Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

Are there or ought there to be degrees among ministers?

Ye•• doubtlesse, for the Apostle maketh a Byshop a degree aboue Presbiters or other ordinarie Elders.

And for order and policie among vs vnto whome the office of teaching is ioined, teacheth that one may goe before others, who ought to be the chiefest among his fellowes, And so the Elders, who were both pastors and doctors, did in euerie City choose one president to whom they gaue the speciall title of a bishop, and the honour of the first place in their holie assemblies that he should haue the right of gouerning the common action, or be as it were moderator, or president of the Eldership, & conuēt of the Pastors, who also himselfe should be directed by the assembly of his bre∣thren and fellowes, according to that generall and most true Apos∣tolicall rule, which appointes, that all things should be done in or∣der in the house of the Lord. 1. Cor. 14.40. Vnto whome after∣ward the councill of Nice gaue 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, as P••utarch witnes∣eth, properly primacie, by reason of his time or age (which is that honor of prioritie, which vseth to be giuen to old men) in honour of their age, because counsel belongs to old mē) which afterwards grew to be taken more largely for that honour which is giuen to any one for some dignity, and which he is honoured with, that he may haue precedencie and worship. And which the generall councell of Ephesus in the yeare. 435. calls that due which euery one ought, to haue And so we hould that Peter went before his fel∣lowes in orderc 1.1.

But we do deny a••y tiranizing degree of dignity & power, or Gē il. like eminencie to be among ministers as they are ministers, 1. be∣cause christ doth purposely fight against such primacie. Luk. 22.25 Iohn. 13.3. And he that wil be great, let him be your seruant, saith he, Math. 20.26.2, because the same right & power is granted by Christ vnto alla 1.2. And Paul attributes equally vnto Ministers the Ministery of reconciling men vnto Godb 1.3 and when he reckōs vp the ministers,c 1.4 he setts down no monarchy among ministers, 3. be∣cause

by the bringing in of superiority,* 1.5 first the gouernmēt of few and straight waies tyranny by false bishops, and false Patriarches ouerthrew all Ecclesiasticall good order, and lastly the Church it selfe.

We doe verely confesse that there is and hath beene among the holy orders imparity, and not onely a simple order or ranke, but degrees. For it is certaine that Pastors haue their charges ouer pe∣culiar Churches, are eminent both aboue Deacons, & also aboue their flock, & also teachers aboue their Schollers. But we deny that there hath been or is any superiour degree between Colleagues of the same function, as of an Apostle ouer his fellow Apostles, of an Euangelist aboue his fellow-Euangelists, of a Doctor aboue o∣ther Doctors, of an Elder ouer his fellow Elders, of a Bishop o∣uer his fellow-Bishoppes, and of a Pastor ouer his fellow Pastors whether they bee of the same towne or Prouince. For the Apostles are called the master builders of the city of God, as Preachers and Embassadors of that onely Emperour, not ouer their Colleagues, but ouer the flockes committed vnto them.

Notes

• c 1.1

  act. 15.5 & 12.4. &. 8.14 Gal. 2.21.24
• a 1.2

  Mat. 28.18 Ioh 10.21, ••2 23.
• b 1.3

  2. Cor, 5.18 19.20
• c 1.4

  Ep, 4, 11
• * 1.5

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