school. And the only question which excited any serious controversy then, was, not whether the ministerial succession of the presbyterians had come down to them unbroken from the apostles, but whether it had not become altogether polluted and destroyed, by descending through the foul channels of the prelacy. By all which it appeareth,' to use the words of Baxter, 1. 'how falsely we are charged to be against all episcopacy. 2. how falsely and deceitfully all those writers state the case, who . . . . make them believe that our controversy is, whether there should be any episcopacy, and not what kind of episcopacy it should be."3 Not less pointed are the words of Mr. Boyse, who says, 'how strange and unaccountable is it, then, to find the generality of those who write on this subject, so constantly confounding the parochial with diocesan episcopacy, as if it were the same thing, when the latter is so utterly inconsistent with the former, and so entirely subversive of it; and if this primitive parochial episcopacy be all that is contended for, I think the dispute about the divine right of it may be laid aside'. . . . 'since we could rejoice in the restoration of this ancient parochial or congregational episcopacy. For parochial episcopacy we do entirely own the divine right of it, and it is utterly untrue, that either the dissenters, or any of the reformed church, either censure or want parochial episcopacy." Milton, in like manner, styles one of his treatises Of Prelatical Episcopacy,' in which he shows that presbyters are true bishops. In his work 'Of Reformation in England," he says, 'it,' the presbyterian discipline, 'is but episcopacy reduced to what it should be; were it not that the tyranny of prelates, under the name of bishops, had made our ears tender, and startling, we might call every good minister a bishop, as every bishop, yea, the apostles themselves are called ministers, and the angels ministering spirits, and the ministers again angels."

15

It may therefore be affirmed, that the reformers and presbyterian divines generally, both thought and taught, that the scriptural episcopacy was presbyterian parity; and that, when

1) The soberest terms then usually applied to them, were Baal's Priests,' 'Anti-christian priests,' 'Black coats, &c., see Firmin's Separation Examined, p. 92. Byfield on the Church of Christ. Vindicia Viniciarum, and the works above referred to.

2) See Div. Right of the Ministry, pt. 2. pp. 29, 42.

3) Treatise on Episcop. ch. iv. 80, 81, pp. 43, 44.

4) Account of the Ancient Episcopacy, pref. pp. x, xi, Lond. 1712, and in Wks. Fol. Lond. 1728.

5) Ibid, p. 209.
6) Ibid, p. 287.

7) Wks. vol. 1, pp. 60, 64, &c.
8) Wks. vol. 1, p. 52.

9) See prose Wks. vol. 1, p. 52,

charged by the papists with having abolished episcopacy in their churches, their reply uniformly was, that they had not destroyed episcopacy, but had only reduced it to the true, original, apostolic, and scriptural standard.1

§ 4. Presbytery is the true episcopacy.

We presbyterians, therefore, have ever been accustomed to regard our system of ecclesiastical polity as the true and scriptural episcopacy instituted by Christ and his apostles; and our ministry as embodying the true apostolical succession in 'the apostle's doctrine, and fellowship and authority.' But whereas prelatists lodge this episcopate, with all its tremendous power, in one individual, who lords it over God's heritage, our church constitutes every minister a bishop, and lodges the episcopate, as a system of government, in the hands of ecclesiastical courts, composed of assembled bishops and elders. These form our parochial session; our district presbytery; our diocesan synod; and our national convention or general assembly; so that the power of one single prelatical bishop is divided among some hundred of our bishops and ruling elders. As every minister of our church is authoritatively regarded as a bishop, these several courts might with as much verbal propriety have been denominated episcopacies, as presbyteries, and our church episcopal, just as properly as presbyterian. Neither did she ever disclaim the former, or assume the latter. Our church is comprehensively both episcopal and presbyterian, and she is distinctively neither. She is episcopal, as she claims for all her ministers the title of bishop. She is presbyterian, as she recognises a perfect original parity in the official character and qualifications of her ministers. But these are

1) See Div. Right of the Min. pt. 2, pp. 39-44, 49., Edinb. Presb. Rev. Ap. 1839, p. 638. Lord Brooke on Episcopacy, p. 66, &c. These testimonies might be multiplied to any extent, were it necessary. See Neal's Hist. vol. 4, p. 252. Corbet on the Church, Lond. 1684, pp. 135, 169. Presbyterian Ordin. defended and proved, by Rev. Noah Welles, N. Y. 1763, p. 71, and his Vindic. of Presb. Ord. New Haven, 1767, pp. 10, 15, 156, 157. That it was claimed by the early presbyterians in S. C. see Hewett's Hist. of S. C. vol.2, p. 252, and Dr. Ramsay's Hist. vol. 2, p. 45; see also An Apology for the Ch. of Scotland, by Rev. J. Cumming, Lond. 1837, p. 13. Miss. Ser

mons and Speeches of Members of Synod of Ulster, Ireland; Belfast, 1834, p. 69. Dr. Miller, on the Min. &c. passim. Presb. Defend. Lond. 1839, p. 118. Report of the Edinb. Celebration of the Assembly of 1638, pp. 17, 18. Dr. Chalmers's Speech on the Auchterander Case, p. 14, and Lect. on Relig. Establishments, pp. 22, 23. See also the strong language of Dr. Wilson, in his Prim. Govt. of the Churches, p. 279, et passim. Baxter's Treatise on Episcop. ch. iv. 80, 81, pp. 43, 44. Manual of Presbytery. by Mr. Lorimar, Edinb. 1842, pp. 259-278. Cumming's Apol. for the Ch. of Scotland, pp. 12, 17, 20, 25, 32.

but her specific characteristics, by which she is distinguished from other branches of the church. Generically she is a church of Christ-a true, pure, and original branch of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. The sentiment of every presbyterian, who understands the true nature of his church, is that of the justly celebrated Dr. Henry Cooke, of Ireland; Our church,' says he, 'is presbyterian by distinction, but episcopalian by principle; I am an episcopalian, Paul being my witness. Humble though I be, I hold myself to be as much a bishop as the archbishop of Canterbury. Our church is ordered with bishops, presbyters or elders, and deacons, and if they, (the high-church prelatists,) refuse to concede to us the title of church, we shall take it at the hands of Paul, and be contented with his certificate of ordination, should theirs be niggardly withheld." It is, in short, the happiness of our church that we have such an episcopacy, and we glory in it."

That there has been, therefore, a perpetual and uninterrupted succession in the church of Christ, first of faithful members, and secondly of true and valid ministers, constituting in every age, however scattered, persecuted, or obscured, a holy, catholic, and visible church; this, as presbyterians, we constantly affirm.

5. The apostles were both extraordinary and ordinary ministers.

But here it is necessary to explain. When we say that presbyters are the successors of the apostles, we mean that they are so in every thing wherein the apostles can be succeeded, for in many things they cannot. Perpetual ministries are one thing, temporary gifts are another thing. In the organization of any church or kingdom there must be extraordinary officers with extraordinary powers, for the accomplishment of the extraordinary duties then to be performed. Now the term apostle, as we have already shown, is susceptible of a special and a general meaning, and is used in both senses in the New Testament.3 But in that peculiar sense in which it is given only to the twelve, this term cannot be applied to any order of ordinary christian ministers, since the apostle Paul zealously defends his character and author

1) Speech at Manchester, in 1839. 2) Dr. Miller on the Min. p. 404. 3) See Lect. on Apost. Succ. Lect. x. For no one has ever imagined, that because St. Barnabas, Epaphroditus, and many others, are called

in scripture apostles, that there was therefore no difference between them and the twelve. It would be a gross fallacy to conclude that all who are styled apostles were on a par with the twelve.' Saravia, p. 220.

ity against the 'false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ,' by affirming that he had received his apostleship 'not from man but from God.' But this, says Hadrian Saravia, 'would have been an absurd mode of reasoning, had the name apostle been common to many who were not of the company of the twelve, but had been sent of men, and by men, and not immediately by God." On the other hand this same term may, in a general sense, be used of persons sent on any account, or in any manner; and may thus be applied to all christian ministers, since it is their office to declare the truth, and since they have been called to this office by their brethren.

The apostles, then, are to be considered in a double aspect.3 They are to be regarded in that peculiar character in which they are especially denominated THE APOSTLES, and in which they fulfilled the miraculous, intransmissible functions of Christ's representatives and ambassadors; and in that more general character in which they are simply apostles or ministers of Christ. We are, therefore, to ascertain what belonged to them personally, and what was common to them and to all other ministers of Christ. We must dis

cover what was peculiar to them—to their times - and to the existing circumstances in which they were called to actand what characterized them as the exemplars or prototypes of all other ministers unto the end of the world. That in their official character the apostles could not delegate their authority or have any successors, in idem officium, is generally admitted, and has been fully proved. But that, in their general character, as the first of an endless multitude of heralds of the cross, they have had successors, is as firmly to be believed, unless we will altogether subvert the church of Christ. 6

To assist our minds in thus contemplating the apostles, let the following observations be considered. In the first place we are to remember, that before ordering the ministry of his

1) On the Priesthood, p. 90. See also Lord Barrington's Wk. vol. ii. 2) Ibid., p. 88.

3) See Campbell's Lect. on Eccl. Hist. Lect. iv. p. 66. 2d edit. See also Dr. Cook's View of Christianity, vol. ii. pp. 3, 4. Owen's Wks. vol. xix. p. 200.

4) See a very fine representation of the peculiar character of the apostles, in Gaussen on Inspiration, p. 300, &c.

5) Lect. on Apost. Succ. Lect. x.

6) I do not deny but many things in the apostles were personal, &c. Yet, that all their gifts ended with their lives, and no part of their charge and power remained to their after-comers, may neither be confessed by us nor affirmed by any, unless we mean wholly to subvert the church of Christ.' 1. Bp. Bilson. Perp. Govt. of the Chr. Ch. ch. ix. p. 105. See also Bishop Davenant, on Colossians, vol. i. p. lxii.

church in its permanent form, our Lord Jesus Christ, as a wise master-builder, had to lay the foundations of his church, promulge his doctrines, and legislate for all future times. These things made it necessary that his first ministers should be chosen by himself; should have an unlimited mission; should in every thing pertaining to their office be directed by the Holy Spirit as an infallible guide; and should be assisted in their work by the possession of miraculous and supernatural gifts. These powers were superadded to their ordinary endowments, and were adapted to those extraor dinary functions which were temporary, and which, when once completed, were for ever done away.1 In the second place we are to remember, that the twelve were ministers or preachers before they were apostles. They could not be apostles of the Christian church before the death and resurrection of Christ, since it is upon these events the church is founded. Till then, the kingdom of heaven was proclaimed as 'at hand,' as coming, and in a state of preparation. Till then, Christ and his disciples remained in connection with the Jewish church, observing its ordinances, worshipping in its assemblies, recognising its divine institution, and respecting all its laws. And then only were the heralds of the Christian church commissioned to go forth and to announce it as established. That the apostles were not even presbyters, during our Lord's ministry, we are bound to believe, by the Tridentine Council, on pain of being accursed. The

1) See a very clear, scriptural, and full account of the offices, gifts, and powers granted to the apostles, and peculiar to them, by Lord Barrington, in Wks. vol. ii. § vi. vii. and viii.

2) See Sage's Vind. of the Princ. of the Cyp. Age, c. vi. sect. 6. Plea for Presb. p. 175. See this affirmed by Bishop Heber, in Life of Taylor. See Wks. vol. i p. cxxxv. Jer. Taylor, Wks. vol. xiii. p. 19, et seq.

Granting every thing,' says Dr. Bowden, Wks. on Episcop. vol. í.p.176, 'that some Episcopalians have contended for, still it remains true that the Church of CHRIST, in its explicit, permanent form, was not established till after our Lord's resurrection. I am much of the mind of Bishop Sage upon that point. See also Saravia on the Priesthood. Stillingfleet Iren. p. 117, 118, and Par ii. p. 218. Whitby, Annot. Luke 10: 1. Dr. Hammond on ibid. Bellarmine de Pontif. lib. iv. cap. 25.

3

Sinclair's Vind. of the Episc. or Apost. Succ. p. 16. And that day at whose dawn the church as yet had not an existence nor a name, had before its close beheld that church receive into its bosom three thousand souls.' Woodgate's Bampton Lect. p. 100. See also Ayton's Constit. of the Ch. ch. i. p. 13. Hinds's Hist. of the Rise and Progress of Christianity, vol. i. pp. 134, 149, 153, and 175. Pratt's Old Paths, p. 59. See also Lord Barrington's Wks. vol. ii. § 4, p. 14, &c., where he shows that the great truth witnessed by the apostles was the resurrection of Christ, by a great abundance of scripture proofs. This point is also frequently urged by Archbishop Whateley on the Kingdom of Christ. Essay ii. i. p. 54. Eng. ed. and p. 108.

3) If any one shall Say, that in these words-do this in remembrance of me- which were used by Christ the same night in which he