A confession of faith made by common consent of divers reformed churches beyond the…A confession of fayth made by common consent of diuers reformed churches beyonde the…

One equal power or function, is given to all ministers of the Church. ¹Doubtless in the beginning Bishops or Elders, ruled the church alike, one helping an other, none preferring him self before other, or usurping greater authority or dominion, over their fellow Bishops. For they were mindful of their master his words: He that will among you be chief, let him be your servant. They kept them selves in humility, and helped one an ⟨p. 63⟩²other in governing, and preserving the Church. Howbeit for order sake, ³some one appointed of the ministers, summoned their convocations, and in their assemblies, proposed things to be deliberated upon, gathered also other mens minds, and to be short, did what in him lay, to provide that matters, should not be handled confusedly, and without order. So we read that saint Peter did in the Acts of the Apostles, who notwithstanding, was not extolled above other, nor of greater authority then the residue. For right well Cyprian the martyr affirmeth, ⁴in his book of the simplicity of the Clergy: Such were the other Apostles, as Peter was, of like fellowship, of like honour and power: But the beginning between them, proceedeth of one unity; to the end that we may know, that there is but one Church. S. Jerome also writeth not much unlike ⁵words, in his commentary upon the Epistle of Paul to Titus, saying: Before that by the Devils enticement, there was strife in religion, Churches ⟨image 109⟩were governed by the common counsel of the elders: but after each manner thought those, whom he baptised to be his own, and not Christs, it was decreed, that one of the Elders should be chosen, and preferred above the other, to whom all the care of the Church, should appertain, and by whose wisdom, all occasions of schisms might be taken away. Yet Jerome boasteth not of this Decree, as though it were godly, for immediately he addeth: As Elders know, by the custom of the Church, that they are subject to him, who is their overseer, so let Bishops know that they, more by custom, than by the Lords ordinance, are in greater authority then the elders, and that the Church ought to be ruled in common by other, as well as by them. Thus much Jerome. Therefore no man by right may let us to return, to that old government of God his church, and to receive it before the custom of man.