Hugo Cardinal saith, this is only against these, qui subito ascendunt in pr•lationes, who suddenly ascend to prelacies, Cornelius a lapide saith, ut promereantur altiùs promoveri in sacerdotia; they are to serve so, as they may deserve to be promoted to higher places; but this doth not infer that none can be presbyters who have not first been Deacons. As Chrysostom saith, we use not to place a novice in an high place, antequam fidei suae & vitae dederit doc•m•nta, before he have given proof of his faith, and good conversation. And Cyprian writing to Antonianus, commendeth Cornelius that he came not by a leap and suddenly to be a Bishop, sed per omnia ecclesiastica officia promotus, being promoted by degrees to all Church-Offices; and Bernard followeth the same meaning. Lyra, merebu•tur quod fiant sacerdotes, acquirunt altiorem gradum, saith Salmeron. Now it is clear that the fathers and papists could extort no more out of the Text; but that he who useth the office of a Deacon well, doth deserve of the Church, to be promoted to an higher office, but there is no ground for papists, or others to make the Deacons office a necessary degree, without the which none can be a Teacher. aSozomenus saith the Deacons office was to keep the Churches goods bEpiphanius, Diaconis in ecclefia non con creditum est, ut aliquod mysterium perficiant, sed ut administrent ⟨p. 172⟩solùm & exequantur commissa; then they might neither teach nor baptize, cEusebius saith, the care of the poor and the keeping of the Church and the vessels thereof were committed to the Deacons dRuffinus saith, Deacons disputed in Synods; and Athanasius, when he was a Deacon, helped his Bishop Alexander at the Nicene council; but this came (as I suppose) because about the fourth century, they were admitted to be scribes in Synods eAmbrose saith at the beginning, Deacons did preach and baptise, but after when the Church was well furnished with officers, they durst not presume to teach. The fCanon of the council of Nice saith; Diaconi ne sedeant in concessu presbyterorum, aut illis praesentibus Eucharistiam dividant, sed illis agentibus solùm ministrent; if there was not a presbyter present gRuffinus saith, then the Deacon might distribute the Elements.
Hugo Cardinal saith, this is onely against these, qui subito ascendunt in pr•lationes, who suddainly ascend to prelacies, Cornelius a lapide saith, ut promereantur altiùs promoveri in sacerdotia; they are to serve so, as they may deserve to be promoted to higher places; but this doth not infer that none can be presbyters who have not first beene Deacons. As Chrysostome saith, we use not to place a novice in an high place, antequam fidei suae & vitae dederit doc•m•nta, before hee have given proofe of his faith, and good conversation. And Cyprian writing to Antonianus, commendeth Cornelius that hee came not by a leap and suddainly to be a Bishop, sed per omnia ecclesiastica officia promotus, being promoted by degrees to all Church-Offices; and Bernard followeth the same meaning. Lyra, merebu•tur quod fiant sacerdotes, acquirunt altiorem gradum, saith Salmeron. Now it is cleare that the fathers and papists could extort no more out of the Text; but that hee who useth the office of a Deacon well, doth deserve of the Church, to be promoted to an higher office, but there is no ground for papists, or others to make the Deacons office a necessiary degree, without the which none can be a Teacher. aSozomenus saith the Deacons office was to keepe the Churches goods bEpiphanius, Diaconis in ecclefia non con creditum est, ut aliquod mysterium perficiant, sed ut administrent ⟨p. 172⟩solùm & exequantur commissa; then they might neither teach nor baptize, cEusebius saith, the care of the poore and the keeping of the Church and the vessels thereof were committed to the Deacons dRuffinus saith, Deacons disputed in Synods; and Athanasius, when hee was a Deacon, helped his Bishop Alexander at the Nicen councell; but this came (as I suppose) because about the fourth century, they were admitted to be scribes in Synods eAmbrose saith at the beginning, Deacons did preach and baptise, but after when the Church was well furnished with officers, they durst not presume to teach. The f
- aSozomen l. 5. c. 8.
- bEpiphan. l. 5. c. 19.
- cEusebius l. 4. de una cons.Eusebius l. 4. de vna cons.
- dRuffinus l. 1. c. 14.
- eAmbros. c. 4. ad Ephes.
- fConcl. Nice c. 20.
- gRuffin. l. 2. c. 6.
