v. 5. We read of Paul and Barnabas, that, "when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed, with fasting, they commended them," &c. Acts xiv. 23. Now the scriptures, though they inform us of other ministers, (as in these two passages, of elders,) yet make no mention of their performing these duties. True, there is a passage in the Epistle to Timothy, where St. Paul is considered by many as intimating, that presbyters or elders were associated with himself in his ordination. "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." 1. Tim. iv. 14. Some of the best critics are, however, of opinion that the term here used applies properly to the college of the apostles. St. Paul, however, only speaks here of a concurrent act; such as is practised in the Episcopal church, while in the second Epistle, i. 6. he speaks of himself as the actual ordainer.*

2. There was an order of ministers, not exercising the duties spoken of above, but having other duties assigned them, which, nevertheless, were common to both orders: namely, preaching and administering the sacraments. Beside which, they were, from time to time, charged with the oversight of particular congregations, and were in this respect bishops or overseers; which name, we have admitted, was applied to them during the life-time of the apostles. Of this class were the "other seventy" sent by our Lord,-as also the elders

* Bishop Fell, in loc.--Calvin's Institutes, L. 4. c 3.--Assembly's Annotations on 2 Tim. i. 6.-Skinner's Primitive Truth, p. 140-Slater's Original Draught, p. 183.-Bowden on Episcopacy; vol. 1. p. 305-Bishop White's Lectures on the Catechism, p. 159.

ordained by the apostles, as abovementioned,-those ordained by Titus-those sent for from Ephesus to Miletus by Paul, those addressed by Peter in his first Epistle, those bishops ordained by Timothy, agreeably to the directions given him in the first Epistle of Paul, and those, whom Paul associates with all the saints, and the deacons, in the address of his Epistle to the Philipians.* While all allow, that a commission was given by our Lord to the apostles, to gather, and establish his church, yet no one pretends, that a similar commission was given to the seventy; and that they were not equal to the apostles, is fully shown by the manner in which the place of Judas was supplied. (Acts, c. i.) And with regard to those elders with whom Timothy and Titus were connected, it is apparent from the epistles addressed to these last, that they were vested with control over the former. They were to take care that no innovation in doctrine be admitted, to punish such of the elders and others as disobeyed, to give double honor to such as laboured diligently in the word and doctrine; and they were to lay hands suddenly on no man, but to use great caution with regard to those whom they admitted to the ministry.

3. There was an order of ministers called deacons, who were general assistants in the service of the church. That there was such an order in the church at Jerusalem,—that the persons on whom it was conferred, were

* "And the day following Paul went in with us to James; [whom all Ecclesiastical History concurs in admitting to have been made Bishop of Jerusalem by the apostles,] and all the elders were present,” Acts xxi. 18. "The apostles and elders, came together," Acts xv. 6.

chosen by the people, and set apart, or ordained, by the imposition of the hands of the apostles, is not to be denied. But it is said, they were set apart only for the purpose of taking charge of the offerings at the altar for the benefit of the poor. We shall not deny that this was the object for which the order was first instituted; but were they limited to this duty by the apostles? We have farther accounts of only two of them. Stephen is spoken of as an able preacher and defender of the gospel; and we are informed that in consequence of the persecution which arose after his death, the disciples being dispersed,-Philip went down to Samaria, and preached Christ to the people of that city. We soon find him baptizing. Now preaching and baptizing were certainly acts of the ministry superior to the mere care of the poor. In these transactions, we find he was sanctioned by the apostles, as Peter and John were sent from the council of apostles at Jerusalem, not to rebaptize, but to lay their hands on those whom he had admitted to the church by baptism. But it is said, that this Philip was an Evangelist, and that this accounts for these transactions. If the term Evangelist denoted an office, it was simply in the same sense as Missionary in our day; one who travelled to preach the gospel. At the very time Philip is called by this name, he is also spoken of as one of the seven. (Acts xxi. 8.) And it is evident, that Peter and John were his superiors. Besides, the charge of the altar offerings was a part of ministerial duty; the apostles executed it till the election of the seven. St. Paul, in his first Epistle to Timothy, speaks twice distinctly of the "office of a deacon." "They that have used the office

of a deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus." (1 Tim. iii. 13). "Hence it appears says the learned Grotius that there are several degrees, or orders in the ministry of the church; and that the deacons have their share too in the ministry of the word: and that they were not instituted only for the care of the poor."*

In connection with what has been shown above, let the reader view together the following verses from the Epistle to the Philippians." Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons." (v. 1.) "I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellow-soldier, but your apostle." (c. ii. v. 25.)† Bishops, deacons, and saints of Philippi, Epaphroditus is your apostle! To use the Reviewer's language," one would think this enough for a protestant!"

If then the scripture does furnish evidence of the establishment of three orders in the ministry by the apostles, acting under the authority of our Lord, and also of the means by which that ministry might be perpetuated, through the laying on of the hands of apostles, and their successors, and by directions from the apostles them

* Hinc apparet diversas esse ministrorum gradus, et diaconas habuisse aliquam partem in ministerio verbi, et non ad solam pauperum curam institutos fuisse. Grotius.

In our translation of the Bible, the Greek word Axoroλos is here incorrectly rendered messenger," not the word messenger but the word apostle-says Bishop White--should have been used; as it is in every other place of scripture except one." Lectures on the Catechism, p. 136. See also Whitby, in loc. and note page 14.

selves, then all the concern we can have with the ancient fathers is to ascertain whether suitable care was taken for continuing the ministry thus established ;whether being divinely instituted it was also divinely protected. This is a question of fact only. And surely if the fathers will furnish us with satisfactory testimony on this point, we may be pardoned a little fondness for their writings, and a reasonable desire for their preservation.

"We have cause to believe that, what these primitive professors taught concerning the doctrine, the government, and the discipline of the church, they received, as Archbishop Wake observes,-from the apostles, the apostles from Christ, and from that blessed spirit who directed them, both in what they taught and in what they ordained."

The earliest father, whose writings have come down to us, is Clement of Rome. He lived at the close of the first century; had doubtless conversed with several of the apostles, and left one Epistle directed to the church at Corinth; the only copy of which known to exist was found written in the same volume with the books of the New Testament.* In this Epistle he writes thus,-" It will behove us to take care that, looking into the depths, we do all things in order, whatsoever our Lord hath commanded us to do. And particularly, that we perform our offerings and service to God at their appointed seasons for these he has commanded to be done, not rashly and disorderly, but at certain deter

* Eusebius says, L. 3. c. 14. This Epistle we have known to be publickly read in many churches, both of old, and amongst us also."