should be heard over a palpable breach of the laws of national and moral integrity, when even the upright and faithful voices of a few true Christian legislators energetically raised, to exclude the religion of the avowed and boasted unbelief of Jews, and of their dark,

of Faith, declaring the same to be the confession of his faith." And by the Act of Union, 1707, the same is required of all "professors, principals, regents, masters, and others bearing office" in any of the four Universities of Scotland. Oh! more Parliamentary sanctions!!! We would expect after this, that if publicity were given to these plain unquestionable matters of fact, among the unenlightened Presbyterians of Scotland and the North of Ireland, the film of ignorance, which their Pastors deliberately, and maliciously labour, to thicken over the unsuspecting eyes of their bigotted congregations, would quickly fall off; and that respect, nay that attachment, which the pure doctrines and primitive discipline of our Apostolic Church, so universally received from even Calvin, Melancthon, Beza, Bucer, Grotius, Daillè, the Augsburgh Confession, the Synod of Dort, and even Knox himself, would be conceded to the truths and appointments of Almighty God. Our readers, we trust, will pardon our propension to wander. ing, and call to mind, that the transactions of a General Council, that of Constantinople, are the point, from which we have deviated. We have seen that John Knox recommended the Scotch, to ground their Reformation on the approved faith, and practice of Antiquity. The "Confession of Faith" says, that Antiquity, or Synods and Councils are to be used as a help in faith and practice." (Chap. xxxi.). If then they know, or understand, or believe the groundwork of their Creed and principles, they cannot deny that the sentence of the Constantinopolitan Council, which degraded those that had been ordained by the pretending Bishop Maximus, from the rank of Ecclesiastics, because that being only an Elder, or Priest, or Presbyter, he was incapacitated to ordain, -applies equally to themselves-pronounces all their Ordinations to be Nullities, and themselves, Intruders into the Sacred Office. In short this was nothing else than the uniform practice of all antiquity. Arius-the Arch-Heretic and horrid scourge of the Church Catholic; before he launched into his vile heresy, began by asserting, that because he imagined that Presbyters could Ordain, they were therefore equal to Bishops. For this novel opinion, he was branded by the Church as a Heretic. Epiphanius of the fourth century, in his work against the Heresies, informs us, that this ambitious, rebel-priest, was regarded as a “madman” (μανιώδης), for holding this grossly erroneous tenet. Epiphanius further imputes the conduct of Arius to his ignorance of the Scriptures, and proves hence, as from an undoubted principle, that Bishops and Presbyters were not of the same Order, because Presbyters had not power to Ordain. Epiphanius asks, "How is it possible for a Presbyter to Ordain or Constitute a Presbyter, since he in

mysterious, judicial hatred to Christianity, are drowned amid the insulting yells, and scoffing bellowings, of the malicious foes of order, truth, and Religion! Yea, achievements, worthy only of the place, where the beautiful spirit of a Paine's Age of Reason were allowed

his Ordination received no Power to Impose hands upon another." (Epiphan. Hæres. lv. lxxv. “Πῶς οἷόν τε ἦν τὸν πρεσβύτερον καθισταν, μὴ ἔχοντα χειροθεσίαν τοῦ χειροτονειν.”). And St. Jerome himself, who, as all intelligent and learned Divines are aware, professedly endeavoured to raise Presbyters as near as possible to a parity with Bishops, and whose sentiments on this subject, the famous Blondel, and all the Anti-Episcopalian party so violently wrested for their purposes, yet owns that Presbyters have not Power to Ordain. "For what," says Jerome, "is it that a Bishop does, which a Presbyter cannot do, except Ordination?" (Hieronymus Epist. ad Evagrium. "Quid enim, exceptâ ordinatione, facit Episcopus, quod non facit Presbyter?" The very same sentiment is in Chrysostom, x. in 1 Tim. iii.). We see then from the indisputable authority and sense of the primitive church, in what light we are to regard those, whose highest claim to the Hierarchy, is the Ordination of Elders or Presbyters-their pretensions are impudent, unwarranted, and invalid. A few more examples, will put this in a stronger light. We have proved above that an Ordination of a Presbyter is invalid, because he was not a Bishop: we will now show that an Ordination, in which, a Presbyter presumes even in the presence of a Bishop, to perform an essential part, is likewise null and void. A Bishop of Agabra, a Church in Spain, being afflicted with sore eyes, and having some presented to him to be Ordained Presbyters and Deacons, did only lay his hands upon them, suffering a Presbyter that stood by, to say the Prayers over them, and read the words of Ordination. The matter came to be considered in the Council of Hispalis or Seville, and upon mature deliberation it was determinedFirst, The Presbyter that assisted, for his impudence and presumption, would have incurred the Council's Censure, but that he was dead : Next, The Presbyters and Deacons, who were so Ordained, should be actually deposed from all Sacred Orders, concluding thus, "that they were worthily adjudged to lose their Orders, which they had wrongfully received." (Council. Hispal. ii. Can. v. Anno. 619. Bini Concilia, tom. ii. par. ii. p. 326. "Tales enim meritò judicati sunt removendi, quia pravè inventi sunt constituti."). Thus we see, that the interference of a Presbyter, even in so small degree, as the bare reading of the words, though required by the Bishop as a matter of absolute necessity, not only rendered the Ordination void, but rendered him obnoxious to the Church's censure. What then are we to think of the Presbyterian Ordinations in the Scotch or Irish Conventicles? Why, Antiquity, the principles of the Calvinistic Confession of the French Reformed Church, John Knox's Fathers, and the "Confession of Faith's" suggested helps, pronounce them all as impostures, and

to preside, or the profound wit of a Cobbett's shoe-black grammar, or the splendid theology of a Cobbett's "Reformation History," were appealed to, as paragons of principle, elegance, and learning! Since the enlightened legislation of the devourers of the Deity, and the deniers

nullities. Again-those persons that were Ordained by Musæus and Eutychianus, who were not Bishops, but only two Grecian Presbyters, were reduced by a decree of the Council of Sardica to the state and condition of the Laity. (Concil. Sardic. Can. xviii. xix. Bp. Beveridge's "Codex Can. Ecclesiæ primitivæ, tom. i. p. 505.). Again-We are informed, that one Ischyras that was ordained by Colluthus, who assumed an imaginary Episcopacy, but was in reality a mere Presbyter, was deprived by a Synod at Alexandria of that Degree, to which he had falsely pretended. A Synodical epistle of the Bishops of Egypt, Thebais, Lybia, and Pentapolis confirms this degradation of Ischyras, and assigns the reason. "How then," say they, "came Ischyras to be a Presbyter, and by whom was he ordained? Was it by Colluthus? For that only remains to be said. But Colluthus died a Presbyter, so that all the Impositions of his hands were invalid and null: and all those, whom he Ordained in his Schism, are well known to have been reduced to the Laity." (Athanasii Apolog. contra Arianos, p. 134. Edit. Paris. 1698.). And in an Epistle of the Clergy of the Province of Mareotis, we are told, that, "Ischyras, who calls himself a Presbyter, is not a Presbyter, since he was ordained by Colluthus, who assumed an imaginary Episcopacy, and afterwards was commanded by Hosius, and other Bishops, Synodically assembled, to return to the Order of Presbyters, whereto he was ordained. And consequently all those, whom Colluthus ordained, returned to their former stations, and Ischyras himself was accounted a Layman." (Ibid. p. 193. “ Ὡς καὶ ἀυτὸς Ἰσχύρας λαϊκὸς ὤφθη.”). It were, in truth, unnecessary to bring forward any more proofs of this certain fact that the Scriptures-the nature of the Episcopal office-and the sense and practice of the universal primitive Church, did not allow the Power of Ordination to any other Ministers in the Church, than to Bishops. The consequence naturally follows, that all Sectaries, of whatever sort they may be, who take upon themselves the exclusive functions of the Sacred Office, are not only shameless intruders, but by their selfappointment and self-designation, cast contempt upon the sacred ordinances of the Church-outrage the uncontradicted practice of all ages of the world are guilty of a sacrilegious attempt upon the grace and teachings of God's Holy Spirit-and fling their own highmindedness and carnality in the face of the great Head, and King of the Church. (Consult Dr. Ridley's excellent Sermons on the Divinity and Operations of the Holy Ghost, passim.). They who without a call, and mission, and authority, invade the Holy Office, would do well to compare their impious effrontery with the humility and obedience of Aaron, who as the first High Priest of the first regular Priesthood,

of the very same Deity, have charitably coalesced, to direct the Spiritualities and Discipline of our Church, which regards the one as Idolators, and the other as Blasphemers, we trust that their attention will soon be directed to remodel our Liturgy, and save us the

was separated, called, sent, and authorized by the special command of God; submitting to the external investiture of his Holy Office, by anointings, purifications, and sacrifices, from the hands of Moses, a divinely commissioned ruler and prophet: and an appointment, that was not left to the fate of chance or of usurpers, but was to be under the superintendence of Heaven, in a certain continued succession, and appointed line (Exod. xxviii. Num. iii. 10, Lev. viii.). They had also better reflect on the humble condescension of "the Prince of Life," who deigned not "to take this honour unto himself," yea, glorified not himself to be made an High Priest" (Heb. v. 5.), but waited for the call and authority of his Heavenly Father, even until the time, when from the opening canopy of the overshadowing heavens, the voice and authority of God, as an infallible sign of Divine election and designation, visibly went forth, in the presence of chosen witnesses; and He received the Spiritual, Baptismal Unction of the Holy Ghost, investing Him with actual, and full authority, for the performance of His merciful, high, and Holy functions (Matt. iii. 17.). Thus the glory and honour of the Priesthood, were not assumed by, but conferred on Christ. As the Priesthood under the old Dispensation was called of God, so was Christ also called of God, but "in a more glorious and excellent manner" (Burkitt's Practical Exposition of the New Testament.). We are instructed that our Blessed Lord, then, descended in the power of the Spirit, "being full of the Holy Ghost," into Galilee, and said in the Synagogue of Nazareth, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears," meaning that of Isaiah, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the Gospel" (Luke, iv. 18. Consult most particularly, Pearson on the Creed, Art. ii. "And in Jesus Christ, &c." Near the end.). Thus that Supreme Being, who evolved harmony out of chaos, and separated light from darkness, never forsakes the ordering and governing of both the works of his own handsthe Church and the World. No truth is more certain than that God is a God of order. And hence nothing appears more beautifully harmonious than the uniform symmetry, and exact analogy of His appointment of servants, to stand before Him,-throughout all his different Dispensations. The same God, the same Holy Spirit who called Aaron, and Christ, calls likewise His Ministers, under the new and better covenant. "As thou hast sent me into the World," saith Jesus to His Father, “ even so have I also sent them into the World (John, xvii. 18.). And to His Apostles: "As my Father sent me, even so I send you" (John, xx. 21.). Thus did He confer the grace of the Holy Spirit upon His Apostles (John, xx. 22; Acts, ii. 3, 4.). He promised to be ever with them in their office and ministry (Matt. xxviii. 20.). These

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mockery of praying, that the " consultations" of Parliament, be "directed and prospered to the glory of God, and the good of His Church"-knowing, as we do, the motley group, whose consultations we pray for, consisting of Papists, Quakers, Socinians, Infidels,

Apostles were the called, the sent, and appointed instruments, of continuing these eminent graces, privileges, and institutions, to their Successors, and these deliver what they have received, from one to another, even to the end of time. Hence their Successors, and those appointed by them; are indeed "called of God" (Heb. v. 4.), and "sent" (Rom. x. 15.) with delegated power, and assurances of heavenly aid, to proclaim the word of life (See Potter on Church Government, chap. v. "Of Ordaining Ministers" -a passage which no enlightened Christian should be ignorant of.). We therefore would urge all the members of our heavenly ordained Church, to regard their Hierarchy, as the undoubted work of God: and if we had a trumpet, capable of being heard, in all the remotest corners of the land, we would universally warn the usurping Pastors of Dissenterism, how truly awful is their intrusion. We have here delivered the words of truth and soberness, and until our arguments and conviction, are removed and defeated by the irresistible weapons of similar power, we will never cease to uphold these sound, ancient, and scriptural views. If that ever be the case, our adversaries may expect an equally unbending and unflinching recantation, of our present principles; but until that period, the frowns of latitudinarianism, or the mockery of liberality, will certainly fail, in withholding us from declaring, publishing, and pressing forward, these highly important, and essential truths. We will only at present add a few sentences, from two writers and Divines, whose learning, genius, piety, and wisdom, entitle them indeed to be ranked among the brightest stars, in the Christian firmament-Hooker and Beveridge. "It behoveth," says Hooker, "generally all sorts of men to keep themselves within the limits of their own vocation; and seeing God, from whom men's several degrees and preeminences do proceed, hath appointed them in His Church, at whose hands His pleasure is, that we should receive both Baptism, and all other public medicinable helps of soul, perhaps thereby the more to settle our hearts in the love of our Ghostly superiors; they have small cause to hope, that with Him their voluntary services will be accepted, who thrust themselves into functions, either above their capacity, or besides their place, and over-boldly intermeddle with duties whereof no charge was ever given them. They that in any thing exceed the compass of their own order, do as much as in them lieth, to dissolve that order, which is the harmony of God's Church. (Eccles. Pol. Book v. sec. 62. Hooker refers to the remarkable incidents contained in Numb. xvi. 10; Levit. x. 1; 1 Sam. xiii. 11; 2 Sam. vi. 6; 2 Chron. xxvi. 16; Heb. v. 4;-in corroboration of the sentiments contained in the above passage.). And secondly, Bishop Beveridge says, that however great the power