St. Peter, His Name and His Office, as Set Forth in Holy ScriptureAllies, T. W. (Thomas William)
Religion
St. Peter, His Name and His Office, as Set Forth in Holy Scripture
Allies, T. W. (Thomas William)
Peter, the Apostle, Saint
The deductions from this are easy to see. For two things chiefly
follow, specially declarative of the nature of the Primacy, and
shewing its intent, to be the cause and efficient principle of that
unity by which the Church of Christ is one visible body. First,
there follows the _duty_ laid upon all the faithful, of being joined
with Peter, if they would not fall from those promises with which
Christ has most bountifully enriched His mystical Body, being no
other than that which reverences Peter as its visible head.
Secondly, there follows Peter's _jurisdiction_, in virtue of which
he enjoins all to form one communion and society with him, as well
as effects, defends, and maintains it. Now, nothing can be stronger
than this ordinance of Christ, either to prove a Primacy of supreme
jurisdiction, or to unfold its purpose of effecting and maintaining
unity.
The same is the bearing of another type no less remarkable, and no
less adopted to explain the whole matter. For, as Israel, "according
to the flesh," was the shadow of the "Israel of God," which was
"according to promise:"[3] and as the kingdom of Israel was a type
and ensample of the kingdom of heaven, the approach of which Christ
proclaimed in these words, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom
of heaven is at hand:" so the twelve sons of Israel, the heads of
the Israelitish race, represented and imaged out those Twelve whom
Christ chose, made princes in His Church, and endowed with supreme
authority to build up that Church's structure, and enrich it day by
day with new accessions of spiritual children. Of this type our
Lord's words are the strongest guarantee: "Amen, I say unto you,
that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of
Man shall sit on the throne of His Majesty, you also shall sit on
twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." And, again, in
the very discourse where He sets forth the future Superior, "I
dispose to you, as My Father disposed to Me, a kingdom; that you may
eat and drink at My table, in My kingdom; and may sit upon thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel."[4]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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