What is that to the purpose, that Chrysostome sayth, there must be degrees? who denyeth that there are degrees of functions? we confesse there is, and ought to be a degree of pastors, an other of Doctors, the third of those which are called Elders, the fourth of Deacons. And wher he saith, there should be one degree of Byshop, an other of a minister, another of the lay man,(*) 1.1 what pro∣ueth that for the office of an Archbyshop, whiche is your purpose to shew? how often times must you be called ad Rhombum? and that he meaneth nothing lesse, than to make any such difference be∣twene a byshop, and a minister, as is with vs, whiche you woulde fayne make your reader beleeue, I will send you to Chrysostome, vpon the third chapter. 1. Epistle to Timothie, wher he saith: the office of a byshop differeth little or nothing from an Elders, and a little after, that a byshop disier∣reth nothing from an Elder or minister, but by the ordination only. Still M. Doctor goeth for∣ward in killing a dead man, that is in confuting that whiche all men condemne, and prouing that which no man denye〈1 line〉〈1 line〉h, that there must be superioritte amongst men, and that equalitie of all men alike confoundeth all, and ouerthroweth all.
Chrysostome in that place maketh degrées in the ministerie, and placeth the Bi∣shop in degrée aboue the minister, which vtterly ouerthroweth your equalitie. As for your distinction of degrées it hath a small grounde in the scripture to warrant it, as can be, and in déed it is but your owne inuētion. For the Pastor, doctor, and elder in office are all one, as the most & best writers thinck. Howsoeuer it is, you haue them not thus distinguished in the Scripture, that the Pastor should be firste, the Doctor next, the Elder third, & the deacon last: and it is strange that you will inuent a new order of ministers, without the expresse warrant of Gods worde, misliking the same so muche in other.
This superioritie that Chrysostome talketh of, ouerthroweth that part of the Ad∣monitiō that I confute, for they do not only disallow the office of the Archbishop, but of the Bishop also, & would haue a mere equalitie amōg the ministers: this I refel, as well as the other: and indéede the ouerthrow of this, is the ouerthrow of the other. And therefore this place of Chrysostome serueth my turne very well, and aptly.
Chrysostom vpon that. 3. chapter of the first to Timothie, giueth asmuch superiori∣tie to the Bishop as I doe: and maketh asmuch difference betwixt him and the mi∣nister: for I graunt that quoad ministerium, they be all one, but yt there be degrees of dig∣nitie, and so sayth Chrysostom, that there is little difference betwixta Byshop and a priest, but that a Byshop hath authoritie to ordaine priests, and all other things that the Byshop may do, the priest also may do, that excepted: so that Chrisostome here speaketh only of the ministerie of the Byshop, not of his authoritie, in the ecclesiasti∣call gouernment, for of that he spake in the place before alledger, where he sayth that* 1.2 there is one degree of the Byshop, and other of the minister. &c. which distinction of de∣grées was long before Chrysostomes time, as I haue declared.
To proue these degrées of superioritie among ministers, is to proue ye which both the Admonition, & you denie, & which is the grounde of this controuersie: & therfore