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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68024	A parte of a register contayninge sundrie memorable matters, written by diuers godly and learned in our time, which stande for, and desire the reformation of our Church, in discipline and ceremonies, accordinge to the pure worde of God, and the lawe of our lande.	Udall, John, 1560?-1592. Demonstration of the trueth of that discipline which Christe hath prescribed in his worde for the government of his Church, in all times and places, untill the ende of the worlde.	1593 (1593)	STC 10400; ESTC S101665	62,546	88

euery good minister and also in that hee describeth no other minister but the Bishoppe Therefore there ought to be a Bishop in euerie congregation 2 S. Paules bishoppes and his deacons were appointed to one place as appeareth both in the description of them and the practise of the Apostles But the Deacons were in euerie congregation which appeareth Phil. 1. 1. Act. 6. 2. that office being needfull euery where and in that it continued so longer then the office of Bishoppes Athanasius Apol. 2. Ierome contra Luciferianos c. Therefore there ought to be a Bishop in euery congregation 3 That which Paule enioyned to Titus is also to be practised alwayes in the like case But he commaunded him to ordaine Elders in euery Citie Tit. 1. 5. which are expounded in the next verse to be Bishops Therefore there must bee a Bishop in euery congregation 4 Euery Church should haue her Communion table euery Church her Bishop 5 Where there was founde anie worthie to be a Bishopp there a bishoppe was appointed and where there was not to furnishe both bishop and preaching Elder he meaneth the Doctor there the Apostles made a bishoppe and left the Elder 6 If a Bishop run into a slaunder and many Bishops can not suddenlie be gathered his cause shalbe hearde of twelue Bishops c. 7 If an Elder bee accused hee may call sixe Bishops from the places harde by 8 Stories make mention of Bishoppes of little townes as Soticus bishop of the village Cuman Mares bishopp of a small towne called Solicha Gregorie bishoppe of a small citie called Nazianzum The bishop of a Castle 9 A minister that is to saye a bishopp and a little after the Apostle doeth plainely teache that a minister and a Bishop is all one and vpon Titus a bishop and a minister are the same and ad Oceanū with the ancient fathers Bishops and Elders were all one 10 D. Barnes in his sixt article sayeth I will neuer beleeue neyther can I euer beleeue that one man may by the lawe of God be a bishop of two or three cities yea of a whole countrie for that it is contrarie to the doctrine of S. Paule who writing to Titus commaundeth that he should ordaine a bishop in euerie 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 ordayne in euerie citie c. They knowe the primitiue Churche had no such Bishops as we haue vntill the time of Siluester the first Therefore if a Bishop and a Minister be all one if bishops were to bee where Deacons are who were in euery congregation if Paule enioyned Titus to ordayne bishops in euery citie and if euerie Church had her Bishop a long time after the Apostles as appeareth by the testimonies of Councelles Histories and learned writers both olde and newe then must it needes followe that there ought to bee a Bishop in euerie Congregation CHAP. 11. FOr the further reuealing of the trueth God hath ordayned that there should be in the Church Doctours whose office is to be employed in teaching of doctrine and is an office different from that of the Pastour The latter parte of this proposition is the thing whiche especiallie they doe denie whiche is thus prooued to bee true 1 Those which the Apostle in speaking of distinct officers doeth distinguishe one from another are seuerall and distinct one from another But the Apostle doeth distinguish the Pastour 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 Greeke of them both Therefore the office of Pastour and Doctour are distinct one from another 2 As are the giftes that adorne offices so are the officers them selues for the execution of the office consisteth in the employing of the giftes But the giftes of the Pastour Doctour are diuers as appeareth 1. Cor. 12. 8. and by experience for some hath an excellent gifte in doctrine and not in application and others excell in application and exhortation that are verie meane in deliuering of doctrine Therefore the office of a Pastour and Teacher are distinct one from another 3 Those that are to take a diuers course in teachinge are diuers and different in their functions for els why shoulde they be enioyned to take a diuers course But the Pastour is to take one course and the Doctour another for the one is to direct him selfe principallie to exhorte and the other to attende vpon doctrine Rom. 12. 7. 8. Therefore the office of Pastour and Doctour be distinct offices the one from the other 4 The ecclesiasticall stories especiallie speakinge of the Church of Alexandria doe vsuallie make a difference betwixt the Bishop and the Doctor 5 Cathedrall Churches haue yet some shewe thereof left in them who besides the Bishop haue also one that readeth a Lecture in diuinitie 6 If the distinguishing of them make more for the building of the church 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 hardlie is a people brought to a sounde knowledge of godlines by him that instructeth in doctrine continuallie and as hardlie are wee stirred vppe to a zealous care of our duetie though we be exhorted continuallie which both should bee with lesse continuance if one man were to performe all Therefore they are to bee esteemed distinct offices and not partes of one office whiche one is to performe Therefore if the Apostle Paul distinguisheth them one from another if God doe vsuallie bestowe doctrine and exhortation vpon seuerall persons wherein eche is founde to excell and to bee no bodie in the other if the Pastour bee commaunded to take one course in teaching and the Doctor another if Ecclesiasticall stories doe vsuallie distinguish them if Cathedrall Churches haue yet some steppes lefte of the distinction if to distinguish them maketh more to the building of the Church then to vnite them then must it needes followe that the office of Pastor and Doctour be distinct and different the one from the other CHAP. 12. EVerie congregation ought to haue Elders to see into the maners of the people and to bee assistant vnto the Ministers in the gouernement Ecclesiasticall T. C. booke 1. pag. 174. Dise fol. 120. which they denie Whitgift pag. 627. and their practize in keepinge 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 Church must bee ruled by the same lawes that it was ruled by then and needeth as great furtherance nowe as it did then But the Apostles established Elders in euery congregation Actes 14.

A demonstration of the trueth of that Discipline which Christ hath prescribed in his worde for the gouernment of his Church in all times and places vntill the end of the world Wherein are gathered into a plain forme of reasoning the prooft thereof out of the Scriptures the euidence of it by the light of reason rightlie ruled and the testimonies that haue been giuen thereunto by the course of the Church 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 alleadged and maintained in those seuerall bookes that haue been written concerning the same Math. 21. 38. The husbandmen said among themselues this is the heire come let vs kill him and let vs take his inheritance Luke 19. 27. Those mine enemies vvhich vvould not that I should raigne ouer them bring hither and flea them before me To the supposed Gouernors of the Church of England the Archbishops Lord Bishops Archdeacons and the rest of that order MANY and most euident haue our declarations been concerning the trueth of that gouernment which Christe hath prescribed in his worde for the ruling of the Church which we haue manifested vnto you both by our writings and speeches as occasion hath been offered neuer hath any one of you taken in hande to say anie thing against it but it hath made his eyes to dazle as the clearest Sun-shining whereby hee hath been driuen to wander hither and thither groping for euasions and yet coulde not escape but hath falne into infinite most mostrous absurdities and blasphemous assertions as by their writinges yet extant it may appeare so forcible is the trueth to amaze the painesayers thereof and so pregnant is falshood to beget and bring foorth thousands of absurdities and euery one worse then other And will you still continue in your damnable and most diuelishe course Haue you solde your selues vnto Satan to fight for him vntill you bee dammed in hell with him Haue you morgaged the saluation of your soules and bodies for the present fruition of your pompe and pleasure is it because you see not what you should doe 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 bee they that haue eyes see not for the cause hath been by the blessing of God so managed that many plough-men artificers and children doe see it and know it and are able by the worde of God to iustifie it and condemne you to bee aduersaries vnto the Gospell in resisting it But you thinke that gouernment not so needfull and your fault but small if it be any in continuing your course begunne The necessitie of the thing is many wayes apparant both in that it hath so plentifull warrant from Gods own word as the course of this booke doth uidently declare and also in that the Gospell can take no roote nor haue any free passage for want of it and the greatnesse of your fault appeareth by this that in so doing you are the cause of all the ignorance Atheisme schismes treasons poperie and vngodlinesse that is to be founde in this lande which we challenge to proue to your faces if we may indifferently be heard wherof in the meane while we will giue you a taste for the first it is cleare that you are the causers of that damnable ignorance wherein the people are so generallie wrapped for that you haue from time to time stopped the streames of knowledge in those places where the Lorde in mercie bestowed the same and in steed of able and painefull Ministers haue pestered the Churche eyther with presumptuous proude persons that are esteemed learned and take no paines to bringe the people vnto the knowledge of Iesus Christe or which is the greatest number suche ignoraunt Asses and filthie swine as are not worthie 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 say nothing to him for it If the most filthie liuer will fawne vpon you and bribe your seruants you will not only fauour him but assist him against any godly Minister or other but if any that feare God refuse to come vnder the least of your popish ceremonies hee shall bee molested till his purse be emptie or els by your tyrannous dealing he haue made shipwrack of a good censcience And are not you the cause of all schismes that make a hotch-pot of true religion and poperie and so giue some occasion to fall 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 her gouernment according to Christes institution our young Gentlemen and students had not bin for want of teaching careful ouersight made a pray vnto the seducers and consequently to those practises which haue brought the bodies of so manie vnto Tyborne and their soules into hell and who but you be the causes of Poperie whilest you vse them so well let them doe wat they list yea and keepe them in office authoritie vnder you yea which more is giue them such offices as none that is not popish can execute I speak not of the ignorance which by your meanes raigneth euerie where which as they confesse is the mother of their deuotion and you are the wretched fathers of that filthie mother whereby you must needes be grandfathers at the least to all kind of poperie And who can without blushing denie you to bee the cause of all vngodlines seeing your gouernment is that which giueth leaue to a man to be any thing sauing a sounde Christian. For certainely it is more free in these dayes to bee a Papist Anabaptist of the famely of loue yea any most wicked one wahtsoeuer then that which we should be and I could liue these twenty yeres any such in Englande yea in a Bishops house it may bee and neuer bee muche molested for it so true is that which you are charged with in a Dialogue lately come foorth against you since burned by you that you care for nothing but the maintenance of your dignities bee it to the damnation of your owne soules and infinite millions moe Enter therefore nowe at the last into the serious confideration of these thinges remember that one day you must bee presented before the tribunall seate of Iesus Christe to bee arraigned for all the soules that haue gone to hell seeing you will needes bee the rulers of the Churche since the Gospell first appeared in this land then shall you not be excused with this the Queene and Counsell will haue it so not with that our state cannot beare it For it shall be said vnto you why do you not informe thē better of my will why taught you them not to worship with

excellēcie aboue other men or the place whereof he is aboue other places But neither of these haue euer been neither hereafter can bee Therefore that office is vnlawfull Therefore if the office of the Archbishop be not of God if the originall of it bee vnknowne if in the Churche it be needlesse if all the giftes that God hath bestowed vppon his Ministerie bee appropriated vnto those Church officers whereof he is none if none may lawfully bestowe such an office vpon any if it can neither bee incident vnto any one man for his excellencie nor his place for preheminence then must it needes 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 Proctours Promotours and all that swinish filth now of long time hath wasted the church So doth Peter Martyr vppon the Rom. 13. speaking against ciuill Iurisdiction in Bishops 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 speciall wherof are these 1 Obiection Cypran saith lib 1. Epist. ad Cornelium Neither haue heresies and schismes risen of any other occasion then of that that the Priest of God is not obeyed neither one Priest for the time and one Iudge for the time in steede of Christ thought vppon to whome if the whole brotherhood woulde bee obedient according to Gods teaching no man woulde mooue any thing against the Colledge of Priests Answere This place is alleadged 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 heretike for all the course of his writings condemneth this superioritie It is expoounded by M. Iewel booke 1. sect 4. diuision 5. of euery Bishop and so is it by M. Nowel against Dorman booke 1. pag. 25. and also by M. Foxe tom 1. fol. 93. See T. C. in his 1. replie page 98. c. 2 Obiection The authoritie of the Archbishop preserueth vnitie Answere Cyprian lib. 4. Epist. 9. saith that vnitie is reserued by the agreement of Bishoppes that is of Ministers one with another 3 Obiection It compoundeth cōtrouersies that els would grow to many heades without any speciall remedie Answere Cyprian lib. 1. Epist. 13. saith that the plentifull bodie and companie of Elders are as it were the glewe of mutuall concord that if any of our company be authour of heresie the rest should helpe 4 Obiection Ierome vppon Tit. 1. saith that in the beginning a Bishop and Priest meaning a teaching Elder were all one but when men began to say I am of Paul I am of Apollo c. It was decreed that one shoulde bee chosen to beare rule ouer the rest Answere From the beginning it was not so the saying of Tertul. contra Prax. is fit for this that is true whatsoeuer is first and that is false whatsoeuer is latter and Ierome saith in the place alleaged that this authoritie is by custome and not by any institution of God if it had been the best waye to take away diuisions the Apostles in whose times the controuersies did arise would haue taken the same order 5 Obiectiō Caluin saith that the Apostles had one among them to gouerne the rest Answere That was not in superioritie but for order to propound the matters gather the voyces such like which is meete to be in euery well ordered meeting but his authoritie is no more ouer the rest then the speaker in the Parliament hath ouer the other knights and Burgesses 6 Obiection Paul was superior to Timothie and Titus Answere Paul and they had diuers offices whereof the Apostles office was the chiefe the like is to bee saide of Timothie and Titus hauing superioritie 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 the Archb. if vnitie be not preserued by him but by the Bishops among themselues if his authoritie make nothing to the taking away of controuersies if it bee meerely inuented by man and not from the beginning if it bee by custome and not by any ordinaunce of God if neither one Apostle ouer the rest nor any of them ouer the Euangelistes nor of the Euangelists ouer the Pastours and Teachers will serue to proue their authoritie then must it needes followe that it is vtterly vnlawfull No man may be ordained vnto any office in the Church vntill there be such a place voide as hee is fit for T. C. booke 1. pag. 61. Whitgift pag. 222. 1 As was the 12. place for Matthias so is a certain church to euery Church officer But Matthias was not ordained vnto the place of an Apostle vntill Iudas by hanging himselfe had made it voide 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 be done in the building thereof for euer But they ordeined neither Pastour Teacher Elder or Deacon butto some certaine church that had need thereof Therfore may none be ordained vnto any office vntill a place be voide that hath need of him 3 Those thinges that be of one beginning continuance and ending cannot bee one before or after another But a Minister and the execution of his Ministerie in a lawful standing be so for they be relatiues and haue reference one vnto the other Therfore a Minister ought not to be ordained before there be a Ministerie whereunto he is to be allotted 4 If none ought to be called to be a shepheard that hath no flocke of sheepe to keepe neither any watchman that is not allotted to some place to watch then may none bee ordained to any office before there be a place void for him for Ministers are in this sense tearmed shepheards and watchmen But the former is true as euery simple man can easilie perceiue Therefore the latter is true also 5 To doe contrary to the precepts and practise of the Apostles is vnlawfull But to ordaine any officer without a certaine place wherein he may bee imployed is contrarie to the precepts and practise of the Apostles as it appeareth Tit. 1. 5. Act. 14. 23. Therfore to ordaine any officer of the church without a certaine place whereunto he is to be allotted is vnlawfull 6 It was ordained that no Elder Deacon or any other Ecclesiasticall officer should be ordained a Apolelymenos that is loosely or let at randone but as afterwarde is expounded specially in a Church citie or towne 7 The ordination that is made without a title let

to that place whereto he is to be called T. C. 1. book page 38. Disci Ecclesiast fol. 46. They thinke one may doe it as appeareth by the booke of ordering c. Whitgift page 134. and 135. and their slight passing it ouer thorowe the Archdeacons handes 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 els they breake the rule prescribed them 1. Tim. 5. 22. whiche cannot be without examination But the Eldershippe is to ordayne euerie Church-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 gouernment of the Church must be done by the most able gouuernours of the same The approuing or disprouing of Church-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 appeare in the chap. of Eldership Therefore the Eldership is to examine c. 3 The way whereby a mans insufficiencie is best espied 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 espied and his abilitie best discerned for the common prouerbe telleth vs That many eyes doe 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 partialitie But the Eldershipp is least subiect to partialitie both for that they be many who are not so easilie ouer-ruled by affection or fauour as one as also and that especially for that it being the Lordes owne ordinance as shall appeare wee are to perswade our selues that his spirit shall 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 bee followed vnles some reason out of the worde to perswade the conscience can be alleadged to the contrarie which none haue euer yet done But many vsed in the Apostles time to examine as appeareth in choosinge out one to be in the place of Iudas Act. 1. 22. 23. and fit men for Deacons Actes 6. 5. whereof the gouuernours especially were some for that they were to ordayne vpon knowledge as is saide in the first reason Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership c. 6 They whose testimonie the people may best credit are to examine them that are to be admitted but the people may best credite the iudgement of a companie of able and sufficient men which the Eldershippe rightlie established must needes be Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership c. 7 Examination belongeth vnto them which may moste perswade the people of his sufficiencie and so procure greatest reuerence vnto him in his place But the examination by the Eldership is such Therefore it belongeth to the Eldershippe c. Therefore if they that are to ordayne must examine if it be a matter of greatest waight in the gouuernement of the Church and they the most able to dispatch it if by them his sufficiencie or insufficiencie be best founde out if they bee hardliest carried away with affection or partialitie if the examination was such in the Apostles time if the people may in reason giue most credite 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 needes followe that it partayneth to the Eldership to examine those that are to be admitted to anie office in the Church There is nothing obiected against this that hath anie shewe of reason in it and therefore it were needles to set anie thing downe CHAP. 6 BEfore consent be giuen to any man vnto any calling in the Church it must appeare by sufficient triall due examination that he is qualified with those giftes that the worde of God requireth in one of that place Discip. Ecclesiast fol. 44. T. C. 2. booke 1. part page 368. and in manie other places They gainsay this in two points first in maintayning their reading ministerie secondlie in gouerninge the Church by their commissaries and officialls whiche both shalbe ouerthrowen if we prooue these two propositions followinge to be true by the worde of God No man ought to bee receyued vnto the ministerie but such as be able to teache the trueth and conuince the gainesayers The Church ought not to be gouerned by commissaries officialls and chauncellors 1 He that may be receyued into the ministerie must bee able to teache the people whatsoeuer Christ hath commaunded Matth. 28. 20. Onely he that is able to teache the trueth and conuince the gainsayers can teache the people whatsoeuer Christ hath commaunded Therefore none must bee receiued into the the ministerie but such as be able to teache c. 2 That which is to be done conditionally may not bee done if that condition be not kept Men are to bee receyued into the ministerie conditionally that is if they be vnreproueable Tit. 1. 5. 6. Therefore if they be not such as bee there described they may not bee receyued and consequentlie none may be receyued but such as be able to teach c. 3 That which cannot be done without the manifest breach of Gods commaundement may not bee done at all To receyue any that be not able to teache is a manifest breache of Gods commaundement 1. Tim. 3. 1. Tit. 1. 9. Therefore no man ought to be receiued into the ministerie that is not able to teache c. 4 They whom the Lord refuseth to be his ministers may not be receyued into the ministerie for the ministerie beeing the Lordes haruest wee 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 can not teache Hosea 4. 6. Therefore such as are not able to teache may not bee receyued and consequentlie none may be receyued but those that be able to teache c. 5 He that may be admitted into the ministerie must bee able to diuide the worde of God aright 2. Tim. 2. 15. Onelie he that is able to teache and conuince the gainsayers can diuide the worde of God aright Therefore none may bee admitted into the ministerie but he that is able to teache c. 6 He that may be admitted into the ministerie must haue a treasurie furnished with olde thinges and newe and must be able to bring it foorth as occasion shall serue Mat. 13. 25. Onely he that is able to teache c. is such a one Therefore onely he may be admitted c. 7 He that can espie the enimie and giue warning aforehande howe to resist him may bee receyued into the ministerie Ezek. 33. 7. None

christian Magistrate 3 If the rule of Christe can not bee perpetnally obserued tell the Church vnles there be Elders then must there be such vnder a christian Magistrate But the former is true for by the Church is there meant the Senate of Ministers Elders as shalbe prooued in the chapter of Excommunication Therefore there must be Elders vnder a christian Magistrate 4 If the whole gouernement of the Church described in the Epistles to Timothie and Titus be to be 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 waxe colde there is greatest neede of all the helpes that God hath ordayned to punishe sinne and to cherish wel dooing But so it is vnder a christian Magistrate especially in the peace of the Church as Whitgift 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 Therefore if Ministers be lesse able nowe then in the Apostles time if christian Magistrates must mainteyne the order prescribed by Christ if els the rule of Christ Tel the church can not be still obserued if the whole gouernement described by S. Paule must be kept for euer lastlie if there bee at the least as great neede of all the helpers that can be as euer there was then must it needes followe that Elders are as necessarie in the Church vnder a christian Magistrate as in the time of persecution CHAP. 13. THere ought to be in euery congregation certaine Deacons endued with those qualities whiche the worde of God describeth whose office is onely in receyuing the liberalitie of the Saintes and distributing it vnto the needie T. C. 1. booke pag. 190. Disci Eccle. fol. 119. This assertion hath two braunches which both are gainsaide by our aduersaries the first whereof is this The office of the Deacon consisteth onely in receiuing and distributing vnto the poore the liberalitie of the Saintes whiche they denie Whitgift pag. 582. The booke of ordering c. that maketh it a degree of the ministerie 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 attende vpon the prouision for the poore Act. 6. 4. Therefore the office of the Deacon is onely to attende vpon the distributinge vnto the poore from the liberalitie of the Saintes 2 That whiche the Apostle maketh an ordinarie and distinct office from others in the Church 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 as office as it is expounded by M. Caluin Beza Bucer Martyr c. Therefore the Deacons office must be attended vpon and consequentlie it consisteth onelie in distributing c. 3 That which the Apostles founde them selues insufficient for that can no man nowe discharge in any tollerable measure for they were more adorned with giftes then anie be nowe But they founde them selues insufficient for the ministerie 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 and consequentlie the Deacon is to attende vpon distributing only 4 If the ministeries of the worde be perfect without the Deacon then may he not meddle in the same for howe may one lawfullie labour in that wherein there is no neede of him But such is the ministerie of the worde where the seuerall ministers thereof are named Ephes. 4. 11. wherein the Deacon is not contayned as Whitgift confesseth pag. 308. 309. Therefore the Deacon may not meddle with the ministerie of the worde and consequentlie must be imployed onlie in distributing c. 5 If there be no qualitie required in the perfect description of the Deacon which is proper to the ministerie of the worde then is not he to meddle with the same But the former is true as appeareth 1. Tim. 3. 8. Therefore the latter is true also and consequentlie he must attende onely vppon distributing c. 6 If it belong to the Deacons office to meddle with the ministerie 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 wherin they are described that the Deacon is described after the Bishop Therefore his office is not to meddle with both and consequentlie he must attende vpon distributing c. 7 Deacons are ministers of tables and not of holy things 8 In the ministers sicknes the Deacons shall reade the Homilies of the Fathers 9 The Deacons haue neede of great wisedome although the preaching of the worde be not committed vnto them further it is absurde that they should doe both the offices of preaching and caring for the poore consideringe that they be not able to doe both thorowly 10 Although the goodes of the Church increasing there were besides the Deacons subdeacons and archdeacons yet the Deacons remayned still in their charge for the poore and were not as yet mingled with the Bishops or priestes with the order of them which taught 11 The office of Deaconship was religiouslie kept in the Church vntill it was driuen out by Antichrist 12 This office must of necessitie be restored as it is described Act. 6. if England for he speaketh it in the behalfe of our Church will receyue the Discipline of Christ. 13 Speaking of these Deacons lamenteth that this order is so fallen out of the Church that the name doth scarce remayne 14 Describing the Deacons of the Apostles time sayeth 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 ordinarie and distinct office from all others in the church if the Apostles were not sufficient for the ministerie 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 be required that is proper to a minister of the worde 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