find in the story of Cornelius Acts 10. He is called the Rock because he first laid the Foundations of Faith among the Gentiles ‖ Petra enim dicitur eo quod primus in nationibus fidei fundamenta posuerit says an antient Author in a Homily father'd on St. Ambrose In the remainder of this Chapter which is spent in answering several Objections made by his Adversary I find nothing but what either needs no answer or what hath been already answered Though I confess there are many things that deserve an Asterisk particularly the first part of his Answer to this Question What Inconvenience would arise from expounding this Rock to be Christ To this saith he I answer Though I grant Christ to be called a Rock yet it is very irrational to interpret the word ROCK of Christ wheresoever you find it express'd in Scripture our Saviour being not really a Rock but only call'd so by a metaphorical locution * Pag. 129. This he says is observed by St. Austin A notable Observation CHAP. III. I Think I have said enough to satisfy every impartial considering Reader that St. Peter's Supremacy is not founded upon this Rock and therefore must fall to the Ground unless some other Foundation be found to support it I proceed therefore to the other Promise here made And I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth c. upon which they also tell us this vast Fabrick is solidly superstructed Now the whole of their Discourse from hence that is pertinent to the present Question may be reduc'd to these four Propositions 1. That this Promise of the Keys was made to Peter alone II. That he alone immediately receiv'd them and the other Apostles derivatively from him III. That the Power of the Keys communicated to the other Apostles was inferior and subordinate to a higher Degree of it in St. Peter IV. That by the Keys thus promised to and received by St. Peter is meant the supreme Power of governing the Church Proposition I. This Promise saith Dr. G. our Saviour made to St. Peter and to him alone †Serm of St. Peter p. 28. And you see saith the Discussor Christ addresses his Reply to Peter only the Words Tu and Tibi shutting out all Partnership ‖ St. Peter 's Supremacy p. 18. To which it will be sufficient to return these two things 1. Suppose the Reply addressed to Peter only and the Promise here made to him alone doth it hence follow that Christ intended to give the thing promised to none else Had Christ said to Peter to thee only will I give the Keys this would have followed but it no way follows from Christ's saying only to him I will give thee the Keys From the Promise made to him in particular it only follows that he in particular should have them not that none others should have them besides him 2. Nothing can be more plain than that at another time Christ made the same Promise to all the Apostles indefinitely Verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven ‖ Matth. 18. 18. But says the Doctor however we read that the Power of binding and loosing which is an Effect of the Keys was promised to all the Apostles in common Matth. 18. 18. yet it was not till after the Keys had been promised to Peter Matth. 16. 19 * Pag. 29. What then does before or after make any Difference in the Promise it self If the King promise to day a Commission to one Man in particular and promise to morrow the same Commission to him and ten more together with him hath that one any Power given him over the other ten by having his Commission first promised him But it is not any where read in Scripture that the KEYS THEMSELVES the proper TOKEN and BADGE of the supreme Stewardship over the Church were promised to the rest but to PETER alone But doth not the Power suppose the Badge Or if it doth not is there any need of it Since it is not the Badge but the Office alone that we are concerned for †See Dr. Hammond 's Answ to Schism disarm'd Sect. 7. n. 12 13 14. If it be granted that all the rest have equal Power with Peter let Peter by my consent have the sole Honour of carrying the Keys And yet doth he not say just before That the Power of binding and loosing which is an effect of the Keys is promised to all the Apostles And if so then surely the Keys themselves since the effect ever presupposes the Cause But the truth is as loosing and binding are the effect of the Keys so the Power of loosing and binding are the Keys themselves The Church which is founded in Christ saith St. Austin received from him the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven in Peter that is the Power of binding and loosing Sins ‖ Ecclesia ergo quae fundatur in Christo claves ab eo regni Caelorum accepit id est potestatem ligandi solvendique peccata In Evang. Johannis Tractat 124. This is the very definition your Schoolmen give of them The Power of binding and loosing says Aquinas is call'd the Key * Clavis dicitur potestas ligandi solvendi Aquin. suppl Qu. 17. Art. 2. The spiritual Key says Biel is thus described It is the Power of judging that is of loosing and binding by which an Ecclesiastical Judg ought to receive those that are worthy and exclude those that are unworthy from the Kingdom of God †Sic describitur clavis spiritualis est potestas judicandi id est solvendi ligandi c. Eiel in quartum Sentent Dist 18. Qu. 1. And therefere to suppose that Christ promises the power of binding and loosing and not the Keys is to suppose a contradiction This therefore is not to argue like Dr. G. though it very well becomes the Discussor who also talks at the same rate It cannot says he be prov'd out of the Scripture that the Keys in EXPRESS WORDS were given to any but to him viz. Peter ‖ Peter's Supremacy p. 160. in express words It may then it seems be proved by Consequence and is not that as well But unless as he goes on you can shew me some place in the New Testament where our Saviour saith to his Disciples JOYNTLY IWILL GIVE YOV THE KEYS * The Discussor's word are conjunctim Vobis dabo claves or to any of them in particular I WILL GIVE THEE THE KEYS †His words are particulatim tibi dabo claves he hath the best Plea and Title to them The best Plea this is poor and sneaking a plain giving up the cause for should he have the best Plea that doth not hinder but they may have a good Plea since his Title is no way inconsistent with theirs it
Scripture are not so full but he might have been content to have taken to their assistance those other Scripture-proofs produc'd to this purpose by some of their learned Men such as Christ paid Tribute only for himself and Peter Peter alone cast himself into the Sea Peter drew the Net to the shore full of great Fishes Christ said to Peter SIMON SLEEPEST THOV 2. That he hath not steered his Course by the unerring Pharo's of Antiquity as he promised †Pag. 3. but by new Lights which have led him quite contrary to that Course the Antients steered No place therefore is left for the second Inquiry viz. Whether the Bishop of Rome succeeded PETER in this Supremacy since Peter can be succeeded by none in that which he never had Should it indeed be granted that Peter was invested with it it will not follow that the Pope has it unless it be proved first that Peter was in a strict and proper sense Bishop of Rome and 2. That all the Power Peter was invested with was to descend to his Roman Successors neither of which will be ever proved But now if Peter was never possess'd of such Supremacy himself admit he was Bishop of Rome and that whatsoever Power he had was derived to his Roman Successors no such Supremacy could be derived from him to them It would be therefore an idle thing to insist upon this especially considering that the Discussor himself hath not done so but spoken of it only occasionally and out of place intending I presume to make this the main Subject of his second Book which he has promised But if he resolve to be as good as his word and to oblige us with another of his Books let him first establish Peter's Supremacy upon a more solid Foundation than he has yet done otherwise he will but render himself the more ridiculous in endeavouring to erect the Pope's Supremacy upon it FINIS The CONTENTS CHAP. I. VVHat Supremacy is contended for and what the Discussor supposes as the Foundation of it Sect. 1. 1. That the rest of the Apostles were not ignorant of Christ's Divinitty when Peter made this Confession Thou art Christ c.   This proved  1. By Scripture pag. 7. 2. By what the Discussor himself grants viz. 1. That John the Baptist knew it pag. 9. 2. That the Devils knew it pag. 12. 3. By the Testimonies of the Fathers 13.  A compendious way of reconciling Hereticks 18.  Jansenius and Tostatus misrepresented 19.  Four Questions answered 20. 4. By the Testimonies of those Modern Romanists the Discussor quotes for the contrary 21 c. Sect. 2. 2. That Peter did not attain to this knowledg by a peculiar Revelation 26.  The Testimonies of the Fathers alledg'd to this purpose shew'd to be insignificant 27. CHAP. II. These words Thou art Peter and upon this Rock c. examined Sect. 1. Christ the Primary Foundation of the Church 30. How impertinently the Discussor quotes the Fathers ibid. The Vanity of his critical Observation from St. Basil St. Ambrose and St. Jerom 32. Several places of St. Austin answer'd and the true sense of them given 33 34. Sect. 2. Whether those Fathers who assert St. Peter's Faith to be the Rock do thereby exclude his Person pag. 38. A Passage of Theophylact answer'd 39. Another of St. Chrysostom 40. Sect. 3. Whether St. Peter had any Pre-eminece as he is the Foundation of the Church above the rest of the Apostles 42. The Testimonies produc'd by Dr. Tho. G. to prove the Church more eminently built on St. Peter examin'd and shew'd to import no such thing 45 c. In what sense St. Jerom calls St. Peter the Head and Prince of the Apostles 46 Of the reason why Christ gave him the Name Peter 49. The difference the Discussor makes between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew'd to be ridiculous 50 51. That St. Peter's Primacy was that of Order or Place only 55 56. The Sayings of the Fathers produc'd by the Discussor to prove the Church more eminently built on St. Peter shew'd to be impertinent pag. 59. Especially those of St. Jerom pag. 60. and St. Cyprian 64. In what respects the Church may be truly said to be built more eminently on St. Peter 68. CHAP. III. Their whole Discourse upon these words I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven c. reduc'd to four Propositions 70. Prop. 1. That the promise of the Keys was made to Peter alone Two things return'd in answer to it 71.  What meant by the Keys what difference between them and Binding and Loosing 72. Prop. 2. That Peter receiv'd the Keys immediately from Christ but the other Apostles from or by St. Peter confuted by Scripture and by four Arguments from Bellarmin pag. 76 77. Prop. 3. That the Power of the Keys communicated to the other Apostles was subordinate to a higher degree of it in St. Peter The contrary prov'd from that place where the Power of the Keys before promised was actually given viz. John 20 21 22 23. 1. That the Power of the Keys was here given the Romanists must grant  1. Because this is expresly taught by the Fathers 79. 2. Because it is taught by the Roman Catechism and the Council of Trent 80. 2. That the Power was equally given to Peter and the other Apostles is clear'd from  1. The words themselves 81. 2. The Judgment of the Fathers upon them 82. 3. The Concession of many learned Men of the Church of Rome 83.  The Testimonies of the Fathers cited by the Discussor viz. of Origen St. Hilary Ambrose Cyril Basil Chrysostom Cyprian Bede and St. Austin examin'd and answer'd 85 c.  Whether the Fathers expound Matth. 18. 18. of Fraternal Correption 95. Prop. 4. That by the Keys promised and given to Peter is meant the Supreme Power of governing the Church ibid.  His Proof shew'd to be of no force pag. 96.  A twofold difference between the Keys in the hands of the Master of the Family and in the hands of his Steward 79. CHAP. IV. Sect. 1. Of these words Feed my Sheep 99. The sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 100. Whether these Words contain a Commission 102. The Father did not think that Peter was by them exalted to a higher degree of Power than he had before 105. A Quotation out of St. Austin and another out of St. Basil vindicated 107. The vanity of his Arguments hence to prove Peter's Supream Pastorship 109. Why Christ's Interrogation was of a greater degree of Love 110. The folly of making Oves meas because indefinite to include the Apostles exposed by several Questions 112. The Testimonies of Bernard St. Chrysostom and Theophylact answer'd 113 114 c. Not one of those Fathers say the whole Flock was recommended to St. Peter whom the Discussor quotes as saying so 120. Several Remarks from his Quotations which shew his Ignorance or Insincerity 120 121. Those Fathers which say the Flock was committed to Peter meant to more to include the other Apostles than Peter himself 122. All the Apostles were Christ's Vicars 124. ERRATA PAge 4. line 3. for Treaties read Treatise P. 33. Marg. l. 1. f. ejam r. elâ—am P. 36. l. 21. f. Pâ—trum r. Patrum P. 40. l. 7. f. Barronius r. Baronius P. 45. l. 10. f. put r. but. P. 47. l. 27. after Reasoning put a Comma P. 50. l. 22. f. evaned r. evanid P. 62. l. 21. f. luxid r. lurid P. 55. Marg. l. 5. f. rogâ—ntè r. royantè l. 8. f. oùt r. où f. Moyers r. Moyens P. 72. l. 30. after Peter put a Period and begin the next word with a Capital P. 79. l. 2. r. Apostles P. 83. Marg. l. 20. put a before Christo P. 85. Marg. f. solvetis r. solveris P. 89. l. 18. f. of r. ob P. 99. after l. 28. put Sect. 1. P. 104. l. 22. r. reckon'd for a Father P. 105. l. 25. r. se ipse Other literal Errors and Mispointings the Reader is desired to correct
Patre accepisset tantara illis dare c. The Cardinal of Cusa says We know that Peter received no more Power from Christ than the other Apostles for nothing was spoken to Peter which was not also spoken to the others as it was said to Peter Whatsoever thou shalt bind And therefore we rightly say that all the Apostles were equal in Power †Scimus quod Petrus nihil plus potestatis Christo a recepit aliis Apostolis Nihil enim dâ—ctum est ad Petrum quod etiam aliis dictum non sit Nonne sicut Petro dictum est quodcunque super terram ita aliis quodcunque ligaveritis c. De Concord Cath. 2. 13. Yea Cardinal Bellarmine himself having cited the Words of St. Cyprian makes this Inference from them Where you see that the same is given to the Apostles by these Words I SEND YOV which was promised to Peter by that saying I WILL GIVE THEE THE KEYS and afterward exhibited by that FEED MY SHEEP But it is manifest that by these Words I WILL GIVE THEE THE KEYS and by these FEED MY SHEEP the fullest Jurisdiction is to be understood ‖ Ubi vides idem dari Apostolis per illa verba Ego mitto vos quod Petro fuerat promissum per illud Tibi dabo claves et postea exhibitum per illud pasce oves c. Lib. 4. De Rom. Pontif. c. 23. What can be more plainly expressed than that the Power convey'd to the Apostles by these Words I send you was equal to that promised to Peter in the Promise of the Keys I know Bellaamine tells us that he hath elsewhere shew'd that this is no Impediment to Peter's Primacy what not to his Primacy of Power Can they all be equal in Power and yet Peter be their Superiour But how doth Bellarmine reconcile this Contradiction We confess says he the Apostles were equal in Apostolical Power and had in all things the same Authority over Christian People but they were not equal among themselves * Fatemur enim Apostolos suisse pares in Apostolica Potestate habuisse in populos Christianos eandem omnino authoritatem sed non fuisse pares inter se De Rom. Pont. l. 1. c. 12. Which is in effect the same with what the Discussor says In this their Apostolical Commission they were all equal but this was granted them not in reference to one another but in reference to the whole World of which they were all Heads and Princes †Pag. 168. But is not this to solve one Contradiction by another They were all equal in Apostolical Power and the Apostolical Power as he just before says was summa Potestas the highest Power and contained all Ecclesiastical Power and yet Peter was higher in Power than they and had some Power which they had not that is they all had and had not the highest Power they all had and had not all Ecclesiastical Power But notwithstanding all that hath been said to the contrary the Fathers if we may take the Discussor's Word are plainly on his side and if we will not credit his Word he has produc'd their own Words to assure us that they are so I shall therefore examin the Testimonies produc'd having first premised these two things as preparatory thereunto 1. That the Question now is not Whether the Keys were given to Peter in particular or after a particularising manner Or whether they were given to him alone when our Saviour said I will give thee the Keys c. But supposing them now given to the other Apostles whether they were given to Peter in another sense or in a sublimer and compleater degree as the Discussor speaks than they were given to the other Apostles 2. We shall have great reason to suspect that this Gentleman misrepresents the Sense of the Fathers if we do but consider that his Friend Maldonat who was a little better acquainted with their Writings than he is tells us that he saw all Authors except Origen understood the Words spoken to Peter Matth. 16. 19. in the same sense with those spoken to Peter and the rest of the Apostles jointly Matth. 18. 18. And by consequence they understood the Keys to be given in the same sense and amplitude to the rest of the Apostles as to Peter ‖ Nec enim codem sensu quo Petro atque aliis Apostolis dictum interpretor Quodcunque solvetis super Terram erit solutum in Caelis etsi video omnes Auctores praeter Origenem in cadem fuisse sententia Mald. in Matth. 16. 19. Which being premised I shall now examine the Testimonies themselves He begins with Origen from whom he cites two Passages The first of which he so grosly abuses that had he to that one line he quotes added the three next every Reader would have seen that it is directly contrary to that for the proof of which he brings it The Words he quotes are these An soli Petro dantur a Christo claves How from hence he can infer that Origen acknowledges Peter more excelling in the power of the Keys than the other Apostles is past my understanding But if to these we add the words following the whole Passage is this Were the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven given by Christ to Peter only and shall no other Saint receive them But if that which is said I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven be common also to the rest why are not all those things which are spoken before and which follow common to them all * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Comment in Mat. Tom. 12. p. 275. In which Words it is plain that as Origen denies the Keys to be given to Peter only so in suposing that very Promise I will give thee the Keys to be common to the rest he must of necessity suppose that the Keys were given to the rest in the same Degree they were to Peter In the other Passage I grant that Origen makes no small difference between the Promise made to Peter Matth. 16. and that made to the Disciples Matth. 18. That to Peter were given the Keys not of ONE HEAVEN but of MANY HEAVENS that whatsoever he should bind on Earth should be bound not in ONE HEAVEN but in ALL THE HEAVENS but to them he says that they should bind and loose not in the HEAVENS as PETER but in ONE HEAVEN †Non ergo modica differentia est quod Petro quidem datae sunt claves non unius Caeli sed multorum Caelorum c. Tractat. 6. in Matth. The Reason why he made this Difference was because the Word is used in the plural Number in the first place ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular in the second * But is not Maldonate himself asham'd of this and does he not say that he lost the Truth in proving it too subtilly †Notavit hoc ipsum Origegenes sed veram solidamque
sententiam nimis subtiliter probando perdidit In loc Is not the word used in Scripture in both numbers without any the least difference in sense For instance St. Matthew says when Jesus was baptiz'd the Heavens were opened ‖ Matth. 3. 16. St. Luke says the Heaven was opened * Luke 3. 21. Yea the same Evangelist uses them both indifferently In the Lord's Prayer the word is plural in the Introduction singular in the third Petition both in St. Matthew and Luke and in both used in the same sense And so far were the Fathers from making any difference between them that they on the contrary frequently express Matth. 18. 18. in the plural Number and Matth. 16. 19. in the singular as Chamier hath proved at large †Panstrat Cathol tom 2. de Oecum Pontif. l. 11. c. 13. But granting his Argument to be nothing yet it is evident from hence says the Discussor that Origen did believe Peter to be more eminent and to surmount the rest in the Power of the Keys ‖ Pag. 163. This is not more evident than it is from the place immediately before-cited that he believed the contrary But suppose as Maldonate says that he was in this a Dissenter from all the other Fathers as in many other Points he was shall his sole Judgment and that grounded upon a childish Error be of more Authority with us than the more solid Judgment of all the rest And why should we value his Judgment in this more than the Romanists do in that which immediately follows viz. That by how much the better any Man is by so much the greater power he hath of binding and loosing which in the Church of Rome is no less than Heresy But the Truth is this place of Origen is nothing to the Purpose For he doth not here compare Peter to the rest of the Apostles to whom he supposed the Power of the Keys was equally given Matth. 16. but to those private Christians only who should thrice admonish their offending Brother he supposing the Words Matth. 18. 18. to be directed to those alone who told their Brother of his fault as will be evident to every one who shall impartially consider the place The next Father he quotes is St. Hilary And how does it appear that he gives a larger Portion of the Keys to Peter than to the other Apostles Thus that whereas he calls the other Apostles Janitores Coeli the Door-Keepers of Heaven he calls Peter by way of Transcendency O Beatus Coeli Janitor O blessed Door-Keeper of Heaven Is not this Demonstration It might pass for such with the Discussor had not St. Hilary in another place unluckily given the same Title and another too as high to all the Apostles You O HOLY AND BLESSED MEN who for the merit of your Faith have obtained the KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN c. * Vos O sancti et beati viri ob fidei vestrae meritum claves regni Coeloruin sortiti et ligandi atque solvendi in Coelo et in terra jus adepti de Trinitat l. 6. Col. 74. Edit Paris 1631. What is this but to call them all the Holy and Blessed Door-Keepers of Heaven But the Discussor says He likewise affirms him advanced above the rest Advanc'd in what If he speak to the Purpose in the Power of the Keys How does he prove it By these Words Quia solus respondit caeteris Apostolis silentibus supereminentem fidei suae Confessione locum promeruit But what if the Word locum be not in Hilary What shall I think of his foisting in one Word for another Was not the Action unworthy and disingenuous in him especially who pretends so much to Truth and honest Dealing The best Palliation I can make for him is that he found it in Bellarmine †De Rom. Pontif. l. 1. c. 12. St. Hilary's words are these Qui in cunctorum Apostolorum silentio Dei silium revelatione Patris intelligens ultra humanae infirmitatis modum supereminentem Beatae Fidei suae confessione Gloriam promeruit ‖ De Trinitate l. 6. col 78. How wide is the difference between these words and those of the Discussor It was pity he omitted the word Beatae because from thence he might have observ'd the transcendency of Peter's Faith. But that which I observe is That instead of Locum St. Hilary hath Gloriam Now since he was of opinion though different from all that went before him that Peter alone at that time knew the Divinity of Christ by a special Revelation from God what can he mean by this supereminent Glory but that he obtained the honor of confessing Christ's Divinity while the other Apostles were as yet ignorant of it But it is observable that whereas he affirms the other Apostles to have received the Keys of Fidei suae meritum he asserts in his Comments on Matth. 13. Petrum fide caeteros anteisse From whence he infers That he having a greater portion of Faith consequently had a larger power of the Keys But nothing can be more evident than that Hilary does not mean by anteisse that Peter had a greater Portion of Faith than the rest but that his Faith was before theirs in time the words immediately following being these For the rest not knowing it he first answered Thou art the Son of the living God * Nam ignorantibus caeteris primus respondit Tu es Filius Dei Vivi Comment in Matth. Can. 14. But is it the Doctrine of the Church of Rome that a Bishop hath the power of the Keys more or less in proportion to the measure of his Faith If so then supposing Peter had a Supremacy of Power the Pope cannot succeed him therein unless he succeed him also in the Supremacy of his Faith And I fear the Discussor will be hardly put to it to name any one Pope whose Faith hath surmounted that of all other Bishops The five next Testimonies viz. those of St. Ambrose though no such words as those he quotes are in Serm. 66. Cyril Basil Chrysostom Cyprian are all impertinent because they only affirm simply that the Keys were given or entrusted to Peter So Ambrose He it is that received the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven So Cyril Peter bearing the Keys of Heaven c. There is nothing of comparison in any of these Quotations between Peter and the other Apostles nothing to insinuate that he hath the Keys in a higher degree than they If any thing be hence inferr'd it must be this That Peter had the Keys solely because they seem to speak exclusively of the other Apostles But that this cannot be their meaning the Discussor himself grants †Pag. 158 159 161 162. That they cannot mean that he had this Power in a higher degree than the other Apostles is as evident because the very same Fathers make him and the rest equal in this Power What then is the reason why they speak