OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 107 primitive and apostolic model'" to the respective stand- CHAP, ards of" their own policy. The few who have pursued '^ this enquiry with more candour and impartiality, are of opinion", that the apostles declined the office of legis- lation, and rather chose to endure some partial scandals and divisions, than to exclude the christians of a future age from the liberty of varying their forms of ecclesi- astical government according to the changes of times and circumstances. The scheme of policy which, under their approbation, was adopted for the use of the first century, may be discovered from the practice of Jerusalem, of Ephesus, or of Corinth. The societies which were instituted in the cities of the Roman em- pire, were united only by the ties of faith and charity. Independence and equality formed the basis of their internal constitution. The want of discipline and hu- man learning was supplied by the occasional assistance of the prophets °, who were called to that function with- out distinction of age, of sex, or of natural abilities ; and who, as often as they felt the divine impulse, poured forth the eiFusions of the Spirit in the assembly of the faithful. But these extraordinary gifts were frequently abused or misapplied by the prophetic teachers. They displayed them at an improper sea- son, presumptuously disturbed the service of the as- sembly, and by their pride or mistaken zeal they intro- duced, particularly into the apostolic church of Corinth, a long and melancholy train of disorders p. As the in- stitution of prophets became useless, and even perni- cious, their powders were withdrawn, and their office abo- lished. The public functions of religion were solely intrusted to the established ministers of the church, the bishops and the presbyters ; two appellations which, '" The aristocratical party in France, as well as in England, has strenu- ously maintained the divine origin of bishops. But the calvinislical presby- ters were impatient of a superior; and the Roman pontiff' refused to ac- knowledge an equal. See t'ra. Paolo. n In the history of the christian hierarchy, I have, for the most part, fol- lowed the learned and candid Mosheira. " For the propliets of the primitive church, see Mosheim, Dissertationes ad Hist. Eccles. perlinentes, torn. ii. p. 132 — 208. I' See the epistles of St. Paul, and of Clemens, to the Corinthians,
