Of the acceptation of this worde in the. 14. of the Acts, I haue spoken sufficiently This place is not one whit contrary to any thing that is said in that matter: for in the 14. of the Acts it is referred to the appointing of ministers of the worde, and in thys place of the secōd. Cor. 8. it is applyed to the sending of some with Paule to gather the beneuolence of the Churches, and to carrie the same to the poore Saints. Now though 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may signify the imposition of hands, or the whole action of ordering mini∣sters, when it is referred to that matter, yet doth it not follow, that it should alwayes signify so, to whatsoeuer it is applyed. But take it as you list, it is as well spoken of one alone, as of many, as the place Act. 10. manifestly declareth: and therfore doth not of necessitie signify an election made by the people, except some other word be ioyned with it, to expresse the same, as there is in this. 2. Cor. 8. For thus the Apostle saithe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which addition should not haue néeded, if this worde* 1.1 alone had of necessitie signifyed in the scripture any such election, as you woulde haue it to do.
In the argument there is no sequele at all, for it was very conuenient and méete,* 1.2 for the auoyding of suspicion of priuate gayne, or corrupt dealing, that such as shoulde haue to do in gathering and distributing almes, shoulde be chosen by a common con∣sent: and it is manifest, that it was Paules owne request to haue them in this busi∣nesse, by the consent of the Churches, ioyned with him, for the stopping of the mouths of such as would otherwise haue bin ready to suspect Paules integritie in that money matter: and that this is true, these words declare, declinantes boc nè quis nos carpat in bat* 1.3 exuber antia quae administratur à nobis, procurantes bonesta. &c. Auoyding this, that no man should blame vs in this abundance that is ministred by vs, prouiding for honest things, not only before the Lord, but also before men: as though he would say, therefore haue I pro∣cured that by the consent of the Churches some might be ioyned with me in this col∣lection, least any man should take occasion to suspecte me of corrupt dealing, or to re∣port, that in this businesse I robbed the Church to enrich my selfe.
Now therefore how any thing can be gathered of this place, to proue that mini∣sters of the word ought to be chosen by a common consent of the people, let the reader iudge. Paule might haue chosen thē himselfe if he would, but he desired the Churches to choose them, that his vpright dealing in collecting and distributing of the almes,