22 EPHESIANS,

of missionaries, men sent by the church to preach the Gospel.—In this sense Paul and Barnabas are called apostles, Acts 14, 4.14; and probably Andronicus and Junias, Rom. 16, 7. 8. In the sense of plenipotentia- ries of Christ; men whom he personally selected and sent forth invested with full authority to teach and rule in his name. In this sense it is always used when “the apostles,” ‘“ the twelve,” or “the apostles of the Lord,” are spoken of as a well-known, definite class. They were appointed as witnesses of Christ’s miracles, doctrines, resurrection ; and therefore it was necessary that they should not only have seen him after his resur- rection, but that their knowledge of the Gospel should be immediately from Christ, John 15, 26. Acts 1, 22. 2, 382. 3, 15. 18, 388: 26,46. 1 Cor 01.) Gak dgge. They were not confined to any one field but had a general jurisdiction over the churches, as is manifest from their epistles.—To qualify them for this office of authoritatively teaching, organizing, and governing the church, they were rendered infallible by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and their divine mission was con- firmed by miraculous powers.—Their authority there- fore rested first on their commission, and secondly on their inspiration. Hence it is evident that none can have the authority of an apostle who has not apostolic gifts. In this respect Romanists are consistent, for they claim infallibility for those whom they regard as the official successors of the apostles. They are, how- ever, inconsistent with their own theory, and at vari- ance with the Scripture, in making this infallibility the