ministers, afford any sanction whatever, to the idea of prelatists, that such authority was to remain permanently in a succession of persons constituting an apostolic order;1 and we are hence to conclude, that it was only in their ordinary ministerial character the apostles either could be, or are, in fact, succeeded.2 'Successors in the apostolic office, the apostles have none. As witnesses of the resurrection; as dispensers of miraculous gifts; as inspired oracles of divine revelation; they have no successors. But as members, as ministers, as governors, of christian communities, their successors are the regularly admitted members, the lawfully ordained ministers, the regular and recognised governors of a regularly subsisting christian church;'-so speaks archbishop Whateley.3 § 7. As ordinary ministers, the apostles were presbyters, and are succeeded by presbyters. In their ordinary office or character, the apostles were bishops, pastors, or presbyters; in short, ministers or preachers of the gospel. This ordinary office was included in their apostleship, which consisted in all those superadded powers and qualifications, which fitted them to establish and organize the christian church. These names signify the same office, considered in different aspects. The term 80xолоç or bishop, is, in the Greek language, equivalent to overseer or superintendent, and refers to the office or duty of the minister. It is perfectly synonymous with the term pastor or shepherd, so commonly employed in the Old Testament, to denote the prophets and doctors, and translated by the term bishop in the Septuagint version. Episcopus was the common and known title of the public minister of the synagogue, called also 'the angel of the church;''the chazan or bishop of the endued with power from on high. Till thus enriched and endowed, they were not competent to enter on any department of their work; and consequently, not authorized to enter on any such proceeding as the election of a fellow apostle. But if it be admitted that it was not an official act, the whole transaction goes for nothing. Besides, was not this election wholly set aside by Christ himself, when he chose Paul to bear his name far hence to the Gentiles? Never did he commit to them such power. It was indispensable to the very existence as well as possession of the office, that the commission should be held immediately from Christ. This was the case with Paul, but not with Matthias. Nor is it a little remarkable, that the latter is never once introduced in any way, either in the evangelical history, or in the epistles, from the day of his election to the extinction of the whole college of apostles.' Puseyism, or the Errors of the Times, by Rev. Robert Ferguson, Lond. See also Hamilton's Essay on Missions, p. 144, and full on in Duffield, on Episcopacy, Letter vii. 1) See the reasoning in Bloomfield's Gr. Test. on Matt. 16: 19. 2) See Corbet on the Ch. p. 36. 3) Archbishop Whateley's Kingdom of Christ, Essay ii. p. 43, § 240. congregation,' who presided in their assemblies, and carefully corrected those who read the word of God, whence he was denominated episcopus, or overseer. The word presbyter, in Greek, is the same as senior, or natu major, in Latin, and elder, in English, and refers to the qualifications and dignity of the office. The term presbyter denotes, therefore, the authority and high dignity of the ministry, and the term bishop, the functions growing out of it; while both were familiar to the Jews, as indifferently applicable to the same office, both in the Septuagint and in the synagogue.3 Even as late as the time of Clement, the term bishop is always the same with presbyter, or elder, as every one may see who will read his epistle. The propriety of these two names of designation for the same office, will appear, if we consider that the one is of Jewish and the other of Greek original, and that the early churches were composed of converts both from among the Jews and the Greeks. Now, we find the apostles, in their ordinary character, identified with both these terms. Even the dignity of the apostleship,' says Mr. Sinclair, 'is occasionally termed an episcopal office.' Acts, 1: 20.5 But the term bishop is, undoubtedly, a denomination given by the Holy Spirit to presbyters, (Acts, 20: 28,) and since it is employed to denote the apostleship in its general or ministerial character, the office of the apostleship, and of the presbyterate, are properly denominated by the same terms, and imply the same ministerial character and work. In fact, in this and other passages, the apostleship is, in this general view of it, called a ministry.7 Christ, therefore, enjoined his apostles, to 'feed his sheep.' 1) Lightfoot, Wks. vol. ii. p. 88, and vol. iii. p. 257. On the use of the term bishop, see Burnet's obs. on the 1st Canon, pp. 3, 4; see also Binii Concil, Tom. 6, 241, col. i. 2) Officers under this name had existed among the Jews even during their captivity in Egypt.* Others were appointed in the wilderness.t 3) See Dr. Mason's Wks. vol. iii. p. 47; and Sinclair's Vind. of the Apost. Succ. p. 15; Lond. 1839: and Dr. Rice's Evang. Mag. vol. x. p. 571; and Saravia, as above. 4) Lord Barrington's Theol. Wks. vol. ii. p. 158. That the term presbyter is generic, and is applicable to the christian ministry in general, *Exod. 3: 11, 16, and 5: 18. † Exod. 18: 13, 27, and Lord Barring 6 and to all who were at first employed in this work, however variously distinguished, Hadrian Saravia constantly affirms. On p. 93, he applies it to apostles, evangelists, and prophets. So again p. 107. 5) The passage is a quotation from the Old Testament, (Ps. 69: 25, and Is. 60: 17,) in which it is foretold, according to the Greek version, that the ordinary ministers of the gospelchurch should be called bishops. 'I will also make thy officers (TITOUS) peace.' This passage we shall find quoted by Clement, in support of this opinion. 6) Ibid. 7) Acts 1: 25. See also 1 Cor. 4: 1; 2 Cor. 3: 6, and 11: 23; Eph. 3: 6, 7; Col. 1: 23, 25. See Lord ton's Essay on the Elders, Wks. vol. ii. part Barrington's Wks. vol. ii. p. 17. ii. p. 140, &c. He instructed them that there was to be among them no Rabbi, but that all ministers are brethren: Matthew, 23: 8. The apostles desire us so to account of them,' not as masters of the church, or fathers in God, but as the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God,' whose business it is to dispense the gospel. 1 Cor. 4: 1. 'Who then,' asks Paul, 'is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers of Christ, by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?' 1 Cor. 3: 5, &c. 1 Cor. 3: 5, &c. Peter and Paul call themselves fellow-elders, fellow-servants, and fellow-soldiers with other ministers of Christ. Thus Epaphras, the Colossian presbyter, is called by Paul, his fellow-servant, (Col. 1: 7,) and so, also, are Tychichus, (1 Peter, 5: 1,) and Epaphroditus, and Clement, (Phil. 2: 25, and 4: 3,) and this too at a time when it is admitted prelates were not established in these churches.1 Paul also addresses Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, and Lucas, as his fellow-laborers. (Philem. 24.) The original word here, may be rendered fellow-officers, (avvegyo, from egyor, which signifies an office, Acts, 13:4, 1 Tim. 3: 1,) or persons sustaining the same office. And this word is here applied to these particular persons, in their, distinctive character, and therefore, in that appropriate sense in which it designates the ministerial office: (see 2 Cor. 8: 23; Col. 4: 11.) It is allowed, even by Mr. Perceval, that the apostles' are frequently styled presbyters.' This they called themselves, says Mr. Benson, accounting it an honor and a dignity even to them,' and 'glorying in it.'3 The term apostle, therefore, as applied to denote the standing office of the ministry, is used interchangeably with the terms presbyter and bishop, and means the same thing: at least, if the apostle Peter may be allowed to decide this question; for he says expressly, (1 Peter, 5: 1,) 'the presbyters who are among you I exhort, who am also a presbyter;'4 or if the apostle John is competent to judge upon the scriptural meaning and design of the terms and of the office, since he designates himself a presbyter, in both his epistles; (2 John, 1, and 3 John, 1,) or if the apostle Paul is any authority, who calls himself, Paul the aged,' that is, geoẞurns, the very word and meaning from which is derived the term πρεσβύτερος. (Philem. 9.) 110. 6 The apostles, when they had once settled any church, and 1) See Potter on Ch. Govt. p. 2) On the Apost. Succ. p. 19. See also Potter on Ch. Govt. p. 107; and Dr. Bowden, in Wks. on Episcop. vol. ii. p. 147. 3) Benson on the Relig. Worship of the Christians, ch. iii. § 2, p. 84. 4) See Nolan's Catholic Char. of Christ'y, p. 124, who says this passage is 'heterodox to our episcopalian ears.' remained in it for any time, governed it in union with the pastors or presbyters, and acted conjointly with them as fellow-elders, that is, as primi inter pares. They disavowed all lordship over them. They claimed, personally, no right of interference or control; no power of a negative or veto upon their decisions. Such authority was exercised by them only under the guidance of inspiration, and so far as it was called for in the discharge of their extraordinary office. Thus do we find the apostles acting as presbyters in the church of Jerusalem. (Acts 10: 44, 47; Acts 15: 6, 22, and 21, 17, 18; also chap. 6.) For those officers, of whom there might be more than one in one single church, were not, prelatists themselves being judges, prelates. But the apostles did many of them continue to labor together as one body in this church, as they did also elsewhere, and therefore the apostles, apart from their extraordinary office, were not prelates, but presbyters. And as this was the first christian church, constituted by our Lord himself, it certainly affords the best model for all others, and the surest proof of the true character of the designed ministry of the church.2 Thus, also, as archbishop Wake testifies, in the thirteenth chapter of Acts, the apostles Paul and Barnabas are numbered among the prophets and teachers of the christian church at Antioch. Here we find them, both by teaching and administering the blessed sacrament, discharging the work of a priest or presbyter, as we now understand that word.'3 And hence the term pastor is equally applicable to apostles and to presbyters. (Acts, ch. 15 and 21.) The apostles were, therefore, as Mr. Thorndike admits, no other than heads of presbyteries. Thus, also, as bishop Stillingfleet thinks, the term angel, in the epistles to the seven churches, is to be understood,' of the concessus, or order of presbyters in that church. And thus, also, the ministers spoken of in the Epis tle to the Hebrews, and who, as there were several of them in each church, were presbyters, are called rulers, (13: 17,) and as such are to be obeyed. These words are actually translated by Chillingworth, obey your prelates,' 7 where presbyters are unquestionably identified as the acknowledged successors of the apostles. The presbyters,' 1) Benson on Relig. Worship of the Christians, ch. iii. See Churchman's Monthly Review, June, 1841, p. 313. See this point fully established in Bastwick's Utter Routing of the whole Army of the Independents and Sectaries, Lond. 1646, 4to. p. 426, &c. 2) See Peirce's Def. of Presb. Ord. Lond. 1717, p. 10. 3) Apostol. Fathers, Prel. Disc. to Ep. of Barnabas, § 5, p. 271. 4) Bishop Blomfield's Lect. on the Acts. Lond. 1829, p. 110. 5) Thorndike on Prim. Govt. of the Ch. pp. 43, 44. 6) Irenicum, p. 336. as archbishop Potter allows, are all along mentioned as copartners with James in the care of the church of Jerusalem.'1 The church of Christ is also expressly declared to rest on the apostles first, and then on the presbyters as their successors, thus making presbyters (as the prophets are admitted to have been) 'the fellows and copartners of the apostles in the foundation of the christian church.' 2 The presbyters of the church of Jerusalem, acted for and presided in the absence of the apostles; and in the synodical letter sent to the churches by the council at Jerusalem, presbyters are named next to the apostles, and are therefore of the next rank to them. The controversy submitted to the decision of that council, was referred expressly to the apostles and presbyters,' because, as a very competent judge decides, they used to preside in the absence of the apostles.' The presbyters of all the christian churches, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, are said to have the oversight. of these churches, (eлσxолεr,) that is, they were bishops of those churches, and are spoken of as governors.'7 In fine, it is sufficient to corroborate fully our conclusion, that, in their ordinary character, the apostles were identified with presbyters, and known and spoken of familiarly as such, to adduce the testimony of the earliest age. Thus Clemens Romanus tells us, that the apostles knew that there should contentions arise upon account of the name of episcopacy, and therefore, having perfect foreknowledge of this, they appointed persons, as we have before said, and then gave direction how, when they should die, other, chosen and approved men, should succeed to their ministry.' 18 A similar testimony is preserved in a fragment of Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, A. D. 116, the hearer of John and the companion of Polycarp. I shall not think it grievous,' he says, 'to set down in writing, with my interpretations, the things which I have learned of the presbyters. If I met any where with any one who had conversed with the presbyters, I inquired after the sayings of the presbyters, what Andrew, what Peter, what Philip, what Thomas, what James had said; 1) On Ch. Govt. p. 102. 2) Potter, ibid, pp. 103, 92, 101, 102. See also pp. 105, 106. 3) Gal. 2: 10. Rom. 15: 25, 31. 4) Acts, 15: 23, and Lord Barrington's Wks. vol. ii. p. 143. 5) Acts, 15: 2. 6) Ibid, pp. 175 and 170. again p. 106. Bishop Pearson also distinctly affirms, that their successors 'succeeded the apostles in their ordinary functions, but were not to come near them in their extraordinary gifts.'* 8) 1st Ep. ad Cor. § 44. *On the Creed, Art. 1. p. 16. |