In the end M. Doctor to shut up this matter / saith / that it is the first steppe to the ministry / and so joined of S. Paul in the third chapter and first Epistle to Timothy. But what a reason is this: to be a Deacon is the first step to the ministry / therefore the Deacon may preach and minister the sacraments / when as the contrary rather followeth. For if it be a step to the ministry / then it is not the ministry / but differeth from it / and so ought not to do the things that belong to the minister. But I deny that it is / or ought to be always a steppe to the ministry. I knew that it hath been the use of long time / & I know also that there be very many which interpret the place of S. Paul / (where he speaking of the Deacons that behave them selves well / that they get them selves a good bathmon, that is a degree to be a minister or a bishop.) But I will show a manifest reason / why it can not so be understanded / which is / for that as the functions of a Deacon or a minister are divers: so are the gifts also whereby those functions are executed likewise divers. And therefore there may be some men for their wisdom and gravity / discretion and faithfulness / and whatsoever other gifts are required in him / that should do this office of providing for the poor / and to be a good Deacon: which notwithstanding for some impediment in his tongue / or for want of utterance shall never be able as long as he liveth / to be a good minister of the word / and therefore the gifts being divers wherewith those offices must be executed / (although it is neither unlawful / nor unmeet to make of a Deacon a minister if he have gifts for that purpose) yet I deny that S. Paul appointeth that the Deaconship should be (as it were) the seed or fry of the ministers: or that he meaneth by those words that the Deaconship is a steppe to the pastorship. Which may yet also further appear / by the phrase of speech which the Apostle useth. For he doth not say that they that do the office of Deaconship well / shall come to or get a good standing / but he saith that in so doing they do get themselves a good standing / that is they get themselves authority & estimation in the church / whereby they may be both the bolder to do their office / and whereby they may do it with more fruit.
In the ende M. Doctor to shut vp thys matter / sayth / that it is the first steppe to the mynistery / and so ioyned of S. Paule in the third chapter and first Epistle to Timothe. But what a reason is thys: to be a Deacon is the first step to the mynistery / therefore the Deacon may preach and mynister the sacraments / when as the contrary rather followeth. For if it be a step to the mynistery / then it is not the mynistery / but differeth from it / and so ought not to doe the things that belong to the mynister. But I deny that it is / or ought to be alwayes a steppe to the mynistery. I knew that it hath bene the vse of long tyme / & I know also that there be very many which interpreate the place of S. Paule / (where he speaking of the Deacons that behaue them selues well / that they get them selues a good bathmon, that is a degree to be a mynister or a byshop.) But I will shew a manifest reason / why it can not so be vnderstanded / which is / for that as the functions of a Deacon or a mynister are dyuers: so are the giftes also wherby those functions are executed likewyse dyuers. And therefore there may be some men for their wisedome and grauitie / discretion and faythfulnesse / and whatsoeuer other giftes are required in hym / that shoulde doe thys office of prouyding for the poore / and to be a good Deacon: which notwithstanding for some impediment in hys tongue / or for want of vtterance shall neuer be able as long as he lyueth / to be a good mynister of the word / and therefore the giftes being dyuers wherewith those offices must be executed / (although it is neyther vnlawfull / nor vnmeete to make of a Deacon a mynister if he haue giftes for that purpose) yet I deny that S. Paule appoynteth that the Deaconship shoulde be (as it were) the seede or frie of the mynisters: or that he meaneth by those words that the Deaconship is a steppe to the pastorshyp. Which may yet also further appeare / by the phrase of speach which the Apostle vseth. For he doth not say that they that do the office of Deaconship well / shall come to or get a good standing / but he sayth that in so doing they doe gette themselues a good standing / that is they get themselues authoritie & estimation in the church / whereby they may be both the bolder to doe their office / and whereby they may doe it with more frute.
