But that M. Doctor deliteth alwayes where he might fetch at the fountayne, to be raking in ditches, he needed not to haue gone to Iustine Martyr for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, when as S. Paule calleth* 1.1 the ministers and Elders by this title. And if this place of Iustine make for an Archbishop, then in steade of an Archbishop in euery prouince we shall haue one in euery congregation. For Iustine declareth there, the leyturgie or manner of seruing God that was in euery church vsed of the Chri∣stians. And I pray you let it be considered what is the office of that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, & see whether there be any resemblance in the world betweene him and an Archbishop. For he placeth his office to be in preaching, in conceyuing prayers, in ministring of the sacraments: of any cōmaundement which he had ouer the rest of the ministers, or of any such priuiledges as the Archbishop hath, he maketh not one worde. It may be that the same might haue the preheminence of calling the rest togither, and propounding the matter to the rest of the companie, & such like, as is before declared. As soone as euer you founde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, you snatched that by and by, and went your wayes and so deceyue your selfe and others. But if you had read the whole treatise you should haue found that he was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the people, for thus it is written in the same Apollogie, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Afterward bread is brought to the president of the brethren, cal∣ling the people as S. Paule doth continually brethren: And therefore these are (a) 1.2 M. Doctors arguments out of Martyrs place. There was a minister which did stand before, or was president of the rest in euery particular Church and congregation, therefore there was an Archbishop ouer all the prouince. And agayne there was one which ruled the people in euery congregation, therfore there was one that ruled all the ministers throughout the whole prouince. And albeit things were in great puritie in the dayes that Iustine liued, in respect of the times which followed, (b) 1.3 yet as there was in other thinges which appeare in his workes, and euen in the ministration of the Sa∣craments spoken of in that place corruption, in that they mingled water and wine togither, so euen in the ministerie there began to peepe out some thing which went from the simplicitie of the gospell: as that the name of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which was common to the Elders with the ministers of the worde, was (as it seemeth) appropriated vnto one.
Though notable & famous doctors be ditches with T. C. yet are they pleasant and cleare riuers with men of more liberall sciences. S. Paule 1. Timoth. 5. hath these woordes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. &c. which derogate nothing frō any thing, that I haue alleaged, but iustifieth the same, for there it signifieth rule & gouernment, but yet in Iustine it signifieth some one that had the chiefe rule and gouernment ouer the rest, as M. Beza noteth vpon these woordes, 1. Ti. 5. Aduersus presbyterum &c. Praeterea* 1.4 notandū est ex hoc loco Timotheum in Ephesino Presbyterio tum fuisse 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 id est, Antistitem vt vocat Iustinus. Furthermore it is to be noted out of this place that Timothie in the presby∣terie, or colledge of ministers at Ephesus was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is to say, the prelate or Bishop, as Iustinus calleth it. You may say vnto him as wel as to me, that he deliteth where he might search at the fountayne, to be raking in ditches, bycause he might haue had the same wordes spoken of all ministers in the same chapter of that Epistle to Timothie.
Furthermore that Iustinus Martyr doth vse this worde for him that hath autho∣ritie* 1.5 ouer the rest, not only of the people, but of such also as be presbyteri: the same M. Beza testifieth vpon the first to the Philip. saying: Haec igitur olim erat Episcoporum ap∣pellatio, donec qui politiae causa reliquis fratribus in caetu praeerat, quem Iustinus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vocat peculiariter dici Episcopus coepit. This therefore was the common name of Bishops, vntill he which for pollicie sake did gouerne the rest in the cōpany, whom Iustine calleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, began to be called peculiarly a Bishop. In which words M. Beza testifieth that he whom Iustinus called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 did gouerne as well the other ministers, as he did the peo∣ple. And whosoeuer doth duely consider Iustines woordes, & peruse that whole place, he shall easily vnderstand, that those whom he there calleth Brethren, were ministers & Deacons: for afterward speaking of the people, he calleth them by the name of peo∣ple, as it is there to be séene.