ST PETER DID NOT OUTLIVE ALL THE APOSTLES. 73 brings to theRoman pretence,might this history becalledby Baronius " E a historyhard tobe understood, astone of offence, a rock of scandal, a rugged place, which St Augustine himself, under favour, could not pass over without stumbling. " Baron., An. li. § 32-35, &c. It may alsobe considered that St Paul particularlyasserts to him- self an independent authority over the Gentiles, co-ordinate to that which St Peter had over the Jews, Rom. xi. 13;1 the which might engage him so earnestly to contest with St Peter, as by his practice seducing those who belonged to his charge; the which, also, probably moved hina thus to assert his authority to the Galatians, as being Gentiles under his care, and thence obliged especially to regard his authority. " They," says St Paul, " knowing that I was intrusted with the gospel of uncircumcision, as Peter was intrusted with that of circumcision, gaveunto me and Barnabas the right hand of fellow- ship," Gal. ii. 7, 9: the which words clearly enough signify that he took himself, and that the other apostles took him, to have, under Christ, an absolute charge, subordinate tono man, over the Gentiles; whence he claims to himself, as his burden, " the care of all the churches," 2 Cor. xi. 28. He, therefore, might well contest for their liberty; he might well insist upon his authority among them. Thus did St Chrysostom understand the case; for " Christ," says he, " committed the Jews to Peter, but set Paul over the Gentiles; " and, " He," says that great father, " farther shows himself to be equal to them in dignity, and compares himself not only to the others, but even to the ringleader, showing that each enjoys equal dignity."' It may also, by any prudent considerer, easily be discerned, that if St Peter had really been, as they assert him, so in authority supe- rior to the other apostles, it is hardly possible that St Paul should upon these occasions express nothing of it. 16. If St Peter had been appointed sovereign of the church, it seems that it should have been requisite that heshould have out-lived all the apostles; for then [otherwise] either the church must have wanted a head, or there must have been an inextricable controversy about who that head was. St Peter died long beforeSt John, as all agree, and perhaps before divers others of the apostles. Now, after his departure, did the church want a head? Then it might before and after have none, and our adversaries lose the main ground of their Plena authoritas Petro in Judaismi prmdicatione datadignoscitur, et Pauli perfecta authoritas in prsedicatione Gentium invenitur. Ambr. " There is recognised a full authority given to Peter of preaching to the Jews, and inPaul there is found a perfect power and authority of preaching to the Gentiles." 2 T,ì' tay ,LY 'IOrlaí0rç krírpE4. 0,0; Mérpd, r01E SE "Exx9101 TOY Mcrae., ivrior9)OEY Ó XproráçChrys., tom. v. Or. 59. 3 AEízvuory abr,ii ótzkrcov gym aorróv, ;tea o7ç äaxo lauráv xxá zpuOa á oroy- zpívEr, 4/74vú4 ;17i siaú"iavroç áor[.auvev riías.-Chrys. in Gal. ii. 8.
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