1. There is not the leaft mention in Scripture of St. Peter's being the Supream and Univerfal Paftor of Chrift's Church; there is not the leaft Intimation of any fuch thing in the Gospel, or the Acts and Epiftles of the Apostles; nay, there is clear Evidence to the contrary, that in the Council at Jerufalem, St. James was, if not fuperior, yet at least equal to him; and S. Paul withstood him to the Face, and plainly af ferts the Equality of his own Authority with his.

To this N. C. answers, That 'tis true, that the Scriptures make no mention of this Title, Supream and Univerfal Paftor, in express Words, yet the Archbishop has no reason to quarrel with them; because there is nothing more meant by them, but that the Pope is Head of the Church.

But this is meer trifling; for 'tis not the Words or Title of Supream and Univerfal Paftor, which the Archbishop diflikes, but the Thing intended by them; and denies that St. Peter was this Supream and Univerfal Paftor; or that the Scripture gives any Intimation that he was the Head of the Church: So that what he fays of the word Confubftantial in the Nicene Council, is nothing at all to the Purpose.

But he tells us, that there are Texts of Scripture which prove clearly, that St. Peter was conftituted by Christ Su

pream

pream Head of the Church; he quotes Matth. 16. 18. I say unto thee, thou art Peter (or as the Greek has it, a Rock) and upon this Rock will I build my Church: As alfo that our Saviour faid unto him. 1 John 21. 15, 16. Feed my Lambs, and feed my Sheep; by the one he will have the People defign'd, by the other the Paftors of the Church. And Luke 22. 31, 32. When thou art Converted, ftrengthen or confirm thy Brethren. These Texts of Scripture (he concludes) must needs denote fome particular Mark or Character imprefs'd upon St. Peter, and fome Authority and Jurifdiction vefted in him above the rest of the Apostles.

This is eafily faid indeed, but not fo foon prov'd; for 'tis evident, that there is nothing here faid to St. Peter, but what is applicable to all the rest of the Apoftles; they are all enjoin'd to feed God's Lambs and God's Sheep; both the strong and the weak in Faith; they are all exhorted to confirm and strengthen one another; and there is fo little Umbrage in the Holy Scripture of any Superiority given to one above the rest, that our Saviour gives the Mother of Zebedee's Children a fevere Check, for making this Requeft, that her Sons might fit the one on the right Hand, and the other on his left, in his Kingdom: This certainly had been

á fit opportunity for our Saviour to declare to whom this Right did belong, but he blames their Ambition and Arrogancy, and tells them plainly, that he who would be uppermoft fhould be a Servant to the reft.

But because the Papifts draw the most plaufible Arguments, and rely chiefly for the Proof of St. Peter's Supremacy from that Text, Matth. 16. 18. Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my Church I will therefore confider it more particularly.

And, Firft, This Promife of our Saviour to St. Peter, is generally thought to relate to St. Peter's Confeffion; for when our Saviour asked his Disciples,' But whom Say ye that I am? ver. 15. Peter immediately anfwered, Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God. And Jefus answered and faid unto him, Blessed art thou Simon Barjona, for Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven : fay unto thee, Thou art Peter, (i. e. thy Name fignifies a Stone), and upon that great and fundamental Truth which thou haft made Confeffion of, (viz. that I am Chrift, the Son of the Living God) 1 will build my Church, and the Gates of Hell (hall not prevail against it; i. e. against that Church, which by the Miniftry of St. Pe

And I

ter,

ter, and the rest of the Apostles, was to be built upon this Fundamental Article of Faith; and that this is the true meaning of the Words, will be more clear by comparing them with Ephef. 2. 19. where the fame Metaphor of a Building is made use of, to which the Church is compar'd, and the Apostles and Prophets to the Foundation, Jefus Chrift himself to the chief Corner ftone.

But fuppose these Words were fpoke to St. Peter himself, all that can be infer'd from it is, That Chrift would fo build his Church upon that Apoftle, that he should have the Honour of laying its Foundation,both amongst the Jews and amongst the Gentiles; not that he should be the Supream Head and Governour of it when built, which can never with any fhew of Reafon, be imply'd in the Promife of Chrift of building his Church upon this Rock; for 'tis evident that none of the Apoftles nor St. Peter himfelf did underfland this Promife of any Primacy of Power or Jurifdi&ion; because after our Saviour had faid thefe Words, and after, they had received the Effufion of the Holy Ghof, which led them into all Truth, and infpir'd them with the full Underftanding of Chrift's Words; they did not believe there was any fuch Primacy givon to St. Peter above the rest of the.

Apoftles,

Apostles, but contended who should be greatest.

Secondly, He argues, that the Evangelifts repeating the Names of the Twelve Apoftles, place St. Peter first, and parti cularly mark his Supremacy. Now the Names of the Twelve Apostles are these, the firft Simon, who is called Peter; and thence N. C. concludes, that there could be no other Reason why he was nam'd first (being he was neither the first Disciple who was call'd, nor the oldeft Man) but because the Supremacy was vefted in him; and adds, that most certainly Christ did not defign the wpar Files, thofe πρώτα words, first Peter, for a Primacy of Ceremony and Civility, but for that of Order and Jurifdicton.

But where the Strength of this Argument lies (which he utters with fo much confidence) I cannot find; for, how doth it follow, That becaufe St. Peter was nam'd first, therefore he had the Rule and Jurifdiction over the rest of the Apo ftles? The utmost that can be concluded from the naming St. Peter in the first place, is; that he had the Precedency of the rest of the Apostles, for fome Reason or other; but what that Reafon was, is not hereby determin'd. But in truth, we cannot conclude from hence fo much as this; for tho' St. Peter is here nam'd first, C 2

yet