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if_o you_o will_v stand_v upon_o the_o apostle_n be_v call_v presbyter_n to_o prove_v a_o equality_n or_o superiority_n of_o presbyter_n over_o the_o bishop_n let_v i_o desire_v you_o to_o observe_v that_o st._n peter_n who_o call_v himself_o a_o elder_n yet_o put_v we_o in_o mind_n that_o bishop_n be_v above_o presbyter_n for_o he_o tell_v we_o in_o that_o same_o epistle_n that_o christ_n be_v the_o bishop_n of_o our_o soul_n and_o in_o that_o subordination_n i_o acknowledge_v the_o apostle_n be_v but_o priest_n which_o perhaps_o give_v occasion_n to_o ignatius_n to_o resemble_v the_o bishop_n and_o presbyter_n to_o christ_n and_o his_o apostle_n beside_o it_o be_v as_o unreasonable_a to_o build_v any_o opinion_n concern_v these_o order_n upon_o such_o humble_a expression_n of_o the_o apostle_n as_o if_o because_o a_o prince_n or_o a_o general_n will_v ordinary_o call_v his_o soldier_n fellow_n soldier_n that_o therefore_o they_o and_o he_o be_v of_o the_o same_o order_n the_o four_o objection_n be_v because_o st._n clement_n in_o his_o epistle_n to_o the_o corinthian_n speak_v only_o of_o bishop_n and_o deacon_n it_o be_v true_a in_o one_o place_n he_o do_v say_v that_o the_o apostle_n do_v ordain_v the_o first_o fruit_n of_o their_o labour_n have_v first_o try_v they_o in_o the_o spirit_n to_o be_v bishop_n and_o deacon_n but_o if_o what_o be_v before_o observe_v about_o the_o use_n of_o the_o term_n deacon_n be_v well_o ground_v then_o st._n clement_n word_n may_v be_v also_o very_o just_o understand_v of_o bishop_n and_o priest_n but_o because_o this_o have_v the_o prejudice_n of_o novelty_n against_o it_o let_v we_o look_v further_o into_o that_o epistle_n and_o we_o shall_v find_v it_o no_o less_o clear_a by_o other_o expression_n that_o there_o be_v different_a order_n in_o the_o church_n though_o in_o that_o place_n he_o comprehend_v they_o under_o that_o common_a name_n for_o he_o commend_v they_o because_o they_o be_v subject_a to_o their_o governor_n and_o give_v all_o decent_a honour_n to_o their_o presbyter_n and_o again_o say_v let_v we_o reverence_v our_o governor_n and_o honour_v our_o presbyter_n and_o clear_o apply_v the_o subordination_n that_o be_v in_o the_o temple_n of_o jerusalem_n of_o highpriest_n priest_n levite_n and_o layman_n to_o the_o ecclesiastical_a constitution_n as_o will_v appear_v to_o any_o that_o will_v consider_v that_o epistle_n from_o which_o i_o conclude_v that_o though_o st._n clement_n do_v comprehend_v bishop_n and_o priest_n under_o the_o common_a name_n of_o bishop_n yet_o he_o show_v we_o evident_o there_o be_v governor_n in_o the_o church_n that_o be_v superior_a to_o the_o presbyter_n and_o to_o who_o there_o be_v high_a degree_n of_o honour_n due_n and_o particular_a ministration_n proper_a as_o be_v to_o the_o highpriest_n the_o five_o objection_n be_v that_o justin_n martyr_n call_v the_o
subject_a to_o they_o this_o do_v very_o much_o compense_v the_o defect_n of_o other_o churchman_n who_o though_o not_o so_o well_o qualify_v to_o govern_v yet_o be_v willing_a to_o obey_v and_o able_a to_o follow_v direction_n they_o may_v by_o that_o mean_v become_v very_o useful_a in_o the_o gospel_n now_o there_o be_v two_o thing_n that_o must_v be_v annex_v to_o that_o superior_a inspection_n without_o which_o we_o can_v imagine_v that_o it_o can_v be_v manage_v or_o have_v force_v the_o one_o be_v that_o all_o to_o be_v ordain_v shall_v receive_v their_o order_n from_o such_o bishop_n otherwise_o obedience_n can_v not_o be_v expect_v from_o they_o nor_o can_v the_o superior_a be_v any_o way_n accountable_a for_o they_o if_o he_o do_v not_o convey_v their_o authority_n to_o they_o it_o be_v also_o necessary_a that_o in_o all_o matter_n of_o indifference_n the_o superior_a governor_n or_o bishop_n must_v be_v look_v on_o as_o have_v authority_n to_o rule_v and_o command_v and_o 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learned_a bishop_n of_o chester_n but_o be_v to_o give_v a_o short_a hint_n of_o the_o uncontested_a authority_n that_o may_v be_v bring_v to_o prove_v this_o i_o shall_v begin_v with_o ireneus_fw-la to_o who_o we_o may_v very_o well_o give_v credit_n in_o a_o matter_n of_o fact_n he_o know_v st._n polycarp_n and_o be_v instruct_v by_o he_o and_o he_o 13_o tell_v we_o that_o he_o be_v constitute_v by_o the_o apostle_n bishop_n in_o the_o church_n of_o smyrna_n so_o that_o we_o find_v from_o he_o that_o st._n polycarp_n be_v ordain_v by_o the_o apostle_n bishop_n of_o the_o church_n of_o smyrna_n now_o that_o great_a saint_n and_o martyr_n must_v have_v take_v his_o notion_n of_o a_o bishop_n from_o no_o other_o original_n but_o that_o which_o he_o see_v in_o his_o first_o instructor_n and_o yet_o we_o clear_o see_v he_o judge_v the_o bishop_n be_v more_o than_o the_o precedent_n for_o he_o reckon_v the_o tradition_n of_o the_o faith_n count_v it_o by_o the_o 3._o bishop_n that_o have_v 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have_v instruct_v he_o we_o can_v in_o reason_n imagine_v he_o will_v have_v consent_v to_o such_o a_o tyrannical_a excess_n of_o power_n tertullian_n 5._o reckon_v the_o origine_fw-la of_o the_o bishop_n power_n from_o the_o apostle_n from_o who_o they_o derive_v their_o succession_n the_o same_o writer_n also_o tell_v we_o bapt._n that_o neither_o priest_n nor_o deacon_n have_v right_a to_o baptize_v but_o upon_o a_o power_n from_o the_o bishop_n he_o also_o say_v milit._n they_o receive_v the_o sacrament_n from_o no_o hand_n but_o their_o precedent_n or_o bishop_n firmilian_a that_o be_v st._n cyprian_n contemporary_a tell_v we_o cypr._n the_o bishop_n who_o he_o there_o call_v majores_fw-la natu_fw-la and_o from_o the_o other_o part_n of_o that_o epistle_n it_o be_v plain_a he_o mean_v bishop_n do_v preside_v in_o the_o church_n and_o have_v the_o power_n of_o baptise_v confirm_v and_o ordain_v and_o even_o lucifer_n jerome_n himself_o tell_v we_o that_o neither_o priest_n nor_o 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of_o the_o church_n from_o the_o apostle_n day_n upon_o all_o which_o i_o desire_v that_o you_o and_o every_o honest_a man_n will_v in_o your_o conscience_n consider_v a_o few_o particular_n 1._o whatever_o we_o find_v general_o receive_v in_o those_o age_n about_o a_o thing_n that_o be_v visible_a and_o in_o which_o none_o can_v mistake_v we_o may_v safe_o think_v it_o come_v from_o the_o apostle_n day_n we_o may_v indeed_o imagine_v that_o when_o some_o of_o the_o apostle_n to_o gain_v upon_o the_o jew_n do_v observe_v the_o christian_a easter_n on_o the_o 14._o day_n of_o the_o moon_n other_o may_v have_v mistake_v this_o compliance_n as_o if_o the_o apostle_n have_v judge_v that_o the_o 14._o be_v the_o right_a day_n we_o may_v also_o reasonable_o enough_o think_v that_o when_o they_o hear_v st._n john_n mention_v the_o