he were first called, tried, examined, and known to have such qualities as are requisite for the same; and also by public prayer, with imposition of hands, were approved and admitted thereunto by lawful authority." So carefully has this been attended to in the Church of Christ in all ages, that the judicious Hooker, addressing those who had departed from this method, said, "We require you to find out but one Church upon the face of the whole earth, that hath been ordered by your discipline, or hath not been ordered by ours, that is to say, by Episcopal regimen, since the time that the blessed Apostles were here conversant;" but to this day, they have not been able to find out a single instance in favour of their polity1. k Vide Preface to the Ordinal. 1 It is a strange fact, that none give more explicit or more decided testimony concerning this matter, than the better informed and more candid among the Presbyterians themselves. Not to mention Calvin, whose sentiments in favour of Episcopacy are well known, the language of Mr. Le Clerc, an eminent divine of the Presbyterian Church of Holland, would be considered strong, even in the mouth of an Episcopalian. "I have always," says he, "professed to believe, that Episcopacy is of Apostolical institution, and consequently very good and very lawful; that man had no manner of right to change it in any place, unless it was impossible otherwise to reform the abuses that had crept into Christianity; that it was justly preserved in England, where the Reformation was practicable without altering it; that, therefore, the Protestants in England, and other places where there are Bishops, do very ill to Q. Do the sacred Scriptures give us reason to conclude, that the Ministers of Christ were originally appointed to the various grades of the Priesthood by distinct ordinations, as is the case at the present day? A. The present practice of the Church is sufficiently authorized by her blessed Master's example, an example which constitutes her rule in all things. On turning to the third chapter of the Gospel according to St. Mark, or the parallel passage in the sixth chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, it will be found recorded, that our Lord chose twelve of His disciples, named them apostles, and ordained them, "that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils." This was their first ordination. After some considerable interval, He invested them with the authority for which their former ordination was to prepare them. separate from that discipline; that they would still do much worse in attempting to destroy it, in order to set up Presbytery, fanaticism, and anarchy. Things ought not to be turned into a chaos, nor people seen every where, without a call and without learning, pretending to inspiration. Nothing is more proper to prevent them, than the Episcopal discipline, as by law established in England, especially when those that preside in Church government, are persons of penetration, sobriety, and discretion." Vide Bp. of Lincoln's Exp. of Thirty-nine Art. No. xxiii. See also "Apology, &c." by Tho. S. Brittan. The account of this transaction, is in very different terms from those already mentioned. This account will be found in the sixth chapter of St. Mark's Gospel, and in the ninth of St. Luke's. "He gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases; and He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick." And He charged them concerning their conduct, and the exercise of their ministry. This was their second ordination. It was soon after this, that our Lord appointed the seventy disciples, whom He sent forth two and two before His face, into every city and place whither He Himself would come.-The third ordination of the Apostles, when they were invested with all power and authority to act in Christ's stead, and to bind and loose in His Church, took place after our blessed Lord's resurrection, and immediately before His ascension. The account of this ordination, is recorded by St. Matthew in the twenty-eighth chapter, by St. Mark in the sixteenth chapter, and by St. John in the twentieth chapter. The terms in which this commission was granted, are most remarkable. "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Peace be unto you: As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you: and when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retainedm." From this time forth, the Apostles claimed to be ambassadors for Christ, and acted with authority in His name. St. Paul obviously alludes to this gradual promotion in the Priesthood, when he says, "They that have used the office of a Deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree"." The scriptural authority for the practice of the Church, is full and decisive. Q. But does not personal holiness supersede the necessity of regular ordination? A. Without personal holiness, no man can be a fit candidate for the holy Ministry. But holiness of character and holiness of office, are things separate and distinct; and that the former is not sufficient qualification for the assumption of the latter, is very obvious. For our Blessed Lord, who received of m Vide "The Apostolic Office;" a very valuable discourse, by the Right Rev. Alex. V. Griswold, Bishop of the Eastern Diocese, U. S., republished in this country by T. B. Stephen, Edinb. n 1 Tim. iii. 13. the Holy Spirit without measure, and whose life was without the shadow of blemish, "glorified not Himself to be made an High-priest°;" but waited until He received a commission from His heavenly Father, before He began to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. This alone, is amply sufficient to determine the question; but the case may be strengthened by other scriptural examples. The seven Deacons were men full of the Holy Ghost, yet they did not assume the sacred office, until the Apostles had prayed and laid their hands on them. Korah and his company usurped the sacred office, solely on the plea of holiness. "All the congregation are holy," said they yet the signal punishment which overtook those men, is sufficient, one would suppose, to set aside for ever the opinion, that the plea of personal holiness can be sustained as a title to assume the sacred office. Saul took upon himself the sacred office, and forced himselfa, piously, as he no doubt thought, to offer sacrifice; but he thought foolishly, and lost his kingdom as a punishment for his daring conduct. Uzzah, with pious intention, put forth his hand to save the Ark; but he was immediately struck dead, as a warning to future generations not to meddle with sacred things, without a Divine com • Heb. v. 5. p Acts vi. 3. r 2 Sam. vi. 6. |