T. C.
The foresaide Heluetian confession. &c. in the seuententh chapter saythe, that Christe did most seuerely prohibite vnto his Apostles, and their successors primacie, and dominion, and in the eightenth chapter saith, that equall power, and function, is giuen vnto all the mi∣nisters of of the Church, and that from the beginning no one preferred himselfe to an other, sauing only that for order, some one did call them togither, propound the matters that were to be consulted of, and gathered the voyces. &c.
The wordes of the confession in the. 17. chapter be these: truely Christe is present with his Churche, and is a lyuing head, who straightly forbad his Apostles, and their successors, to chalenge the primacie or supremacie in the Church. This the confession speaketh of such pri∣macie & supremacie, as the Byshop of Rome doth chalenge ouer the whole Church, for in that place it onely speaketh of the Popes vsurped authoritie, and not one worde of that superioritie among Ministers which is now in controuersie.
That which the confession affirmeth in the eightenth chapter maketh nothing a∣gainst any superioritie allowed in this Churche of Englande, for we acknowledge that there is one equall power and function of al Ministers, but yet superioritie al∣so to be among them for order sake, and the same doth the Confession acknowledge in plaine and manifest woords, euen in this place by you alledged: whereby also that distinction is verifyed whiche you séeme so greatly to mislyke, to witte, that there is an equalitie of all Ministers of Gods worde quoad ministerium, touching the mini∣sterie, but degrées and superioritie among them, quoad ordinem & politiam, tou∣ching order and gouernment.