guides, to set in order things which were wanting; and save them from that extermination, which the antiChristian hierarchy ever meditated, and unremittingly pursued; for in later times the edict of Nantz suffered the scion to grow, only that, by the nefarious revocation of that statute, it might be the more effectually extirpated.

SECTION XXIII.

OF OFFICES AND ORDINATIONS.

The Jewish and gospel dispensations commenced with immediate inspiration. Legal toleration had been granted to the Jews, in the exercise of their own religion, it was necessary that the apostles should teach, baptize, and ordain as they did, but they claimed no priesthood, and ordained officers for the churches they erected, bishops or presbyters, one bench for every assembly, and deacons. Matthias, Paul, and Barnabas. There are no evangelists in the history of the church, except the first extraordinary preachers. The reception of the evangelists depended upon the recommendations of the apostles. Testimonies of Polycarp, Clement, Justin, Irenæus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian. Letters assigned to Ignatius, "Apostolical Tradition." Firmilian, Cyprian, &c.—Ordinary officers were presbyters and deacons, and there were but two ordinations. The ordination which now constitutes a modern bishop, originated in gradual custom, first without hands, then with, and now rests upon canonical authority, and is no where found in the word of God.

THE Mosaic economy terminated with the death of Christ, who was a minister of the circumcision. After his resurrection, he commissioned eleven apostles, to go and disciple all nations. They were to testify the things, which they had seen and heard; and reveal the truths, which should be suggested to their minds by the Holy Spirit. Such is the basis of all present authority for evangelizing the world. But it no more follows, that any regular preacher has the commission of an apostle to govern the general church, than that he possesses the gifts of such. For as none can be strictly apostles, that is, immediately instructed and sent by Christ, so none possess, either their inspiration and general authority, or their extraordinary power. Under the theocracy, commissions were by conse

cration, with imposition of hands." The apostles being Jews, and tolerated in the Roman empire only as such, were guided by the Spirit to baptize, teach, and ordain, in the modes to which they had been accustomed. But they neither claimed, nor exercised a priesthood, nor considered ordination as an apostolical prerogative, but merely as a duty, incident to the greater work of discipling and teaching.

Whilst many justify innovations on the ground of expediency, not a few have thought, that a right has devolved upon the church, through the apostles, of government, discipline, and dispensing ordinances. The present prevailing forms of ecclesiastical government, having originated since the days of the apostles, do require some such vindication; for certainly there is neither apostolic precept, nor example for any ordination in a particular church, except those of bishops and deacons; and if bishops and presbyters be the same office, the additional ordination, whether of the diocesan bishop, or the lay presbyter, finds no authority in the word of God. But if the church possess the right to create new officers, and to transfer to them the government, and rite of ordination, this exceeds the claim of infallibility, it is to legislate in the place of God.

Matthias was elected, separated by lot, and numbered with the apostles, but was neither personally sent by Christ, nor ordained by imposition of hands, being an apostle only in the appellative sense, as was Barnabas. The first ordination was of seven deacons in the church at Jerusalem, chosen by the people, and set apart by prayer, and imposition of the hands of the apostles, there being as yet no presbytery. When the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch, prayed and imposed their hands on Saul and Barnabas, they seemed rather to have given a testimony of their concurrence to a mission, or apostleship, likely to awaken

a Num. viii. 10. xxviii, 18.

prejudices, than to have ordained them to an office. Timothy was ordained probably to be a presbyter, by the "laying on of the hands of a presbytery," who had been ordained for an individual church. Imposition of hands might designate, and publicly recognise persons; but it neither transmitted virtue, nor authority; nor defined duties. Paul's commission was, consequently, neither enlarged, nor restricted by the mission he received at Antioch. Nor was Timothy's office of evangelist, which was an extraordinary commission to aid the apostle of the Gentiles, produced by the act of a presbytery in his ordination to be a presbyter.

The primitive churches when duly furnished, had each its presbytery and deacons; and of necessity in planting churches, the apostles and evangelists did, when alone, respectively ordain presbyters in those which were new.b But afterwards the presbytery of every such church ordained successors to themselves, and also deacons, not by communicating any virtue, which they had derived mystically from the apostles or evangelists; but by assigning them, in the discharge of their own duty, with the consent of the people, a share in the government and service of the church.

The validity of offices in the church of Christ, is independent of the internal call. But both ordainers and ordained, should have reasonable grounds to be

b Paul and Barnabas returning to the churches which they had planted; ordained presbyters for them in every church," poτονήσαντες δε αυτοις πρεσβυτέρους κατα εκκλησίαν with prayer and fasting. The Greeks used porove for electing by lifting the hand. But Paul and Barnabas could not have thus voted, being but two, yet the act was theirs. Επιτίθημι is the expression for imposing hands. More must have been intended by χειροτονησαντες, than simply that they appointed, it must mean that they set them apart to the office of presbyters, for that was the effect, and such is expressed to have been the office, and it was with prayer and fasting. Although sporove implies not necessarily, either voting by lifting the hand, or ordaining by imposing the hand, for it is used for constituting Moses a ruler, and Aaron and his sons priests, by God himself; yet it is probable that Paul and Barnabas did ordain by imposition of hands.

satisfied of the truth of this grace; which is no more, than the ordinary change of heart or disposition, with a conviction, that it is the duty of the party to preach the gospel, and that he has the requisite knowledge, learning, talents, and soundness in the faith, to render him useful. The authority of the officers of the church is derived through the apostles, who received their commission from Christ in person, and were directed by the Holy Spirit, to provide teachers for the churches, in the manner they have done. If the case of Matthias, who received я, an oversight, be not an exception, the apostolic authority and gifts were peculiar to those, who were commissioned by Christ after his resurrection; and the nearest approximation to theirs was the office of evangelist, which was also extraordinary and evanescent. No evangelists appear in the history of the church after the deaths of those who were cotemporaries of the apostles; nor do any other officers, except those of individual churches, for a century after the death of John, who died the last of the apostles. The first interpretation of a rule is generally and justly supposed to be the right one; the first condition of the churches establishes the only ordinary offices of the New Testament to have been those of the presbyter, called also bishop, and of the deacon; and the only ordainers, except the apostles and evangelists, appear to have been the presbyteries of the respective churches. The presbyter, who presided in each, denominated in the Apocalypse, the angel of the church, was consequently thus ordained, and to the same office with his brethren. Also, if the sacred word be alone competent to prescribe and define legitimate powers, and rightful commissions of officers in the church of Christ, there is to this day no higher grade, than that of presbyter; and no one inferior to the deacon; neither is there rightful ordination, but by presbyters. These may pray for the Holy Ghost to breathe upon those, on whom they put their hands; but have no power to communicate that blessing; and