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presbyters, and setting them over presbyters, in an authoritative "prelacy, took its rise from no divine institution, but from human "tradition, which had its foundation in pride."*

Polyander, Thysius, and Walaus Professors of divinity in the Universities of Leyden, Harderwick, and Middelburg, were also conspicuous and active members of the synod of Dort. These learned divines were engaged in a joint work, under the title of Synopsis Theologiæ, which has been long highly esteemed in the church of Holland. Of that work, the following strong and decisive passages are a specimen.

"The apostle calls the same persons presbyters and bishops "indifferently. Of this we have examples, in Acts 20, 28, where "he exhorts the presbyters of the church of Ephesus to attend to "the flock over which the Holy Ghost had made them bishops; "-also in 1 Timothy 3, 2. where he describes a bishop from his "qualifications and duties, which same qualifications and duties, "the Apostle Peter ascribes to his fellow-presbyters; so also in "his epistle to the Philippians 1. 1. by bishops he evidently "understands those who presided over the church of Philippi, "in the administration of the word and discipline; and these "he distinguishes from deacons who were entrusted with the "church's treasure, &c. &c." After adducing several other instances of a similiar kind, it is added, "The title of bishop "in scripture does not denote the authority of one minister "over other ministers of Christ, or any kind of prerogative enjoyed "by one over others; but is merely used to designate that watch "and care over the church which belongs to an individual.”

Again, "The practice, therefore, of investing one person from "among the presbyters with the authority of president, and giving "him, by way of eminence, the title of bishop, was not a divine, "but a mere human appointment, and was brought in after the "apostles' time; as, after Jerome, many of the papists themselves "confess, particularly Lombard, Gratian, Cusan, and others."

Further," The right of choosing pastors belongs to the church, "and as well to the body of the people as to the elders; but the "right of ordination belongs to the presbytery alone. And accord

ingly, in ancient times, the election of pastors was made by the "suffrages of the whole body of the people belonging to a church;

* Explicat. in x Pet. 5. p. 704.

"but the ordination was performed by one of the pastors, in the "name of the whole presbytery, and in the presence of the church, "by the imposition of hands."

In another place they declare," Although a few of the first pas"tors of our churches were ordained by bishops, by far the greater "part have been more recently ordained by presbyters. The or"dination of the latter is quite as valid as that of the former; be"cause bishops and presbyters were formerly the same thing; and "by divine right, the power of ordaining pastors equally belonged "to both."*

In the same work, these divines, in the most explicit manner, assert the apostolical institution of ruling elders and deacons ; the former to assist the pastor in the exercise of government and discipline in each church; the latter to take care of the poor. And they expressly declare, that they consider the Church of Holland, in retaining these officers, as following the example of the apostolic church.t

You will pardon me, my brethren, for this long, and I fear, tedious induction of authorities and quotations. It never occurred to me, before I saw Mr. How's pamphlet, that it was possible for any well-informed man, who valued his reputation, to give such a statement as that gentleman has done of the sentiments of the principal divines of the reformed churches. We now see of what he is capable. The next step will probably be to assert, that the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, ever has been, and now is, decidedly prelatical both in its principles and practice. For, really, such an assertion would not be a whit more unfounded, nor fly more directly in the face of all authentic testimony, than several which I have been called to refute in the foregoing pages. It is plain, however, that the more deeply and extensively we pursue our inquiries, the stronger and brighter appears the evidence in favour of the Presbyterian doctrine. It is more and more manifest, that, in pleading the cause of this doctrine, we are pleading the cause of every protestant church on earth, excepting that of England, and those who claim descent from her as their parent.

Synop. Pur. Theologiæ. Disputat. XLII. § 29, 30. 32, 33. 47.
Ibid. Disputat. XLII. 20. 59. 60, 65.

LETTER IX.

RISE AND PROGRESS OF PRELACY.

CHRISTIAN BRETHREN,

DR. Bowden represents Presbyterians as believing that prelacy was suddenly and violently established; that "a wonderful revo"lution took place, calculated to influence the passions of thou"sands, producing violent convulsions, and virulent animosities." And expresses great astonishment that such a revolution, introduced at once, should not have been more distinctly recorded by the early writers.

This is a total misrepresentation. Presbyterians believe and affirm, with Jerome, that prelacy arose by little and little." They attribute its introduction to causes quite sufficient to account for the fact, without producing the convulsions and noise which fill the imagination of Dr. Bowden. These causes were, the facility, the indolence, and the inconsideration of some; the ambition of others; the precedency of standing moderators; the veneration paid to senior ministers, and such as were of superior talents and influence; the respect attached to those who resided in large cities, and other considerations of a similar kind. With such causes as these incessantly at work, who can fail to consider as the most probable of all events, that which Dr. B. represents as altogether impossible?

But Dr. Bowden thinks it utterly incredible that the clergy in the second or third centuries should have been guilty of usurping power, or of struggling for pre-eminence. If we may believe him

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they were too pious, disinterested, and humble, to admit the suspicion of selfishness or ambition having any place among them. "Surely," says he, "men of such distinguished virtue and piety, "as the bishops of that period are universally acknowledged to "have been, could not have entertained a thought so inconsistent "with a pure conscience, with peace of mind, and with the hope of "future happiness. Could men who displayed all the meekness "and humility of Christians, have attempted a plan of domination "sa completely at variance with these virtues? Could men who "endured every thing for the sake of Christ, violate his sacred in"stitution? Could men, who, to save themselves from the most "excruciating torments, would not offer incense at the idol altars, "deliberately associate for the purpose of acquiring a trifling "authority over their brethren? What! conscientious in every (6 thing relating to christian purity, to christian manners, and yet profligate as to the constitution of the christian church! Gross "inconsistency! Palpable contradiction!" Again-"What was "the motive that influenced a few presbyters to attempt an as"sumption of superiority over their brethren? Was it a desire of "temporal power? That was entirely out of the question, without "the aid of civil authority. And every one knows that kind of "authority was exerted for the destruction of the church. Was it "the love of wealth? None resulted from the acquisition, or could "result from it. The people were generally poor, and the bi"shops, as well as the presbyters and deacons were maintained "out of the offerings at the altar; and scanty was the fare that 66 proceeded from that source. Was it the love of ease and secu"rity? That could not be; for episcopal superiority greatly "increased the labours of the bishops, and exposed them to almost ❝ certain destruction. If, then, neither dominion, nor wealth, nor "ease, nor security, could possibly be the motives for so daring an "attempt as to deprive the presbyters of their most sacred rights, "those ambitious spirits, as you deem them, must have acted "without any motive, which is evidently inconsistent with the "very nature and constitution of the human mind."

It is really putting one's patience to a very severe test to find an opponent so frequently alluding to his own superior " scholarship" and reading, and at the same time permitting himself to write in this manner. What! no clerical ambition! No strife about pre

eminence? No ecclesiastical usurpation in those early ages? It would have been just as reasonable, and just as true, if he had said that the gospel was preached in those days by none but angels.— But let us attend to a few facts.

Passing by several cases in point which occurred during the the lives, and under the immediate eye of the apostles, when, as St. Paul himself assures us, the mystery of iniquity had already begun to work, let me ask, Was there no spirit of domination manifested in the fierce dispute between Victor, bishop of Rome, and Polycrates, of Ephesus, which took place in the second century, as related by Eusebius? Was no love of pre-eminence displayed by Cerinthus and Basilides, whose burning desire was "to be "accounted great apostles " Did Montanus, in the same century, exhibit no ambition in broaching his celebrated heresy? Was Samosatenus, in the third wholly free from the same charge? Did Demetrius of Alexandria, discover nothing of an aspiring temper, when he sickened with envy at the fame and the success of Origen? Are there no accounts of Novatus having sought, ambitiously and fraudulently, to obtain the bishopric of Rome? Did not his contemporary, Felicissimus, make a vigorous attempt to supplant Cyprian, as bishop of Carthage? Was not Cyprian brought in to be bishop in that city, by the influence of the people, in opposition to the majority of the presbyters, some of whom were anxious to obtain the place for themselves? And did there not hence arise frequent collisions between him and them, and at length an open rupture? I ask, are any of these things related in the early history of the church? And can any man, with such records before him, lay his hand on his heart, and assert that there were no symptons of a spirit of ambition and domination in those times ?

But I will not content myself with this general reference to the early conflicts of selfishness and ambition. The following specific quotations will be more than sufficient, if I do not mistake, to cover Dr. Bowden with confusion.

Hermas, one of the earliest fathers whose writings are extant, says, in his Pastor, "As for those who had their rods green, but yet cleft; they are such as were always faithful and good; but "they had some envy and strife among themselves, concerning 66 dignity and pre-eminence. Now all such are vain and without

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