Saint Irtdc faith, they may) if there were not aJuperiority in theClergie: For, Core's mutiniewas, becaufe hee might not bee equal/ toAaron, ap;,__ poimed his fuperior by G 0 D, Num. \6. \0. Which very humor (ob- ' \ ferve it who will) hath broughdorth moll part ofthe l1erejies, fince the time ofthe Gofpell : that Coreh might not beeAarons equal!. Now, qf thefetwoorder>, che Apoffles haveever beene reckonedrhefuperiorto · the ocher, till our times; a~ having even under our SA v1ouR CHRisT, 1 a power to forbid others, Luk·9·49· And after, Cller'cifingthe fame pow.;. · er ; SilM (one ofthe Sevemy) receivinga commandeinent(<,.,,.·,)from 33 ..... ' Saint Paul an Apoftle to come unto him. As the Auditoryhad their roome Affsxf·j~ by themfelves, So among the perfons Ecclefiaflicall, the Apoffles had a 17. H· bigherfeat, as may beegathered; andintheveryplaceitfelfe, weredi,... f..;~~-~t','~ flinguifhed. Now in the place of theT111elrve, fucceeded IJ3ijhops ; and · in.the place ofthe Se-venty, Presbyterie, P.riefts or Minifters, and that by the judgement of lren.esi& (lib. 3· cap. 3.) who lived immediatly upon the Apoftles Age: Of Tertllllian (de pra;fcript.) OfS. Auguftine (inPfal. 44.) And this, till of!ate; was thought the forme ofthatfe!lowfoip, and never other imagined. . . · . But, not long fince, forrie have phanfiedadot~er, that fhould confi!1 of Laj-elders, Paftors andDoBors,and whether afDeacons too, is not ful– ly agreed yet. Which device is preifed nowupon our ()urciJ: not, as a. forme of more conveniencie than that, it hath; but, as one abfolurely neceifary, and ofour Sa'l1iour C H R 1 s T s owne onely inflitution,which maketh it the leife fufferable. I know that by vertue ofSaint Pettrr wrinch before mentioned, fome places may bee brought, which may feeme to give it colour: but, that is, ifwee allow thole new g!gffed fen– fes. But,ifwe leeke what fenfes, thePrimiti'l1e Church gav<:·ofthem,not {)ne of them, -.but will fuffer it to fall to the ground. And;dinding it a flrangertothem, I know not how to.terme it, bnt an imaginatien. To touch it briefly in aword. , , •,, ,., ,· _ ' Ifwe askeScripture for it, and where wee m;o/-finde it, th~y paiTe by the two moft evident phlaeS.·in appearance; 1 Cor .11. z8. .Becaufe, there are noPaftors; and Ep/1. 4.11: Becaufe, there are noLay-elders; and lay it upon, !J(om. 12.. 6, 7,8i And there, by a firange andun-heardofExpo– fition,they will finde them all foure.But not,except that Ex~ofitiof) b"at~ !owed them : Nor, if the ancient Writers may be heard, what the true fenfe ofitis. Tbere is no Epifile on which fomany ofthem havewrit~ ten: Sixe only I will name=Origen; Cbryjoftome, .fJhe~>dorettAmhrofe, Hi~ rome, Oecummi11o . All Which have entreated of.it. Let theirCommen~ caries bee looked 'on upon ··nh~t place: :. Not ono ofthem-a1plieth'it ,(i) thp - ~hurch-go'l1er,nment '(which by' anY, I)kelynood cal!not•ti>e imagi~~a; bu~.they woi.lld. if it were the ma:ineoplacte ~or it') or fintteth th<1fe o.ffi>., c~s m thofe wotds, which they inJgood'earneihell ,us"oJl; as that c..,.:.,[a; (1n the fevcnth rverje) is not the 'Deacm :f ·bnt thel'iPilfllrwufer' (irfthe • • ; - - . - • J..-••. c - - - • ) - - - · ----- " ~j~h;
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