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.“ He had the special honor to be chosen in an " extraordinary way; yet he had something of the “ ordinary too; for in an extraordinary manner he

was sent to be ordained in an ordinary ministry. “ His designation was as immediate as that of the “ eleven apostles, though his ordination was not." This also was the judgment of the learned Dr. Lightfoot. “ No better reason,” says he, "given of this present action, than that the Lord “ did hereby set down a platform of ordaining mi" nisters to the Church of the Gentiles in future "times.” And, finally, Chrysostom, one of the early Fathers, delivers the same opinion. He asserts that “ Paul was ordained at Antioch,and quotes the thirteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in support of his assertion.

But, after all, it does not destroy the argument, even if we concede that the case before us was not a regular ordination. It was certainly a solemn separation to the work to which the Holy Ghost had called them. This is the language of the inspired writer, and cannot be controverted. Now it is a principle which pervades the scriptures, that an inferior is never called formally to pronounce benediction on an official superior. It is evident, therefore, that those who were competent to set apart ecclesiastical officers to a particular ministry, were competent to set them apart to the ministry in general. So far, then, as the office sustained by Paul and Barnabas was ordinary and permanent in its nature, the Presbyters in Antioch were their equals. Paul, in

deed, considered as endowed with inspiration, and with miraculous powers, was their superior; but as a regular officer of the Church of Christ, sent forth on established and ordinary service, he was not their superior; and he embraced frequent opportunities of testifying that this was his own view of the subject.

The next instance of an ordivation performed by Presbyters, is that of Timothy, which is spoken of by the Apostle Paul, in the following terms. 1 Tim. iv. 14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery. All agree that the Apostle is here speaking of Timothy's ordination; and this ordination is expressly said to have been periormed with the laying on of the hands of the Presbyterythat is, of the Eldership, or a council of Presbyters.

To this instance of Presbyterian ordination it is objected, by some Episcopal writers, that although a council of Presbyters appear, from this passage, to have laid their hands on Timothy upon casion, yet the ordination was actually performed by the Apostle alone, who elsewhere addresses Timothy in this language-Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee, by the putting on of my hands. 2 Tim. i. 6. They contend that, as Paul speaks of the ordination as being performed by the putting on of his hands, and with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, we are to infer that the power was conveyed by Him only, and that the Presbyters only imposed their hands by way of concurrence, and to express their approbation.

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But the Apostle, in speaking of a gift conveyed to Timothy by the putting on of his hands, either refers to the ordination of that young Minister, or he does not.

Some have supposed that he does not refer to that transaction at all, but to an occasion and a solemnity altogether different, when, by the imposition of his hands alone, he communicated to Timothy the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, to impart which, by the laying on of hands, belonged, as is generally supposed, exclusively to the Apostles. If this supposition be admitted, and some of the greatest divines that ever lived have adopted it, then the objection before us totally falls to the ground, and it follows that the Presbyters alone were the ordainers in this instance. If, on the other hand, we suppose that the Apostle, in both passages, is speaking of the ordination of Timothy, and that he and the Presbytery both participated in the transaction, the supposition will be equally fatal to the Episcopal cause. For let it be remembered, that all Episcopalians, in this controversy, take for granted, that Timothy was, at this time, ordained a Diocesan Bishop. But if this were so, how came Presbyters to lay their hands on him at his ordination? We know that Presbyters in the Episcopal Church, are in the habit of laying on their hands, with those of the Bishop, in ordaining Presbyters ; but was it ever heard of, in

the Christian Church, after the distinction between Bishops and Presbyters arose, that those who admitted this distinction suffered Presbyters to join with Bishops, by imposing hands in the consecration of a Bishop? No; on Episcopal principles, this would be an irregularity of the most absurd and inadmissible kind. To this our opponents reply, that the Presbyters in this case joined with the Apostle in the imposition of hands, not as or. dainers, but merely to express their concurrence and approbation. But do Presbyters, even in this sense, unite in imposing hands in the consecration of a diocesan Bishop? Or were they ever known to do so in Episcopal Churches? Besides, after all, the whole idea of some laying on their hands in ordi. nation, not as ordainers, but merely to express their approbation, is a conceit without any foundation in scripture ; contradicted by the earliest and best records of the primitive Church ; and manifestly invented to evade the force of an irresistible argument. I challenge any one to produce me a single passage from the word of God, or from any Christian writer within the first three hundred years af. ter Christ, which gives the least countenance to this fanciful supposition.

But it is still urged, that the mode of expresgion is different with respect to the imposition of the Apostle's hands, and those of the Presbytery; that Timothy is said to have received his gift by the former, and with the latter. And accordingly much ingenious criticism has been wasted on the

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prepositions dua and Meta, in order to show, that the foriner alone expresses agency, while the latter more commonly signifies mere concurrence : from which it has been inferred that Paul alone was the real ordainer, or, in other words, conveyed the ministerial authority by the imposition of his hands ; while the Presbyters laid on their hands only as witnesses, and for the purpose of giving their countenance to the transaction. I forbear to apply to this criticism those epithets which it has always appeared to me to deserve; nor shall I de. tain you by attempting to expose the weakness of that cause whose advocates fly for succour to a quibble, founded on the doubtful interpretation of two Greek particles. It is enough for me to assure such of you, my brethren, as are not able to judge for yourselves in this matter, that the criticism and quibble in question are wholly unworthy of your regard ; that these words both frequently signify by as well as with, and express agency, as well as concurrence*; and that the objection founded on any supposed difference of meaning in their application to this case, has not received the countenance even of the most learned and respectable advocates for diocesan Episcopacy.

* It is remarkable that the learned Jerume, more than 1400 years ago, adopted the Presbyterian construction of this passage. He thus translates 1 Tim. iv. 14. Noli negligere gratiam que in te est, qur tibi data est prophetia, per impositionem manuum Presbyterii : and expressly adduces the passage to prove that Bishons and Presbyters are, by divine right, equal. The same construction of the passage has been adopted by the most learned aud judicious commentators ever since.

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