dred Synagogues. It is equally certain that the first converts to Christianity were Jews; that they came into the Christian Church with all the feelings and habits of their former connexions, and mode of worship strongly prevalent ; and that they gave the Apostles much trouble by their prejudices in favor of old establishments, and against innovation. It was probable, therefore, beforehand, that, under these circumstances, the Apostles, who went so far as to admit circumcision, in particular cases, for the sake of keeping peace with some of the first converts, would make as little change, in converting Synagogues into Christian Churches,as was consistent with the spirituality of the New dispensation. To retain the ceremonial worship of the Temple, they could not possibly consent. To join the Priests in offering up sacrifices, when the great Sacrifice had been already offered up once for all; to attend on the typical entrance of the High Priest, once a year, with the blood of the sacrifice, into the Holy of Holies, while they were, at the same time, teaching that all these things were done away, and that the great High Priest of our profession had finally entered into the holiest of all, even into heaven for us ; would have been an inconsistency not to be admitted. But no such inconsistency could be charged against a general conformity to the Synagogue model. And, therefore, as might have been expected, we find that this conformity was actually adopted. This will appear abundantly evident to every impartial inquirer, by attending to the following considerations*. 1. The words Synagogue and Church have the same signification. They both signify an Assembly or. Congregation of people convened for the worship of God; and they both signify, at the same time, the place in which the assembly is convened. This community of signification, indeed, is so remarkable, that in the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for expressing an Assembly, is thirty-seven times rendered Synagogue (Euwayann) and seventy times translated Church, (Exxa noia), the precise word employed in the New Testament to express a Christian Assembly. In fact, in one instance, a Christian congregation is by an inspired writer denominated a Synagogue. The Apostle James says-My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come into your assembly, (in the original your Synagogue) a man with a gold ring, &c. I am aware that this coincidence in the meaning of these words is not absolutely conclusive ; but it is one among the numerous concurring facts which prove that our Lord and his Apostles adopted that language which was familiar to the Jews, and to all who were acquainted with their Scriptures ; and especially to those who frequented the Synagogue service. * Those who wish to see the evidence, that the Christian Church was formed after the model of the Jewish Synagogue, presented more strongly and fully than is possible in this mamual, will do well to consult the learned inquiries on this subject, laid before the public by the celebrated Selden, in his work De Synedriis ; by Dr. Spencer, a learned Episcopal divine, his work, De Legibus Hebreorum ; by Dr. Lightfool, in his Huræ Hebraice; by Grotius in bis Commentary; by Vitringa, in bis profound and able work De Synagoga Vetere, and by Stillingfieet in his Irenicum, 2. The mode of worship adopted in the Christian Church by the Apostles, was substantially the same with that which had been long practised in the Synagogue. In the Synagogue, as we learn from Maimonides, and others, divine service was begun by the solemn reading of a portion of Scripture, by a person appointed for that service; to this succeeded an exhortation or sermon, by the Ruler of the Synagogue, or Bishop, whose office will be hereafter noticed. The sermon being finished, solemn prayers were offered up, by the same Ruler, at the end of which the people said, Amen. Now, if we examine the New Testament, and those writings of the primitive Fathers, whose authenticity has never been questioned, we shall find, not only a striking similarity, but almost a perfect coincidence, in the mode of conducting the worship of Christian assemblies. That the mi. nisters of the Christian Church, in like manner, made a practice, in their religious assemblies, of reading the Scriptures, delivering discourses, and offering up solemn prayer, at the close of which the people gave their assent, by saying, Amen, is expressly stated in Scripture. And when Justin Martyr gives an account of the Christian worship, in his day, it is in the following terms—" Upon " the day called Sunday, all the Christians, whe“ther in town or country, assemble in the same place, wherein the commentaries of the Apostles, " and the writings of the Prophets, are read, as “ long as the time will permit. Then the reader “ sitting down, the President of the Assembly « stands up and delivers a sermon instructing and exhorting to the imitation of that which is comely. “ After this is ended, we all stand up to prayers : prayers being ended, the bread, wine, and water, are all brought forth; then the President again praying and praising according to his ability, the “ people testify their assent by saying, Amen." Here we see no material difference between the Synagogue and Christian worship, excepting the introduction of the Lord's Supper into the latter. 3. The titles given to the officers of the Syna. gogue were transferred to the officers of the Chris. tian Church. In every Synagogue, as those who are most profoundly learned in Jewish Antiquities tell us, there were a Bishop, a bench of Elders, and Deacons. The first named of these officers was called indifferently, Minister, Bishop, Pastor, Presbyter, and Angel of the Church*. The Presbyters or Elders in each Synagoguc, according to * Maimonides, the celebrated Jewish Rabbi, who lived in the 12th century, in his learned work, De Sanhed, cap. 4. describes the Bishop of the Synagogue, as “ the Presbyter who “ laboured in the word and doctrine." some writers, were three, and according to others, more numerous. And the Bishop was called a Presbyter, because he sat with the Presbyters in council, and was associated with them in authori. ty. It is remarkable that all these titles were adopted in the organization of the Christian Church, as will appear, on the slightest perusal of the New Testament. And it is still more remarkable that not only the same variety, but also precisely the same interchange of titles, in the case of the principal officer of the Synagogue, was retained by the Apostles in speaking of the Pastors of Christian congregations. 4. Not only the titles of officers, but also their characters, duties, and powers, in substance, were transferred from the Synagogue to the Christian Church. The Bishop or Pastor who presided in each Synagogue, directed the reading of the Law ; expounded it when read; offered up public prayers; and, in short, took the lead in conducting the public service of the Synagogue. This description applies with remarkable exactness to the duties and powers of the Christian Bishop. The bench of Elders in the Synagogue had entrusted to them the general powers of government and discipline ; and in like manner, the Elders or Presa byters, in the Christian Church are directed to rule the flock, and formal directions are given them, for maintaining the purity of faith and practice. The bench of Elders, in the Synagogue, was made up of both clergy and laity, i. e. of those |