cal writers, out of the first of the Comments of Hegesippus, relate: Ambrose upon the first chapter unto the Galatians, Chrysostom in his twenty-third Homily upon the xv. of the Acts, Augustin in his second book and 37th chapter against Cresconius, Epiphanius in his sixty-fifth Heresy, the sixth Synod in Trullo and 32d canon, all assenting thereunto. For, indeed, this is that James that had his fixed residence at Jerusalem as an ordinary bishop, whom Paul, in his first and last coming to Jerusalem, found in the city; (almost all the apostles preaching in other places, Gal. i. 19;) and that concluded those things which were decreed in the assembly of the apostles, Acts xxi. For he was, with Chrysostom, bishop of the church of Jerusalem; from whom, when certain came, Peter would not eat with the Gentiles; Gal. ii. 12.

From examples I pass to authorities, which Ignatius confirms by his own authority; whose axioms are these:-" The bishop is he which is superior in all chiefty and power. The presbytery is a holy company of counsellors and assessors to the bishop. The deacons are the imitators of angelical virtues, which show forth their pure and unblameable ministry. He which doth not obey these is without God, impure, and contemns Christ, and derogates from his order and constitution:"-in his epistle to the Trallians. In another place, "I exhort that ye study to do all things with concord; the bishop being president in the place of God, the presbyters in place of the apostolic senate, the deacons as those to whom was committed the ministry of Jesus Christ:" in his epistle to the Magnesians. And again: "Let the presbyters be subject to the bishop, the deacons to the presbyters, the people to the presbyters and deacons :" in his epistle to those of Tarsusb. But Ignatius was the disciple of the apostles: from whence then had he this hierarchy, but from the apostles?

Let us now hear Epiphanius, in his seventy-fifth Heresy. "The apostles could not presently appoint all things. Presbyters and deacons were necessary; for by these two ecclesiastical affairs might be dispatched. Where there was not found any fit for the episcopacy, that place remained without a bishop; but where there was need, and there were any fit for episcopacy, they were made bishops. All things were not complete from the beginning; but in tract of time, all things were provided which were required

b [This Epistle, though it has some evidence in favour of its genuineness, is generally considered to be spurious.]

for the perfection of those things which were necessary: the church by this means receiving the fulness of dispensation."

But Eusebius comes nearer to the matter, and more strongly handles the cause; who, in his third book of Ecclesiastical History and 22d chapter, as also in his Chronicle, affirmeth, that Erodius was ordained the first bishop of Antioch in the year of our Lord 45, in the third year of Claudius the emperor; at which time many of the apostles were alive.

Now Jerome writeth to Evagrius, that at Alexandria, “from Mark the evangelist, unto Heraclas and Dionysius the bishop, the presbyters called one, chosen out of themselves and placed in a higher degree, the bishop." But Mark died, as Eusebius and Bucholcerus testify, in the year of our Lord 64: Peter, Paul, and John, the apostles, being then alive. Therefore it is clear that episcopacy was instituted in the time of the apostles; and good Jerome suffered some frailty when he wrote that "bishops were greater than presbyters, rather by the custom of the church than the truth of the Lord's disposing;" unless, perhaps, by "the custom of the church" he understands the custom of the apostles; and by "the truth of the Lord's disposing" he understands the appointment of Christ. Yet not so he satisfies the truth of history; for it appears, out of the first, second, and third chapters of the Revelation, that the form of governing the church by angels or bishops was not only ratified and established in the time of the apostles, but it was confirmed by the very Son of God. And Ignatius called that form the order of Christ.

And when Jerome writes that "it was decreed in the whole world that one chosen out of the presbyters should be placed over the rest;" and when I have demonstrated that, in the lifetime of the apostles, bishops were superior to presbyters in ordination, and that each church had one placed over it; do we, not without cause demand, where, when, and by whom, episcopacy was ordained? Episcopacy therefore is of divine right. Which, how the prelates of the church of Rome, for almost three hundred years, did adorn with the truth of doctrine, innocency of life, constancy in afflictions, and suffering death itself for the honour of Christ; and on the other side how, in succeeding times, first by their ambition, next by their excessive pragmatical covetousness scraping up to themselves the goods of this world, then by their heresy, last of all by their tyranny, they corrupted it; that the Roman hierarchy at this day hath nothing else left but a visard of the

apostolical ecclesiastical hierarchy, and the lively image of the whore of Babylon,—our histories, both ancient and modern, do abundantly testify.

Wherefore all bishops are warned from hence that they throughly weigh with themselves the nature of apostolical episcopacy, of which they glory that they are the successors.

That episcopacy had two things peculiar to it—the privilege of succeeding, and the prerogative of ordaining: all other things were common to them with the presbyters. Therefore both bishops and presbyters should so exercise themselves in godliness, should so free themselves from contempt by their conversation, and so make themselves examples to their flock; not neglecting, especially, the gift of prophesying received from above, but being wholly intent to reading, consolation, and teaching; to meditate on these things, to be wholly conversant in them: and so perpetually employed in this holy function and divine affairs, with this promise, that if they shall do these things they shall both save themselves and their auditors; but if, after the custom of some great ones, they follow the pride and luxury of this world, they shall both destroy themselves and them that hear them.

THE JUDGMENT

OF THE LEARNED DIVINE,

D. ABRAHAMUS SCULTETUS,

PRIME PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY AT HEIDELBERG,

CONCERNING

LAY ELDERS.

OBSERVATIONS

UPON 1 TIMOTHY,

BY ABRAHAM SCULTETUS,

CHAP. XXVII.

CONCERNING I TIM. V. 17.

THERE are some that think this place of scripture is of force enough to make good a lay presbytery; for their eyes and judgments are dazzled with that distinction of elders which they suppose to be clearly intimated here by St. Paul. But, if they shall have diligently scanned the place, and compared it with other texts of scripture, they shall soon find that the defence of lay elders out of this place is both contrary to the signification of the word πроeσTтes, i. e. those that rule, and contrary to the signification of the word presbyter; and that it is quite against St. Paul's perpetual doctrine; and it is against the judgment of all the fathers that have expounded this speech of St. Paul.

It is contrary to the signification of the word "pоεστŵτes: for πроστаσía, or ecclesiastical rule or government, is an honour wherewith only ministers of God's word are invested in the New Testament, and not any lay persons. We beseech you, brethren, saith the apostle, 1 Thess. v. 12, 13, that you know those that labour amongst you, and are over you in the Lord, and that

admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. "Upon which words," saith Calvin, "it is worthy to be observed what titles he gives to pastors. First he saith that they labour; and then he sets them forth by the name of rule or governance." And Beza upon the place: "It appears from hence that the church was governed by pastors in common, and that the degree of a bishop was not thought of, and therefore Проloτalα, to rule, is the same with yeîoda, to lead; because the shepherds are wont to go before their flock." But the apostle, Heb. xiii. 7 and 17, calls the ministers of the word leaders: therefore, according to Beza, we must acknowledge, those that are over the people are the ministers of the word. Neither doth Justin Martyr, in his Apology to Antonius, call the πроεστŵтα any other than the pastor and teacher of the congregation.

Moreover, the defence of lay elders out of this present text of St. Paul is contrary to the signification of the word presbyter; which, when it is used concerning the polity of the New Testament, doth always signify the ministers of the word, Acts xi. 30. They sent their collection to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul; that is, to the ministers, of whom it is said, Acts xiv. 23, XELρOTOVÝσaνTes dé, They ordained them elders in every church and, Acts xv. 2, a main question of faith is propounded to the apostles and elders of Jerusalem; but, what! to be decided by laymen? For the elders met with the apostles, to consider of this matter; Acts xv. 6. And the presbyters are joined together with the apostles, ver. 22, and are distinguished from the whole church; as also ver. 23, and chap. xvi. 4. Again, in the xxth of the Acts, the elders of Ephesus, ver. 17, are said to be made bishops, to feed the flock of Christ, ver. 28. And in Acts xxi. 18, and the verses following, the presbyters or elders of Jerusalem instruct the apostle Paul what he is to do; and therefore were no laymen. In this very chapter, when Timothy is commanded to receive no accusation against an elder, the elder there is a teacher; as shall be showed in the next chapter. Tit. i. 5, That thou mayest ordain elders in every city: what kind of elders? surely, teachers; for he adds, If any be blameless, &c. for a bishop must be unreproveable &c. And, James v. 14, the sick are bidden to send for the elders of the church, that they may pray over, and anoint the sick with oil in the name of the Lord; which is no layman's duty. 1 Pet. v. 1, 2, The elders I exhort, who am also a fellow elder; feed the flock: how is he a