The judgement of a most reverend and learned man from beyond the seas concerning…The iudgement of a most reuerend and learned man from beyond the seas concerning…

OF THE BISHOP THAT is of man.

The Bishop that is of man, that is to say, brought into the Church by the alone wisdom of man, besides the express word of God, is a certain power given to one certain Pastor above his other fellows, yet limited with certain orders or rules provided against tyranny. They which did bear this office of bishop, are called bishops in regard of their fellow Elders and the whole clergy, as watchmen set over the clergy.

THe Bishop that is of man, that is to say, brought into the Church by the alone wisedome of man, besides the expresse word of God, is a certain power giuen to one certaine Pastour aboue his other fellowes, yet limited with certain orders or rules prouided against tyranny. They which did beare this office of bishop, are called bishops in regard of their fellow Elders and the whole clergie, as watchmen set ouer the clergie.

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, ¹