"ted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye "retain, they are retained."

No form of words can be conceived capable of impressing our minds with a higher idea of apostolic authority than this commission, which constitutes them, not only the pastors and teachers, but the lawgivers and judges of that Church, which they were to found. Should it be objected, that this commission was merely personal, and that it ceased with the lives of those, on whom it was bestowed; it may be answered, that we have the same "evidence to prove the continuance of the commission to the successors of the Apostles, as to substantiate the fact of its having been originally granted to them.

For he, who is the source of all power, and from whom alone, whatever is done by the governors of the Church derives its sanction, expressly declared, that the authority, with which the ministers of his word were invested, was not temporary, but permanent; that it was not granted to

u See Note XXI. Appendix.

y

the Apostles only, to enable them to build the Church, but to their successors also, throughout all ages, that they might uphold and preserve the edifice entrusted to their care. x" Lo I am with you alway, "even unto the end of the world." From these facts, which are recorded in the Scriptures, and which seem necessarily to imply that which other historical testimony confirms, we infer, that the Apostles, in the exercise of the power thus vested in them, instituted that ecclesiastical polity, which was maintained in the Church, without interruption, until the period of the Reformation; and is, even now, preserved unimpaired, in the greater part of the Christian world.

We are told by the evangelist, that after our Saviour's z❝ passion, he shewed him"self alive to his Apostles by many infal"lible proofs; and continued with them forty days, speaking of the things per"taining to the kingdom of God." That

x Matt. xxviii. 20. ■ Acts i. 3.

y See Note XXII. Appendix.

by the "kingdom of God" we are here to understand the visible association of Christians for religious purposes, under a government divinely appointed, may reasonably be presumed; and the subsequent conduct of those, to whom these discourses were addressed, will furnish us with the best criterion, by which to judge of their subject and intent.

When then we know, that the Lord Jesus held many conversations with his Apostles relative to the economy of his kingdom; and are also certain, that, in all which related to the due discharge of their office, as the founders and first rulers of this kingdom, they acted under the especial influence of the Holy Spirit, sent by him to guide them into all truth; we cannot hesitate to believe, that the order of government, which they solemnly appointed, and strictly enjoined their successors to continue, was of divine institution, and was intended to be of perpetual use in the Church.

See Note XXIII. Appendix.

The power exercised by the Apostles themselves is easily to be collected from their own acts, as recorded by St. Luke, and from the Epistles of St. Paul. Therein we learn, that they took cognizance of the opinions and practice of their disciples; b forbidding them to exercise some civil rights, as contrary to their Christian duty; punishing them by spiritual censures, and by exclusion from spiritual privileges, for offences against the moral law; and 'by similar penalties coercing those, who made

shipwreck of their faith," and blasphemed the worthy name by which they were called.

In addition to this judicial authority, they performed all the offices of the priesthood; preaching, baptizing, administering the Lord's Supper, and foffering up the common devotions of the disciples in their public congregations.

And they also assumed certain peculiar powers, which none but their own order

b See Note XXIV. Appendix.

d 1 Cor. v. 5.

f See Note XXV. Appendix.

c 1 Cor. vi. 1.

e 1 Tim. i. 19, 20.

were allowed to exercise: they only could lay hands upon baptized persons, to fconfirm them in possession of the privileges of Christianity; and they only could ordain ministers to officiate in the Christian priesthood.

h

Such, exclusive of all especial gifts and graces, was their ordinary authority, as rulers in the Church of Christ; and this authority we know that they committed to others, who were to act as their successors. They were to ordain elders, to preside over them, and take care that they taught no other doctrine than the i truth; they were to superintend the publick service; to be examples to the believers; to be themselves teachers, and. preachers of the word "; and to maintain their supremacy over the elders and deacons, against all who presumed to gainsay or despise its exercise.

In a word, it is impossible to read the

f Acts viii. 14.

g Acts xiv. 23.

h 1 Tim. v. 22. 2 Tim. ii. 2. Tit. i. 5.

k 1 Tim. ii. 1.

i 1 Tim. i. 3.

1 1 Tim. iv. 12.

1 Tim. iv. 12. Tit. ii. 15.

m 2 Tim. iv. 1, 2. Tit. ii. 1.