is equally unreasonable, that the Angels of the Churches were the Churches themselves: for, in the explanation of St. John's vision, at the conclusion of his first chapter, the candlesticks, which represent the seven Churches, are clearly distinguished from the seven stars, which are emblems of the angels. Nor, thirdly, would it be a satisfactory hypothesis to explain the term in question, as meaning a collective body or Presbytery. These Angels are always addressed as individuals and not as colleges. For each of them is always addressed in the singular number. There is no example, under similar circumstances, throughout the sacred volume, of the same mode of expression being used towards a collective body 1.

After ascertaining that the Angels in the Apocalypse were individual persons, our next inquiry is with respect to their rank and jurisdiction in the Church. That they were important persons, and occupied a high official station, appears from our Lord's selection of them, before all others. to receive and communicate his divine messages. Indeed, the word angel is frequently used in the sacred writings as an appellation necessarily implying distinction and authority. Among the Jews the High Priest was often termed angel, from the idea that he was God's messenger': as also were the Rulers of the synagogue, who were often termed angels of the congregation. And the Angel of the congregation had under him inferior ministers, corresponding to the Presbyters and Deacons of the Christian Church 3. In the

1 A respectable and learned anti-Episcopalian authority, Professor Campbell, considers the supposition (we are here opposing) untenable, and rejects it for the reasons we have stated. "With this interpretation," says he, "I am dissatisfied. Though we have instances, especially in precepts and denunciations, wherein a community is addressed by the singular thou and thee, I do not recollect such an use of an appellative as the application of the word angel here would be on the hypotheses of these interpreters."--Lectures on Ecc. Hist. vol. i. p. 159. For a full account of the first Bishops of the seven Churches of Asia, see Potter on Church Government.

2 Vide Diodor. Sicul. apud Photium Bibliothec. cod. 244.

3 See a sermon on Episcopacy, by the Right Rev. Michael Russell, Bishop of Glasgow, with whose views of the subject the author very much coincides, and who, on all questions connected with Jewish antiquity, must be acknowledged of the highest authority.

prophecies of Malachi, our Lord himself is termed the Angel of the covenant1. And as the titles Angel and Apostle are very nearly synonymous', we find the Apostles actually called Angels in the very book now before us3.

The high prerogatives belonging to these Apocalyptic Angels, or as we should term them, Bishops, of the seven Churches, are remarkably apparent from the language of our Saviour himself, addressed to them in his divine epistles. He makes them responsible for their respective Churches. He ascribes to them the powers of jurisdiction and coercion. He blames some of them, for not exerting these powers with sufficient vigour: he bestows praise on others for their energy and faithfulness. And it was not merely over the laity that this spiritual jurisdiction was exercised; for Presbyters and Deacons undoubtedly existed at that time in the Asiatic Churches. We read of St. Paul, many years before, sending from Miletus to Ephesus, "to call the Presbyters of the Church." To complete this argument, it may be noticed that the very names, in some cases, of these Asiatic Bishops, are still preserved in ancient Church writers We are, therefore, warranted to affirm, (agreeably to the concurring testimony of all ecclesiastical antiquity,) that the Angels of the seven Churches of Asia were Bishops, appointed by the Apostles, and recognised by our blessed Lord himself, as presiding over Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

5

We have now traced the progress of the Christian Society, from infancy to full maturity; from the period when Christians first assembled regularly for divine worship, to the time when our Saviour addressed messages of consolation or of rebuke through his beloved disciple, the writer of the

1 Mal. iii. 1.

2 Potter, with very curious accuracy, remarks this nice grammatical distinction, that an Apostle means a person empowered to deliver a message, and an Angel a person who actually delivers it. On Church

Government, p. 149.

3 Rev. xxi. 12. 14.

4 Acts xx. 17

5 For several of their names see Potter on Church Government,

chap. iv. p. 151. Tertullian mentions an example: As the Church of Smyrna relates that Polycarp was installed by St. John, c. xxxii.-In Thorndike on Religious Assemblies, p. 81.-See also Blondel. Apol. pro sent. Hieron. præf. p. 6.

Revelations, to the Bishops of the Seven Churches of Asia. We have plainly seen the gradual distribution of sacred functions among three distinct orders of Church officers; and we have more especially ascertained the right of conferring ordination to have been vested exclusively in the highest of these orders, and never in any instance to have been imparted to, nor exercised by the inferior Clergy.

CHAPTER II.

ARGUMENT FROM ANTIQUITY.

THE reader has already been prepared to find the preceding arguments from Scripture supported by the authority of antiquity; and, therefore, without repeating what has been already stated, we shall at once bring forward ancient testimonies to the fact, that Episcopacy was the original and apostolical constitution of the Church. To show the great respect for the opinions of the Fathers and for the usages of the primitive Church, entertained by judicious and wellinformed Presbyterians, I may be allowed to quote the evidence of Dr. Welsh, professor of Church history in the University of Edinburgh, before the committee of the House of Commons, on Church patronage. It will be found in note (G) at the end of the volume.

As witnesses in every cause are valuable proportionably to their means of information, we shall begin with those venerable writers, who have received the name of Apostolic Fathers, because they not only lived in the days of the Apostles, and enjoyed the benefit of their instructions and conversation; but also were by them ordained to the ministry. Living at that early period, and eminently distinguished for zeal and piety in the purest and most pious age, these holy men can neither be suspected of falsehood, nor of ignorance; neither of deceiving others, nor of being themselves deceived.

The first of these authors to be quoted is St. Clement,

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of whom we read in Scripture, that he was a fellow labourer" with the Apostle Paul, and that his name was written in the book of life 1." This excellent person was

afterwards appointed to the Bishoprick of Rome, and wrote an Epistle in the name of that Church, to the Church at Corinth, with the benevolent view of quieting some dissensions among the Corinthian converts, with respect to their spiritual guides.

Near the opening of his epistle, Clement eulogises the Corinthians for their previous obedience to ecclesiastical authority, before these jealousies and seclusions had arisen among them. "Ye walked," he says, "according to the law of God, being subject to your supreme rulers, and yielding due honour to the Presbyters 2." He afterwards subjoins an exhortation: "Let us venerate our supreme rulers, and let us reverence our Presbyters 3. The term youμevo, which we have here translated supreme ruler; in Latin, præpositus, was, in later times, among the ordinary designations of a Bishop; just as in our own times we hear every day the words Prelate, Bishop, and Diocesan, used interchangeably in our own language.

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This pious Father declares farther in the same epistle, that the constitution of the Church, and the succession of Church officers, were determined and arranged under the express sanction of the Divine Founder himself. "The Apostles," he says, "knowing of the Lord Jesus, that contests would arise concerning the Episcopal name (or order) and for this cause, having a perfect fore-knowledge" (of these things) "ordained those ministers before mentioned; and, moreover, established a rule of succession, that when they should die, other approved persons should succeed to their ministry." The same apostolic writer elsewhere traces a correspondence between the Christian and the Jewish polity. He observes, that "the High Priest had his

2 Epist. Clem. ad Corinth.

3 Ibid.

1 Phil. iv. 3. * Cyprian applies the word præpositus (in Greek nyoúμɛvos) even to the Apostles. "The Lord himself," he says, " chose the Apostles, that is the Bishops and Rulers of the Church." Quoniam Apostolos, id est, episcopos et præpositos, Dominus elegit. Cyp. lib. iii. ep. 9. 5 S. Clement. Epist. ad Corinth. cap. 44, ad init.

proper services to perform: that the Priests had their proper place appointed: that to the Levites appertained their proper ministries: and that the layman was confined to the proper bounds of what was prescribed to laymen'." The exhortation which St. Clement grounds on this analogy, is expressed immediately afterwards as follows: "Let, therefore, every one of you, my brethren, bless God in his proper station, keeping a good conscience in all honesty, not exceeding his appointed rule of service." He proceeds to dissuade from irregular and schismatical proceedings, by instancing the case of those offenders, who, under the Jewish dispensation, received the punishment of death. "Consider, brethren," he adds, "that the greater our knowledge, the more fearful our responsibility 3.'

3

The next in order of the Apostolic Fathers is IGNATIUS, Bishop of Antioch, in Syria. He was appointed to that see within thirty-six years of our Saviour's crucifixion; presided over the Church of Antioch during a period of forty years; and at last suffered martyrdom in the cause of truth. He was torn in pieces at Rome by wild beasts, A. D. 110. "He was personally intimate with the Apostles," says St. Chrysostom; "was perfectly acquainted with their doctrine; and had their hands laid upon him." Eusebius states of him that he received consecration immediately from St. Peter, whom he here styles "the great." No witness could be imagined less liable to exception than Ignatius, either in point of character, or of information: and happily, his evidence, with respect to the constitution of the Church, is as clear and as explicit, as his authority is important and decisive. He wrote to various churches, after the example of the Apostles, letters much admired by antiquity; which are quoted by various writers, and which tend peculiarly to interest the reader, from the affecting consideration that the writer of them was a prisoner, on his way to Rome, anticipating a cruel death. His feelings on this subject combine the courage of a hero with the piety of a Christian: "Nothing," says he, "shall move me, that I may attain to Jesus Christ; let fire and the cross; let 2 Ibid. cap. 41. 3 Ibid.

Cotel. Ed. cap. 40.