The Argument of Both the Epistles of S. Peter

If S. Peter we read at large, both in the Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles: and namely, that Christ designed him, and also made him his vicar ( as S. Matthew for the cause in the catalogue of the Apostles calleth him Primus, the first, Mat. c. 10. v. 2. and all antiquity, Princeps Apostolorum, the Prince of the Apostles ) and that he accordingly executed that office after Christ's departure, planting the Church first among the Jews in Jerusalem and in all that country and coasts about, as Christ also himself before had preached to the Jews alone.

But preaching at length to the Gentiles also, according to Christ's commission ( Mat. 28. v. 19. ) and being now come to Rome, the head city of the Gentiles, from thence he writeth this Epistle to his Christian Jews, having care of them in his absence, no less than when he was present: and not to the Jews that were at home, ( belike because they had S. James, or his successor S. Simon Cleophæ, resident with them ) but to them that were dispersed in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, and Bithynia. 1 Pet. 1. — ( See the Annotation 1 Pet. 5. v. 13. )

And that he writeth it from Rome, himself signifieth, saying: The Church that is in Babylon saluteth you. 1 Pet. 5. Where by Babylon he meaneth Rome, as all antiquity doth interpret him: not, that he so calleth the Church of Rome, but the heathen state of the Roman empire, which then, and 300 years after, unto the conversion of Constantinus the Emperour, did persecute the elect Church of Rome, in so much that the first 33 Bishops thereof unto S. Silvester, were all Martyrs.

For the matter whereof he writeth, himself doth signify it in these words: This lo the second Epistle I write to you, my dearest, in which (Epistles) I stir up by admonition, your sincere mind, that you may be mindful of those words &c. 2 Pet. 3. So he saith there of both together. And again of the first to the same purpose, in another place: I have briefly written, beseeching and testifying that this is the true grace of God, wherein you stand. 1 Pet. 5. For there were at that time certain Seducers ( as S. August. also hath told us ) who went about to teach Only faith, as though good works were not necessary, nor meritorious. there were also great persecutions, to compel them with terrour to deny Christ and all his religion. He therefore exhorteth them accordingly, neither for persecution, neither by seduction to forsake it: though in the first, his exhortation is more principally against persecution: and in the second, more principally against seduction. The first epistle is noted to be very like to S. Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, in words also, and so thick of Scriptures, as though he spake nothing else. ( See the Annotation upon S. James epistle c. 2. v. 21. )