was from the feast of the Passover until the day of Pentecost. (Tertulliani De Bap. Lib. Cap. xix.) During this solemn time the new converts, after frequent prayers, fastings, and watchings, with confession of all their sins, (Ibid. cap. xx) being about to go to the water, renounced under the hand of the Bishop, the devil &c. and afterwards received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper from the hands of the presiding persons.

182. The question is who are these presiding persons? They could not mean the Bishop alone: for there was but one Bishop in a city according to the unanimous voice of the Fathers. (130, 131, 147.) And accordingly in the passage quoted by Dr. Miller, (173, 3) the word antistitis is singular, though in order to draw his conclusion in section 174, he has been obliged to make it plural, presidents.

183. The question (182) is answered even by the very passage quoted by Dr. Miller in section 173, marked (4); which runs thus in Tertullian: "Superest ad concludendam materiolam de observatione quoque dandi & accipiendi baptismum commonefacere. Dandi quidem habet jus summus sacerdos, qui est Episcopus. Dehinc Presbyteri et Diaconi, NON TAMEN SINE EPISCOPI AUCTORITATE propter Ecclesiæ honorem. Quo salvo, salva pax est. Alioquin etiam laicis jus est. (Tertul. De Bap. Lib. cap. xvii.) "It remains to remind you, &c. The highest Priest, who is the Bishop, has the right of Baptizing. After him the Presbyters and Deacons, not however without the permission of the Bishop, on account of the honor of the Church." &c. And this also agrees with the unanimous voice of the Fathers, that the Presbyters and the Deacons, by virtue of authority given them by the Bishop, administered Baptism. They therefore, together with the Bishop, were the presiding persons: and in his absence, likewise, they were the presiding persons, and had authority from the Bishop, by virtue of their ordination, to baptize, and to do those things necessary to the exercise of religion; but there were things that they could not do, as appears not only from the Epistles of Cyprian; of which one has been already quoted, (153) and others will presently be produced. (See 191, 192, 194, 197 to 203, and most of the passages in Italics in Ignatius's Epistles in the appendix.)

184. Dr. Miller's inference, therefore, in section 174, is without foundation: indeed, to conclude that Bishop and Presbyter are one, in the face of such a quotation as the last from Tertullian,

is doing such violence to language, that too much time has, perhaps, been devoted to pointing it out.

185. The following passages from Tertullian will further show how extremely absurd it is, to quote detached sentences without reference to the circumstances in which the piece was written, or to whom, and by means of them to endeavour to explain away the clearest expressions. Tertullian speaking of heresies, says: "But if any dare to mingle themselves with the Apostolic age, that thus they may appear to be handed down from the Apostles, because they were under the Apostles, we can say: Let them then produce the ori gins of their churches: let them declare the series of their Bishops, so running down from the beginning by successions, that that first Bishop may have some one of the Apostles, or Apostolic men who yet continued constant with the Apostles, for their author and predecessor. For, in this manner the Apostolical Churches trace their origin: as the Church of the Smyrneans having Polycarp, relates that he was placed with them by John As the Church of the Romans tells of Clement ordained by Peter: in like manner also the rest of them show that they have grafts of the Apostolic seed, who were appointed to the Bishoprick by the Apostles. Let the heretics do any thing like this." (Tertullian against the Heretics, chapter xxxii.)

186. It is worth remarking here, that Tertullian who lived at the same time with Irenæus, the former a Presbyter in Carthage and the latter Bishop of the Church at Lyons in France, agree entirely. It is also observable that they both wrote against heretics, and the challenge with which the last quotation from Tertullian concludes, shows the confidence he felt that what is there stated could not be contradicted.

187. The following short quotation is of the same import. "We have Churches, the foster-children of John. For if Marcion denies his Revelation, nevertheless the succession of Bishops rehearsed to the beginning will stand in John their author. Thus likewise the excellency of the rest is recognized." (Tert. against Marcion, Book iv, chapter v.)

188. The next Father quoted by Dr. Miller is Cyprian, who was ordained Bishop of Carthage in the year 248, having before that time been a Presbyter, according to the testimony of his Deacon Pontius, and of Eusebius and Jerome, quoted by Dr. Bowden vol. I, p. 96.

In the passage quoted in section 153, ("The people should not," &c.) there is mention of a Priest and a Bishop, which is repeated in the sentences following that quoted: but to say nothing of the obvious truth that a Bishop is a Priest, (Sect. 56, p. 47, and sect. 155) there is nothing in this sentence to show that Cyprian was speaking of the same character. The language would be perfectly proper if he was speaking of two, both Bishop and Priest; and what follows shortly after, shows that he had no idea of there being one order of ministers only.

He says, "And we may take notice that the Apostles observed this, not only in the ordination of Bishops and Priests, but also of Deacons," &c. Here are the three orders distinctly mentioned in the same epistle: and in the 32nd, "Seeing a Church consists of a Bishop, Clergy, and all that stand faithful." (Mill, Let. p. 175, 176.)

189. The following is another passage quoted by Dr. Miller. -(p. 176.) The Deacons ought to remember, that the Lord hath chosen Apostles, that is Bishops and Presidents; but the Apostles constituted Deacons, as the ministers of their Episcopacy, and of the Church." In this passage Bishops and Apostles are spoken of as one. Presbyters are not mentioned, because Cyprian is comparing Bishops and Deacons; and therefore these two orders only are mentioned.

190. The existence of these three orders of ministers is clearly expressed by Cyprian on many occasions. While Bishop of Carthage he was induced by threats of being thrown to lions, to conceal himself for a time. In his concealment he continued to govern the Church by letters to his presbyters.

191. In his 41st Epistle we are informed that he deputed two Bishops and two of his Presbyters "to examine the ages, qualifications, and merits of some in Carthage, that he whose province it was to promote men to ecclesiastical offices, might be well informed about them, and promote none but such as were meek, humble and worthy." (Bowden's Letters 1, 100.)

192. In his 59th Epistle he says, "Is glory given to God, when Presbyters, contemning and trampling on their Bishops, should preach peace with deceiving words, and give the communion," &c. (Bowden's Letters, 1, 104.) See two other striking passages of similar import, from Cyprian, in the 153rd section of this essay

193. "When Cyprian sent Numidicus to be placed among the Presbyters of Carthage, he gives this reason for it; that he might

adorn the plenty of his Presbyters with such worthy men, it being now impaired by the fall of some,' that is during the persecution." (Bowden 1, 65.) And speaking again of the same person, Cyprian says, "It is the pleasure of our Lord, that he should be joined with our clergy, and that our numbers which the lapse of some Presbyters hath diminished, should be recruited, and adorned with such illustrious Priests." (Ibid. p. 69.)

194. His 39th Epistle "runs thus, 'Cyprian to his Presbyters and Deacons, and to all the people, his brethren, sendeth greeting." The quotations given just above, (192, 193) show that these were Presbyters in the proper sense of the word, who in subordination to the Bishop governed the Church, administered the Sacrament, &c. Cyprian's writings abound with passages totally irreconcilable with the scheme of Presbyterian government, and as completely consonant to the Episcopal. He says in one place, "Yea, it is not a matter left to our own free choice, whether Bishops shall rule or no, but the will of our Lord and Saviour is, that every act of the Church be governed by her Bishops." (Bowden 1, 67; Hooker 2, 259.)

195. The number of Presbyters under Cyprian is not known. He however mentions eight besides some who had lapsed in the persecution. (Bowden 1, 70.) At one time six Presbyters left the Church, and after that Cyprian mentions three by name as being the chief or principal Presbyters. (Ibid. p. 66.) There were at least six churches in Carthage mentioned by name, besides two great churches without the city; one where Cyprian suffered martyrdom, and the other in which he was buried. And 'I do not question,' says Stillingfleet, there were many others which I have not observed;" &c. (Ibid p. 70.)

196. This notice of Cyprian must not be dismissed without remarking on some extraordinary assertions of Dr. Miller. Comparing the powers of the Bishop and Presbyters, he says, "And in what respects he (Cyprian) differed from the other Presbyters, whether only as a standing chairman or moderator among them, as seems to be intimated by his calling them repeatedly his colleagues or co-presbyters, we are no where informed. All we know is, that writing to them in his exile, he requests them, during his absence, to perform his duties as well as their own; which looks as if Cyprian considered the Presbyters of his Church as clothed with full power to perform all those acts which were incumbent on him as

Bishop, and consequently as of the same order with himself." (p. 177.)

197. In what respects he differed from the other Presbyters, &c. we are no where informed, says Dr. Miller, (196.) See what Cyprian says in sections 153, 191, 192, 194, with regard to the difference between him and his Presbyters.

198. All we know is, that writing to them in his exile, he requests them, &c. says Dr. Miller, (196.)

Cyprian's words are not quoted. The defect is here supplied from Hooker, (vol. 2, 259:) "By these letters I both exhort and command, that ye whose presence there is not envied at, nor so much beset with dangers, supply my room in doing those things which the exercise of Religion doth require."

199.

Which looks as if Cyprian considered the Presbyters of the same order with himself, says Dr. Miller, (196.) But what says Cyprian to this? While he exhorts and commands the Presbyters to supply his room in doing those things which the exercise of religion requires, his letters show that he exercised even in his exile his peculiar powers, and that he reprobates any attempt of the Presbyters to exceed their subordinate authority, and encroach on his superior power. (191, 192, 194, 153.)

200. Cyprian was chosen Bishop when he had been but a short time a Christian. He assumed the office with reluctance; and was in the habit of consulting his Presbyters and Deacons on most occasions. Writing when in exile, to the Presbyters and Deacons, and informing them that he had ordained Aurelius a reader in the Church, he says, "In all ecclesiastical ordinations, most dear brethren, I used to consult you beforehand, and to examine the manners and merits of every one with common advice." (Bowden 1, 100.)-Here he speaks of what he chose to do; I used to consult you, implying the right to do it or not.

201, But although he treated them with such deference and respect, he was very far from considering the Presbyters of his Church in the light Dr. Miller would have his readers believe. (196.)

The Presbyters in the absence of Cyprian had admitted the lapsed to the communion without having exacted the full penance, and without his consent. He wrote to them several letters on the subject, sharply reproving them, in which he uses the following expressions