THIS work is a defence against unfounded pretensions; and intended to exhibit, without wounding any individual, the illiteracy of excluding from mercy or covenant favors, all but the subjects of the hierarchy; and of making mute presbyters a characteristic of the primitive church. The inquiry is first orderly pursued through the early testimonies, that innovations might be detected; and the Scriptures afterwards examined according to original ideas.

This book has been printed in numbers in the Christian Spectator, but merely with the design to elicit objections, that it might be rectified, if found unjust, or in error on any point. Compensation was offered by the publisher at New Haven, but refused, because the right was reserved.

CONTENTS.

SECTION I.

The ordinary officers at the demise of the apostles Barnabas

spurious. The Pastor of Hermas a forgery. The testimony

of Clement of Rome,

Page

The evidence furnished by Polycarp.

SECTION II.

The fragment of Papias,

SECTION III.

The disinterested representations of Justin Martyr. The letter of

the church of Smyrna. The fragment of Hegesippus,

SECTION IV.

Tatian. The letter of the churches of Vienne and Lyons. The

fragment of Melito. The writings of Athenagoras. The tract

of Hermias. The books of Theophilus of Antioch. The works

of Irenæus,

SECTION V.

The facts appearing in Clement of Alexandria.

16

25

Novatian's writ-

36

ings in Tertullian and Cyprian. The testimony of Tertullian,

SECTION VI.

The letters ascribed to Ignatius are evidence of the third century.

A reply to Philo-Ignatius,

SECTION VII.

The dialogue of Minucius Felix. The writings of Hippolytus.

The testimony of Origen,

SECTION VIII.

The character and evidence of Cyprian,

45

61

69

SECTION IX.

The epistle of Firmilian. The writings of Gregory Thaumaturgus.

The fragments of Methodius. The seven books of Arnobius.

The writings of Lactantius,

SECTION X.

The character and writings of Eusebius,

SECTION XI.

The origin and history of councils prior to A.D. 787, -

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89

99

The important writings of Athanasius. The six books of Optatus.

The testimony and sufferings of Aerius,

SECTION XIV.

The writings of Basil the Great. The life and writings of Gregory

of Nazianzum. The works of Gregory of Nyssa, the brother of

Basil,

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127

The works of Epiphanius the imbecile Metropolitan of Cyprus.

His testimony of the Apostolical Constitutions,

SECTION XVII.

The supposititious writings of Dionysius the Areopagite. The vol-

uminous writings of John, since called Chrysostom. The frag-

ments of letters of Isidore of Pelusium,

The ten tomes and supplement of Augustine of Numidia.

The

144

153

162

remaining writings of Synesius of Ptolemais. The history, epis-

tles, dialogues, &c. of Sulpicius Severus.

SECTION XX.

The writings of John Cassian of Marseilles.

The history of So-

crates of Constantinople. The nine books of Sozomen of Pal-

estine. The writings of Theodoret of Antioch,

SECTION XXI.

The writings and ambitious efforts of Pope Leo the first,

SECTION XXII.

SEPARATISTS OF THE EIGHTH AND TWELFTH CENTURIES.

The Piedmontese a part of the Latin church, A. D. 817. They

were episcopal at the death of Claude. The history of the ori-

gin and progress of the Bohemians. The Waldenses of France

sprang from the followers of Claude,

SECTION XXIII.

THE HISTORY OF ORDINATIONS.

The extraordinary offices of Apostle and evangelist were not by

ordination. There were no ordinations but of. presbyters and

deacons. The first diocesan bishops were not constituted by im-

position of hands. Canonical ordinations arose after the second

century,

SECTION XXIV.

LAY ELDERS EXCLUDED BY EPISCOPACY.

The Syrian churches, Waldenses and Culdees were all episcopal
Lay elders were introduced at Geneva, by a compromise. Af-
terwards adopted by other cantons; also in France, Nether-
lands, Scotland, England, and America,

SECTION XXV.

The primitive state of the church having been sought from credible

witnesses of the facts, without regard to their opinions, or hear-

says; and the changes marked from the commencement of the

second to the termination of the fifth century, and having seen

the successive introduction of parochial and diocesan episco-

pacy, the canonical ordination and human authority of the latter,

and the creation of quasi presbyters by Calvin, we are prepared

better to understand the New Testament by the rejection of these

novelties. But bishops are by some supposed to be the succes-

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188

198

208

221

253