tus amongst them, in order to perform a task that might as well have been accomplished without him? If the Presbyters possessed an authority equal to that of Titus, would not St. Paul, by leaving him amongst them, have taken the surest way to interrupt the peace of the Church-to engender jealousy, strifes and contentions?

Again-Let us view this transaction in another point of light. St. Paul had made converts, as I have said, in every city of Crete. Titus had attended him on his last visit to that Island. If Presbyters were at this time considered as competent to the task of ordaining others, why did he not ordain one at any rate, during his stay amongst them, and commission him, instead of detaining Titus, to ordain Elders in every city? The efforts of Titus were as much wanted, as his own to carry the light of the Gospel to other nations, who had not received it. Why was it necessary that Titus should ordain Elders in every city? After the ordination of a few, would not his exertions become useless, if they were able to complete the work which he had begun ?

Gentlemen, the fact is, that Titus was placed over the Presbyters, and over all the Churches in all the cities of Crete. He was intrusted with all

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the authority of a supreme ruler of the Church. He was directed to ordain Presbyters—to rebuke with all authority-to admonish Heretics, and in case of obstinacy to reject them from the communion of the Church. And these, gentlemen, are the peculiar prerogatives of our BishopsThese circumstances infallibly designate the presence of a Dioceasan Bishop. Accordingly we find the united voice of antiquity, declares Titus to have been the first Bishop of Crete. Eusebius informs us" that he received Episcopal authority over the Church of Crete." So also says Theodoret, St. Chrysostom, St. Jerome and St. Ambrose. If these considerations united, do not show that Titus possessed powers superior to those which were held by the Presbyters of those Churches, I know not what considerations would. Here then gentlemen, we present you with two grades of the Christian ministry in the Apostolic age.

But I have other evidence to offer you to the same purpose. The case of Timothy alone, had we no other evidence from Scripture, would when taken in connection with ancient writers, be perfectly satisfactory to me. This alone demonstrates all we can desire. He was placed by St.

Paul to superintend the Church at Ephesus. This case is even stronger than that of Titus at Crete. It cannot be denied that there had long been Presbyters in the Church of Ephesus. Listen then to the language which St Paul speaks in his epistle to him, and see if it is possible that he possessed no superiority over the Presbyters of that Church. "I besought thee, says he to Timothy, to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine." Would Timothy have been commissioned to charge the Presbyters to teach no other doctrine, had he possessed no superiority over them? Would they not have had a right to resist any attempts at a controul of this kind, as an encroachment on their privileges.

Again-Timothy is directed to try and examine the Deacons, whether they be blameless or not. If they prove themselves worthy, he is to admit them into the office of a Deacon; and upon a faithful discharge of that office, they are to be elevated to a higher station. “Likewise” says he, "must the Deacons be grave,not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre, holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience." "Let these also be first proved, and then let them