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the most unnatural glosses have been adopted. Instead of formally stating and answering these, I will content myself with delivering the opinions of three distinguished divines, whose judgment on such a subject will be despised by none. Dr. Owen declares" This would be a text of uncontrolla"ble evidence, if it had any thing but prejudice " and interest to contend with. On the first pro66 posal of this text-That the Elders who rule well are worthy of double honor, especially they who "labour in word and doctrine, a rational man, who "is unprejudiced, who never heard of the controversy about ruling Elders, can hardly avoid an "apprehension that there are two sorts of Elders, some that labour in the word and doctrine, and some who do not do so. The truth is, it was in"terest and prejudice that first caused some learned 66 men to strain their wits to find out evasions from "the evidence of this testimony; being so found, 66 some others, of meaner abilities, have been en"tangled by them." The language of Dr. Whitaker, a zealous and learned Episcopalian, is equally strong and decided, with regard to this passage. "By these words," says he, "the Apostle evi"dently distinguishes between the Bishops and "the inspectors of the Church. If all who rule "well be worthy of double honor, especially they "who labour in the word and doctrine, it is plain. "there were some who did not so labour; for if all "had been of this description, the meaning would "have been absurd; but the word especially points

out a difference. If I should say, that all who “study well at the university are worthy of double

honor, especially they who labour in the study of

theology, I must either mean that all do not apply “ themselves to the study of theology, or I should " speak nonsense. Wherefore I confess that to be “the most genuine sense by which pastors and “ teachers are distinguished from those who only “governed.”—Pralect. ap. Didioclav. p. 681. Equally to our purpose is the opinion of that acute and learned Episcopalian, Dr. Whitby, in his Note on this passage.

• The Elders of the Jews," says he, were of two sorts ; 1st. Such as governed in “the Synagogue ; and 2dly. Such as ministered in

reading and expounding their Scriptures, &c. “ And these the Apostle here declares to be the “ most honorable, and worthy of the chiefest re" ward. Accordingly, the Apostle, reckoning up “ the offices God had appointed in the Church,

places teachers before governments. 1 Corin. " xii. 28."

3. The Scriptures also represent Presbyters as empowered to ordain, and as actually exercising this power. Of this we can produce at least three instances of the most decisive kind.

The first is recorded in Acts xiii. as follows. Now there were in the Church that was at Antioch, certain prophets and teachers, as Barnabas, and Simeon, that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to

the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. This is the most ample account of an ordination to be found in Scripture; and it is an account which, were there no other, would be sufficient to decide the present controversy in our favour. Who were the ordainers on this occasion ? They were not Apostles. Lest this should be supposed, their names are given. They were not Bishops, in the modern sense of the word ; for there were a number of them ministering together in the same Church. They were the Prophets and Teachers of the Church at Antioch. With respect to these Teachers, no higher character has ever been claimed for them than that of Presbyters, labouring in the word and doctrine. And as to the Prophets, though the precise nature of their endowments and office be not certainly known; yet there is complete evidence that they did not sustain that particular ecclesiastical rank, with which Episcopalians contend that, in the days of the Apostles, the power of ordaining was connected. Still these ministers ordained; and they did this under the immediate direction of the Holy Ghost, who cannot be supposed to have sanctioned any departure from an essential principle of Church government.

To invalidate this reasoning, some Episcopal writers have suggested that the ordination here recorded was performed not by the Teachers, but by

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the Prophets only. But nothing like this appears in the sacred text. On the contrary, its plain and simple import forbids such a construction. The command to ordain Paul and Barnabas was directed both to the Prophets and Teachers; and we are told that they proceeded immediately to the performance of the solemn act to which they were called. To suppose, therefore, that the Teachers either did not engage in this ordination; or that, if they did participate in the transaction, it was rather as witnesses expressing consent, than as ordainers conveying authority, or ratifying a commission, is a supposition as illegitimate in reasoning, as it is repugnant to the sacred narrative.

Another plea urged against this example is, that it is not to be considered as an ordination at all

; that both Paul and Barnabas had been recognized as ministers of the Gospel several years before this event; and that it is rather to be regarded as a solemn benediction, previous to their entering on a particular mission among the Gentiles.

the Gentiles. It is rea. dily granted that Paul and Barnabas had been engaged in preaching the Gospel long before this time. But there is no evidence that either of them had ever before been set apart by human ordainers. It seemed good, therefore, to the Holy Ghost, that before they entered on their grand mission to the Gentiles, they should receive that kind of ordination, which was intended to be perpetual in the Church. No example of such an ordination had yet been given. If the practice were ever to be established, it was necessary that a beginning should be made. And as these missionaries were about to travel among a people, who were not familiar with the rite of ordination by the imposition of hands, so well understood by the Jews, it was judged proper by infinite Wisdom to set this example for imitation in all subsequent periods. And as if to give the strongest practical declaration of ministerial parity, Paul, with all the elevation of his gifts, and all the lustre of his apostolic character, submitted to be ordained, together with his brother Barnabas, agreeably to the regular principles of Church order, by the prophets and teachers of the Church at Antioch.

It may further be observed, that if this be not an ordination, it will be difficult to say what constitutes one. Here were fasting, prayer, the imposition of hands, and every circumstance attending a formal investiture with the ministerial office, as particularly stated as in any instance on record, And accordingly Dr. Hammond, one of the most able and zealous advocates for Episcopacy, does not scruple to pronounce it a regular ordination ; though for the sake of maintaining his system, he falls into the absurdity of supposing that Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen, were diocesan Bishops; a supposition wholly irreconcileable with the diocesan scheme, since they were all ministering in the Church at Antioch. Bishop Taylor, another eminent Episcopal writer, considers this transaction as a regular ordination ; for speaking of Paul, he says