I30 tU?*f, LLXML?Ty. [Boo? L (?; ver. 8,) elect, precious, and he ti?lt tmlieveth ? ? shall ? ? ?f?d?," 1 Pet. ?, 6. Here we ha?, ?, Chest ?e fenton, ? ?k; seedy, hh church, or ?lieve? ? him; and, t?y, they oh? ? ? confounded, or ?e ?s o? heA shall n? p?il, &c. Peter ?o c?18 C?st the stone w?ch w? ? ut haunt by the
- builder, which ? ?come the he? of ?e comer. Add M ?s, ?e
ancient fathe? view? the ?age ? the nine ?ght, m?g ChuM, or rather Ms d?n?, c?fess? by Pe?r, the foun?n or ?k. Thus we ?ve ?e cons?c?on of the o?n?, the Ms? o? ?e fa?e?, and co?es?ndhg tex? of Sc?ptu? in ?a? of our ?w8 ? t? Mxt. Indeed, it is ?u? M sup?e ?at Ch?st b?t ?s ?h on Pe?r ?onally, or ? ?s ?nal pmfenion of f?th; inasmq? n Peter a?erwa? denied Ch?t, and s? in need of ?nmnce u? conve?ion. But the faith which Pe?r confessed, i.e., tht ?f ? ?b 8? ? rb ? ?, w? the fo?da? ? wMch ?e ch?h was ?t. There is no d?bt, howe?'er, but our ? intended to?w ? ?hg speci? on Peter. Acco?ngly he bestows m Mm the A?f of ?e ?om of heaven, that is, the honour offirsf preac?ng the ?] among the Jews and ?en?es. As stewards of ?e? fa? ? a key or ?ys in token of their o?ce, the ph? of ?ng �?n ? keys, means, raising Mm ? ?wer or antho?ty, ? 8?wa?. ?e In ?i, ?. ?ow whatever w? meant by ?e keys w? ?y ?w? u?n all o?er a?sdes, (Ma?. x?i, 18; Jo? ?, 23,) and, ?eM;?e, the 8upre?cy of Pe?r over the other a?les, or ?er ?o w?le ch?ch of C?t, ? no foundation in ?s pnnge. T? the ? ? s key ?ing to o?n a d?r or ?te, C?st here pmmise8 M Pe?r ? he should be the ?n whe would ?rse o?u t? ?om o? h?ven, or ?1 d?nsation, ? ?th Jews and ?en?les. AcM fi, 14; x; xv, 7. But then it is e?dent that ?th James and John exe?ised t? o?ce inde?ndentl F of Peter, in converlag ?e o? the eirc?? u we? ? he. And St. Paul wus, by way of excellent, and ? v?e ? Ms ?8siou, ?e a?tle of the ?entiles, and o?ned the kin?om of heaven ? far more ?entiles than ever Pe?r ?d. Pe?r ?id n? bye a successor in Ms peculiar p?vilege o? the ke?, beca? ?s wo?d ?volve the abs?ity, that the d? of f?th is ?Hl ? be o?n? M Jews and ?en?ies. The use of the keys, ?erefore, me? to d? ohm au?o?m?vely the la? o? the ?s?l and the M?s of ?u?, ? ? to exe?ise ?scipline in the chu?h, ?z., M refu? ?? in? it M all ? who did not comply with ?ese te?s, and ? exclude ?m it ? w? sho?d ?olate those laws. A?gly, ?e ?wer of ? and l?K, added M ? ?w? ? the keys, ?y ? ?nsidered ? pauly e?? o? ? ?wer. To ? and ?M were wo?s m?e ?e of 5y the Jewish d?to? ? ?i?fy the ?f?s or un??$? of tMn?, ? is p?ved by m?y ?le ?M?. The ?wer of binding ? l?sing, ?erefore, refe? M the ?wer o? dech?g the ?i M?s of salvation, by w?ch ? ? men ?th eve? ? oblation of ?gh?usnen, ?d ? ?em fMm eve? u?e? ? Mm? ce?mony or i?M?on. A? ? ? a? ? ?e in?ence of ?e Hell Spi?t, the? de- o? ? ? in hea?n. ?e ?es ?d ?t enjoy ? ? ?wer hiM ? ?t ? b ? of ?n? when ?ey ?c?v? 1
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