fubmit themselves;" from the confideration, that their spiritual governors "watched for their fouls."

Heb. xiii. 17.

Moreover, as there are differences of adminiftrations, and diversities of operations to be performed in the church, there must be perfons regularly appointed to the discharge of the feveral offices, neceffary to the well-being of the society to which they belong. But a regular appointment of offices pre-fuppofes a power lodged fome where, to determine upon the qualification of the undertaking parties; for if individuals are left to fettle this matter for themselves, the fociety will not only be worse served for the time being; (the most felf-sufficient men being, generally speaking, the least qualified to discharge the office they undertake;) but what is a still further confideration, the disorder confequent upon an indiscriminate exercise of public functions, must ultimately terminate in the diffolution of that fociety, where fuch confufion prevails.

But the church being a fociety, of which CHRIST is the head, from whom alone all the benefits belonging to it are derived; the appointment of the governors, together with the rules and orders by which this fociety is to be managed and directed, muft ori

ginate with, and receive its fanction from him. For man, merely as man, can claim no rule over his fellowcreatures. Government, therefore, whether in church or ftate, must look to that fupreme Difpofer, from whom all power is derived; by whofe authority alone the validity of its exertions can be established. The reafon of the thing, in this cafe, we shall find upon enquiry to be confirmed by the history of facts.

When our SAVIOUR, after his refurrection, proceeded to the regular establishment of his church upon earth, he appointed the eleven principal difciples, or Apostles as they are called by way of diftinction, to meet him in a mountain in Galilee, for the purpose of delivering his commiffion and directions to them on that fubject. "Then the eleven difciples (we read) went away into Galilee, into a mountain, where JESUS had appointed them. And JESUS came, and fpake unto them, faying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach (or make difciples in) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft; teaching them to obferve all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matth. xxviii. 18.

It is to be observed, that our SAVIOUR's disciples at this time exceeded the number of five hundred.. After his refurrection, St. PAUL tells us, that " he was feen of above five hundred brethren at once.” But our SAVIOUR did not deliver the commiffion for adminiftering the facraments of his church to his disciples at large, but only to his Apostles; and to them not by accident, but, it fhould feem, by express defign: in the first instance, at his last fupper; and in the second, when, in confequence of a particular appointment to meet him in Galilee after his afcenfion, he delivered to them his final commiffion to "baptize all nations."

Now the granting a commiffion manifeftly implies, that none but those to whom it has been delivered, have authority to act in that business for which the commiffion has been granted. Were it otherwise, the commiffion would be an useless form. CHRIST,

therefore, by making choice only of eleven out of the whole number of his difciples, intended, it is prefumed, that the bufinefs which he authorized them to do, fhould not be performed by every one that might think proper to take upon him to execute it.*

* Should there remain a doubt on this head, the particular felection of the eleven Apoftles from the other difciples, for the

It is to be remarked further, that the tenour of the commiffion delivered to the Apostles feems purposely calculated to provide against, and thereby to render unneceffary, all felf-conftituted authority in the church. "As my Father has fent me," faid CHRIST, "fo fend I you;" &c. According to the common import of which words, as well as the received fenfe of them in the Catholic church, our SAVIOUR is to be understood as if he had faid, "With the fame power and authority that my Father fent me into the world to conftitute and govern my church, I fend you and your fucceffors for the further advancement of the fame divine purpose; and

lo!

my fpirit fhall accompany the regular adminif tration of the office to the end of the world. As therefore, in confequence of the miffion which I have received from my Father, I send you; fo, by virtue of the miffion received from me, you have authority to send others, for the purpose of carrying on and perpetuating the plan which I have fet on foot in

purpose of delivering to them their commiffion, is calculated to re move it. See Luke vi. 12, 13; Mark iii. 13, 14; Matt. X. 1; Xxviii. 16, 19, 20; John xx. 21, 22. This important point the reader will find particularly made out, and insisted upon, in “Por TER'S Difcourfe of Church Government," chap. ii. p. 45, et ieq, and chap. iii. p. 61, et feq.

It is to be obferved, that our SAVIOUR's difciples at this time exceeded the number of five hundred.. After his refurrection, St. PAUL tells us, that " he was feen of above five hundred brethren at once." But our SAVIOUR did not deliver the commiffion for adminiftering the facraments of his church to his disciples at large, but only to his Apostles; and to them not by accident, but, it fhould feem, by express defign: in the first instance, at his last fupper; and in the fecond, when, in confequence of a particular appointment to meet him in Galilee after his afcenfion, he delivered to them his final commiffion to "baptize all nations.”

Now the granting a commiffion manifestly implies, that none but those to whom it has been delivered, have authority to act in that business for which the commiffion has been granted. Were it otherwise, the commiffion would be an useless form. CHRIST,

therefore, by making choice only of eleven out of the whole number of his difciples, intended, it is prefumed, that the bufinefs which he authorized them to do, fhould not be performed by every one that might think proper to take upon him to execute it.*

* Should there remain a doubt on this head, the particular felection of the eleven Apoftles from the other difciples, for the