in this case, we shall find upon enquiry, to be confirmed by the history of facts.

We read that John the Baptist had many disciples, but Jesus made and baptised more disciples than John, "and of them he chose twelve, whom he named apostles, and sent them to preach the kingdom of God." (Luke vi. 13.) After these, the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face, into every city and place, whither he himself would come, Luke x. 1.

Thus it appears, from the holy scriptures, that during our Lord's residence on earth, there were three orders of ministers in the church. First, Christ himself, the shepherd and bishop of souls, "called of God an high priest, after the order of Melchisedec." Then the twelve

* Upon this passage, (Heb. v. 10.) Jortin remarks, -What Melchisedec was figuratively, Christ was really. Melchisedec had neither beginning of days nor end of life, nothing being recorded in scripture with regard to his birth or death; consequently, the Son of God had

apostles, and after them the seventy disciples, who are so distinguished from one another, as to imply a distinction in their office. They are mentioned apart by different names, and sent forth at different times. In this establishment of three orders in his church, our Saviour adhered as near as possible, to the form in use among the Jews; Christ himself being head or bishop; the twelve apostles answering to the priests, or second order, and the seventy disciples as deacons, answering to the Levites.*

in reality, neither beginning of days, nor end of life; his existence being coeval and eternally connected wit h that of the Father.

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It is evident, from the New Testament, that previous to his crucifixion our Lord executed the whole episcopal authority in his own person, and gave no power to any, to ordain, or send, or commission others, till after his resurrection. During all that period, the apostles were in the situation of Presbyters only and although superior to the seventy, and possessing authority to preach and baptize, yet they had no power to commission or send others to perform the same functions. Of this Christ informs them at the time of his sending them forth, "the harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few, pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into

For the Jewish and Christian Church, are to be considered, not so much different establishments, as two editions, if we may be allowed the expression, of the same church of God, the former, constituting, as it were, the grand plan, upon which the latter has been built. It is however to be observed, that when our Saviour settled thisœconomy in his church, he had confined it to the Jewish nation, for when he sent his disciples forth to preach, he charged them, saying, go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into the city of the Samaritans enter ye not, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, (Matt. x. 5.) and being raised up by God, to be a prophet like unto Moses, (Deut. xviii. 15. Acts vii. 37.) He thought proper, while he saw it expedient, to confine his church to Judea, to

his harvest." Now these words being spoken, both to the twelve and the seventy, at the time they received the commission to preach, was a clear intimation to them, that if they found more assistance necessary, they should not take upon themselves to commission others, but desire Him, who was the Lord of the harvest, to send a further supply of labourers-a plain argument that whosoever has only authority to minister the word and sacraments, has not, therefore, the power to ordain others to that sacred office.

adhere strictly to the Mosaic economy, in the government of it; and therefore as Moses had under him twelve princes, heads of the tribes, and seventy elders, (Numb. xiv. 11.) (to whom God imparted a share of Moses' spirit, that they might assist in ruling the people under him,) so Christ also chose twelve apostles, and seventy disciples.

When our Saviour, after his resurrection, proceeded to the regular and permanent establishment of his church upon earth, he appointed the eleven principal disciples, or apostles, as they are called, by way of distinction, to meet him in a mountain in Galilee, for the purpose of delivering his commission, and directions to them on that subject. Then the eleven disciples, (we find) went away into Galilee, into a mountain, where Jesus had appointed them, and Jesus came, and spake unto them saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth, go ye therefore and teach (or make disciples in) 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, not only for personal support, but (as the cloud of glory went before the Israelites every where preparing their way) to give success, to your labours, even unto the end of the world. Matt. xxviii. 18.

It is worthy of notice, that our Saviour's disciples at this time, exceeded the number of five hundred,-after his resurrection, St. Paul tells us, "that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once." But our Saviour did not deliver the commission for administering the sacraments of his church, to his disciples at large, but only to his eleven apostles; and to them not by accident, but, it seems, by express design, and in consequence of a particular appointment, to meet him for that purpose.

Now the granting a commission, manifestly implies, that none but those included in it, or their legal successors, have authority to act in that business, for which the commission had been granted - was it otherwise, the commission would be a useless form. Christ, therefore, by making choice only of