Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/106

 70 Readings in European History of human ignorance clearly displayed. But when the opin- ion of the apostles was asked, he who was first in apostolic dignity was the first to reply; who when he had answered, " Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus said to him, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven " *; that is to say, thou art blessed for this reason, for my father has taught thee, neither has mere earthly opin- ion misled thee, but thou art instructed by a heavenly inspi- ration. ... I am the foundation than which none other can be established ; yet thou too art a rock [pctra because thou art made firm by my strength, so that those things which I have in virtue of my power thou shalt have in common with me by participation. "And upon this rock I will build my church ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." . . . And he said to the blessed Peter, " I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven : and what- soever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." The right to this power passed also to the other apostles, and the provisions of this ordinance went forth to all the leaders of the Church. Still it was not in vain that what was made known to all was especially recommended to one. For this power was intrusted expressly to Peter, since Peter was placed as a model before all the^ailexslofllie Church. Peter's prerogative remains and everywhere his judgment goes forth in equity. For never is severity too great nor forgiveness too lax where nothing is bound nor loosed except the blessed Peter bind or loose it. Just before his passion, which was about to shake the apostles' constancy, the Lord said to Simon, " Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat : but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not : and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, stab- lish thy brethren," 2 that you should not enter into tempta- tion. The danger of the temptation to yield to fear was 1 Matthew xvi. 16-17. 2 Luke xxii. 31-32.