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instituted subsequently to that of Deacons, it is superior to this in dignity. That the Churches were, for a time, without Presbyters, is so evident, from the Epistle to Titus and the fourteenth chapter of the Acts, as not to be denied: I cannot, however, ascertain how long this continued to be the case; but I imagine, that the Apostles did not so much regard herein the circumstances of time and place, as the fitness of the persons to be appointed. It would have been inconsistent with their wisdom to lay hands suddenly on any man, or to set over the Church any whom God had not distinguished by those gifts which were required in Presbyters. Since then the Churches consisted of persons newly converted, time was to be allowed for proof of the morals and abilities of those to whom their government might be intrusted: meanwhile all remained under the control of the Evangelists and Apostles, and those whom they had selected as associates in their labours.

The Apostle Paul is consistent with him

self in all his Epistles, and, accordingly, it is not due to mere accident that he sends greeting to the Presbyters and Deacons in his Epistle to the Philippians only, and in no other. As we hence understand that the Church at Philippi had Presbyters and Deacons, so we are left in uncertainty on this point respecting the others, except so far as the constitution of those Churches may be gathered from the style of writing and mode of address. Great attention is requisite in the reader, who would discern which of them had their own Presbyters and which had not. It is not probable that a writer, who in every Epistle so affectionately salutes all whom he knew to be distinguished by any excellence, and to praise all who had any where deserved well of the Church, no less than to avow what improvement he might desire in others, should have omitted to greet the Presbyters and Deacons where they existed.

In the Epistle to the Romans he salutes many, whom, although he styles them his fellow-labourers, he no where intimates to be

in authority over the Church. He mentions

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Aquila and the Church in his house," which, we read, was sometimes at Ephesus and sometimes at Philippi. He likewise mentions Andronicus and Urbanus, saying of the former that he was "of note among the Apostles"," and calling the latter his "helper in Christ ":" on these, and on all others who had laboured with the Apostles in planting Churches, and whom he knew to be at Rome, he bestows due praise. If any of them had been the peculiar Pastor of that Church, he would have given some intimation of it: as we find him doing in the Epistle to the Philippians in the case of Epaphroditus, and in that of Epaphras and Archippus when he is writing to the Colossians". When he came to Rome, we read that he was received by the brethren, not by the Presbyters, who, had there been such, would certainly have no more been omitted here than in the fifteenth chapter of the Acts, where we read, that

a Rom. xvi. 7.

c Phil. ii. 25. iv. 18.

Rom. xvi. 9.

d Col. i. 7. iv. 12.

St. Paul was received by the Apostles and Presbyters. We may hence see what was the condition of the Church at Rome when the Apostle wrote to it.

It may in like manner be shewn from each of the two Epistles to the Corinthians, (not to mention other cases,) that the Church there had not its own Presbyters when those Epistles were written: and for this reason is no mention made of them, namely, that the Apostle was writing to Churches, which, being as yet in their first infancy, and in course of formation, had no other Presbyters than Timotheus, Titus, Apollos, Luke, Stephanus, Fortunatus, Achaicus, and such others as St. Paul sent to them, nor any other Bishop than that Apostle himself. Although there was no lack of Order, it was not the same Order which afterwards existed when Presbyters had been Ordained. Meanwhile, the Apostles, Evangelists, and other pious teachers, visited the Churches in turns, according to their opportunities. Hence it is that we find St. Paul and Apollos excusing themselves

to the Corinthians, for their inability to visit them as often as they wished. All this has been duly remarked by Epiphanius and St. Ambrose. The former, in his work against Heresy, thus speaks: "The Gospel having been but lately preached, the Apostle wrote, when opportunity served, according to the circumstances of each case: where Bishops had been appointed, he wrote to the Bishops and Deacons. For the Apostles could not settle every thing at once; Presbyters and Deacons were requisite; since the perfect discharge of the Ministrations of the Church required these two Orders. Wherever no one was found worthy of the Episcopate, that place remained without a Bishop of its own; but wherever the case required it, and fit persons were to be found, Bishops were appointed; and when, the number of converts being small, proper persons were not found for the office of Presbyter, the Apostles contented themselves with the appointment of only a Bishop." Epiphanius

e Hær. 75.

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