The keys of the kingdom of heaven and power thereof according to the word…The keyes of the kingdom of heaven and power thereof according to the word…

5 Conclus. When after the Apostles times, one of the Pastors by ⟨p. 39⟩way of eminency was called Bishop for order sake, yet for many years he did no act of power, but 1 With consent of the Presbytery. 2 With consent, and in the presence of the people. As is noted out of Eusebius, Ecclesiast. Histor. lib. 6. ca. 43. Gr. ca. 35. Lat. Cyprian Epist. lib. 3. Epist. 10. & lib. 1. Epist 3. Casanb. adversus Baronium, exercitat. 15. num. 28.

5 Conclus. When after the Apostles times, one of the Pastors by ⟨p. 39⟩way of eminencie was called Bishop for order sake, yet for many yeers he did no act of power, but 1 With consent of the Presbyterie. 2 With consent, and in the presence of the people. As is noted out of Eusebius, Ecclesiast. Histor. lib. 6. ca. 43. Gr. ca. 35. Lat. Cyprian Epist. lib. 3. Epist. 10. & lib. 1. Epist 3. Casanb. adversus Baronium, exercitat. 15. num. 28.

When it is alleged out of Hiereme to confirm the same, that in the primitive times, Communi Presbyterorum consilie, Ecelesiae gubernabantur. It is a weak and poor evasion, to put it off with observing, that he saith, Communi Presbyterorum consilie, not authoritate. For 1. No authority is due to Presbyters over the Bishop or Pastor, no more then to the Pastor over them. They are [Greek or Hebrew], fellow-Elders, and coequal in authority. And 2. when Hiereme saith, The Churches were governed by the common counsel, but all with it, else it might be said, the Bishop governed the Churches with the common counsel of Presbyters, to wit, asked, but not followed. And that would imply a contradiction to Hieronus testimony, to say the Churches were governed by the sole authority of Bishops, and yet not without asking the common counsel of the Presbyters. For in asking their counsel, and not following it, the Bishop should order and govern the Churches against their counsel. Now that the Churches were governed by the common counsel of Presbyters, and against the common counsel of Presbyters, are flat contradictories.