1 G. But, My Lord, take it now for granted, that the Text of St Mathew is meant of St Peter's Perfon, what Advantage can you make of it for the Proof of his Supremacy? For you can infer no more from it than that the Church was to be built upon St Peter. And fo it was to be built upon the rest of the Apostles according to St Paul Eph. 2. v. 20. Te are built upon the Foundation of the Apoftles and Prophets. Jefus-Chrift himself being the Chief Corner-Stone. This plainly puts them all upon the Level. Vind. L. How induftrious are Men to deceive themfelves when Intereft and Paffion inclines them to it! You argue thus. St Paul fays, the Church is built upon all the other Apostles jointly with St Peter, therefore they are all upon the Level. But I deny your Confequence. For, tho she be built upon them all, it do's not follow, that she is built upon them all in the fame Manner: But she may be built upon one in a more eminent Manner than the reft. The Frame of the English Government is built upon king and Par liament. But do's that pur them upon the Level? or hinder the king from being the fupreme Head of all ? But let us hear St Paul, Eph. 4. V. 11. 12. And he gave fome Apostles, and fome Prophets, and fome Evangelifts, and fome Paftors and Teachers for the Perfecting of the Saints, for the Work of the Ministry, for the EDIFYING of the Body of Chrift. Here ordinary Paftors and Teachers are join'd with Apostles, Prophets, and Evangelifts. And it is equally faid of them all, that Chrift gave them for the EDIFYING of his Mystical Body: : that is, the Building of his Church. And will you infer from thence, that the Church is built in the fame Degree upon ordinary Paftors and Teachers as upon the Apofties themfelves? Or that she is not built in a more eminent Manner upon Bishops, than the Inferiour Clergy? Will you conclude from it C that the Apostles had no Jurifdiction over thofe, whom St Paul calls Paftors and Teachers, but that they were all upon the Level? If not, neither can you conclude that St Peter had no furifdiction over the reft of the Apoftles from St Paul's Saying, that the Church is built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets. G. My Lord, tho I maintain, that the other Apoftles were the Foundation-Stones in the Ecclefiaftical Building jointly with St Peter, I do not deny but he was more remarkably fo, than the rest of them. For it may eafily be granted, that a peculiar Privilege was defign'd him in thefe Words, and that by him after our Blessed Saviour the Foundation of the Church should be laid for the other Apoftles to build upon amongst both Jews and Gentiles and if this were what our Lord intended, is was accordingly verified, as we read in the Acts of the Apoftles. For he converted 3000 Jews by his first Sermon. Act. 2. V. 41. So that here was now a Church, and this Church in an especial Manner built upon St Peter according to our Saviour's Promife. But then be was to lay the Foundation of the Gentile Church too as well as the fewish. For he admitted Cornelius a Roman Centuvion into the Number of Chriftians, A&t. 10. V. 19. and preach'd the Gospel at Cæfarea. Se that here was a perfect Completion of our Saviour's Promife to St Peter fo far as it contain'd any Prerogative peculiar to himself. And therefore Chrifts Promife that he would build his Church upon him, means no more, than that St Peter should first after Christ, build his Church; which implies no Superiority over the other Apostles. Vind. P. 19. 20. L. This, Sr, looks like the laft Effort of a Perfon refolved to perfift in the Wrong in Spite of the ftrongest Conviction. However I am glad to hear you own, that St Peter was more remarkably the Foundation Stone in the Building of the Church than the other Apostles, and that it was built upon him in a special Man- 1. Because Chrift promised to St Peter Math, the 16. what he confer'd upon him John the 21. after his Refurrection. But the Commiffion he then deliver'd to him was not barely to lay the first Foundation of the Church, but to take Care of, and govern his whole Flock; therefore his Laying the Foundation of the Church amongst-both Jews and Gentiles was not a full and adequate Accomplishment of Christ's Promife. 2ly. There appears a manifest Difference between thefe two Propofitions, thou shallt built my Church and, my Church shall be built upon thee, tho both may be verified of one and the fame Perfon. The former imports no more than a tranfient Action, but the latter a continual Dependence. Because every Building, nay every Part of it has a continual Dependence upon it's Foundation. Whence it follows that our Saviour's Promife of Building his Church upon St Peter (and that in a fpecial Manner) imported nothing lefs, than that every Part of his Church should have a continual Dependence upon him during his Life, and upon his Succeffors after his Death: because the Church-govern ment once eftablished by Chrift can never be alter'd without a fpecial Order and Commiffion from him. S. 4. St Peter's Supremacy proved from St John. C.21. ¥.15, &C. I Come now to the Text of St John. For, tho the Su premacy was promised to St Peter before our Saviour's Paffion, his Commiffion was not given him) till after his Death and Resurrection. Ca G. I prefume your Lordship means in those Words, feed my Sheep. L. I do fo. But tho you have clipp'd them to make them lofe fome Part of their Weight, I shall make bold to quote the whole Text as it lies, and make my Obfervations upon it. Christ on the very Day of his Refurrection had confirm'd St Peter, and the other Apostles in their Apoftalical Charge. Joh. 20. v. 21. As my Father fent me, fo Ifend you, &c. And 'tis certain, they all received here an equal Apoftolical Charge or Jurifdiction. But Chrift appearing afterwards to St Peter, St John, St James, St Thomas, and fome of the Difciples, after he had eaten with them, he addrefs'd himself thus to St Peter. Simon Son of Jonas loveft thou me more than these? He faith unto him, yea Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He faith unto him, feed my Lambs. He faith unto him again the fecond Time, Simon of Jonas loveft thou me? He faith unto him, yea Lord, thou knowest that I love shee. He faith unto him, feed my Lambs. He faith to him the third Time, Simon Son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he faid unto him the third Time, loveft thon me? And he faid, Lord, thou knoweft all Things, and thou knowest that I love thee. Jefus faith unto him feed my Sheep. Joh. 21. v. 15. 16. &c. I obferve here an unufual Ceremony, fuch as is no where else to be found in the whole New Teftament. St Peter is fingled out from the rest of the Company. Chrift asks him, loveft thou me more than thefe? He asks him a fecond and third Time, loveft thou me? And after each Anfwer and Affurance of his Love, Chrift gives him an unlimited Commiffion to feed his Flock. Whoever can fee nothing here attributed peculiarly to St Peter, muft shut his Eyes wilfully against the strongest Light. G. I own, My Lord, I have not Eyes to fee it. For it was the necessary Duty of all the Apostles during their Time, and of their Succeffors in all following Gene rations t feed our Saviour's Lambs and Sheep. And if St Peter was required to do the fame, this implies no more Jurisdiétion in him, than in the other Apofties; on each of which this Duty was no leß incumbent than on him. I add, that if the Words themselves do not convey any fuch paramount Jurifdiction, the Repetition of them can never do it. Vind, p. 21. 22. L. 'Tis true that a Repetition of Words do's not change their literal Signification. But no rea fonable Man will fay, it do's not enforce their Weight, or that it do's not mark out a more than ordinary Importance of the Duty, or Injunction contain'd in Words, that are thus repeated; efpecially when it is done by a Perfon of the greatest Authority. And therefore our Saviour's threefold Repetition both of the Queftion put to St Peter, and the Command laid upon him to feed his Lambs and Sheep was doubtless intended to imprint in his Mind an Idea of fome extraordinary injunction. The Queftion itself, loveft thou me more than thefe? Manifeftly imports that Chrift required a greater Love of St Peter, than the other Apostles. And why for G. My Lord, perhaps our Saviour only put this Question to him to put him in Mind of his former Profeffion of a fingular Love above the other Apoftles. * L. What, Sr! to put him in Mind of it without requiring it of him! The Queftion plainly implies the contrary, and I ask the Reason of it. So pray, Sr, guefs once more, G. Perhaps it was only to humble him under the Senfe of his dreadful Fall and thus to quicken his Cafe farther Based. pag. 470 |