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A TREATISE ON THE CHURCH OF CHRIST.

PART VI.

ON THE SACRED MINISTRY.

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I HAVE elsewhere proved that the office of the sacred ministry is essential to the christian church, and have briefly noticed some of its characteristics: but I am now to examine more particularly the constitution of this priesthood, its various degrees, the qualifications of those who are to receive and to transmit it, the rites by which it is conferred; and to apply these considerations to existing circumstances.

The British churches, together with the infinite majority of professing christians throughout the world, acknowledge three ranks or degrees of the sacred ministry as of apostolical antiquity. The preface to the Ordinal says: "from the Apostles' time there have been these orders of ministers in Christ's church; bishops, priests, and deacons ;" and a distinct form of ordination with imposition of hands and prayer is there

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appointed for those presbyters who "are called to the work and ministry of a bishop."

In this chapter I propose to prove, that episcopacy, or the superiority of one pastor in each church, vested with peculiar powers, is of apostolical institution; and that all churches are bound to adhere to this rule.

This is sufficient to establish the general discipline of the church, and it is not necessary to contend, that the difference between the first and second degrees of the sacred ministry, resembles that between the second and third; or that there are three orders of the ministry equally distinguished from each other. If we divide the sacred ministry according to its degrees instituted by God, and understand the word "order" in the sense of "degree," we may very truly say that there are three orders of the christian ministry; but if we distribute it according to its nature, we may say that there are only two orders, viz. bishops or presbyters, and deacons ; for pastors of the first and second degree exercise a ministry of the same nature. Both are ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God: both are invested with the care of souls and the government of the church, in their respective degrees: both are sent to teach and preach the Gospel of Christ; to make disciples by baptism; to celebrate the eucharist; to bless the congregation; to offer prayers and spiritual sacrifices in the presence of all the people; even to seal with the Holy Spirit in confirmation". In the power of ordination alone, do the ministers of the first

b Presbyters administer confirmation ordinarily in the eastern churches with chrism hallowed by the bishop. Habert. Pontificale Græc. p. 709.

In the west

they have no such power, and it is even disputed by many theologians whether the church could commission them to exercise it.

degree differ absolutely from those of the second and therefore they may be considered, in general, as of the same order.

On the other hand, deacons are plainly of a different order; their ministry being, according to the Scripture, the practice of the church generally, and the sentiment of the church of England in particular, limited to duties of a temporal, or at least a very inferior character. They are only permitted to baptize and preach: the church has before now given the same permission to laymen in case of necessity: they are not given the care of souls, or any of the other higher offices of the ministry.

If it were adviseable to enter on this question at any extent, it might be easily shown, that there is very considerable authority from tradition, in favour of the identity in order of the first and second degrees of the ministry. I mean, that the title of bishop or presbyter might be applied to both, though the bishops or presbyters of the first class are distinguished from those of the second, jure divino. We find that Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Irenæus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Firmilian, and others, sometimes only speak of two orders in the church, i. e. bishops or presbyters and deacons; or else mention the pastors of the first order under the title of presbyters. Besides this, many writers employ language and arguments, which go directly to prove the identity of the first and second degrees of the ministry in order. Amongst these may probably be mentioned, Jerome, Hilary the deacon, Chrysostom, Augustine, Theodoret, Sedulius, Primasius, Isidore Hispalensis, Bede, Alcuin, the synod of Aix in 819, Amalarius, and others, quoted by Mori

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