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
hearing Christ bid Peter pay toll for himselfe and for him and hearing him promise to him the keys of the kingdome of heaven and to none of the rest they tooke occasion and their Mother to goe to Christ and to desire of him that one of them might sit upon his right hand and the other upon his left hand in his kingdome for they dreamed even as all the rest did of a temporall kingdome Math. 20.20 and Mark 10.35 which suit of theirs Christ did not altogether refuse at first but told them that they knew not what they asksd and also asked them if they were able to drinke of the Cup whereof hee was to drinke and be baptized with the Baptisme wherewith he was to be baptized and when it was answered yes Then he tels them that it was his Fathers right to give that which they desired and that it was prepared for others and was to begin in them of his Father in his own time so that by Christ his Answer to Iames and Iohn and their Mother we may easily collect by the way that Christ did not condemne the dignity as unlawfull in it selfe but a proud affectation of the dignitie this he condemnes in his speech to the rest that tooke offence at Iames and Iohn their presumption Christ had promised before that they should sit upon 12. thrones and judge the 12. Tribes of Israel which very well might have sufficed them but they would needs contest who should be chiefe among themselves they would not commit it to their Masters arbitrement and therefore Christ telleth them who must be this chiefe not he that affected it most not he that aspired to it out of a conceit of his owne worth but hee that was humble and meeke and lowly and therefore Christ said to them that he that was lest among them all to wit in conceit he should bee greatest yea further saith our Saviour hee must bee like a little child in his owne eyes A child although he be the sonne of a Prince he will make himselfe companion to the sonne of a peasant even so they that have chiefe place among Gods Ministers must account all the rest as brethren yea as Christ saith they must be servants to the rest even as Christ was As he that serveth so must they that have chiefe place under Christ in his Church be as servants to the rest of their inferiour Ministers and this made Origen to say That he that was called to a Bishoprick was called unto the service of the Church Homil. 6. in Esaiam and the Counsell of Carthage decreed 4. Can. 34. wheresoever a Bishop sitteth he must not suffer a simple Priest to stand before him and that the Bishop in the Assembly of Priests ought to sit in the highest place but within the house let him know that he is their fellow Now I will beg leave of the learned to vent a certaine conjecture of my owne which I hope shall give offence to none which conjecture Iames and Iohn and their Mothers petition to Christ and Christs answer to them againe has given mee occasion to apprehend The affectionate Mother being desirous of her sonnes preferment shee comes in all humility and falls downe before him and earnestly intreates him on the behalfe of her sonnes that one of them might sit on his right hand and another on his left hand in his kingdome she expected that at this time Christ was to restore the kingdome to Israel and she would faine have had her two sonnes in the most honourable roomes of Christs Court little knew they that Christs kingdome was not of this world and therefore hee tells her and her sonnes both that they knew not what they asked and yet he answered her according to her owne mind as he did the Disciples after his Resurrection when they asked him if he was to restore the kingdome to Israel at that time he answered that it was not for them to know the times and seasons which the Lord had in his owne hand Even so our Saviour Christ answered the sonnes of Zebedee and their Mother These dignities saith he the bestowing of them is not in my hand but in my Fathers and they shall bee given of my Father to them for whom they are prepared I am confident that Christ by this answer of his doth not meane of any two that were to be advanced to the highest degrees of glory in heaven for first because this were not to answer ad rem for her meaning was of some dignities here upon earth and therefore wee must not thinke but Christ would answer her according to her owne meaning next we doe not reade of any right hand or left hand that Christ shall have in heaven or of any that shall sit upon either of his hands there wee reade of his Fathers right hand where Christ sits for the present and shall sit untill his second comming to Judgement wee reade also of degrees of glory in heaven but not in these termes but the good woman had no such meaning her meaning was of the greatest dignities upon earth as Christ had to bestow and therefore I thinke that our Saviour meanes of two to whom his Father was to give the two greatest dignities in his Church the event shewes moe that Christ doth meane of these For he had advanced the 12. Apostles to 12. Thrones and had given them power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions hee had promised to give them the keyes of the kingdome of heaven that they might shut it upon the impenitent and open it to the penitent greater power they could not get greater dignity they might it was but honour and dignitie that the sonnes of Zebedee craved and that upon earth too they desired not power and authoritie over their brethren And this dignitie was no more but a primacie of moderation and a prioritie of order amongst the Governours of the Church that Christ had to bestow upon those for whom his Father had prepared it Christ was not to distribute to any of his Apostles state imployment and places of honour and dignities in the Common-wealth he left that to bee done by worldly Monarchs Now I find in the Scriptures that our Saviour Christ gave this prioritie of order and primacie of moderation to two of his Apostles and honoured them as it were the one upon his right hand and the other upon his left hand these two Apostles were Peter and Paul the one to have prioritie of order in the Church of the Jewes the other in the Churches of the Gentiles that Christ gave the chiefe precedencie amongst the 12. Apostles to the Apostle Peter it is more then evident in the Scriptures for is it also for Pauls moderation in the Churches of the Gentiles The 12. Apostles were first appointed by their Master to be chiefe Governours of the Church of the Jewes and therefore when Christ sent them out two and two to preach the Gospell hee directed them
asunder Christ gave him precedencie who could then defraud him of it none of the rest might yea not all the rest had power to displace him certainly as long as the Christian Iews were divided from the Gentiles that were Christians by the Ceremonies of the Law of Moses which they would needs keepe The Apostle Peter tooke a speciall care of the Iewish Nation so he took a speciall care of Iews in Antiochia who were Christians but zealous of the Law Gal. 1. yea it was condiscended betweene him and the Apostle Paul that it should be so but I believe that the mayn worke which was enjoin'd him by his Master in cōmon with the rest of the Apostles to teach all Nations did in the end draw him of that particular charge of the Iewish Nation yet I thinke hee ever kept that priority of order amongst the Apostles which his Master conferred upon him upon all occasions A third question wil be asked was Peter to have successors in this precedency I answer although perhaps he could have no Successors in respect of his precedency over the eleven whose calling was universall and not confined to any particular Place Congregation Province or Kingdom Yet his precedency in generall among the chief Governours of the Church in all severall Kingdoms and Nations was to have a succession order was requisite among the successours of the Apostles as well as among them and this order was to be defined according to the division of Kingdomes and Provinces Saint Peter was chiefe precedent in the Churches of Iews in which respect he might have Successours yea and had them too and so a chiefe precedent was requisite among the Governours of the Churches of other Kingdoms Again this question will be asked since a priority of order is necessary in all Churches must it remayne constantly in one person or may it be changed from one to another that every one may beare his part and all beare equall burden Answer I see no reason why it should be changed except this vicissitude can be proved by Scripture Christ hath left us a paterne and this paterne we ought to follow Further it may be asked how this precedent should be elected I answer by him who is Gods Vicegerent here upon earth for God hath appointed Kings to be pursing Fathers in his Church and they ought to have a care that all things be done decently and orderly and that Gods will be done in earth as it is in heaven If the King present the man the Church ought to receive him except they can give a reason in the contrary but it may be replyed that wee have no paterne for this in the Scripture I answer none except that wee finde the election of Matthias referred to God and the King is in Gods place and a God upon earth I have said yee are gods Psal. 82. and Iohn 10. Reply but this choice was referred immediatly to God the lots is cast into the lap I answer in the election of Matthias I finde that the Apostles had a hand in it the seventy Disciples and other inferiour Ministers for they made choice of Matthias and Barsabas and prayed unto the Lord to give forth his determination by lot but in the election of the seven Deacons the people also the Apostles and all other Churchmen all three joyned together Upon other occasions the Apostle only made choice of inferiour Ministers Timothy by prophesie and so there is no certain patern left us in the Scriptures for the right of nomination But if it were so agreed upon it were easie to devise a way how both the people inferiour Ministers the Governours of the Church and the supreame Magistrate might have their severall voices in the nomination of Churchmen of the first ranke and order and yet in end the Lord to make the choice but it were boldnesse in me to prescribe The Lord of his mercy so direct those a right who have power and authority in their hand that they may doe all things according to his will plainly revealed in his Word Now I will prove from the former grounds first that Saint Peter had a precedencie of the rest of the Apostles in the Church of the Iews next that this precedency was given him by Christ his Master Thirdly that this precedencie is not only profitable and expedient but necessary for the Government of all Churches and this I will do by formall arguments whereunto I desire my opponents to answer Categorice without subterfugies prevarications or circumlocutions for by so doing the truth shall be the more easily found out The first Argument Hee whose name is always recorded in the first place had place of all the rest of the Apostles But Peter his name is always recorded in the first place And therefore Peter had place of all the rest of the Apostles There can be no reason given why Saint Peter his name should be always first set down but only because he was first not only in gifts and graces but also in dignity place and estimation That his name is recorded at all times sirst is evident except onely once by the Apostle Paul Gal. 2. who without all doubt did it by the motion of Gods Spirit that he might insinuate although the Apostle Peter was the chiefest Apostle of the Circumcision as he had declared before Verse 7. yet it was in order and estimation and not in degree and exaltation it was a primacie but not a supremacie a prioritie but not a superiority that he had of the rest of the Apostles But I will prove that the Apostle Peter was not only named first but that he was called the first and so was first indeed The second Argument He who is called by the Apostle Saint Matthew the first of the Apostles hee was in deed and in truth the first But the Apostle Peter is called by the Apostle Saint Matthew the first of the Apostles Chap. 10.2 And therefore the Apostle Peter was indeed and in truth the first of the Apostles The strength of the proposition stands in this that hee who was an Apostle himselfe would never have called Peter the first of the Apostles and he had not been first indeed The third Argument He that was prolocutor and speaker for all the rest of the Apostles had a priority and precedency of the rest of the Apostles But Peter was speaker and prolocutor for all the rest of the Apostles And therefore Peter had a priority and precedencie of the rest of the Apostles The proposition I thinke will not be denied for the Consul in the Senate the Speaker in Parliament the Moderator in the Assembly hath a priority and precedency of all the rest of the Senat Parliament and Assembly That Peter was speaker and prolocutor for all the rest I prove thus He that answered Christ in name of the rest and received the promise in name of the rest was speaker and prolocutor for all the rest But Peter answered Christ in
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