the reception of which no society of converts appear to have been regarded as a Church. 2. It seems to be quite clear, that, on the formation of every new society of Christians, it was the the constant practice to confer on some, at least, of the first converted among them, the gift of the Holy Ghost. Immediately on Philip's success in Samaria becoming known at Jerusalem, St. Peter and St. John were sent thither to complete the work by conferring this gift'. In the same way, as soon as it was known that there were converts at Antioch, St. Barnabas was despatched to visit them, and took with him St. Paul; and though no mention is here made of conferring the Holy Ghost, yet this was probably an object of their journey2. That, till the reception of this gift, the formation of a Church was not effected, seems evident from the manner in which St. Paul, on his first arrival at Ephesus, inquired of certain converts whom he found there, "whether they had received the Holy Ghost since they believed?" where the very manner of putting the question implies, that this was necessary to complete the work which had been begun among them. It appears, too, that the ordinary manner of receiving this gift, was through 1 [If our Church, in the Gospel for Whit Tuesday, has a view, as is probable, to the Ember Week, she confirms this interpretation.] 2 [If St. Barnabas and St. Paul were not consecrated till Acts xiii. they can hardly be supposed to have conferred the Holy Ghost in Acts xi.] prayer [and] the laying on of an Apostle's hands : certainly it could not be received from any other human source; otherwise so great a Saint as Philip, and one endowed with such highly miraculous powers, would not have been unable to confer it: but that it was sometimes given by special interposition immediately from God, the case of Cornelius and his household puts out of question; and perhaps in the case of the Samaritans, the expression "for as yet He was fallen upon none of them," may imply that such interpositions were not extremely rare. From the case of Cornelius, however, we are not entitled to draw any such inference, as the reason for making it an exception is evident, and as evidently unique. What was the exact nature of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and what the powers it conveyed, must in some degree remain a subject of conjecture. That they were in part visible, consisting in prophecy, the gift of tongues, &c. is certain; but whether these were the whole of what was given, or, as in the case of the Apostles, only accompaniments of other invisible powers, does not appear. Another fact, of which there can be little doubt, with regard to the formation of new Churches, is, that they were incomplete until persons had been appointed over them with some sort of spiritual authority. These persons are in different places variously styled "Elders," (#peσßúτepoι,)1“ Governors," (evo,) "Chiefs," (poïoráμevo,)3 " Overseers,' 66 66 Acts xiv. 2. 3. xx. 17. 2 Heb. xiii. 7, 17. 3 1 Thess. v. 12. (TiOкOTOL;) also "Prophets" and "Teachers." The offices assigned to them are διακονεῖν and λειτουργεῖν, that is, to act as inferior and superior Priests"; also to baptize"," "to labours," "to admonish"," "to feed the flock of God10," "to watch for souls as they that must give account";" and the people in their turn are required "to submit themselves," "to obey," "to esteem them very highly in love," "to receive them in the Lord with all gladness." The greatness of the powers given is perhaps no where more strongly implied than in the passage where they are warned by St. Peter, not kaтakvpievei Tŵv кλýрw "to lord it over God's heritage;" in which it is plainly implied, that they had the ability to do what they were cautioned against doing. It appears farther, that the conveyance of these powers was ordinarily effected by the presence of an Apos 1 Acts xx. 28. 2 Acts xiii. 1. 4 1 Tim. iii. 10, 13. 1 Cor. xii. 28. 3 ibid. 6 The use of the word Priest, as denoting a Christian Minister, has been often cavilled at. It has been pointedly observed, that the office of the Priest was to pray for the people, that of the Minister to pray with them; that the Priest is ordained for men"in things pertaining to God," the Minister "for God in things pertaining to men." [Outram de Sacrificiis, i. 19, 4.] Now, without going into a full discussion of this subject, which has been most satisfactorily done by Bishop Hickes, it may be sufficient to refer the admirers of the above sayings to Col. i. 7. where they will find these words, "Epaphras, our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ," vπèp ὑμῶν διάκονος τοῦ χριστοῦ. 7 Acts viii. 12. V. 8 1 Thess. 12. • ibid. 10 1 Pet. v. 2. tle: thus, on St. Paul's first journey through Asia Minor, we find him retracing his steps city by city, for the purpose of ordaining Elders in each. It also appears, that the manner of conveying them was precisely the same as that of conveying the gift of the Holy Ghost, the imposition of hands, and prayer; for the expression, χειροτονήσαντες αὐτοῖς πρεσβυτέρες, προσευξάμενοι μετὰ νηστειῶν͵ παρέθεντο αὐτοὺς τῷ κυρίῳ, can hardly be thought to imply less ; χειροτονεῖν cannot in this place be understood in its common meaning, "to elect by a show of hands," the choice of the word is hardly natural, unless some other application of hands is implied in it; and what this expression renders probable, becomes next to certain on comparing it with 1 Tim. v. 221. where lay hands suddenly on no man," is evidently equivalent to "be cautious in the selection of Presbyters." 66 Now, with regard to the powers of Presbyters, and the powers conveyed by the gift of the Holy Ghost, a question occurs, whether they are the same or different; perhaps the following considerations may lead us to identify them. It has been already seen that both were imparted in the same way, and both necessary to the existence of a Church. Farther, it is quite clear, that, as each Church increased, and those who had 1 [The meaning of this text is not perhaps so evident as the Author considered. It might include confirmation, restoration of penitents, &c. Chrysostom and Theodoret, however, explain it distinctly of Ordination.] received the Holy Ghost became, as they necessarily must in the absence of an Apostle, only a few among many, they would be entitled, as a matter of course, to certain pre-eminence, such as is implied in the words Governors, Chiefs, Overseers, &c.; and, as being older converts than the rest, to the title, Elders. This would be the case, even supposing that when the Apostles are said to have given the Holy Ghost to a Church, it is meant to include all who were converted at that time. But, in the first place, there seems no need for supposing this;' (since a gift may very naturally be said to be conferred upon a society, when it is given to some members of that society for the benefit of the rest). And, secondly, there is at least some reason for supposing the contrary; at least it appears that those on whom St. Paul conferred the Holy Ghost at Ephesus, were only twelve in number, and there were no women among them (Acts xix. 8.) neither were there, as it would seem, any women among the spiritually gifted persons at Corinth. (1 Cor. xiv. 34.) Now if, as is thus suggested, the number to whom spiritual gifts were confined, was limited 1 [It will not follow, even though but a few were gifted with miraculous gifts, that therefore a few only were confirmed (as we now express it) by the laying on of the Apostles' hands. The visible effects of the presence of the Holy Ghost would take place, according to His good pleasure; that such did not in matter of fact take place in all, no one perhaps will deny. Laying on of hands was customary in the early Church for a great variety of purposes.] |