Matthew — Chapter 16

13. Whom say men.) OF PETERS PRIMACIE. Christ intending here to take order for the founding, regiment, & stabilitie of his Church after his decease, & to name the Person to whom he meant to giue the general charge thereof, would before by interrogatories draw out (& namely out of that one whom he thought to make the cheefe) the profession of that high and principal Article: that he was the Sonne of the liuing God. Which being the ground of the Churches faith, was a necessarie qualitie and condition in him that was to be made Head of the same Church, and the perpetual keeper of the said faith, and al other points thereon depending.

14. But they said.) When Christ asked the Peoples opinion of him, the Apostles al indifferently made answer: but when he demanded what themselues thought of him, then loe Peter the mouth and head of the whole felowship answered for al. Chrysostom. homil. 55. in Mat.

17. Blessed art thou.) Though some other (as Nathanael Iohn 1,49.) seemed to have before beleeued and professed the same thing, for which Peter is here counted blessed, yet it may be plainly gathered by this place, & so *S. Hilarie and others thinke, that none before this did further vtter of him, then that he was the Sonne of God by adoption as other Saints be, though more excellent then other be. For it was of congruitie and Christes special appointment, that he vpon whom he intended to found his new Church, & whose faith he would make infallible, should have the preeminence of this first profession of Christes natural diuinitie, or, that he was by nature the very Sonne of God; a thing so farre aboue the capacitie of nature, reason, flesh, and bloud, and so repugnant to Peters sense and sight of Christes humanitie, flesh, and infirmities, that for the beleefe and publike profession thereof he is counted blessed, as Abraham was for his faith; and hath great promises for himself and his posteritie, as the said Patriarch had for him and his seed. According as S. Basil saith: **Because he excelled in faith, he receaued the building of the Church committed to him. *Hilar. can. 6 in Mat. & li. 6 de Trinit. Chrys. ho. 55. in Mat. **Basil. li. 2. adu. Eunom.

18. And I say to thee.) Our Lord recompenseth Peter for his confession, giuing him a great reward, in that vpon him be builded his Church. Theophilactus. vpon this place.

19. To thee.) In saying, to thee wil I giue, it is plaine that as he gaue the keyes to him, so he builded the Church vpon him. So saith S. Cyprian, To Peter first of al, vpon whom our Lord built the Church, and from whom he instituted and shewed the beginning of vnitie, did he giue this power, that that should be loosed in the Heauens, which he had loosed in earth. **Wherby appeareth the vaine cauil of our Aduersaries, which say the Church was built vpon Peters Confession only, common to him and the rest, and not vpon his Person, more then vpon the rest. *Cyp. Epist. 73. **Greg. l. 4 ep. 33 ind. 13.

27. Workes.) Good workes. He saith not, to giue euery man according to his mercie (or their faith) but according to their workes. August. de verb. Apost. Ser. 35. Freewil. And againe; How should our Sauiour reward euery one according to their works, if there were no free wil? August. lib. 2 cap. 4. 5. 8. de Act. cum Fælic. Manich.