attain it. Prayer, exercise, self-command, self-denial, retirement, commerce with the world as not of the world though in it, are needful for all; espe cially in order to, and as fruits of, repentance, (the object of the Baptist's ministry,) and as means of daily renewal. We know not to what we may be called but holiness, fearlessness of man, intrepidity for the truth, are indispensable even for the least in the kingdom of heaven. (Heb. xii. 14; S. Matt. x. 28, 32) May we realize our prayer this day. (Collect.)

Subject.

XVII.

S. Peter's Day.

Our LORD's promise to S. Peter.

Text. S. Matt. xvi. 18, 19. "I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it: and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Parallel Texts. S. Mark iii. 16; S. John i. 42. For illustrative scriptures, see Outline for first Sunday after Easter; and this Outline, passim.

Principal Words. Πέτρος, πέτρα.

A WEIGHTY and solemn text this, than which none is better suited to the contemplations of this day. From it, viewed in the light of the entire Scripture, we gather

I. That S. Peter had a primacy among the Apostles. This would scarcely be questioned, if the Scriptures were read without preconceptions. It is so clearly written there that we need no Church tradition to enforce it. That he shared with S. James and S. John a kind of distinction, few, perhaps, would question. (8. Matt. xvii. 1; xxvi. 37; S. Luke viii. 51; Gal. ii. 9.) But further, he is even distinguished above them.

1. His name stands first in all the four catalogues of the Apostles. S. Matt. x. 2; S. Mark iii. 16; S. Luke vi. 14; Acts i. 13; though the order of these is n otherwise the same. Even S. James and S. John & not always come next in order to S. Peter. S Andrew, as his brother, occasionally precedes hir The order is not accidental, for S. Matthew calls hi ὁ πρῶτος.

2. He was distinguished from his fellow-apostles the angel at the sepulchre. S. Mark xvi. 7. Nor other is there mentioned by name.

3. He was distinguished by being the first apost permitted to behold his arisen LORD. 1 Cor. xv. 5 S. Luke xxiv. 34.

4. The powers in the text, though given to all the apostles, were given first to S. Peter separately, an separately to none other.

5. The commission in S. John xxi. 15-17, though. as S. Peter himself tells us, it was imparted to every minister of CHRIST (1 S. Pet. v. 2. See Acts xx. 28 was yet laid on him separately and solemnly.

6. S. Peter speaks on behalf of the rest of the Apostles, or as their leader, Acts i. 15; ii. 14.

The reason of this primacy it is needless to inquire It might be because he was the earliest apostle of the oldest or on account of his zeal and forwardness; or on account of his illustrious confession in the text "One is chosen among the twelve, that, a head being appointed, an occasion of schism may be removed." (S. Jerom. in Jovin. i. 14.) All these may have been concurrent causes-and doubtless he was appointed to the office because best adapted to discharge it.

II. That S. Peter's primacy among the Apostles was simple precedency, not a superior authority.

1. He is never called by any title superior to theirs. 2. He was sent out with the other Apostles, receiving is charge in the same words. S. Matt. x.; S. Mark

i. 7, seqq.; S. Luke ix. 1—6.

3. The promise of glory to him was made in collective erms, in which all the Apostles were included. S. Matt. xix. 28; S. Luke xxii. 28-30.

4. Our LORD rebuked the Apostles for the very idea hat one was to be greater than the rest, and forbad it. S. Matt. xx. 26, 27; xxiii. 8-12; S. Luke xxii. 26. If our LORD had already made S. Peter greatest, here could have been no place for contention who was greatest. And if He had not before, He certainly did not now. "Wherever a Bishop be, at Rome, or at Eugubium, at Constantinople, or at Rhegium, at Alexandria, or at Thanis, he is of the same worth, and of the same priesthood; wealth or poverty makes him not higher or lower; all are successors of the Apostles." (S. Jerome ad Evagrium, Ep. lxxxv.)

5. S. Peter never claimed such an authority. Had he received it, he would doubtless have claimed it, as would have been his duty. But no trace of such claim appears in his epistles.

6. S. Paul claims equal authority with the chiefest Apostles. (2 Cor. xi. 5; xii. 11; Gal. ii. 6-8.) "He was better than all men, greater than the Apostles, excelling them all." (S. Chrysost. de Sacerdot. iv.) Rhetorical language, but which could not have been held, had S. Peter's primacy been one of authority. (See this father on Gal. i. 18.)

7. S. James presided in the Council of Jerusalem, as the diocesan Bishop, although S. Peter was present. Even S. Peter's primacy of order gave place herehad there been superior authority, it could not have been waived. Here was a case for appeal, if

allowable.

any were

8. Even the text grants no more to S. Peter than was granted to all the Apostles afterwards. Eph. ii. 20; Rev. xxi. 14; S. Matt. xviii. 18; S. John xx. 22, 23. "The Apostles received the keys of the kingdom of heaven." (S. Jerome in Jovin. i. 14.) "Though it be spoken to Peter alone, 'I will give thee,' yet it is given to all the Apostles." (Theophylact. in locum.) Indeed, S. Paul does not say, "GOD hath set in His Church, first an Archapostle, then Apostles," &c. but, 1 Cor. xii. 28.

III. That the confederation of Churches under one primate is sanctioned by the very highest authority. Such is the constitution of the Church of England, and such indeed was the early constitution of all divisions of the Catholic Church. In this, as well as in so many more instances, we are agreed with that Catholic Church to whom the right of the glorious promise in the text belongs, in which we believe our portion therefore to participate.

Great was greater that

IV. That the Church is safe for ever. the promise, "on this rock," &c. but which follows, "the gates of hell," &c. The first, & Peter shared with the Apostles and Prophets, with the inspired teachers of the Church. The Church accepts the doctrine, discipline, ministrations, sacraments, imparted through the Apostles. Acts ii. 42. Sanctified