That this calling was not brought in by the word, it is manifest by that, that there is not to be found in the new Testament, so much as one syllable, whereby there may be the least surmise of any such thing. For although we doubt not, but all things ought to be done orderly in the lords house, and therefore that some one should be president in every assembly, whom John in the Revelation seemeth to call the Angel of the Churches. And Austen calleth the moderator Proestota, yet this moderator of actions ⟨image 4⟩of the Church, saving this one thing, that he was the first in order in the company; had no authority over his fellows, neither did he exercise any higher office. Therefore the author of the epistle to the Hebrews, as Hierome noteth, doeth call the whole company of the elders, 1governors; not any one certain man. Such a one was Peter many times in the very assembly of the Apostles, of a great authority surely amongst the Apostles, who were all otherwise equal, and yet he himself one of the company of the Apostles, sent by his companions to Samaria with John, Act. 8. 14. and in the assembly giving an account of his ministry, to those which were of the Circumcision, Acts 11. 2. But if any such bishoplike authority of any one above the rest, as there was afterwards, had bin then, surely the apostles would have set down their names even at that time, in their letters which they sent from one to another, especially seeing Paul in his epistle to the Philip. doth name bishops in the plural number, and Deacons: or there should have been at ⟨image 4⟩least some peculiar mention made of them. Which, seeing it is not done, it appeareth that amongest these governors, there was none in degree above their companions and fellow bishops: but as occasion served, the Churches were governed by a fellowlike & equal authority, among the fellow-elders in their elderships, he only going before the rest, whose godliness and authority, the company did most allow of.
That this calling was not brought in by the word, it is manifest by that, that there is not to be found in the new Testament, so much as one syllable, whereby there may be the least surmise of any such thing. For although we doubt not, but all thinges ought to be done orderly in the lordes house, and therfore that some one should be president in euery assembly, whom Iohn in the Reuelatiō seemeth to call the Angell of the Churches. And Austen calleth the moderator Proestota, yet this moderator of actiōs ⟨image 4⟩of the Church, sauyng this one thing, that he was the first in order in the cō pany; had no authority ouer his felows, neither did hee exercise any higher office. Therefore the author of the epistle to the Hebrewes, as Hierome noteth, doeth cal the whole company of the elders, 1gouernours; not any one certayne man. Such a one was Peter many times in the very assembly of the Apostles, of a great authoritie surely amongst the Apostles, who were all otherwise equall, and yet he himselfe one of the company of the Apostles, sent by his companions to Samaria with Iohn, Act. 8. 14. and in the assembly giuing an account of his ministery, to those which were of the Circumcision, Acts 11. 2. But if any such bishoplike authoritie of any one aboue the rest, as there was afterwardes, had bin then, surely the apostles would haue set down their names euen at that tyme, in their letters which they sent from one to another, especially seeing Paule in his epistle to the Philip. doth name bishops in the plural number, and Deacons: or there should haue bene at ⟨image 4⟩least some peculiar mention made of them. Which, seeing it is not done, it appeareth that amongest these gouerners, there was none in degree aboue their companions and fellow bishops: but as occasion serued, the Churches were gouerned by a fellowlike & equal authoritie, among the fellow-elders in their elderships, he onely going before the rest, whose godlines and authoritie, the company did most allow of.
- 1Egoumenous. Hebr. 13.
