A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

2. It is unmeet for any purpose, because it is not true. No one word from the Scripture can you produce in its confirmation: wherein yet if it be not revealed, it must pass as a very uncertain and frivolous conjecture. You can produce no suffrage of the Ancient Church unto your purpose; which yet if you could, would not presently render any Assertion so confirmed infallibly certain, much less fundamental. Some indeed of the 4th Century call Peter, Principem Apostolorum: but explain themselves to intend thereby [Greek or Hebrew], the first or Leader, not [Greek or Hebrew] the ⟨p. 165⟩Prince, or Ruler. And when the ambiguity of that word began to be abused unto pretensions of Preeminence, the Council of Carthage expressly condemned it, allowing none to be termed Princeps Sacerdotum. Many in those days thought Peter to be among the Apostles like the Princeps Senatus, or Princeps Civi atis, the chief in their Assemblies, or Principal in dignity, how truly I know not; but that he should be amongst them and over them a Prince in Office, a Monarch as to Rule and Power, is a thing that they never once dreamed of; and the Asseveration of it is an open untruth. The Apostles were equal in their Call, Office, Place, Dignity, Employments: All the difference between them, was in their Labours, Sufferings, and Success; wherein Paul seems to have had the pre-eminence; who as Peter, and all the rest of the Apostles, every one singly and for himself, had the care of all the Churches committed unto him; thought it may be for the better discharge of their Duty, ordinarily they divided their work, as they found it necessary for them to apply themselves unto it in particular. See 2 Cor. 11. And this equality between the Apostles is more than once insinuated by Paul, and that with special reference unto Peter, 1 Cor. 1. Gal. 1. 18, 19. ch. 2. 9. And is it not wonderful, that if this Assertion should not only be true, but such a Truth as on which the whole faith of the Church was to be built, that the Scripture should be utterly silent of it, that it should give us no Rules about it, no directions to use and improve it, afford us no one instance of the exercise of the Power and Authority intimated, no not one? but that on the contrary it should lay down Principles exclusive of it;