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Observe here, 1. As Peter confessed Christ, so Christ confesses him; Peter said, Thou art Christ; Christ says, Thou art Peter, alluding to his name, which signifies a rock; he having made good that title, by the strength, stability, and firmness of his faith.
Observe, 2. A double promise made by Christ to Peter.
1. For the building. 2. For the upholding of his church.
For the building of his church;
1. Upon this rock will I build my church.
Upon what rock? Upon Peter, the rock confessing, say the papists; but if so, no more is said of Peter here, than of all the apostles elsewhere. Gal_2:9.
James and John are called pillars as well as Peter. So that Peter's superiority over the rest of the apostles can with no shew of reason be from hence inferred. "Upon Christ, the rock confessed," says the protestants; for Christ is the foundation-stone upon which his church is built; Eph_2:20.
Ye are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. So then, not upon Peter the rock confessing, but upon Christ the rock confessed, and upon the rock of Peter's confession, that fundamental truth, that Christ is the Son of the living God, is the church built.
Upon this rock will I build my church, Super hanc confessionis tua Petxam edificabo Ecclesiam meam.
Yet Christ may here be said to build his church upon Peter, because he used St. Peter's ministry in laying the foundation of a christian church among the Jews and Gentiles; he being the first preacher of that faith which he here confessed first to the Jews, Act_2:29-37. and then to the Gentiles Act_10:33-43.
And accordingly St. Peter's conversion of thousand souls by his ministry, Act_2:41 is looked upon by some as a punctual fulfilling of this promise here made upon him. He was stiled the rock, because he laid the foundations of faith among the nations, that is, the first foundations of a christian church in the world.
Whence it appears, that in this matter St. Peter neither had nor can have a successor; but if the pope will pretend to be his successor in this affair, he must not sit a Rome, lording it there over God's heritage, but must go in person to the unbelieving Jews, and unconverted Heathens, as Peter did; and labour by his preaching to bring over the Turk, the Jew, and the Infidel to christianity.
Observe next, our Saviour's promise for the upholding, as well as the building of his church; The gates of hell shall not prevail against it; that is, all the policy and power of the devil and his instruments shall neither destroy my church, nor extinguish the light of this divine truth, which thou hast now made confession of; namely, "That I am the true Messias, the Son of the living God."
Note, 1. That Jesus Christ is the builder, and will be the upholder of his church.
2. That the church upheld by Christ's power and promise, shall never be vanquished by the devil's policy or strength: upon &c. and the gates, &c.
By the gates of hell, understand, 1. The wisdom of hell, gates being the seat of council.
2. The censures and sentence of hell, gates being the place of judicature.
3. By the gates of hell, understand the arms and powers of hell, gates being a place of strength and guards.
So that when Christ secures against hell, he secures against all that receive their commission from hell; neither hell, nor any envenomed by hell, shall prevail against my church.