The. 7. Diuision.
T. C. Page. 129. Sect. 1.
But I 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉eny that it is or ought to be alwayes a step to the ministerie. I know that it hath bene the vse of long time, and I know also, that there be very many whyche interpr̄ete the place of S. Paule (where he speaking of the Deacons that behaue themselues well, that they get themselues 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 good 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, a degree, to be a minister, or a Bishop.) But I wyl shew a mani〈1 line〉〈1 line〉est reasō 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉hy it can not so be vnderstanded, whych is for that as the functions of a Deacon, or a minister 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉te 〈◊〉〈◊〉: so are the gyfts also, wherby those functions are executed likewyse diuers, & therefore there may be some men for their wisdome & grauitie, discretion & faythfulnesse, 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 whatsoeuer other gyfts are required in him that should do this office of prouiding for the poore & to be a good de〈1 line〉〈1 line〉cō: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 notwithstanding for some impediment in his tongue, or for want of vtterance, shall neuer be able as long as he liueth to be a good minister of the worde, and therefore the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 beeing dyuers, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those offices must be executed (although it is neyther vnlawfull nor 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to make of 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 deaco〈1 line〉〈1 line〉t a minister, if he haue gyfts for that purpose) yet I deny that S. Paul appoynteth that the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shoulde be (as it were) the seede or frye of the ministers, or that he mean〈1 line〉〈1 line〉th by those words, that the deaconship is a step to the pastorship. Which may yet also further appeare, by the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 offpecche which the Apostle vseth, for he doth not say, that they that doe the offyce of a dea∣conship well, shall come to, or get a good standing, but he sayth, that in so doing they doc gette them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a good standing, that is, they get them selues authoritie & estimation in the Church, wherby they may be both the bolder to do theyr offyce, & wherby they may do it with more sruite, whereas when they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 naughtily, they neyther dare do oftentymes that whych they should do, nor yet that whych they do well taketh so good effect, bicause of the dyscredite, whych commeth by theyr euyll 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And so I cōclude that M. Doctor hath brought hither to nothing, to proue why eyther Deacons ought, or else haue wont eyther to preach, or to minister the sacraments.
It is not necessarie that euery one which is a Deacon, shoulde be preferred to the* 1.1 ministerie: for it may be that he shall so euill vse him selfe in that function, that he be thought vnméete further to be preferred. But you haue not read, as I think, sithence the Apostles tyme, of any that hath béene orderly preferred to the ministerie, not bee∣ing D〈1 line〉〈1 line〉acon before.
Ambrose, Chrysostome, the Greeke Paraphrast, Bullinger, Gualter, Hemingi〈1 line〉〈1 line〉s, & diuers other do so expound these words of Paul. 1. Ti. 3. (Qui bene ministrauerūt. gradū sibi honū 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉cquirunt. &c.) that they make the deaconship a step to the ministerie. And therefore your reason had néede be very good, that shall conuince all these of vnskilfulnesse.
S. Paule doth not make much difference betwixt the gyfts that are to be required 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Bishop, & the gyfts that are to be required in a Deacon, as it appeareth, 1. Tim. 3. 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉nd in déede if you respect the gyfts, required in thē both, there is not much difference betwéene them, & therfore your reason is not so strong, as you make it. Moreouer I neuer heard that an impediment in the tongue, or some want of vtterance were sufficiēt cau∣〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 to debarre a man (otherwise méete) from the ministerie. In déede S. Paul requi∣reth that he should be aptus ad docendū, which he may be, though he hath some impe∣〈1 line〉〈1 line〉iment in spéech. For S. Paul doth not meane by these words, volubilitie of tongue, but wisdome, discretion, & order in teaching. If you meane such a one, as eyther cannot speake at al, or not vtter his mind in such sort, as he may be vnderstoode, him I thinke neither to be sit for to be minister, nor a deacon, but (as I told you before it is not ne∣cessarie, that whosoeuer is deacon should after be minister, no more than it is that a Bacheler of Art shuld be a Master of Art, or a Bacheler of diuinity a Doctor, for there may be iust causes to stay thē frō proceeding any further. And therfore sayth S. Paul* 1.2 Qui bene ministr au〈1 line〉〈1 line〉rint, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bonū acquirunt. &c. They which haue ministred well, get themselues a good degree. So that this reason of yours is easily pushed away. I know 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉o exp〈1 line〉〈1 line〉unde the words of S. Paul as you 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉o, & the interpretation is not amisse: