Institutes 4.6.5 — OF THE PRIMACY OF THE ROMISH SEE.

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**OF THE PRIMACY OF THE ROMISH SEE.**

But we nowhere read of its being said to any other, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church”! ( Mt. 16:18 ); as if Christ then affirmed anything else of Peter, than Paul and Peter himself affirm of all Christians ( Eph. 2:20 ; 1 Peter 2:5 ). The former describes Christ as the chief corner-stone, on whom are built all who grow up into a holy temple in the Lord; the latter describes us as living stones who are founded on that elect and precious stone, and being so joined and compacted, are united to our God, and to each other. Peter (they say) is above others, because the name was specially given to him. I willingly concede to Peter the honour of being placed among the first in the building of the Church, or (if they prefer it) of being the first among the faithful; but I will not allow them to infer from this that he has a primacy over others. For what kind of inference is this? Peter surpasses others in fervid zeal, in doctrine, in magnanimity; therefore, he has power over them: as if we might not with greater plausibility infer, that Andrew is prior to Peter in order, because he preceded him in time, and brought him to Christ ( John 1:40 , 42 ); but this I omit. Let Peter have the preeminence, still there is a great difference between the honour of rank and the possession of power. We see that the Apostles usually left it to Peter to address the meeting, and in some measure take precedence in relating, exhorting, admonishing, but we nowhere read anything at all of power.

Source

• source-manifest/institutes — Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, tr. Beveridge 1845 (PD)
• evidence_grade: D_doctrinal_textbook