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Num & homo interior hic uti{que} renovari habebit per suggestum spi∣ritus, proficiens fide & disciplina die ac die; non illic, id est, non post resurrectionem, ubi non uti{que} die ac die renovare habemus, sed semel ad summum.
1. He shews the renovation of the inward man spoken of, is to be in this life.
2. That it is to be day by day.
3. It is by a proficiency in Faith.
4. This proficiency of Faith must have with it also a proficiency in Discipline day by day ministred to it, that it may grow in Faith accordingly.
Clem. Alex. Lib. 7. illustrates this by a sweet Simile, At{que} àdeo us{que} ad nos ipsos alii sub alios sunt collocati, quomodo ergo vel minima pars ferri unà monetur spiritu lapidis magnetis, extensa per multos an∣nulos ferreos; ita etiam qui sunt virtute praediti, Domino spiritu at∣tracti, cum prima mansione conjunguntur, deinceps autem alii us{que} ad postremam.
This seventh Book I suppose was written to perfect men; and signifieth that some are placed in the first Order, others of the se∣cond, even to our selves of the third Mansion: therefore as a small piece of Iron moved by the spirit of a Load-stone, drawn through many small Iron Rings; so also they that are indued with vertue, are drawn by the Lords Spirit, when they are joyned in the first Mansion, then to the other, unto the third and last Mansion.
A clearer proof of the practice of the Church, I suppose, cannot be brought, by which the Church-Government is to be exercised amongst us; and before this be done, it is unpossible that the Saints should thrive by any means ministred unto them in that confused way of Antichristian Discipline amongst us at present.
Dionysius Areop. cap. 6. p. prima, the whole Chapter shews this.
These three Ministeries, and their several operations, are in an im∣perfect maner, according to the imperfect estate of the Church, thus touched by Tertul. de Corona.
Alia est conditio, &c. ut illorum quos Johannes admittebat ad la∣vacrum, ut centurionum fidelissimorum quos Christus probat, quos Petrus Catechizat.
In this there is a threefold act given to these three, which are to be exercised by the Ministery to every Christian, Catechizing, Baptizing, and the approbation of the Evangelist in Baptizing. Hence Ignatius Ep. to Philadelp. That none should be Baptized without the appro∣bation of the Bishop, Non licet sine Episcopo baptizare.
In the same Epistle he divides the threefold Society thus;
Sine ipsis ecclesia electa non est, the Evangelist.
Ne{que} Collectio Sanctorum, the Pastors.
Ne{que} Congregatio Sancta, the Doctors Society.
And to this purpose it is, that the Apostles call in the Gospel those ministred in the Gospel with them, Fellow-laborers, co-workers, and helpers in the Gospel; the one Catechizing the people without, the other admitting them into the Church, by Baptism; another, exhorting, and exercising their gifts to fit them for that Ministery, perfected them.
Cyp. Ep. 10. lib. 3. A primordio Episcopatus mei statuerim sine consilio vestro, id est, Compresbyterorum, & sine consensu plebis, meâ privatim sententiâ gerere nihil.