a number of men joined in a common commission, we demand the reason of its being restricted to an individual in the epistles to the churches of Asia. Signifying a messenger," it is in itself as applicable to any preacher of the gospel as to a diocesan bishop. If he was of old, what most of the diocesans are now, he was, of all the clergy in his diocese, the one who had the least claim to the title. To preach the word," to "declare the whole counsel of God," to instruct the people, we are told plainly enough, are not the peculiar attributes of the bishop. By what rule of propriety should he be characterised by symbols which are foreign from his appropriate functions? by symbols which describe exactly the functions of those ministers whom, we are taught, they do not represent.*

The advocates of the hierarchy must have summoned up the most desperate resolution, when they ventured upon the declaration which we have

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Angel of the church," is a phrase borrowed from the synagogue. "It answers to the Hebrew, the Legate, or delegate of the church. A name which was given in the synagogue to experienced and learned men, especially the Doctors (or teachers,) who were usually delegated to pray for the public assembly, whether in ordinary or extraordinary cases. So that by Angels of the churches must be here understood those rulers of the Christian church, whose office it was to offer up public prayers in the church, to manage sacred concerns, and discourse to the people." Vitringa anacrisis apocalypseos, p. 25. To the same purpose speaks the profoundly learned Lightfoot. Works, Vol. I. p. 341. Fol.

exposed. To do them justice, they seem not to have been forsaken of those "compunctious visitings," which occasionally trouble such as suspect the righteousness of their cause. We infer this from their growing dogmatical and rather unruly in their asseverations, nearly in proportion as they find themselves beset with difficulty. Not unlike men who are accustomed to tell "a tough story," and when they perceive the credulity of their audience to be too hard pressed, back their veracity with a file of oaths. Any plain reader will observe, on a slight inspection of these epistles, that they address the angel of a particular church in the singular or plural number indifferently. Thus to the angel of the church in Smyrna, the Redeemer says, I know THY works, and tribulation and poverty, but THOU art rich-Fear none of those things which THOU shalt SUFFER. Behold the devil shall cast. SOME of YOU into prison, that YE may be tried; and YE shall have tribulation ten days: be THOU faithful unto the death; and I will give THEE a crown of life.*

We ask any dispassionate man whether all this is not addressed to the angel in Smyrna? Thou, says the text; "Thou," the angel, "shalt suffer." How? What? "Thus," saith the text, "the devil shall cast into prison some of you"-you who are signified by the angel. However, "be thou faithful unto the death;" i. e. although thou

*Rev. ii. 8-10.

“and I will give persecuted, "I will This is so obvious,

shouldest die for being faithful; thee," whom? certainly the give thee a crown of life." that, in order to evade its force, the Episcopal writers represent the epistles as addressed partly to the bishop and partly to the people.

"When what is said relates to the people, the style is altered; the plural number is then used." See Cyprian and Potter as above.

This gloss is contrary,

1. To the plain and natural construction of the prophet's words; which, using sometimes the singular, and sometimes the plural, number, when speaking of the angel, leads us to a simple and easy solution, by supposing that he employs that term in a collective sense, of the whole ministry of the church.

2. To their own principles which the Episcopal writers have laid down as containing an "absolute demonstration" of the prelatic dignity of these angels, viz. "That the titles of angels and stars are constantly applied in the book of Revelation to single men, and never to a society or number of men." The epistle is written to the angel in Smyrna." Angel," say they, always signifies a single person, and never a number of men; and yet they say, that of this very epistle to the angel, part is addressed directly to the people, who are "a society or number of men."

3. To their own distinction between the emblems which point out the ministry and the churches respectively.

were not the whole

This is proved in

church or collective body of Christians. contestably from these considerations. The whole churches or collective body of Christians, are represented by "seven candlesticks," which are distinguished from the “ seven stars" that are emblems of the angels, the bishops," &c. See above.

The distinction is just; but it is completely overthrown in their subsequent interpretations. For, in the first place, they tell us very truly, that the collective body of Christians is signified by the symbol of a "candlestick:" and in the next, that they are directly addressed in the letter sent to the angel, who is, say they, a single person: i. e. they are explicitly and formally addressed, under an appellation which is never applied to them.

4. To the known use of those scriptural emblems, "star" and "angel." These titles in the context are perfectly synonymous; whatever is meant by "star," is acknowledged to be meant by

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angel." Now both these symbols depict official character; and consequently, when applied to the Christian church, cannot mean the people as distinguished from their ministers. Therefore, under the term "angel," the ministry and the people cannot be distinctly addressed.

5. To the tenour of the exhortations and promise in the text. If the "angel" is the collective body of the ministry upon whom the persecution was to fall, then the exhortations, Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer-Be thou faithful unto the death; and the promise, I will give thee a crown

of life, are in harmony with the pre-monition that the Devil should cast some of them into prison. The anticipation of evil is softened by the assurance of support. But according to the Episcopal construction, the sorrow goes one way and the consolation the other: the bishop is exhorted not to fear to be faithful unto the death. But it seems, that the people only are to bear the calamity. The bishop has a glorious promise of a crown of life; but not a word to cheer his oppressed flock. Cold comfort this to the poor prisoners cooped up by the devil in a dungeon! One would think that the "cup of salvation" might have been put to the lips which were drinking deeply of the cup of sorrow. But the matter is more dexterously managed the bishop suffers, and the people are consoled, by proxy. A mode of suffering, we presume, to which the bishops of the present day, and many others beside them, would submit with great magnanimity. How they would relish the consolation thus administered, is another affair.

Lastly, to the authority delegated by Christ to Presbyters: We have formerly proved that every ordinary power left in the church is, in the most direct and unequivocal manner, devolved on Presbyters.* And as one part of scripture cannot be repugnant to another, it is impossible that any term or expression here, in this book of the Revelation, can be rightly interpreted, which is said

* See page p.