as well as in the name of Christ. The administrators must be the agents of Christ-his personal representatives, as truly as those were whom he commissioned in person for that purpose, while here on earth. The administrators must be incorporated into that organic body, wherein the life-stream of salvation flows on from age to age, if they would unite others to the same. So, too, since Baptism is the Sacrament of our predestination to the means of life, the agent must act by the authority of him to whom those means belong. He must be the authorized ambassador and representative of him in whose name he officiates, or all his acts will be a nullity. Again: since Baptism is the Sacrament of our adoption to be the sons of God; the rite of initiation into the church, and the declaration of the will of God concerning us, it is necessary that the minister thereof should have authority to do so. He who attempts to adopt children into the family of another, to introduce members into the household of another, and to declare the good will of another, must have his express authority for doing it, or all his acts will be inoperative and vain. The ministry, there fore, is a representative ministry, and the members of it are ambassadors, acting in the name and by the authority of the su preme head of the church; and all the acts of the ambassador, done in pursuance of his office, are judged and deemed to be the act of the principal himself. It is, therefore, through the instrumentality of these ministerial agents that the church is externalized in this sacrament. The ministers of Baptism, therefore, are the organs by which the ideal and invisible in the church, are made to assume a real and visible form; by which the heavenly and the spiritual are united with the earthly and the human. It is Baptism that organizes the church, the ministry by which it is organized. 2. The ministry of the Eucharist. The life which is begun in baptism, must be nourished and strengthened, in order to its perfection and growth. And this nourishment it is the design of the Eucharist, to give. This consists of two parts, the one visible, the other invisible, one material, the other spiritual. Now the material and visible, when properly set apart and consecrated, becomes a means by which the invisible and spiritual is communicated. And this consecration is performed by the act signified by those words which our Lord himself employed, when he consecrated the elements of the first eucharistic supper. In order, therefore, that the elements of the eucharist should receive the same consecration now, as then, it is necessary that the act of consecration should be the same now, as then. The words spoken must be the same words, pronounced by the same authority, either in person or by his per sonal representatives, and if by a repre sentative, in the presence of him who first uttered them; the author being present performing those identical acts, whatever they may be, which he performed in the first instance, in order to make them means of grace. The act of consecration, therefore, so far as man is concerned, is purely a ministerial act, an act that can be performed by no one to whom this ministerial power has not been committed. It is by act of Christ's ministerial representative that we are so united to the life-stream of the church to baptism, that we may have communion with that life; and it is by the ministerial act of the same representative, that the elements in the eucharist are so united to the same, that they become means by which the faithful participate more largely in the same. The ministry, therefore, being representative, and not vicarious, has no control over, and cannot prevent, either by wickedness or want of intention, the flow of grace to the faithful. The minister being only the visible representative of an invisible King, does but perform the acts, and utter the words which Christ himself performed and uttered while here on earth, and which are as truly his acts and his words now, as then; all gracious effect and influence depending upon the presence and active personal agency of the invisible king himself. 3. The ministry of Absolution. The church holds that the power of Government and Absolution was given to the Apostles, as ministers of the church, and by them committed to those to whom they intrusted the care of the church. This absolution | are ambassadors for Christ, and hence exconsists in the pardon of ecclesiastical horting all, as though God did beseech us offences, or those committed against the by them, to be reconciled unto God in church, and in the declaration of God's Christ. pardon of repenting sinners. In this last sense, the ministerial representative is the mouth by which the master himself speaks, and his absolution, therefore, is a ministerial declaration of the master's acts; that is, of forgiveness of sin to repenting sinners. It is not a declaration of the man that he forgives the sin; but the declaration, that, if the conditions of pardon have been complied with, God himself forgives it. It is a declaration that would be truth, if made by any one, whether a minister or not. But when pronounced by the ministerial representative of the supreme power, it becomes an authoritative truth. In one case, it is a truth of God's word, repeated by one of his creatures; in the other, it is God's word, pronounced in God's name, by his command, by the ministerial representative of Christ himself; and is thus invested with a degree of authority that it would not otherwise have. To the ministry of reconciliation has been committed the word of reconciliation, so that the ambassadors of Christ are teachers as well as governors; are to preach, as well as to administer the sacra ments. They are to instruct men how they may be reconciled, and to exhort them to be reconciled as well as to offer reconciliation. And as Christ came to do the will of the Father, and to declare the words which he had received from him; so the ministry which acts in his name, and by his authority, is to do the same will, and declare the same words. And while the ministry teach no other words but his, they teach infallible truth. The church, therefore, has made the largest share of the ministers teaching to consist in the public reading of the Scriptures, which is a proclamation of the gospel, in the words of the gospel; and the declararation of God's will in the language of his word. Consequently, the sermon of the minister forms but a small share of his public teaching and preaching. But though this is quite sufficient for the communication of all truth, such is the weakness and wickedness of man, that other safeguards seem to be necessary to prevent mistake and error. And these are found in those summaries of doctrine contained in the creeds, which, as has already been shown, are but the concen This declaration of the minister stands related to the forgiveness of the master, as the outward calling in baptism to the spiritual renewal signified by it. It is declaring that in Christ's name, which he declared in person while here on earth. And as his act of forgiveness then was one thing, and his declaration of the act another; as the forgiveness always preceded the declaration, so it is now. He forgives, his ministers declare his forgive-tration of the sense of Scripture; and also ness; not in their own names, or by their own authority, but in the name, and by the authority of an invisible, but ever present king, whose organs they are. 4. The Ministry of reconciliation. The power of absolution involves reconciliation, and presupposes the means of reconciliation. Hence the ministry to which the power of absolution has been committed, must be a ministry of reconciliation; and the office must be that of reconciling sinners to God. Hence it is said that God, who both reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, hath committed the ministry, or office of reconciliation, to the personal representatives of him by whom we are thus reconciled; so that now, they of those Catechisms and Articles that are formed in explanation and limitation of them. And to these every teacher and preacher is required to conform, since they are infallible truth, being proved by most certain warrant of Scripture; being the sense of Holy Writ as apprehended and settled by the church in the first and purest ages. 5. The ministry of the priesthood. If the view taken of the ministry by the church be the true one, if it be a representative ministry, if Christ be the pattern and example of his ministers, as well as of his people, they must represent him to the world, in all those acts which admit of a true representative character. Now the three great features of our Lord's personal ministry were those of Prophet, Priest, and King. As a prophet, he is the great teacher of all, and those who are sent in his name to teach and to preach, are the representatives of that prophetical office, by which he now teaches and instructs his people. As a king, he calls men to himself, in order that they may have communion with himself, pardons their offences, adopts them into the number of his children, rules and governs them when so called and adopted; and those who are appointed to be his ministerial representatives, must represent his kingly authority in all these particulars, so long as he continues to exercise them. As a priest, he has offered himself, once for all, a full, complete, and perfect sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world; and since his ascension makes continual intercession for us. Now, as there is but one sacrifice, once offered, there can be no other sacrifice, nor any repetition of that one, so that there can never be but one priest in this sense of the word. But though the sacrifice itself cannot be repeated, the benefits flowing out therefrom need to be continually applied to those for whom it was offered. And Christ has so ordered his church, that one of the chiefest means by which these shall be applied to his children, is the commemoration of that sacrifice. And that eucharist by which this sacrifice is commemorated, is a commemorative sacrifice; and those who offer it, minister in things pertaining to the priesthood. But that act of our great high priest which admits of the truest representative character, is that of continual intercessor. Hence that ministry which is a ministry of intercession, that spiritual high priest who is ever present in his church, offering intercessions for all its members, has seen fit to appoint ministerial representatives to represent him in that character to the people, by receiving and offering their prayers and offerings to God. In this sense there is a ministry of the priesthood, and those who fill the office are a representative priesthood, as under the former they are a commemorative priesthood. The ministry of the church, therefore, is the representative of our ascended Lord, in all the acts and offices which he himself performs towards his church. By it, men are called to him, that they may have communion with him. By it, they are so joined to his body, that they may have communion in his life. By it, his word and will are made known, and his promises confirmed to his children. By it, he himself is represented in his threefold office of prophet, priest, and king. X. ORDERS OF THE MINISTRY. It is the teaching of the church, that from the Apostles' times there have been these Orders of ministers in Christ's church, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons; which Orders she holds to be of divine origin and appointment, and to have been ever held in such reverend estimation, that no man might presume to execute any of them, unless he had been first called, tried, examined and known to have such qualities as are requisite to the same, and also to have been admitted thereto by prayer and the imposition of hands of those having lawful authority to do it. The type of this ministry the Church sees in the threefold orders of the Jewish priesthood, and in that threefold ministry which the Saviour established during his personal administration upon earth. And as before him, there were the high priest, the priests, and the Levites; and as in his day, there were himself, the Apostles, and the seventy; so since his ascension into heaven, there are bishops, priests or presbyters, and deacons. And as the high priesthood was one, and as his own headship was one; so now, the Episcopate is one. 1. Bishops. But as the borders of the Christian church, were to be much more extensive than those of the Jewish, and as the proper oversight and government of the whole could not be performed by one man, and for numerous other reasons, the members of the Episcopate were increased, without multiplying or dividing the office. The master appointed as many individuals to succeed in his office as overseer and governor of the church, as there were tribes in Israel, and these have uniformily appointed bishops for every nation, people, and tribe of man, that has embraced the Gospel. But the office, by whomsoever 3. Deacons. The deacon has part of the ministerial office; but, properly speaking, no share in the priesthood. He exercises no act of concurrence in the ordination of other deacons, and is never per held, or wheresoever placed, is the same; and no bishop has or can have any authority over other bishops, except such as is derived from canonical regulation, and no precedency, or primacy which does not depend solely upon human arrangement.mitted to consecrate the elements of the Each bishop becomes, by virtue of his ordination, a bishop of the church catholic, and though limited by canon and custom in the exercise of his office, to certain local limits called his diocese, would, upon the demise of all other bishops, become at once, bishop of the whole catholic church. Consequently, no bishop is subject, or responsible to any other bishop; though every bishop is responsible to those holding the same office, inasmuch as the parts of a body must always be responsible to the whole. To this Order alone, belongs the ministry in its completeness; only portions of it being shared with the inferior orders. To this Order and office belong the exclusive right; (1) of conferring Episcopal, or Apostolic authority upon others, by ordination or consecration; (2) ordaining presbyters and deacons ; (3) of confirming those who have been baptized, by prayer and laying on hands, thereby publicly receiving them to the communion of the church; (4) of ruling over presbyters and deacons; (5) of administering the discipline of the church; (6) to preside in all councils of the church, and declare the judgment of the same. 2. Priests or Presbyters. The second Order of the ministry exercises a portion of the priesthood, in common with the bishops. The powers and duties, held in common with, and to be exercised under the direction of the bishop, are: (1) to teach and instruct the people, by reading and expounding the Scriptures; (2) to rule in particular congregations and administer discipline therein; (3) to feed the members thereof with the spiritual food and nourishment afforded by the Holy Eucharist; (4) to watch over and direct the conduct of those over whom they are placed; and (5) to give their concurrence to the ordination of presbyters by laying on hands with the bishop; so that the ordination shall be by the laying on of the bishop's hands, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Eucharist, though he may assist in their distribution; and is not permitted to pronounce the declaration of absolution. His duties, held in common with bishops and presbyters, and to be performed under the direction of the bishop and his presbyters, are: (1) to receive and distribute the alms of the church; (2) to baptize, which is a ministerial, and not a priestly act; (3) to preach, when specially licensed therefor; (4) to assist their superiors in administering the discipline of the church; and (5) to sit in councils at the formation of rules and canons for the government and regulation of the church. The theory and teaching of the church, suppose that there will be a presbyter and one or more deacons in every congregation. But the circumstances of the church in this age and country, will not permit her to realize this feature of her polity in action. Hence, the deacon is necessarily deprived of the experience and instruction which the church desires him to receive from his association with one older and more experienced in things of this nature. And hence, too, the deacons are necessarily advanced to the priesthood in less time than the church desires; sometimes to the injury of the individual, or the disadvantage of the church. Before a person can be admitted as a candidate for holy orders in the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the United States, he must have acquired a certain amount of literary qualification, have received the testimonial of one Presbyter, and a competent number of laymen, that for a given number of years preceding, he has lived honestly, piously, and soberly, and has not to their knowledge or belief, held or taught any doctrines contrary to God's word, as received and believed in that church. He must then be approved by the Standing Committee or Bishop's Council, and be received by the Bishop, when he will have a probation of three years to pass through, in which he is required to pursue a given course of theological studies, and to be examined at least four times, by two or more Presbyters appointed by the Bishop for that purpose, to whom also he is required to exhibit a specified number of Sermons. Having passed through all these preliminaries to the satisfaction of the examiners, and having procured a testimonial similar to the one above described, and having undergone another examination by other Presbyters in the presence of the Bishop, he is presented to the Bishop by some Presbyter for Ordination. The Bishop now warns the Presenter to take heed, that those presented be apt and meet for their learning and godly conversation, to exercise the ministry to the honor of God, and the edifying of his church. He then makes proclamation, that if any one knows just cause why the candidate should not be admitted to the Holy Order of Deacons, he should then make it known. If no objections are made, he then proceeds to the Ordination. There are, however, certain dispensations which may be made by the Bishop, in the secular learning of certain candidates otherwise well qualified for the sacred office, and certain other dispensations which may be made in the time of those candidates, who have full literary qualifications, or have been ministers in other denominations of Christians. A Deacon who has satisfactorily exercised his office for one year or more, who has received a call to the Rectorship of some Parish, or to the performance of other appropriate clerical duty, under the ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese, and has received testimonials similar to those already described, may be admitted to the Priesthood. And no person can be ordained to either office, until he declares in writing, his belief that Holy Scripture contains all things necessary to salvation, and promises conformity to the doctrines and worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church. Before a person can be consecrated a Bishop in this church, he must have arrived at the age of thirty, and except in case of Missionary Bishops, must have been elected by a majority of the Clergy and Laity of the Diocese where he is to officiate, voting separately, by orders; and have received from the body electing him, testimonials declaring that they believe him to be of sufficient learning, of sound faith, of virtuous and pure manners, of godly conversation, not justly liable to evil report, either for error in religion or viciousness of life, apt and meet to exercise the office to the honor of God, and the edifying of his church, and that he will be a wholesome example to the flock of Christ. He must also have a similar testimonial from a majority of the Clergy and Laity, composing the House of Delegates in General Convention, or from the Standing Committees of a major part of the Dioceses in the union; and finally be ordained by at least three Bishops, XI. THE LAITY. The church does not make the same rigid exactions of the Laity, as of the Clergy. She receives those to her communion who are unlearned, as well as the learned,—those weak in the faith, as well as the sound-but she receives them not to doubtful disputation. Before, however, any one can be admitted into the church by Baptism, he must by himself or his sponsors, profess his belief of all the articles contained in the Apostle's creed,must renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, promising by God's help, not to follow or be led by them; but to keep his holy will and commandments, and to walk in the same, all the days of their life. Before he can be received to the communion, he must renew his Baptismal vow and have been admitted thereto, in the rite of Confirmation, or be desirous of doing so, and must give satisfactory evidence that he is in love and charity with his neighbors, and intends to lead a new life, following all the commands of God. The powers and duties of the Laity are held to be 1st. To assemble themselves upon Sundays and other set days for public worship, religious instruction, and celebration of the Eucharist. 2d. When so assembled, all are expected to take part in the service, according to the form or order prescribed by the church. 3d. To contribute for the support of the public services of the church. 4th. And for the |