opponents will say that by this dâ—ctrine I give too much advantage to Papists in affirming Peter to have been primus Apostolus and chiefe Over-seer of the rest Truly these brethren exposes their weaknnesse to the World for they neither know what popery is nor what it is to oppose Popery to mayntain Bishops to have been instituted by Christ and that Christ did chuse one to be their chief President and Moderator is so far from being Popery that it is directly against it for papists will have Bishops to be the Popes creatures and not Christs they will have the calling of Bishops only to be de jure humano and not divino and that Bishops are no more but Priests and that Bishops and Presbyters are but one order and that all are equall secundam consecrationem Eucharistiae in regard of their equall power to consecrate the Eucharist and all this they say to maintain the Popes pretended supremacy for Bellarmine that great champion of Rome affirms that the calling of the 11 Apostles was extraordinary and that they were Christs extraordinary Embassadours and that Peter was only appointed by Christ to be the ordinary and chief pastor of the Church and that hee and his successours the Popes should govern the universall Church in all ages to come now I refer it to the judgment of all Christians to judge between mee and my opponents whether I accord with the papists in most things or they this shall be the parallel the papists say that the calling of the Apostle was but temporary and not perpetuall so doth my opponents the papists say that the 11 Apostles was but Christs extraordinary Embassadors so doth my opponents the papists say that the Episcopall function is not de jure divino but humano so doth my opponents the papists say that Bishops and presbyters are all one order so doth my opponents in all these I am opposite to the papists for I mayntaine that the calling of the Apostles was an ordinary calling and that the Apostles was ordained by Christ to be the chiefe Governours of the Church and to have successours in all ages and generations to come superiour both in dignity and degree to inferiour presbyters But my opponents will say although I doe not agree with the papists in the forementioned heads concerning the Episcopall Function yet I jump with them in making Peter to be the chief of the Apostles and here also I desire all good Christians to be judge in this case this is the parallel The papists say that Peter was in degree before the rest of the Apostles I only that he was before them in dignity The papists say that Peter had a supremacy of jurisdiction above the rest of the Apostles I that hee had only a primacy of moderation the papists say that Peter had granted him by his Master a superiority of power and authority in his Church I say that his Master gave him only a priority of order in it The papists say that Christ made Peter Universall Bishop over his whole Church throughout the World I say that Christ committed only to him the chiefe Apostleship of the Circumcision the papists say that Peter was both in dignity and degree above Paul Peter was chief they say and Paul only Legatus à latere I say that Paul was equall to Peter both in dignity and degree and had the larger Commission for he was the chief Apostle of the uncircumcision Peter only of the circumcision The papists say that Peter received both the swords from Christ civill and spirituall that is both civill and spirituall power I say he only received spirituall power and that equally with the rest of the Apostles The papists say that the pope of Rome is Peters successor in the Universality of jurisdiction I say that an Archbishop is his successor in his priority of order and primacie of moderation within his own province Consider now good Christian which of us two I or my opponent be most popish he is half I am sure I in no case hee in the point of Episcopall government saith wholly as they say I am against them in all the foresaid controversies I give no more to Peter then the chief adversaries of popery gives him Calvin Piscator Iewell Willet Marlorat as I made manifest before by their particular testimonies to whom accords Davenant in his determinations for hee saith that both out of Scriptures and Fathers many things may be brought which ascribes to Peter some prerogatives of honour but of such titles and prerogatives as are attribute to him we affirm that no other thing can be collected but that he obtain'd a certain primacy and presidency for orders sake among the Apostles Maier also in his Treasury upon Matth. 16. saith That Christ gave Peter some prerogative above the rest of the Disciples and yet making another viz. Paul equall to him in every respect And truly I remember no Protestant Divine that denyes that Peter had the first place amongst the rest of the Apostles and how can they since it is so plain and manifest in Scriptures and which is in effect the very bane and overthrow of the mayn grounds of popery For although the Papists abuse the foresaid places of Scripture to maintaine Peter his supremacy and his successors the Pope yet we must not refuse to give Peter that which his master bestowed upon him and so wrest the Scriptures as farre upon the other hand although the Papists abuse the words of our Saviour Christ hoc est corpus meum to maintaine their transubstantiation yet we must not deny a reall and spirituall presence of Christs body in the soules of the faithfull even so although the papists abuse the foresaid places of Scripture to maintaine Peters supremacy and the universality of the Popes power and authority yet we must not deny that Christ gave Peter a priority of order and a precedency of moderation among the Apostles for there is a great difference between supream power and authority which the papists ascribe to Peter and his successour the Pope and a priority of order for avoiding of confusion this Christ gave Peter without doubt but not the former It is true indeed Protestant Divines have beene very sparing in amplifying the prerogative and preheminence that Peter had amongst the rest of the Apostles only because the Papists advance him too much far beyond measure and moderation But although the Papists decline too much to one extremity God forbid that wee decline as farre to the other God forbid because papists defend a bodily presence of Christ in the sacrament that we turne Sacramentaries because the papists extoll good workes and make them meritorious that we turn Libertines because papists wil needs worship God supra statutum they will doe more then God hath commanded that we refuse to doe that which he hath appointed even so God forbid because Papists make Peter universall monarch of the whole world that we deny that he was chiefe
only but the speciality of his charge for sure there was some other Apostle that had the care of some Churches of the Gentiles as Tim. of Eph. Tit of Cret Epaphroditus of Phil. Archippus of Laodicea Epaphras of Col. and Hierapolis Apollos of Cor. and others And although these mens Apostleship may be questioned there can no be question of Barnabas Apostleship and thaâ— over the uncircumcision too and yet the Apostle Paul saith that he had a speciall care of all His care is also manifest in his diligent writing to the Churches of the Gentiles Cor. Gal. Eph. in the which he makes knowne the great care that he had of their salvation as may be instanced in his expostulations protestations and earnest exhortations yea he had a speciall care of those Churches that were not planted by himselfe but by others as of the Church of Col. Laodicea Rome where he planted the Gospell himselfe what a speciall care had he to visit them againe and keepe them safe as far as as he could from the entring in of wolves to devoure the sheep committed to his charge yea this is the greatest argument that he hath against the false Apostles that they intruded them upon his charge the Gentiles being chiefely committed to him which he proveth by the testimony of Peter Iames and Iohn who gave him and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship that they should goe unto the Iewes and they unto the heathen now from these grounds I will forme some arguments for Paul his priority of order among the Churches of the Gentiles The first Argument IF Paul was not inferiour to Peter neither in dignity not degree then if Peter had a priority and precedencie among the Apostles of the circumcision Paul had the same priority among the ministers of the uncircumcision But Paul was not inferiour to Peter neither in dignity nor degree And therefore if Peter had a priority and a precedency among the ministers of the circumcision Paul had the same priority among the ministers of the uncircumcision That Paul was not inferiour neither in dignity nor degree to the Apostle Peter I hope will not be denyed for he defendeth it in many passages of his Epistles and that Peter had a priority and a precedencie among the Apostles of the circumcision I have made manifest by cleare evidence of Scripture and therefore the conclusion will stand good that Saint Paul had a priority and a precedencie among the Ministery of the uncircumcision The second Argument HEe to whom the Gospell of the uncircumcision was chiefely committed had a priority and a precedencie of all the Ministers of the uncircumcision of whatsoever order or degree But the Gospel of the uncircumcision was chiefely committed to the Apostle Paul And therefore Saint Paul had a priority and a precedency in the Ministery of the uncircumcision of all degrees The proposition will be granted I prove the assumption by the Apostle Paul his owne testimony Gal. 2. where he saith As the Gospell of the circumcision was committed to Peter so the Gospell of the uncircumcision was committed to him thus the Apostle Paul speakes not because the Gospell of uncircumcision was not committed to any other for in that same Chapter hee saith that it was also committed to Barnabas and in the generall Commission given by Christ to all the Apostles it was included for they were commanded to teach all nations omni creaturae both Iewes and Gentiles but only because it was principally committed to him and this exposition Doctor Willet confirmes in his Synopsis Where he plainly testisieth that Paul had the chiefe Apostleship over the Gentiles yea he saith that Peter was chiefe of the circumcision and Paul of the uncicumcision that although Peter had the first Lot in order yet Paul had the more large and glorious Lot and further he saith that it cannot be denyed but that Paul was chiefe towards the Gentiles and therefore the Church of Rome might with better right derive their authority from the Apostle Paul then the Apostle Peter now if Paul had an over-sight of the whole Churches of the Gentiles then it will follow that he had an over-sight both of the Pastors and the people if the pastors and Ministers of the Gentiles be of the Church of the Gentiles which I think no man will deny The third argument HEe that had the care of all the Churches of the Gentiles had a precedencie of all the Apostles and inferior Ministers of these Churches But the Apostle Paul had the chiefe care of all the Churches of the Gentiles 2. Cor. 11. 26. And therefore the Apostle Paul had the over-sight of all the Apostles and inferiour ministers of these Churches The proposition must be true for to have a care of a Church wherein there are other inferior Ministers either in dignity or degree it will follow necessarily that his care extends both to pastors and people The fourth Argument HEe that had the care not only of those Churches which hee planted by his owne ministery but of those Churches also that were planted by the ministery of other men hee had an over-sight of all the Pastors of those Churches But the Apostle Paul had not only the care of those Churches which he planted by his owne ministery but also of those Churches which were planted by the ministery of other men And therefore the Apostle Paul had an over-sight of all the pastors of those Churches The proposition must be granted or else Paul might have beene challenged for putting his sicle in another mans field and intruding himselfe upon the labours of other men and so to have stretched himselfe beyond his measure which hee labours by all meanes to avoid 2. Cor. 10. 13. 14. 15. I prove the assumption that the Apostle Paul had the care of those Churches which were planted by the ministery of others he had a care of Rome Col. Laodicea which were planted by the ministery of others as is evident Rom. 10. 11. for I long to see you that I may Impart some spirituall gift unto you to the end you may be established and so forth to the 14. verse and Col. 2.1 for I would yee knew saith Paul what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea and for as many as have not seene my face in the flesh and verse 5. for although I be absent in the flesh yet I am with you in spirit Ioying and beholding your order and the steadfastnesse of your faith in Christ even as he saith Rom. 18. I thanke my God through Iesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the world so it is more then manifest that the Apostle Paul had a speciall care of those Churches which were planted by others and therefore it will follow necessarily that hee had some over-sight of the pastors as well as the people The fifth argument HEe that did Admonish direct and command as well the pastors as the people hee
from scandalous imputations wherewith I might have been wrongfully charged so here in the end I will produce the testimonies of the most ancient Fathers and godly martyrs that lived in the first centuries of Christianity to make good what we both have said but truly not to prove any thing that I have delivered in my former Discourse for to what use shall a man light a thousand Candles and set them up in his house when the Sunne shineth bright in at the windows and so there is no need of either the testimonies of ancient or moderne Writers when the matter is delivered in the Scripture in plaine and evident termes I will produce them then not to prove any thing that I have said but to be as it were Proctors for me and to defend me from the calumnies and the aspersions of the malevolous and to testifie that I have said nothing but that which is according to the cleere evidence Scripture and whereunto some of them did beare witnesse before and sealed the truth thereof with their blood I will begin with Cyprian S. Cyprian de simpli prolat speaketh thus The rest of the Apostles was the same that Peter was ordained with that same honour and authority but the beginning was from one to demonstrate the Church to be one S. Ambrose writing upon Galat. 2. he saith that Paul nameth only Peter and compareth him with himselfe because he had received the Primacy to found the Church of the Jewes and himselfe was also elected to have the Primacy in founding the Churches of the Gentiles yet so that both Peter might preach to the Gentiles Paul to the Jewes if there were cause for both of them are found to have done both and yet it is knowne that full authority was given to Peter in preaching to the Jewes and full authority to Paul in preaching to the Gentiles And in the glosse S. Ambrose is thus alleaged Which of them doth resist Peter to whom the Lord gave the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven nisi alius talis but such another that knew himselfe by the confidence of his election not to be unequall So saith Ierome Paul doth reprehend Peter because he knew himselfe not to be unequall c. So Ierome on Math. 16. saith that all received the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven yet one is chosen among the twelve that an head being appointed all occasions of schisme might be taken away Chrysostome Hom. 87. saith what meaneth Christ to single out Peter alone and to say thus unto him Peter lovest thou me lovest thou me lovest thou me thrice Feed my sheepe feed my Lambs He was the mouth of the rest saith he and Prince of the Apostles wherefore Paul went up to see him above others for as though he viz. Christ his master had forgotten his denials he committeth unto him the care of his brethren as if he had said as thou lovest me so take a care of thy brethren and the love which thou hast alwaies shewed to me shew now and the life which thou saidest thou wouldest lay downe for me lay downe now for them S. Augustine saith that Peter and Paul were chosen for the salvation of two peoples Peter of the Jewes Paul of the Gentiles Peter to repaire the old and desert fields of Iudea and to make them fruitfull through the wholsomnesse of faith and grace being kept unfruitfull by the shadow of the Law and hidden from the heat of the Sunne but Paul is sent to the Gentiles a new ground that yeelded no fruit before that he might cut it with the plough of the Lords Crosse c Therefore these two are more eminent then the rest of the Apostles and by a certaine peculiar prerogative did excell them all August in fest. Petri Pauli An ancient Writer compares Peter and Paul to the two great Pillars which Solomon set up in the porch of the Temple one upon the right side and an other upon the left side in the enterance into the Temple that upon the right side he called Iachim which signifies established and the other upon the left side he called Boos which signifies strong or strength which two Pillars he compares to Peter and Paul Peter signifiing a rocke most firmely established and the word Paul signifying rest or quietnesse which is opposite to motion and so of such strength as cannot be moved or turned backe So that as Salomon who was a type and figure of Christ being about to build a house unto the Lord did set up two Pillars in the Porch of the Temple one upon the right side and another upon the left Even so Christ the true Salomon being to erect a Church to God here upon earth he set up two Pillars as it were in the entry of this Church so that whosoever desires to enter in the Church of Christ they must enter by the doore which these two Apostles by their doctrine and ministery hath opened both to Jewes and Gentiles and therefore this ancient Authour compares the Jewes to the right side called Iachim to whom Peter was chiefly sent and the Gentiles to the left side called Boos over whom Paul had the chiefe oversight Surely it is mentioned by all the ancient Fathers and moderne Writers without contradiction of any one that these two Apostles had a propriety of order before all the rest of the Apostles and Presbyters the one in the Church of the Jewes the other in the Church of the Gentiles What can be said against the perpetuity and continuance of this priority in the Church of Christ in all ages following I cannot imagine that it was a personall prerogative that these two Apostles had granted them by Christ their Master in the beginning of the Gospell can no waies be said and that for these reasons following First because it is a thing that is morally necessary without the which a Church cannot be governed at all as Calvin saith in plaine tearms Inst it 4. cap. 6. sect. 8. That the 12 Apostles had one among them to governe the rest it was no marvell saith he for nature requireth it and the disposition of men will so have it that in every company although they be all equall in power there be one as Governour by whom the rest shall be directed There is no Court saith he without a Consull no Senate without a Pretor no Colledge without a President no Society without a Master so that whatsoever is morally necessary in all ages Nations Kingdomes Provinces Incorporations Societies can no waies be thought to be a peculiar Prerogative to one or two particular men living in one age or in one Nation and Kingdome Secondly this priority is much more necessary now in a setled Church then it was in a Church while the foundation was but in laying the Apostles calling was universall and they were ordained to preach the Gospell to all Nations and had equall power conferred upon them to preach the Gospell and to
ARCHIEPISCOPAL PRIORITY INSTITUTED BY CHRIST PROVED By plaine Testimonies of Scripture Asserted By the Ancient Fathers And whereunto all the moderne Divines of the Protestant side doe fully assent without contradiction of any one man By SAMUEL DANIEL Master of Arts I KING 7. 21. And he set up the Pillars in the Porch of the Temple And hee set up the right Pillar and called the name thereof Jachim And he set up the left Pillar and called the name thereof Boaz GAL. 2. 7 8. But contrariwise when they saw that the Gospell of the Vncircumcision was committed unto me as the Gospell of the Circumcision was unto Peter for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the Circumcision the same was mighty in mee toward the Gentiles Printed Anno 1642. To the godly and indifferent Reader COurteous Reader I foresee that at the first view of the title of this Booke you will thinke strange to heare such an assertion affirmed never being purposely maintained in a particular theme and position by any Divine untill this time But I pray you first reade and then judge I hope you shall find that it is no new broached doctrine but asserted by many learned Divines of our owne religion and contradicted by none I know no Divine that denies that Peter had a prioritie of order in the Church of the Iewes I will say no more I onely desire you to reade the discourse and I hope you shall finde it a doctrine not only assented to by all our best Divines but maintained by all the ancient Fathers who have written on that Subject yea which is most of all delivered both to them and us by Christ and his Apostles so plainly in the Scriptures that in my judgement there can be nothing more plaine I grant all the Arguments that are brought by me from the Scriptures to prove Saint Peters prioritie in the Church of the Iewes and Saint Pauls in the Church of the Gentiles are not demonstrative and their conclusions necessarie the most part are and the Arguments so strong that I in my most serious meditations cannot imagine how they can bee answered and those Inferences that are but probable being joyned together are strong enough Nam quae non prosunt singula multa juvant As for the places of Scripture set downe in my first paralell I grant they doe not all beare witnesse for three degress of Church Governours the most part doe and all the rest are plaine enough for two even for the first two Bishops and Presbiters which is sufficient to shew the Imparitie of Church-men and the divine right of Episcopall Government If ye aske me why I have not set downe the paralell places for the contrarie opinion of my opponents I answer because I find not one place-in all the New Testament to prove a paritie of Church Governours nor yet denying an Imparitie If any Divine will produce one place from which so much as a probable conclusion may be inferred for the Paritie of Church-men I will say as the Proverb speakes Erit mihi magnus Apollo Well Reader I begge not thy favour I hope the truth shall procure thy affection if thou wilt be pleased but to reade diligently and consider seriously the doctrine delivered in this discourse and with indifferencie of judgement ponder the reasons on both sides and the perspicuitie of Scripture from the which these reasons are drawne and I hope in the mercie of God he will make the truth manifest to thy understanding which the Lord grant for Christs sake Farewell Archiepiscopall prioritie Instituted by CHRIST IOsephus de bello Iudaico affirmes that in the dayes of Ptolomeus Philopater Gabbaeus and Theodosius two Samaritans kept a disputation at Alexandria against Adronicus and other Iewes for defence of their Temple which stood upon Mount Gerizim and undertooke to bring proofes of their assertion out of the Law But they could not doe it and therefore the King adjudged them to die Now I professe before all the world if I doe not prove from the Scriptures of the New Testament the Order established by Christ for the Government of his Church under the Gospell to be Hierarchicall I shall be content to suffer for my presumption only let mee have one thing granted that if my Opponents doe not prove their Paritie of the Ministers of the Word and mixt Government by cleere evidence of Scripture and convincing Arguments that they be subject to the same punishment But oh if that Law of the Locrians were in force in this Kingdome that they who petition for the change and abolishing of old Lawes and establishing of new should come with ropes about their necks willingly offering themselves to suffer for their attempt if they did not prove the New better then the Old Alas I say what would become of many of my Opponents who are not once able to produce one cleare and plaine testimonie of Scripture for their Paritie no not any of the three Armies of my opponents neither those who are for the Presbiterial Government nor these who stand for Parochial nor that third sort who defends the necessitie of Familie exercises and separate Congregations Nay which is more they are not able to prove their Assertions by any necessarie and immediate consequence drawn from any place in Scripture Now this must be held for a ground That whatsoever is not set downe in Scripture in plaine and evident termes nor yet can be drawne from thence by a just and immediate consequence is only to be counted an humane ordination But to come to the point I will undertake by the assistance of Gods Spirit to prove in the following discourse that our wise and provident Master and Saviour Jesus Christ as he appointed degrees of Church officers under the Gospell so hath he also established an order and a prioritie among the chiefe Governours themselves For he who is wisdome it selfe appointing a certaine number of chiefe Governours of equall power and authoritie and knowing that equalitie breeds confusion most wisely did appoint who should be their speaker and prolocutor and order all things in their meetings and assemblies and so in this also left us a patterne to follow in after ages as his Father gave unto Moses a patterne both of his worship and the government of his Church under the Law Now because this doctrine may be subject to mistaking and the malevolous may calumniate I will follow the example of the Apostle Paul whose wisdome it was at all times to prevent calumnies and cavils as in the Epistle to the Phil. 4.10 to the conclusion of the Epistle being to commend them for their beneficence and liberalitie exercised towards him lest some malecontents should have suspected his sinceritie and thought that hee had beene a man that had respected more the fleece then the flocke and had set before his eyes in the course of his ministerie his owne ends and advantage hee prevents this mistake before he insists in
and tells them that it was necessarie that Iudas should play the Apostate that the Scripture might be fulfilled and that it was also necessarie to fill his roome that the number of those might bee made up againe whom Christ had appointed to be witnesses of all that he did and said His next Sermon was ad populum after that the Holy Ghost was descended the people that heard the Apostles speak with divers tongues wondred and marvelled at the matter some said that they were drunken but the Apostle Peter in his Sermon made it knowne to them all how the matter was Act. 2.14 and at the hearing of this Sermon there was three thousand converted to the Christian faith Another Sermon also hee made to the people upon the occasion of healing of a lame Man at the hearing of which there were five thousand converted to the faith of Jesus Christ and in effect the most part of the historie of the Acts to the 13. chapter concernes the Apostle Peter and his service in the Ministerie and so by all these evidences it appeares that Saint Peter was precedent of the Apostles It appeares also in this that Peter was chiefe Apostle of the Circumcision because his chiefe stay for many yeares was at Ierusalem Although the Apostle Iames was the peculiar Bishop of that Citie yet in regard of the generall charge that hee had over the whole Nation his most frequent abode was there for both the times that Paul went to Ierusalem both the third yeare after his conversion and fourteene yeeres there after he found Peter there yea that his chiefe residence was there at that time it is manifest by the Apostle Paul his resolution for he saith Galat. 1.18 that three yeares after his Conversion he went to Ierusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteene dayes The Apostle Peter also maketh manifest that the Gospell over the Circumcision was chiefly committed to him by directing his Epistles onely to the Jewes for his first Epistle is only written to the Jewes whom hee calleth strangers scattered throughout Asia Galaâ—ia Pontus Cappadocia Now it is most certaine that in all these Nations at that time when he writ his Epistle there were many Gentiles converted to the Christian faith and yet hee writes to none of them but to the Jewish Nation only so that we may very easily perceive that his chiefe care was oâ— the Jewish Church and that the second Epistle was written tâ— them only it is manifest to any that will reade but the third chapter of the said Epistle Now the question may be asked who gave Peter this precedencie and Prioritie of order among the Apostles I answer This question is without all question for no doubt Christ his Master gave it him Againe it will be asked when it was that Christ gave it him Answer some thinkes that he gave him this dignitie when he changed his name and called him Peter some againe that he was thus advanced when hee promised to give him the keyes of the kingdome of Heaven And indeed both these are certaine signes of preferment The deliverie of the Keyes to any was ever a signe of preferment yea also of Power and Authoritie for he that hath the keys he goeth thorow all as when the Husband giveth the keyes to his new-married wife hee declares that he gives her power over all even so when the Master of the family gives the keys to his steward he gives him power over all his affaires for this same cause it is that the keys are delivered to a Prince when he first enters in any City of his dominions it is a speciall signe of his power and authority within that City even so when our Saviour gave the keys of the kingdome of heaven to his Apostles he gave them power to rule and govern his house according to his will revealed in his Word he gave them power to open the gates of heaven to the penitent and to shut them upon the impenitent so the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God The proofe of this we have Esay 22.20,21,22 where the Prophet Esay at the command of God threatens Shebna Chamberlain to King Ezekiah and tels him that hee shall be driven from his Station and Civill place Eliakim in his roome and in signe of his preferment and authority hee saith and the Key of the House of David will I lay upon his shoulders so hee shall open and none shall shut and hee shall shut and none shall open that is hee will give unto Eliakim chiefe power in Ezekias house and in the City of Ierusalem whose advancement was a figure of the Kingdome of Christ And by the spirit of God applyed to Christ Revelat. 3.7 Which power he conferred upon his Apostles when hee said All power is given unto mee both in heaven and in earth Whose sins yee remit shall be remitted and whose sins you retain shall be retained whose sins yee bind in earth shall be bound in heaven whose sins yee loose in earth shall be loosed in heaven and this the Spirit of God confirmeth Revel. 2.26 where hee promiseth to that Minister of the Church of Thyatira that overcommeth and keepeth his works unto the end power over the Nations which is not to be understood of civill power and authority Christ meddles not with that but of spirituall power and jurisdiction even as I received of my Father saith he V. 27 so then when Christ promised to Peter that hee would give him the keys of the Kingdome of heaven out of all question it was a signe of his preferment to some dignity but not of his power and authority above his brethren for that which hee promised to give to him hee made a covenant to give it to all the rest as well as him indeed had he not breathed upon all the rest as well as Peter and said to all receive the holy Ghost Whose sins yee remit c. I would have perswaded my selfe that Christ had given Peter power and authority over the rest and not only a priority of order and a precedencie of Moderation Some thinks that our Saviour Christ give not Peter this precedency till after the resurrection yea after hee had given the generall commission to all the Apostles in common when hee said to him Feed my Sheep feed my Lambs but for my part I will not dispute when hee gave in him sure all these are evidences that Christ and none other did advance him in that kind and many more then these as may be collected by the former doctrine and which I shall make more plain hereafter Againe it will be asked how long this precedencie of Peters was to continue for a yeare or halfe a yeare or how long truly for any thing can be said in the contrary he had it for his life time What Christ hath joyned together what man dare put