tion, and public prayer, and by the celebration of the sacraments, involve also the consideration of the mode of transmitting the official power of administration. The power is, as we have shown, derived from Christ, and transmitted from Him through the Apostles and their successors-the ministers of the first order. Under this head-the power of ordaining-some observations will be made on duly transmitted authority, as it may be deemed essential to the validity of the various acts of applying official power.

If the church be regarded as a visible society or body politic, in which there are certain solemnities to be administered, and officers with certain powers of administration, it follows, from the nature of a society, that the officers must have some legislative powera power of ordering things which belong to it as a society according to its nature and constitution. Such an authority implies the legislative power of making rules and regulations for its government, and for admission to or exclusion from its privileges.

These regulations or laws of the society require also a judicial power of enforcing the observance of them, by inflicting certain penalties such as withholding or excluding in part or altogether from participation in the privileges to which they have the power of giving admission-in other words, the power of jurisdiction.

Lastly, the visible church possessing no temporal power over the persons or fortunes of its members, it is necessary to consider the means of maintaining those by whom the various offices of administration and government are to be discharged; and the kind and degree of power of providing, or of obtaining the means of providing, for its officers.

These different modes of exercising and applying in the visible church the divine grant of official power in matters spiritual, may all be regarded as comprehended in the power of the keys. This designation seems well suited to represent the nature and limits of the power bestowed by our Lord upon the Apostles and their successors as His ministers and stewards.

"What is meant by the keys of this church, will," says Bishop Patrick, "be easily understood, by observing that the church is often called the House of God;" and that every house hath a door, which lets into it, and that door is made fast and opened by the lock, unto which the key belong. The giving of which to the Apostles signifies, in general, Christ's giving them a power over His family; and entrusting them with the care of those that belong to His house. And, in particular, it signifies the power of a steward, whose office is to look after every one in the family,

Heb. iii. 2-4.

that they both do their duty, and want nothing that is necessary for them." 1

"Such a power there is over the church, which originally is in Christ Himself, who is said to have the key of David,' 2 that is, of the House of David, who was pleased to communicate this power unto His Apostles, and by them unto their successors, who were to confer it on such persons as they judged meet for this office of stewards in the Church of Christ." 3

The power of the keys, or the various acts of official power comprehended under the designation and appropriated to the officers of the visible church, in their respective stations, may be reduced under the following heads, according to the sub-division made by Archbishop Potter in his treatise on church government, viz: —

The power-1, of Preaching; 2, of Praying; 3, of Baptizing; 4, of Confirming persons Baptized; 5, of celebrating the Lord's Supper; 6, of Ordaining Ministers; 7, of making Canons; 8, of Jurisdiction; 9, of demanding Maintenance.

§ 1. Of the Power of Preaching.

Of the various modes of exercising the divine grant of official power, the first which presents itself for consideration is the power of preaching the Gospel. For although it is not the first mode of application in the case of the infant Christian, it precedes every other as the appointed means of making known the Christian faith and of persuading men to embrace it. "Because want of the knowledge of God is the cause of all iniquity amongst men, as contrariwise the very ground of all our happiness, and the seed of whatsoever perfect virtue groweth from us, is a right opinion touching things divine; this kind of knowledge we may justly set down for the first and chiefest thing which God imparteth unto His people, and our duty of receiving this at His merciful hands for the first of those religious offices wherewith we publicly honour Him on earth."4 It was the first act of public ministration recorded of our Lord, and when after His resurrection He declared that He had received all power in heaven and earth, His first injunction to His Apostles was to teach all nations, and to go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. The first effect of the wonderful works which our Lord wrought, combined with the heavenly wisdom of His words, was to establish His authority as a divine teacher, and to produce the confessions that He spake with

Dignity of the Christian Priesthood, pp. 16-18. 3 Ibid., pp. 20, 21.

* Rev. iii. 7.

Hooker, Eccl. Pol., b. ii., ch. xviii., § 1, pp. 61, 62.

power; and that never man spake like this man. So, too, in the case of the Apostles unspeakable authority was at once imparted to their teaching by the power of working miracles, together with extraordinary gifts of the Spirit in speaking languages and other special qualifications for the work of conversion, in conjunction with a peculiar manifestation of the most excellent gift of charity or Christian love. Extraordinary gifts also accompanied the first preaching of the Gospel in the case not only of the preachers but of their auditors, so that they who then had the Spirit would certainly know that they had it. There were sensible indications by which others were also able to discern it. Thus the Holy Ghost fell upon Cornelius and his company after St. Peter's preaching to them, and before their baptism.1

Such extraordinary powers were required for the first preaching and establishment of Christianity to prove that those who proclaimed the Gospel came from God, that the Apostles were specially qualified to preach with authority and efficacy to all nations; and thus the preaching or publishing the Gospel was a principal part of the apostolic office. But it was so as a means, not as an end, and not because preaching had greater or even the same power for internal effects, so as to be sufficient to supersede the grace of sacraments. Moreover, "these extraordinary gifts were no authority to those who had them, and no other commission, to speak in public. And therefore St. Paul forbids the women to speak in the church, and yet it was not denied but some of them might have the spirit of prophecy. Speaking in the church was part of an ordinary power, to which not only ability but authority also and commission are required."

That the power of preaching was transmitted by the Apostles to their successors appears from the solemn charge of St. Paul to Timothy to preach the word, and to be instant in season and out of season. He also points out as qualifications to be required of such as were to be ordained ministers, that they be apt to teach, and hold fast the faithful word, that they may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. How faithfully this office was discharged by the primitive bishops appears from Justin Martyr's account of the Christian assemblies in his time, and from other early records.

It was also a primitive custom in some places, and prescribed by the apostolical constitutions, that after the reading of the Scriptures in Christian assemblies some of the presbyters, one after another,

'See Dodwell, pp. 176-179.

2 Bishop Taylor's Clerus Domini. Works, vol. i., p. 17.

1

and last of all the bishop, should address the people. This custom, analogous to that generally observed in deliberative assemblies, of the wisest and most experienced or most influential speaking last, seems to mark the superior authority of the bishop, and the greater weight which his instructions and admonitions carried with them. It also shows that the authority of the minister is an important element in the power of preaching.

In what respect preaching is an exercise of authority may be inferred from Hooker's description, who also speaks of it as so peculiar to the Church of God, that none of the heathens" could ever once so much as endeavour to resemble herein the church's care for the endless good of her children." He describes that which by an excellency is termed preaching as being the "open publication of heavenly mysteries," that is, of "the sacred and saving truth of God for the instruction of all sorts of men to eternal life." Whether, therefore, we regard its special subject matter as a revelation from God to man, or the mode of its communication being " publicly notified," there are manifest indications that preaching is an authoritative act. The person who exercises the office is not described, as speaking barely in his natural capacity to acquaint others with the truths himself has learned, and which it will be for their benefit to know, but in the character of one sent as a messenger. In the language of Scripture he is represented "as the minister of Christ, and a steward of the mysteries of God;"" he preaches with the character and authority of "an ambassador for Christ," and stands in "Christ's stead, praying them to be reconciled to God, as though God Himself did beseech them by him, God having "given to him the ministry and word of reconciliation." He also speaks with the authority of a man that stands there in Christ's stead, as His commissioned officer appointed for that purpose, and exhorts the people forthwith to "repent and be baptized every one in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, that they may receive the gift of the Holy Ghost;" and calls upon them when admitted into the church, "to continue steadfastly in Christ's doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

This authoritative instruction, which is accompanied with power to make it effectual, and to confer the full benefit of the Gospel promises on those that receive it, is what the Scriptures call by the name "preaching," expressed in the original by words which, in the New Testament, are never used but to express teaching with authority, and by commission, which, therefore, he that has no 1 Eccl. Pol., b. v., ch. xviii., §§ 1, 2, vol. ii., p. 62. 21 Cor. iv. 1. 3 2 Cor. v. 20.

Acts ii. 38, 42.

commission cannot do. And, therefore, although the word "preaching," not in the Scripture sense, but according to the modern latitude of the word, may be applied to any kind of instruction, yet taken in the strict sense of the New Testament, no person uncommissioned can properly be said to preach, forasmuch as preaching requires a mission, as St. Paul tells us, when he says, "How shall they preach, except they be sent?" which plainly implies that no man may preach, in the Scripture sense of the word, with the authority of an ambassador for Christ, except he have a commission for that purpose according to Christ's institution. And he who is commissioned may not only persuade men to believe the Gospel by telling what he himself knows and has experienced to be true, but he may do it in an authoritative manner, acquainting them also that he has power to receive them into the Christian Church and society, and that he comes with a commission from Christ to do so; whereas the uncommissioned, when he has persuaded them to believe, can go no further, but only exhort them to wait for one, who may admit or receive them into Christ's Church by baptism, and then take the spiritual rule over them, as their pastor or governor, whom the Scripture requires them to obey.'

One great advantage resulting from a divine commission to preach is its direct tendency to inspire a personal interest in the truths so communicated on the part, not only of the speaker, but also of those who regard the speaker as bearing such a commission. And as the efficacy of God's holy word upon the mind depends upon believing it, so that it can make no impression unless believed, nor any longer than it is believed, it is obvious that a sense of personal interest in the truths revealed in it must, in the first instance, greatly promote such belief, and eventually form an essential part of it. For it has been truly remarked that, "faith differs from opinion in its considering the being, governance, and will of God, as a matter of personal interest and importance to us, not in the degree of light or darkness under which it perceives these truths. When we are not personally concerned, even the highest evidence does not move us; when we are concerned, the very slightest is enough. Though we knew for certain that the planet Jupiter were in flames, we should go on as usual; whereas even the confused cry of fire at night rouses us from our beds. Action is the criterion of faith, as determining accurately whether we connect the thought of God with the thought of ourselves."2

The belief that he who speaks is sent on a special mission to us

See Brett on Episcopacy, § xxxii., p. 83.

2 Newman on the Prophetical Office of the Church, p. 104.