whom God has so raised up have, with few exceptions, been already in possession of an ordinary vocation. These adversaries have, at all events, nothing to object against or reprove in the Anglican Church; for it is able to assert in its defence an ordinary vocation, as can also many Churches in Germany. When impiety has seized on a whole Church, there is no need of an extraordinary vocation in order to its removal: Churches may be reformed by others who possess an ordinary civil authority in the State. We read of many reformations in the kingdom of Judah, which were effected without the creation of an extraordinary civil magistrate or new priesthood. The same priests who had been defiled with gross idolatry, purified at once themselves the temple and the people from all idolatry and impiety. If in these days the Bishops of the Gallican Churches would vindicate themselves and their Churches from the tyranny of the Roman Bishop, and cleanse them from all idolatry and superstition, they would need no other

vocation for so doing than that they have already. The same I assert concerning all Churches, in every part of the world, which the craft of Satan has, in course of time, entangled in divers errors. their aid men from our

If they call in to Church, and are

pleased to use their advice, they may do so: but otherwise we can arrogate to ourselves no authority over them and their Churches; we may only rejoice in their conversion, congratulate them on it, and offer them the right hand of fellowship.

CHAP. III.

CONCERNING THE TWELVE APOSTLES.

THE Lord selected for the first preachers of the Gospel twelve men, with whom he was pleased to live on familiar terms, and make them privy to his designs and proceedings, according to circumstances, in order that they might afterwards be more competent witnesses of all that they had seen and heard. Their province was at first confined to Judæa itself, for they were forbidden to go to the Samaritans and Gentiles. To their office of preaching the Gospel, the Lord joined the power of baptizing and working miracles. So long however as the ceremonials of the Jewish law existed, and the power of the Aaronic Priesthood remained unrepealed,

they formed no separate Churches, but maintained communion with the rest of their nation in every thing pertaining to the worship of God. What the office of the Apostles was, may easily be learnt from the commands our Saviour gave them after his resurrection, and his promise of the Paraclete recorded by St. John. The words of our Saviour to his disciples are related in the last chapter of St. Matthew, thus; "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach 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"." Here we have the summary of the Apostolie office. First, their mission immediately from God to all nations without prescription of limits: secondly, the promulgation of the doctrine which they had received from God: thirdly, the administration of Sacraments: lastly, the a St. Matt. xxviii. 18, 19, 20.

promise of the Divine assistance, which, although, as regards the Church universal, extended to the consummation of all things, is to be understood, as regards the Apostles, of the peculiar promise which he made to them shortly before his passion. In St. John xiv. and xvi. the gift of the Holy Ghost is promised for the perfect performance of the Apostolic office, Who should so direct their minds, tongues, and speech, that they should deliver, not their own doctrine, but Christ's. Although the office of preaching was committed to many in conjunction with the power of working miracles, it remained the peculiar characteristic of the Apostles that their teaching should be the canon and rule whereby the teaching of all others should be tested, and that they alone, in this infant state of the Church, should confer the Holy Ghost visibly by imposition of hands". As Moses had God for the author of the Law, so was it fitting that the Apostles should have God for the Author of the Gospel, in order that the b Acts viii. 17.