to the Purpose, which of the two had the greater Number to instruct: For the whole Flock belong'd to them both in Quality of Apostles. But let us fup. pofe St Paul was alfo Bishop of Rome, all that will follow from it, is, that the Popes fucceeded both St Peter and St Paul in the Government of the Roman Dioceß; which will not hinder their Succeeding St Peter alone in the Government of the whole Church. However it was a Thing unknown to Antiquity to call the Bishop of Rome, the Succeffor of St Paul.

"G. My Lord, the fureft Way to find out the » Truth is by Fact, and not straining Expressions, » which may have feveral Meanings. The Eaftern » Monarchs have used to give themselves mighty » Titles, as Son of the Sun, and Brother of the »Stars, and King of all the Kings of the Earth, » &c. But will any believe, that any of them was » the Univerfal Monarch for all this contrary to plain Fact? pag. 7•

think one

L. No, Sr, what then? » G. Then let me ask you, do you » could write the Hiftory of a King, fuppofe of King Charles the 2d, and in all the History nei>ther call him King, mention his Restoration, Co»ronation, or tell one Regal Act, he ever did, as » Calling a Parliament, or Prefiding in it, Sending, » or Receiving an Embassador, or Granting a Com» miffion, &c. And fo of a Pope, could his Hiftory be wrote without Calling him Pope, or Telling of »one Papal Act of his? pag. 7.

L. No, Sr, no more than St Paul's Life can be writ without Calling him Paul, But the Life of St Paul may be writ without a Recital of the Particulars of St Peter's Life.

» G. Pray, My Lord, let me apply what I have faid. We have the Hiftory of the Acts of the

Apoftles in which St Peter has a great Share, tho not fo much as St Paul, «

And there is a Council. pag. 7. 8.

L. Hold, Sr, you shall tell your Story out im mediately. But I defire you to answer me firft. Are the Acts a History of all the Apostles?

G. No, My Lord. But St Peter has a great Share in them, as I told you.

KL. L. And I shall let you know how great a Share he has. St Luke, the Author of the Alts, was St Paul's Difciple; and the Acts are properly a Hiftory of his Life from his Converfion till his Coming to Rome, where St Luke alfo takes Leave of him. Nay - many of the Apostles, as St Andrew, St Thomas, St Bartholomew, &c. Are but once named before the Descent of the Holy Ghost, and never after. And St Peter's Life and Actions are no farther related than was neceflary to give a fuccinct Account of the first Planting of the Gospel, and the Progrefs it made in the first Year after our Saviour's Paffion; in which indeed St Peter had the greatest Share, and acted on all Occafions like the Mafter-Workman; particularly in the Election of St Mathias, as St Chryfoftom has obferved, Hom, 3. in Act. So that we have but one Year of St Peter's Life in the Ads. After the 12th Chapter St Luke fpeaks no more of him but occafionally in the 15th, because the Hiftory of his Maf ter St Paul required it; whofe Labours and Sufferings are the whole Subject of the last 16 Chapters of the Acts. And fo it is no greater Wonder that we know no more of St Peter, than that we know nothing at all of the greatest Part of the Apostles. And the Reason of both is, because St Luke's principal Defign was to relate the Apoftolical Labours of St Paul, whofe Life was very inftructive, because he had been a violent Perfecutor of the Church E &

Now, Sr, you may make your Application, if you pleafe. But your Market is pretty well foreftall'd,

§. 6.

The Objections from the Council of Jerufalem answer'd.

» G

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was going to tell you, My Lord, that there is a Council mention'd, wherein both St Peter and St Paul were prefent: and there is not a Tittle of any Superiority of St Peter over St Paul, or any of the other Apostles, either in that Council, or any where elfe throughout the whole Hiftory, which is impoffible, if St Peter had that Supremacy, which the Popes have claim'd as his Succeffors. This is fo demonftrative a Proof, that the Writers on your Side think it neceffary for them to endeavour fome Solution to it. But the Weakness of their Anfwer is a yet greater firmation on our Side. pag. 8, 1.

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Con

E. It feems however the Writers on our Side do not think it infolvable; and I am of their Mind. But, Sr, your Memory fails you in Telling me, there is pot any Thing concerning St Peter's Superiority over are the Apostles throughout the whole History of the Acts. For I told you just now of the Election of St Mathias, which was the firft Thing done by the Apoftles after our Saviours Afcenfion, and wherein St Peter acted as Head according to St Chryfoftom's Obferva tion And I do not find it mention'd in the Ads, that when St Paul was call'd to the Apostleship, St Peter either abdicated, or was depofed by his Fellows Apoftles,

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My Lord, your Divines can find no other Way to get fome Superiority to St Peter in this Council than to fuppofe that he open'd it, because,

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Fasthey fay, he spoke first; which would not infer the Supremacy they pretend, if it were true. But it s is plainly otherwife. For it is faid, Act. 15. ..7. " And when there had been much Difputing, Peter rose « up, and said, &c. Nor did he fpeak laft. For after< he had done, Paul and Barnabas declared the Con- « verfion of the Gentiles by their Means without « putting them under the Law, which was the Point « in debate. And after they had held their Peace, « St James, who was Bishop of Jerufalem, where the « Council was held, did, as Prefident, refume what « had been faid by St Peter and others, and gave his Definitive Sentence upon the whole, wherefore my se Sentence is. And the Decree of the Council was drawn up in the Words of St James. So that it is plain he clofed the Council, whoever open'd it, or fpoke firft, which is not fo material as to be told « in this Account of that Council. But Difmiffing the Council, and putting an End to it, feems of grea- « ter Authority. If what is here said of St James had been faid of St Peter, I question not it would have s been made Ufe of as a full Proof of his Supremacy, « and Prefiding in the Concil. pag. 8. 2.90 54

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L. Sr, your not Questioning and my not Questioning are of equal Weight; that is, none at all. Let us then confider the Merits of the Cause, which is more to the Purpose.

All you have faid centers in this one Point, viz. that it was not St Peter, but St James, who prefided in the Council which to the beft of my Judgment cannot be made evident from the Acts.

You fay St Peter neither spoke first not last. that's more than either you or I can tell. For St Luke has let neither of us into the Secret. 'Tis certain St Pe ter's Difcourfe is first recorded. But you answer, that before St Peter Spoke, there had been much Difputing

A&. 15. v. 7. Very right. But I ask, who open'd that Debate?

G. St Luke is filent as to that Particular.

L. Is he fo, Sr? And how then have you the Af furance to tell me, it is plain from the Acts, that St Peter did not open the Council? In Effect, St Luke has left us in the Dark, and St Peter may have open'd it as Prefident for ought we know. Therefore it is not evident from the Acts, that he was not the Man.

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"But you have a fecond String to your Bow. viz. that tho St Peter should be allow'd to have open'd the Council, it is plain to you, that St James closed it. But it is not fo very plain to me: neither can it be fo to you from the Hiftory of the Alts. 'Tis true, St James's Difcourfe is recited laft by St Luke But where do's he tell us that none of the Apostles fpoke after him a St Luke relates not a Word of what was faid before St Peter's Speech, and yet it is plain a great Deal was fpoke before it. Befides it is certain, that St John the Evangelift was at the Couneil: and St Chryfoftom Hom. 33. in A&. doubts not but there were other Apoftles befides; yet not a single Word is fpecified of what they said. And muft we then conclude they fate like Mutes, when the Faith of the Church was concern'd? It is not natural to fuppose it.

You fay, St James resumed as President what St Peter had faid. But why as President? That's Begging the Question: For any Man may resume what another has faid before him without Acting as Prefident, and others for ought we know resumed after St James what he had faid. In Effect, it was not St Luke's Business to gratify the Reader's Curio fity with what every body faid, or who spoke first O last or who prefided; but to come the shortest

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