the mangled remnants of dead companions, he has survived, against his own desires. But the conspicuous cause of his continuance is, that the Lord might join him to the clergy of our church, and adorn with glorious priests the company of our presbyters desolated by lapses. And when God shall permit, by his protection, my presence with you, his promotion shall be effected to the higher order in his worship. (1) In the meantime, let that which has been mentioned be done, that we may accept this gift of God with thanksgiving, hoping from divine mercy, more ornaments of the same kind, that the strength of the church being renewed, he may adorn our ecclesiastical council with men of like mildness and bumility. Brethren most desired and dear, my wish is your everlast ing welfare."

The language of this letter plainly shows that Numidicus was not previously a presbyter; its effect was neither an ordination, nor a direction to accomplish one, but an appointment to a future commission. A ruling elder is not named; and, in the modern sense of the phrase, was probably an idea of which neither Cyprian, nor any who preceded him, had formed a conception. "Sedeat in clero" shows, that all who sat with him, were clerical; on this bench he was to sit prior to his promotion. If promotion, promovebitur, meant any thing more than the ceremony of ordination, then he was to be raised to a bench above that of the clergy; but such there was not, because the nobiscum determines that the same was the seat also of the bishop. In no enumeration of officers in the church, found in Cyprian, or in any preceding writer, has this imaginary presbyter ever appeared; but of the diligence with which the non-descript has been un

(1) Et promovebitur equidem cum Deus permiserit, ad ampliorem locum religionis suæ, quando in præsentiam, protegente Domino, venerimus. Epist. 40, p. 225. 44

Vol. VI. No. 7.

successfully sought, the fanciful perversion of this passage, appearing in several American productions, will remain a curious monument. Cyprian defended his opinion against the reception of the lapsed, as he did his escape from persecution, by his dreams, which he promised to disclose upon his return to the church. (in) He also claimed the inspiration of suggestion. (n) In the cases of Aurelius and Celerinus, who had become confessors, having the divine suffrage, as he thought, he needed not to wait for a consultation with the people, and ordained them to be readers. (o)

Those who have absurdly taken the gosolwres of Paul to mean, not presiding, but subordinate ruling elders, have sapiently understood the doctores audientium, (p) or presbyters, who in some private place taught the catechumeni, to be a distinct order, and implying others who were inferior. The letter is short. "Cyprian to his brethren, the presbyters and deacons, greeting: Most esteemed brethren, lest any thing should be unknown to you, either of what has been written to me, or of what I have returned in answer, I have sent you a copy of each epistle, and I trust that what I have replied will not be displeasing to you. But I ought in this letter to disclose to you the fact that from the pressure of necessity, I have sent the letters to the clergy of the city [Rome.] And because it was proper that I should write by clergymen, but I know that the most of ours are absent, and that the few who remain, are scarcely sufficient for the labor of the daily service, it was necessary to constitute some new ones, who might be sent.

Know therefore, that I have made Saturus a reader, and the confessor Optatus a subdeacon, whom we had some time ago in com

(m) Epist. xvi. p. 194.

(n) Placuit nobis, Sancto Spiritu suggerente et Domino per visiones multas et manifestas admonente. Ep. 57, p. 254. (0) p. 222, 223. (p) Epist 29.

mon council, placed next to the to the clergy; either when we gave the lesson once and again to Saturus on the day of Easter; or afterwards, aut modo cum presbyteris doctoribus lectores diligenter probaremus, when being with the presbyters occupied in teaching [the catechumeni] and having diligently made trial of readers, we appointed Optatus among the readers as a teacher of the hearers, Optatum inter lectores doctorem audientium constituimus; whilst examining whether their qualifications might agree with those which ought to be in such as are preparing for the clerical office. Nothing, therefore, has been done by me in your absence; but that, which was commenced before in the common council of us all, has been finished, by urgent necessity. I desire, dear brethren, your continued welfare, and remembrance of me. Salute the Brotherhood, farewell." In this letter we have a description of that teaching, which is performed by presbyters and readers, of the audientes, or caiechumeni Those who by any means were awakened, and had a desire to understand the christian religion, were instructed as in a school; they who taught them, were doctores, teachers; and if it were their only employment in the christian church, they were denominated catechists.(q) These catechumeni are expressly distinguished by the writer from the people, plebs, by the name audientes. (s) The doctores audientium were therefore,as such,not the public teachers of the people, but the teachers of the catechumeni. This instruction was superintended, and partly performed by the presbyters, but the readers were appointed to exercise their talents in the work. And this letter shows, that Cyprian and those presbyters, as teachers of the catechumeni, in private, did, on some such occasion make trial of

(q) Audientibus etiam-vigilantia vestra non desit, implorantibus divinam, &c. Epist. 18-in eorum numero, qui apud nos catechizati sunt-habentur. Ep. 75, p. 325. (9) Vide Epist. 18. p. 198.

Optatus, and actually appointed him to be a reader. The trial of Saturus was not in the school of the catechumeni, nor are the presbyters said to have been then occupied in teaching, but it happened in the congregation, by directing him to read several times public lessons on Eas

ter.

That one presbyter presided, that some were chiefly employed in discoursing and others in reading in the congregation according to their talents, must be supposed, for all these were duties belonging to the office of presbyters. That they acted also as doctores, patient teachers of the heathenish audientes or catechumeni in private places, is supported by abundant evidence, besides this letter. If it affords a tittle of proof, that presbyters were of different orders or kinds, let it be shown fairly, and not by the mistakes of one or two good men, who have differed from numerous and more competent judges.

He speaks of presbyters as "honored with the divine priesthood. appointed by a clerical ministry, bound to serve only at the altar and the sacrifices, and under obligation to find leisure for nothing, but prayers and discourses. (n) They are said to be conjoined with the bishop in the sacerdotal honour. (o) In no instance is a discrimination made between presbyters, except that Cyprian claimed the title of bishop, whilst he denominated them his copresbyters," compresbyteri nostri.” (p) The modern inferior lay, or ruling elders are never once mentioned in his writings, but the same profound silence, as to this unscriptural order is found in Cyprian, which has been observed in every writer before him. The supposition on

(n) Singuli divino sacerdotio honorati, et in clerico ministerio constituti, non nisi altari, et sacrificio deservire, et precibus atque orationibus vacare debeant. p. 109.

(0) Qui cum episcopo presbyteri sacerdotali honore conjuncti. p. 272. (p) p. 169.

the other hand, that the eight copresbyters of Cyprian were over distinct assemblies, is not merely gratuitous, but contrary to many passages in his letters, which show that the flock was one and no more. The presbytery was not of many charges, but of one; and the bishop not a mere moderator, but a president of the worshipping assembly, as well as of the deliberating and judging churchpresbytery.

That upon the demise of a bishop his place was filled by an election of the people, (q) and that the successful presbyter was commissioned by the bishops of other churches, we do at present read in the letters of Cyprian. At any prior period this new order does not satisfactorily appear. To them Cyprian concedes the liberty of doing what they choose, (r) no one of them being accountable to any other bishop (s) but to God only. (t) Also every bishop is the vicar of Christ (u) over the christians, who reside within the geographical precincts of his own parish ; and every teacher there, not of his church, be his doctrines what they may, is a schismatic. (v)

Bishops were entitled to the same honour, and the same obedience, which was due to the highpriest among the Jews, and the Mosaic laws for the protection of the priesthood and the punishment of offenders, were considered by Cyprian as still in force Thus was paved the way for all the mischief and bloodshed that have followed in the Church. Cyprian's declaration that

(q) populi universi suffragio. Epist.

59, p. 261.

(r) Unus quisque episcoporum quod putat faciat habens arbitrii sui liberam potestatem. Ep. 73.

(ε) ουτε γας τις επίσκοπον εαυτον καθιστη , his language in the first council of Carthage. Zonazæ, p. 275.

(t) actum suum disponit et dirigit unusquisque episcopus rationem sui Domino redditurus. Ep. 55.

39.

(u) Judex vice Christi cogitatur. Ep.

(v) Nec curiosos esse debere quid ille doceat, cum foris doceat. Epist. 55.

"he had determined to do nothing without the presbytery," and his apologies, when he made Saturus a reader, and Optatus a subdeacon ; when also he promoted Aurelius and Celerinus, and appointed Numidicus to be futurely ordained to be a presbyter, only show that he was restrained by the well known antecedent usages in the church; but his doing the thing, was full proof that he did not think as he spoke, but intended to arrogate higher powers, his piety and veracity to the contrary notwithstanding. Several passages in his letters accord with the original idea of two orders, those in authority, præpositi, and deacons. Yet having been made a bishop by the votes of the people (w) against the will of five eighths of the pres byters, he was ever vigilant to sup. port himself by encroachments on the rights of the presbytery, and indefatigable in his exertions to convince his colleagues of their transcendent powers.

The ancient form of the designation of a gosolws, or presiding presbyter is not shown. But in this book it is denominated an ordination, and said to be by imposition of hands. (x) The ordination of Cyprian in whatsoever manner, was probably by bishops, because of the opposition of all the presbyters but three, as those of Cornelius (y) and others are expressed to have been. This device exalted bishops into a new and superior, though unscriptural order. They became colleagues, maintained correspondence, frequently assembled, made laws, and supported each other's dignity and power.

(w) populi universi suffragio. Ep. 59,52. (x) Ep. 67.

(y) That Cornelius after his ordination as a presbyter was ordained a bishop of Rome, Cyprian expressly asserts. Ep. 69. No cotemporary evidence which we have ever seen, or of which we have heard, establishes the same thing of any preceding bishop of Rome. Certainly Fabrianus his immediate predecessor, was made of a layman a bishop.

In the Apostolical Constitutions, instead of an imposition of hands, the deacons held the open gospels upon the head of the intended bishop, during the consecrating prayer. Nor is xsgodsdia, that we find, used either in the canons or the constitutions for the ordination of a bishop, but always xgorovia. That these constitutions were not written by the apostles is certain; that they were not known to Cyprian is clear, for he would have used them; that they did not then exist is probable, because first quoted by Epiphanius; that imposition of hands should have been in practice in Cyprian's day, or before the constitutions were made, is unaccountable and incredible, because it must have been given in them. Whatever, therefore, appears in Cyprian conceruing imposition of hands, upon one who was already an elder, is probably an interpolation. That Cyprian was bebeaded in 258 may be received, but his life by Pontius though ancient, deserves very little respect

The works of Cyprian, if unadulterated, discover a new order of presbyters by episcopal ordination, also readers, subdeacons, acolyths and virgins. By the same authority

also are established sacrifices for the dead, the intercession of deceased saints for the living, holy water and remission of sins by baptisın, and that there is no salvation out of the

church. He inculcated the doctrine of the keys, but although Rome was greater than Carthage, he denied that Stephen had more power than he possessed; and died under the anathema of the successor of Peter. What has been its effect on him, and whether his subsequent canonization has afforded him relief, another day will disclose.

J. P. W.

[The following discourse is from the pen of the late Dr. Strong of Hartford. It contains a very serious and practical train of thought on

a subject of infinite importance to every living man. It was preached on the last sabbath of his public labours, and in such a state of health and feeling as made a strong impression on the minds of not a few who heard it, that they were listening to the last words of their much loved and venerated pastor. And so it proved to be in fact. Soon after its delivery he was taken sick, and in the course of a few days, was called to pass through the scene which he here so affectingly describes.]

A SERMON.

Hebrews ix. 27.—It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

There is no truth of which a wise Providence more constantly reminds men, than that they are dying creatures. Of the fact, no man in his senses doubts; still there is none more strangely forgotten. That which is clearly presented before our eyes as the fate of other men, we do not realize will be speedily our Own. Many will walk in the midst of graves, and convey the remains of their acquaintances and dearest friends to darkness, and still repress the solemn idea, I am myself a dy

ing creature.,

us.

If it were not useful and even necessary for a life of religion, to familiarize ourselves with the certainty of our own death, God would not have filled all nature with remembrances of the solemn change before We are reminded of it by the decay of every thing around us. As there is a time for all objects to be brought into their proper state of existence; so there is a time for them to die aud perish. When we look on nature it is one great scene of change and dissolution. This is designed to teach men that they are dying creatures.

We are reminded of this by every pain felt in our own bodies,and by the diseases of others; as well as when we behold them give up the ghost, and go to the congregation of departed ones. Infinite wisdom would