you only cite the Words of the Pope's Legates against him, as if this were enough to out-weigh all the Multitude of Evidences he has brought on the other fide. But to come to our proper Bufinefs, as to St. Peter's being the Rock or FoundationStone of the Church, p. 27.

R. C. The Words are clearly on our fide.

C. E. The Reftater had refer'd to St. Cyprian, St. Bafil, St. Chryfoftom, St. Ferome and St. Augufine, for his fenfe of the words before us. Whereupon the Vindicator having fhewn, that not one of thefe Fathers answer'd the Design propos'd, and having produced fome others of them in direct Oppofition to him, inftead of attempting to anfwer thefe Teftimonies, you now very fairly give them all up, and tell us, If any of the Fathers underfood the Rock here fpoken of, either of Chrift, or of St. Peter's Faith, they did not understand it in the literal Senfe, but either applied it to a mystical or caufal Senfe, or mistook the literal. What you mean by this mystical or caufal Senfe, you don't pretend to give us any Information, which makes me fufpect you moft inclin'd to ftick to the latter Charge, that they were miftaken. But take them in whether of these Senfes you please, it is evident you yield them to be against you, and fo have nothing to fay for

them.

R. C. Because the words of our Saviour are plain against them, almost to a Demonstration, P 29. For when our Saviour faid to S. Peter, Thou art Peter, &c. (a) it was the fame thing, as if he had. faid in our Language, Thou art a Rock, and upon this Rock I will build my Church, p. 28.

C. E. Where then is the Faithfulness of your infallible Vulgar Tranflation, that as plainly diftinguishes between Petrus, Peter, and Petra, the Rock, as ours, or any other does? According to

your

your own Bible, the words are not the fame and how then will you build upon them as though they were?

R. C. I cannot deny but our Verfion after all the Care that has been taken about it, and the Authority by which it has been published, is, at leaft, as Authentick, as the Syriack, or any other.

C. E. I remember, that in a Conference had not very long fince, the Prieft, who maintained your Caufe, even the General of the Jefuites, if I be not misinformed, (this I may fay, fince being dead it can now do him no hurt) preferred it before the Greek. Now, if your own Bibles, thus highly preferred by thofe of your own Party, be against you, I am apt to think there is an end of your Demonftration.

R. C. Who ever faid, the Houfe was built upon the Mafon? This cannot be the Literal Senfe of the Words. Tho' Mr. L's Vindicator Seems willing his Reader fhould think fo, in spite of common Senfe, p. 29.

C. E. If you pleafe to think again, you will foon perceive, that the Vindicator fuppofes the words to be fpoken in a Figurative, not in a Literal Senfe. And if it were otherwife, you would be as hard put to it to maintain your ground, as He. For if it be an Abfurdity to fay the Houfe is built upon the Mafon; is it not as much fo, to fay the City of London is built upon the Lord Mayor, the Church of England upon the Archbishop of Canterbury, or that of Rome upon the Pope? Is it not every whit as far, or rather farther, from a ftrictly Literal Expreffion, to fay the Church, or any fort of Body Corporate, is built upon its chief Governor, as to fay, it is built upon its firft Founder? Yet, this latter you are willing your Reader fhould fuppofe, whether in fpite of common Senfe, I leave yourfelf to judge.

R. C.

R. C. If Chrift promifed to build his whole Church upon S. Peter, we must either Jay, he did not keep his Word, which is Blafphemy, or that the Apostles were not part of his Church, which is little better; or that they were built upon S. Peter, p. 30.

C. E. But what if you fay, Chrift promifed to build his Church upon S. Peter, all of it, I mean, that was then to be built? I prefume, there is neither Blafphemy, nor Abfurdity in this? I mean all that was to be built after the Foundation was first laid; as it was in the other Apoftles as well as S. Peter. S. Paul exprefly tells the Ephefians, Chap. 2. 20. that, they were all Foundation-ftones in the Spiritual Building, as the Prophets also had in a lefs degree been before them; and our Bleffed Lord himself was in a far more eminent; and by confequence, S. Peter was not the only Foundation of the Church. And are built upon the foundation of the poftles and Prophets, Jefus Chrift himself being the chief Cornerfone. Hence the Vindicator had obferved (a) that the other Apoftles were Foundation-ftones in this Ecclefiaftical Building, and not S. Peter alone. As Mr. L. alfo had done before him; Who had moreover made a like Obfervation from Rev. 21. 14.

R. C. And I have told him thefe Obfervations will do bim little Service, p. 31.

C. E. But I am of opinion, you had no good reafon for faying it.

R. C. As to the former of thefe places, I fay, S. John there defcribes the Glory of the Saints; with reference to thofe Virtues in this Life, by which it is obtained, P. 32.

C. E. But you give neither Reafon, nor Authority for faying fo, and cannot expect to be believed without either of them.

(a) Cafe truly fated, p. 19.

R. C.

R. C. I add farther, that S. Peter has no Supremacy in Heaven. Ibid.

C. E. This I am fure is no Proof, that he has any upon Earth. And fo I need fay no more as to this Text. Be pleafed therefore to let us know, what you have to fay to the Paffage to the Ephefians, and whether you can bring your felf off there, any better than you have done here.

R. C. The literal and most natural Sense of the Words, feems to be, that the Foundation here intended is the Godhead, or Divine Revelation, upon which the Prophets and Apostles were grounded as well as we. Ibid.

C. E. This is fuch a Literal and Natural Senfe of the Words, as, for ought I know, never came into any one's Head before your own. And if it be fo natural an Interpretation, it is very ftrange it fhould not have been known fooner. That it was not, is a ftrong ground of Sufpicion that it is not right. And I am fure it has been thought, that the Words have another more truly Literal and Natural Senfe than this. ΘεμέλιΘ οι Απόςολοι και

Hep, fays (a) S. Chryfoftom; The Apostles and Prophets are the Foundation. And are built upon the Apoftles and Prophets, fays S. Ambrofe, (b) Fefus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone. Hoc eft fuper novum & vetus Teftamentum collocati. Quod enim Apoftoli prædicaverunt, Prophetæ futurum dixerunt, &c. That is, are fettled upon the New and Old Testament. For what the Apofles preached, the Prophets bad foretold fhould be. And though the Apostle tells the Corinthians, God placed in the Church firft Apoftles, and Prophets in the fecond place, thefe are another fort of Prophets. For there be difputes about the Ordering of the Church, (b) In Loc.

(a) In Loc.

but

but here concerning the Foundation of it. For the Prophets put things in order, but the (a) Apostles laid the Foundations. Whence the Lord fays to Peter, Upon this Rock I will build my Church; that is, upon this Confeffion of the Catholick Faith, I will establish the Faithful unto Life. Where you fee, that not only S. Peter's Confeffion of the true Faith is faid to be the Rock, on which the Church was to be built; but moreover, that the Apoftles, in general, laid the Foundation of it, by preaching the fame Doctrine to the World. Fundamentum aliud nemo poteft ponere præter id quod pofitum eft, quod eft Chriftus Jefus: Deinde ipfi Apoftoli & Propheta, fays S. Auguftin (b) Other Foundation can no Man lay, than what is laid; which is Christ Jesus; and after him the Apostles and Prophets. Quini Σπόκεινται οι Προφῆται καὶ δι ̓Απόςολοι, fays Oecumenius (0) The Prophets and Apostles are laid as a Foundation. And indeed I have never met with any one, that has hit upon this new and groundless Conftruction before you.

R. C. Take it then in your own Senfe, and So it proves S. Peter's Supremacy. Ibid.

C. E. It is very furprizing, that fo plain a Proof against the Supremacy contended for, fhould at length be found to prove it

R. C. Since the other Apoftles were Doctors, no less on him infallible than S. Peter, they could not depend as a Doctor, teaching them the Mysteries of Christian Faith; the Truth whereof they both knew and taught, as well as be. Ibid.

C. E. Very true.

R. C. Therefore the continual Dependence fignified, S. Matt. 16. 18. must neceffarily regard, bis Furif diction. Ibid.

(a) Apoftoli fundamenta jeceruut. (b) In Pfalm 81. (c) Com. in ep. ad Ephef. cap. 2. I 2

C. E.