principle is then examined in the light of the Gospels (chap. IV), of the apostolic documents (chap. V), and of the links of evidence which connect the apostolic age with the continuous history (chap. VI). After this nothing remains but to draw conclusions and make applications (chap. VII). This order treats the question-What has the Church in fact believed about her ministry? as a preliminary to the investigation of her title-deeds, and it was hardly possible for the present writer to treat the question in any other order. Whether or no Mr. Darwin is right in maintaining 'that the only object in writing a book is a proof of earnestness, and that you do not form your opinions without undergoing labour' (Life and Letters, i. p. 334), it is, at any rate, true that a book had better represent that process of 'labour' by which its writer's opinions have in fact been formed. The purpose of this book not being primarily or simply archæological, it has been possible to leave out of discussion a good many elements in the history of the ministry which do not, or so far as they do not, affect the principle. It has been necessary to deal largely in quotations from ancient authors, but it has been possible to omit almost all that bears, e.g. upon the growth of the metropolitan and patriarchal systems, the relations of the later episcopate to secular society, and the history of ecclesiastical discipline or canon law in detail. PUSEY HOUSE, St Peter's Day, 1888. CONTENTS. (1) The genuineness of New Testament documents (2) The truth of the Incarnation Preliminary inquiry: Did Christ found a visible Church? The reasonableness of the idea in itself (1) Witness of the early Christian belief in a visible Church (unanimous in spite of differences in point of view) in the West-Tertullian, Cyprian, Irenaeus, (holding 'nulla salus extra ecclesiam' together with belief in God's wider dealings), the Roman Church. in the East-Ignatius, Alexandrian writers (a) Christian writers show no trace of such influence (relation of the Church to the kingdom of God') wwww www. (b) The Acts (c) St. Paul's Epistles This doctrine is not inconsistent with the doctrines of faith and 47 Two misconceptions as to the origin of the visible Church- (1) That it arose out of a previous condition of individualism (2) That it was due to Roman influence: difference between the Roman and Catholic conceptions of church unity Notes on The idea of an invisible Church PAGE 47 51 The principle of Apostolic Succession expounded It corresponds to the Incarnation, Sacraments, etc. (a) a bond of union for a universal spiritual society (6) emphasizing men's dependence on God's gifts (c) satisfying the moral needs of those who minister Answers to objections that— (1) 'It is sacerdotal': true and false sacerdotalism (3) It is opposed to liberty': but liberty is opposed to (4) It cannot be true in fact': this objection not tenable Sacramental teaching of the early Fathers 71 CH. III. THE WITNESS OF CHURCH HISTORY. Church history bears witness to certain fixed principles- 1. The principle of apostolic succession through the epis- PAGE A. Further evidence for the East- The episcopal successions— in Palestine, Syria, Asia, Greece, Macedonia the supposed exceptional constitution of the (a) very doubtful in fact (b) not opposed to the principle of succession 2. Ordination was regarded sacramentally . and conferred by laying-on of hands. 3. It was believed to impose an indelible character' 4. The conception of the ministry from the first involved 5. The ministry possessed exclusive powers, e.g. only a Tertullian's statement to the contrary due to Montanism-its characteristics |