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