You say after that Iames was an Archbyshop, if he were, he was the fyrst and placed ouer the Iewes.
And although S. Peter might, to gayne the Gent〈1 line〉〈1 line〉es, be c〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ntent to vse their 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉dolatrous fun∣ctions, with a little chaunge of their names, yet there is none so madde to thinke that he woulde translate any such function, from the Gentiles to the Iewes, which were neuer before accusto∣med with any such Flamines or Archiflamines. And this I dare generally and at once say, against* 1.1 you and your Element, that the Lorde translated diuerse things out of the Lawe into the Gospell as the Presbetery, or eldership, excommunication, and the office of Deacons (as it is thought) for that the Sadducees, of whom so often mention is made in the gospell, are thought to haue had that office to prouide for the poore, for those that knowe the Hebrue tong, do vnderstande that Tsadi∣〈1 line〉〈1 line〉im* 1.2 and Tsidkah, do not onely signifie Iustices and iuste menne, but also almes and almesmen: I say these and others more translated from the lawe vnto the gospell: but neyther you nor your Clement, shall euer be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉hew, that the Lord euer translated any thing from Gentelisme in∣to the gospell.
Wee reade in the Actes, that all the Gentiles were commaunded, to conforme themselues vn∣to* 1.3 the Iewes in the ab〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ayning from bloud and strangled meate for a tyme, but we can n〈1 line〉〈1 line〉er finde that the Iewes were commaunded to conforme themselues to the Gentiles in their 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the reason whereof is, bycause the one was sometyme the lawe of God, and therefore he that had conscience in it, was to be borne with, and the other came from menne and out of their forge which the L〈1 line〉〈1 line〉rd would neuer g〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ue so much honor vnto, as to make other men by any meanes sub∣iect vnto them.
If you had not learned that poynt of Sophistrie which is called Petitio princip〈1 line〉〈1 line〉j, (whereof I haue so o〈1 line〉〈1 line〉tentimes told you) without doubt you had lacked much matter, and your booke would haue ben very thinne. For all this adoe in this place is nothing but discanting vpon a false playne song. The offices of an Archbishop and Byshop are no Idolatrous functions but Christian, and méete both for Iewe and Gentile con∣uerted vnto Christ: neyther are they translated from the Gentiles, but grounded vpō the woorde of God, practised in the Apostles time, approued by the best councells as is declared in the answere to the Admonition, and shall be more amplie hereafter, occa∣sion being offered. Wherefore all this that you haue here sayde, (the ground being taken away) serueth for no purpose.
Your coniecture of the Deaconship to be taken from the Iewes, is but a mere coniecture, if there had bene any such office in the law, it would haue bene specified in one place or other of the old Testament.
Touching your eldership wée shall sée what you haue to say for it in place. I will not trouble my selfe and the reader with bye matters not incident to this question.