ed by the apostles, who having first delivered it in Judea, and planted churches there, went and declared the same to other nations, and settled churches in cities, from whence other churches have the same doctrine propagated to them, and are therefore called apostolical churches.

I proceed to the testimony of the illustrious martyr St. Cyprian, "who (as Dr. Field observes,) of all others most clearly overthrows the errors of the Romanists, touching the papacy. In his book on the unity of the church, he says there is but one episcopacy, part of which every bishop holds with full authority, and plenitude of power, without any superiority or jurisdiction over him." Ep. 53. In the same manner he says, "That as there is one church divided into many members, throughout the whole world, so there is one episcopacy diffused by the united multitude of many bishops." Again, in Ep. 67. Although we are many pastors, yet we feed one flock, and we ought to collect and cherish all the sheep, which Christ hath purchased with his blood.

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Another grand principle of St. Cyprian is, that a bishop with his clergy and laity, form a complete church, possessing all necessary authority within itself.

In each church, the bishop, he says, is subordinate to none but the great bishop of souls Jesus Christ; and there is nothing more plainly, more fully, or more frequently insisted on by Cyprian, than this great principle; the foundation of which he lays, first in the equality, which our Lord instituted among his apostles, when he said, "as my Father sent me, so send I you.". Secondly, in the equality of bishops, the successors of the apostles, as possessing full powers, within their own diocess. And what can be more clear, than his excellent discourse at the opening of the council of Carthage, A. D. 258. More than eighty bishops were assembled, to decide concerning the rite of baptism, which was performed by heretics, or schismatics. Cyprian was president, and having represented to them the occasion of their meeting, he addressed them in the following terms:-"It remains now that each of us speak his sentiments freely, judging no

man, though he should entertain an opinion contrary to our own. For none of us constitutes himself a bishop of bishops, or forces his colleagues to a necessity of obeying him, by a tyrannical terror, since every bishop has full power to determine for himself, and can no more be judged by others, than he can judge them. But we all wait for the judgment of Christ, who alone hath power to make us governors of his church, and to call us to an account for our administration." Ep. Ixix. 68. lv. 3, 59. Un Eccl. 59.

According, therefore, to St. Cyprian, it is evident, first, that every bishop had a primacy in his own church, managed the balance of her government, and was judge of his own people. Secondly, that no bishop, not even the bishop of Rome, was superior to another bishop.* Thirdly, that this in

*The bishop of Rome is repeatedly called, by Cyprian his fellow bishop and colleague, and colleague is never applied to a presbyter. The title papa, which is now appropriated to the bishop of Rome, and used to denote his supremacy was at an early period of the church, common to all bishops. Thus the clergy directed their letters, to Cyprian, to pope Cyprian, or to the most blessed, and most glorious pope Cyprian. How

dependency of bishops was founded on each having his portion of the flock assigned to him, for the care of which, he was to be answerable to God alone.

I know that the church of Rome will be very unwilling to allow that she hath made any alteration, in the ancient faith, either by adding to it, or taking from it, or adulterating it with any novel mixtures, or that there was a possibility for her to do so, consistently with her singular prerogative of infallibility, but that innovations have been made is distinctly proved from the writings of her own prelates.

So early as about the close of the sixth century, Gregory the first, or great, as he is

would the advocates of popery have exulted, if the following expressions had been applied to Rome ?

"Cæsarea, (says Nazianzen) is the mother of almost all churches, and the whole christian republic embraces and regards it, as the circle its centre." Epist. ad. Cæt. Think of the magnitude of the city, (Antioch,) says St. Chrysistom, that we speak not now of one or of two, or of ten souls, but of thousands without end, of the head of the whole world." Hom. 3. ad Pop.

called, the most revered, and, in some respects, not undeservedly so, of all the Roman pontiffs, in a famous dispute with the bishop of constantinople, who had taken to himself the title of Ecumenical, or universal bishop, objects to him, the arrogance and presumption of this claim, in words remarkable enough to be quoted :-- What wilt thou say to Christ, the head of the universal church, in the trial of the last judgment, who by the appellation of universal, dost endeavour to subject all his. members to thee? whom, I pray, dost thou mean to imitate, in so perverse a word, but him, who despising legions of angels, constituted in fellowship with him, did endeavour to break forth unto the top of singularity, that he might both be subject to none, and alone be over all, who also said, I will ascend into heaven, and will exalt my throne above the stars, for what are thy brethren, all the bishops of the universal church, but the stars of heaven, to whom by this haughty word, thou desirest to prefer thyself, and to trample on their name, in comparison to thee? dost thou not say, I will climb into heaven?" Greg. Ep. iv. 38. Speaking again of the title of universal