one baptism.' Now, as appears distinctly from Acts 20: 28, the ministers, whom the apostles left at Ephesus, to feed the church of God, and take oversight thereof, were presbyters. Presbyters, therefore, received members into that church by the administration of baptism. It is also admitted, that, in some of the churches, as at Phillippi, for some time, at least, after their organization, there were no other ministers ordained over them than presbyters, with the officers who were called deacons. But as it is plain no church could be organized, or collected together, without the administration of baptism, this ordinance must have been administered by presbyters.

But it is unnecessary to enlarge in proof of the inherent right of presbyters to baptize, since, however in after ages some prelates have endeavored to usurp, as exclusively theirs, this and all other ministerial powers, archbishop Potter grants, 'that, in the primitive ages, presbyters baptized as well as bishops, but the practice of the church has varied as to deacons.'1 And, since it is at once evident, that all who believed, together with their children, have a right to be baptized, they who are authorized to disciple men, are, also, of necessity, competent to baptize them. The right of administering baptism being, therefore, another essential part of ministerial authority; and presbyters being plainly invested with it; presbyters, in this respect, also, are the successors of the apostles.

§ 4. Presbyters are divinely authorized to administer the Lord's supper.

We proceed to the consideration of the fourth branch of sacerdotal authority, to the exclusive possession of which prelates lay claim, and that is the administration of the Lord's supper, or, as they fondly term it, 'the consecration of the eucharistic sacrifice.' Now, that this power was resident in the presbyters of the apostolic churches, we might demonstrate, by a repetition of the arguments employed on the subject of baptism. For, as baptism and the Lord's supper are the two divinely instituted sacraments of the christian church, the one the ordinance of initiation, the other of confirmation, and both, the signs and seals of the covenant of grace; it is at once manifest, that he who is the appointed minister of the one ordinance, must be also competent to administer the other. "The sacraments, being seals, annexed by Christ to

1) On Ch. Govt. see p. 227. See King's Prim. Christianity.

the word of his grace, and visible words, are evidently to be dispensed by those to whom the dispensation of the word is committed." In the Corinthian church, 'when no minister above the order of prophets, who were next below the apostles, was there, the eucharist was administered, nor was this power so strictly appropriated to the apostles, but that it might be lawfully executed by the ministers of the second order." Now, it is impossible to conceive a more formal or solemn investment with the power of administering this sacred ordinance, than that with which the apostle Paul clothes these Corinthian presbyters. 1 Cor. 11: 23-26. 'For I have received of the Lord, that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, &c. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he comes.' It is here apparent that this ordinance was to be perpetuated until the coming of Christ, and being intrusted to the administration of presbyters, presbyters must ever continue to enjoy the same power, unless it can be shown that it has been withdrawn by some special commission given to the order of prelates, which, with all our diligence, we have not yet found in the word of God.

That this power was exercised not only at Corinth, at Philippi, and in those churches where no force of construction can make out the appearance of a prelate; but, generally, also, in all the apostolic churches, is apparent, not only for the reasons already given, but also from what we read in Acts 20: 7-11, where we are informed, that it was when the disciples were come together to break bread-as, we are to presume, they regularly did-the apostle preached unto them.

It is, therefore, plain, that, by the teaching of the word of God, it belongs to presbyters, as an order of the christian ministry, authoritatively to preach the gospel, and thus to call sinners to repentance; to offer up prayers in the congregations of the people, interceding on their behalf, with God most high; having instrumentally brought any to the knowledge of the truth, to receive them, and their infant seed, into the bosom of the christian church, by baptism; and also to administer to all who are fit and worthy recipients, the sacrament of the Lord's supper, for the increase and confirmation of their faith. But they who are authorized to administer the sacraments, cannot, on prelatical principles, be two orders, but one; and

1) Corbet, on the Church, p. 38. 2) Potter on Ch. Govt. p. 235.

since presbyters, as well as bishops, are thus entitled to officiate, presbyters and prelates are, and must be, on these principles, one and the same order. Thus speaks Johnson, in his Unbloody Sacrifice. "The eucharist is one, as offered by priests, who are one by their commission. It was upon this account that Ignatius, Cyprian, and others, represent the whole college of bishops throughout the whole world, as one person, sitting in one chair, attending one altar; and that, therefore, is the one eucharist, which is celebrated by this one priesthood.' There is, then, but one divinely commissioned order of ministers, which is that of presbyters, who must be, therefore, the only true and valid successors of the apostles. And thus much does bishop Sanderson allow, when he includes, under 'the ministerial power, which is common to bishops with their fellow-presbyters,' and which is confessed to be from heaven, and God,' 'the preaching of the word, and the administration of sacraments.'2

Since, then, as bishop Burnet argues, 'the sacramental actions are the highest of sacred performances, those that are empowered for them must be of the highest office in the church,' and, therefore, presbyters must be the true and only successors of the apostles.

1) Part ii. chap. 3, Oxf. Tr. vol. iii. p. 157. See also, 'Dodwell's One Priesthood,' One Altar.

2) On the Div. Right of the

Episcop. in Anglican Fathers, vol. i. p. 305. See also 307.

3) See in Boyse's Anct. Episc. p. 250.

CHAPTER VI.

PRESBYTERS are clotheD, BY DIVINE RIGHT, WITH THE POWER OF ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION.

§ 1. The power of jurisdiction explained.

A FIFTH branch of spiritual authority claimed for prelates, is that which may be denominated the power of jurisdiction, discipline, or government, including whatever is necessary to the preservation of order, and the regulation of all affairs, within that society of christians denominated a church. As the former powers already treated of, are necessary to the due organization, and spiritual edification of the church, so is this essential to its oversight, to its external prosperity, and to the removal of whatever would lead to internal disorganization and injury. This power extends to the making of any regulations touching the worship and ordinances of God, which do not interfere with the authority of Christ, as expressed in his word, or which do not go to alter their nature, or to circumscribe them within any narrower limits than those which have been assigned by their divine author. It also applies to the enforcement of the laws of the church, whether these are of divine appointment, or of ecclesiastical origin, so far as these are framed according to the suggestions above specified. Whatever, therefore, is necessary to the incorporation of a christian church; to the government of its members; to the dispensation of its ordinances; to the infliction of its censures; or to the final excommunication of its obstinate offenders; all this is to be regarded as included under the power of spiritual jurisdiction, or, as it is called by divines of the olden times, the key of discipline.

§ 2. Proofs that this power of jurisdiction belongs to presbyters by divine right.

1

Now that this power also is ascribed to presbyters in the New Testament, we proceed to render proof. This power, as has been seen, is certainly comprehended, in a summary manner, in the commission of our Lord. For, as all power was given unto him, so does he therein promise to be with his ministers unto the end of the world, in authoritatively enabling them to observe, and to enforce, whatsoever he has commanded. And if this commission is the warrant, as it is, by which presbyters hold their ministerial office, then must they be empowered with this authority of spiritual jurisdiction. When Peter confessed our Lord to be the son of God, Christ declared, that upon the high mystery which Peter had thus proclaimed, He would build his church, He, that is, Christ himself, being the chief corner stone; and that he would give to Peter, and to all others who should hereafter succeed him in this work of the ministry, the keys of the kingdom of heaven, so that whatsoever they shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever they shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. Matt. 16: 19. Now that this divine promise of spirtual jurisdiction was given, not to Peter personally, but to Peter representatively of the ministers of the church of Christ in all ages, is maintained most strenuously by all christian churches, the Romish alone excepted. But, in whatever way the assumed supremacy of Peter is disproved, as it most assuredly has been, the equally baseless supremacy claimed by prelates may be also overthrown. The learned Roman Catholic writer, Du Pin, affirms, 'that the ancient fathers, with a unanimous consent, teach, that the keys were given to the whole church, in the person of Peter.' "This is the doctrine,' says Mr. Palmer, 'of Tertullian, Cyprian, Jerome, Optatus, Gaudentius, Ambrose, Augustine, Fulgentius, Theophylact, Eucherius, Bede, Rabanus Maurus, Lyranus, Hincmar, Odo, Petrus Blensens, and others innumerable." It was, in fact, the general doctrine of all the fathers, that these words were not addressed to Peter only, but to all the ministers of Jesus Christ. Tournely, Dupin, Natalis Alexander, and Launoy, quote Ambrose, Augustine, Chrysostom, Basil, &c.,

1) See chap. iii.

2) Palmer on the Ch. vol. ii. p. 485.

3) Du Pin. De Antiq. Ecclesiæ Discipl. p. 309. Barrow, Treatise on Pope's supremacy, p. 587.