Chap. 3. the. 18. Diuision.
Hierome saith, ye at the first a Bishop & an elder (which you call a priest) were all one, but after∣ward through factions & schismes, it was decreed yt one should rule ouer ye rest. Now I say against this order, that ye Bishop should beare rule ouer all, ye which our sauiour Christ saith vnto ye Pha∣riseis, from ye beginning it was not so, & therfore I require that ye first order may stand, which was* 1.1 that a Bishop & elder were all one. And if you place so great authoritie against the institution of God in a mortall man, heare what Tertullian saith vnto you.
That is true, whatsoeuer is first, and that is false whatsoeuer is latter.
Hierome & you confesse yt this was first, that ye Bishop was all one with ye elder, & first also by ye* 1.2 word of God, thē I conclude yt, that is true. You both do likewise confesse, yt it came after that one bare rule ouer the rest, then I conclude, ye that is false: for all that is false, that is latter. Further∣more Hierome in the same place of Titus saith after this sort. As ye elders know themselues to be subiect by a custome of the Churche, vnto him that is set ouer them, so the Byshops must knowe, that they are greater than the elders, rather by custome, than by any truth of the instatution of the Lord, and so they ought to gouerne the Church in common.
It followeth after in my answere to the Admonition, that there was superioritie a∣mong