſe p. 70things I command you, that ye love one another.

Have a ſincere and hearty Affection for all Chriſtian People; and imitate not the Romaniſts, who are out of Charity with the far greateſt part of the Chriſtian World.

This Love of God and of our Brethren (which are inſeparable) is the fruit of Faith and of Prayer: without which they are nothing worth. We muſt not only lift up our Hands to God, which is a deſcription of Prayer: but lift up our Hands alſo unto his Commandments, which we have loved (Pſal. cxix. 48.) which is to do God's Will, with a ſincere Affection to it. Without ſuch fruits of Faith, we ſhall not be able to ſtand faſt, in time of Temptation, as Men built upon a Rock: No, our Lord hath told us, that they who hear his Word and do it not, are like to a Man that built his Houſe upon the Sand; which is ſoon overturned.

If we profeſs then this Faith which St. Peter confeſſed, that Jeſus is the Chriſt, the Son of the Living God, which is the Foundation of Chriſtianity; let us be faithful and obedient unto him in all things. For what he hath bidden us do, as well as what he hath bidden us believe, comes with the very ſame Authority; and ought to be look'd upon as the words of the ever living God, by his only begotten Son: whom he hath ſent to reclaim the World, both from their Infidelity, and from their Impiety.

This is part of the Foundation of our Religion, that we renounce all Wickedneſs; as well as that p. 71we believe our Lord Jeſus, to be the eternal Son of God. So St. Paul teaches us, as we tranſlate his words, 2 Tim. ii. 19. The Foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having this Seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: And, let every one that nameth the Name of Chriſt depart from Iniquity. As much as to ſay, this a ſetled Truth in the Chriſtian Religion, that they are Chriſt's, they alone are known, or approved by him, who ſo profeſs Belief in him, as to depart from Iniquity. A profeſſion of his Faith we ought to make; but not content our ſelves with that alone. We muſt add ſomething to it, and St. Peter tell us what, 2 Pet. i. 5, 6, 7. Add to your Faith, Vertue; and to Vertue, Knowledg; and to Knowledg, Temperance; and to Temperance, Patience; and to Patience, Godlineſs; and to Godlineſs, brotherly Kindneſs; and to brotherly Kindneſs, Charity. For if theſe things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye ſhall neither be barren, nor unfruitful in the Knowledg of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And ſo, as St. Jude teaches you in the laſt place,

Fourthly, You may look for the Mercy of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt unto Eternal Life. That is, have a good hope to be ſaved in the day of the Lord, by the great Grace and Mercy of God in Chriſt Jeſus. Stedfaſtly expect this, and wait for it with a patient hope; whatſoever any Man can ſay to diſcourage you. Let it not ſhake you, nor make you doubt of the Mercy of God in this way; unto which the Holy Ghoſt directs us: p. 72all the Power, to which the Pope pretends from St. Peter, ſhall never be able to ſhut you out of Heaven.

He may ſhut out himſelf, by his unjuſt Uſurpations, and by his Uncharitableneſs; and by his unwarrantable Additions to the Chriſtian Doctrine and Religion: but none of thoſe, who truſt in God after this manner which I have declared, ſhall ever be confounded. Let him thunder and lighten as much as he pleaſes, it ſhall never hurt, and therefore ſhould not fright any of thoſe pious Souls: nor ſhall their hope ever make them aſhamed. The ſound of Damnation perpetually in their Ears, they ought to hear as an empty noiſe, and vain words, which ſhould not ſo much as ſtartle, much leſs terrify them, or turn them out of the way wherein they are.

All the Conceit which others may have of their own Merits, and of the Merits of the Saints, and of the Treaſures of their Church, and the Indulgences of the Pope, ſhall never avail them ſo much, as the Mercy of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt towards thoſe who look for his appearing unto Eternal Life; by an holy Faith, and by ardent Devotion, and by unfeigned Love to God, and to all Chriſtian People. Which cannot fail to commend us ſufficiently unto him, who is able, as it follows in St. Jude, to keep you from falling, and to preſent you faultleſs before the preſence of his Glory with exceeding Joy.

p. 73You ought not to queſtion it, nor ſuffer others to raiſe doubts in your Minds about it; but in aſſured hope of it, continually bleſs and praiſe the Father of Mercies, who hath called you into his Church, choſen you to be his People, wrought Faith, and Love, and hope of Eternal Life in you; ſaying (as he concludes his Epiſtle) To the only Wiſe God our Saviour, be Glory and Majeſty, Dominion and Power, both now and ever. Amen.

FINIS.

ERRATA.

PAge 6. line 14. for. would not, read could not.

P. 24. l. 14. Marg. r. Faelix iii.

P. 30. l. antepen. r. the greateſt.

P. 33. l. 19. r. that they make.

P. 41. l. 21. f. prevent, r. pervert.

P. 45. l. 18. r. next Chapter but one.

P. 51. l. 17. r. next Chapter but one.

P. 56. l. 23. r. next Chapter but one.