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diocesan bishops, who claim for themselves what the sacred writers never intended that this name should import. Yet the title is borne by the latter, with the most undisturbed and serene selfcomplacency, as if there could be no doubt in regard to its authority and fitness-while its assumption by the former provokes, upon the countenances of many, a smile of incredulity bordering on derision.

So much for the influence of usages, which are contrary to scripture, even upon the minds of those who have the scriptures in their possession. No man ever read the word "bishop," on the pages of the Bible, as signifying any thing higher than a presbyter. And yet the sound of its application to such an individual now, falls upon the public ear as something which is strange, unauthorized, and even presumptuous. For names,

in themselves considered, it is not worth while to contend; but it often happens, in the progress of human affairs, that names become things. And, therefore, it is of some importance to adhere to the phraseology of the scriptures, as a means of preserving unimpaired the system of faith and duty which they were intended to reveal.

DISCOURSE III.

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED-PRELATICAL BISHOPS NOT KNOWN IN SCRIPTURE, BY CHARACTER, AND OF. FICE-ARE NOT SUCCESSORS TO THE APOSTLES.

ACTS xvii. 11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether these things were so.

THE value of this passage to us, in our present position, consists in this-that, by divine authority, it pronounces a commendation upon those, who adhere exclusively to the scriptures as the rule of their faith. The persons to whom it refers, were attending upon the instructions of no less an individual than the apostle Paul. He had come to Berea, in the prosecution of a missionary journey, in company with Silas; and, entering into the synagogue of the Jews, according to his custom, he preached the messiahship and mission of Jesus to the children of Abraham. Contrary to his experience, in most other places, he was

heard, not only with respectful attention, but with deep interest. The views of truth which he presented, struck the minds of the Jews as plausible in a high degree; and how these views were finally disposed of, it is the object of the text to inform us. They did not receive his teaching, merely because it was plausible in itself, or on account of the channel through which it was conveyed; but they brought it to the test of their inspired writings. They "searched the scriptures, daily," with a view of ascertaining how far the preaching of the Apostle coincided with the instructions of Moses and the Prophets-determined to receive so much of his teaching, as would stand the test of this rule of faith, and no more. And, in view of their course in this respect, they have been set up on the page of sacred history, as

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a lamp" to the "feet" and "a light" to the "path" of all the succeeding generations of men.

It is on the platform of this example, that we take our stand in the present discussion. We are willing to be tried by the word of God, and to stand, or fall, according to the verdict which it renders. Point us to any place in THE SCRIPTURES, where prelacy is represented as an essential element in the constitution of the christian church, and we yield at once. But tell us not of fathers and councils, of tradition and of church authority,

of apostolical bishops and lines of succession, until we have found something, in this one and only rule of our faith, which will serve as a basis on which the system may rest. "To the law and to the testimony," we again say; they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

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Adhering to this principle, we proceed in our endeavor to show, that "there is no such functionary, known to the New Testament at all, as a preLATICAL BISHOP." We have seen, that no traces of his character and office are to be discovered in the evangelical history; and that no name for him is to be found, in the lists of official titles which occur, either in the Acts of the Apostles, or in any of the Epistles. The incidents recorded in these subsequent parts of the New Testament, occurred while the primitive churches were in their forming state; and frequent reference is had, not only to "the saints" in their associated state, but also to their spiritual helps and rulers. We read of "pastors," "teachers," "elders," "bishops,' ," "deacons," &c.-but, among them all, there is no name for a prelate. So that we must seek him there, as one of his staunchest advocates has said, 66 INDEPENDENTLY OF ANY NAME AT ALL.' This, to our minds, is perfectly conclusive as to the fact, that no such superior officer exists in

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connection with the church, by divine authority. For who, that has not a favorite system to support by such an assumption, can believe, that the Great Head of the church would have left the most important official character in all his household without an appropriate appellation, by which he might be known distinctly, and unchangeably, till the end of time? Who ever heard of a government, either great or small, established, with such an omission as this? A greater omission, it would not have been, if the framers of the Constitution of the United States had finished their work, without giving a name to the Chief Magistrate of the Union! They might have given titles to all the inferior officers, and heads of department-assigning to each his appropriate sphere, and specifying his particular duties-and then have separated, without fixing upon any title for him, who was to exercise a controling influence over them all; and not have committed a greater absurdity than the sacred writers have committed, if a prelate is to be sought for in their acts and instructions independently of a name.

But we are here met by the plea, on the part of the advocates of prelacy, that names are nothing-"we are inquiring for the thing—the name is not worth a line of controversy." We beg leave, however, to remind those who urge this

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