Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht

SECT. 2.

Object. IS not the Pope Peters successor, and is not Christ said to speake these words to Peter, viz. Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it; and I will give thee the keyes of the king∣dome of Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth, shall be bound in Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in Heaven. By all which expressions, doubtlesse he gave un∣to Peter a speciall priviledge above all the other Apostles.

Ans. That the Pope is Peters successor I grant, but yet in* 1.1 this one particular, which was, in denying his Lord and Master, (whose servant he pretends to be,) and as to the urging of them words mentioned to the particular person of Peter, as that there∣by he had a more speciall priviledge then the rest of the Apostles, is to goe about to prove that our Saviour did contradict himself, in his expressions used to the two ambitious Suitors, James, and John, (whom no other place would serve them then, to sit on the* 1.2 right and left hand in his kingdome) in these words, It shall not be so amongst you; in which words there is an absolute nullaty of any superiority amongst the Apostles, or Disciples of Christ; and that by a Statute not to be repealed, being the determinate law of a just authority, by a Cannon ordained, and irrevocably fixed by the wisdome of God, and confirmed by an example be∣yond all arguments, even by an example fetched from his owne particular, vers. 28. where he saith, that the Sonne of man came not to be ministred unto, but to minister; as also Luk. 22. 27. I am amongst you as he that serveth; now seeing this humility was in Christ himself, how much more ought it to have been amongst* 1.3 his Apostles and Disciples? The servant must not be greater then his Lord, Joh. 13. 16. neither he that is sent greater then he that sent him; it is enough that the servant be as his Master, Mat. 10. 25.

2. To stop these blasphemous and Antichristian mouthes, I* 1.4 shall also prove, that an equall power and commission (in use of the keyes,) was likewise given to all the rest of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ, as well as unto Peter; and that by the

words of our Saviour, both before his Passion, and also after his Resurrection; before his Passion in these words, Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall binde on earth &c. and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven, Mat. 18. 18. as also after his resurrection, as we have it, Joh. 20. 23. Whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted, and whosoever sins ye retaine they are retained; in both which places of Scripture the words are di∣rected to all the Disciples, as also in Mat. 18. 18, 19, 20. but be∣fore I urge this point any further, I will shew what is meant by binding and loosing, as it is there mentioned.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Wherein the Pope is Peters Successor.
• * 1.2

  Mat. ••0. 20.
• * 1.3

  Iob. 15. 10.
• * 1.4

  An equ••ll po∣wer and com∣mission, were g••ven to all the Apostle••▪