The present work took its rise, and is largely drawn,from the very learned Father Passaglia's "Commentaryon the Prerogatives of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles,as proved by the authority of Holy Writ," which waspublished in Latin, in 1850. The eighth and ninth chaptersare, indeed, translations, respectively, of the twenty-seventhof his first book, and the first of his secondbook. And as to the rest, my obligations are morethan I can specify. I owe, on the other hand, manyexcuses to Father Passaglia, for while I have onlypartially observed his order in treating the subject, Ihave considered his whole work as a treasure-houseof learning, whence I might draw at my pleasure"things old and new," adapting them, as I thought good,to the needs of the Protestant mind, as familiar to mein England. Thus I have not scrupled to translate, toomit, or to insert matter of my own, according to myjudgment. It seemed to me of paramount importance topresent to the English reader the whole chain of scriptural[Pg viii]evidence for the Primacy and prerogatives of St.Peter. This chain of evidence is so strong, that, whenI first saw it completely drawn out, it struck my ownmind, brought up in the prejudices of Protestantism, withthe force of a new revelation. I put to myself thequestion; is it possible that they who specially professto draw their faith from the written Word of God,would refuse to acknowledge a doctrine set forth in HolyScripture with at least as strong evidence as the Godheadof our Lord itself, if they could see it not broken up intomorsels, like bits of glass reflecting a distorted and imperfectimage, according to the fashion of citing separatetexts without regard to the proportion of the faith, butpresented in a complete picture on the mirror of God'sWord? This picture is thus complete and perfect in FatherPassaglia's work. Yet the form of that work, no lessthan its bulk, the scrupulous minuteness with which everyopposite interpretation of so many adversaries in moderntimes is answered, as well as the fulness with which everypart of the subject is treated, made me feel that a simpletranslation would not be tolerated by the impatience of apopulation, which has little time and less mind for studiesof this character. I have pursued, therefore, the humbletask of popularising, so far as I could, Father Passaglia'swork, omitting, as I trust, no essential part of the argument,and grouping it under different combinations, eachof which might be in turn presented to the eye, and somore readily embraced.
The importance of the argument, as it affects the PapalSupremacy, which is but a summary of the whole cause atissue between Protestantism in every shape, and the Churchof Christ, cannot be overrated. If St. Peter be alreadyset forth in Scripture as the Head and Bond of the Apostolic[Pg ix]College, if he be delineated as the supreme Rulerwho succeeds our Lord Himself in the visible governmentof His Church