of the fourth century.-10. It is allowed that in succeeding ages, the difference between bishops and presbyters came to be more and more magnified, and various churches came under the care of the same bishop: nevertheless, Jerom does expressly speak of bishops and presbyters as of the same order; and Gregory Nazianzen speaks of the great and affecting distinction made between ministers in prerogative of place, and other tyrannical privileges (as he calls them,) as a lamentable and destructive thing.

III. Episcopacy, how introduced.— It is easy to apprehend how episcopacy, as it was in the primitive church, with those alterations which it afterwards received, might be gradually introduced. The apostles seem to have taught chiefly in large cities; they settled ministers there, who, preaching in country villages, or smaller towns, increased the number of coverts: it would have been most reasonable that those new converts, which lay at a considerable distance from the large towns, should, when they grew numerous, have formed themselves into distinct

recommends to the Corinthians the example of the Jewish church, where the high priest, ordinary priest, and Levites knew and observed their respective offices, yet he never mentions presbyters and bishops as distinct, nor refers the contending Corinthians to any one ecclesiastical head as the centre of unity, which he would probably have done if there had been any diocesan bishops among them; nay, he seems evidently to speak of presbyters as exercising the episcopal office. See sec. xxxix. of his epistle.-2. As for Irenæus, it does not appear that he made any distinction between bishops and presbyters. He does indeed mention the succession of bishops from the apostles, which is reconcileable with the supposition of their being parochial, nor altogether irreconcileable with the supposition of joint pastors in those churches.-3. It is allowed that Ignatius in many places distinguishes between bishops and presbyters, and requires obedience to bishops from the whole church, but as he often supposes each of the churches to which he wrote to meet in one place, and represents them as breaking one loaf, and surrounding one altar, and charges the bi-churches, under the care of their proshop to know all his flock by name, it is most evident that he must speak of a parochial and not a diocesan bishop.-4. Polycarp exhorts the Christians at Philippi to be subject to the presbyters and deacons, but says not one word about any bishop.-5. Justin Martyr speaks of the president, but then he represents him as being present at every admi-work, (John iii. 9. 2 Thess. ií. 7,) might nistration of the eucharist, which he also easily lay a foundation for such a subormentions as always making a part of dination in the ministers of new erected their public worship; so that the bishop churches to those which were more here must have only been the pastor of ancient; and much more easily might one congregation.-6. Tertullian speaks the superiority of a pastor to his assisof approved elders; but there is nothing tant presbyters increase, till it at length said of them that proves a diocesan, came to that great difference which we since all he says might be applied to a own was early made, and probably soon parochial bishop.—7. Though Clemens carried to an excess. And if there were* Alexandrinus speaks of bishops, priests, that degree of degeneracy in the church, and deacons, yet it cannot be inferred and defection from the purity and vifrom hence that the bishops of whom he gour of religion, which the learned speaks were any thing more than paro- Vitringa supposes to have happened chial.-8. Origen speaks distinctly of between the time of Nero and Trajan, bishops and presbyters, but unites them it would be less surprising that those both, as it seems, under the common evil principles, which occasioned episname of priests, saying nothing of the copal, and at length the papal usurpapower of bishops as extending beyondition, should before that time exert some one congregation, and rather insinuates considerable influence. the contrary, when he speaks of of- IV. Episcopacy, reduced, plan of fenders as brought before the whole Archbishop Usher projected a plan for church to be judged by it.-9. The apos-the reduction of episcopacy, by which tolic constitutions frequently distinguish he would have moderated it in such a between bishops and presbyters; but manner as to have brought it very near these constitutions cannot be depended the Presbyterian government of the on, as they are supposed to be a forgery Scotch church; the weekly parochial

per pastors or bishops, independently of any of their neighbours; but the reverence which would naturally be paid to men who had conversed with the apostles, and perhaps some desire of influence and dominion, from which the hearts of very good men might not be entirely free, and which early began to

vestry answering to their church ses- our neighbour from injury, and secure sion; the monthly synod to be held by us from guilt if we should chance to the Chorepiscopi answering to their hurt him.-6. It is a rule as much fitted presbyteries; the diocesan synod to their to awaken us to sincere repentance, provincial, and the national to their ge- upon the transgression of it, as it is to neral, assembly. The meeting of the dean direct us to our present duty.-7. It is and chapter, practised in the church of a most extensive rule, with regard to England, is but a faint shadow of the all the stations, ranks, and characters second, the ecclesiastical court of the of mankind, for it is perfectly suited to third, and the convocation of the fourth. them all.-8. It is a most comprehenBingham's Origines Ecclesiastica; Stil- sive rule with regard to all the actions ling fleet's Origines Sacra; Boyse and and duties that concern our neighbours. Howe on Epis.; Benson's Disserta-It teaches us to regulate our temper tion concerning the first Set. of the Christian Church; King's Const. of the Church; Doddridge's Lectures, lect. 196; Clarkson and Dr. Maurice on Episcopacy; Enc. Brit.

Again; it is said, that, although there is no form of church government absolutely prescribed in the New Testament, yet from the associating law, on which the Gospel lays so mucli stress, by the respect for civil government it so earnestly enjoins, and by the practice which followed, and finally prevailed, Christians cannot be said to disapprove, but to favour religious establishments.

the sole design of propagating the species, and not to satisfy the demand of lust. Some of them held the possibility of appeasing the Deity by sacrifices, though different from that of the Jews; and others maintained that no offering was acceptable to God but that of a serene and composed mind, addicted to the contemplation of divine things. They looked upon the law of Moses as an allegorical system of spiritual and Religious establishments, also, it is mysterious truths; and renounced, in observed, are founded in the nature of its explication, all regard to the out-man, and interwoven with all the con- . ward letter. stituent principles of human society: the ESTABLISHMENTS, Religious. knowledge and profession of ChristianBy a religious establishment is generally|ity cannot be upheld without a clergy; understood such an intimate connection a clergy cannot be supported without a between religion and civil government as is supposed to secure the best interests and great end of both. This article, like many others, has afforded matter of considerable dispute. In order that the reader may judge for himself, we shall take a view of both sides of the question.

legal provision; and a legal provision for the clergy cannot be constituted without the preference of one sect of Christians to the rest. An established church is most likely to maintain clerical respectability and usefulness, by holding out a suitable encouragement to young men to devote themselves early to the service of the church; and likewise enables them to obtain such || knowledge as shall qualify them for the important work.

The partisans for religious establishments observe, that they have prevailed universally in every age and nation. The ancient patriarchs formed no extensive or permanent associations but They who reason on the contrary side such as arose from the relationships of observe, that the patriarchs sustaining nature. Every father governed his own civil as well as religious offices, is no family, and their offspring submitted to proof at all that religion was incorpohis jurisdiction. He presided in their rated with the civil government, in the education and discipline, in their reli- sense above referred to; nor is there gious worship, and in their general go- the least hint of it in the sacred Scripvernment. His knowledge and expe-tures. That the case of the Jews can rience handed down to them their laws never be considered in point, as they and their customs, both civil and reli- were under a theocracy, and a ceremo gious; and his authority enforced them. nial dispensation that was to pass away, The offices of prophet, priest, and king, and consequently not designed to be a were thus united in the same patriarch, model for Christian nations. That whatGen. xviii. 19. Gen. xvii. and xxi. Gen. ever was the practice of heathens in xiv. 18. The Jews enjoyed a religious this respect, this forms no argument in establishment dictated and ordained by favour of that system which is the very God. In turning our attention to the opposite to paganism. The church of heathen nations we shall find the same Christ is of a spiritual nature, and ought incorporation of religious with civil go- not, yea cannot, in fact, be incorporated vernment, Gen. xlvii. 22. 2 Kings xvii. with the state without sustaining mate27, 29. Every one who is at all ac- rial injury. In the three first and puquainted with the history of Greece and rest ages of Christianity, the church Rome, knows that religion was altoge- was a stranger to any alliance with temther blended with the policy of the poral powers; and, so far from needstate. The Koran may be considered ing their aid, religion never flourished as the religious creed and civil code of so much as while they were combined all the Mahometan tribes. Among the to suppress it. As to the support which Celtes, or the original inhabitants of Christianity, when united to civil go Europe, the druids were both their vernment yields to the peace and priests and their judges, and their judg-|| good order of society, it is observed, ment was final. Among the Hindoos, that this benefit will be derived from it, the priests and sovereigns are of differ- at least, in as, great a degree without ent tribes or casts, but the priests are an establishment as with it. Religion, superior in rank; and in China, the if it have any power, operates on the emperor is sovereign pontiff, and pre-conscience of men; and, resting solely sides in all public acts of religion.

on the belief of invisible realities, it can

forms of outward devotion, and in quick resentment of any dishonour done to him. Our high esteem or veneration of any man appears in an humble, respectful behaviour toward him, speaking his praises, imitating his excellencies, and resenting his dishonour.

derive no weight or solemnity from hu- ESTEEM is that high and exalted man sanctions. Human establishments, thought of, and value for any thing it is said, have been, and are, productive which arises from a sense of its own inof the greatest evils; for in this case it trinsic worth and excellency. Esteem is is requisite to give the preference to higher than simple approbation, which some particular system; and as the is a decision of the judgment; it is the magistrate is no better judge of religion commencement of affection: it is a dethan others, the chances are as great of gree of love for others, on account of his lending his sanction to the false as their pleasing qualities, though they the true. The thousands that have been should not immediately interest ourpersecuted and suffered in consequence selves; by which it is distinguished from of establishments, will always form an gratitude. Our esteem of God manifests argument against them. Under estab-itself in never mentioning his name lishments also, it is said, corruption can-without reverence; in bowing the knee; not be avoided. Emolument must be in prayer and praise; in all the several attached to the national church, which may be a strong inducement to its ministers to defend it, be it ever so remote from the truth. Thus, also, error becomes permanent; and that set of opinions which happens to prevail when the establishment is formed, continues, in spite of superior light and improvement, to be handed down, without alteration, from age to age. Hence the disagreement between the public creed of the church and the private sentiments of its ministers. As to the provision made for the clergy, this may be done without an establishment, as matter of fact shows in hundreds of instances. Dissenting ministers, or those who do not hold in establishments, it is observed are not without means of obtaining knowledge; but, on the contrary, many of them are equal to their brethren in the establishment for erudition and sound learning. It is not to be dissembled neither, that among those who, in general, cannot agree with human establishments, there are as pious and as useful members of society as others. Finally, though all Christians should pay respect to civil magistrates as such, and all magistrates ought to encourage the church, yet no civil magistrates have any power to establish any particular form of religion, binding upon the consciences of the subject; nor are magistrates even represented in scripture as officers or rulers of the church. Should the reader be desirous of prosecuting this subject farther, he may consult Warburton's Alliance between Church and State; Christie's Essay on Establishments; Paley's Mor. Phil. v. ii. c. 10; Bishop Law's Theory of Religion; Watts's Civil Power in things sacred, third volume of his works; Hall's Liberty of the Press, sec. 5; Mrs. H. More's Hints on forming the Character of a young Princess, vol. ii. p. 350; but especially Ranken and Graham's pieces on the subject; the former for, and the latter against establishments.

ETERNITY, with respect to God, is a duration without beginning or end. As it is the attribute of human nature, it is a duration that has a beginning, but will never have an end. "It is a duration," says a lively writer, "that excludes all number and computation: days, and months, and years, yea, and ages, are lost in it, like drops in the ocean! Millions of millions of years, as many years as there are sands on the sea-shore, or particles of dust in the globe of the earth, and those multiplied to the highest reach of number, all these are nothing to eternity. They do not bear the least imaginable proportion to it; for these will come to an end, as certainly as a day; but eternity will never, never, never, come to an end! It is a line without end! it is an ocean without a shore! Alas! what shall I say of it! it is an infinite, unknown something, that neither human thought can grasp, nor human language describe!" Orton on Eternity; Shower on ditto: Davis's Sermons, ser. 11; Saurin's Sermons, vol. iii. p. 370.

ETERNITY OF GOD is the perpetual continuance of his being, without beginning, end, or succession. That he is without beginning, says Dr. Gill, may be proved from, 1. His necessary selfexistence, Exod. iii. 14.-2. From his attributes, several of which are said to be eternal, Rom. i. 20. Acts xv. 18. Ps. ciii. 17. Jer. xxxi. 3.-3. From his purposes, which are also said to be from eternity, Isa. xxv. 1. Eph. iii. 11. Rom. ix. 11. Eph. i. 4.-4. From the covenant of grace, which is eternal, 2 Sam. xxiii 5. Mic. v. 2.

That he is without end, may be proved from, 1. His spirituality and simpli

Y

city, Rom. i. 23.-2. From his indepen- || world been eternal.-4. The origin of dency, Rom. ix. 5.-3. From his immu- the most considerable nations of the tability, 2 Pet. i. 24, 25. Mal. iii. 6. Psal. earth may be traced, i. e. the time when iii. 26, 27-4. From his dominion and they first inhabited the countries where government, said never to end, Jer. x. they now dwell; and it appears that 10. Psal. x. 16. Dan. iv. 3. most of the western nations came from the east.-5. If the world be eternal, it is hard to account for the tradition of its beginning, which has almost every where prevailed, though under different forms, among both polite and barbarous nations.-6. We have a most ancient and credible history of the beginning of the world: I mean the history of Moses, with which no book in the world, in point of antiquity, can contend. Stilling fleet's Orig. Sacræ, p. 15, 106; Winder's Hist. of Knowledge, vol. ii. passim; Pearson on the Creed, p. 58; Doddridge's Lectures, 1. 24; Tillotson's Sermons, ser. 1; Clarke at Boyle's Lectures, p. 22, 23; Dr. Collyer's Scripture Facts, ser. 2.

That he is without succession, or any distinctions of time succeeding one to another, as moments, minutes, &c. may be proved from, 1. His existence before such were in being, Isa. xliii. 13.-2. The distinctions and differences of time are together ascribed to him, and not as succeeding one another: he is the saree yesterday, to-day, and for ever, Heb. xiii. 8. Rev. i. 4.—3. If his duration were successive, or proceeded by moments, days, and years, then there must have been some first moment, day, and year, when he began to exist, which is incompatible with the idea of his eternity; and, besides, one day would be but one day with him, and not a thousand, contrary to the express language of Scripture, 2 Pet. iii. 8.-4. He would not be immense, immutable, and perfect, if this were the case; for he would be older one minute than he was before, which cannot be said of him.-5. His knowledge proves him without successive duration, for he knows all things past, present, and to come: "he sees the present without a medium, the past without recollection, and the future without foresight. To him all truths are but one idea, all places are but one point, and all times but one moment." Gill's Body of Divinity; Paley's Nat. Theol. p. 480; Charnock on the Divine Perfections; Clarke on ditto; Watts's Ontology, chap. iv.

ETHICS, the doctrine of manners, or the science of moral philosophy. The word is formed from nos, mores, "manners," by reason the scope or object_thereof is to form the manners. See MORALS.

ETHNOPHRONES, a sect of heretics in the seventh century, who made a profession of Christianity, but joined thereto all the ceremonies and follies of paganism, as judicial astrology, sortileges, auguries, and other divinations.

EVANGELIST, one who publishes glad tidings; a messenger, or preacher of good news. The persons denominated evangelists were next in order to the apostles, and were sent by them not to settle in any particular place, but to travel among the infant churches, and ordain ordinary officers, and finish what the apostles had begun. Of this kind were Philip the deacon, Mark, Silas, &c. Acts xxi. 8. The title of evange list is more particularly given to the four inspired writers of our Saviour's life.

ETERNITY OF THE WORLD. It was the opinion of Aristotle and others that the world was eternal. But that the present system of things had a beginning, seems evident, if we consider the following things. 1. We may not only conceive of many possible alterations which might be made in the form of it, but we see it incessantly changing; EVANGELICAL, agreeable to the whereas an eternal being, forasmuch doctrines of Christianity. The term is as it is self-existent, is always the same. frequently applied to those who do not -2. We have no credible history of rely upon moral duties as to their actransactions more remote than six thou- ceptance with God; but are influenced sand years from the present time; for to action from a sense of the love of as to the pretence that some nations God, and depend upon the merits of have made to histories of greater anti-Christ for their everlasting salvation. quity, as the Egyptians, Chaldeans, Phenicians, Chinese, &c. they are evidently convicted of falsehood in the works referred to at the bottom of this article.-3. We can trace the invention of the most useful arts and sciences; which had probably been carried farther, and invented sooner, had the

EUCHARIST, the sacrament of the Lord's supper. The word properly sig nifies giving thanks. As to the manner of celebrating the eucharist among the ancient Christians, after the customary oblations were made, the deacon brought water to the bishops and presbyters standing round the table to wash