A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

1 V. That St Peter was Bishop of the Roman Church; that he fixed his seat there, and there he died. In gathering up your Principles I follow the footsteps of Bellarmine, Baronius, and other great Champions of your Church; so that you cannot except against the method of our proposals of them. Now this Conclusion is built on these three Suppositions. 1. That Peter had an Episcopal Office distinct from his Apostolical; 2. That he was at Rome. 3. That he fixed his Episcopal Sea there; whereof the Second is very Questionable, the First and Last are absolutely false. So that the Conclusion its self must needs be a notable fundamental Principle of Faith. It is true, and I showed it before, that the Apostles when they came into any Church did exercise all the Power of Bishops in and over that Church, but not as Bishops but as Apostles. As a King may in any of the Cities of his dominions where he comes, exercise all the Authority of the Mayor, or particular Governor of that place where he is, which yet doth not make him become the Mayor of the place; which would be a diminution of his royal Dignity. No more did the Apostles become Local Bishops, because of their exercising Episcopal Power in any particular Church, by virtue of their Authority Apostolical, wherein that other was included, as hath been declared. And Cui Bono? to what purpose serves this fictitious Episcopacy? All the Privileges that you contend for the Assignation of unto Peter, were be••owed upon him as an Apostle, or as a believing disciple of Christ. As such he had those peculiar grants made unto him. The Keys of the Kingdom of heaven were given unto him as an Apostle (or, according to St Austin, as a believer) as ⟨p. 177⟩such was he commanded to feed the sheep of Christ. It was unto him as an Apostle, or a professing believer, that Christ promised to build the Church, on the faith that he had professed. You reckon all these things among the privileges of Peter the Apostle, who as such is said to be [Greek or Hebrew], or first in order. As an Apostle he had the Care of all Churches committed unto him; As an Apostle he was divinely inspired and enabled infallibly to reveal the mind of Christ. All these things belonged unto him as an Apostle; and what Privilege he could have besides as a Bishop neither you nor I can tell;

1 V. That St Peter was Bishop of the Roman Church; that he fixed his seat there, and there he died. In gathering up your Principles I follow the footsteps of Bellarmine, Baronius, and other great Champions of your Church; so that you cannot except against the method of our proposals of them. Now this Conclusion is built on these three Suppositions. 1. That Peter had an Episcopal Office distinct from his Apostolical; 2. That he was at Rome. 3. That he fixed his Episcopal Sea there; whereof the Second is very Questionable, the First and Last are absolutely false. So that the Conclusion its self must needs be a notable fundamentall Principle of Faith. It is true, and I shewed it before, that the Apostles when they came into any Church did exercise all the Power of Bishops in and over that Church, but not as Bishops but as Apostles. As a King may in any of the Cities of his dominions where he comes, exercise all the Authority of the Mayor, or particular Governour of that place where he is, which yet doth not make him become the Mayor of the place; which would be a diminution of his royall Dignity. No more did the Apostles become Local Bishops, because of their exercising Episcopal Power in any particular Church, by virtue of their Authority Apostolical, wherein that other was included, as hath been declared. And Cui Bono? to what purpose serves this fictitious Episcopacy? All the Priviledges that you contend for the Assignation of unto Peter, were beowed upon him as an Apostle, or as a believing disciple of Christ. As such he had those peculiar grants made unto him. The Keys of the Kingdome of heaven were given unto him as an Apostle (or, according to St Austin, as a believer) as