Chap. 4. the. 5. Diuision.
And where he sayth that there is neyther Deacon nor Reader mentioned: for the Deacon I haue answered, that S. Paule speaketh there onely of those functions which are occupied both in teaching and gouerning the Churches, and therefore there was no place there to speake of a Dea∣con: and as for the Reader it is no suche office in the Churche whiche the minister maye not doe. (*) 1.1 And if eyther he haue not leasure, or hys strength and voyce wyll not serue hym fyrst to reade some long tyme, and afterwarde to preache, it is an easy matter to appoynt some of the Elders, or Deacons, or some other graue man in the Church to that purpose, as it hath beene practised in the Churches in tymes past, & is in the Churches reformed in our dayes, without making any newe order or offyce of the ministerie.
This distinction helpeth not héere: for if you saye the offices or names of Dea∣cons be lefte out in this place bicause Sainct Paule speaketh not of suche offices, as be occupied onely in gouernment: first I answere, that the same maye be sayde of Archebisho〈1 line〉〈1 line〉s and Archedeacons, who haue those names, onely in the respecte of gouernment. Secondly, I tell you that the office of a Deacon is also to preache, as is* 1.2 hereafter proued. And last of all, that the office of a Deacon (especially as you re∣strayne it) is neyther office nor name of gouernment, but of simple and absolute mi∣nisterie and seruice.
Your starting holes will not hyde you: and this argument of the Bishop will not he answered. You haue sayde nothing to proue this place to be a perfecte paterne of all ecclesiasticall functions: neyther doe you saye any thing for omitting the names of Bishop, Deacon, Presbyter. &c. but we may saye the same for the names of Archebi∣shop, Archedeacon. &c.
The Reader hath béene counted a necessarie office in the Churche, and is of great antiquitie, and I knowe that the Deacon, or any other graue person vpon occasion maye be admitted to reade. But I pray you, where do you finde any such thing in the scrip∣ture,* 1.3 especially of those whiche you call Elders, which be in no degrée of the ministe∣rie? for it is great presumption for you to appoynt any suche office in the Churche, not hauing your warrant in Gods worde, séeing you finde suche faulte with whole Churches for allowing offices vsed in the best time of the Churche, confirmed by the best Councels, and approued by all auncient writers, bicause their names be not ex∣pressed in the scripture: and séeing also that you your selfe a little before sayde, that onely the pastor ought publikely in the Churche to teache the youth, and not a Catechist, and I take publyke reading in the Churche to be as solemne a matter as Catechising the youthe. But you haue libertie to coyne what order you lyste, without ey∣ther Scripture, or anye other approued wryter: we muste make you another Pythagoras.
In times past it was a peculiar office, and he that had it was called Lector, and therefore you can not saye (as it hathe beene practised in times past) excepte you wyll confesse that name and office of Lector, and so also graunte some name and of∣fice profitable for the Churche, to be omitted in the fourthe Chapter to the E∣phesians.