dent, that Hermas resided at Rome ; that he had a particular reference to the Church in that city; and that the period at which he wrote was, when Clement, before mentioned, was one of the Bishops or Presidents of that Church. From a comparison of these extracts it will also appear, that Hermas considered Bishops and Elders as different titles for the same office. He speaks of Elders as presiding over the Church of Rome ; he represents a plurality of Elders as having this presidency at the same time; having used the word Bishops, he explains it as meaning those who presided over the Churches ; and immediately after Bishops, (without mention

, ing Presbyters,) he proceeds to speak of Deacons, that is, those who are intrusted with the protection of the poor and of widows.

On one of the passages quoted above, some zealous friends of Episcopacy have laid considerable stress. It is this. The

square

and white “ stones, which agree exactly in their joints, are “the Apostles, and Bishops, and Doctors, and Mi“ nisters, who, through the mercy of God," &c. On this passage, Cotelerius, a learned Roman Ca. tholic editor, has the following note. $" You have “ here the distinct orders of the hierarchy, in A

postles, in Bishops, exercising Episcopacy, in “ Doctors, or Presbyters, teaching, and in Deacons

ministering." In language of the same import, some Protestant friends of prelacy have commented on the passage. It is really amusing to find grave and sober men attempting to make so much of a passage, in every respect, so little to their purpose. For, to say nothing of the evidently loose and fanciful nature of the whole comparison ; it is not a warrant for three, but for four orders of clergy; and, of course, if it proves any thing, will prove too much for the system of any

Protestant Episcopalian.

The Epistle of Polycarp to the Church at Philippi, written early in the second century, stands next on the roll of antiquity. This venerable martyr, like Clemens, speaks of only two orders of Church officers, viz. Presbyters and Deacons*. He exhorts the Philippians to obey these officers in the Lord. “ It behooves you," says he, “to * abstain from these things, being subject to the

Presbyters and Deacons as to God and Christ." And again--" Let the Presbyters be compassion"ate and merciful towards all ; turning them from " their errors ; seeking out those that are weak; * not forgetting the widows, the fatherless, and the

poor ; abstaining from all wrath, respect of per* sons, and unrighteous judgment; not easy to

believe any thing against any ; not severe in “ judgment; knowing that we are all debtors in * point of law.” The word Bishop is no where

* It is worthy of remark, that the Apostle Paul, in writ. ing to the same Church about 50 or 60 years before, also speaks of their having only two orders of officers, viz. Bi. shops and Deacons. See Philip. i. 1. But those whom Paul styled Bishops, Polycarp afterwards calls Presbyters.

mentioned in his whole Epistle ; nor does he give the most distant hint as if there were any individual or body of men vested with powers superior to Presbyters. On the contrary, he speaks of the Presbyters as being intrusted with the inspection and rule of the Church ; for, while, on the one hand, he exhorts the members of the Church to submit to them, he intreats the Presbyters themselves to abstain from unrighteous judgment, and to have no respect of persons.

Perhaps it will be asked, Is not Polycarp spoken of, by several early writers as Bishop of Smyrna? And does not this fact alone establish the principle for which Episcopalians contend? I answer, by no means. Polycarp is indeed called by this name. So also is Clement called Bishop of Rome, and Ignatius of Antioch. Nor, perhaps, have we any reason to doubt that they were so. But in what sense were they Bishops? We say, they were scriptural, primitive Bishops, that is, Pastors, or among the Pastors, of particular Congregations. And in support of this assertion, we produce the testimony of Scripture, and the uniform language of the truly primitive Church. But whatever kind of Bishop Polycarp was, we shall presently see that a contemporary Father exhorts him to be personally acquainted with every member of his flock; to seek out all by name ; and not to overlook even the sera vant men and maids of his charge. Whether the minister who could do this, was more than the Pastor of a single Congregation, I leave every man of common sense to judge.

The fourth place, in the list of Apostolical Fathers, belongs to Ignatius. The Epistles which go under the name of this venerable Christian Bi. shop, have been the subject of much controversy. That some copies of them were interpolated, and exceedingly corrupted, in the dark ages, all learned men now agree*. And that even the “ Shorter Epistles," as published by Usher and Vossius, are unworthy of confidence, as the genuine works of the Father whose name they bear, is the opinion of many of the ablest and best judges in the Protestant world.

But, instead of entering into this controversy, I will take for granted that the Epistles of Ignatius last mentioned (and they alone are now quoted among Protestants) are genuine, and worthy of implicit confidence. On this supposition let us examine them. And I will venture to affirm that instead of yielding to the cause of diocesan Episcopacy that efficient support which is imagined, they do not contain a single sentence which can be construed in its favor ; but, on the contrary, much

* It is even agreed that some of these interpolations wers made with the express view of furnishing support to the ambis tious claims of Bishops. Speaking of some of the interpolations, Dr. Hammond, a zealous Episcopalian, represents them

“ immoderate,” “ extravagant,” and “senseless's; and concludes that they are evidently the work of some " impostor."

as

which can only be reconciled with the primitive, parochial Episcopacy, or Presbyterian government, so evidently portrayed in Scripture, and so particularly defined in my first letter.

The following extracts from these Epistles are among the strongest quoted by Episcopal writers in support of their cause*.

Epistle to the Church of Ephesus. Sect. v.

"Let

no man deceive himself; if a man be not "within the altar he is deprived of the bread of

"God. For if the prayer of one or two be of "such force, as we are told; how much more "powerful shall that of the Bishop and the whole "Church be? He, therefore, that does not come "together into the same place with it, is proud, " and has already condemned himself."

Epistle to the Church of Magnesia. Sect. 2. "See❝ing then, I have been judged worthy to see you, "by Damas, your most excellent Bishop, and by "6 your worthy Presbyters, Bassus, and Apollonius, "and by my fellow servant, Sotio, the Deacon-I "determined to write unto you." Sect. 6. “I ex"hort you that ye study to do all things in divine

concord; your Bishop presiding in the place of “God; your Presbyters in the place of the coun"cil of the Apostles; and your Deacons most dear "to me, being intrusted with the ministry of Jesus