called the Church, and to it He transferred that most glorious and
divine office, which He had received from His Father, to be perpetuated
forever. "_As the Father hath sent Me, even so I send you._" (John xx.
21.) "_Behold I am with you all days even to the consummation of the
world._" (Matt. xxviii. 20.) Therefore as Jesus Christ came into the
world, "_that men might have life and have it more abundantly_" (John x.
10), so also the Church has for its aim and end the eternal salvation of
souls; and for this cause it is so constituted as to embrace the whole
human race without any limit or circumscription either of time or place.
"_Preach ye the Gospel to every creature._" (Mark xvi. 15.) Over this
immense multitude of men God Himself has set rulers with power to
govern them; and He has willed that one should be head of them all, and
the chief and unerring teacher of truth, and to him He has given the
keys of the kingdom of heaven. "_To thee will I give the keys of the
kingdom of heaven._" (Matt. xvi. 19.) "_Feed My lambs, feed My sheep._"
(John xxi. 16, 17.) "_I have prayed for thee that thy faith may not
fail._" (Luke xxii. 32.) This society, though it be composed of men just
as civil society is, yet because of the end that it has in view, and the
means by which it tends to it, is supernatural and spiritual; and,
therefore, is distinguished from civil society and differs from it;
and--a fact of the highest moment--is a society perfect in its kind and
in its rights, possessing in and by itself, by the will and beneficence
of its Founder, all the appliances that are necessary for its
preservation and action. Just as the end, at which the Church aims, is
by far the noblest of ends, so its power is the most exalted of all
powers, and cannot be held to be either inferior to the civil power or
in any way subject to it. In truth Jesus Christ gave His Apostles
unfettered commissions over all sacred things, with the power of
establishing laws properly so-called, and the double right of judging
and punishing which follows from it: "_All power has been given to Me in
heaven and on earth; going, therefore, teach all nations;... teaching
them to keep whatsoever I have commanded you._" (Matt. xxviii. 18, 19,
20.) And in another place He says: "_If he will not hear, tell it to the
Church_" (Matt. xviii. 17); and again: "_Ready to punish all
disobedience_" (2 Cor. x. 6); and once more: "_I shall act with more
severity, according to t