92 FIFTH ARGUMENT FOR THE PRIMACY OF ST PETER. To be even with them, I might assert the primacy of St John, and to that purpose might allege his prerogatives (which, indeed, may seem greater than those of St Peter),namely, that he was "the beloved disciple;"that he leaned on our Lord's breast, John xiii. 23 ;that St Peter, not presuming to ask our Lord a question, desired him to do it, as having a more special confidence with our Lord; that St John did higher service to the church, and all pos- terity, by writing not only more epistles, but also a most divine gospel, and a sublime prophecy concerning the state of the church;' that St John did " outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre," John xx. 4, in which passage such acute devisers would find out marvellous significancy ; that St John was a virgin; that he out- lived all the apostles, and thence was most fit to be universal pas- tor; that St Jerome, comparing Peter and John, seems to prefer the latter; for " Peter," says he, " was an apostle, and John was an apostle; but Peter was only an apostle, John both an apostle and an evangelist, and also a prophet. And," says he, " that I may in brief speech comprehend many things, and showwhat privilege be- longs to John, yea, to virginity in John ; by our Lord a virgin, his mother the virgin is commended to the virgin disciple."' Thus I might, by prerogatives and passages very notable, infer the superi- ority of St John to St Peter, in imitation of their reasoning; but I am afraid they would scarce be at the trouble to answer me seriously, but would think it enough to say I trifled: wherefore, let it suffice for me in the same manner to put off those levities of discourse. V. They argue this primacy from the constant placing St Peter's name before the other apostles in the catalogues and narrations con- cerning him and them. To this I answer,- 1. That this order is not so strictly observed as not to admit some exceptions: for St Paul says that " James, Cephas, and John, know- ing the grace givenunto him," Gal. ii. 9 ; so it is commonly read in the ordinary copies, in the text of ancient commentators, and in old translations. And, "Whether Paul, whether Apollos, whether Cephas," says St Paul again, 1 Cor. iii. 22; and, " As the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas," chap. ix. 5. And, " Philip," says St John, " was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter," John i. 44. And Clemens Alexandrinus, in Eusebius, 1 Infinita futurorum mysteria continentem.Hier. "Containing infinite mysteries offuture things." 2 Petrus apostolus est, et Joannes apostolus, maritus et virgo; sed Petrus apostolus tantum, Joannes et apostolus et evangelista et propheta,.&c. Hier. in ¡ovin., i. 14. Et ut brevi sermone multa comprehendam, doceamque cujus privilegii sit Joannes, ... imo in Joanne virginitas; a Domino virgine mater virgo virgin discipulo commendatur.- - Hier., ibid.
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