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pus, i. e. a priest and a bishop were one and the same; for in "those times the distinct orders of pope, cardinals, patriarchs, arch"bishops, bishops, arch-deacons, officials, and deans, were not "invented." The followers of Wickliffe imbibed this as well as the other opinions of their master; and, accordingly, it is well known that they held and practised ordination by presbyters, not for want of diocesan bishops, but on the avowed principle, that they considered all ministers who "laboured in the word and doctrine," and administered sacraments, as having equal power.†

The renowned martyrs, John Huss and Jerome, of Prague, who laid down their lives for the truth, a little after the time of Wickliffe, embraced the greater part, if not all the opinions of the English reformer, and especially his doctrine concerning the parity of Christian ministers. Their disciples acted in conformity with this doctrine. Encas Sylvius, (afterwards Pius II.) speaking of of the Hussites, says, "One of the dogmas of this pestiferous 66 sect, is, that there is no difference of order among those who bear "the priestly office." This account is confirmed by the historian Thuanus, who expressly speaks of their opinions as resembling those of the English dissenters.

The churches which ecclesiastical historians have generally distinguished by the title of the Bohemian brethren, and which flourished before the time of Luther, are considered as the descendants of the Hussites, and as having inherited their opinions as well as their evangelical spirit. These churches distinctly held and taught, as their book of discipline proves, that there is but one order of ministers of divine right, and, of course, that all difference of grades in the ministry, is a matter of human prudence. They had, indeed, among them persons who were styled bishops; but they expressly disavowed the divine institution of this order; and what is more, they derived their ministerial succession from the

See Lewis's Life of Wickliffe, 8vo. 1720.

† See Walsingham's Hist. Brevis A. D. 1389, 339-340.

Huss and Jerome were celebrated for their learning as well as piety, and were both distinguished members of the University of Prague. The former was more particularly eminent on account of his erudition and eloquence, and performed at the same time the functions of professor of divinity in the University, and pastor of the church in that city. Mosheim.

Waldenses, who had no other, strictly speaking, than Presbyterian bishops. Even Comenius, their celebrated historian, who says most about their bishops, distinctly acknowledges that bishop and presbyter are the same by divine right. It is also an undoubted and remarkable fact, that the Bohemian brethren retained the office of ruling elder in their churches; an office which, toward the latter part of the fourth century, had been, in the greater part of the Christian world, discontinued. The following representation by the learned Bucer, will be deemed, by those who are acquainted with his character, conclusive as to this fact. "The Bohemian "brethren, who almost alone preserved in the world the purity of "the doctrine, and the vigor of the discipline of Christ, observed "an excellent rule, for which we are compelled to give them credit, "and especially to praise that God who thus wrought by them; "notwithstanding those brethren are preposterously despised by 66 some learned men. The rule which they observed was this: "Besides ministers of the word and sacraments, they had, in each "church, a bench or college of men excelling in gravity and pru"dence, who performed the duties of admonishing and correcting "offenders, composing differences, and judicially deciding in cases "of dispute. Of this kind of elders, Hilary wrote, when he said, "Unde et Synagoga," &c. Script. Advers. Latom. p. 77.

The celebrated Mr. Tindal, a canon of Oxford, who gave the first translation of the Bible into English, and who suffered martyrdom in the reign of Henry VIII. for his zeal and his distinguished labours in the cause of truth, has the following explicit declaration," in his Practice of Popish Prelates. "The apostles following and "obeying the rule, doctrine, and commandment of our Saviour, "ordained in his kingdom and congregation, two officers, one "called after the Greek word, bishop, in English, an Overseer; "which same was called Priest, after the Greek. Another officer "they chose, and called him deacon, after the Greek; a minister, " in English, to minister alms to the poor. All that were called "elders (or priests, if they so will) were called bishops also, though "they have now divided the names."

The famous John Lambert, another martyr in the same reign, who is represented even by Episcopal historians, as a man of great learning, as well as meekness and piety, expressed himself on the subject under consideration in the following manner : "As touch"ing priesthood in the primitive church, when virtue bare the most

room, there were no more officers in the church than bishops and "deacons, as witnesseth, besides scripture, full apertly Jerome, in "his commentary upon St. Paul's epistles, where he saith, that "those we call priests, were all one, and no other but bishops, "and the bishops none but priests.”

The fathers of the reformation in England were Presbyterians in principle; that is, a majority of the most pious and learned among them considered bishop and presbyter as the same, by divine right. But as the influence of the crown was exerted in favour of prelacy; as many of the bishops were opposed to the reformation altogether; and as the right of the civil magistrate to direct the outward organization of the church at pleasure, was acknowledged by all the reformers, they yielded to the establishment of diocesan episcopacy, as the most suitable form of government in the circumstances then existing. But it does not appear that any one of them thought of placing episcopacy on the footing of divine right, and far less of representing it as of such indispensable and unalterable necessity, as many of their less learned sons have thought proper to maintain since that time. I know that this fact, concerning those venerable reformers, has been denied. But I know, at the same time, that it rests on proof the most complete and satisfactory, and which will ever resist all the ingenious arts which have been used to set it aside.

In the year 1537, in the reign of Henry VIII. there was a book published for the purpose of promoting the reformation, entitled, The Institution of a Christian Man. It was called the Bishops' Book, because it was composed by Archbishop Cranmer, and several other prelates. It was recommended and subscribed by the two archbishops, by nineteen bishops, and by the lower house of convocation; published under the authority of the king, and its contents ordered to be preached to the whole kingdom. In this book it is expressly said, that, "although the fathers of the suc"ceeding church, after the apostles instituted certain inferior degrees "of ministry; yet the truth is, that in the New Testament there is "no mention made of any other degree or distinction in orders, but "only of Deacons or Ministers, and of Presbyters or Bishops."*

"In Novo Testamento, nulla mentio facta est aliorum Graduum, aut "distinctionum in Ordinibus, sed Diaconorum (vel ministrorum) et "Presbyterorum (vel Episcoporum.")

About six years after the publication of this book, another appeared, which was designed to promote the same laudable purpose. This was entitled, "The Necessary Erudition of a Christian Man." It was drawn up by a committee of bishops and other divines, was afterwards read and approved by the lords spiritual and temporal, and the lower house of parliament; was prefaced by the king and published by his command. This book certainly proves that those who drew it up, had obtained much more just and clear views of several important doctrines, than they possessed at the date of the former publication. But with regard to ministerial parity, their sentiments remained unchanged. They still asserted the same doctrine. They say, "St. Paul consecrated and ordained "bishops by the imposition of hands; but that there is no certain "rule prescribed in Scripture for the nomination, election, or "presentation of them; that this is left to the positive laws of every community. The office of the said ministers is, to preach "the word, to minister the sacraments, to bind and loose, to excom"municate those that will not be reformed, and to pray for the "universal church." Having afterwards mentioned the order of deacons, they go on to say, "Of these two orders only, that is to "say, priests and deacons, Scripture maketh express mention ; and "how they were conferred of the Apostles by prayer and imposi❝tion of hands."

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About five years after the last named publication, viz. about the year 1548, Edward VI. called a " select assembly of divines, for the resolution of several questions relative to the settlement of religion." Of this assembly Archbishop Cranmer was a leading member; and to the tenth question, which respected the office of bishops and presbyters, that venerable prelate replied, "bishops "and priests were at one time, and were not two things, but one "office, in the beginning of Christ's religion." "Thus we see," says Dr. Stillingfleet" by testimony of him who was chiefly instru"mental in our reformation, that he owned not episcopacy as a "distinct order from presbytery by divine right, but only as a "prudent constitution of the civil magistrate for the better govern"ing of the church." Irenicum. part I. chapter VIII. Two other bishops, together with Dr Redmayn and Dr. Cox delivered a similar opinion, in still stronger terms; and several of them adduced Jerome as a decided authority in support of their opinion.

An

attempt has been made to place this transaction a number of years further back than it really stood, in order to show that it was at a period when the views of the reformers, with respect to the order of the church, were crude and immature. But if Bishop Stillingfleet and Bishop Burnet are to be believed, such were the language and the views of Cranmer and other prelates, in the reign of Edward VI. and a very short time before the forms of ordination and other public service in the church of England were published; in compiling which, it is acknowledged, on all hands, that the archbishop had a principal share; and which were given to the public in the third year of the reign of that prince.

Another circumstance, which serves to show that Archbishop Cranmer considered the episcopal system in which he shared, as founded rather in human prudence and the will of the magistrates than the word of God, is, that he viewed the exercise of all episcopal jurisdiction as depending on the pleasure of the king; and that as he gave it, so he might take it away at pleasure. Agreeably to this, when Henry VIII. died, the worthy primate regarded his own episcopal power as expiring with him; and therefore would not act as archbishop till he had received a new commission from king Edward.

Accordingly, when these great reformers went further than to compile temporary and fugitive manuals; when they undertook to frame the fundamental and permanent articles of their church, we find them carefully guarding against any exclusive claim in behalf of diocesan episcopacy. If they had deemed an order of bishops superior to presbyters, indispensably necessary to the regular organization of the church, and the validity of Christian ordinances, can we suppose that men who showed themselves so faithful and zealous in the cause of Christ, would have been wholly silent on the subject? And, above all, if they entertained such an opinion, would they have forborne to express it in that article in which they undertook formally to state the doctrine of their church with respect to the Christian ministry? That article (the 23d) is couched in the following terms. "It is not lawful for any man to take upon him "the office of public preaching, or ministering the sacraments in "the congregation, before he be lawfully called and sent to execute "the same. And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent, "which be chosen and called to this work by men, who have pub