in it than they For instance the King promises to A in particular to give him a Captains place he afterwards promises the same Preferment to A B C D E F together A because the Promise was first made to him alone must either alone be made Captain and B C D E F excluded or if B C D E F be made Captains A because it was first promised to him must be made their Colonel or General These are good Consequences by the Discussor's Logick and therefore he spae more Truth than perhaps he was aware of when he said that Disputation was an Employment not only discordant to his Temper but surmounting his Abilities I have said enough to ruin the first Proposition Proposition II. The second is this that Peter received the Keys immediately from Christ but the other Apostles from or by him Peter says he did not receive them so as to retain them solely to himself but to communicate them to the other Apostles * Pag. 162. And again they then may be said to receive the Keys secondarily derivatively participatively by their associating adhering and communicating with him their Head †Ibid. The Falseness of which is so manifest that one would think none but a Man who had never read the New Testament could have the Face to offer it to those that have for can any thing be more evident than that these words Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven c. were spoken by Christ himself immediately to all the Apostles And when that Power was actually conferr'd that was here promised was it Peter or Christ that said to them As my Father hath sent me so send I you c. Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted and whose Sins ye retain they are retained Was it not Christ that said to them immediately Go into all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature But instead of multiplying Proofs from Scripture I shall rather send him to his Master Bellarmine whom in this Point he deserts That the Apostles received their Jurisdiction immediately from Christ and not from St. Peter he proves by four Arguments 1st By those Words of Christ As my Father hath sent me so send I you Which place says he the Fathers Chrysostom and Theophylact so expound that they plainly say that the Apostles were made by these words the Vicars of Christ yea that they received the very Office and Authority of Christ 2dly By the choice of Matthias into the place of the Traitor Judas For we read Acts 1. that Matthias was not chosen an Apostle by the Apostles but his Election being begg'd and obtain'd from God he was numbred among the Apostles But surely if all the Apostles had their Jurisdiction from Peter that ought most especially to have been shewn in Matthias 3dly It is proved from St. Paul who professedly teaches that he had his Authority and Jurisdiction from Christ and thence proves himself to be a true Apostle Gal. 1. And that he might shew that he received not his Authority from Peter or the other Apostles he saith When it pleased him who separated me from my Mother's Womb and call'd me by his Grace to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the Gentiles immediately I conferr'd not with Flesh and Blood c. 4thly By evident Reason For the Apostles were made by Christ only as appears Luke 6. He call'd his Disciples and chose out of them twelve whom he named Apostles c. But that the Apostles had Jurisdiction is manifest by the Acts of St. Paul who 1 Cor. 5. excommunicates and 1 Cor. 6 7 11 13. and frequently elsewhere makes Laws and also because the Apostolical Dignity is the first and supreme Dignity in the Church as is manifest 1 Cor. 12. Ephes 4. c. I think Bellarmine hath said more than enough for the Confutation of the second Proposition ‖ De Rom. Pontif l. 4. c. 23. I therefore proceed Proposition 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 so says the Discussor I shall here only maintain the inequality inferiority and subordination of this Power in the other Apostles to an higher sublimer and compleater degree of it in Peter * Pag. 162. But that there was no such inferiority or subordination in the other Apostles as he vainly fancies will soon appear by consulting that place where the power of the Keys before promised was actually given to St. Peter The words by which it was conveyed are these As my Father sent me so send I you and he breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose soever Sins ye remit they are remitted and whose soever Sins ye retain they are retained †John 20. 21 22 23. In which words we have these two things First That the power of the Keys is here given to the Apostle Secondly That this Power is here given equally to Peter and the other Apostles that is in as high a degree to the other Apostles as it was promised to Peter Matth. 16. 19. First That the power of the Keys is here given all those who own the Doctrine Authority of the Church of Rome and by consequence the Discussor himself will be forced to grant 1. Because this is expresly taught by the Fathers 2. Because it is also taught by the Roman Catechism and the Council of Trent 1. This is no new Conceit of Hereticks but it is expresly taught by the Fathers whose unanimous Judgment in the interpreting of Scripture every Priest of the Church of Rome as I said before is by solemn Oath obliged to follow If that which is said says Origen I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven be common why not all the rest BUT IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN OUR SAVIOUR GIVING THE HOLY GHOST BY BREATHING SAYS RECEIVE YE THE HOLY GHOST ‖ Tractat. 1. in Matth. The Lord says Cyprian speaks to Peter I say unto thee And altho to all the Apostles after his Resurrection he gives equal Power and says AS MY FATHER SENT ME SO SEND I YOU * De Unitat. Eccles All the Apostles says Gaudentius upon Christ's Resurrection receive the Keys in Peter nay rather they receive with Peter from our Lord himself the Keys of the Heavenly Kingdom when he saith to them Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose Sins ye remit c. †Postea vero pro commisso scelere jam damnato Juda omnes Apostoli Christo surgente in Petro claves accipiunt Quinimo cum Petro caelestis regni claves ab ipso Domino accipiunt quando ait illis Accipite Spiritum sanctum c. Tract quem prima die ordinat quorund Civ Notarii accep That ye may know says Austin that the Church received the KEYS of the Kingdom of Heaven hear in another place what the Lord says to all his
Apostles RECEIVE YE THE HOLY GHOST TO WHOMSOEVER YE REMIT SINS THEY ARE REMITTED AND WHOSOEVER'S SINS YE RETAIN THEY ARE RETAINED ‖ Serm. 108. de Divers And Theophylact in his Comment on Matth. 16. 19. Tho it was said to Peter only I will give thee the Keys yet it was afterwards given to all the Apostles when Christ said to them WHOSE SINS YE REMIT THEY ARE REMITTED c. Instead of producing more of the Fathers I challenge the Discussor to produce one ancient Author who hath said the contrary 2. But if the Fathers should now lose their Authority as they are wont to do with the Romanists whensoever they contradict their new Faith yet unless he put on his triple case he will not be able to resist that which follows passing over many private Authors as they commonly call them though licensed by the highest publick Authority I shall produce only the Roman Catechism composed by the order of the Council of Trent and the Council of Trent it self The Roman Catechism speaking of the Minister of the Sacrament of Penance says He must have not only the Power of Order but of Jurisdiction who ought to perform this Office. But those words of our Lord in St. John afford us an illustrious Testimony of this Ministry WHOSE SINS YE REMIT THEY ARE REMITTED TO THEM AND WHOSE SIN YE RFTAIN THEY ARE RETAINED * De Paenit Sacramento c. 5. S. 55. And the Council of Trent declares that all those Opinions are false and Strangers from the Truth of the Gospel which perniciously extend to other Men besides Bishops and Priests the Ministry of the KEYS thinking those words of our Lord WHATSOEVER YE BIND ON EARTH And WHOSESOEVER SINS YE REMIT THEY ARE REMITTED TO THEM AND WHOSESOEVER SINSYE RETAIN THEY ARE RETAINED to be spoken indiffently to all the faithful c. †Sess 14. de Sacram. Paenit c. 6. By which it is plain that the Trent Fathers took remitting and retaining in St. John to signify the same thing with loosing and binding in St. Matthew Secondly This Power is here given equally to St. Peter and the other Apostles or in as high a degree to the other Apostles as it is to Peter This will be cleared from First The Words themselves Secondly The Judgment of the Fathers upon them Thirdly The Concessions of many Learned Men of the Church of Rome First From the Words themselves no part of which is addressed to Peter alone or to Peter more especially than to any of the rest but to all of them jointly without any note of Difference between them Had our Saviour been of the Discussor's Mind he would have spoken to this Effect As my Father hath sent me so send I thee Peter and as I send thee so do thou send them Whosesoever sins thou remittest they are remitted and whosesoever sins they remit in Subordination to thee as their Prince they are remitted Whereas we see no such Distinction made but as my Father sent me so send I you without any Preference of Peter before the meanest of them And accordingly as an excellent Divine of our own Church observes when the Holy Ghost descended it was imparted to each of them alike without any mark of Distinction For we read not of one Flame that crowned the Head of St. Peter greater and more illustrious than that of his Brethren but the Text saith the Tongues like as of Fire were divided and sat upon every one of them singly and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Acts 2. 2 3. The mighty Wind also wherein this Flame came filled all the House where they were sitting and not only that corner where St. Peter was placed And so this Promise was equally perform'd in common to them all as it had been made to them all ‖ Texts examined which Papists cite for St. Peter 's Supremacy Part 1. p. 95. Secondly If we consult the Fathers we may observe in them those two things pertinent to our Purpose 1. Not one of them intimates that any thing was to be found in this Text peculiar to Peter by which he was set above his Brethren but whatsoever Power was here given they supposed it given in common and equally to them all And some of them expresly tell us that he gave the same Power here to all the Apostles that he had before given to one so do St. Cyprian and Theophylact 2. The Power here given to all the Apostles they take to be so full that a fuller and more ample could not be given to Peter St. Chrysostom says He gave them all Heavenly Power when he said to them Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted c. And what Power can be greater than this The Father hath given all Judgment to the Son but I see this all Judgment commited to these by the Son * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Sacerdot l. 3. c. 5. And Cyril of Alexandria as I find him quoted by Bellarmine says That by these Words the Apostles were properly created Apostles and Teachers of the whole World and that we may understand that all Ecclesiastical Power is contained in the Apostolical Authority therefore Christ added AS MY FATHER SENT ME c. For as much as the Father sent the Son invested with the highest Power †Bell. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 23. Now can there be any Power or Degree of Power that is not contained in all and in the highest Power I shall add no more but that Pope Gregory I. by virtue of these Words ascribes to all the Apostles superni judicii Principatum and makes them all to be God's Vicars in retaining some Men's Sins and relaxing others ‖ Principatumque superni judicii sortiuntur ut vice Dei quibusdam peccata retineant quibusdam relaxent Hom. 26. de divers Lect. Evang. Yea Thirdly This is no more than what is acknowledged by many zealous Assertors of the Pope's Supremacy Of which I shall now name but three because they may serve instead of a thousand Witnesses two of the three being Jesuits and two of them also Cardinals The Jesuit Maldonate in his Comment upon these Words tells us That the Power which Christ had received as sent by his Father he gave to his Apostles whom he sent in his stead whom he made his Vicars This is manifest saith he from the Words following for therefore he breathed on them therefore he said Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted c. that he might shew that he gave as great Authority to them as he had received from his Father for there can be no greater than that of remitting Sins * Quam potestatem ipse a Patre missus accepisset eam Apostolis dare quos suo loco mitteret quos vicarios suos faceret Hoc apparet ex verbis sequentibus propterea enim insufflavit in eos propterea dixit Quorum remiseritis peccata ut ostenderet se quantam authoritatem ipse a
after this manner Either 1. Because these words I will give thee the Keys were directed to Peter alone tho meant to all the Apostles as St. Ambrose Or 2. Because to represent Unity the Keys were given first to Peter only which were afterward given to all the Apostles as St. Cyprian held That Bede cannot mean by the Words he quotes that Peter had any Degree of Power above the other Apostles is manifest in that he expresly attributes to them all the very same Power of binding and loosing that was given to Peter This Power says he is without doubt given to all the Apostles to whom Christ said in general after his Resurrection Receive ye the Holy Ghost Whose Sins ye remit c. ‖ Haec potestas sine dubio cunctis datur Apostolis quibus ab eo post resurrectionem dicitur Accipite Spiritum sanctum c. In Matth. 16. 19. And he says the same again presently after the Words quoted All therefore that he means by the Keys being given to Peter prae caeteris is this that they were given to Peter first and to the other Apostles after his Resurrection He acknowledges St. Austin affirms the Keys to be given to the Church when they were given to St. Peter * Pag. 165. But he cannot see that this diffringes the least ray of Claritude from his Glory but rather gilds it with a more radiant Lustre Yea with a lustre so radiant that it hath quite put out his Eyes for he must be blind who cannot see that this is utterly inconsistent with a Supremacy of Power in St. Peter Not if rightly understood says he for if you consult his Writings you will find the reason which moved him to affirm this was because Peter represented the Church now in what Quality he represented it he discovers himself in his Tract ult in Johan Cujus Ecclesiae Petrus Apostolus propter Apostolatus sui Primatum gerebat figurata generalitate personam And in Psal 108. Cujus Ecclesiae ille agnoscitur gessisse personam propter primatum quem in Discipulis habuit And in Serm. 23. de verbis Domini Beatus Petrus figuram Ecclesiae portans Apostolatus principatum tenens But by his leave St. Austin in these places tells us only the Reason why he represented the Church not in what Quality he represented it He did bear the Person of the Church propter Apostolatus sui primatum propter primatum quem in Discipulis habuit and Apostolatus principatum tenens that is by reason of the Primacy of order or Precedence he had among the Apostles for this is the Primacy St. Austin means as appears by his own Words in the place quoted by the Discussor himself in the next Page such a Primacy from which not the least ray of Sovereignty can be derived This he supposes was the reason why our Saviour made choice of him to represent the Church rather than another But to say he represented the Church in the Quality of its Prince or Governor is non-sence A Prince as such cannot represent his Subjects nor any Governor those under his Government Besides that these very places of St. Austin he produces are a direct Contradiction to this Conceit as may appear by a short Reflection upon them The first with the addition of those Words he hath omitted as not for his turn is thus in English Of which Church PETER for the Primacy of his Apostleship did bear the Person the whole being figured in him For as to what properly appertains to him he was by Nature one Man by Grace one Christian by more abundant Grace one and the first Apostle But when it is said to him I will give thee the Keys he signified the whole Church c. ‖ In which Words these two †Cujus Ecclesiae Petrus Apostolus propter Apostolatus sui primatum gerebat figurata generalitate personam Quod enim ad ipsum proprie pertinet natura unus homo erat gratia unus Christianus abundantiore gratia unus idemque primus Apostolus sed quando ei dictum est Tibi dabo claves Universam significabar Ecclesiam In Evang Johan Tractat. 124. things may be observed each of which is destructive of the Discussor's Notion 1. That St. Austin makes him bear the Person of the Church neither as an Apostle nor as the prime Apostle this is evident by the Words sed quando He was an Apostle yea the prime Apostle but when it was said to him I will give thee the Keys he signified the Church He did not therefore represent the Church as he was the prime Apostle 2. That he bore the Person of the Church only as he signified the Church And has he that signifies another Dominion over him whom he signifies as for instance the Ambassador over his Prince The next place will give us a farther Proof of the Discussor's fair dealing For as some things says St. Austin are said which may seem properly to belong to the Apostle Peter which yet have not a clear Sense unless when they are referred to the Church of which he is acknowledged to have born the Person in a Figure by reason of the Primacy he had among the Disciples as is that I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and if there be any such like so Judas after a certain manner sustains the Person of the Jews the Enemies of Christ c. ‖ Sicut enim quaedam dicuntur quae ad Apostolum Petrum proprie pertinere videantur nec tamen habent illustrem intellectum nisi cum referuntur ad Ecclesiam cujus ille agnoscitur in figura gestâsse personam sicuti est Tibi dabo claves regni Caelorum siqua ejusmodi ita Judas personam quodammodo sustinet inimicorum Christi Judaeorum c. In Psal 108. Why did he here omit the Words in figurâ unless because they were not favourable to his Design And why did he cut off all that concerns Judas but because he saw it was plainly against it These things are here observable 1. That I will give thee the Keys though spoken to Peter yet cannot have a clear Sense unless it be referr'd to the Church 2. That there might be other such things said to him 3. That Christ did not promise him the Primacy when he promised the Keys for he had that before 4. That he did bear the Person of the Church in a Figure 5. That Judas after a manner sustained the Person of Christ's Enemies and in another place he says not after a manner but absolutely that one wicked Man signified the Body of the Wicked as Peter did the Body of the Good the Body of the Church * Tractat. 50. in Evang. Johan Now will the Discussor say that Judas had Jurisdiction over the Body of the Wicked †See Epphata c. 1. It is irksom to insist on these things I shall therefore pass over his next Quotation from Serm. 23. de verb.
Domini by an error of the Press I suppose put for Serm. 13. which is as little to the purpose as either of the former and shall desire the Discussor to resolve me these two Questions 1. Whether every one of the Apostles received the Keys as Head of the Church because they are all by St. Austin joined with Peter in representing the Church For having quoted the Words of our Saviour As my Father sent me so send I you Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted c. He adds If therefore they did bear the person of the Church and so this was said to them as if it was said to the Church it self ‖ Sicut misit me Pater et ego mitto vos ergo si personam gerebant Ecclesiae sic eis hoc dictum est tanquam ipsi Ecclesiae diceretur c. De Baptismo Contr. Donatist l. 3. c. 18. 2. Whether St. John was the Primate of the Church Triumphant The ground of the Query is because St. Austin in this same Tractat quoted by the Discussor makes St. John the Figure of the State of the Church in Heaven as he does St. Peter of the State of the Church on Earth But it tends much to Peter 's Glory that in St. Austin 's Judgment none of the Apostles represented the Church but he How much soever it may otherwise tend to his Glory nothing of Dominion can be hence inferred Nor is this Glory so appropriated by Austin to Peter but it is by him ascrib'd to the other Apostles together with him as I have shewed before But how bright soever this Glory may be in it self the Discussor has here drawn a Vail over it by making him who before received the Keys as their Prince to receive them now as their Proxy for so he adds in the same Page He received them immediately They received them by a Proxy c. Now a Proxy as such hath not one Ray of Claritude by which he outshines those whose Proxy he is When Optatus says That he alone received the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to be COMMUNICATED to the rest he doth not mean to be communicated by him but by Christ as a Roman Doctor expounds it * Et claves regni Coelorum communicandas caeteris id est quas Christus commendaturus erat caeteris Du Pin. Dissertat 4. c. 1. And the preference Optatus there gives to him consists in this that he alone received the Promise first which was afterwards perform'd to all the rest As to what he adds concerning Matth. 18. 18. That the Fathers expound it of fraternal Correption If he mean all or the greater number of the Fathers it shews either his Ignorance or his Insincerity Of those four he mentions Origen I grant does so Chrysostom Maldonat says speaks obscurely that he knows not whether he was of this opinion or not but in another place he as plainly as words can make it applies this Text to the Apostles only †De utilitat Lect. Script Tom. 5. p. 590. Edit Front. Duc. St. Jerom he palpably abuses by quoting his Words on ver 16. whereas he expresly expounds ver 18. of the Power given to the Church of binding and loosing The words cited from St. Ambrose I know not where to find but I suspect he has dealt as fairly with him as with St. Jerom. The remainder of this Chapter is either ridiculous or impertinent except that he says St. Jerom in his Comments on Matth. 16. speaking of the Power of Keys acknowledges Peter to have received it SPECIATIM Which is not I grant impertinent but that which is much worse a downright Falsity For in his Comments upon that Chapter the word Speciatim is not to be found nor any other of a like import relating to St. Peter Nor yet those Words he quotes as following after it Proposition IV. That by the Keys promised and given to PETER is meant the supreme Power of governing the Vniversal Church ‖ P. 133 134. This will be dispatched in a word If he meant Supreme in a negative sense viz. that Power than which there is none in the Church higher it would be true but then in this sense Supreme Power was given to every Apostle But as he means thereby a Power superior to that of the other Apostles by which Peter was constituted their Governour so it is false For since as has been already proved and as the Sorbonist before-quoted affirms * Primum est Petro promissas esse eas ipsas claves quae postea caeteris concessae sunt ac proinde per claves hic non intelligi ut vult Bellarminus summam potestatem in omnem Ecclesiam Ellies du Pin. dissertat 4. c. 1. p. 309. the very same Keys promised to Peter were afterward granted to the rest therefore by the Keys cannot be here understood the supreme Power over the Whole Church What he produces for proof is of no force St. Chrysostom he tells us affirms that our Saviour by virtue of his Promise of the Donation of the Keys did not only give S. Peter Power over the whole World but to rise a Key higher EVEN OVER THINGS IN HEAVEN †Pag. 134. And S. Chrysostom also says of S. Paul That he took upon him the whole World And of all the Apostles in common That not Nations and divers Cities but the World was committed to them as we have before heard And to rise to the higher Key Did not Christ give to the other Apostles the same power over things in Heaven when he said to them Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in HEAVEN And does not the same Chrysostom speaking of these Words Matth. 18. 18. say of all the Apostles They sitting upon Earth give Sentence and the virtue of their Sentence passes to the Heavens As Emperors sitting in some one City give Sentence and constitute Laws but the Power of their Sentences and Laws runs through all the World so the Apostles sitting in some one place ordained these things but the Power of their Laws and Bonds did not pass through the World only but ascended to the very Height of the Heavens ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. De Utilitat Lect. Script p. 590 591. He adds the Keys likewise Apoc. 1. 10. signifie supreme Power where our Saviour says of himself I have the Keys of Death and of Hell by which Phrase absolute Dominion over Death and Hell are indigitated * Pag. 134. But were these Keys in St. Peter's keeping Had he absolute power of raising the Dead No he will say he doth not quote it to this purpose but only to shew that the Keys in this place signify absolute Dominion over that which is spoken of Suppose they do so here what then Do the Keys signify as much when attributed to Peter as when attributed to Christ Is there no difference between the Keys in the Hands of the Master of the Family and
give of it is common to them all we may hence reasonably conclude that they thought this illustrious Title as truly applicable to the other Apostles as to St. Peter But one thing I may not omit lest the Discussor should think it unanswerable Upon a Quotation out of St. Basil Hom. 28. de Poenit. to shew that Peter's being the Rock doth not exclude Christ from being so he makes this Remark 'T is very observable here that this Father acknowledges Christ to have made the other Apostles LIGHTS SHEEP and PRIESTS but he mentions but ONE ROCK WHICH IS PETER ‖ P. 103 104. This Criticism he adds may be observed in St. Ambrose lib. 6. Lucae Ego sum inquit lux Mundi c. And St. Jerome likewise accords herein in his Comments on Abdias c. * Pag. 104. It is pity this critical Observation should be lost and yet who can help it for when these Fathers in the places quoted express Rock and Disciple in the singular number as he made a Rock says St. Basil †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He denied not to his Disciple the favour of that Name says S. Ambrose ‖ Petra erat Christus etiam Discipulo suo hujus vocabuli gratiam non negavit Comment lib. 6. in Evang. Luc. c. 9. tom 3. col 117. And the Rock gave to Peter that he should be a Rock says St. Jerom * Ipsa Petra donavit Petro ut Petra fit Comment in Abd. The utmost they can mean is no more than one of these two things or both together 1. That these words Vpon this Rock were directed in particular to St. Peter Or 2. That this Title Rock was given to him as his proper Name though as to its meaning it might be as truly ascribed to the other Apostles For so far was St. Ambrose from denying that the other Apostles were Rocks that within two lines after the words quoted by the Discussor he supposes that every Christian may and ought to be a Rock for the same reason as St. Peter was For having said that Christ gave him this Name because he had from the Rock solidity of Constancy and firmness of Faith he adds Therefore do thou endeavour that thou also mayst be a Rock therefore seek the Rock not without thee but within thee †Petra est Christus eiam Discipulo suo hujusvocabuli gratiam non negavit ut et ipse sit Petrus quòd de Petra habeat soliditatem constantiae fidei firmitatem Enitere ergo ut tu Petra sis itaque non extra te sed intra te Petram require c. Ambros lib. 6. in Evang. Luc. c. 9. col 117. Edit Paris 1614. But to have added this would have defeated his design in quoting the rest St. Jerom expresly says in the plural Number That Christ is the Rock who vouchsafed to his Apostles also that they should be called Rocks saying Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church ‖ Petra Christus est qui donavit Apostolis suis ut ipsi quoque Petrae vocentur Tu es Petrus et super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Comment lib 3. in Amos. c. 7. v. 12. tom 6. pag. 102. Bas 1553. Where from these words Thou art Peter c. he infers that Christ the Rock bestowed not only upon Peter but upon the other Apostles that they should be called Rocks What is now become of this Observable We may without danger grant that Exposition of St. Austin he contends for * P. 104 105. and therefore have no reason to court him cap in hand for the other But when he says that by his varying from his former frequent Explication he deviated from St. Ambrose who baptised him he says not true if the Comments upon the Epistles be St. Ambrose's which the Discussor quotes as his for he there expounds the Rock to be the Confession of the Catholick Faith made by Peter * Unde dicit Dominus ad Petrum Super istam Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam hoc est in hac Catholicae Fidei confessione statuam fideles ad vitam Comment Epist ad Ephes c. 2. Tom. 3. col 498. which is in effect to expound it of Christ But I grant those Comments to be none of his Whether St. Austin changed his former Exposition upon a Mistake or whether he were no good Hebrician ‖ Pag. 106. is not here pertinent to be enquired In what sense he calls Peter Head of the Church shall be afterward shewed That in most perspicuous terms he acknowledges in several places of his Writings PETER's SVPREMACY * Pag. 107. has not so much as shadow of proof in any of the places produc'd by the Discussor But St. Austin declares them Wretched and Hereticks that disown him to be the Rock Thus Agon Christ he calls them miseri dum in Petro Petram non intelligunt This is grosly to abuse St. Austin had he considered either the Words that go before or that follow those he hath cited he might have seen that St. Austin could not by the Rock in this place mean Peter for he tells us just before that Peter sustains the Person of the Church and that the Keys are given to the Church when they are given to him To the same purpose are the words that immediately follow †De Agone Christiano c. 30 31. Now could he bear the Person of the Church built upon the Rock and at the same time be the Rock it self upon which it is built St. Austin therefore by the Rock meant Christ himself and by Peter the Church of Christ as he plainly expresses himself in other places This Name Peter says he was imposed upon him by Christ that by that figure he might signify the Church for because Christ is the Rock Peter is the Christian People ‖ Serm. 13. de Verb. Dom. secund Matth. Again The Rock was Christ upon which Foundation even Peter himself is built for other Foundation can no Man lay besides that which is laid which is Christ Jesus The Church therefore which is founded in Christ received from him the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven in Peter that is the power of binding and of loosing Sins For that which properly the Church is in Christ that by signification is Peter in the Rock BY WHICH SIGNIFICATION CHRIST IS VNDERSTOOD TO BE THE ROCK PETER TO BE THE CHVRCH * Petra erat Christus super quod fundamentum etiam ipse aedificatus est Petrus fundamentum quippe aliud nemo potest ponere praeter id quod positum est quod est Christus Jesus Ecclesia ergo quae fundatur in Christo c. Tractat. 24. in Evang. Johannis And that this was St. Austin's notion of the Rock in this place will farther appear if we consider the Scope of his Discourse which was to prove that remission of Sins is to be obtained in the Church Let us
says he not hearken to them who deny that the Church of God can remit all Sins Then follow the words quoted by the Discussor Therefore those wretched Persons while in Peter that is the Church they do not understand the Rock that is Christ and will not believe that the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are given to the Church they themselves have lost them †Nec eos audiamus qui negant Ecclesiam Dei omnia peccata posse dimittere Itaque miseri dum in Petro Petram non intelligunt et nolunt credere datas Ecclesiae claves regni Coelorum ipsi eas de manibus amiserunt De Agone Christiano c. 31. They themselves have lost the Keys because they will not believe that they were given to the Church And why will they not believe this because in the Church they do not understand Christ in whom the Church is founded who hath committed the Keys to her The next Passage is quoted out of St. Austin contra 5 Haeres I suppose he means his Oration de quinque Haeresibus in which there is no such Passage and in case it were it would be altogether as impertinent as the former But that which comes next he is confident must gag us and make us as silenced Ministers as if the Wolves had first seen us viz. that St. Austin makes the Succession of the Bishops of Rome to be the Rock contra partem donati Numerate Episcopos ab ipsa sede beati Petri ipsa est Petra quam non vincunt superbae inferorum Portae * Pag. 107. It is well for them that this must silence us they will then for the future be no more troubled with disputing which is a Work they are very awkard at But if this will silence us how comes it to pass that we were not silenced long since this place having been often produced against us The truth is so far is it from stopping our Mouths that it furnishes us with a new Argument against Peter's Supremacy which when the Discussor shall consider he may perhaps be silenced himself or sneak away as it is said those Wolves do that are seen first by Men. Though if I should deny it the Discussor will not be able to prove that by the Rock is here meant the Succession of the Bishops of Rome yet as I have been all along liberal in my Concessions so should I for Argument sake grant him this also it will make nothing to the Advantage of his Cause For 1. If it be granted yet before the Discussor can hence infer the Bishop of Rome's or Peter's Supremacy he must prove that the Foundation of the Building is ever the supreme Lord of it 2. If it be granted yet the Succession of the Roman Bishops cannot by Virtue of these Words be the sole Rock or any more the Rock than the Succession of Bishops in any other Apostolical Church This will appear by restoring to the Text one little Word vel which the Discussor was so prudent as to leave out St. Austin's Words are these Numerate Sacerdotes VEL ab ipsa sede beati Petri et in ordine illo Petrum quis cui successit videte Ipsa est Petra quam non vincunt superbae inferorum portae From which Words these things are plain 1. That St. Austin here uses the very same Argument against the Donatists that Irenaeus Tertullian and several other Fathers had used before against the Hereticks of their times to prove the Catholick Doctrine viz. The Succession of Bishops in the Apostolical Churches †Iren. l. 3. c. 3. l. 4. c. 63. Tertul. de Praescript c. 32. Cyprian Ep. ad Lapsos Edit Pamel 27. 2. That he proposes the Church of Rome only as a single Instance instead of all those Apostolical Churches that might have been mentioned As Irenaeus before had done who because it would have been tedious to enumerate the Successions of all Churches brings for an example that of Rome which was the greatest and most famous * Sed quoniam valde longum est in hoc tali volumine omnium Ecclesiarum enumerare successiones maximae antiquissimae omnibus cognitae c. Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Is Casaub Exercit 15. p. 310. And therefore he says not simply Numerate Sacerdotes ab ipsa sede beati Petri c. But numerate Sacerdotes VEL ab ipsa sede c. Which is in effect to say with Irenaeus Because it would be too long to reckon the Successions of Bishops in all those Churches in which the Catholick Doctrine hath been preserved ever since the Apostles consult at least the Succession of the Church of Rome from the first Founder of it St. Peter And therefore 3. And consequently if it be the Succession of the Bishops of Rome that he here makes the Rock he implicitely affirms the same of any other Apostolical Church in which there had been a continued Succession of Catholick Bishops which is further confirmed in that he elsewhere arguing against the same Donatists joyns the Church of Jerusalem together with that of Rome and makes the Chair of the former no way inferior in Authority to the latter If says he to Petilian all the Bishops through the World were such as thou most falsely accusest them to be yet what hath the Chair of the Church of ROME done in which Peter sate and in which at this day Anastasius sits or of the Church of JERVSALEM in which James sat and in which at this day John sits with which we are joyned in Catholick Vnity and from which you by a cursed Fury have separated your selves †Veruntamen si omnes per totum orbem tales essent quales vanissime criminaris Cathedra tibi quid secit Ecclesia Romanae in qua Petrus sedit in qua hodie Anastasius sedet vel Ecclesiae Hierosolymitanae in qua Jacobus sedit in qua hodie Johannes sedet quibus nos in Catholica Unitate connectimur a quibus vos nefario furore separastis Contra Lit. Petiliani l. 2. c. 51. And therefore 4. Nothing can hence be inferred for the Supremacy of Peter more than for the Supremacy of James or any other Apostle If any shall ask why St. Austin in case he did not ascribe some preeminence to the Church of Rome should mention that rather than the Church of Antioch of Jerusalem Or why he did not chuse to instance in the Church of Carthage rather than in any other The Answer is obvious To the first because the Church of Rome was at that time the most famous and of greatest esteem of any Church in the World To the second because the Donatists objected against the Church of Carthage and other African Churches that the Succession of Bishops had been in them interrupted by Traditors whereas they could not pretend this against the Church of Rome ‖ Is Casaub Exercit. 16. n. 149. P. 540. SECT II. All that the Discussor contends for