THE POWER OF THE KEYS.
APPENDIX A.
The Provost of T. C. D. has lately written a book, “The Power of the Keys.” By this term is meant the power of government of the Church, the divine jurisdiction over the Church and in the Church—deriving the authority from our Lord’s words, Matt, xviii. 18; John, xx. 23. And though others take a different view of these passages, there can be no question of the fact on which the Provost dwells—that divine gifts of government reigned in the Church at the first, as it is said, “God hath set some in the Church; first Apostles, secondarily Prophets, &c., Helps, Governments, diversities of tongues” (1 Cor. xii. 28), and these, like other gifts, were exercised “according to the measure of faith” (Rom. xii.). For instance, we find an Apostle wielding the power of life and death (Acts, v. 5); others brought the judgment (κριμα) of death, etc., on themselves (1 Cor. xi. 30). St. Paul “had in readiness to revenge all disobedience,” “use sharpness, and not spare” (2 Cor. x. 6; xii. 2-10); and sundry were delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, and that they might be disciplined (paideuthosi) not to blaspheme (1 Cor. v.; 1 Tim. i. 20). So when admonition and love did not produce penitence, and revolt continued, other powers were held in reserve in the Church. However, these gifts of government soon ceased to be used “according to the measure of faith;” failure set in amongst those to whom they were committed, and they soon retired along with the tongues with which they are associated (1 Cor. xii. 28).
The failure in the Episcopate is distinctly foretold and dwelt upon by St. Paul in presence of the Elders or Bishops of Ephesus (Acts, xx. 29, 30), and things had gone so far down before St. Peter left the scene that he writes, “The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God” (1 Pet. iv. 17). In other words, for “the power of the Keys” to be used against the Church itself. And so marked is this afterwards, that we find our Lord taking the jurisdiction and walking (Peripaton) up and down in the midst of the Churches, in the attitude of judicial activity, taking all discipline into His own hands (Rev. ii. and iii.). Such at least are the facts we get in Scripture, and they are of the last importance. After this, Scripture closes on the Church as a collec-
