John William Baier's _Compendium of Positive Theology_ Edited by C. F. W. Walther Published by: St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1877 [Translator's Preface. These are the major loci or topics of John William Baier's _Compendium of Positive Theology_ as ed- ited by Dr. C. F. W. Walther. These should be seen as the broad outline of Baier-Walther's dogmatics, but please don't assume that this is all. Each locus usually includes copious explanatory notes and citations from patristics and other Lutheran dogmaticians.] Chapter Fourteen On the ecclesiastical ministry. 1. For the gathering and preservation of the church it is necessary that certain humans perform the office of preaching the word and administering the sacraments, so that through these means faith is conferred on humans and being received it is confirmed and increased. And this is that office, which is called the ecclesiastical ministry. 2. The efficient principal cause of the ecclesiastical ministry when seen in itself, then by reason of the ministers, who by that cause are affected, is the triune God, and Christ the God-man. 3. However God calls humans to the ecclesiastical office sometimes immediately or with no interceding arbitrary works of other humans, sometimes mediately, truly through the church, which in the name of God commits that office to certain persons. Since it is done in this way, the church is able to be called the lesser principal cause of the calling of ministers. 4. And this right or power of constituting ministers applies also to particular churches separated from the community of other churches through an unjust excommunication. 5.To the calling of ministers, which is done mediately by the congregation, three things are present: The election or judgment about the dignity of the person brought to the sacred ministry, by reason of learning and gifts for the acts of the office rightly meeting the requirements, and the designation of that person to the ministerium. 2. Ordination or the solemn inauguration through certain rites of an elected person to the sacred office. 3. The Call in it's special use, or a concession and entrusting of the function of the power to teach the Word of God in public gatherings and administering the sacraments. 6. And to this in diverse ways applies the ecclesiastical and secular order. The former is, to explore erudition and the other necessary gifts of the one who is chosen and then to bring judgment to those things; then to ordain the chosen or elect person by solemn rite; both of those are done in the name of the church. The secular order almost agrees in the judgment of ecclesiastical order about the aptitude of the person, since the assembly has heard about the external gifts and sincerity of doctrine, and also about the person's way of life, it pays attention whether by merit the person will justly admonish. Likewise joined with the ecclesiastical order it designates or selects a person for the ministry, and thus with unanimous consent it confers the power of teaching the word and administering the sacraments to the elected person. 7. However, the ecclesiastical ministry introduces the power and the office 1. of publicly teaching and regularly administering the sacraments, 2. the power and duty of forgiving and retaining sins. 8. It pertains to the office of teaching, that the revealed doctrines of the divine faith be clearly put forward and be solidly confirmed for the comprehension of the hearers, also the errors of the opposition, which are to be feared, lest they are insinuated into the mind from other directions, are to be distinctly demonstrated and as fighting with the word of God and arguing against harmful things, similarly, those things which are to be done, according to the law and offices of the Christians in whatever state they are to be clearly taught and set forth to them, being led to firm arguments and for the persuading by the appropriate things humans are excited and moved; however sins and vices being fled from, as far as the guilt and determined punishment are concerned, these things are to be pointed out and from them the minds of humans are restrained and changed; finally the consolation of minds from afflictions and anxiety, by agreement of the same and by an offering of divine things they are encouraged and strengthened. 9. In the administration of the sacraments the ministers ought to be attentive, not only that they observe accurately the uniformity of the institution of these sacraments, but truly also, that they confer these means of grace at the right time on those who have the need nor are unworthy, but they do not equally admit the unworthy. 10. As far as the office of forgiving and retaining sins, it is observed, that the forgiveness of sins is announced not only universally and indeterminately to all those who are penitent and believing in Christ, but truly also determinately and to the individual who has proclaimed the probably signs of penitence and faith by confession and they ask to be absolved from their sins. Nor is that a bare declaration, but it is efficacious for the confirmation of the remission of sins worked by God. 11. Similarly as far as the retention of sins is concerned the ministry of the church is, that not only he declare the wrath of God and punishment universally to unbelieving humans and to all the impenitent, and truly also in the particular and singular he denies the forgiveness of sins for enormous and notorious sinners and he prevents him from the concord of the church or from the use of the holy supper, or he ejects him straighforward from the society of the church and hands him over to Satan. This action is not a bare declaration, but it is an effective sentence. 12. And then the ministers of the church also are concerned about external things of the church or rites and ceremonies, in themselves indeed indifferent, but intended for the building of the church, done by the public authority of the church, not however for the reason of reverence or merit toward God; but being instituted for the external education, they are celebrated, and not changed or eliminated unless it is done prudently and from the use of the church. 13. A correlate of the ministers of the church, and also the end of which of the minister, is the assembly of those who hear them teaching and the sharersof that teaching are restored by their ministry and by the administration of the sacraments. 14. The nearer end of which of the ecclesiastical ministry is the reconciliation of humans with God through faith in Christ and the increase in faith and other Christian virtues; the ultimate end is the eternal salvation of the same. 15. The ecclesiastical ministry is defined as a public office, ordained by God, in which certain persons, legitimately called and ordained, teach the word of god, administer the sacraments, forgive and retain sins and they care for and direct other things, which pertain to the church, for the conversion, sanctification and eternal salvation of humans. _________________________________.__________________________________ This text was translated by Rev. Theodore Mayes and is copyrighted material, (c)1996, but is free for non-commercial use or distribu- tion, and especially for use on Project Wittenberg. Please direct any comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at Concordia Theological Seminary. E-mail: smithre@mail.ctsfw.edu Surface Mail: 66000 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA Phone: (260) 452-2123 Fax: (260) 452-2126 _________________________________.__________________________________ file: /pub/resources/text/wittenberg/baier: cpt-3-14.txt .