bishop or presbyter chosen by this Christian community, to be the messenger, or servant, both of God and of the church. This call of the church is itself a vocatio divina, a divine calling; and, according to the New Testament view of the subject, unites the idea of both offices in the same person."

Bengel, also, the most learned expositor of the book of Revelation, is of opinion, that the angel of the church corresponds to the 3 h of the synagogue. "The Hebrews had, in their synagogue, a sno, a deputatum ecclesiae, who, in reading, in prayer, &c., led the congregation; and such a leader, also, had each of the seven churches of the Apocalypse." 54

The result is, that the angel of the churches, whatever view we take of the origin of the term, was not the representative of an order or grade superior to presbyters, but himself merely a presbyter; or, if you please,—a bishop, provided you mean by it simply what the Scriptures always mean, a pastor of a church, the ordinary and only minister, divinely constituted to be the shepherd and bishop of their souls.

II. It remains to consider the historical argument for the original equality and identity of bishops and presbyters.

The doctrine of the original equality and identity of bishops and presbyters was fully recognized in the early church, and continued to be acknowledged, even after the establishment of the hierarchy, down to the time of the Reformation. The historical argument comprised in this proposition may be resolved into several particulars, each of which serves to show that both the early fathers and later historians regarded presbyters and bishops as belong

54 Erklarung Offenbarung, p. 216. For a further illustration of the opinions of the learned, the reader is referred to Campbell's Lectures on Eccl. Hist., pp. 82-88. Whately, Kingdom of Christ, pp. 246–250.

ing to the same grade or order of the clergy, and equal in their rights and privileges.

1. Presbyters are designated by names and titles similar to those of bishops.

2. Presbyters, like bishops, are carefully distinguished from the deacons, the second order of the clergy, in such a manner as to show that they are indiscriminately and equally the representatives of the first order.

3. Presbyters were understood to possess the right to ordain; and, generally, to perform the functions of the Episcopal office.

4. Bishops, themselves, in their ministerial character, exercised only the jurisdiction, and performed merely the offices, of presbyters in the primitive churches.

5. The original equality of bishops and presbyters continued to be acknowledged, from the rise of the Episcopal hierarchy down to the time of the Reformation.

1. Presbyters are designated in the writings of the early fathers by names and titles similar to those of bishops.

When from the Scriptures we turn to the writings of these fathers, it is observable that they speak sometimes of bishops and sometimes of presbyters as the presiding officers of the church, and then again of both indiscriminately, as being one and the same in rank. To both they ascribe the same or similar names and titles, such as seniors, elders, chairmen, moderators, presidents, &c., all indicating a similarity and identity of office, and an equality of rank. Even when the first place is assigned to the bishop, he is only chief among equals, just as in a modern presbytery or association, one is promoted to the office of moderator, to which all are alike eligible.55

55 We have brought together in parallel columns some of the names and titles which are ascribed to bishops and presbyters severally. The

2. Presbyters, like bishops, are carefully distinguished from the deacons, the second order of the clergy, in such a manner as to show that they are indiscriminately and equally the representatives of the first order.

Several of the earliest fathers distinctly recognize but two orders of the priesthood. They of the first order are sometimes denominated presbyters, sometimes bishops, and then again bishops and presbyters indiscriminately. It is worthy of particular notice, that while bishops and presbyintelligent reader will readily perceive the similarity of the titles given to both, and the identity of their significations.

These and several other titles are given in our Antiquities, pp. 70, 94. Riddle, Christ. Antiq., pp. 161, 229. Baumgarten, Erläuterungen, pp. 75, 94. Rheinwald, pp. 30, 45.

Obviously these titles severally are synonymous, and are applied indiscriminately to both bishops and presbyters, to denote one and the same office. Riddle, Christ. Antiq., p. 230. Blondell very justly remarks, that "the use of such terms creates no difficulty, and for the reason that, even after a distinction was made between bishops and presbyters in the second century by the decision of the churches, both continued to be distinguished indiscriminately by the same appellation."—Apologia pro Hieron, p. 92.

Riddle also allows that the terms, ἐπίσκοπος and πρεσβύτερος, in the New Testament are synonymous, and denote one and the same office;" and cites several passages, to some of which reference is made above.

1 Chrysost., Hom. 1, in Phil. 1, p. 8. Hom. 2, in 1 Tim. 3. Theodoret, in Phil. 1: 1. 2: 25. Jerome, ad Tit. 1, and Ep. 83, 85.

5

Chrysost., Hom. 11, in 1 Tim. 4. Comp. Rom. 12: 8.

ters are confounded one with another, they are uniformly distinguished from the deacons, the second order of the priesthood. Whatever be the title by which the clergy of the first order is called, you are in no danger of mistaking them for the second.

Clement of Rome, who wrote about A. D. 96, is our first authority. His epistle addressed to the Corinthians, is the earliest and most authentic of all the writings of the apostolical fathers. It was held in such esteem by the early Christians, that it was publicly read in their religious assemblies, in the same manner as the apostolical epistles.56 And, by ecclesiastical writers generally, nothing that is not divine is admitted to be of higher authority. This revered father recognizes but two orders of the priesthood, bishops and deacons, ἐπισκοπους καὶ διακόνους. It gives not the least intimation of an individual bishop at Corinth, uniformly speaking of the presbyters of that church whom the Corinthians had rejected, as belonging to the highest order. "The apostles preaching in countries and cities, appointed the first fruits of their labors to be bishops and deacons, having proved them by the Spirit."57 These are the two orders of the ministry, as originally appointed by the apostles. "It were a grievous sin," he proceeds to say, "to reject those who have faithfully fulfilled the duties of their Episcopal office, and immediately adds, "blessed are those presbyters, who have finished their course and entered upon their reward,"58 i. e., blessed are those presbyters who have thus faithfully performed the duties of

56 Euseb., Eccl. Hist., Lib. 3, c. 13.

57 Κατὰ χώρας ἦν καὶ πόλεις κηρύσσοντες καθίςανον τὰς ἀπαρχὰς αὐτῶν, δοκιμάσαντες τῷ πνεύματι, εἰς ἐπισκόπες καὶ διακόνες τῶν μελλόντων πιςεύειν.—Epist. ad Cor., § 42, p. 57.

58 Αμαρτία γὰρ ἐ μικρὰ ἡμῖν ἔξαι, ἐὰν τὸς ἀμέμπτως καὶ ὁσίως προσενέγκοντας τὰ δῶρα τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἀποβάλωμεν. Μακάριοι οἱ προοδοιπορήσαντες πρεσβύτεροι, οἵτινες ἔγκαρπον καὶ τελείαν ἔσχον τὴν ἀνάλυσιν.—Epist. ad Cor., § 44, p. 58.

their Episcopal office; bishops and presbyters being used interchangeably as descriptive of the same order. This passage establishes the identity of bishops and presbyters in the opinion of this venerable author, who may be understood to express the prevailing opinion both at Rome and at Corinth. The epistle proceeds on the evident assumption, that the ministerial office, and the relations between pastor and people, were the same in both. He is remonstrating with the Corinthians for expelling certain presbyters from their bishopric, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς. "Clement himself,” says Riddle, "was not even aware of the distinction between bishops and presbyters-terms which in fact he uses. as synonymous.

"59

Polycarp is our next witness. This father was familiar with those who had seen our Lord. He was the disciple of John the apostle, and is supposed by many to be the angel of the church at Smyrna, in Rev. 2: 8. Such was the respect in which the epistle was held by the primitive Christians, that it was publicly read in their churches until the fourth century. This valuable relic of antiquity, the date of which is usually assigned to the year 140, harmonizes in a remarkable degree with that of Clement, in recognizing but two orders of the clergy.60 The first it denominates presbyters. Bishops are not once named in all the epistle. These presbyters are represented to have been the inspectors and rulers of the church, to administer discipline, and to exercise the functions of the highest officer of the church. Nor is there the least intimation that any one has authority superior to these.

As the author of the epistle, and apparently the presiding elder, the лоɛσtós of the church, he opens the letter with

59 Christ. Antiq., p. 5. Comp. Waddington's Church Hist., p. 35. Campbell's Lectures, p. 72.

60 Διὸ δέον ἀπέχεσθαι ἀπὸ πάντων τούτων ὑποτασσομένους τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις καὶ διακόνοις ὡς Θεῳ καὶ Χριστῷ. Ad. Phil., c. 6.