or priests, charged with
the maintenance of order and decorum in the community, and to act every
where in its name. The bishops were afterwards charged to watch over the
faith and the instruction of the disciples: the apostles themselves
appointed several bishops. Tertullian, (adv. Marium, c. v.,) Clement of
Alexandria, and many fathers of the second and third century, do not
permit us to doubt this fact. The equality of rank between these
different functionaries did not prevent their functions being, even in
their origin, distinct; they became subsequently still more so. See
Plank, Geschichte der Christ. Kirch. Verfassung., vol. i. p. 24.--G. On
this extremely obscure subject, which has been so much perplexed by
passion and interest, it is impossible to justify any opinion without
entering into long and controversial details.----It must be admitted, in
opposition to Plank, that in the New Testament, several words are
sometimes indiscriminately used. (Acts xx. v. 17, comp. with 28 Tit. i.
5 and 7. Philip. i. 1.) But it is as clear, that as soon as we can
discern the form of church government, at a period closely bordering
upon, if not within, the apostolic age, it appears with a bishop at the
head of each community, holding some superiority over the presbyters.
Whether he was, as Gibbon from Mosheim supposes, merely an elective head
of the College of Presbyters, (for this we have, in fact, no valid
authority,) or whether his distinct functions were established on
apostolic authority, is still contested. The universal submission to
this episcopacy, in every part of the Christian world appears to me
strongly to favor the latter view.--M.]

[Footnote 108: Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity, l. vii.]

But the most perfect equality of freedom requires the directing hand
of a superior magistrate: and the order of public deliberations soon
introduces the office of a president, invested at least with
the authority of collecting the sentiments, and of executing the
resolutions, of the assembly. A regard for the public tranquillity,
which would so frequently have been interrupted by annual or by
occasional elections, induced the primitive Christians to constitute an
honorable and perpetual magistracy, and to choose one of the wisest and
most holy among their presbyterians to execute, during his life,
the duties of their ecclesiastical governor. It was under these
circumstances that the lofty title of Bishop began to raise itself ab