That St. Peter was not the rock, on which Christ said he would build his Church, is, I think, evident from the change of terms in the words of our Saviour. "Thou art Petrus (Peter) and on this petra (rock) I will build my Church." If our Saviour had meant that St. Peter should be the rock, on which he would build his Church, the same term might have been repeated: "Thou art Petrus, and on this petrus I will build my Church;" if indeed petrus, like its corresponding Syriack term*, ever signify a rock as well as a stone. But the word is changed; our Saviour does not say, on this petrus I will build my Church, but on this petra; and therefore we may conclude, that the first term was not meant to convey the same meaning as the second. It has a relative meaning, no doubt. Simon was with great propriety called Petrus for his confession of that doctrine, on which Christ was to build his Church. "Thou art Peter, and I have so called you, because on the doctrine, which you have now confessed, I will build my Church, as on a rock." The solidity of a Rock is an emblem, not of St. Peter, for his firmness was shaken, and, for a time,

* On the Syriack, Hebrew, and Arabick terms, see Casaubon in his most elaborate discussion of the passage in St. Matthew, in his Exercit. ad Baron. p. 321-374.

overthrown, but of the eternal stability of the Gospel and its covenant. The Gospel is an "everlasting Gospel." The covenant of grace is an "everlasting covenant." Heaven and earth shall pass away, but "the words of Christ shall not pass away."

The words, then, have a relative meaning; and in that relation consists the propriety of the name given to St. Peter. But the two words, when used in the same sentence as here, are necessarily distinguished from each other, and therefore must have their appropriate meanings; so that petrus cannot here mean petra. With this distinction in view, it should ever be remembered, that our Saviour neither says, Thou art Petra, and on this petra I will build my Church; nor on this petrus I will build my Church. And the reason is obvious; for petrus, as distinguished from petra, being incapable of any other meaning than a stone, the Church could not be said to be built on petrus, a single stone; but either on many petri, which compose the foundation; or on the rock, which sustains them.

* I have dwelt the more on this necessary distinction of the words in the same sentence, because Popish writers sometimes translate the passage, "Thou art a Rock, and on this Rock I will build my Church."

The Church of Christ is one thing, the foundation of the Church, another; and the Rock, on which it is founded, another. The foundation of the Church is the testimony of the Prophets and Apostles; and Christ, the subject of this testimony, is the Rock on which it is founded. But the foundation and the Rock are convertible terms; and therefore Christ may be called the foundation; and the testimony of the Apostles, the Rock on which the Church is built. But, individually, Christ, and not St. Peter, is the rock of the Christian Church.

The Christian Church, in a general sense, is a society of believers in Christ. All members of Christ's Church are believers in Christ, but all believers in Christ are not members of Christ's Church *. The Apostles and Prophets are the foundation of a Christian's faith. (Eph. ii. 20.) Christ also is the foundation: "for other foundation can no man

*To believe in Christ is not, of itself, sufficient to constitute any one a member of Christ's Church. He must be admitted into the Church according to Christ's own will and ordinance; that is, he must believe and be baptized; he must be baptized not only with the Spirit, but with water; he must be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; he must be baptized by persons duly authorized. Christ gave his first commission, not to all the Disciples, but to the Apostles alone.

lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. iii. 11.) The Apostles and Prophets are the foundation; and Christ is the ground, the Rock, on which the foundation is laid, Christ is our spiritual rock *.

The words immediately preceding the passage in the Epistle to the Corinthians, just quoted, are remarkable, as applying to the Church of Rome, as well as of Corinth. "Ac cording to the grace of God, which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation." There was a Church at Rome some years before St. Paul went there, consisting, probably, of his converts, with whom he must have had intercourse by letters before the receipt of the Epistle, which is in our possession. He writes to them with a warmth and interest, and anxiety to see them, which are very suitable to a church of his own foundation. “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my

+ 1 Cor. x. 4.

C

prayers; making request, (if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God) to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; that is, that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles * "

The Church of Rome was established as a Christian society, during St. Paul's first visit, by the communication of the spiritual gift, which he intimates. It is evident that the Church of Rome was not established before St. Paul's first arrival, and that no other of the Apostles had any share in this first establishment, but St. Paul, whatever may be said of St. Peter's episcopacy of 25 years. For

* Rom. i. 7-13.

Fabricius (in his Lux Evangelii, p. 95.) says, " De XXV. amis episcopatus Romani constans apud Eusebium et alios vetustiores silentium. Nicephorus C. Pol. duos tantum adsignat. In his note Fabricius quotes against these 25 years G. Whitaker, Molinæus, Vedelius, and Frid Spanheim, the last of whom contends that St. Peter never was at Rome.