THE PRIVILEGES OF AN APOSTLE INCOMMUNICABLE. 101 St Paul, " an apostle? have I not seen the Lord?" 1 Cor. ix, 1, xv. 8; according to that of Ananias, " The God of our fathers bath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth; for thou shalt bear witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard," Acts xxii. 14, 15. It was needful, also, that anapostle should beendowed with mira- culous gifts and graces, enabling him both to assure his authority and to execute his office: wherefore St Paul calls these the "marks ofan apostle ;" the "which were wrought by him among the Corinthians in all patience" (or perseveringly), " in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds, ". 2 Cor. xii. 12; Rom. xv. 18, 19. It was also, in St Chrysostom's opinion, proper to an apostle that he should be able, according to his discretion, in a certain and con- spicuous manner, to impart spiritual gifts, as St Peter and St John did at Samaria; which to do, according to that father, " was the peculiar gift and privilege of the apostles."' It was also a privilege of an apostle, by virtue of his commission from Christ, " to instruct all nations" in the doctrine and law of Christ; he had right and warrant to exercise his functions every- where; " his charge was universal and indefinite; the whole world was his province;"2 he was not affixed to any one place, nor could be ex- cluded from any; he was, as St Cyril calls him, " an oecumenical judge," and" an instructor of all the sub celestial [sublunary] world.' Apostles also governed in an absolute manner, according to dis- cretion, as being guided by infallible assistance; to the which they might uponoccasion appeal and affirm: " It bath seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and us," Acts xv. 28. Whence their writings have passed for inspired, and therefore canonical, or certain rules of faith and practice. It belonged to them to found churches, to constitute pastors, to settle orders, [order ?] to correct offences, to perform all such acts of sovereign spiritual power, in virtue of the same divine assistance, " according to the authority which the Lord had given them for edi- fication," as we see practised by St Paul. In fine, the " apostleship was," as St Chrysostom tells us, "a busi- ness fraught with ten thousand good things; both greater than all privileges of grace and comprehensive of them. "4 ' Torn-, yáy aó b;povaóvar a;v Óm'$aza aoûa, yáp nîv a;v tiaooaí).av éaipaaov.Chrys. in Act. viii. 18. De solis apostolis legitur, quorum vicem tenent episcopi, quod per manus impositionem Spiritism S. dabant. P. Eugenius IV., in Instit. Arm. "It is re- corded ofthe apostles alone, in whose room the bishops succeed, that they give the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands." 2 'Esrs,D ï¡,a).Xov nit ola,v,,í,nc Thy imrpasrmv ivriNcerAaa. C1arys. in Jolt. xxi. s Kpaaai aizou(,avaxoi, xai aña i. ' ,aia zaAnynaai.Cyril., yxarQ. in Gen. vii. 4 Tqo ctaoavaxñv, rpaypee popiav áyaA;v 'íun, a;v xaproe.áaav áxávaav xai 1467Cov, zai vra>aazraxóv.Chrys. in Rom, i. Or. 1, tom. viii. p. 114
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