PRESBYTERIANS PRESBYTERIANS that such a ceremony performed by presbyters | among the heads of families, of known orthodory, must be valid, as there is no higher order of eccle- and steady adherence to the worship, discipline, siastics in the church by whom it can be perform- and government of the church. Being solely ed. Accordingly we find, that Timothy himself, engaged to use their utmost endeavours for the though said to be a bishop, was ordained by the suppression of vice and the cherishing of pat laying on of the hands of a presbytery. At that and virtue, and to exercise discipline faithfully ordination, indeed, St. Paul presided, but he could and diligently, the minister, in the presence d preside only as primus in paribus; for we have the congregation, sets them apart to their of seen that, as permanent officers in the church of by solemn prayer; and concludes the crDIY, Christ, the apostles themselves were no more than which is sometimes called ordination, with es presbyters. If the apostles' hands were imposed horting both elders and people to their respective for any other purpose, it must have been to com-duties. municate those charismata, or miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, which were then so frequent; but which no modern presbyter or bishop will pretend to give, unless his understanding be clouded by the grossest ignorance, or perverted by the most frantic enthusiasm." The members of the church of Scotland are strict Presbyterians. Their mode of ecclesiastical government was brought thither from Geneva by John Knox, the famous Scotch reformer, and who has been styled the apostle of Scotland. Their doctrines are Calvinistic, as may be seen in the confession of faith, and the larger and shorter catechisms; though it is supposed that the clergy, when composing instructions, either for their respective parishes, or the public at large, are no more fettered by the confession, than the clergy of the church of England are by the thirty-nine articles. Many in both communities, it seems, take a more extensive latitude than their formulas allow them. : The kirk session, which is the lowest eccles astical judicatory, consists of the minister and those elders of the congregation. The minder is ex officio moderator, but has no negative me over the decision of the session; nor, indeed, has he a right to vote at all, unless when the voice of the elders are equal and opposite. He may, deed, enter his protest against their sentence, f he think it improper, and appeal to the judet of the presbytery; but this privilege beking equally to every elder, as well as to every person who may believe himself aggrieved by the proceedings of the session. The deacies, when proper office is to take care of the poor, may be present in every session, and offer their counsel on all questions that come before it; but, except in what relates to the distribution of alms, they have no decisive vote with the minister and elders, The next judicatory is the presbytery, which consists of all the pastors within a certain district and one ruling elder from each parish, commis As to the church government among the sioned by his brethren to represent, in conjunc Scotch Presbyterians, no one is ignorant, that, tion with the minister, the session of that parish from the first dawn of the Reformation among us The presbytery treats of such matters as concern till the æra of the revolution, there was a perpetual the particular churches within its limits; as the struggle between the court and the people, for examination, admission, ordination, and censuring the establishment of an episcopal or a presbyte of ministers; the licensing of probationers, re rian form the former model of ecclesiastical buking the gross or contumacious sinners, the polity was patronized by the house of Stuart on directing the sentence of excommunication, the account of the support which it gave to the pre-deciding upon references and appeals from kat rogatives of the crown; the latter was the favourite sessions, resolving cases of conscience, exp of the majority of the people, perhaps not so muching difficulties in doctrine or discipline; and e on account of its superior claim to apostolical in-suring, according to the word of God, any best stitution, as because the laity are mixed with the or erroneous doctrine which hath either be clergy in church judicatories, and the two orders, publicly or privately maintained within the bo which under episcopacy are kept so distinct, in- of its jurisdiction. Some of them have thanky corporated, as it were, into one body. In the acknowledged that they cannot altogether Scottish church, every regulation of public wor- prove of that part of her constitution which gr ship, every act of discipline, and every ecclesias- an equal vote, in questions of heresy, to and tical censure, which, in other churches, flows ate mechanic and his enlightened pastot. from the authority of a diocesan bishop, or from are persuaded (say they) that it has been the a convocation of the clergy, is the joint work of a source of much trouble to many a pious cle certain number of clergymen and laymen acting man, who from the laudable desire of expla together with equal authority, and deciding every the Scriptures, and declaring to his flock al t question by a plurality of voices. The laymen counsel of God, has employed a variety of expres who thus form an essential part of the ecclesias- sions of the same import to illustrate those artis tical courts of Scotland are called ruling elders, of faith, which may be obscurely expressed and hold the same office, as well as the same the established standards. The fact, howev name, with those brethren (Acts xv.) who joined that in presbyteries the only prerogatives what with the apostles and elders at Jerusalem in de- the pastors have over the ruling elders are, th termining the important question concerning the power of ordination by imposition of hands, necessity of imposing upon the Gentile converts the privilege of having the moderator chosen f the ritual observances of the law of Moses. their body. These lay-elders Paul enjoined Timothy (1 Tim. v. 17) to account worthy of double honour, if they should rule well, and discharge the duties for which they were separated from the multitude of their brethren. In the church of Scotland every parish has two or three of those lay-elders, who are grave and serious persons, chosen from W From the judgment of the presbytery there is an appeal to the provincial synod, which rily meets twice in the year, and exercises the presbyteries within the province a jurister similar to that which is vested in each pres over the several kirk sessions within its bes Of these synods there are in the church of S PRESBYTERIANS land fifteen, which are composed of the members of the several presbyteries within the respective provinces which give names to the synods. PRESBYTERIANS in Wall street, founded in 1716. The churches of Newark, New Jersey, and of Jamaica, Newton, South Hampton, East Hampton, &c. which The highest authority in the church of Scot- are now Presbyterian, were founded several years land is the general assembly, which consists of a prior to the above-mentioned, but were originally certain number of ministers and ruling elders Congregational, and so remained till about the delegated from each presbytery, and of commis- year 1716. The first presbytery was organized sioners from the universities and royal boroughs. in 1704; the first synod in 1716. This was A presbytery in which there are fewer than then composed of four presbyteries, viz. those of twelve parishes sends to the general assembly Philadelphia, Long Island, New Castle, and two ministers and one ruling elder: if it contain Snowhill, and was called the synod of Philadelbetween twelve and eighteen ministers, it sends phia. A division took place in this synod in 1741, *hree of these, and one ruling elder: if it contain which gave rise to the synod of New York. between eighteen and twenty-four ministers, it These two were again united in 1758, under the sends four ministers, and two ruling elders; and title of the synod of New York and Philadelphia. of twenty-four ministers, when it contains so This synod, soon after its formation, founded the many, it sends five, with two ruling elders. college of New Jersey, now located at Princeton, Every royal borough sends one ruling elder, and and originally denominated Nassau Hall. The Edinburgh two, whose election must be attested general assembly was formed in 1788, at which by the kirk sessions of their respective boroughs. time the body had so far increased as to admit of Every university sends one commissioner from its a farther multiplication of synods, and accordingly own body. The commissioners are chosen an- the whole church was arranged into the four synually six weeks before the meeting of the as- nods of Philadelphia, Virginia, the Carolinas, sembly; and the ruling elders are often men of and that already existing, the synod of New York the first eminence in the kingdom for rank and and Philadelphia. The first meeting of the genetalents. In this assembly, which meets once a ral assembly was held in 1789. Subsequent to year, the king presides by his commissioner, who that period the Presbyterian church has continued is always a nobleman, but he has no voice in to increase by a steady accession of numbers, their deliberations. The order of their proceed- influence, and respectability, till it ranks among ings is regular, though sometimes the nuinber of the most prominent ecclesiastical bodies in our members creates a confusion; which the mode- country. Its ministers and members are distinrator, who is chosen from among the ministers to guished for their active zeal and their munificent be, as it were, the speaker of the house, has not liberality in the promotion of the great objects of sufficient authority to prevent. Appeals are Christian benevolence of the present day. The brought from all the other ecclesiastical courts in general assembly, the highest judicature of the Scotland to the general assembly; and in ques-church, has under its special care and supervision tions purely religious, no appeal lies from its determination. See Hall's View of a Gospel Church; Encycl. Brit. art. Presbyterians; Brown's Vindication of the Presbyterian Form of Church Government; Scotch Confession and Directory. For the other side of the question, and against Presbyterian church government, see articles BROWNISTS, CHURCH, CONGREGATIONALISTS, EPISCOPACY, and INDEPENDENTS. two flourishing theological seminaries; one located at Princeton, N. J., the other at Alleghany-town, Penn. There are also several others under the care of particular synods and presbyteries, as Auburn, N. Y.; Hampden Sydney, Vir.; Lane Seminary, Ohio; and Hanover in Indiana. In connexion with the general assembly, there were, by the last statistical reports, 28 synods, 118 pres byteries, 2648 congregations, 1914 bishops, 236 PRESBYTERIANS, ENGLISH. The licentiates, and 247,964 communicants.* appellation Presbyterian is in England appropri- PRESBYTERIANS, CUMBERLAND, ated to a body of dissenters, who have not any the name given to a body of Presbyterians who attachment to the Scotch mode of church go- seceded from the general Presbyterian church in vernment any more than to episcopacy among the United States in February, 1810. They reus; and therefore the term Presbyterian is here side principally in the states of Kentucky and improperly applied. How this misapplication Tennessee, but have a number of churches in came to pass cannot be easily determined; but it some of the states north of the Ohio river. Their has occasioned many wrong notions, and should secession was owing to a difference of opinion therefore be rectified. English Presbyterians, as with the synod of Kentucky, on the subject of they are called, adopt nearly the same mode of licensing ministers to preach the gospel who had church government with the Independents. Their not enjoyed the benefit of a classical education chief difference from the Independents is, that At a period of considerable religious excitement they are less attached to Calvinism. when the labours of clergymen were in great PRESBYTERIANS IN THE UNITED demand, it was proposed by some of the ministers STATES. The first Presbyterians in America who then belonged to that synod, to choose from came from England, Scotland, and Ireland, about among the laity certain persons whose talents the year 1700. They settled in what is now a gifts, piety, &c. would justify the step, and en part of New Jersey and Delaware. The first courage them to prepare for the work of the mi Presbyterian church formed in the United States nistry, even though they had not gone through was in Philadelphia, now known as the "First the ordinary routine of classical studies required Presbyterian church" in that city, and recently by the standards of the church. Several indiunder the care of the Rev. James P. Wilson, viduals accordingly complied with these sugges D. D. Its first pastor was the Rev. Jedediah tions, and after due preparation were examined Andrews, a graduate of the University of Cam- and licensed to preach by a presbytery, the mabridge, Massachussetts. The first Presbyterian church in the city or state of New York was that Church in the United States, see Appendix, No. 2. For a more detailed history of the Presbyterian 367 PRESCRIPTION PRESUMPTION jority of whose members were favourable to the they think that truth has no need of such a measure. The synod, however, were unfriendly port. Others, however, think that if it c to the innovation. The general assembly re-shown that any particular doctrine of Christian fused to sanction it. The result was, that a new was held in the earliest ages, even approaching the presbytery, called the Cumberland Presbytery, apostolic, it must have very considerable weg was formed, disclaiming all connexion with the and, indeed, that it has so, appears from the general assembly's body, except that they still versal appeals of all parties to those early t retained the bulk of the Presbyterian confession in support of their particular opinions. Pes as the confession of their faith, and still deter- the thing is in itself natural; for if a man find 1 mined to adhere to the presbyterian form of variety of opinions in the world upon important church government. The part of the confession passages in Scripture, where shall he be so t to which they principally object is, "the idea of to get the true sense as from contemporary p fatality that seems to be taught under the myste-ters or others who lived very near the pot rious doctrine of predestination." Their points age? And if such a man shall find any detre of dissent from the doctrines supposed to be in- or interpretation to have been universally heard culeated in the confession are the following:- in the first ages, or, as Vicentius Lirinensis s 1. That there are no eternal reprobates. 2. That it, semper ubique et ab omnibus, he will unques Christ died not for a part only, but for all mankind. tionably be disposed to think such early and ca 3. That all infants, dying in infancy, are saved versal consent, or such prescription, of very c through Christ and sanctification of the Spirit. siderable weight in determining his opra 4. That the Spirit of God operates on the world, PRESUMPTION, as it relates to the mind, or as co-extensively as Christ has made the atoue is a supposition formed before examinator. A ment, in such a manner as to leave all men inex-it relates to the conduct or moral action, it cusable. At first there were but nine preachers in the connexion, only four of whom were ordained. They have now a synod consisting of several presbyteries. The ministers in their connexion are not far from 100. The additions to the churches during the year 1829, were nearly 3,500. They have under their control a flourishing college at Princeton, Kentucky, containing nearly 100 students.-B. arrogance and irreverence. As it relates to re gion in general, it is a bold and daring feare in the goodness of God, without obedience to hi will. Presumptuous sins must be distinged from sins of infirmity, or those fallingspelar to human nature, Ecc. vii. 20; 1Jn 18,9 from sins done through ignorance, Luke xii. 18, and from sins into which men are hurried ha sudden and violent temptation, Gal vi. 1. The ingredients which render sin presumptions are, PRESBYTERY, REFORMED. The Re- knowledge, John xv. 22; deliberation and onformed Presbytery in Scotland trace their origin trivance, Prov. vi. 14; Ps. Ivi 4; obstinacy as far back as the Reformation, and consider Jer. xliv. 16; Deut. i. 13; inattention to the themselves as the only pure Presbyterians since monstrances of conscience, Acts vi 51; the revolution. They profess to adhere to the sition to the dispensations of Providence, 2Cht. solemn league and covenant agreed to by the na- xxviii. 22; and repeated commission of the same tion before the restoration, in which they abjure sin, Ps. lxxviii. 17. Presumptuous sins are ra popery and prelacy, and resolve to maintain and merous; such as profane swearing, periery the defend the doctrines, worship, discipline, and go- adultery, drunkenness, sabbath-breaking fre vernment of the church, as approved by the par- These may be more particularly consider liament and assembly at Westminster, and by presumptuous sins, because they are generaly the general assembly of the church and parlia- committed against a known law, and so ode ment of Scotland, 1645-9. It seems, they ob-peated. Such sins are most heinous in the toject not so much to a religious establishment, but ture, and most pernicious in their effects. They to the religious establishment as it exists: they are said to be a reproach to the Lord, Num. 7. object not to an alliance of the church with the 3; they harden the heart, 1 Tim. iv. 2: state, but to the alliance of the church with an down judgments from heaven. Num. uncovenanted king and government. Their num- even when repented of are seldom pardoned ber, it is said, amounts to about four thousand out some visible testimony of God's diss persons. 2 Sam. xii. 10.-As it respects profess ligion, as one observes, they sin presumptu rah 1. When they take up a profession of h without principle: 2. When they profess the blessing of God, and yet go on in for courses: 3. When they do not take they find it in the Scriptures: 4. Whet make their feelings the test of their religion, wh out considering the difference between passion and the operations of the Spirit of Pal 5. When they run into temptation: 6 W they indulge in self-confidence and self cency: 7. When they bring the spirit of the world into the church: 8. When they fr logies for that in some which they conden others: 9. When, professing to believe in the doctrines of the Gospel, they live licntis 10. When they create, magnify, and pe their troubles: 11. When they arraign the duct of God as unkind and unjust. See R PRESCIENCE OF GOD is foreknowledge, or that knowledge which God has of things to come. The doctrine of predestination is founded on the prescience of God, and on the supposition of all futurity being present to him. Properly speaking, indeed, prescience supposes that of predestination; for if we allow that God from all eternity foresaw all things, he must thus have foreseen them in consequence of his permitting or fore-appointing them. Hence, events are not certain merely because foreknown; but foreknown because antecedently certain on account of predetermining reasons. See FOREKNOWLEDGE, PREDESTINATION, PRESCRIPTION, in theology, was a kind of argument pleaded by Tertullian and others in the third century against erroneous doctors. This inode of arguing has been despised by some, both because it has been used by Papists, and because Walker's Ser. vol. i. ser. 3; South's Ser. vol. vii. | sisted of three orders, the high priests, priests. ser. 10, 11, and 12; Tillotson's Ser. ser. 147; and Levites. The priesthood was made herediSaurin's Ser. ser. 11, vol. i. Robinson's transla-tary in the family of Aaron; and the first-born of tion; Bp. Hopkins on the Nature, Danger, and the oldest branch of that family, if he had no legal Cure of Presumptuous Sins. See his works. blemish, was always the high-priest. This divine Pride is inordinate and unreasonable self-appointment was observed with considerable acesteem, attended with insolence, and rude treat-curacy till the Jews fell under the dominion of ment of others. "It is sometimes," says a good the Romans, and had their faith corrupted by a writer, "confounded with vanity, and sometimes false philosophy. Then, indeed, the high-priestwith dignity; but to the former passion it has no hood was sometimes set up to sale, and, instead resemblance, and in many circumstances it differs of continuing for life, as it ought to have done, it from the latter. Vanity is the parent of loqua- seems from some passages in the New Testacious boasting; and the person subject to it, if ment, to have been nothing more than an annual his pretences be admitted, has no inclination to office. There is sufficient reason, however, to insult the company. The proud man, on the believe, that it was never disposed of but to some other hand, is naturally silent, and, wrapt up in descendant of Aaron capable of filling it, had the his own importance, seldom speaks but to make older branches been extinct. [For the consecrahis audience feel their inferiority." Pride is the tion and offices of the Jewish priesthood, we high opinion that a poor little contracted soul en- refer our readers to the book of Moses.] In the tertains of itself. Dignity consists in just, great, time of David, the inferior priests were divided and uniform actions, and is the opposite to mean- into twenty-four companies, who were to serve ness.-2. Pride manifests itself by praising our-in rotation, each company by itself for a week.--selves, adorning our persons, attempting to ap- The order in which the several courses were to pear before others in a superior light to what we serve was determined by lot; and each course are: contempt and slander of others; envy at was, in all succeeding ages, called by the name the excellencies others possess; anxiety to gain of its original chief. applause; distress and rage when slighted; im- It has been much disputed, whether in the patience of contradiction, and opposition to God Christian church, there be any such officer as a himself.-3. The evil effects of pride are beyond priest, in the proper sense of the word. If the computation. It has spread itself universally in word priest be taken to denote a person comall nations, among all characters; and as it was missioned by divine authority to offer up a real the first sin, as some suppose, that entered into sacrifice to God, we may justly deny that there the world, so it seems the last to be conquered. It is a priest upon earth. Under the Gospel, there may be considered as the parent of discontent, is but one priest, which is Christ: and but ingratitude, covetousness, poverty, presumption, one sacrifice, that of the cross. The church of passion, extravagance, bigotry, war, and persecu- Rome, however, erroneously believe their priests tion. In fact, there is hardly an evil perpetrated to be empowered to offer up to the Divine Majesty but what pride is connected with it in a proximate real proper sacrifice, as were the priests under or remote sense.-4. To suppress this evil, we the Old Testament. Ecclesiastical history inshould consider what we are. "If we could trace forms us that, in the second century, some time our descents," says Seneca, "we should find all after the reign of the emperor Adrian, when the slaves to come from princes, and all princes Jews, by the second destruction of Jerusalen, from slaves. To be proud of knowledge, is to be were bereaved of all hopes of the restoration of blind in the light; to be proud of virtue, is to poi- their government to its former lustre, the notion son ourselves with the antidote; to be proud of that the ministers of the Christian church sueauthority is to make our rise our downfall." The ceeded to the character and prerogatives of the imperfection of our nature, our scanty knowledge, Jewish priesthood was industriously propagated contracted powers, narrow conceptions, and mo- by the Christian doctors; and that, in conseral inability, are strong motives to excite us to quence, the bishops claimed a rank and charachumility. We should consider, also, what punish-ter similar to that of the Jewish high-priest; the ments this sin has brought on mankind. See the cases of Pharaoh, Haman, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, and others. How particularly it is prohibited, Prov. xvi. 18; 1 Pet. v. 5; James iv. 6; Prov. xxix. 23; what a torment it is to its possessor, Esther v. 13; how soon all things of a sublunary nature will end; how disgraceful it In the church of England, the word priest is renders us in the sight of God, angels, and retained to denote the second order in her hierarmen; what a barrier it is to our felicity and com-chy, but we believe with very different significamunion with God; how fruitful it is of discord; tions, according to the different opinions enternow it precludes our usefulness, and renders us tained of the Lord's Supper. Some few of her really contemptible. See HUMILITY. divines, of great learning, and of undoubted ProPRIEST, a person set apart for the perform-testantism, maintain that the Lord's Supper is ance of sacrifice, and other offices and ceremonies a commemorative and eucharistical sacrifice.of religion. Before the promulgation of the law These consider all who are authorized to admiof Moses, the first-born of every family, the nister that sacrament as in the strictest sense fathers, the princes, and the kings, were priests. priests. Others hold the Lord's Supper to be a Thus Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham, Mel- feast upon the one sacrifice, once offered on the thizedec, Job, Isaac, and Jacob, offered them-cross; and these, too, must consider themselves elres their own sacrifices. Among the Israel- as clothed with some kind of priesthood. Great tes after their departure from Egypt, the numbers, however, of the English clergy, perpriesthood was confined to one tribe, and it con-haps the majority, agree with the church of Scot presbyters to that of the priests; and the deacons to that of the Levites. One of the pernicious effects of this groundless comparison and pretension seems to have been, the introduction of the idea of a real sacrifice in the Christian church, and of sacrificing priests. PRIMACY t PRIOR land, in maintaining that the Lord's Supper is a | by him, or was by the rest attributed to himrite of no other moral import than the mere com-4. There was no office above that of an apost memoration of the death of Christ. These can- known to the apostles or primitive church, Eph not consider themselves as priests in the rigid iv. 11; 1 Cor. xii. 28.-5. Our Lord himself sense of the word, but only as presbyters, of clared against this kind of primacy, prohibiting which the word priest is a contraction, of the his apostles to affect, to seek, to assume, or an same import with elder. See LORD'S SUPPER. a superiority of power, one above another, Lake PRIMACY, the highest post in the church. xxii. 14, 24; Mark ix. 35.-6. We do not End The Romanists contend that St. Peter, by our any peculiar administration committed to & Lord's appointment, had a primacy or sovereign Peter, nor any privilege conferred on him which authority and jurisdiction over the apostles. was not also granted to the other apostles, Joha This, however, is denied by the Protestants, and xx. 23; Mark xvi. 15.-7. In neither of Peters that upon just grounds. Dr. Barrow observes two catholic epistles, does there appear any (Works, vol. i. p. 557,) that there are several mation or any pretence to this arch-apostila sorts of primacy which may belong to a person power.-8. In all relations which occur in S in respect of others. 1. A primacy of worth or ture about controversies of doctrine or prace, personal excellence.-2. A primacy of reputa- there is no appeal made to St. Peter's juzwert. tion and esteem.-3. A primacy of order or bare or allegation of it as decisive, and no arrubedi dignity and precedence.-4. A primacy of power built on his authority.-9. St. Peter to w and jurisdiction. As for the first of these, a pri- appears intermeddling as a judge or g macy of worth, we may well grant it to Peter, paramount in such cases; yet where he des admitting that probably he did exceed the rest himself deal with heretics and disorderly persona, of his brethren in personal endowments and he proceeds not as a pope decreeing; capacities; particularly in quickness of appre- apostle, warning, arguing, and persuading agurat hension, boldness of spirit, readiness of speech, them.-10. The consideration of the apestas charity to our Lord, and zeal for his service.- proceeding in the conversion of people, in the 2. As to a primacy of repute, which St. Paul foundation of churches, and in administratica of means when he speaks of those who had a spe- their spiritual affairs, will exclude any pr cial reputation, of those who seemed to be pil- bility of St. Peter's jurisdiction over them. They lars, of the super-eminent apostles, Gal. ii. 6, 9; went about their business, not by order or license 2 Cor. xi. 5; xii. 11, this advantage cannot be from St. Peter, but, according to special direction refused him, being a necessary consequence of of God's spirit.-11. The nature of the apos those eminent qualities resplendent in him, and tolical ministry, the apostles not being fired in of the illustrious performances achieved by him one place of residence, but continually moving beyond the rest. This may be inferred from that about the world; the state of things at that time, renown which he hath had from the beginning; and the manner of St. Peter's life, render it unand likewise from his being so constantly ranked likely that he had such a jurisdiction over the in the first place before the rest of his brethren.- apostles as some assign him.-12. It was indeed 3. As to a primacy of order or bare dignity, im- most requisite that every apostle should have porting that commonly, in all meetings and pro- a complete, absolute, independent authority ceedings, the other apostles did yield him the managing the duties and concerns of the edice, precedence, there may be some question; for this that he might not any wise be obstructed in the does not seem suitable to the gravity of such per-discharge of them, not clogged with a bend t sons, or their condition and circumstances, to consult others, not hampered with orders the stand upon ceremonies of respect; for our Lord's those who were at a distance.-13. The rules seem to exclude all semblance of ambition, course and behaviour of St. Paul towards all kind of inequality and distance between his Peter, doth evidence that he did not ackno apostles. But yet this primacy may be granted ledge any dependence on him, or any sub as probable upon divers accounts of use and con- to him, Gal. ii, 11-14. If St. Peter had bee venience; it might be useful to preserve order, appointed sovereign of the church, it ser th and to promote expedition, or to prevent con- it should have been requisite that he should have fusion, distraction, and dilatory obstruction in outlived all the apostles; for otherwise, the clach the management of things.-4. As to a primacy would have wanted a head, or there must ha importing a superiority in command, power, been an inextricable controversy who that or jurisdiction, this we have great reason to was. But St. Peter died long before St. Joh deny upon the following considerations. 1. For all agree, and perhaps before divers others of the such a power it was needful that a commission apostles. from God, its founder, should be granted in abso lute and perspicuous terms; but no such commission is extant in Scripture.-2. If so illustrious an office was instituted by our Saviour, it is strange, that no where in the evangelical or apostolical history there should be any express mention of that institution.-3. If St. Peter had been instituted sovereign of the apostolical senate, his office and state had been in nature and kind very distinct from the common office of the other apostles, as the office of a king from the office of any subject; and probably would have been signified by some distinct name, as that of archapostle, arch-pastor, the vicar of Christ, or the kike; but no such name or title was assumed From these arguments we must evident ser what little ground the church of Rome La derive the supremacy of the pope from the s posed primacy of St. Peter, PRIMATE, an archbishop who is inve with a jurisdiction over other bishops. See år ↳ BISHOP. PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANS, the ** lived in the first ages of Christianity, eva the apostles and immediate followers of our Lars PRINCIPLE, an essential truth from had others are derived; the ground or motive of tion. See DISPOSITION and DOCTRINE PRIOR, the head of a convent; next in denity to an abbot, |