lieved also, for how can an action that PRE-EXISTENCE OF JESUS is really to come to pass be foreseen, if || CHRIST, is his existence before he it be not determined? God knew every was born of the Virgin Mary. That he thing from the beginning; but this he really did exist before is plain from could not have known if he had not so || John, iii. 13. John, vi. 50, &c, John, xvii. determined it. If, also, God be infinitely|| John, viii. 58. 1 John, i. 4: but there are wise, it cannot be conceived that he various opinions respecting this exist. would leave things at random, and have ence. Some acknowledge, that in Jeno plan. He is a God of order, and this sus Christ there is a divine nature, a raorder he observes as strictly in the mo- tional soul, and a human body. His ral as in the natural world, however body, they think, was formed in the confused things may appear to us. To Virgin's womb; his human soul, they Conceive otherwise of God, is to degrade suppose, was the first and most excelhim, and is an insult to his perfections. lent of all the works of God; was If he, then, be wise and unchangeable, brought into existence before the creano new idea or purpose can arise in his tion of the world, and subsisted in hap. mind; no alteration of his plan can take py union in heaven with the second perplace, upon condition of his creatures son in the Godhead, till his incarnation. acting in this or that way. To say that These divines differ from those called this doctrine makes him the author of Arians, for the latter ascribe to Christ sin, is not justifiable. We all allow om- only a created deity, whereas the former nipotence to be an attribute of Deity, hold his true and proper divinity: they and that by this attribute he could have differ from the Socinians, who believe prevented sin from entering into the no existence of Christ before his incarworld, had he chosen it; yet we see he nation: they differ from the Sabellians, did not. Now he is no more the au- who only own a trinity of names: they thor of sin in one case than the other. differ, also, from the generally received May we not ask, Why does he suffer opinion, which is, that the human soul those inequalities of Providence? Why began to exist in his mother's womb, in permit whole nations to lie in idolatry exact conformity to that likeness unto for ages? Why leave men to the most his brethren, of which St. Paul speaks, cruel barbarities? Why punish the sins Heb. ii. 17. The writers in favour of of the fathers in the children? In a the pre-existence of Jesus Christ's huword, Why permit the world at large man soul recommend their thesis by to be subject to pains, crosses, losses, these arguments. evils of every kind, and that for so many thousands of years? And, yet, will any dare call the Deity unjust? The fact is, our finite minds know but little of the nature of divine justice, or any other of his attributes. But, supposing there are difficulties in this subject (and what subject is without it?) the Scripture abounds with passages which at once prove the doctrine, Matt. xxv. 34. Rom. viii. 29, 30. Eph. i. 3, 6, 11. 2 Tim. 1. 9. 2 Thess. ii. 13. 1 Pet. i. 1, 2. John, vi. 37. John, xvii. 2 to 24. Rev. xiii. 8. Rev. xvii. 8. Dan. iv. 35. 1 Thess. v. 19. Matt. xi. 26 Exod. iv. 21. Prov. xvi. 4. Acts, xiii. 48. The moral uses of this doctrine are these. 1. It hides pride from man.-2. Excludes the idea of chance. -3. Exalts the grace of God.-4. Renders salvation certain.-5. Affords believers great consolation. See DECREES OF GOD; NECESSITY; King, Topla dy, Cooper, and Tucker, on Predestination; Burnet on 17 Art. Whitby and Gill on the Five Points; Wesley's Pred. considered; Hill's Logica Wesleiensis ; Edwards on the Will; Polhill on the Decrees; Edwards's Veritas Redux; Saurin's Sermons, vol. v. ser. 13; Dr. Williams's Sermon on Pred.

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1. Christ is represented as his Father's messenger, or angel, being distinct from his Father, sent by his Father long before his incarnation, to perform actions which seem to be too low for the dignity of pure Godhead. The appearances of Christ to the patriarchs are described like the appearances of an angel,or man really distinct from God; yet such a one, in whom God, or Jehovah, had a peculiar indwelling, or with whom the divine nature had a personal union.

2. Christ, when he came into the world, is said, in several passages of Scripture, to have divested himself of some glory which he had before his incarnation. Now if there had existed before this time nothing but his divine nature, this divine nature could not properly divest itself of any glory. I have glorified thee on earth; I have finished the work thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich, John, xvii 4, 5. 2 Cor. viii. 9. It cannot

be said of God that he became poor: he and characters of Godhead, And the is infinitely self-sufficient; he is neces- spectators, and sacred historians, it is sarily and eternally rich in perfections evident, considered him as true and and glories. Nor can it be said of Christ proper God: they paid him the highest as man, that he was rich, if he were ne | worship and obedience. He is properly ver in a richer state before, than while styled the angel of God's presence. he was on earth. The (messenger or) angel of the covenant, Isa. lxxii. 1. Mal. iii. 1.

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It seems needful that the soul of Christ should pre-exist, that it might have an The same angel of the Lord was the opportunity to give its previous actual particular God and King of the Israelconsent to the great and painful under-ites. It was he who made a covenant taking of atonement for our sins. It was with the patriarchs, who appeared to the human soul of Christ that endured Moses in the burning bush, who rethe weakness and pain of his infant deemed the Israelites from Egypt, who state, all the labours and fatigues of life, conducted them through the wilderness, the reproaches of men, and the suffer who gave the law at Sinai, and transings of death. The divine nature is in-acted the affairs of the ancient church. capable of suffering. The covenant of redemption between the Father and the Son is therefore represented as being made before the foundation of the world. To suppose that simple deity or the divine essence, which is the same ingel who, under the Old Testament, all the three personalities, should make a covenant with itself, is inconsistent. Christ is the angel to whom God was in a peculiar manner united, and who in this union made all the divine appear. ances related in the Old Testament.

God is often represented in Scripture as appearing in a visible manner, and || assuming a human form. See Gen. iii. | 8. xvii. 1. xxviii. 12. xxxii. 24. Exod. ii. 2, and a variety of other passages.

The angels who have appeared since our blessed Saviour became incarnate, have never assumed the names, titles, characters, or worship belonging to God. Hence we may infer that the an

assumed divine titles, and accepted religious worship, was that peculiar angel of God's presence, in whom God resided, or who was united to theGodhead in a peculiar manner; even the pre-existent soul of Christ, who afterwards took flesh and blood upon him, and was called Jesus Christ on earth.

Christ represents himself as one with the Father : I and the Father are one, John, x. 30. xiv. 10, 11. There is, we || may hence infer, such a peculiar union between God and the man Christ Jesus, both in his pre-existent and incarnate state, that he may be properly called Godman in one complex person.

may derive a certain proof of his divinity. Such are those places in the Old Testament, where the angel who ap peared to the ancients is called God, the Almighty God, Jehovah, the Lord of Hosts, I am that I am, &c.

The Lord Jehovah, when he came down to visit men, carried some ensign of divine majesty he was surrounded with some splendid appearance. Such a light often appeared at the door of the tabernacle, and fixed its abode on the || ark, between the cherubims. It was by Among those expressions of Scripture the Jews called the Shekinah, i. e. the which discover the pre-existence of habitation of God. Hence he is de-Christ, there are several from which we scribed as dwelling in light and clothed with light as with a garment. In the midst of this brightness there seems to have been sometimes a human shape and figure. It was probably of this hea venly light that Christ divested himself when he was made flesh. With this he Dr. Watts supposes, that the doctrine was covered at his transfiguration in of the pre-existence of the soul of Christ the Mount, when his garments were explains dark and difficult scriptures, white as the light; and at his ascension and discovers many beauties and prointo heaven, when a bright cloud receiv-prieties of expression in the word of ed, or invested him: and when he appeared to John, Rev. i. 13. and it was with this he prayed his Father would glorify him.

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Sometimes the great and blessed God appeared in the form of a man or angel. It is evident that the true God resided in this man or angel; because on account of this union to proper deity, the angel calls himself God, the Lord God. || He assumes the most exalted names

God, which on any other plan lie unobserved: For instance, in Col. i. 15, &c. Christ is described as the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature. His being the image of the invisible God cannot refer merely to his divine nature; for that is as invisible in the Son as in the Father: therefore it seems to refer to his pre-existent soul in union with the Godhead. Again : when man is said to be created in the

image of God, Gen. i. 2. it may refer to New house, was erected in Lincolnthe God-man, to Christ in his pre-ex-shire, by Peter de Saulia, and dedicated to St. Martial. In the reign of Edward I. this order had twenty-seven monaste. ries in England.

istent state. God says, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. The word is redoubled, perhaps to intimate that Adam was made in the likeness of the human soul of Christ, as well as that he bore something of the image and resemblance of the divine nature.

PRESBYTER. See next article; and articles DEACON, ELDER.

PRESBYTERIANS. The title Presbyterian comes from the Greek word Tipo Burepas, which signifies senior or eìder, intimating that the government of the church in the New Testament was

of ministers and ruling elders, possessed all of equal powers, without any superiority among them, either in office or order. The Presbyterians believe, that the authority of their ministers to preach the Gospel, to administer the sacra ments of baptism and the Lord's sup

On the other side it is affirmed, that this doctrine of the pre-existence of the human soul of Christ weakens and subverts that of his personality. 1. A pureby presbyteries, that is, by association intelligent spirit, say they, the first, the most ancient, and the most excellent of creatures, created before the foundation of the world, so exactly resembles the second person of the Arian trinity, that it is impossible to show the least difference, except in name.-2. The pre-existent intelligence supposed inper, and to feed the flock of Christ, is this doctrine, is so confounded with derived from the Holy Ghost by the those other intelligences called angels, imposition of the hands of the presbythat there is great danger of mistaking tery; and they oppose the independent this human soul for an angel, and so of scheme of the common rights of Chrismaking the person of Christ to consist tians by the same arguments which are of three natures.-3. If Jesus Christ used for that purpose by the Episcopahad nothing in common like the rest of lians. They affirm, however, that there mankind except a body, how could this is no order in the church as established semi-conformity make him a real man? by Christ and his apostles superior to 4. The passages quoted in proof of that of presbyters; that all ministers the pre-existence of the human soul of being ambassadors of Christ, are equal Jesus Christ are of the same sort with by their commission; that presbyter those which others allege in proof of and bishop, though different words, are the pre-existence of all human souls of the same import; and that prelacy 5. This opinion, by ascribing the dignity was gradually established upon the priof the work of redemption to this sub-mitive practice of making the moderator lime human soul, detracts from the deity or speaker of the presbytery a permaof Christ, and renders the last as pas nent officer. sive as the first active.-6. This notion These positions they maintain against is contrary to Scripture. St. Paul says, the Episcopalians by the following in all things it behoved him to be made Scriptural arguments.-They observe, like his brethren: he partook of all our That the apostles planted churches by infirmities, except sin. St. Luke says, ordaining bishops and deacons in every he increased in stature and in wisdom, city; that the ministers which in one Heb. ii. 17. Luke, ii. 52. See articles verse are called bishops, are in the next JESUS CHRIST, and INDWELLING perhaps denominated presbyters; that SCHEME: Robinson's Claude, vol. i. p. we no where read in the New Testa214, 311; Watt's Works. vol. v. p.ment of bishops, presbyters, and dea274, 385; Gill's Body of Div. vol. ii. p. cons, in any one church; and that, 51; Robinson's Plea, p. 140; Flem || therefore, we are under the necessity ing's Christology; Simpson's Apology of concluding bishop and presbyter to for the Trin. p. 190: Hawkers's Ser on be two names for the same church offi the Divinity of Christ, p. 44, 45. cer. This is apparent from Peter's exPREMONSTRANTES, or PRE hortation to the elders or presbyters whỏ MONSTRATENSES, a religious order of were among the Jewish Christians. regular canons, instituted in 1120 by S.The elders (presbyters) which are Norbert, and thence called Norber· | among you exhort, who am also an tines. The rule they followed was that elder, and a witness of the sufferings of of St. Augustine with some slight altera-Christ, and also a partaker of the glory tions, and an addition of certain severe that shall be revealed: feed the flock of laws, whose authority did not long sur- || Godwhichis among you,taking the over. vive their founder. sight thereof, (les acting as biThey first came into England A. Dshops thereof,) not by constraint, but 1146. Their first monastery, called | willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a

ready mia; neither as being LORD's over God's heritage, but being ensam ples to the flock, 1 Pet. v. 2, 3. From this passage it is evident that the presbyters not only fed the Block of God, but also governed that flock with episcopal powers; and that the apostle himself, as a church officer, was nothing more than a presbyter or elder. The identity of the office of bishop and presbyter is still more apparent from Heb. xiii. 7, 17. and 1 Thess. v. 12; for the bishops, are there represented as governing the flock, speaking to them the word of God, watching for their souls, and discharging various offices, which it is im possible for any man to perform to more, than one congregation.

night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace,' &c.

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at all seasons. And now, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Hold Ghost hath made you overseers (s, bishops.) to feed the church of God, which be hath purchased with his own blood For I know this, that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples afFrom the last cited text it is evident ter them. Therefore watch, and rethat the bishops (gazîzuercus) of the member that, by the space of three Thessalonian churches had the pasto-years, I ceased not to warn every one Fal care of no more souls than they could hold personal communion with in God's worship; for they were such as all the people were to know, esteem, and love, as those that not only were over them, but also closely laboured among them, and admonished them." But diocesan bishops, whom ordinarily the hundredth part of their flock never hear nor see, cannot be those bishops by whom that flock is admonished; nor can they be what Peter requires the bishops of the Jewish converts to be, en samples to the flock. It is the opinion of Dr. Hammond, who was a very learned divine, and a zealot for episcopacy, that the elders whom the apostle James desires (Jas. v. 14.) the sick to call for, were of the highest permanent order of ecclesiastical officers; but it is self-evident that those elders cannot have been diocesan bishops, otherwise the sick must have been often without the reach of the remedy proposed to them. "There is nothing in Scripture upon which the Episcopalian is more ready to rest his cause than the alleged episcopacy of Timothy and Titus, of whom the former is said to have been bishop of Ephesus, and the latter bishop of Crete; yet the Presbyterian thinks it is clear as the poon day sun, that the presbyters of Ephesus were supreme governors, under Christ, of the Ephe-joint pastors of one congregation, or the sian churches, at the very time that Timothy is pretended to have been their proper diocesan.

From this passage it is evident that there was in the city of Ephesus a plurality of pastors of equal authority, without any superior pastor or bishop over them; for the apostle directs his discourse to them all in common, and gives them equal power over the whole fleck. Dr. Hammond, indeed, imagines, that the elders whom Paul called to Miletus, were the bishefts of Asia, and that he sent for them to Ephesus, be cause that city was the metropolis of this province. But, were this opinion well founded, it is not conceivable that the sacred writer would have called them the elders of the church of Ephe sus, but the elders of the church in ge neral, or the elders of the churches in Asia. Besides, it is to be remembered, that the apostle was in such haste to be at Jerusalem, that the sacred historian measures his time by days; whereas it must have required several months to call together the bishops or elders of all the cities of Asia; and he might certainly have gone to meet them at Ephesus in less time than would be requisite for their meeting in that city, and proceeding thence to him at Miletus. They must therefore have been either the

pastors of different congregations in one city; and as it was thus in Ephesus, so it was in Philippi; for we find the apos"In Acts, xx. 17, &c. we read, that tle addressing his epistle to all the from Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus, saints in Jesus Christ which are at Phiand called the elders (presbyters) of lippi, with the bishops and deacons.' the church. And when they were come From the passage before us it is like10 him, he said unto them, Ye know, from wise plain, that the presbyters of Ephethe first day that I came into Asia, afsus had not only the name, but the ter what manner I have been with you" whole power of bishops given to them

ordain and rebuke presbyters are facts about which all parties are agreed, and which, indeed, cannot be controverted by any reader of Paul's epistles. To this the Presbyterian replies, with confidence, that the power which Timothy exercised in the church of Ephesus was that of an evangelist, Tim. ii. 4, 5. and not a fixed prelate. But, according to Eusebius, the work of an evangelist was, to lay the foundations of the faith

by the Holy Ghost; for they are enjoined to do the whole work of bishops —TOIMAIVUY THY GAranoiav Tou brou--which sig. nifies to rule as well as feed the church of God. Whence we see that the apostle makes the power of governing inse parable from that of preaching and watching; and that, according to him, all who are preacher's of God's word, and watchmen of souls, are necessarily rulers or governors of the church, without being accountable for their manage-in barbarous nations, and to constitute ment to any prelate, but only to their among them pastors, after which he Lord Christ, from whom their power is passed on to other countries.' Accordderived. ingly we find that Timothy was resi"It appears, therefore, that the apos-dent for a time at Philippi and Corinth tle Paul, left in the church of Ephesus, (Phil. ii. 19. 1 Cor. iv. 17, xvi. 10, 11.) which he had planted, no other succes- as well as Ephesus, and that he had as sors to himself than presbyter-bishops, much authority over those churches as or Presbyterian ministers, and that he over that of which he is said to have did not devolve his power upon any been the fixed bishop. Now, if Timoprelate. Timothy, whom the Episco-theus come, see that he may be with palians allege to have been the first bi- you without fear, for he worketh the shop of Ephesus, was present when this work of the Lord, as I also do. Let no settlement was made, Acts, xx. 5; man, therefore, despise him.' This text and it is surely not to be supposed that, might lead us to suppose that Timothy had he been their bishop, the apostle was bishop of Corinth as well as of would have devolved the whole epis- Ephesus; for it is stronger than that copal power upon the presbyters before upon which his episcopacy of the latter his face. If ever there were a season church is chiefly built. The apostle fitter than another for pointing out the says, 1 Tim. i. 3. I besought thee to duty of this supposed bishop to his dio abide still at Ephesus, when I went into cese, and his presbyters' duty to him, it Macedonia, that thou mightest charge was surely when Paul was taking his some that they teach no other doctrine.' final leave of them, and discoursing so But, had Timothy been the fixed bishop pathetically concerning the duty of of that city, there would surely have overseers, the coming of ravenous been no necessity for beseeching him to wolves, and the consequent hazard of abide with his flock. It is to be observed, the flock. In this farewell discourse he too, that the first epistle to Timothy, tells them that he had not shunned to which alone was written to him during declare unto them all the counsel of his residence at Ephesus, was of a date God.' But with what truth could this prior to Paul's meeting with the elders have been said, if obedience to a dio- of that church at Miletus; for in the cesan bishop had been any part of their || epistle he hopes to come to him shortly; duty, either at the time cf the apostle's whereas he tells the elders at Miletus speaking, or at any future period? He that they should see his face no more. foresaw that ravenous wolves would en This being the case, it is evident that ter in among them, and that even some Timothy was left by the apostle at of themselves should arise speaking per Ephesus only to supply his place during verse things; and if,as the Episcopalians his temporary absence at Macedonia; allege, diocesan episcopacy was the re- and that he could not possibly have been medy provided for these evils, is it not constituted fixed bishop of that church, strange, passing strange, that the in- since the episcopal powers were after. spired preacher did not foresee that wards committed to the presbyters by Timothy, who was then standing beside the Holy Ghost in his presence. him, was destined to fill that important office: or, if he did foresee it, that he omitted to recommend him to his future charge, and to give him proper instruc. tions for the discharge of his duty ?

"But if Timothy was not bishop of Ephesus, what, it may be asked, was his office in that city for that he resided there for some time, and was by the apostle invested with authority to

"The identity of the office of bishop and presbyter being thus clearly established, it follows, that the presbyterate is the highest permanent office in the church, and that every faithful pastor of a flock is successor to the apostles in every thing in which they were to have any successors. In the apostolic office there were indeed some things peculiar and extraordinary, such as their imme