52 EQUALITY OF THEAPOSTLES. in real worth, and in the favour of God, transcending the rest. So that St Peter, claiming . superiority to himself, would have forfeited any title to eminency among Christians. Again; as to the power which is now ascribed to St Peter by the party of his pretended successors, we may argue from another place, where our Saviour prohibiting his disciples to resemble the Jewish scribes and Pharisees in their ambitious desires and practices, their affectations of pre-eminence, their assuming places and titles import- ing difference of rank and authority, he says, Matt. xxiii. 8, " But be ye not called Rabbi: for there is one Master" (eT; xaûnyelríis, one guide, or governor) " of you, even Christ; but ye are brethren." How more pregnantly could he have declared the nature of his constitu- tion, and the relation of Christians one to another established there- in, to exclude such differences of power, whereby one, in way of domination, imposes his opinion or his will on others? "Ye are all fellow-scholars, fellow-servants, and fellow-children of God; it therefore does not become you to be any wise imperious over one another, but all of you humbly and lovingly to conspire in learn- ing and observing the precepts of your common Lord;" the doing which is backed with a promise and a threat suitable to thepurpose: " He that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that will abase himself shall be exalted:" the which sentences are to be interpreted according to the intent of the rules foregoing. If it be said that such discourse impugns all ecclesiastical juris- diction, I answer, that indeed thereby is removed all such haughty and harsh rule which some have exercised over Christians; that avAevria (arbitrary power), that e'eoueía &vs&Buvos (absolute, uncon- trollable authority), that rupavwxs) erpovoplía (tÿrannical prerogative), of which the fathers complain; that xaraxupreúery räv xxl7pav (domi- neering over their charges), which St Peter forbids.' " We," says St Chrysostom, "were designed to teach theword, not to exercise empire or absolute sovereignty; we bear the rank of advisers, ex- horting to duty."' A bishop, says St Jerome, differs from a king, in that " a bishop presides over those that are willing, the king against their will ;"s that is, the bishop's governance should be so gentle and easy that men hardlycan be unwilling to comply with it, but should obey, as St Peter exhorts, 1 Pet. v. 2, 3, Oúx úvayxaeräs áaa' izoucías, " Not ' Chrys. in 1 Tim. iii. 1, in Eph. Or. 11; Isid. PeI., Ep. iv. 219, H. 125; Greg. Naz., Or. 28, 1 Pet. v. 3. Eiç óróarwaxiav aóyou apoexerpirrhp.ev, aim Ile dpxiiv, oúó1 ciç aúAovria' oupCobT.av rz,ry iorizo%oev vraparvaúvray.Chrys. inEph. Or. 11. s Illeenim nolentibus præest, hic volentibus.Hier., Ep. iii. adNepot. 'o ,a[vror iwóvrw, ieiwv pxuv, &c. --Chrys. in Tit. 1. 7. "He ought to rule them so as they may be willing to be ruled," &c.
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