or that pre-eminence of some ministers over others, which he regarded as resting merely on the ground of human authority, and which he considered as exemplified in the church of England; and, (3,) diabolical episcopacy, or that corrupt and tyrannical sort of prelacy which is found in the church of Rome.*

With those Episcopalians who merely prefer the prelatical form of ecclesiastical government, without the claim of divine right; without supposing the want of it to invalidate the ministerial authority, or the ordinances of those churches which have it not, I have, at present, no controversy. Presbyterians think them wrong; but have no disposition to complain of them, or to contend with them in regard to their preference. They consider such a preference, and a corresponding practice, as in no respect offensive, and as having no tendency to interfere with the communion of saints. With several religious denominations, nominally and really episcopal in their ecclesiastical organization, in this qualified sense, it is easy to live on terms of good neighbourhood, and even, to a certain extent, of affectionate intercourse.

But the claim which it is the design of this manual to oppose, is the following:-That diocesan episcopacy is founded on divine right; that it is not only jaid down in Scripture, but is indispensable to an authorized ministry, and to valid ordinances; that where there is no ministry episcopally ordained, in an uninterrupted and divinely protected succession from the apostles, there is no church, no sacraments, no ,covenanted hope of mercy; that all non-episcopal ministers are intruders into the sacred office, their ministrations a nullity, and those who attend upon

* De Triplici Episcopatu.

them aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and rebels against God. This doctrine many of our Episcopal neighbours maintain. This doctrine they proclaim unceasingly from the pulpit and the press. Some, indeed, of this general class, tell us that they do not go so far as to draw this excommunicating inference, and to unchurch all other denominations; but content themselves with maintaining that Episcopacy only has any authority from the great Head of the church. But many go the whole length that has been mentioned; and the professed charity of others is by no means in keeping with their principles. Such claims the writer of this manual thinks it a duty. which he owes to God and man to oppose. He considers them as unreasonable in themselves; perfectly destitute of support from Scripture, and adapted to exert a most baneful influence upon all the interests of Christian character and hope. Were the watchmen on the walls of Zion to be silent when such pretensions are advanced, they would be traitors to their Master and his cause. With such claims, it is the duty of every faithful minister of the gospel, and every enlightened friend of the church of Christ, to maintain inflexible, zealous, persevering controversy.

Against these exorbitant claims there is, prior to all inquiry into their evidence, a strong general presumption, for the following reasons:

First-It is placing a point of external order on a par with the essence of religion. I readily grant, that every observance which the great Head of the church. enjoins by express precept, is indispensably binding. But it is certainly contrary to the genius of the gospel dispensation, which is pre-eminently distinguished from the Mosaic economy by its simplicity and spi

rituality, to place forms of outward order among those things which are essential to the very existence of the church. We know from Scripture, that the visible form of the church has been repeatedly altered, without affecting her essence:

Secondly-Against this doctrine there is another ground of presumption; because it represents the rite of ordination as of superior importance to the whole system of divine truth and ordinances, which it is the duty of Christian ministers to dispense. According to this doctrine, presbyters are fully authorized to preach that gospel which is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to admit members into the church by baptism; to administer the Lord's supper; and, in short, to engage in all those ministrations which are necessary to edify the body of Christ: but to the regular introduction of a minister into office, by the imposition of hands, they are not competent. Is not this, in other words, maintaining, that the gospel is inferior to its ministers; that the sacraments are less solemn and elevated ordinances than a rite, which all Protestants allow not to be a sacrament; that the dispensation of God's truth is a less dignified function, than selecting and setting apart a servant of the truth; that the means are more important than the end? If so, then every man of sound mind will pronounce, that, against such a doctrine, there is, antecedent to all inquiry, a reasonable and strong presumption.

Thirdly-If it be admitted, that there are no true ministers but those who are episcopally ordained; and that none are in communion with Christ, excepting those who receive the ordinances of his Church from the hands of ministers thus ordained; then Christian

character, and all the marks by which we are to judge of it, will be placed on new ground; ground of which the Scriptures say nothing; and which it is impossible for one Christian in a thousand to investigate. When the word of God describes a real Christian, it is in such language as this-He is born of the Spirit; he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. He believes in Christ, and repents of all sin. He crucifies the flesh, with the affections and lusts: he delights in the law of the Lord after the inward man:-he strives against sin: he is meek, humble, full of mercy and good fruits: he loves his brethren whom he hath seen, as well as God whom he hath not seen: he is zealous of good works: and makes it his constant study to imbibe the Spirit, and to imitate the example of the Redeemer. These are the evidences of Christian character which fill the New Testament, and which meet us wherever the subject is discussed. According to this representation, the only essential pre-requisite to holding communion with Christ, is being united to him by a living faith: that faith which purifies the heart, and is productive of good works. But if the extravagant doctrine which we oppose be admitted; then no man, however abundantly he may possess all these characteristics, can be in communion with Christ, unless he is also in communion with the Episcopal church. That is, his claim to the Christian character cannot be established by exhibiting a holy temper and life; but depends on his being in the line of a certain ecclesiastical descent. In other words, the inquiry whether he is in covenant with Christ, is not to be answered by evidences of personal sanctification; but resolves itself into a question of clerical genealogy, which few Christians in the

world are capable of examining, and which no mortal can certainly establish. There is no possibility of avoiding this conclusion on the principle assumed. And I appeal to every serious reader, whether a principle which involves such consequences, has not strong presumption against it.

Fourthly-If the doctrine in question be admitted, then we virtually pronounce nine-tenths of the whole Protestant world to be in a state of excommunication from Christ. I know it has been often said, by zealous writers on this subject, that the great body of the Protestant churches are Episcopal; and that those who adopt the Presbyterian government make but a very small portion of the whole number. But I need not tell those who are acquainted with the history of the church since the Reformation, and with the present state of the Christian world, that this representation is wholly incorrect. The very reverse is true, as every well informed reader is aware. Are we then prepared to adopt a principle which cuts off so large a portion of the Protestant world from the visible church, and represents it as in a state in some respects worse than that of the heathen? It is to be presumed that every considerate man will require the most pointed evidence of divine warrant, before he admits a principle so tremendous in its consequences.

The great question, then, to be decided is, does the New Testament teach, or intimate, that there are, in the church of Christ, by divine appointment, three classes or grades of gospel ministers, all of them authorized to "labour in the word and doctrine;"-deacons whose function it is to preach and baptize; presbyters, who are appointed to preach the gospel, and administer both sacraments; and bishops, a supe