Spalding: The Church and Its Apostolic Ministry:

THE CHURCH AND ITS APOSTOLIC MINISTRY............................................. 3

INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................... 4

LECTURE I: THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH.............................................. 12

1. Church Is One.............................................................................................. 18

2. Church Is Holy.............................................................................................. 19

3. Church is Catholic....................................................................................... 19

4. Church Is Apostolic..................................................................................... 23

End Notes........................................................................................................ 24

LECTURE II: THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH........................................ 25

1. The Power of the Keys............................................................................... 31

2. Power to Decree Rites............................................................................... 33

3. Authority of the Church............................................................................... 34

End Notes........................................................................................................ 38

LECTURE III: THE MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH........................................... 39

1. The Fact of the Ministry.............................................................................. 39

2. The Authority of the Ministry Immediately from Christ............................. 44

3. Different Offices in the Ministry.................................................................. 48

End Notes........................................................................................................ 53

LECTURE IV: EPlSCOPACY PROVED FROM ITS GENERAL PREVALENCE 54

End Notes........................................................................................................ 72

LECTURE V: EPISCOPACY PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE...................... 75

End Notes........................................................................................................ 93

LECTURE VI: APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION............................................... 95

End Notes...................................................................................................... 115

LECTURE VII: PRACTICAL ADVANTAGES OF EPISCOPACY.............. 116

I. Church Strong in the Assurance of Grace............................................... 124

II. Church Strong in Apostolic Ministry........................................................ 125

1. Strong Government.............................................................................. 125

2. No Retrogrression................................................................................ 126

3. Strong in the Exercise of Discipline................................................... 127

4. Strong in the Repression of Heresy.................................................... 127

5. Strong in Preserving the Truth............................................................. 127

6. Strong against Rome........................................................................... 129

7. Strong as Christ’s Own Church........................................................... 130

III. Church Strong in Its Unchanging Essence............................................. 131

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