hee describeth no other minister but the bishop Therefore there ought to be a bishop in euery congregation 2 S. Paules bishopps and his deacons were appoynted to one place as appeareth both in the description of them and the practize of the Apostles But the deacons were in euery congregation which appeareth Phil. 1. 1. Actes 6. â— that office being needfull euery where and in that it continued so longer then the office of bishops Athanasius Apol. 2. Ierome Contra Luciferianos c. Therefore there ought to be a byshop in euery congregation 3 That which Paule enioyned to Titus is also to be practized alwaies in the like case But he commanded him to ordaine Elders in euery citie Tit. 1. 5. which are expounded in the next verse to be bishops Therfore there must be a bishop in euery congregation 4 Euery Church should haue her Communion table and euery Church her bishop 5 Where there was found any worthy to be a bishopp there a bishopp was appointed and where there was not to furnish both bishop and preaching elder he meaneth the doctor there the Apostles made a bishop and left the elder 6 If a bishop run into a slaunder and manye bishops cannot suddenly be gathered his cause shal be heard of twelue bishops c. 7 If an elder be accused he may call sixe bishops from the places hard by 8 Stories make mention of bishops of little townes as Solicus bish of the village Cuman Mares bishop of a small towne called Solicha Gregory bishop of a smal citie called Nazianzum The bishop of a Castle 9 A minister that is to say a bishopp and a little after the Apostle doth plainly teach that a minister and a bishop is all one and vpon Titus a bishopp and a minister are the same and ad Occanum with the ancient fathers bishopps and Elders were all one 10 D. Barnes in his sixt article sayth I will neuer beleeue neyther can I euer beleeue that one man may by the law of God be a bishop of two or three cities yea of a whole countrie for that it is contrary to the doctrin of S. Paul who writing to Titus commandeth that he shoulde ordayne a bishop in euery towne 11 It is pitie to see howe farre the office of a bishop is degenerated from the originall in the Scripture it was not so in the beginning when bishops were at the best as the Epistle to Titus testifieth that willeth him to ordaine in euery citie c. They know the primitiue Church had no such bishops as we haue vntill the time of Siluester the first Therefore if a bishopp and a minister be all one if bishops were to be where Deacons are who were in euery congregation if Paule enioyned Titus to ordayne bishops in euery city and if euery church had her bishop a long time after the Apostles as appeareth by the testimonies of Councels Histories and learned writers both olde and newe then must it needes follow that there ought to be a bishop in euery congregation CHAP. 11. FOr the further reuealing of the trueth God hath ordayned that there shoulde be in the Churche Doctors whose office is to be employed in teaching of doctrin and is an office different from that of the Pastour The latter part of this proposition is the thing which especially they doe deny which is thus prooued to be true 1 Those whiche the Apostle in speaking of distinct officers doe distinguish one from another are seuerall distinct one from another But the Apostle distinguishe the Pastoure and teacher one from another Rom 12. 7. 8. and Ephes 4. 11. euen as hee distinguisheth man and woman Gal. 3. 28. See the Greek of them both Therefore the office of pastour and Doctor are distinct one from another 2 As are the gifts that adorne offices so are the officers themselues for the execution of the office consisteth in the employing of the gifts But the gifts of the pastour and Doctor are diuers as appeareth 1. Cor. 12. 8. and by experience for some hath an excellent gift in doctrine and not in application and others excel in application and exhortation that are verye meane in deliuering of doctrine Therefore the office of a pastor teacher are distinct one from another 3 Those that are to take a diuers course in teaching are diuers and different in their functions for els why should they be enioyned to take a diuers course But the pastor is to take one course the Doctor another for the one is to direct himselfe principally to exhort and the other to attend vpon doctrine Rom. 12. 7. 8. Therefore the office of pastour and Doctor be distinct offices the one from the other 4 The Ecclesiastical stories especially speaking of the Church of Alexandria doe vsually make a difference betwixt the bishopp and the Doctor 5 Cathedrall Churches haue yet som shew thereof left in them who besides the bishopp haue also one that readeth a Lecture in diuinitie 6 If the distinguishing of them make more for the buylding of the Churche then the vniting of them then are they to be distinguished and not made all one But the former is true as appeareth by this that hardly is a people broght to a sounde knowledge of godlines by him that instructeth in doctrine continually as hardly are wee stirred vp to a zealous care of our duetie though we be exhorted continually which both shoulde bee with lesse continuance if one man were to performe all Therefore they are to be esteemed distinct offices not parts of one office which one is to perform Therfore if the Apostle Paul distinguisheth them one from another if God do vsually be-bestow doctrine and exhortation vpon seuerall persons wherein eche is found to excell and to be no bodie in the other if the pastor be commanded to take one course in teaching and the Doctor another if Ecclesiasticall stories doe vsually distinguish them if Cathedrall Churches haue yet some steps left of the distinction if to distinguish them maketh more to the building of the Churche then to vnite them then must it needs follow that the office of pastour and Doctour be distinct and different the one from the other CHAP. 12. EVery congregation ought to haue Elders to see into the maners of the people and to be assistaunt vnto the ministers in the gouernment Ecclesiastical T. C. book 1. pag. 174. Disc. fol. 120. which they denie VVhitgift p. 627. their practize in keeping them out of the Church but it is prooued to be true by these reasons following 1 That which the Apostles established in euery congregation ought still to continue seeing the Churche must bee ruled by the same lawes that it was ruled by then and needeth as great furtherance now as it did then But the Apostles established Elders in euery congregation Act 14 23. which cannot be vnderstood of preaching Elders onely considering
A DEMONSTRATION OF the trueth of that Discipline which Christe hath prescribed in his worde for the gouernement of his Church in all times and places vntill the ende of the worlde ¶ Wherein are gathered into a plaine forme of reasoning the proofes thereof out of the scriptures the euidence of it by the light of reason rightly ruled and the testimonies that haue beene giuen therevnto by the course of the Churche certaine hundreths of yeares after the Apostles time and the generall consent of the Churches rightly reformed in these latter times according as they are alleaged and maintained in those seuerall bookes that haue bin written concerning the same MATTH 21. 38. The husbandmen said among themselues this is the heire come let vs kill him and let vs take his inheritaunce LVKE 19. 27. Those mine enemies which would not that I shoulde raigne ouer them bring hither and slea them before me ¶ TO THE SVPPOSED GOuernours of the Church of England the Archbyshops lord Byshops Archdeacons and the rest of that order MAnie and most euident haue our declarations bin concerning the truth of that gouerment which Christ hath prescribed in his word for the ruling of the Church which we haue manifested vnto you both by our writinges speches as occasion hath bin offered neuer hath any one of you taken in hand to saye any thing against it but it hath made his eyes to dazzle as the clearest sun-shining wherby he hath beene driuen to wander hyther and thyther groping for euasions and yet coulde not escape but hath fallen into infinite most monstrous absurdities and blasphemous assertions as by their writinges yet extant it may appeare so forcible is the trueth to amaze the gainesayers thereof and so pregnant is falsehood to beget and bring forth thousands of absurdities and euery one worse then other And will you still continue in your damnable and most deuellish course Haue you solde your selues vnto Sathan to fight for him vntill you be dampned in Hell with him Haue you morgaged the saluation of your soules bodies for the present fruition of your pompe and plesure is it because you see not what you should do It may be so for many are so blinde that they grope euen at noone day but me thinkes it can hardly be so vnlesse you be they that haue eyes and see not for the cause hath bene by the blessing of God so managed that many ploughmen artificers and children do see it and know it are able by the worde of God to iustifie it and condemne you to bee aduersaries vnto the gospell in resisting it But you think that gouernment not so needfull your fault but small if it be any in continuing your course begon The necessitie of the thing is many wayes apparant both in that it hath so plentiful warrant from Gods owne worde as the course of this booke doeth euidently declare and also in that the gospell can take no roote nor haue any free passage for want of it and the greatnes of your fault appeareth by this that in so doing you are the cause of all the ignorance Atheisme schismes treasons poperie and vngodlines that is to be founde in this land which we challenge to prooue to your faces if we may indifferently be heard and whereof in the meane while we will giue you a taste for the first it is cleere that you are the causers of that damnable ignoraunce wherein the people are so generally wrapped for that you haue from time to time stopped the streams of knowledge in those places where the Lord in mercie bestowed the same and in stead of able and painefull ministers haue pestered the Churche eyther with presumptuous proude persons that are esteemed learned and take no paines to bring the people vnto the knowledge of Iesus Christe or which is the greatest nomber such ignorant asses and filthy swine as are not worthy to liue in a well ordered common-wealth and that you are the cause of all atheisme it is plaine for one may as in deede many doe professe it and you saye nothing to him for it If the most filthy liuer will fawne vpon you and bribe your seruants you will not onely fauor him but assiste him against any godly minister or other but if any that feare God refuse to come vnder the leaste of your popish ceremonies he shal be molested till his pursse be empty or else by your tyrannous dealing hee haue made shipwrack of a good conscience And are not you the cause of all schismes that make a hotch-pot of true religion and poperye and so giue some an occasion to fal into this course and others into that And it is as cleare that you are so farre the cause of all treasons as without you they had not bin for if euery Church had had hir gouernement according to Christs institution our yong gentlemen and studentes had not bene for want of teaching and carefull ouersight made a prey vnto the seducers and consequently to those practises which haue broght the bodies of so manie vnto Tyborne and their soules into hell and who but you be the cause of poperye whilest you vse them so well let them doe what they list yea and keepe them in office and authoritie vnder you yea whiche more is giue them such offices as none that is not popish can execute I speake not of the ignorance which by your means raigneth euery wher which as they confes is the mother of their deuotion and you are the wretched fathers of that filthye mother whereby you muste needes bee grandfathers at the least to al kinde of popery And who can without blushing denie you to be the cause of al vngodlines seeing your gouernment is that which giueth leaue to a man to be any thing sauing a sound Christian For certainly it is more free in these dayes to be a papist anabaptist of the family of loue yea anye moste wicked one whatsoeuer then that which we should be and I could liue these twentie years any such in England yea in a Byshopps house it may be and neuer be much molested for it so true is that which you are charged with in a Dialogue lately come forth against you and since burned by you that you care for nothinge but the maintenaunce of your dignities be it to the damnation of your owne soules and infinit millions mo Enter therefore nowe at the last into the serious consideration of these things remember that one day you must be presented before the tribunall seat of Iesus Christ to be arraigned for all the soules that haue gone to hell seeing you will needes be the rulers of the Church since the gospel first appeared in this land then shall you not bee excused with this the Queene and Councell wil haue it so nor with that our state cannot beare it For it shal be sayde vnto you why do you not infourme them better of my will why taught you them not to
whereof he is aboue other places But neyther of these haue euer bene neyther hereafter can be Therefore that office is vnlawfull Therefore if the office of the Archb. be not of God if the original of it be vnknown if in the Church it be needlesse if all the gifts that God hath bestowed vppon his ministery be appropriated vnto those Church officers whereof he is none if none may lawfully bestow such an office vpon any if it can neyther bee incident vnto any one man for his excellencie nor his place for preheminence then must it needs follow that his office is vnlawfull Caluin in his Institut booke 4. cap. 11. sect 7. alleadgeth diuers reasons to this purpose and Beza in his booke of diuorcements stretcheth the same to all the inferiour officers vnder him saying Officials proctors promotours and all that swinish filth now of long time hath wasted the Churche So doth Peter Martyr vppon the Rom. 13. speaking against ciuill Iurisdiction in Byshops doth by the same reasons condemne it in their substitutes But this being the corner stone of their building they labour to support it with many props the most special whereof are these 1 Obiection Cyprian sayth lib. 1. Epist. 3. ad Cornelium Neyther haue haeresies and schismes risen of anye other occasion then of that that the prieste of God is not obeyed neyther one priest for the time and one iudge for the time in the stead of Christ thought vpon to whome if the whole brotherhood woulde be obedient according to Gods teaching no man woulde mooue any thing against the College of priests Ansvvere This place is alleaged for the pope and the answere that M. Iewel and others make to it serueth our turne onely let this be noted that Cyprian speaketh of the people at Rome that had receiued another bishop besides Cornelius who was an haeretike for all the course of his writings condemneth this superioritie It is expounded by M. Iewel booke 1. sect 4. diuision 5. of euery bishop and so is it by M. Nowell against Dorman booke 1. page 25. and also by M. Foxe tom 1. fol. 93. See T. C. in his 1. reply page 98. c. 2 Obiection The authority of the Archb. preserueth vnitie Ansvvere Cyprian lib. 4. Epist. 9. sayth that vnitie is reserued by the agreement of bishopps that is of ministers one with another 3 Obiection It compoundeth controuersies that els would growe to many heades without any special remedie Ansvvere Cyprian lib. 1. Epist. 13. sayth that the plentifull body and company of Elders are as it were the glewe of mutual concord that if any of our companye be authour of haeresie the rest should helpe 4 Obiection 〈◊〉 Ierome vpon Tit. 1. sayth that in the beginning a bishop and priest meaning a teaching Elder were all one but when men began to say I am of Paule I am of Apollo c. It was decreed that one shoulde be chosen to beare rule ouer the rest Ansvvere From the beginning it was not so the sayinge of Tertull. Contra Prax. is fitt for this that is true whatsoeuer is firste and that is false whatsoeuer is latter and Ierome sayth in the place alleaged that this authority is by custome and not by any institution of God if it had bene the best way to take away diuisions the Apostles in whose times the controuersies did arise would haue taken the same order 5 Obiection Caluine sayth that the Apostles had one among them to gouerne the rest Ansvvere That was not in superioritie but for order to propound the matters gather the voyces and such like which is meete to be in euery wel ordered meeting but his authority is no more ouer the rest thē the speaker in the Parliament hath ouer the other knightes and Burgesses 6 Obiection Paule was superior to Timothy and Titus Ansvvere Paule and they had diuers offices whereof the Apostles office was the chiefe the like is to be sayd of Timothie and Titus hauing superiority ouer the other ministers for that they were Euangelists a degree aboue ordinarie ministers Therefore if the place alleaged out of Cyprian make nothing for Archb. if vnity be not preserued by him but by the Byshoppes among themselues if his authoritie make nothing to the taking away of controuersies if it be meerly inuented by man and not from the beginning if it be by custome and not by any ordinance of God if neyther one Apostle ouer the rest nor any of them ouer the Euangelists nor of the Euangelistes ouer the pastours and teachers wil serue to prooue their authority then must it needs follow that it is vtterly vnlawful Non man may be ordayned vnto any office in the Church vntill there be such a place voyde as he is fit for T. C. booke 1. page 61. VVhitgist page 222. 1 As was the 12. place for Matthias so is a certaine Church to euery Church officer But Matthias was not ordained vnto the place of an Apostle vntill Iudas by hanging himself had made it voyde Act. 1. 20. Therefore may none be ordained vnto any office in the Church before the place where he may be imployed be destitute of such a one 2 As the Apostles did in planting of the Churches so must it bee done in the buyldinge thereof for euer But they ordayned neyther pastour teacher elder or deacon but to some certaine Church that had neede therof Therfore may none bee ordayned vnto any office vntill a place be voyd that hath need of him 3 Those thinges that bee of one beginning continuance and ending cannot be one before or after another But a minister and the execution of his ministery in a lawfull standing be so for they be relatiues haue reference one vnto the other Therfore a minister ought not be ordained before there be a ministery whervnto he is to be allotted 4 If non ought to be called to be a shepherd that hath no flocke of sheepe to keepe neither any watchman that is not allotted to som place to watch then may none be ordayned to any office before there be a place void for him for ministers are in this sence tearmed shepheards and watchmen But the former is true as euery simple man can easily perceiue Therefore the latter is true also 5 To do contrary to the precepts and practize of the Apostles is vnlawfull But to ordain any officer without a certain place wherin he may be imployed is contrary to the precepts and practize of the Apostles as it appeareth Tit. 1. 5. Act. 14. 23. Therefore to ordayne any officer of the Churche without a certayne place wherevnto he is to be allotted is vnlawfull 6 It was ordayned that no Elder Deacon or any other Ecclesiastical officer shoulde bee ordayned a Apolelymenos that is loosely or let at randone but as afterward is expounded specially in a Church of citie or towne 7 The ordination that is made without a title let it be void and in what
to he is to be called T. C. 1. book page 38. Disci Ecclesiast fol. 46 They thinke one may do it as appeareth by the book of ordering c. VVhitgist page 134. 135. and their slight passing it ouer thorow the Archdeacons hands The former is prooued and the latter disprooued thus 1 Those that are to ordayne must haue particular knowledge of the parties to bee ordayned or else they breake the rule prescribed them 1. Tim. 5. 22 which cannot be without examination But the Eldership is to ordayneeuerye Churche officer as shall appeare in the Chap. of Ordination Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership to examine c. 2 The matter of greatest importance in the gouernement of the Churche must be done by the most able gouernours of the same The approouing or disproouing of Churche officers is the matter of greatest importance because the consequence of ruling well is the best or ill the worst and the Eldership is the Senate of most able gouernours in the Church as shall appear in the Chap. of Eldership Therefore the Eldership is to examine c. 3 The way whereby a mans insufficiencie is best espyed and his abilitie discerned is the fittest to examine them that are to be admitted But by the eldership consisting of diuers his insufficiencie is best espyed and his abilitie best discerned for the common prouerbe telleth vs that many eyes do see more then one Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership c. 4 They are to examine Church officers that are least subiect to be blinded with partiallitie But the Eldership is least subiect to partiallitie both for that they be many who are not so easily ouer ruled by affection or fauour as one as also and that especially for that it being the Lords owne ordinance as shall appeare we are to perswade our selues that his spirit shal guyde them Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership c. 5 The way that was vsed in the Apostles time in examining is of vs to be folowed vnles some reason out of the word to perswade the conscience can be alleadged to the contrary which none haue euer yet done But many vsed in the Apostles time to examine as appereth in chosing out one to be in the place of Iudas Act. 1. 22. 23. and fit men for Deacons Act. 6 5. wherof the gouernours especially were some for that they were to ordayn vpon knowledge as is said in the first reason Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership c. 6 They whose testimony the people may best credit are to examine them that are to be admitted But the people may best credite the iudgement of a company of able and sufficient men which the Eldershipp rightly established must needes be Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership c. 7 Examination belongeth vnto them which may most perswade the people of his sufficiency so procure gretest reuerence vnto him in his place But the examination by the Eldership is such Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership c. Therefore if they that are to ordain must examine if it be a matter of grerest waight in the gouernment of the Churche they the most able to dispatch it if by them his sufficiency or insufficiency be best found out if they be hardliest carried away with affection or parciallitie if the examination was suche in the Apostles time if the people may in reason giue most credit to the examination that is by such if that kinde of examination perswade the people best of his sufficiencie and procure him greatest reuerence in his place then must it needs folow that it pertaineth to the Eldership to examine those that are to bee admitted to any office in the Church There is nothing obiected against this that hath any shew of reason in it and therfore it were needles to set any thing downe CHAP. 6. BEfore consent be giuen to any man vnto any calling in the Churche it must appeare by sufficient tryall and due examination that he is quallified with those giftes that the worde of God requireth in one of that place Discipl Ecclesiast fol. 44. T. C. 2. booke 1. part page 368. and in many other places They gainsay this in two points first in mainteining their reading ministery secondly in gouerning the Church by their commissaries and officialls which both shal be ouerthrown if we prooue these two propositions following to be true by the worde of God No man ought to bee receiued vnto the ministery but such as be able to teache the trueth and conuince the gainsayers The Churche ought not to be gouerned by commissaries officialls and chauncellors 1 He that may be receiued into the ministery must be able to teach the people whatsoeuer Christe hath commaunded Matth. 28. 20. Onely he that is able to teache the trueth and conuince the gainsayers can teach the people whatsoeuer Christ hath commanded Therefore none must be receiued into the ministery but such as be able to teach c. 2 That which is to be done conditionally may not be done if that condition be not kept Men are to be receiued into the ministery conditionally that is if they bee vnreproâ—â—eable Tit. 1. 5. 6. Therefore if they be not such as bee there discribed they may not be receiued and consequently none may be receiued but such as be able to teach c. 3 That which cannot be done without the manifest brech of Gods commandement may not be done at all To receiue any that be not able to teach is a manifest breach of Gods coÌ„maundement 1. Tim. 3. 1. Tit. 1. 9. Therefore no man ought to be receiued into the ministerye that is not able to teach c. 4 They whome the Lorde refuseth to be his ministers may not be receiued into the ministery for the ministery being the Lords haruest we may admit none to labour therein but onely such as he hath giuen liking of by the rules of his worde The Lorde refuseth to be his ministers all those that cannot teach Hosea 4. 6. Therefore such as are not able to teache may not be receiued and consequently none may be receiued but those that be able to teach c. 5 He that may be admitted into the ministery must be able to deuide the word of God aright 2. Tim. 2. 15. Onely he that is able to teach and conuince the gainesayers can deuide the worde of God aright Therefore none may be admitted into the ministery but he that is able to teach c. 6 He that may bee admitted into the ministery must haue a treasury furnished with olde thinges and newe and must be able to bring it forth as occasion shal serue Matth. 13. 52. Onely hee that is able to teache c. is such a one Therefore onely he may be admitted c. 7 He that can espy the enemy and giue warning aforehand how to resist him may be receiued into the ministery Ezek. 33. 7. None can espy the enemie
Church vnlesse there be Elders then must there be such vnder a christian magistrate But the former is true for by the Churche is there ment the Senate of ministers and Elders as shall be prooued in the chapter of Excommunication Therfore there must be Elders vnder a Christian magistrate 4 If the whole gouernement of the Churche described in the Epistles to Timothie Titus be to bee obserued vntill the ende then must there bee Elders vnder Christian magistrates for they are contayned in those Epistles But the former is true 1. Tim. 6. 14. Therefore there must be Elders vnder a christian magistrate 5 Where sinners are more outragious and the best most subiect to wax cold there is greatest neede of all the helpes that God hath ordayned to punish sinne and to cherish well doing But so it is vnder a christian magistrate especially in the peace of the Church as VVhitgift confesseth page 643. Therefore there is at the least as great neede of Elders seeing they are helpers appointed of God vnder a Christian magistrate as at any other time Therfore if ministers be lesse able now then in the Apostles time if Christian magistrates must maintaine the order prescribed by Christ if els the rule of Christ tel the church cannot be still obserued if the whole gouernment described by S. Paule must be kept for euer lastly if there be at the least as great neede of all the helpes that can be as euer there was then must it needs follow that Elders are as necessary in the Churche vnder a christian magistrate as in the time of persecution CHAP. 13. THere ought to be in euery congregation certaine Deacons endued with those quallities whiche the worde of God describeth whose office is onely in receiuinge the liberallitie of the Saints and distributing it vnto the needie T. C. 1. booke page 190. Discip. Eccles. fol. 119. This assertion hath two braunches whiche both are gaine saide by our aduersaries the first whereof is this The office of the Deacon consisteth onely in receiuing and distâ—ibuting vnto the poore the liberallitie of the saints which they denie VVhitgift page 582. The booke of ordering c. that maketh it a degree of the ministery but the proposition being prooued true maketh their opinion and practize appeare false which is thus 1 That wherein Steuen and the rest were imployed is the office of a Deacon for the first institution of them by the Apostles is in that example But they were onely to attend vpon the prouision for the poore Act. 6. 4. c Therefore the office of the Deacon is only to attend vpon the distributing vnto the poore from the liberallitie of the saints 2 That which the Apostle maketh an ordinarye and distincte office from others in the Churche must be attended vpon by them that are in the same office and not be mingled with any other But the Apostle Rom. 12. 8. maketh distributing in simplicitie such an office as it is expounded by M. Caluin Beza Bucer Martyr c. Therefore the Deacons office must be attended vppon and consequently it consisteth onely in distributing c. 3 That which the Apostles founde themselues insufficient for that can no man now discharge in any tollerable measure for they were more adorned with gifts then any be now But they found themselues insufficient for the ministery of the worde and distributing vnto the poore also Act. 6. 2. Therefore no man can in any tollerable measure discharge the office of a minister and Deacon also consequently the Deacon is to attend vpon distributing onely 4 If the ministeries of the worde be perfect without the Deacon then may he not meddle in the same for how may one lawfully labor in that wherein there is no need of him But such is the ministery of the word where the seuerall ministers thereof are named Ephes. 4. 11. wherin the Deacon is not contayned as VVhitgifte confesseth page 308. 309. Therefore the Deacon may not meddle with the ministery of the word and consequently must be imployed onely in distributing c. 5 If there bee no quallitie required in the perfect description of the deacon which is proper to the ministery of the word then is not he to medle with the same But the former is true as appeareth 1. Tim. 3. 8. Therefore the latter is true also and consequently he must attend only vpon distributing c. 6 If it belong to the deacons office to meddle with the ministery of the worde and Sacramentes then is it greater then that of the pastor for that the doing of both requireth greater giftes then the one But it is not a greater but inferiour office to the pastor as appeareth by all those places wherein they are described that the Deacon is described after the bishopp Therfore his office is not to meddle with both and consequently he must attende vpon distributing c. 7 Deacons are ministers of tables and not of holy things 8 In the ministers sicknes the Deacons shal read the Homilies of the Fathers 9 The Deacons haue need of great wisdom although the preaching of the worde bee not coÌ„mitted vnto them further it is absurd that they should do both the office of preaching caring for the poore considering that they be not able to do both thorowly 10 Although the goodes of the Church increasing there were besides the Deacons subdeacons and Archdeacons yet the Deacons remained still in their charge for the poor and were not as yet mingled with the bishopps or priestes and with the order of them whiche taught 11 The office of Deaconship was religiously kept in the Churche vntill it was driuen out by Antichrist 12 This office muste of necessitie be restored as it is described Act. 6. if England for hee speaketh it in the behalfe of our Churche will receiue the Discipline of Christ. 13 Speaking of these Deacons lamenteth that this order is so fallen out of the Churche that the name doth scarce remaine 14 Describing the Deacons of the Apostles time sayth that we after their example ought to haue the like 15 The office of distributing the goodes of the church is an ordinarie function in a church lawfully constituted the which sect 30. he calleth the Deaconship Therefore if Steuen and the rest were imployed onely in distributing the goodes of the Church if the Apostle maketh the Deacons office an ordinary distinct office froÌ„ al others in the Churche if the Apostles were not sufficient for the ministery of the worde and distributing if the ministeries of the worde be perfect without the deacon if in the description of the Deacon no quallitie bee required that is proper to a minister of the word if to deale in both would make the Deacon a greater officer then the pastor if the Councels auncient writers and the sounde writers of latter times do declare that the Deacons were to be wholy imployed