CHAPTER III.

TRANSMISSION OF SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY FROM THE PERSON OF OUR LORD TO PETER AND THE APOSTLES, AS SET FORTH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

The Church a kingdom subsisting from age to age by its own force, but its original records to be considered, 131 Institution of the Priesthood; St. Paul's and St. Luke's testimony, 132 St. Matthew, St. Mark, and St. John, 133 Transmission of Spiritual Power as recorded by St. Matthew, 136 The same according to St. Mark, 138 The same according to St. Luke in his Gospel, 139 And in the Acts, 139 His record of a peculiar promise made to Peter, 141 Conversation which forms his main addition to the narrative, 141 Contrast between Gentile and Christian rule, 143 The kingdom disposed to the Apostles, 144 The confirmation of the brethren, 145 The time of the confirming marked out, 146 St. Luke distinguishes Peter as markedly as St. Matthew and St. John, 148 Testimony of St. John as to the promises made to the Apostles, 149 And as to the universal pastorship bestowed on St. Peter, 152 Two classes of passages, 153 Comparison of the two, 154 And of the testimony of the four Evangelists, 156 Caution that what is recorded is not all that passed, 157 Perfect instruction of the Apostles in the forty days, 158 The powers comprising the Apostolate, 159 The powers bestowed on Peter, 160 Testimony of St. Paul; conception of the Church as the Body of Christ, 161 Of the one ministry by which the Body is compacted together, 162 Of mission from this Body as necessary to every herald of the gospel, 164 Of the grace given by ordination, 165 Mow the unity set forth by St. Paul bears witness to the Primacy of St. Peter, 166 Of the inseparable bond of unity, truth, and government in St. Paul's mind, 167 Six names by which he designates the principle of his own authority, 168 The great vision of our Lord and His Church in the Apocalypse in accordance with St. Paul and the Evangelists, 171 Four qualities of Spiritual Power in this Scriptural testimony, 175 1. The coming from above, 175 2. Its completeness, 176 3. Its unity, 179 4. Its independence, 181 How the idea of perpetuity pervades all these qualities, 182