BOOK II.

THE CLAIMS OF PRESBYTERY TO THE TRUE APOSTOLICAL OR

MINISTERIAL SUCCESSION, SUSTAINED BY AN APPEAL TO

THE FATHERS, THE SCHOOLMEN, THE REFORMERS, AND TO

THE ROMISH, ANGLICAN, AND OTHER CHURCHES.

81.

CHAPTER I.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS ON THE NATURE, DESIGN, AND VALUE OF THE

TESTIMONY OF THE FATHERS.

Scripture, and not the fathers, the only authoritative standard of faith

or practice, 311.-§ 2. On the delusive value attached to the fathers,

based on the ambiguity of the term OLD, 316.—§ 3. On the delusion as to

the character and amount of the testimony of the fathers, 318.-§ 4.

The testimony afforded by the fathers is discordant, and therefore incon-

clusive, 320.-§ 5. The fathers, themselves, teach us not to trust in the

testimony of the fathers, as to what is scriptural and apostolical, 322—§

6. Prelatists themselves teach us, that even the universal consent of the

fathers is not sufficient to establish any doctrine or practice, 323.-§ 7.

The testimony of the fathers, according to their ablest advocate, not

applicable to this prelatic controversy, 325.-§ 8. How far the testimony

of the fathers is to be admitted, 326.-§ 9. Our reasons for proceeding

to adduce the testimonies of the fathers; and the great weight to be

attached to any remaining evidence in the fathers in favor of presbytery,

327.- 10. The expedients of prelatical sophistry, in reference to the

testimony of the fathers, illustrated in thirteen introductory cautions sub-

mitted to the reader, 328.

CHAPTER II.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS TO THE CLAIMS OF PRESBYTERY

TO THE TRUE MINISTERIAL SUCCESSION.

§ 1. Classification of the fathers, 336.-§ 2. The true value of the apos-

tolical fathers, 336.-§ 3. The testimony of Clement Romanus, 340.-§ 4.

The testimony of Hermas and Polycarp, 346.-§ 5. The testimony of

Ignatius; even his smaller epistles are interpolated, especially on the

subject of the ministry, 349.-§ 6. The epistles of Ignatius, corrupted as

they are, do not support the cause of prelacy, 353.-§ 7. The epistles of

Ignatius are favorable to the cause of presbytery, 355.-§ 8. Concluding

remarks on the testimony of the apostolical fathers, 359.

CHAPTER III.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE PRIMITIVE FATHERS, IN FAVOR OF THE CLAIMS OF

PRESBYTERY TO THE TRUE MINISTERIAL SUCCESSION.

§ 1.

The testimony of Papias, and Justin Martyr, 366.—§ 2. The testi-

mony of Irenæus, 368.-§ 3. The testimony of Victor, bishop of Rome,

Clement Alexandrinus, and Tertullian, 372.-§ 4. The testimony of Hip-

polytus, Origen, and Gregory Thaumaturgus, 377.-§ 5. The testimony of

Cyprian, Firmilian, and Novatus, 380.

CHAPTER IV.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE LATER FATHERS IN FAVOR OF THE CLAIMS OF

PRESBYTERY TO THE TRUE MINISTERIAL SUCCESSION.

§ 1. The great importance of the testimony of the later fathers in favor of

presbytery, 385.-§ 2. The testimony of the fathers generally, in favor

of presbytery, and of Eusebius, 387.-§ 3. The testimony of Hilary,

390.- 4. The testimony of Damasus, 391.-§ 5. The testimony of Aerius,

391. § 6. The testimony of Basil, Gregory Nazianzen, Gregory Nyssene,

and Ambrose, 393.-§ 7. The testimony of Epiphanius, and of the Aposto-

lical Constitutions and Canons, 396.-§ 8. The testimony of Cœlus Sedulius

Scotus and of Chrysostom, 398.-§ 9. The testimony of Jerome, 400.-§

10. The testimony of Augustine, 404.-§ 11. The testimony of Paph-

nutius, Synesius, Pelagius, and Severus, 404.-§ 12. The testimony of

Theodoret, Primasius, Sedulius, the Paulicians, and others, 406.

CHAPTER V.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE SCHOOLMEN, OR FATHERS OF THE LATER AND MIDDLE

AGES, TO THE CLAIMS OF PRESBYTERY.

409

CHAPTER VI.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE ROMISH, GREEK, AND SYRIAN CHURCHES, IN FAVOR of

THE CLAIMS OF PRESBYTERY.
415

CHAPTER VII.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE REFORMED CHURCHES, INCLUDING THE ENGLISH, TO

THE CLAIM OF PRESBYTERY TO THE TRUE APOSTOLICAL OR MINISTERIAL

SUCCESSION.

424

BOOK III.

THE ANTIQUITY OF PRESBYTERY; WITH AN EXHIBITION OF

THE PRESBYTERIANISM OF THE ANCIENT CULDEES of

IRELAND AND SCOTLAND, AND ALSO OF ST. PATRICK.

CHAPTER I.

THE ANTIQUITY OF PRESBYTERY.

§ 1. All the churches founded by the apostles, and during the age of the

apostolical and primitive fathers, were presbyterian, 441.-§ 2. The

churches of Gaul, Alexandria, Egypt, Scythia, Bavaria, and the East, were

presbyterian, 444.-§ 3. The primitive churches in Britain were presby-

terian, 449.-§ 4. The primitive churches in Ireland were presbyterian,

460.

CHAPTER II.

THE ANTIQUITY OF PRESBYTERY, CONTINUED.

§ 1. The primitive churches in Scotland were presbyterian, 482.-§ 2. The

government of the ancient Culdees of Ireland and of Scotland, was pres-

byterian, 485.-§ 3. The Paulician, Aerian, and Vaudois churches were

presbyterian, 501.

CHAPTER III.

THE ANTIQUITY OF PRESBYTERY. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

§ 1. The Lollards, the Syrian, the Hussite, the Bohemian, the Episcopal in

South Carolina in 1785, the Reformed and the Biscay churches, were also

presbyterian, 517.-§ 2. The presbyterian church the oldest of all others,

528. § 3. The presbyterian church the oldest of all the western reformed

churches, including the Romish; with an answer to the objection, 'Where

was the presbyterian church before Luther?' 530.-§ 4. The presbyterian

church the oldest in the United States, and in South Carolina, as compared

with the Romish and episcopal churches, 538.-§ 5. Conclusion, 542.

BOOK I.

PRESBYTERY THE SCRIPTURAL AND APOSTOLIC ORDER OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST.