PART III.

TESTIMONY OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

It will be seen from the preceding pages of this work, that Congregationalists profess to derive their principles and doctrines from the sacred Scriptures; that Jesus Christ is regarded as the author of their church polity; and the apostles, as the builders of the first Congregational churches. In this belief they feel themselves fully sustained by the passages already quoted from the Evangelists and the apostles, who wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; and whose movements, in organizing the first Christian churches, had the sanction of the Great Head of the church.

Though our chief dependence is upon these inspired guides, and nothing is received by us as truth which is contrary to these, still, it is pleasant to find the correctness of our interpretation of the Scriptures confirmed by the testimony of ancient, though uninspired history. We are not disposed to maintain, that all the doctrines and practices of the primitive churches were perfectly correct -for we know that even during the life time of the apostles, errors did creep into these churches-but, we do suppose, that the general Order and Discipline of these churches remained substantially the same, for many years after their organization.

From ecclesiastical history, we may learn what their order and discipline were.

Some passages from Mosheim have already been given,

Mosheim's view of church order, etc. in the first century.

For the information of such of my readers as have not access to that standard work, I shall quote somewhat freely, from that learned and impartial historian. His view of the facts is the more valuable, as, being himself a Lutheran, he had no partialities for the Congregational system.

His opinions of what is now best, must go for what they are worth; his facts, alone, are authoritative.

Under the general head of "History of the Teachers, and of the Government of the Church," in the first century, Mosheim says:

"As to the external form of the church, and the mode of governing it, neither Christ himself nor his apostles gave any express precepts. We are, therefore, to understand, that this matter is left chiefly to be regulated as circumstances may from time to time require, and as the discretion of civil and ecclesiastical rulers shall judge expedient.*

"If however, what no Christian can doubt, the apostles of Jesus Christ acted by divine command and guidance, then, that form of the primitive churches, which was derived from the church at Jerusalem, erected and organized by the apostles themselves, must be accounted divine; yet, it will not follow, that this form of the church was to be perpetual and unalterable.*

"In these primitive times each Christian church was composed of the people, the presiding officers, and the assistants or deacons. These must be the component parts of every society. The highest authority was in THE People, or, THE WHOLE BODY OF CHRISTIANS; for even the apostles themselves inculcated by their example, that nothing

*The dissent of Congregationalists from these views has been noticed, pp. 13–21.

Highest authority in the people, or the church as a body.

of any moment was to be done or determined on, but with the knowledge and consent of the brotherhood.* Acts 1: 15. 6:3. 15: 4. 21: 22. And this mode of proceeding, both prudence and necessity required, in those early times.

"The assembled people, therefore, elected their own rulers and teachers; or, by their authoritative counsel, received them, when nominated to them. They also, by their suffrages, rejected or confirmed the laws, that were proposed by their rulers, in their assemblies; they excluded profli gate and lapsed brethren, and restored them; they decided the controversies and disputes that arose; they heard and determined the causes of presbyters and deacons; in a word, THE PEOPLE DID EVERYTHING THAT is proper for

THOSE IN WHOM THE SUPREME POWER OF THE COMMUNITY IS VESTED.

All their rights the people paid for, by supplying the funds necessary for the support of the teachers, the deacons, and the poor, the public exigencies, and unforeseen emergencies.

*

"The rulers of the church were denominated, some

* *

Waddington, an Episcopal historian, admits the correctness of this His words are: "It is also true that in the earliest government of the first Christian society, that of Jerusalein, not the elders only, but the whole Church' were associated with the apostles :' In a note he adds :-"still, of course, with some degree of subjection to apostolic authority. This according to Mosheim, was the model of all the primitive churches." Ecc. Hist. p. 41. Harpers' Edit. Neander in a learned and elaborate treatise on "the Primitive Christian church," distinctly maintains this doctrine-that the whole church took part in the government of the same. a translation in the Bibl. Repository, Vol. IV. pp. 255, 256, 265. The learned Dr. Campbell, a Presbyterian divine, takes the same ground, in his Lectures on Ecclesiastical History. Lect. 3. pp. 31-33.

See

Presbyters, elders and bishops, the same church officers.

times presbyters or elders ;—a designation borrowed from the Jews, and indicative, rather of the wisdom, than the age of the persons;-and sometimes, also, bishops; for, it is most manifest, that both terms are promiscuously used in the New Testament* of one and the same class of persons. Acts. 20: 17, 28. Phil. 1: 1. Tit. 1: 5, 7. 1 Tim. 3: 1. These were men of gravity and distinguished for their reputation, influence, and sanctity. I Tim. 3: 1, etc. Tit. 1. 5, etc. From the words of Saint Paul (1 Tim. 5: 17) it has been inferred that some elders instructed the people, while others served the church in some other ways. But this distinction between teaching and ruling elders, if it ever existed (which I will neither affirm nor deny) ́v certainly, not of long continuance; for St. Paul makes it a qualification requisite in all presbyters, or bishops, that they be able to teach and instruct others. 1 Tim. 3: 2, etc. "In this manner Christians managed ecclesiastical af

was

* This is also admitted by Waddington. His words are: “ It is even certain that the terms bishop and elder, or presbyter were, in the first instance, and for a short period, sometimes used synonymously, and indiscriminately applied to the same order in the ministry." Eec. Hist. p. 41. And again, in a note, he says: "Such is the plain interpretation of the Scripture passages."

This, many other prominent Episcopalian writers have been constrained to admit, as Dr. Reynolds, Prof. of Divinity in Oxford, Dr. Holland, King's Prof. of Divinity at Oxford, Bishop Burnet, Archdeacon Paley, etc. See Dwight's Theology, Ser. 141; Encyclop. of Relig. Knowledge, Art. Bishop, and the following pages of this work.

Even Milner is compelled, though apparently with reluctance, to admit, that "at first indeed, or for some time, at least in some instances, church governors were only of two ranks, presbyters and deacons." Ecc. Hist. Cent. II. chap. 1. Neander agrees with Mosheim, pp. 254, 255.

How a distinction between these ch. officers was introduced.

fairs, so long as their congregations were small, or not very numerous. Three or four presbyters, men of gravity, and holiness, placed over those little societies, could easily proceed with harmony, and needed no head or president. But, when the churches became larger, and the number of presbyters and deacons, as well as the amount of duties to be performed increased, it became necessary that the council of presbyters should have a president; a man of distinguished gravity and prudence, who should distribute among his colleagues their several tasks, and be, as it were, the central point of the whole society. He was at first denominated the Angel (Rev. 2: 3); but afterwards, the bishop; a title of Grecian derivation, and indicative of his principal business, (that is, an overseer). It would seem, that the church of Jerusalem when grown very numerous, after the dispersion of the apostles among foreign nations, was the first to elect such a president; and, that other churches, in process of time, followed the example.

"But, whoever supposes that the bishops of the first and golden age of the church, corresponded with the bishops of the following centuries, must blend and confound characters that are very different. FOR IN THIS CENTURY AND THE NEXT, A BISHOP HAD Charge of a SINGLE CHURCH, which might, ordinarily, be contained in a private house ; NOR WAS HE ITS HEAD, BUT WAS IN REALITY ITS MINISTER

*

OR SERVANT; he instructed the people, conducted all parts

*

Waddington admits this. He says: "The government of a single person protected each society from internal dissensions-the electiveness of that governor rendered probable his merit." p. 44.

The reader will find in the Appendix, No. 7, a valuable extract from Mather's learned apology, containing the testimony of several of the Fathers, respecting the right of the primitive churches, to elect their own officers.