A Second Reply to an Answer Made by Doctor Whitgift Part 1, Reply 21
That functions off Apoſtels / Euangeliſtes / and Prophetes are not ordinarie.
Chap 3. pag 229.
TO thend it may be better vnderſtanded / that the D. hath here in maintenance of his Anabaptiſticall dreame / ſo confuſedly turned vppon heapes: I will firſt mainteine the argumentes which I hauehave ſet downe: after anſwer vntounto his reaſons taken out of the ſcripture: thirdly ſhewe howe impudently he hath abuſed the autoritie / both of elder / and later writers / to couer this phreneſie. Which ſhalbe doon ſo much the ſhorter / as he is vnworthye any anſwer at all. Firſt to nip at the diſtinction off ordinary / and extraordinary functions / receiued off all which hauehave but a ſparkle off iudgemente / he ſaith / that the gift off foretelling thinges to come, was for the tyme wherin yt was, ordinary. Which beſide that yt is ſenſeles / yt being ordinary in this part / which is doon by a ſetled order / and rule appointed off God vntounto his church: yt ys alſo from the pourpoſe / conſideringe / that the queſtion is not off an ordinary function / in the beginning off the Goſpell: but off the goſpell ſymply / which reacheth to the whole eſtate off the church / vnderunder the Goſpell. Therfore foraſmuch as he can not deny / but ſuch Prophetes (if any were) ſhould nowe be extraordinary: the diſtinction ſtandeth.
After to that I ſet downe off the vvord Apoſtel, extended in the proper ſignification to all Miniſters that are ſent, which the knowledge of the Greek word might hauehave led him to / he oppoſeth Diuiſ. 2. pa. 230.Caluin / which ſaith / in the proper ſignification it onelyonly comprehendeth the nombre off 12. Wherin he declareth himſelfe but a trifler. For onles he be at defiance vvith his grammer: he ſhalbe conſtreined will he nill be / to confeſſe it to be true which I hauehave ſet downe. That which Maiſter Caluin ſaith / is not contrary: conſidering that vvhere I ſpake off the generall vſe off the worde / he ſpake of the vſe off it in the newe Teſtament / where it is moſt vſually taken in that ſenſe. As for that he ſaith / it is the proper ſignification: he meaneth not the naturall as I ment / and expreſſed: but the particular / in which ſenſe proper is alſo taken / which appeareth in that he calleth the other generall.VponUpon Philip. 2. pag. 231.
Where I aſſigned a proper note off an Apoſtell, to be called immediatly off God: he ſetteth him ſelfe to confute it / when a litle before he had ſtatly confeſſed / that yt is a thing proper vntounto the Apoſtels, to be called off God immediatly. His firſt exception is of Matthias, pag. 229.which he ſaith was not ſo choſen: which is vtterly vntrue: where he ſaith alſo that I confeſſe the ſame: that is an open vntruth. For pag. 132.I ſhewed that the election out off thoſe two / was permitted vntounto lot that thereby the Lord might from heauen / declare whom he would hauehave to be an Apoſtell. So that the church choſe no Apoſtle / but onelyonly choſe twoo off the which one was taken by the Lord / to be an Apoſtle. His other exception is off Barnabas, which being an Apoſtle (as he ſaith) appeareth by the 11. off the Actes, not to hauehave bene called immediatly: where there is not a word which confirmeth that / and therfore he durſt not note the place / whereoff he gathered yt. Where he ſaith it can not be proued by the ſcripture, that he was ſo called: he beggeth the thing in controuerſie / not able to anſwer the reaſons alledged. For where he ſaith / that S. Paul doth not ſay that he ſawe Chriſt to proue that he was an Apoſtel, but to proue that he was not inferiour to other Apoſtels: he is manifeſtly confuted both by the wordes going before / and folowing after. For hauing propounded this for his queſtion / am I not an Apoſtell, 1. Cor. 9 12.ād not as he ſaith / am I inferior to any Apoſtel: he addeth for a reaſō / hauehave I not ſeen Chriſte. And in the next wordes that followe / yf I be not an Apoſtell vntounto others, yet I am to yovv, he declareth that the eſtate off the queſtion is there / whether he were an Apoſtel / or no. To that I alledged off the proteſtantes / prouing that the Pope can not be Peters ſucceſſour, becauſe there is no ſucceſsion into the office off an Apoſtell: he aſwereth not.
To that I alledged off Epaphroditus called an Apoſtel, not in reſpect of the miniſtrie of the vvord, but as ſent vvith relief Diuiſ. 3. pa 231.vntounto Saint Paul: he patcheth out an anſwer almoſt of as many coulors / as he alledgeth autorities. out off the Centuries / that he was an Apoſtel in that ſenſe that Paul, and the reſt off the Apoſtels were. Which beſide that yt is falſe (they onelyonly affirming that he was an Apoſtel) is cleane contrary to that he alledgeth out off Caluin / that it is taken there generally, for any ſent to preach: and therefore it can not be taken in that ſignification off Apoſtels / in which the 12 and Paul. yt is contrary alſo to that owt off Ambroſe / which ſaying that he was therefore called an Apoſtel, becauſe he was ſent off Paul: confirmeth in part that which I hauehave ſet downe / that he was called an Apoſtle / not in reſpect off any dignitie off miniſtery / aboue others Miniſters off the word: but onelyonly in that he was ſent. Finally contrary to that alledged owt of Theodoret / which ſo calleth hym an Apoſtle: that forthwith alſo he maketh him to be a Biſhop. When as if he be a Biſhop / he can not be ſuch an Apoſtell as the 12. conſidering that they be twoo ſeuerall members off the miniſters off the Goſpell / differing by the D. owne cōfeſſion / at the leaſt in the place of exerciſe off their miſterie: the biſhop hauing an eſpeciall bonde to his Biſhopricke / and the Apoſtel preaching Where he thincketh need
Where he ſaithe alſo that it confirmeth his ſide, that he is called the Apoſtell off the Philippians, and other the Apoſtels off the churches, for that thereby it may appeare, that one may be Apoſtel off a kingdome, or off a prouince: he dalieth with his reader. For in that place I alledged out off the 2. Corinthes 8. the Apoſtels off the churches are not ſo called / in reſpect off any miniſtery off the word / but off the almes which they were ſent with. And beſide that the church off the Philip. was nether prouince nor kingedome / but a particular church: Epaphroditus is not called their Apoſtel / in that he was ſent off Saint Paul vntounto them: but in that the Philip. ſent him to Saint Paul: as the wordes which followe immediatly after / obſerued off Maiſter Beza doo declare. So that yf that place proue 2. Phil. 25.an Apoſtel: yt proueth one ſent / not to a prouince / or kingedome / but vntounto one ſingular perſon onelyonly. But who would voutſafe an anſwer / to ſuch ſcrapinges?
Againſt that I alledged to proue / that Iunias / and Adronicus were no Apoſtels / for that a man may be famous amongeſt Diuiſ. 4. pag. 232.the Apoſtels / and yet no Apoſtel: he oppoſeth Martyr, that ſemeth to doubt whether the wordes will beare that ſenſe: which I leaue to the readers iudgement. The other reaſon that S. Paul calleth them kinſfolke / and fellowe priſoners / and not fellow labourers / which his vſe is when he ſpeaketh of thoſe / which hauehave any miniſtery of the goſpell: he towcheth not. He hathe raked vp to no no pourpoſe a number off bare opinions / which I will not wreſtell with: conſidering that nothing thereby falleth frō our cauſe. For if both Epaphroditus / and theſe be Apoſtels / ſuch as Paul / and Barnab. I refer my ſelf to that where I hauehave ſhewed / that that function is ceaſſed. If in the generall ſignification / for that they are ſent to preach: yt maketh nothing to the queſtion / ſeing the D. muſt ſhewe that there is an ordinary particular function off Apoſtelſhip / ſeuered from the office off a Paſtor / Euangeliſt / and Prophete. Where he ſaith / he alledged them to proue that ſome nowe may preache, which hauehave no certein clere: I could not thinck himſo forſaken off all iudgement / that he would make ſuch a concluſion: howbeit I truſt nowe he hath his anſwer.
That I alledged the Apoſtels declaring that they vvould not hauehave this order continued in the church, in that they renevved not that order of Apoſtels, as they vvere taken avvay by death: he anſwereth / firſt that the ſcripture doth not expreſſe it. As yf S. Luke which ſo diligently deſcribed the election off Matthias / would hauehave quit ouerleaped this / if there had bene any. And conſidering that they had not ſuch cauſe to drawe them to a newe conſultation of a newe Apoſtel / as in the 1. Act. which was an expreſſe word / off taking an other into the roume off Iudas: it is manifeſt that they attempted no ſuch thing after. So that alththough yt be not expreſſed: yet it is conteined in ſcripture / that there was no conſultation off an other Apoſtel. Yf not / howe is he (as he ſaith) perſuaded / that there was none choſen into their places? or how knoweth he / that it was not neceſſarie? will he ſtill hauehave his perſuaſions in diuinitie / without the word? without which they are no perſuaſions / but idle phanſies. After he aſketh who euer ſaied, that there muſte be twelue Apoſtels, nether more nor leſſe? as though my reaſon tended to that. But yf the Apoſtels did not vphould that ſmall nomber off twelue / which the Lord inſtituted: yt proueth that their minde was / not to chooſe about that nomber. And if they would not continue 12. to gather the …2. tribes off Iſrael / ſcattered thoroughe the whole worlde: they ment not that there ſhould be a greater nomber / to gather thoſe which were ſcattered in one Iland,
To that I alledged off Ambroſe / which ſaith / that he vvould not take vponupon him the eſtate of an Apoſtel: he anſwereth / that Diuiſ. 72 pag. 234.he ſaied ſo, to abaſe him ſelfe, becauſe in an other place, he chalengeth not the circumſpection off a paſtor. will he neuer wake out off this ſleepe? for to let paſſe that not to acknowledge the grace of God beſtowed on him / is a fault / as to chalenge that which he hath not receiued: and not to enter here into his abilitie / of doing the office of a Paſtor: doth he not ſee that the cawſe off not taking vpō him the eſtate off an Apoſtel / is aſſigned not in his diſablenes / but in that which the greateſt wit / learning / and godlines off thoſe times / could not come vntounto / that is to ſay / that none could chalenge Ad Trall. & al.the office off an Apoſtell, but he vvhom the ſonne off God him ſelfe had choſen? He might aſwel ſay / that it is a point off great modeſtie for a man to profeſſe / that he cannot clyme vp into heauen / withowt a ladder. Nether is this Ambroſe iudgement onelyonly / but Ignatius: which in thoſe epiſtles that the D. will hauehave rightly borne / ſaith that he vvill not commaund them any thinge, as an Apoſtell. In deed aEuſe. 7. lib. 31.Nouatus a runnegate / bAuguſt: Tom. 6. catal. hereſi.Manes a Phranticke / cOrthodoxo. in vit. eius.Martiall a coleprophet / dEpiſt. Bonif. ad Lanfr.Romiſh Auguſtine / the Anabaptiſtes off our time / and ſuch brambels hauehave intitled them ſelues by the name off Apoſtels / and taken vponupon them to ordeine others: but all that hauehave had together with pietie / any ſpark off iudgement / hauehave beſide their hereſies condemned alſo this phrenſie. eLib. Epiſt. 2.Cyprian reprocheth Nouatus / that he ſent forth newe Apoſtels. fCont. epiſt. fundam. & l. 1. de Act. cum Felice,Auguſt. preſſeth the Manicheans once / or twiſe: which ſaied / they were Apoſtels / and demaundeth what ſcripture they could ſhew / to ſhew themſelues Apoſtels. Whereby he declareth that he eſtemed no other Apoſtels / then which had particular teſtimonie off the ſcripture: which thing he neuer laide to the charge off other orders off the Manichean Miniſters. gZuingl. Eccleſiaſ.Zuinglius alſo chargeth the Anabaptiſtes / aſwell for that they tooke vpō them the office: as alſo for that they chalenged the name / off Apoſtel.
But the D. ſeing his folie laide open to the deriſion off younge children / hath in fauour off his Apoſtels / and Prophetes / inuented a newe diſtinction. For where I alledged certeine proper markes off the Prophetes / as foretelling thinges to come / and Apoſtels / as immediat calling from God / ſeing off Chriſt / embaſſadge into the whole world / which not falling into any function nowe in vſe / proue that they are ceaſſed: he aſwereth / that Pag. 229. 231. 218.Prophetes, and Apoſtels in ſuch reſpectes are ceaſſed, but continue ſtill as towching preaching the goſpell. Then which what can be more bluntly ſpoken? For yt as much as yf one ſhould ſay / that a beaſt is a man / although not in reſpect that it hath a naturall capacity off reaſon / and ſpeach: yet in that it liueth / and hath ſenſe as a man. For as a man / and a beaſt being both liuing thinges / are ſeuered one from an other by their properties / and ſpeciall differences (as they be called off the Logicians): euen ſo Apoſt. Prophetes / Euangeliſtes / Paſtors / Doctors / being all preachers off the Goſpell / are ſeuered by that wherein they differ / one from an other. And as he can be no man which hath none off thoſe differences / whereby a man is ſeuered from other liuing thinges: ſo he can not be Prophete / or Apoſtel / which hath nothing whereby he may differ / from a Paſtor / Doctor / or Euangeliſt. Yt is alſo too childiſhe / that he vnderſtandeth not how the difference off a thing (which is the ſubſtantiall forme) being taken away / the thing it ſelfe can not remaine.
Therefore yf the D. will hauehave Apoſtels / Prophetes / and Euangeliſtes remaine: he muſt ſhew howe both euerie one off thoſe / nowe differ from them ſelues / and from the functions off Paſtor / and Doctor. In which behalf he hath bene hacking / but his tooles will not enter. For this newe Apoſtels office, is placed in preaching the word where need requireth: the Prophetes in an eſpeciall gift off 129.interpreting the ſcriptures: the Euangeliſtes office being ſet betwene three opinions / as it were three ſtooles / ether off preaching more feruently then other, or off preaching the goſpell, or off preaching ſymply, falleth flat to the ground. For howe dare he take vponupon hym to ſet vp Euangeliſtes / whē as appeareth here / and eſpecially pa. 407. he knoweth not what their office is, and wherein it conſiſteth? Which might hauehave ſerued him for a peece off inſtruction / that that functiō is ceaſſed. For euē as the Iewes if they were not altogether blinded / might vnderſtand that the Lord hath takē away the difference off cleane / and vncleane beaſtes / in that (by their owne confeſſion) they can not come to the knowledge off meates forbidden: euen ſo if (as he ſaith) the Lord hath not left any exact knowledge in the ſcriptures of this office / beſide other reaſons / he declared by this alſo / that his meaning was / that it ſhould hauehave no continuance. Conſidering that there is no office off continuance / whereoff all the partes / hauehave not a full ſight / and manifeſt ſhewe in the ſcriptures.
But let the Anſw. reape that he neuer ſue / and not able to proue any / let him enioy ether all / or that ſignification off Euangeliſtes / which ſerueth his turne beſte. Firſt it can not be denied / but all theſe three agree in preaching off the goſpell. Likewiſe that which the D. aſſigneth in the deſcription off Apoſtels / that they preach where need requireth, agreeth vntounto his Euangeliſtes / and Prophetes / both by the practiſe of their offices in the ſcripture: and by the D. owne confeſſion / eſpecially in Euangeliſtes / whoſe miniſtrie he appointeth in going from place to place. This differēce thē remaineth / that Euangeliſtes do preach with greater zeale then other, the Prophetes with greater dexteritie off interpreting. Wherein firſt he is a ſmall freind off the Apoſtels. Whom contrary to their Epheſ. 4. 11. Cor. 1. 12. 28.inſtitution / he hath thruſt downe vnderunder the degre off Prophetes / and Euangeliſtes / which hauing certen giftes off Zeale / and dexteritie off interpreting aboue them: muſte needes hauehave the vpper hand. Secondly he hath gyuen a checke to the Prophetes / whom the ſcripture preferring before / he placeth behinde the Euangeliſt. Epheſ. 4. 11.For the gift off Zeale in preaching the word ſymply / being more excellent then to hauehave a ſpeciall dexteritie / and red…nes in interpreting (thone proceding off greater knowledge / thother off greter louelove): the office whereunto yt is knit / muſte needes be higher. Thirdly let him ſhewe / how thes Euangeliſtes / Prophetes / and Apoſtels / may be chaunged into Paſtors. For yf their giftes off interpretatiō / and Zeale / be greater thē fall into a Paſtor: then yt is nether lawfull for the Biſhop to admit / nor for them to accept the office off a paſtor / after they hauehave once exerciſed thes offices: which is directly contrary to the practiſe off our churches. Fourthly if there be ſuch offices / why are they not ordeined eueryevery one to their ſeuerall function: Apoſtels to their Apoſtelſhip / Prophetes to their Prophetſhip / Euangeliſtes to their Euangeliſt ſhip? that they may knowe to what kinde of Miniſterie to applie themſelues / and pourſue after that gift / which is moſte agreable with their office. Fiftly / conſidering that yt is commen to them all to preache whereneed requireth / how cōmeth yt to paſſe / that ſome beinge reſtrained vntounto a Dioceſe / other hauehave for their circuit / a whole prouince / other a whole realme / other two realmes off England / and Ireland? or if this diuerſitie off limitation / make diuerſitie off function: let him tell vsus / which off thes we ſhall take for Apoſtels / which for Prophetes / which for Euangeliſtes. But there would be no end / yf I ſhould pourſue all the abſurdities / which hang vponupon this aſſertion. I come therefore vntounto that ſpoken a part off the Euangeliſtes.
He ſaith that he hath ſhewed by ſcripture, reaſon, and autoritie, Diuiſ. 5. pa. 233.that thoughe the name off an Euangeliſt be changed, yet the office remaineth: which is moſte vntrue. For nether hath yt any autoritie at all / and yt is both againſt reaſon / and ſcripture / that the office by his ſaying remaining fully / and in all pointes: the name ſhould be Diuiſ. 2. pa. 217.chaunged. I ſay by his ſaying fully / and in all pointes / foraſmuch as that towching writing off the goſpell (wherein onelyonly he maketh our Euangeliſtes / to differ from thoſe in the Apoſtels time) ſhalbe ſhewed not to apperteine vntounto the office off an Euangeliſt / ſuch as Saint Paul ſpeaketh off. Where I ſaide it is againſt reaſon / that the name ſhoulde be taken away: both I ſaide it for that there is a profitable admonition in it / to kepe them in remembrance off their dutie: and for that it conteineth a marke off Honour / aboue certein other miniſters. Which being a part off reward / ought not to be cut of from them / which doo faithfully beſtowe themſelues in that office. yt is againſt ſcripture manifeſtly: which by this meanes is ſet to ſchoole / whileſt the name which yt gaue being caſte aſide / an other as more fit / is receiued. Whereunto ad / that it is againſt commen experience. For it commeth often to paſſe / that the duties commaunded falling away / the names anexed vntounto them remaine: but that they remaining / the names (eſpecially which cary a note off honour / that men ſo willingly lay hould of) weare out / is very ſeldome / or neuer heard off. So that here I hauehave to thancke the D. which putteth me in remembrance off a very probable reaſon / againſt all his newe found aſwel Prophetes / and Apoſtels / as Euangeliſtes. Which is / that for ſo much as the names were worne out many ages agoe / the offices them ſelues had alſo an end: and foraſmuche as no ordinary miniſter nowe / owght to be called by thes titles / or being called to receiue thē: ther fore the offices whereof theſe be the names / are ceaſſed. Otherwiſe theſe titles both ought to be giuē / ād may be receiued / as well as thoſe of biſhop / or Paſtor / and Doct.
Where I alledge that Timothe, and Philip Euangeliſtes, had their vocation confirmed by miracle: towching Philip he maketh an outcrie / for that he was entred into his miniſterie off Euangeliſtſhip, before the miracle 8. Act. 29. As if the ſame came not to paſſe Num. 17. 8.in Aron / which had his calling confirmed by miracle / long after he had don the office of the high prieſt. Likewiſe he anſwereth / that it was rather doon for the Eunuches ſake, then for Philips. Albeit yt were ſo / yet by that (rather) is not ſhut forth / that yt was doō for Philips. If he had learned that Dauid / and other ſeruantes off 1. Sam. 27 1. Pſal. 116 11.God / come oftentimes ether through ſmall ſucceſſe in their miniſtrie / or manifould contradictions off the wicked / or ſenſe off their owne weakenes / into doubt off their calling: he would not hauehave found it ſo ſtraunge / that the ſeruantes off God in their owne reſpect / hauehave had theſe confirmacions. Where he ſaith / theſe particular examples make no generall rule: I ſhewed the likelihood / wherevpon I thought the reſt to hauehave the ſame / forſomuch as theſe twoo which the ſcripture onelyonly calleth Euangeliſtes / had that confirmation. Which I leaue to the iudgement of the reader.
Where he ſaith / the place 1. Tim. 1. 18. proueth not that Timo. had his calling confirmed by miracle, firſt becawſe Prophecie is no miracle, then becawſe he being ordeined by putting on off handes, needed no confirmaton by miracle: the firſt is nothing but daliance in the word / my meaning being apparant / which is / that he was by an extraordinary calling / and in our Miniſters vnwonted. Albeit yff to hauehave thinges hid / and which no knowledge off man is able to come vntounto foretould / be miraculous: yt can not be denied / but that a Prophecie may in a generall ſenſe / be called a miracle. The other exception is friuolous: conſidering that both Paul / and Barnabas which were miraculouſly called of the holy goſt / by the voice off the Prophetes / vntounto acerten miniſterie / had notwithſtanding for a further confirmacion / the laying on off handes Act. 13. 3.off the Myniſterie off Antioche. And yt ys alſo vngoddly / as that which directly contrarieth Sainct Paul which drawing argumentes for the confirmacion off Timothe / as well off that Propheceie / as off the impoſition off handes: eſteemed them both needfull. That which he addeth / that there is 1 Tim. 4. 14. 2. Timo. 1. 6.no mention off any Euangeliſtſhip in that place off Timothe: is vnworthy any anſwer.
An other anſwer is / that Timoth. was Biſhop. in proofe whereoff like an euill ſhoomaker as one ſaide / which putteth a great ſhoo on a litle foot / he hath ſpent a whole ſheet off papir. When Diuiſ. 59. pa. 404. Ageſilaus in Plutar.yf he had gained this point / yt would ſerue him to ſmall aduantage: which notwithſtanding how far he is from / ſhall plainely be ſeen. Therfore to giuegive the onſet off this great heape / his firſt reaſon that Timothe was biſhop, becauſe the Epiſtels written vntounto him conteine the office off a biſhop: proueth as well that he was a Deacon / a widowe / a man / a woman / old / young / and conſequently a monſtre: ſeing he wrote off all their duties. Yea rather that he was a Deacon. Conſidering that there is nothing in the deſcription off a Deacon / which agreeth not vntounto him: but in the deſcription off a biſhop / that which he requireth off not being giuen to vvine, and not being a young Chriſtian, could hauehave no place in Timothies inſtruction: nouriſhed in the truth from his 2. Tim. 3. 15.cradel / and ſo ſparing in the vſe off wine / that S. Paul was faine to call him to a more liberall vſo off it. let him ſhew therfore but one onelyonly precept directed vntounto Timothe in both thoſe Epiſtels 1. Timo. 5 23.which is proper vntounto a biſhop: nay let him ſhew one procept (that onelyonly excepted which I alledged / off doing the worck of an Euangeliſt) which owght not as well to hauehave bene obſerued off the Apoſtel him ſelf / yf he had tawght where Timothe did. Yf he be able to ſhew no one ſuch point / which maketh him to differ from other miniſters of the word: then all may ſee how vaine a reaſon this is / which he hath made the growndſell off this cawſe.
His ſecond reaſon drawne (as he calleth yt) off the ſubſcription of the ſecond Epiſtle / is as vaine. For who is there onles be which hath his noſe ſtuffed / with ſelfe willed preiudice againſt the truth / that can not eaſely ſmell that ſubſcription / not to be in the canon off the holy ſcripture? for conſidering that he had in the beginning off the Epiſtle / made the direction vntounto Timothet what needed he in the ſubſcription / repete the ſame againe? Likewiſe that he was firſt, and that he was ordeined, or choſen by voice: ſauoreth not S. Paul. Conſidering that yf there were any ſuch thing / both Timot. and the Epheſi. knew it well: and there was more cawſe to write that in the former Epiſtel / then in this whereby he calleth him from thence: alſo in the ſuperſcription / then in the ſubſcriptiō. ſeing it is contrary to all vſe of letters / to ſet ether the name / or titles off him to whom we write / in the ſubſcription / or vnderwriting of our letters. This riot / and diſorder hardly happen vntounto a man off meane Iudgement / and ſhall we thinke that they were committed off Saint Paul / or rather of God by him? laſt off all / that the ſubſcription hath vvas vvritten, and not vvritten, and vvhen Paul appeared, not vvhen I / or vvhen I Paul appeared: doth manifeſtly argue / that yt was none off his / conſidering that there ys no ſuche ſubſcription in all his Epiſtles / where he ſpeaketh off him ſelf / in the third perſon. And ſeing in thoſe thinges wherein he vſed the hand off an other / which copied out his letters / he neuer vſeth that manner of ſpeache: that he would vſe yt in the ſubſcription / which can not be otherwiſe eſteemed then off his owne hand / yt is altogether incredible▪
Where for confirmation off this he ſaith / that it is ſo in the moſt, beſt, and auncienteſt greeke copies: him ſelf ſetdowne his anſwer / which he is not able once to remoue. For yf thoſe ſubſcriptiōs be vntrue / as appeareth / eſpecially in that of the firſt epiſtle to the Cor. which hauehave teſtimonie off the moſte / beſt / and auncienteſt writers / as well as this: how cometh yt to paſſe / that there being the ſelfe ſame autoritie in both / yt ſhould be off ſuch ſtrenght in Beza. vponupon the 1. Cor.in this ſubſcription / which is off no value in the other? nay when that ſubſcription to the Cor. hath the teſtimonie off all greeke copies / and this off his is forſaken not onelyonly off the Syriake paraphraſe / but off diuerſe the auncienteſt greeke copies: howe is he not aſhamed to lay ſuch weight off this cawſe / in that teſtimonie? VponUpon 1. Timot.yt is true therefore that M. Beza ſaith / that theſe ſubſcriptions were not S. Pauls / but ſome others / for the moſt part ether vnlearned / or not ſo well aduiſed.
His third reaſon is drawne off autoritie off writere. wherein not to examin howe truly he hath alledged theſe places / as a thing vnworthy the tourning off a leafe / nor to ſpeake off his fond allegation off diuers autorities / eſpecially Chryſoſtome / and Theodoreis / which make no manner mention off any biſhopely ſtate off Timothe / off Zuinglius twiſe cited which making thoffice off a biſhop / and Euangeliſt one / ſerueth not to proue / ether that he was more a biſhop then an Euangeliſt / or that the ſame may hauehave diuers functions at once: I ſay not to examin theſe / they are all (yf I would vſe his owne weapon) ouerthrowne pag. 325.in a word / that hiſtories are not curious, in calling men by their ſeuerall titles. If that be true in hiſtories / which off all other ſeeke after euen from the cradell to the graue / thinges of les importance / then the office which a man hath borne / ether in church / or commen wealth: much more is it in other writers. But that writers eſpecially when they ſpeake by the way / and not off ſet pourpoſe / ſpeake thus / and call mē by vnpropertitles: ſhalbe once anſwered againſt all the rakinges / both here / and pag. 230. when I come to the D. argumēts whereby he proueth Prophetes / Euangeliſtes / Apoſtles / &c. In the meane ſeaſon I will not ſticke to cōfeſſe / that diuers off theſe writers / hiſtories eſpecially (peraduenture deceiued by that ſubſcription) eſtemed him a biſhop / and no Euangeliſte. But what then? if they were for one a 100. they can not counteruaile / much leſſe beare downe / the teſtimonie of the Apoſtle.…. Timot. 4. 5.
Howbeit not all the auncient writers / are (as he vntruly ſaith) of that iudgemēt. For not to ſpeake of Ambroſe / which calleth Timot. a Deacon / where he oppoſeth a Deacon to a biſhop: In Epiſt. ad Phil. Ad Trall.Ignatius an auncient writer ſaith / that he was a Deacon / and that where he deuiding the miniſteries off the church into Biſhopes / and Deacons / &c. doth openly oppoſe a Deacon to a biſhop. Where all his teſtimonies are not able to aford one ſentence / wherein Timothè is ſo called a Biſhop / that he is oppoſed / vntounto an Euangeliſt. Therfore althowghe thes places proue him nor an Euangeliſt: yet they hauehave more to proue that he was no biſhop / that all thoſe to proue him a biſhop / which are raked here together. Albeit Ignatius miſſing the proper name / aſſigneth him the true office off an Euangeliſt: which was to be aſſiſtant to Saint Paul in his Apoſtelſhip. Where he ſaith / that all the new writers are off that minde that he was a biſhop, Maiſter Beza onelyonly excepted: I truſt the Doctors faith in alledging autorities / ys too well knowen / to abuſe the ſimpleſt any more / with theſe viſardes. I onelyonly had Calu. and Muſcul. at hand / the reader may looke others yf he Cal inſti. 4. 3. 4. Tit. de miniſ. ca. de off.thinke good: both which plainely ſay he was an Euangeliſt / where they handle properly the ſeuerall miniſtries off the church / and make a manifeſt difference betwene a biſhop / and an Euangeliſt. And ſuch is his dealing / that he feareth not to bring euen from thence a peece of proofe / where Calu. mouing the queſtion / whether the word Euangeliſt verified off Timoth. be taken in a generall ſenſe / for any that preacheth the word / or for that proper office 2. Tim. 4.which S. Paul expreſſeth to the Epheſ. vppon two reaſons concludeth / that he ſpeaketh off that office off an Euangeliſt. Yet vppon that he ſaith / Timothe vvas excellenter then common Paſtors: this trimme interpreter concludeth directly againſt Caluin / that he had the proper office off a Biſhop, and that Caluin ment that he had a notable gift aboue the reſt off the Paſtors. As though Caluin reaſoned not off the degree off offices / one aboue an other: but off the degree of giftes in one / and the ſame. Yt is too great ſhame to ſtriue with ſuche light of wordes. Conſidering that he dothe there make Timothes office, a middle degree betvveen Paſtors, and Apoſtels: higher then Paſtors / lower then Apoſtles.
This man alſo which reprocheth me as one ſetting the fathers together by the eares, without cawſe where the diſagreemēt is manifeſt / 102. Pag. 114.and which ſaith ſymply / that yt is great iniurie to learned men, to accuſe them off contrarietie with themſelues: goeth about to proue Beza directly contrary vntounto him ſelff. For where Beza ſheweth VponUpon 1. Tim. 1.that Saint Paul did not leue Tim. at Epheſus, as their biſhop, which the D. in affirming that Beza is againſt him cōfeſſeth, he buſieth him ſelf / to proue him to hauehave contrary ſentences. For proof hereoff he alledgeth / that all were biſhops which S. Paul ſent for from Epheſus to Miletum: and therefore Timothe being one off thoſe which by Bezaes iudgement was ſent for, muſt needes be a Biſhop. Albeit it he graunted which Beza ſaith / that Tim. was ſent for: yet that they were all biſhops wanted proof. For all know that it is not vnwonted / to call a whole companie gathered off diuers degrees / by the title off that whereoff there are muſte in the companie / without ſpeaking to eueryevery one by their particular titles: eſpecially ſeing he ſpeaketh indefinitely / that the holy goſt, had appointed them, and not all them Biſhops. Where Saint Luke ſaith that both the princes off the people / Elders / and Scribes / and thoſe of the race off the highe priſtes were aſſembled: Peter in ſpeaking vntounto Act. 4. 5. & 6.them maketh mention onelyonly off the Princes / and Elders / without naming the ſcribes / and prieſtes / which notwithſtanding he ſpake vntounto with the reſt.
But I can hardly graunt that Timothe was then ſent for / to come with the reſt off the Miniſters vntounto Miletum. conſidering that there was as appeareth ſo ſmall a ſpace / at the leaſt betwene Act. 20. 4the time which Beza ſuppoſeth Timoth. to hauehave bene ſent to Epheſus from S. Paul / and this ſending for the biſhops vntounto Miletum: that Timo. taking the ſtreight courſe vntounto Epheſus / was litle more then onelyonly arriued / when Saint Paul ſent from Miletum. Secondly for that S. Paul writeth vntounto Timothe / that he left Trophimus / one off his companions in that iourney / 2. Tim. 4. 20. Act 20. 4ſicke at Miletum: which had bene nedeles yf Timothe had bene with Paul / as the biſhops off Epheſus were / vntill he parted from Miletum. Thirdly / for that S. Paul in that oration vntounto the biſhops / ſaith that he knew that none off them ſhould ſee his Act. 20. 25. 38.face any more: which he would neuer hauehave ſaide off Tim. His other reaſon that he calleth him preſident, a generall word agreing to any in preeminence / is nothing worth. That which he ioineth to backe yt with / as added by Beza out off Cypri. that the Biſhop ruled the colledge off Seniors: the place is in his confeſſions / and not where he aſſigneth. howbeit yt maketh nothing to the pourpoſe. For althowgh the Biſhops were preſidentes in the Elderſhip in Cyprians time / when that office was the higheſt in the churche: yet yt followeth not therefore / that the biſhops were alwayes the firſt in the Apoſtels times / when there were higher functions. Onles the D. will ſay that the biſhops toke the vpper hand off the Apoſtels / and Prophetes / when they came vntounto their churches / and ioyned them ſelues vntounto their conſultations.
And albeit yt hath appeared / and ſhall appeare that the Anſw. hath not wun ſo much as a poore cottage: yet as though he had taken great Babylon / or Niniue / he maketh his Triumphes: which yf he had had any hould off him ſelf / at leaſt he might hauehave differred / vntill he had anſwered the reaſons to the contrary. For yf (as he moſte vntruly ſaith) he had all the writers calling Timothe biſhop: yet yf the ſcripture ſtand for vsus / yt ys reaſon that he with all his writers / ſhould vaile their bonnet. Nowe therefore although he ſay / I forget my promis, of prouing Timothe an Euangeliſt: yet the reaſon I alledged / that the ſcripture ſo calleth pag. 232.him, will proue better memorie in this point / then he can well aford. To this reaſon he anſwereth / firſt that the ſcripture doth not call him ſo, but onelyonly biddeth him doo the worcke of an Euang. which in deed is more againſt him. For they are ſometimes called by a title / 233.which not doing the worck belonging thereunto / can not be properly ſo called: but they which doo the worcke which the title pretendeth / may alwaies properly be called by yt. And the vſualleſt argumentes in ſcripture / to proue or improue a man to be ſuch / as he beareth countenance off / are fetched from this place off effectes.
His ſecond anſwer ſtandeth off the interpetation off theſe wordes / the vvorcke off an Euangeliſt. Which being alledged out off Bulling. Muſcul. Heming. to be preaching the goſpell purely, and conſtantly is nothing to the pourpoſe. For we graunt yt is true / but that there is further vnderſtanded / which may ſeuere hym from other miniſters off the word. Whereoff Caluin aſſigneth VponUpon 2. Tim. 4. 5.thes reaſons: one that by aſcribing vntounto him this degree aboue that off Paſtors / he might procure him more autoritie: the other that he might thereby gyue the ſpur to ſtir vp / and enforce him ſelf to all carefull trauaile / off anſwering ſo highe a calling. Off both which reaſons he aſſigneth a manifeſt cauſe / which is that the Apoſtel throughout his whole epiſtle / driueth vntounto thoſe two endes: This is yet clearer / for that where other titles off Apoſt. Prophe. &c. be caried off the ſcripture from their particular / vntounto a generall ſignification: this word off Euangeliſt (ſet a part this place in controuerſie) is not vſed but to note that proper office / oppoſed vntounto other miniſteries off the word. And therefore foreign. 1. Tim. 2. 7. 2 Tim 1. 11. pag. 232. li. 3. 37.the Apoſtel hauing occaſion to ſpeake off this word preacher / ſhunneth (as ſemeth) the word Euangeliſt / and vſeth an other: when as notwithſtanding the word Euangeliſt was proper to holy writ / and thother commen to prophane: off which reaſon alſo I left a ſtep / in the place before recited. Againe Euſebius (howſoeuer otherwiſe he forgetteth him ſelf) where he ſpeaketh off that proper office / noteth it out by the ſame manner of ſpeache which the Apoſtell: ſaying / they did the vvorcke off Euangeliſtes. foreign. Act. 17. 18. 19 1. Cor. 16. 1. Theſ. 3. Act 20. Phil 1. 21. Coloſ. 1. Philem. Eph 4. 11 1. Cor. 12. 28. …0.Laſt off all it appeareth by that the ſcripture ſetteth forth off him / both before he was at Epheſus / and after / touchching his miniſterie in many places where the Apoſtels had tawght before: that the worcke off Euangeliſt / is taken in that particular ſignification / whereby it is ſeuered from other Miniſters: conſidering that the Euangeliſtes office was / to water where the Apoſtles had planted / and to be aſſiſtant vntounto them.
His third anſwer is a maſh / and bruing of all together / drinck fitter for horſe / then men. For to be ſure to make Timothe a biſhop / he thinketh that one at one time / may be Apoſtle / Euangeliſt / Doctor / biſhop / and I can not tell what: which is directly againſt the word off God. As when yt ſaith that God gaue ſome Apoſtels, ſome Prophetes: againe he ſet firſt Apoſtles, ſecondly Prophetes, &c. Againe are all Apoſtels, are all Prophetes, &c. Whereby appeareth / that the holy goſt placeth thes diuers giftes in ſeuerall perſones / and that they are one vnderunder an other: ſo that onles one / and the ſame mā may at one time / be ſecond and third / inferior and ſuperior / before and after him ſelfe: yt can not be that one at one time / can be Apoſtle / Euangeliſt / &c. hetherto perteineth (which is towched in the former booke) that the Apoſtel bringeth off the likenes off conſtitution off our bodies / with Rom. 12. 4. 5. 1. Cor. 1…, 12.the church, that as the naturall bodie / ſo the ſpirituall of the churche / is beſt preſerued / and mainteined in moſt comelines / when eueryevery member doth his proper office: and of the contrary ſide / … thone ſo thother is hurt / and diſfygured / when one breaketh vponupon an other. Whereuppon yt is euident / how vntrue yt ys which the D. doth in ſo great aſſurance ſet downe: that one may be Euangeliſt / and Biſhop at one time.
Beſides that / he is confuted by his owne wordes. For if the office off an Euangeliſt / be to preach more feruently then others: (which ſignificatiō thoſe three which he hath ſet downe onelyonly (as that which putteth a differēce betwē yt ād others) cā ſtād) thē he cā be no biſhop: cōſidering that eueryevery office hath his proper gift / according to the meaſure whereof it is exequuted. And yt is as abſurd / that a biſhop ſhould preach more feruētly / ād beyōd the meaſure of a biſhop: as yt is that a mā may leape beyond him ſelf / ouerrun himſelf. yt is ſaide that one in his full age / differeth from him ſelfe in his childhood: and a man at one time / may after a ſort paſſe hym ſelf at an other: but that he ſhould differ from him ſelf / at one and the ſame time / as the D. iudgement implieth / this is the firſt tydinges I hauehave heard off yt. Againe yt is houlden off all that I hauehave red (Zuinglius onelyonly excepted / which maketh a biſhop / and an Euangeliſt all one) that both an Euangeliſt is not / and a biſhop is / bound to a certaine place. And this difference is thus far confeſſed off the D. that the Paſtor is more bound to one ſpeciall church / then the Euangeliſt. which yf yt be true / a man being (as he ſaith) at one time both biſhop / and Euangeliſt / may be alſo at one time bound / and not bound vntounto one place / hauehave a ſpeciall charge off one / and indifferent off all: which will be hard for him to bring to paſſe / without he worcke miracles.
For his reaſons whereupon this opinion ſtandeth / that Saint Paul is called a Doctor, S. Mathew, and Iohn being Apoſtels, are off writers 1. Tim. 2.called Euangeliſtes: they are far from prouing this. Touching the fyrſt / Saint Paul ys not called a Doctor ſymply / but with addition Doctor off the Gentils: declaring that his Myniſtry perteined not to one kingdome / but vntounto all / which is all one with an Apoſtel. Towching thother / he ſhould vnderſtand that our queſtion ys not off an Euangeliſt as writers / but as Sainct Eph. 4. 11Paul taketh Euangeliſt: which can be by no meanes vnderſtanded off him / which writeth the ſtorie off the goſpell. conſidering that Philip which is confeſſed to hauehave bene an Euangeliſt / in that ſenſe was none. Yff he ſay that the Apoſtle ment / to ſet forth twoo kindes of Euangeliſtes / one preaching onelyonly / an other preaching / and writing too: I anſwer / that Saint Paule pourpoſing there to ſet forth the liberalitie off the Lord / in giuing preaching miniſtries vntounto the church / was nether ſo negligent a commender off the grace off God / nor ſo drie / and poore off ſpeach: but yf there had bene an other ſeuerall miniſterie (as this anſwer ſuppoſeth) he both would / and could hauehave vſed an other word / as a ſeuerall diſhe to hauehave preſented this gift with. And ſeyng the D. bringeth in S. Paul / offring one onelyonly gift of the biſhoprik / vntounto the church / in two wordes as it were two diſhes: Pag. 219.what likelihood ys there / that he would thruſt vp ſo narrowly thes two giftes / whereoff ech off them being more excellent then the biſhoprick / aſketh greater roume?
Moreouer by the ſame reaſon that men may call Saint Mathew / and Saint Iohn Euangeliſts / becawſe they wrote the ſtories of the goſpell: they may call S. Paul / and Peter / &c. For as they wrote the ſtorie / ſo thes wrote the ſumme off the whole doctrine off the goſpell. They being therefore both writers off the goſpell / in this rule of eſteeming Euangeliſtes by writing / muſte needes be a like Euangeliſtes. For the greeke word fauoureth the one as well as the other: yt being as ioyfull newes / which S. Peter / and Paul wrote / as that which S. Mathew / and Iohn. For the difference off ſtorie and ſumme, bring not a graine weight to pull the name of Euangeliſts more to theſe / then to thoſe. Nowe therefore forſomuch as yt ys manifeſt by the ſubſcription of S. Pauls epiſtels / that he writing did the office of an Apoſtle: it is alſo cleare / that both S. Mathew / and Iohn being Apoſtels / in writing the ſtorie off the Goſpell did the ſame: and that the committing off the Goſpell to writing / was not the proper difference off any ſpeciall office / but according to thoccaſions offered / and mouing of the holy ſpirit off God / commen to other functions off that time. And as the Paſtors off our time which both preach / and write / differ not in miniſterie from thoſe which preach onelyonly / and are oftentimes more excellent paſtors / then they, ſo the w…ſting off Saint Iohn / and Mathew being Apoſtels / off Saint Lucke / and Marck Euangeliſtes / might paraduenture make them more excellent Apoſtels / or Euangeliſtes / then thoſe which wrote not: but to chaunge their miniſterie / it could not. Laſt off all / off this anſwer followeth thabſurditie before noted / that one man at the ſame time / ſhould be firſt / and ſecond / before and behinde himſelfe.
That an Euangeliſt at one time / may be a biſhop at an other, maketh litle for the D. conſidering that we ſhewe / that Timothe 2. Tim. 4. 5.was euen then at Epheſus an Euangeliſt / when he ſuppoſeth hym to hauehave bene biſhop. Howbeit it is vnlike that they which were ordeined Euangeliſtes / and ſet in higher degree aboue the Paſtor / were without their fault / thruſt downe vntounto the order of Biſhops. Men nowe a daies peraduenture may chuſe to an office off charge / one whom vppon better triall as not altogether ſufficient / they may cauſe to riſe out off his chaire / and ſit in a lower place: but in the Apoſtels ordinatiō / eſpecially of Timo. in whom they were directed by the voice off God / it could by no meanes 1. Tim. 1. 18.comme to paſſe. This being vntrue / in the Euangeliſts caſt down to thoffice off biſhops: ys yet more vntollerable in the Apoſtels. For they are by this meanes not let / but caſt headlong downe / from the higheſt ſtaier in the miniſterie / vntounto the loweſt almoſt: yea by the D. ſaying (which maketh the Paſtor / and the Doctor all one) euen vntounto the loweſt. But it can not be / that they which were appointed by the voice off Chriſte immediatly to the Apoſtelſhip / can ether off theyr owne / or any other autoritie in yearth / be put from that miniſterie. And therefore our men doo ſubſtantially diſpute againſt the Papiſtes / which would hauehave Peter biſhop of Rome: for that being ordeined an Apoſtel / he could not betake him vntounto thoffice off a biſhop. which the Anſw. with diuers other groundes / would to mainteine his phantaſies gladly ſhake.
The reaſon pretended out off Zuing. for that they abode in one place: yf it be his / is vnſufficient. For to omit that it is eaſy to ſhew / that Iames immediatly after he was ordeined to the Apoſtelſhip at thaſcenſion off our Sauiour / exerciſed his charge in one place / namely Ieruſalem / during his whole life / whereby ſhould follow that he was neuer any Apoſtell: and to let paſſe that Euſebius citeth out off Clement / that all the Apoſtels remained 5. li. 18. c.by the ſpace off xij. yeares in Ieruſalem / after our Sauiour Chriſtes aſcenſion / whereby they all ſhould be biſhops during that time: to ſay nothing alſo off Saint Paule / which teaching at Rome / and there looking to end his life / euē from thence writeth 28. act. 30 Eph. 1. 1. 2. Tim. 1. 1him ſelf an Apoſtle / ād not a biſhop: I ſay to let all this paſſe / which notwithſtāding caſteth downe this opiniō / the Anſ. muſt know that thabiding long in one place / doth not make a biſhop differ frō an Apoſtel: but the neceſſitie / and bond to abide in one place / by reaſon of his particular function. Which when it nether can be ſhewed off any Apoſtel / and is as hath bene ſhewed / directly contrary to his function: yt can not be / that the abode in one place / ſhould proue a chaunge off the Apoſtelſhip / into the function off a biſhop.
Whereby is alſo anſwered the laſt reaſon off the D. that Tim. was biſhop, becawſe he retourning to Epheſus died there. For yf that were graunted / what reaſon is there / that whereas by the biſcours off the ſcriptures before alledged / it appeareth Timothe tawght in diuers churches: he ſhould be ſaide biſhop off Epheſus / becawſe that was the laſt church he inſtructed? why not off the firſt / or ſecond as well as off the laſt? it is all one as yf a man being a ſtraunger in diuers places / ſhould be ſaide to be Cytiſen of that / were he laieth his bones. Wherein the D. againe approcheth vntounto the abſurditie off the Papiſtes: which againſt that the Proteſtantes alledge / that Peter is ſaide off writers / as well biſhop off Alexandria / and Antioche / as off Rome / anſwer that the differēce is great / becauſe he died at Rome. Nether helpeth it him any thing which he alledgeth in an other place out of Cal. that Tychicus was ſent to ſupplie Timothies abſence. For beſide that the Apoſtle doth pag. 336.not goe ſo far / and whatſoeuer can be ſaide in that point is coniecturall: Calu. wordes do not neceſſarily enforce a deputie / conſidering that abſence may after a ſort be ſupplied / by a ſucceſſour.
And if beſide the firſt ordination off Timoth. vntounto the function off an Euangeliſt / which is vnlimited / we will conſider the manner off his embaſſage towardes the Epheſ. there can nothing les be gathered then this / that Timothe was off Saint Paul inſtituted biſhop off Epheſus / whereby he ſhould need a 1. Tim. 1. … foreigndeputy. For in that he ſent him / deſyring him to tary for him there: he declareth that he was not ſent to remaine alwaies / but for a tyme. But if the Anſw. take exception that I hauehave found out this newe tranſlation / to make the place ſerue for my turne: fyrſt I truſt that thoſe which hauehave ſtill in the greek / will eaſly graunt that the word will bear this ſenſe: then it hath ſome confirmacion of that / which Saint Paul writeth off diligence to be vſed in his caling there / vntill his cōming. Which word vntill although 1. Tim. 4. 13. Suſtineres me. 2. l. cont. epiſt. Par.not alwaies: yet for the moſt part / maketh an ēd of that / whereunto it is applied. Laſt off all / it appeareth by Auguſtin which vſeth this tranſlation / that yt was off auncient tyme receiued: which teſtimonie off antiquitie caſt in / when the ſkoles are euen on both ſides / may cary it away. Thus I leaue it to the Iudgement off the indifferent reader / what truth it hath that the Anſw. affirmeth / of Timothes being biſhop at Epheſus. I returne back to the generall treatiſe off the Euangeliſt.
Where I ſhew that if there vvere Euangeliſtes, yet the biſhops could not ordein thē; being their inferiors: he anſwereth Diuiſ. 6. pa. 233. Eph. 4. 1…that yt can not be proued, that an Euangeliſt is of higher degree, thē a biſhop. Yf O. Paules autoritie be not ſufficient / which ſetting the miniſtries off the word ſo preciſely in order / preferreth the Euangeliſt / and Prophet vntounto the Paſtor / or biſhop: nor the Iudgement off writers (whereoff although ſome make an Euangeliſt next in honor vntounto an Apoſtle / ſome the Prophet: yet both ſortes prefer Euſeb. 3: 27. Calu. vp. the Eph. Beza. pa. 226.the Euangeliſt / and Prophet vntounto the Paſtor / or biſhop) yf I ſay none of theſe be ſufficient: yet the D. hym ſelfe will help vsus / which in appointing the giftes off Prophetes / and Euangeliſtes greater then thoſe of the biſhop proueth that he here denieth. And although he take this libertie off denying thinges / which none durſt euer call into doubt: yet he eſcapeth not ſo / conſidering that although he make the biſhop to take the wall off the Euangeliſt: yet he can not do yt in the Apoſtels / and Prophetes. Therefore the abſurditie remaineth ſtill / that the biſhop being an inferior miniſter / taketh vponupon hym to make miniſters / which are aboue him. He ſaith that the 7. of the Heb. maketh not for me, becawſe bleſsing is not there taken for conſecration to the miniſtery. yet the reaſon is all one. For as the Apoſtel proueth that Melchizedech was greater then Abraham / becauſe he was the miniſter of God / to pronounce the beſſing vponupon him in the name / and autoritie of the Lord: ſo he that ordeineth being a publike Miniſter off God / to pronounce his aſſiſtance to wardes him that is to be admitted / owght by the ſame reaſon / to be greater then he.
Where I alledged out of Euſeb. that the Euangeliſtes did li. 3. c. 37.ordein biſhops, hauing nothing to anſwer he was content to take the benefit off the printers / or writers fault: which as caſely might come to paſſe / for the figure off 3. had ſet the figure off 2. where I ſhew that thes Euangeliſtes are ſuperfluous, yf the paſtors, and Doctors doo their dutie: he aſketh what iff there be pag. 34.not for eueryevery church, a ſufficient Paſtor. Which being anſwered in an other place / I anſwer alſo here / that his Euangeliſtes ſhould helpe to make vp the nomber. Where he ſaith if eueryevery church were prouided off an able Paſtor, yet for confirmation off the doctrine, oftener preaching, diuers worcking of God by one rather then an other, the Euangeliſtes might doo good: beſide that he eaſely forgetteth the churches charge / which being hardly able to mainteine their proper miniſtery / ſhould be ouercharged with thoſe that ride abowt: and beſide that the Paſtor being prouided vntounto eueryevery church / the ouerplus owght to ſerue to fourniſh them off Doctors / an other ordinarie myniſterie off the word: he muſt know that able teachers / can teach as often as the church can conueniently meet. And it can not be denied / but they hauehave the bleſſing off God promiſed to their labours / before any other. Yf there be any ſuch great / and vrgent need off confirmation off any point off doctrine / the churches hard by may by dutie off godly neighbourhood / help one an other in that behalff.
The place to proue the ceaſſing off this Myniſterie out off Euſeb. lib. 5. ca. 9Euſ. is manifeſt to all that wil vnderſtād. For in that ſpeaking of the time about the yeare 162. he ſaith there vvere yet Euangeliſts, he declareth that there were none in his time: and that he ſaith foreign.with repetition / there vvere there vvere, all ſee that he wrote that with declaration off ſorow / that they hauing bene before / were not then. That which he anſwereth / that they can not now goe from kingdome to kingdome, becawſe the miraculous gift off tounges is ceaſed: maketh vtterly againſt him. For Euſeb. putting that amongeſt other an̄exed to the office off an Euangeliſt: left the reaſon off the want off that miniſterie / which he had before bewailed. Which being the ſame now / that was then: yt followeth that as there was not then / ſo there is not now / any ſuch function. Thus much for the maintenance off the reaſons / which were ſet downe by me againſt the D. Apoſtels / Prophetes / &c. it followeth to examin his.
Firſt the reader may ſee the hardnes off the D. countenance / which hauing diuers reaſons alledged out of the ſcripture / aſketh notwithſtanding for one word out off it / which doth but inſinuate thes Pag. 229.offices to be temporall. After he alledgeth Epheſ. 4. where vponupon that it is ſaide / that thoſe with other Miniſteries off the word / were giuen off God for the gathering together off the ſainctes / vntill we all come vntounto a perfect man: he concludeth but vniuſtly / that they are perpetuall miniſteries. For the offices off Apoſtelſhip / &c. may well hauehave their worck in the perfection off the church / without ſuch continuāce. Which he might hauehave eaſely knowen / if he had conſidered that which our Sauiour Chriſt ſaith / that the fruit off their preaching ſhould remaine. Therfore although 15. Iohn. 16.their miniſtrie were but for a time: yet for as much as the fruit thereoff hath / and ſhall hauehave her worck vntounto the worldes end / in the perfection off the church off God: it might be well ſaide / that they were gyuen for the gathering off the ſainctes / vntill they cam to a be perfect man. Nether doo the wordes off the Apoſtle / import continuance off all theſe offices. For if all thes amongeſt them / and eueryevery one in his turne / finiſh this worck: yt is enough / nothing falleth from the liberalitie off the Lord / nothing from the truth off this word. no more then he breaketh promis / which vndertaking to furniſh an other off all manner of worckmen vntill his howſe be finiſhed / after foundations layed / and patron left vntounto carpenters / and maſons / how to proceed in the reſt off the building: with draweth the maſter builder. for as the lorde abated the nomber of ſortes of builders: ſo hathe he deminiſhed the varietie off workes / requiſite to the building. And as the offices off Paſtor / and Doctor which were not in the beginning off this building / are ſaide to be gyuen to perfecting off it / euen ſo thes functions off Apoſt. &c. although they be not in the end / may likewiſe be ſaide. But I merueil that the Anſw. doth not vnderſtand / that both this place of the Epheſ. and that off the Corinthes …. 12. ſpeak of ſuch Apoſtels / Prophetes / and Euangeliſtes / as were noted with ſuch markes off immediate calling / extraordinary giftes / &c. as fall not into the Apoſtels / Prophetes / &c. which he dreameth off. If therefore he think that the Lord hath bound hym ſelf by thoſe wordes / to continue thes degrees: yt followeth that he is bound to furniſh them / with giftes proper to them. For if promiſing ſuch as S. Paul here meaneth he giuegive other kindes / much inferior vntounto them: he thereby (which all godly eares deteſt) is argued off vntruth.
His other reaſon is / that Prophetes in the 1. Corint. 14. and Prophecie p. 229. 23012. Rom. are put as ordinary. Whereunto I anſwer / that the word Prophecie / is taken ſometimes not for that particular function Saint Paul ſpeaketh off / but generally for any publike inſtruction off the people / in the will off God. As when it is ſaied extinguiſh not the ſpirit, diſpiſe not prophecie. That it ys ſo taken 1. Theſ. 5. 19.to the Rom. yt ys manifeſt / for that yt ys deuided / and altogether conſumed into the miniſteries off the word. So that there being no ordinary miniſter off the word in the church / which it embraceth not: yt muſt follow that it is taken there / for no particular 1. Tim. 3. Phili. 1. 1.function. Which thing may better appeare / for that in other places where S. Paul deuideth the whole myniſtrie of the churche / the miniſtrie off the word / which he vttered here by the word off Prophecie / he there attributeth not vntounto Prophetes / but vntounto Biſhops. And when as the prophecie which the D. phanſieth / is a ſimple Miniſtrie off the church: that Prophecie mencioned there being compounded / muſte needes be diuers. Likewiſe that a Prophet to the Corin. is taken generally / for any which inſtructeth with any word off exhortation / yt is apparant both by that S. Paul attributeth prophecying / to all which hauehave 1. Cor. 14. 1. 2. 3 4. 5. 6. 23. 24 3… ▪ 39,any gift off teaching: and in that he doth ſo often oppoſe it / to the fruteles ſpeaking in a ſtraunge toung / amongeſt the aſſembly of the faithfull.
His teſtimonies out off writers remaine / wherein amongeſt the auncient / he hath onelyonly a counterfeit ſentence off Ambroſe / as I hauehave before declared: which as yt ys full of confuſion / and diſorder: ſo yt maketh nothing for the D. for if Apoſtels be biſhops / and Euangeliſtes / and Euangeliſtes be Deacons / &c. what maketh that to proue / that there are beſide the biſhops / and Deacons / ſeuerall functions of Apoſtels / and Euangeliſtes / which is the queſtion. But how this fable is beaten down by all Tertul de Cor. mil. Athan. in diuerſis Epiſt. Euſeb …. lib. 30. ca. Ieron. ad Euag. Igna. ad Tral. Magneſ. &c. Inſti, li. 4. c. 3. ſ. 4. VponUpon Epheſ. 4.auncient antiquitie / that may be a ſufficient argument / that the auncient writers in great conſent / ſpeake off the whole miniſtrie off the church / as deuided into thes three orders / Biſhops / Elders / and Deacons. After that other miniſtries entred / as doorkepers / ſubdeacons / &c. yet there were none but ſuch lightheaded ſpirits as I hauehave before ſpoken off / that durſt peint out any their mynyſteries / with the names off Apoſtels / Euangeliſtes / and Prophetes.
For the new writers (that the D. if his forhead be not of yron / may learn to bluſh) I will towch their Iudgment onelyonly / which he hath alledged for him ſelf. Maiſter Caluin diuiding the myniſtrie off the word into Apoſtels / Prophetes / Euangeliſtes / Paſtors / and Doctors: affirmeth that the tvvo laſt onelyonly, that is to ſay Paſtors / and Doctors are ordinary. Bucer likewiſe deuiding them into perpetuall, and for a tyme, affyrmeth that theſe perteine vntounto theſtate off the former church / and correcteth the D. Ambroſe for appliyng them to his times / by the true Ambroſes ſentence to the contrary / in the fyrſt of his Offic. Peter Martyr vſing the ſame diuiſion / ſheweth that the function off Apoſt. VponUpon 1. Cor. 12.and Prophets / are not in vſe: and that the miniſtrye of Prophets / is not onelyonly expyred in reſpect of telling thinges to come / but alſo for the manner off interpreting the ſcripture. That he ſpeaketh not the ſame off the Euangeliſt / was for that the Apoſtle maketh no mention off him in that place. Muſculus deuideth the myniſteries Loci. com. de miniſt. ofoff the vvord, into thoſe vvhichwhich ſerued for the beginning off the goſpell, as Apoſt. Euang. Proph.: and thoſe vvhichwhich cōtinue for euer, as Paſtors, Doctors, Elders, Biſhops. Bullinger ſaith the office off Apoſtleſhip / Prophetſhip / and Euangeliſtſhip Dec. 5. ſer. 3./ were inſtituted off the Lord for a tyme: and that thes many ages / euen ſynce the foundacion off the kingedome off Chriſt, both Apoſtels, Euangeliſtes, and Prophetes are ceaſſed, into vvhoſe place are come biſhops, Paſtors, Doctors, and Elders. Laſt off all the confeſſion off the churches / hauing ſpoken off all myniſteries off the word / mencioned off the Apoſtel: concludeth / that off all thoſe now it is lawfull to eſteeme myniſtries off the churche / Biſhops / Elders / Paſtors / and Doctors. Thes autors affirming that thes myniſtries be extraordinary / that they were for a time / that other are come into their places: the reader may ſee how the D. dealeth with him.
Let yt now be noted / how he hath haled thes ſentences taken from them. Out off Maiſter Caluin he alledgeth / that God hath ſtirred vp Apoſtels, or Euangeliſtes ſynce the time of the primitiue churche, and hath doone ſo at this tyme. Within a lyne after he addeth / yet I Inſtit lib. 4 ca. 3. ſe 4call that extraordinary, becauſe in churchs vvell dreſſed, it hath no place. Of the like ſort yt ys that he alledgeth owt off my booke: whereas vponupon Maiſter Caluin / ſo of my wordes / which affirme that God hath raiſed vp ſometimes Euangeliſtes immediatly by his ſpirit, vvithout any calling off men: he woulde conclude / that the office is ordinary / and perpetuall: then which bouldnes what can be greater? Out of Bucer he alledgeth / that there be now Euāgeliſts. Where if his maner of ſpeach / that there are found Euangeliſts, could not / yet that which he addeth / that God doth it by merueilous meanes: ought to hauehave kept him from that allegacion / except he thinck that a miraculous calling / be perpetuall / and ordinary. Out of the Confeſſ. is brought / that thes offices off Apoſtles, &c. are myniſtries off the new Teſtament: els ſhould they hauehave great iniury / ſeing they were both in tyme / and dignitie firſt. but who (the D. ſet a part) would euer conclude therof / that they are perpetuall miniſteries? eſpecially conſidering it addeth immediatly in plaine wordes / that the Apoſtles are ceaſed, and Paſtors come into their places: which could not be / yf it had any ſuch meaning as the D. phanſieth. Where it ſaith / that there are yet Prophetes: yf that were not which I alledged out of it / towhing the ſhutting owt of thoſe three miniſteries / from them which are now in vſe: yet the manner off ſpeaking there are yet found, the ſame with that of Bucer before alledged / declareth that they ment therby an extraordinary calling. For ſo we vſe to ſpeak of thinges rare / and not in commen vſe.
Laſt off all / where yt is alledged owt off Bullinger / that the wordes mentioned to the Ephe. are confounded: yt doth not make for him / but is anſwer both againſt the moſt places brought to proue Timothe a biſhop / and againſt thoſe which he hath cited / in the 3. and 4. Diuiſion off this chap. for if thoſe miniſtries being ſeparate one from an other / their names notwithſtanding be confounded: yt muſte follow / that not eueryevery one which is called an Apoſtle / or biſhop / &c. hath that function which is by ſome proprietie ſeuered from other / and which the Apoſtle mēt to the Eph. for where one man being an Apoſtle / is ſometimes called a Prophet / Biſhop / Doctor / Elder / and Deacon: yf he will ſay that becauſe he is called by thes titles / he did therefore all thoſe functions proper vntounto thoſe myniſtries: beſide thabſurdities before ſhewed / the vntruth doth manifeſtly appeare / in the office off diſpoſing off the churches money / Whereoff the Apoſtles diſcharging 6. Act. 3. 4. 2. Cor. 11. 23.them ſelues / ceaſſed not therefore ſometime to be called by the ſame name off Deacons. And to vſe thoſe authorities which he hath brought / Ierom calleth I ſay the Prophet / both Euangeliſt / and Apoſtel. Yet I think the D. doth not eſteme Ierom to hauehave had ſo litle iudgement / as to think that he was ether off them / in that ſignification they are taken of Saint Paul. likewiſe Proaem. ſup. Eſa. Pag. 405. Li. 1. inſt. ca. 9. ſe. 1. vp. 20. Act. 2. offic. alia eſt enim, &c. cum veritas ipſa limatur, &c. Epheſ 4. 11.where he hath cited out off Caluin / that Timothe was a Paſtor: when Caluin calleth him alſo an excellent Doctor, and maketh that a ſeuerall function from the Paſtor / yt is cleare that he ſpake not off the ſpeciall function off a Paſtor. The ſame may be ſaide off Beza / which calleth S. Paul a Biſhop. with diuers other / wherin writers ſpeaking off one in paſſing / and not off pourpoſe: content them ſelues with thoſe generall titles / which notwithſtanding when they inquired into the natures off them (as we doo here) ſpake otherwiſe / which vſe is alſo noted off Cicero.
And to ſhut vp this matter / it is to be vnderſtanded / that there be diuers ſignifications off thes wordes Apoſtles / Propheres / Doctors / &c. for in generall ſignification they agree vntounto all miniſters off the word. Conſidering that all are ſent / all feed / teach / and by a trope are ſaide to prophecie. Their other ſignification which S. Paul ſetteth forth / is particular / and agreeth onelyonly to onelyonly to one ſeuerall miniſtrie. Obſerue then how the D. hath trifled / when as a part off our queſtion being / whether there be now Apoſtels / Prophetes / and Euangeliſtes in particular ſignificatiō / and as they differ aſwell one from an other / as from Paſtors / and Doctors: he hath brought certein places / where thes names be taken generally / and as eueryevery off them may be verified off all myniſtries off the word. as yf vponupon that the Maior off the citie / is called ſometimes the officer / ſometimes the Magiſtrate / he ſhould conclude that he hathe three ſeuerall offices. And where (an other part off our queſtion being / whether theſe functions are now ordinary / or extraordinary / perpetuall or for ſome ruinous time) he hath taken vponupon him to proue them ordinary / and perpetuall: he hath alledged teſtimonies / which confeſſing that ſome off thes miniſteries hauehave bene found in our daies / ad partly in expres wordes / partly in wordes / and circumſtances of like valew / that they were extraordinary / that they are but for a time: then which what can be greater mockery off his reader? And ſo I truſt yt appeareth / aſwell vponupon the argumentes Epheſ. 4. 11.I hauehave vſed / as vponupon the ſhame off the D. anſwers: that off all the myniſteries of the word / reckened of S Paul / there remaine onelyonly Doctor / and Paſtor: and that the function off Apoſtles / Prophetes / and Euangeliſtes / hauehave no place in the church / onles the lord immediatly ſtyr them vp / withowt the ordinary calling by men.