THough they haue diuers degrees of dignitie in the Church, as Popes, Cardinals, Patriarkes, Primates, and such like: yet they make but seuen [error 69] Ecclesiasticall orders, which are conferred solemnlie by certayne rites and ceremonies by their Bishops: And they are these, Ostiarij, doore-keepers, Exorcistae, Exorcists, Lectores, Readers, Acolythi, Attenders, Subdiaconi, Sub∣deacons, Diaconi, Deacons, and the highest degree, Sacerdotes, Priests; vnto the which all the other are but rises and steppes. All these they maintaine to be Ecclesiasticall orders, and to be retayned in the Church, Bellarm. cap. 11. Rhe∣mist. 1. Tim. 3. sect. 7.
They haue no proofe nor warrant out of scripture, for these friuolous or∣ders, but onely a shew of antiquitie, as they alleadge certaine Canons out of the 4. Councel of Carthage, where such offices are reckoned vp, Rhemist. ibid.
Answere: First, to let passe this, that the Councel may be suspected for the credite thereof, seeming wholly to be patched out of the Popes decrees. Se∣condly, we denie not but they had such offices, as Readers, to reade the text of the scriptures, exorcists to cast out diuels, which was an extraordinary gift for that time, Acoluthists, young men appoynted to attend vpon the Bishop for their better instruction: Doore-keepers, that kept the entrie of the Church that no heathen person or excommunicate should enter. But these were both diuers offices, then are now appoynted for them in the popish Church: for they make them now, all or the most ministers and seruitors for the idola∣trous seruice of the Masse, which in those dayes was not heard of: neither though there were such offices and seruices in the Church, were they made orders and degrees of the ministerie.