age was an elder; and every one, but the deacon, was a bishop. In the fragment of Papias, nothing appears contrary to the simplicity of the Scriptures; but whatever can be elicited from it, accords with the condition of the primitive churches in the first part of the second century. Clement in the first has decided in language, affirmative and exclusive, for two offices in a particular church; according to Polycarp and Papias, who are the only witnesses known to us, in the first part of the second century, the offices were the same. Every thing, therefore, hitherto, exhibits the office of elder, in a particular church, as the only ordinary teacher, equally without superiority and inferiority.

SECTION III.

The representations of Justin Martyr not only respectable for his learning and character, but disinterested.-The ruling elder poolws blesses the eucharistic elements, and the deacons carry them to the communicants.-This testimony is that of a martyr, given to the emperor, in behalf of christendom, and renewed in a second apology.-The posolo among the Ephori held the same grade, as the rest.—The letter of the church of Smyrna.-The fragments of Hegesippus.-The рosols or primus presbyter, was at an early period distinguished by the name σxomos at first common to all presbyters.

DID there exist in the middle of the second century, more than two kinds of officers? or were elders then of different kinds? These must be our inquiries in this section. Polycarp was now in extreme old age; Irenæus, a youth; Athenagoras, Melito, and Theophilus of Antioch, commencing public life; and Justin Martyr, a Gentile, but Christian philosopher, standing but to fall in the front of the battle. He, our almost solitary witness for this period, received his Greek education at Alexandria, in Egypt, and was successively a Stoic, Peripatetic, and Platonist. Occupied in contemplation in a place of retirement near the shore of the sea, he was abruptly encountered, and effectually vanquished by an aged Christian. The interesting and ingenious arguments are detailed in his dialogue with Trypho. Left to his own reflections, favored with no other interview, wounded by the arrow of conviction, he sought and found his cure in Christianity, the only true philosophy. Mingling his old attachments with evangelic charity, he indulged the hope, that Socrates and others had also imbibed, at least, the spirit of the Gospel, in a humble degree.

Retaining the habit, he exhibited a singular spectacle, a philosopher bleeding in the cause of Christ."

a εν ρωμη φιλοσοφων και τοις λόγοις και τῷ βίῳ και το σχηματί Photius, 303.

The opinions of one, never an ecclesiastic, must have been viewed with less prejudice. Familiar with men of science, the influence of his character on those in power, rendered him important to the suffering cause. His conversion we place at A. D. 132, and his martyrdom at 163, without danger of material error. In his dialogue he mentions his apology. The passage is found in that, which has been placed last, but was the first. This appeal to the understanding, and feelings of the discreet, but mistaken, Antoninus Pius, A. D. 140, whilst the blood of those, whom it defended, was flowing under a merciless persecution, procured a temporary respite.

In his description of public worship, after mentioning prayers and the fraternal salutation, he says"There is brought to him who presides over the brethren, τω προεστωτι των αδελφων, bread and a cup of water, and wine, and he, taking them offers up praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and the Holy Ghost, and renders thanks for these, his gifts. At the close of his petition and thanksgivings, all the people present say Amen; which, in the Hebrew language, signifies may it be so. And he who presides, having given thanks, &vxapioavros δε του προεστώτος, and the whole assembly having expressed their assent, they who are called among us deacons, diazovo, distribute the bread, and the wine and water, to each of those who are present, to partake of that which has been blessed. Also they carry to those who are not present."

His birth in Samaria, the natural acumen of his understanding, his philosophical education at Alexandria, Christian instruction, through eight years, in provincial Asia, and religious associations at Rome, are pledges, that Justin knew the forms of Christian worship. His piety, character, and death, secure to his testimony the claim of indefectible veracity. The high ground which he assumed, as the advocate of

b2 Apolog. 97. Oxford edition. 1 Apol. 127.

C*

the whole proscribed church, before the Emperor and Senate of the civilized world, rendered every word a matter of life and death, and required absolute verity. Under all these appalling circumstances he testifies that two orders only officiated, a president, poŁOTWS, who taught, prayed, and administered the eucharist, and deacons, who distributed the symbolical elements. Lay-elders are not named, but there is an express assignation to deacons of the work now thought by some to belong peculiarly and exclusively to them; a violent presumption that there were no such officers.

The same word pоeorws, ruling elder, deemed the principal and almost solitary scripturale proof of this lay order, is here the clerical character. If Paul meant by it a lay presbyter, it is strange that, in forty years from John's death, the ruling elder pоεors has become, throughout the church, the presiding officer in every charge-the mouth of the people unto God; and standing in the place of Jesus Christ, takes, blesses, and administers the memorials of his body and blood, devolving his own original employment, if a lay elder, upon deacons who had been solemnly ordained, to feed the poor.

If the "brethren" adepo over whom he presided were the people, his authority may be referred to his office as presbyter; if they were his co-presbyters, or bishops, for such existed in all the churches, and have appeared in those of Smyrna, of Philippi, Corinth, and Rome, he was that primus inter pares, who from necessity exists in all presbyteries, councils, assemblies, and other public bodies. Among presbyters the presidency rested not on ordination, but a voluntary concession, by reason of seniority, talents, grace, or influence. Exoxoxos is a word of stronger import: the goo7ws far from having the oversight of his copresbyters, retained only the first standing in the same order. If according to those suppositions letters too zealously attributed to the venerable Ignatius, the xoxoxos had presided in every church, Justin must

c 1 Tim. v, 3. 17.

have known it, and used the term, or have been justly chargeable with misrepresentation. But the term, bishop, being equally applicable to every presbyter, as having the oversight of the flock, could not have distinguished the presiding bishop from his brethren, at whose head he had been placed by common consent, for reasons founded in utility. In the same apology, precious to the ancient Christians for its timely aid in a season of extreme suffering, it is again published to the world, that, " upon that, which is called the day of the Sun, there is an assembling together of all of the respective cities, or residing in the country; and the recollections of the apostles, and the writings of all the prophets are read, as long as time permits; when the reader has ceased, he who presides, goεows by a discourse, dia 20yov, admonishes and exhorts, to the imitation of things that are good. We then all rise up together, and offer prayer, and as already mentioned, when the prayer is ended, bread is brought, and wine and water. And he who has the first place, яgooτs, again prays and gives thanks, according to his ability, όση δύναμις αυτῷ, and the people add their approbation, saying, Amen. And a distribution and delivery of the things, upon which thanks have been given, are made to all, and sent to those who are absent, by the deacons."d He then speaks of the lifting of a collection for widows, orphans, prisoners, and strangers,-which is deposited rapa t ACDEOTWTH with the president.

Had error obtained in the former description of worship, Justin would probably have discovered it in his second effort. If a martyr for the truth, which he records, is not worthy of credit, sincerity can offer no higher pledge. He has a second time described the officers of a Christian church, employed in the most solemn act of public worship, the eucharist, and again he has said they were the pоsotw5 scil. Ageoẞurepos, presiding elder, and the diaxovo, deacons. It were weakness to expect him to deny the existd 2 Apolog. 99, Oxford edit. 1 Apol. 13, 12.