kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them. And they that exercise authority over them are called Benefactors. On a full and fair view of that part of Scripture, from which this passage is taken, this ground will not be found to be more tenable than the last. Whence might have arisen this contest for the post of pre-eminence, on so very solemn an occasion, I will not pretend to determine: But it is probable that it might have originated in the magnificent promises, which on one side, had been made to St. Peter, and on the other, from the extraordinary marks of friendship, which at that time, were shewn by Christ, to St. John. In the outset of our divine Lord's observation to his Apostles, on this occasion, we do not exactly discover the person, who was destined for this place of distinction; but we can very plainly discover, that it was reserved for some one or other amongst them, as is evident from the conduct of humility and of virtue, which he informs them, ought especially to mark the character of that individual. If we pass, however, a few verses lower, in the context, we meet with a passage, which seems designed to point out the individual in question. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may

* Luke xxii. 24, 25.

sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for THEE, that thy faith fail not, and when THOU art converted, strengthen thy Brethren.* Though the danger to which our Saviour alludes, in this place, was common to each one of the Apostles, yet his prayers are directed, in a particular manner, for the person of St. Peter; which circumstance goes plainly to shew us, that his interests, for some reason or other, were an object of more than general attention. These prayers, in his regard, his future fall, to which allusion is made, his consequent conversion, which is predicted, and the charge of afterwards supporting the weakness of bis Brethren, which is given him on this impressive occasion, are all circumstances, which ought not to escape our attention, because they are all circumstances which appear to be designed for the purpose of pointing out to us the individual, who was destined to fill the important post, for which the Apostles were contending with each other.

On turning back your attention to all that has been said on this subject, I think you will be satisfied, that there is a sufficiency of scriptural evidence to convince you, that the supremacy of St. Peter, and consequently the supremacy of the Sovereign Pontiff, is established on grounds, which

Ibid xxii. 31, 32.

Ano man can with reason, and no Christian can, with safety, reject If we follow the progress of the Christian Church, through every successive age, since the period of its establishment by the Apostles of Christ, we shall behold an additional proof of the truth of this doetrine, in the unaanimous belief and testimony of all those men, who possessed the best means of acquiring information, and the best means of forming a correct judgment, on this subject. When Martin Luther first raised the standard of Schism in Germany, it will not be denied, that in all the kingdoms of Europe, the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome was acknowledged; and even considered as an essential part of the religion of a Christian. It was admitted in every principality of Germany, in every State of Italy, in Swisserland, in France, in Holland, and in Flanders, in Denmark, in Norway, and in Sweden, in Hungary, and in Poland, în Spain, and in Portugal, in England, in Scotland, and in Ireland, and in all the dependencies of their respective dominions. In this enumeration I say nothing of the professors of Catholic faith. who are dispersed over the vast empire of Russia, and the provinces of the East, where there were, and still are numerous and respectable bodies of men, who adhere to the same form of belief.

If from this view we direct our eyes to all the Churches of the East, which now are unhappily

involved in the errors of Schism, we shall find, that till the middle of the ninth century, the supremacy of the Sovereign Pontiff was equally acknowledged, and every where peaceably submitted to them there. Were it not even in our power to trace it, beyond the limits of that unfortunate period, its universal establishment, at that date, forms, in its favor, a strong presumption, which on a fair consideration of all circumstances, amounts to an almost positive proof. Had the supremacy in question, indeed, not flowed from some source, which was then considered as divine, in what manner are we to account for its establishment, at that time, among so many nations, so distant and so widely divided from each other? There is no man, who is acquainted with the records of history, who can be ignorant of the jealous pretensions both of the Imperial City, and the Patriarchal Bishops of Constantinople. In the midst of circumstances, arising naturally and necessarily out of this state of things, it is not possible, on any principle of reason, to suppose, that an authority like that, which it can be proved, was exercised over the Christian Bishops, and the Christian people of those countries, by the foreign Bishops of Rome, could have acquired the ascendant, which it is evident it did acquire, unless its origin was believed to be divine. It was not imposed on these people, like the dignity of the

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Sultan, by the terror of arms;-it was not planted amongst them, like the sovereignty of an usurper, by the authority of conquest. In the midst of a thousand conflicting opinions, which were for ever arising amongst these people, on various other subjects, connected with politics, and connected with religion, does it any where appear, that this point was ever contested by any body of Bishops, before the elevation of Photius to the See of Constantinople? Did not this original author of the melancholy schism, which yet divides the Eastern and the Western Churches from each other, him. self acknowledge, at the period of his election, the supreme authority of the Sovereign Pontiff? Did he not signify his wish to the Pope, that Legates might be deputed from that episcopal Court, to ratify, in his name and by his authority, the proceedings of that irregular and Schismatical Election? And if afterwards he rejected that very authority, the support and protection of which, but a short time before, he had so solemnly im. plored, was not his conduct influenced by motives similar to those of Luther himself? If the belief of the Papal Supremacy was introduced, into the Churches both of the East and the West, by the authority of any Sovereign, or by the address of any Pope, let the author of that introduction be named, and let its date be assigned. Unless thi can be done, the Catholic has an undisputed