entrusted with the care of the poor, and employed to assist in the administration of the Lord's Supper, as in the Presbyterian Church at present; and that their gradually coming to be considered as a third order of Clergy, was, like the claims of the Prelates, an innovation.

It appears, from the declaration of several Fathers, besides Jerome, that some change in the powers and prerogatives of Bishops, did actually take place, within the first three centuries; and that several things were appropriated to Bishops in the third and fourth centuries, which those writers assert were not appropriated to them in the Apostolic age*

Finally, it appears, from all that has been said, that the writings of the Fathers, instead of speak

* Among the Fathers mentioned in my former volume, as speaking of this change, is Hilary. I represent him as say. ing, "And in Egypt, even at this day, the Presbyters ordain

(consignant) in the Bishop's absence." Dr. Bowden asserts, that the word consignant has no reference to ordination. He does not, indeed, appear to be certain what it does signify; but is very confident that it cannot mean ordination. I forgot to notice this in its proper place; and have now neither time, nor room to make more than two remarks upon it. The first is, that several eminent Episcopal Divines, and, among others, Bishop Forbes, have understood Hilary as I do, to be speaking here of ordination. The second remark is, that whatever religious rite it is that Hilary refers to, it is something which the Bishops, in his day, generally claimed as their prerogative; but which had not been always appropriated to them; and which even in his time, in the Bishop's absence, the Presbyters considered themselves as empowered to perform. This is sufficient for my purpose.

ing "decisively" and "unanimously" in favour of Prelacy, as some of our high-toned Episcopal brethren assert, do not produce a single testimony, within the prescribed limits, which gives the least countenance to the prelatical claim; and that we are abundantly warranted (to repeat the language of Bishop Croft, formerly cited) in pronouncing, that the proofs brought to support this claim are altogether" weak; no Scripture; no primitive "general Council; no general consent of primitive "Doctors and Fathers; no, not one primitive Fa"ther of note, speaking particularly and home to "the purpose," of its advocates.

LETTER VI.

Testimony of the Reformers.

CHRISTIAN BRETHREN,

IN the sixth of my former Letters, I endeavoured to show that the great body of the Reformers, and other Witnesses for the Truth, in different ages and nations, were Presbyterians in principle. This allegation, and the proof by which it is supported, Dr. Borden, according to his usual manner, confidently rejects, and pronounces a total misrepresen❤ tation. With what justice he does this, a few remarks will enable you to determine.

I asserted that the Waldenses were substantially Presbyterians, both in principle and practice; that, among other points, in which they rejected the corruptions of the Romish Church, they held, that there ought to be no diversity of rank among the ministers of the Gospel; and that Bishops and Presbyters, according to the word of God, and primitive usage, were the same order. All this, Dr. Bowden denies; and insists that the Waldenses were uniformly Episcopal in their ecclesiastical character. The following testimonies will show on which side the truth lies,

T

John Paul Perrin, who was himself a Pastor among them, in his History of that people, delivers at length, "the discipline under which the "Waldenses and Albigenses lived; extracted out "of divers authentic manuscripts, written in their own language, SEVERAL HUNdreds of YEARS BEFORE LUTHER OR CALVIN." From this work the following extracts are made. Art. 2. 66 of "Pastors." "All they that are to be received as "Pastors amongst us, whilst they are yet with "their own people, are to entreat ours, that they "would be pleased to receive them to the mi"nistry; and to pray to God that they may be "made worthy of so great an office. We also appoint them their lectures, and set them their task, causing them to learn by memory all the "chapters of St. Matthew and St. John, and all "the Epistles that are canonical, and a good part "of the writings of Solomon, David, and the Pro

66

phets. Afterwards, having produced good tes"timonials, and being well approved for their suf"ficiency, they are received with imposition of "hands into the office of teachers. He that is ad"mitted in the last place, shall not do any thing "without the leave or allowance of him that was "admitted before him. As also he that was ad"mitted first, shall do nothing without the leave of "his associates, to the end that all things, with us, may be done in order. Diet and apparel are given unto us freely, and by way of alms, and that "with sufficiency, by those good people whom we

66

66

"teach. Amongst other powers and abilities "which God hath given to his Servants, he hath "given authority to choose leaders, to rule the peo

ple, and to ordain Elders in their charges."When any of us, the aforesaid Pastors, falls "into any gross sins, he is both excommunicated, "and prohibited to preach." Art. 4. "Our Pas(6 tors do call assemblies once every year, to deter "mine of all affairs in a general Synod*."

In another Confession of Faith, drawn up about the year 1220, they declare that the functions of Ministers consist in "preaching the word and administering sacraments," and that "all other ministerial things may be reduced to the aforesaid." Speaking of the rite of Confirmation, and of the Po pish claims that it must be administered by a Bishop, they assert, that "it has no ground at all in Scripture; that it was introduced by the Devil's "instigation, to seduce the people; that by such "C means they might be induced the more to be"lieve the ceremonies, and the necessity of the " Bishopst."

In the same work, (chap. 4.) it is expressly and repeatedly asserted, that the Synods of the Waldenses were composed of Ministers and Elders. mode of speaking is surely not Episcopal.

This

The same historian tells us, that Waldo, (from whose name that of the Waldenses is said to be deriv

* PERRIN'S History of the Old Waldenses, Part 11. Book v. Chap. 7.

† Ibid. Chap. 8.