A Second Reply to an Answer Made by Doctor Whitgift Part 2, Part 4
THE TENTH TRACT. OF THE OFFICE OF DEAcons: vuhich conteineth the D. xix, and xiiij.
HIs queſtion, where the office of widowes is reſtreined 1. Diuiſ. pa▪ 686.to the poor which are ſik, and strangers, I pas as impertinent: eſpecially when he doeth not aſsign any other, to whom their attendance belongeth. that the contrary doeth appear, almoſt in expres wordes: is but his accuſtomed bouldnes, of vntrue ſpeaking.
Let vsus therfore come, to the Deacons: whoſe office is aſſigned, to be abowt the church money. The aRom. 12. ….firſt proof hereof, receiued for anſwer, that it was but daliance with the ſcripture: …ith which tyme, althowgh M. Caluin, Bucer, Martyr, and Beza, hauehave bene shewed to hauehave ſo expounded the place, yet his accuſation is vnrepealed: whereby al theſe learned men, with many others ſtand charged ſtil by him, as daliers with the ſcripture. But what, think yow, doeth he anſwer, to this whole colledg of godly learned men? he oppoſeth the expoſition of certain fathers. who would hauehave looked for this anſwer at his hand, in ſetting one writer againſt another, withowt a tittle of reaſon, wordes onelyonly excepted, which hath ſo bytingly, bpage 65.condemned yt in other.
Theſe learned men, were not ignorant of thoſe expoſitions: nether did they lightly depart, from the interpretation of the auncient writers. For whome alſo it may be anſwered, that in interpreting this place of priuate giuing: they mēt not, to shut owt this office. And of M. Bullinger it is manifeſt, that cvponupon the 12. Rom.he doeth ſo alow of that, that he wil hauehave it vnderſtood properly of the Deaconship: ſo that yow openly abuſe his teſtimony herein. The cauſe why the auncient fathers folowed this expoſition, is known wel enowgh to thoſe which hauehave bene conuerſant in them, with any iudgment: namely a deſire they had, to draw al to the correction of maners ſtreyning often tymes their textes in hand, to draw them to the preſent vſe of their churches. by reaſon wherof, whether in ſteed of milk, they ſometimes drw bloud, I leau it to the iudgment of the learned reader.
But let vsus ſee, if this wrangling of his: can be conuinced, of the place yt ſelf. where firſt it is manifeſt, that it is an explanation of that ſimilitude which was drawen from the body: in which the Apoſtle shewed, that as al the members hauehave not one office, So in the church, eueryevery one hath not the ſame function. wherevpon foloweth, that if this diſtributiō of money, which is a part of that explanation, should agree to al the church alike, and should not be a ſeueral office: he should quite ouerthrow his purpoſe. For he should, shew, thinges agreeing vntounto al alike: in ſteed that he should hauehave shewed, that ſome thinges be peculiar. Yf he reply, that he had shewed thoſe before, and that here he beginneth to shew the thinges, which are common to al Chriſtians alike: he is manifeſtly beaten down, by the order of the Apoſtle. For ſeing boeth that which immediatly goeth before this, and which foloweth immediately after, be publik offices: what extreme bouldnes would it be, to ſay that this in the middeſt, is but priuate. If he doe giuegive him ſelf this licence, let him shew example, of ſuch an order.
Further, the Apoſtle here maketh a partition: as it is manifeſt by the wordes and articles, which are inſtrumentes to part with. Now if he wil hauehave one membre in this partition, bigger then al the reſt, and to conteyn them al: he maketh the holy goſt (which is to be deteſted) an euil and an vneuen parter. Herevpon it cometh, that when he ſpeaketh of the dutyes, which belong to al alike: he beginneth with another averſ. 9.form of ſpeach.
Laſt of al, yt is not to be omitted, that he vſeth the word of Diſtributor, rather then the word giuer. For althowgh it be taken ſometyme, for the giuer, yet that is but by a trope: for ſomuch as the ſame is often the diſtributor, which is the giuer: ſo that the proper ſignification being, to diſpoſe that which was giuen of others, agreeth vntounto the Deacon, and not vntounto one which giueth of his own. His exceptions of Propheſy, and widowes office aIn the former part of this booK. p. 326. and in this later part diuiſ. 5. p. 637. Diuiſ. 4. p. 688. Rom. 12. 8.be anſwered. In the next being cōuicted of his vntruth, he falleth to ieſting: albeyt it be manifeſt, that the Adm. towcheth not onelyonly thinges in controuerſy, but ſometyme alſo, the breach of that which is eſtablished.
To proue, that the Deacon owght not to meddle with the adminiſtration of the word and Sacramentes, I alledged firſt, that the Apostle vuilling eueryevery one to kepe him ſelf in his boundes, boundeth the Deacons office in diſtributing of the church treaſur, and by that ſeparateth him, from thoſe vuhich hauehave the diſpenſation of the vuord: vuhereas, if he should preach the vuord as the other, the Apoſtle should hauehave made an euil partition, and pretended a ſeparation vuhere none is. His anſwer hereunto is, that it is no reaſon: but why it is not, he kepeth to him ſelf.
The ſecond reaſon was, that for ſo much as the Apostles hauing ſuch paſſing giftes, did finde them ſelues vnable to ſuſteyn boeth the ministeries, of the vuord, and for the poor: that therfore there can be much les novu, any able to doe them boeth togither. His firſt exception whereunto, is friuolous, and bTract. 7. diuiſ. 2 pa. 758.before confuted: his other that they ſpent no great tyme in prouiſion for their ſermons, is vntrue and openeth a gap to Anabaptiſm. For althowgh their giftes were greater in thoſe tymes, then now: yet they omitted not therefore, to ſtudy diligently which may appear, in that S. Paul is ſo c2. Ti. 4. 13.careful to hauehave his parchmentes browght: in that S. Peter had d2. Pet. 3. 16red S. Paules epiſtles ſo diligently: Likewiſe that the Prophetes in tymes paſt which had extraordinary giftes, vſed great diligence in reading, as it may appear in Daniel. which, notwithſtanding he was ſo wiſe, ſo expert in the tonges, and had ſo oft and ſo wonderful reuelations: yet eDan. 9.ſtudied the propheſy of Ieremy. And in a word, of them al, S. Peter pronoūceth, that f1. Pet. 1 10.they took great paines in their propheſies: vſing wordes moſt ſtrong, to ſet forth their great labor, in prouiding fo… that they tawght.
Nether was this of pleaſure, and a thing which they might ether doe or leau vndoen, but a commandement: as it is to be ſeen in the exāple of Timothy, which had giftes ſo much the more excellent then the Deacons, as his office of Euangeliſtship, was higher then the Deaconship. For he is a2. Tim. 4. 13. 25.biddē, to read, to meditate and to preach, ioyning one with another, and that not sleightly but with attention, yea thatforeign. he should dvuel in them, or be as it were shut vp and encloſed in them: thereby noting the great diligence that was to be beſtowed, as wel in reading and ſtudying, as in preachīg, And thus went the building of god ſingulerly forward, whē vntounto the giftes which came withowt their labor miraculouſly: they labored alſo after ether encreas of them, or getting of nue, by the ordinary meanes prouided of god in that behalf.
Again, S. Paul reckoning vp, al the miniſters of the word:Eph. 4. the Deacon not being there, it foloweth that he is no mininiſter of the word. And here the D. is plainly found, at ſtrife with him ſelf. For he confeſsing, that there is in that place, b308.a complet and perfect diuiſion of the miniſteries of the word, and withal that c309.the Deacon is not there conteyned: doeth notwithſtāding here, ſing a clean contrary ſong.
Moreouer, it is diligently to be obſerued, that S. Paul in deſcribing this office, requireth not that they should be able,1. Tim. 3. 8. or apt to teach: which notwithſtanding being (by the An. iudgment) the cheif point belonging vntounto him, should hauehave bene moſt abſurdly left owt. Laſtly, if the Deacons office had bene, togither with the Stewardship of the church treaſure, to hauehave preached and adminiſtred the ſacramenres: yt muſt folow, that his office muſt hauehave bene a greater office, then the Paſtors, as that which requireth greater giftes for executing boeth that which the paſtor doeth, and more to: which being abſurd, that is alſo, whereof this foloweth. That monſter, which remaineth in this diuiſion: I wil ſet vponupon, whē I shal hauehave run throwgh that which pertayneth vntounto this matter, as it lieth in the 14 Tract.pag. 5…2.
As I did not before deny, ſo now I cōfes him to hauehave bene Phillip the Euangeliſt, and not Phillip the Apoſtle, which is mentioned Actes the 8: and hould as before, that he preached by vertue of his Euangeliſtship, and not by vertue of his Deaconship, vuhich vuas then ceaſed, for that the church vuhereunto he ſerued vuas ſcattered. Againſt which anſwer, his autority owt of the Actes 21, to proue that he was ſtil Deacon: is quite contrary, to him ſelf. For it affirmeth of the tyme paſt, that he was, before Paules arriual vntounto Caeſarea, Deacō: not that he was ſo, when he arriued. For then the interpreters, would hauehave turned the participle, which ſerueth boeth for the tyme paſt and preſent, according to the circumſtance of the place, which is one of the ſeuen, and not vuhich vuas: So that, here we hauehave the common conſent of al interpreters, flatly againſt the D. namely, that Phillip was not then Deacon when S. Paul came to Ceſarea, but had bene before.
That of M. Gualter, maketh alſo againſt hym: which placeth the Deacons office, in the diſpoſing of the church treaſure, and that they preached not, but in tymes of neceſsity. So that where M. Gualter permitteth preaching no more vntounto Deacons, then yow doe baptim vntounto wemen: yow wil hauehave it, their ſtanding office.
The difference betwene a Priest and a Deacon, browght owt of Auguſtin and Epiphanius, can by no meanes ſtand: conſidering that, that impoſition of handes whereby giftes were extraordinarily giuen, which Phillip abſteyned from, he did not abſteyn from, onelyonly as Deacon, but alſo as he was Euā geliſt: ſeing that was a thing peculier vntounto the Apoſtles, and a proper note, whereby the lord magnified their miniſterie, aboue al other miniſteries whatſoeuer. So that, it is no good reaſon to ſay, that Phillip could not by laying on of his handes giuegive the holy gost, therfore he was a Deacon: conſidering that, nether Euangeliſtes, nor Prophetes them ſelues meddled with that kinde of laying on of handes, which is there mentioned.
And if Phillip were then Deacon, he was Deacon of the church of Ieruſalem, whereunto he was choſen. But it ys manifeſt, he was not Deacon there: conſidering that S. Luke after his departure from thence, and preaching in Samaria, and certein other places, bringeth hym to Caeſarea, whereActo. 8. 40. Act. 21. 8. he leaueth hym as a houshoulder and towndweller. ſo that vnles he dare ſay of Phillip that he was a continual non reſident: yt can not be, that he was Deacon after his departure from Ieruſalem.
But let vsus graunt, that Phillip was boeth a Deacon and Euangeliſt, which is notwithſtanding abſurd: ſeing that the Apoſtles confeſſed them ſelues inſufficient, to ſuſteyn that burden, togither with their preaching miniſtery. I ſay let vsus graunt that, yet forasmuch as he can not deny, but that yt belongeth vntounto the office of an Euangeliſt to preach: how is he able to proue, that Phillip preached rather by vertue of his Deaconship, thē of his Euangeliſtship. So that onles he be ſo bould, as to deny that Phillip was there no Euangeliſt: he gaineth nothing, by al this travail. For otherwiſe, it foloweth that Phillipes example, wil not warrant the Deacons preaching: except he hauehave, ſome other miniſtery of the word, ioyned with yt.
Therefore, let not him any more pretend, the autority of the godly writers: but confes, as the truth is, that this argument was miniſtred hym owt of Pigghius: who vponupon thisPiggh. Controuerſ. 11. example of Phillip, affirmeth (as he doeth) that the Deacons may preach, euen as the Priestes doe. As for Auguſtin, he goeth abowt (althowgh not ſo aptly, as I hauehave declared) rather to shew, that the Deacons might not lay on their hā des: then that yt belonged, vntounto them to preach. which may appear, in that he doeth not permit them to conceiue the prayers, wherunto the people should anſwer: which notwithſtanding is les, then to preach.
I shewed, that by the ſame reaſon, they are houlden Diuiſ. 2. p. 583.from the administration of the ſupper, they ovught alſo to be barred from that of baptim: conſidering that, it is not onelyonly a miſerable rending in ſonder of thinges vuhich god hath ioyned, but alſo giueth occaſion, or rather, being crept in, maynteyneth a daungerous error: vuhich is, that men esteme ſome holier thing to be in the ſacrament of the holy ſupper, then in baptim. To this he anſwereth, that the reaſon of this difference is: becauſe yt is mentioned that Phillip baptized, and not that he adminiſtred the ſupper. where, by the way, let the reader obſerue, that vponupon two particuler examples, which he alſo vntruly pretendeth, he would ground a doctrine, that the Deacons owght to preach, althowgh he be able to shew no rule, nor commandement for yt: which notwithſtanding he vtterly cōdemneth in vsus, althowgh yt be shewed, to hauehave bene doen generally. Secondly, how he reaſoneth negatiuely of autority, that it was not doen, becauſe yt ys not ſo written: yea which is more, that yt owght not to be doen, another thing alſo, which he reprocheth vsus with.
Now, as for his anſwer, yt is to friuolous. For, althowgh yt be a good reaſon in the direction of the church, to ſay, there is nothing wtitten towching yt, therfore it is not to be admitted: yet in the practiſe of that which is preſcribed to be doen, it is an euil argument to ſay, it is not written, therfore yt was not doen: much more, that yt may not be doen. For, when our Sau. Chriſtes actes, aIoh. 20.were not al written: is yt any marueil, althowgh al that Phillip did, be not written? And by his reaſon, the Bishops owght not to adminiſter the ſupper: conſidering that, in al the ſcripture it is not mentioned, that a Bishop miniſtred yt.
Nether, if Phillip did not miniſter the ſupper: foloweth yt therfore, that he had not autority to adminiſter yt, aſwel as baptim: except he think, that our Sa. Chriſt had not autority, aſwel to adminiſter baptim, which he did bIoh. 4. 2.not, as to adminiſter the ſupper, which cLuk. 22. 19.he did.
To that wherein I noted the diſorder in our church, permitting to one that can not preach, the administration of the ſupper, and not to the Deacon (as they cal hym) which can preach: he anſwereth, that the one is called thereto, the other is not. where he muſt needes mean, that the one is lawfully called thereto, and the other lawfully shut therefro: which is an asking, of that in queſtion.
My reply to his obiection of Steuens oration, that yt vuas no Diuiſ. 3. p. 584.ſermon, but a defence of hym ſelf against his accuſations: is clear. For yt appeareth, that the high Prieſt and ScribesAct. 6. 11. 15 & 7 1. 2. &c. were there ſet in iudgment, the fals witneſſes were ſet vp againſt hym, he was demaunded whether the accuſation were true, and vponupon that demaund began his oration. now, let hym shew ſuch a form of preaching, to hauehave bene vſed in any church.
Yt is alſo vnlike, that the high Prieſt and Scribes would permit hym to preach: when as they had forbiddē the Apoſtles before. but to giuegive hym leau to anſwer to his accuſatiōs, was needful for thē: therby to mayntein that viſard of holines, whereby they pretended an exact obſeruation of the law, which was, that no man should be cōdemned vnheard. And ſo, if he wil hauehave this a ſermō, he shal yet gain nothing: conſidering that he had not this power by his miniſtery of Deaconship, but by commaundement of the Councel, that had power to require an account of that, which he had propounded in diſputation, with thoſe of the Colledg of Liber tynes &c.
His proof, that it was in the Synagog, is firſt withowt al warrāt: there being not a word thereof, in the ſcripture. And yet being made in Ieruſalem, if it had bene a ſermon: it is liker, to hauehave bene in the temple. Nether, if yt were in the Synagog, hath yt any force to proue a ſermon: onles he think, that eueryevery one which pleaded his cauſe in Paules Conſiſtory, in Queen Maries tyme, made a ſermon.
That he alſo reprehended them sharply, is no other thing, thē diuers of the Martyrs of god hauehave doen with vsus, which, I think he wil not ſay to hauehave preached, by vertue of any eccleſiaſtical function. althowgh I confes, that that is not to be lightly doen, and withowt ſome eſpecial directiō, whereof the lord, in ſuch tymes, doeth furnish his: otherwiſe thoſe that are priuate men, owght to content them ſelues, with a ſimple and playn defence of the truth.
Nether is Paules anſwer vntounto Tertullus accuſation Act. 24, any ſermō but a ſimple defence, addreſſed onelyonly to Felix as to his Iudg, vttered at the bar, as they ſpeak, in a ciuil Court, and in a ciuil or common wealth cauſe, namely of ſedition: and hath les of the nature of a ſermon, then Steuens oration: yet, it is ſingulerly profitable for inſtruction of our behauiour, in like caſes. The leaſt part alſo of S. Peters oration Act. 2, is ſpent in anſwer to the accuſation of dronckennes: and that nether compelled, nor iudicial, as was S. Steuens.
I graunt, a man may defend hym ſelf againſt fals accuſations in a ſermon: but that is not, whē he ſtandeth iudicially accuſed like a malefactor, as S. Steuen did. whoſe vuhole oration, how apt a purgation yt is (which he denieth): the reader may fetch from M. Caluin, vponupon that place: that I be not cōpelled, to lenghthen my book by ſo long translations. Againſt M. Beza (in quoting of whome, I failed) are oppoſed Gualter and the Centuries: of whoſe ſentēces, which is truer, let it be iudged of the reaſons on boeth ſides. whether in the two next diuiſiōs, the Anſ. shifteth his gros ouerſight, let the reader iudg: eſpecially, whē as his pretence, that the Adm. aſsigned the deaconship, to be onelyonly in handling the church treaſure, is vntrue. For nether hauehave they the word, onelyonly, nor any thing of that value: and it is manifeſt, that their drift was, onelyonly to shut owt the Deacō from the adminiſtratiō of the word and ſacramētes. ſo that, in taking his wordes, in that ſens which he now would hauehave them: in effect he cōfeſſeth, hym ſelf to hauehave but trifled with the Admonition: chaunging the prickes, which they had ſet hym to shoot at and roving after a mark of his own finedīg. In the next, I alledged, that if the Deacōship vuere graūted, a step to the miniſtery, yet thereof folovueth not that yt is the mynistery: but contrarivuiſe, that it is not, and therefore ovught not to doe thinges pertayning to the miniſters. To this he anſwereth, he concluded not ſo: which I confes, can not be forcibly won owt of his wordes. But he ſaith, he might hauehave ſo concluded: which is abſurd, and al one as if he should ſay, that the foot of the ſtayer is the ſame with the top, whether it, in aſcending, leadeth. And how dare he ſay that he might hauehave ſo reaſoned: when as to the argument, which I drw from theſe wordes of hys, he can anſwer nothing, how could he hauehave hurt vsus, with this, which he ſuffereth to be driuen ſo flat, vponupon the head of his own cauſe.
Vuhere afterward, to proue it no ſtep to the miniſtery, I alledged,Diuiſ. 7. p. 587. that the giftes are diuers, and that one may vuel diſpence the church treaſure vuhich, for vuant of vtterance, should neuer be fit Minister: he anſwereth, that the Bishops and Deacons giftes, required 1. Timot. 3, doe not much differ, which is a great vntruth. For it is required of the one, that he should be boeth able to teach, and of long tyme in profeſsion of the goſpel, nether wherof, is required of the Deacon: when notwithſtanding, the firſt onelyonly of them, maketh a greater difference, as towching the duty of preaching which is in queſtion, then if he had made them to differ, in an hundreth other thinges. he addeth that they may be put by the mynistery, for their leud lyfe: which is a meer miſpending of the tyme, for ſo may the Clokkeper or the Sexten. Again, that Ambroſe with other, expound yt ſo: which is likewiſe, that being before confeſſed by me: eſpecially, when other learned men, by his own confeſsion, leauing their expoſition, take this which I propounded.
Further, that vtterance ſufficient for the diſtribution of the church money, is ſufficient alſo for the miniſtery of the word: which muſt of neceſsity be his anſwer, if he ſpeak to the purpoſe. And being ſo, it is to abſurd: the confutation whereof (if it deſerue any) may be fetched from that aIn the former part of this booK. Tract. 5.before handled. Althowgh, if that were true, the argument is not avoided: oneles he wil alſo ſay, that there is as great knowledg and as deep iudgment in the ſcriptures, required for the diſpoſing of the church treaſure, as for the preaching of the word. vntounto the other reaſon, which I browght againſt this, that the deaconship should be a step to the miniſtery, raiſed owt of the ſame place: he anſwereth nothing.
Here he abuſeth the readers patience again. For whereDiuiſ. 8. p. …88. before, not able to shew one teſtimony owt of any auncient writing, that the Deacons had to doe with the word and ſacramentes, I confeſſed notwithſtanding frankly, that there were ſome: he hath here, ſet them down. wherevnto, beſide the anſwer before made, I ad: that thoſe cited owt of Tertullian and Ierom, be ſo far from helping hym, that they make againſt hym. For in that the Deacons could not meddle with the word or Sacramentes, but vponupon the Bishops licence: it argueth, that yt belōged not vntounto their office: ſeing it is abſurd, that that which they were bound to doe by reaſon of gods inſtitution, should be hanged vponupon the Bishops pleaſure.
Likewiſe, that owt of M. Beza, is againſt hym. For in ſaying, they ſupplied the Pastors office: he giueth to vnderſtand, that it belonged properly vntounto Paſtors, and was doen by Deacons but in tyme of neceſsity. And ſo was, the Adminiſtration of the ſupper: which (a583. ſaith he) he can not read in any autor, to hauehave bene permitted to the Deacon. wherein, to let pas the Councel of b2. Con…. can. 15.Arles and others, which licence this vntounto thē, in abſence of other: at the leaſt, did he not read M. Bezas ſentence, which he hath thruſt into his own book, that they miniſtred the ſacramentes, not onelyonly the Sacrament of Baptim: althowgh the places quoted 1. Corin. 1. 14. 15. and Iohn 4. 2. proue no ſuch thing, no not in the Anſ. own iudgment, as I think. For, wil he ſay, that the twelue Apoſtles which baptized, were al Deacons? or that becauſe S. Paul did not commonly baptize, thoſe whome he conuerted, that therfore Deacons baptized them: as if there were nether Euangeliſtes nor Paſtors, to doe yt. Nether is yt enowgh for hym thus to trifle, except he vſe moſt vile reproches againſt me: as thowgh I ſtriued, againſt a manifeſt truth. But that (euen by M. Bezas iudgment) the adminiſtring of baptim, doeth lawfully belong to the Miniſter alone, and not to the Deacon: the D. may ſee cLibell. de Quaeſt. in Sacr. quaeſt. 137. Tom. 2. 6. Concil. Conſtantinop. san. 16.otherwhere.
Now, vntounto the moſt certeyn groundes, of the word of god: let hym hear, the teſtimonyes of the auncient tymes. And firſt of the general Councel, which maketh the Deacōs Miniſters of the poor, whom it calleth Ministers of tables and not of the holy thinges. Another Councel decreed,Tom. 1. Cō. Vaſenſe 2. Can. 4. that in the Miniſters ſiknes: the Deacon should read, the homilies of the fathers. wherby appeareth, that that Coūcel, not ſo much as in the tyme of the Paſtors ſiknes, ſuffred them to preach the word, but to read homilies: thereby aſsigning alſo, the greateſt honor in doeing any thing which the Miniſter vſed to doe in the church, in that he might read ether the ſcriptures or homilyes. Chryſoſtom ſaith, that the Deacons had need of great vuisdome: althovugh the preaching In act. ca. 6of the vuord be not committed vntounto thē. And further sheweth, that yt is abſurd, that they should doe boeth the office of preaching, ād caring for the poor: cōſidering that they be not able, to doe boeth thorovughly. yea, euen immediatly after that corrupt ſentence, which the Anſ. wil needes father vponupon Ambroſe: it is ſaid, aIn 4. cap. ad Epheſ.that in his tyme, the Deacons did not preach. Of this practis of the elder churches, we hauehave M. b5. Decade Serm. 3.Bullinger that giueth a playn teſtimony with vsus, that althovugh, the goodes of the church encreaſing, there vuere beſide the Deacons, Subdeacons and Archdeacons: yet that the Deacons remayned ſtil in their charge for the poor, and vuere not as yet mingled, vuith the Bishops or prieſtes, and vuith the order of thoſe vuhich tavught.
This being thus ſet, that which, for the ſtraūgenes, I called a monſter: falleth flatly. for whē yt hath appeared, boeth by the word of god, and practis of the elder churches, that it be lōgeth not vntounto the office of the Deacō, to meddle with the myniſtery of the word and ſacramentes, yf yt be true, which the Anſ. c689.ſaith, that prouiſion for the poor by a Deacō, is not neceſſary vnderunder a Chriſtian Prince: yt muſt folow, that the office of Deaconship vnderunder a Chriſtian Prince is vnneceſſary. which as yt ys abſurd, ſo hym ſelf (I think) wil not affirm yt: yf he doe, yt hath the ſame refutation, which the denial of the neceſsity of the office of Elders, hath had before.
Na althowgh yt were graūted, which he would hauehave, that the Deacons office were to miniſter the word and ſacramēt: yet this point of prouiſiō for the poor taken away, the Deacon is quite extinguished: cōſidering that there should remayn, no part of office, whereby the miniſter of the word, should be ſeuered. yf he ſay, that there should be differēce, in that the one might miniſter the ſupper, and the other not: beſide that I hauehave shewed how abſurd that is, he cā not ſo eſcape. for ſtil the giftes are al one: cōſidering that whoſoeuer hath giftes of god to miniſter the word and Baptī, the ſame hath alſo giftes to inable hym, to miniſter the ſupper. whereas ſeing S. Paul ſeparateth the offices by their giftes: yt were againſt reaſon toRom. 12. 8. make thē diuers offices, which hauehave the ſame giftes for their executiō. Beſide that, in taking away that which he is cōſtreyned to cōfes, to hauehave bene by gods inſtitutiō, at the leaſt a part of this office: he is manifeſtly cōuicted, of chāging and corrupting, yf not of vtter ouerthrowing the lordes ordinā ce. Els, let hym shew vsus, what tittle of the ſcripture he hath: whereby yt may appear, that the miniſtery of the word and Baptim (which he ſurmiſeth to belong vntounto yt) should be perpetual, and the prouiſion for the poor temporal.p. 69….
So alſo appeareth, that the cōtradictiō is vnanſwered which was laid vntounto hym: in that in the lati book ſaying yt owght not to be takē away, in this and the other, he ſaith that this part is not neceſſary. for thus should yt not be the office of a Deacō, inſtituted by the holy Apoſt. but another functiō, forged by D. whitgift. This aſſertiō of his, being ſtraūg: his reaſon wherupon yt is groūded, is yet further owt of fashiō. for he contenteth not hym ſelf, to ſay that mē may deuiſe as good away for the prouiſion of the poor, as did the lord hym ſelf: oneles in this behalf, he ſet vp the wiſdome of men aboue the lordes. For this doeth he playnly in effect affirm, when he ſaith, that the poor may by other lawful and politik meanes, be better prouided for: cō ſidering that yt was the lordes own order, eſtablished by the Apoſt. where, beſide that his reaſon, is a demaund of that in queſtion, and that the vntruth therof, hath bene aIn the former part of this booK. and in the preface. Eſ. 7. 15. etc.before noted: I wil anſwer further owt of Eſra, where there is a notable ſtory, towchīg a matter not much vnlike. for after he had receiued of kīg Darius, boeth precious veſſels and other giftes for gods ſeruice: being now in iorney frō Babylō vntounto Ieruſalem, and vnderſtanding, vponupon view of his company, that there were not of Prieſtes and Leuites a ſufficient number, to whome he might commit this treaſure: ſtayed there withEſra 8. 15. his whole ſuit, vntil ſuch tyme as he had recouered, a competent nomber of the church men. For that this was the cauſeEſra 8. 25. of their ſending for, appeareth by the yſſu, of committing the treaſure vntounto their cuſtody.
And albeit there might be ſome other vſe of them at Ieruſalem, beſide this cariadg: yet that their preſence was neceſſary in this reſpect, it is manifeſt, not onelyonly becauſe otherwiſe he might hauehave giuē order, that they should hauehave comen after, withowt ſtaying ſo great a company, for their ſakes: but eſpecially vponupon the wordes of Eſra, which aſsignethverſ. 28. the cauſe of theyr election vntounto that charge, to hauehave bene, for that the money and plate being conſecrate to a holy vſe, yt behoued them which were likewiſe conſecrated, to hauehave the cuſtody of yt.
Now, if the Anſ. should ſit in iudgment of this act of Eſra, and iudg by his Canon law, which he hath here ſet down: this godly learned Prieſt, hath already receiued the blak ſtone or ſentence of condemnation. For were there not as faithful, and as wiſe for that purpoſe in the company, as ether the Prieſtes or Leuites were? were there not of the Princes, which for their skil in fight, and for the trayn which folowed them, were more able to make head with the enemy, that should giuegive the attempt to take them away: then were ether the Prieſtes or Leuites? finally, is it not a meer ſuperſtition, to ſtand thus vponupon the difference of a tribe or family, with los of tyme, and expens of money, in ſo great a company?
But the Prieſt, appealeth to that court, where the canon of the holy ſcripture, ſitteth Iudg. which becauſe yt teacheth, that the ſafty and proſperous ſucces of thinges, depend vponupon the bleſsing of god, and that that bleſsing is eſpecially giuen, where thinges are doen according to his inſtitution: the ſame reſtoreth his righteouſnes agayn, and giueth hym the white ſtone of abſolution: for that the weaker, and more vnlikely, hauing the calling of god thereunto, is more apt, then withowt that calling, the ſtrongeſt Sampſon that can be got. So that, if in common reaſon, the Collectors were fitter then the Deacons, which is vntrue (conſidering that the ſame may be eccleſiaſtically ordeyned Deacons, which are Collectors) yet, foraſmuch as it is the vnrepealed and vnrevoked order of god, that the Deacon should doe this: yt owght to be preferred, to al the inuentions of men, how faier and colourable ſoeuer they appear.
But of the confutation of this, enowgh is ſaid: eſpecially, conſidering that beſide the continual practis of the church, with the common conſent of the learned boeth ould and nue, M. Bucer hath labored this point particularly, in the behalf of our church: which sheweth, that this office Bucer de regno Christ… & in 4. ca. ad Epheſ.must of neceſſity be restored, as yt is deſcribed Act. the vi, if England vuil receiue, the true diſcipline of Chriſt.
Hereupon alſo, conſidering there be poor in eueryevery church:diuiſ. 5 page 690. In the former part of this booK Tract. 6. chap. 3. In this part Tract. 8. the vſe of this office in eueryevery church, is manifeſt. For further confirmation of which point, the reader may hauehave recours to that I hauehave proued before: that in eueryevery church, according to gods inſtitution, there owght to be a Bishop: eſpecially, when the Anſ. hym ſelf wil not deny, but the Bishop and Deacon should goe togither. Likewiſe, vntounto that which hath bene ſayd of the Eldership, in this behalf: conſidering that ſome of the reaſons, are common to boeth. As for the firſt of his exceptions, that the Deacons of one city, may ſerue al the whole Dioces, yt is to far owt of ſquare: conſidering that for one onelyonly church, and that within one citie Ieruſalem, there were ſeuen.
His ſecond, that in ſcripture yt can not be shewed, that Deacons were placed any where then in cyties: is firſt to reaſon negatiuely of autority, not in the queſtion whether yt owght to be doen or no, but whether yt was doen: which not we alone, but hym ſelf alſo condemneth. Secondly, if this be a reaſon to bar the churches, which are not in cities, becauſe there are none ſpecified but in great cities: thē he shal by the ſame reaſon, bereue them of their Paſtors: conſidering that there is neuer a ſmal town, of which yt is any more ſaid, that yt had a Paſtor, then that yt had a Deacon.
Thirdly, he ſaith that the ſame can not be shewed (oneles he be greatly deceiued) in any auncient writer. wherein he giueth ſuſpitiō, that he toke not his wares by tale, but in gros: otherwiſe, he might better hauehave knowen what he hath ſuffered his apag. 339.book, to be ſtuffed with. For yt hath examples of countrey churches, belonging to the church of Alexandria: which had boeth Elders and Deacōs. And his own Ignatius, whom he wil hauehave Iohn the Apostles ſcholer: affirmeth, that eueryevery church ovught Ad Philadelph.to hauehave this office of Deaconship.
His compariſon of this reaſon, there vuere Deacons at Ieruſalē, therefore in al churches, with this there be preachers in Cambridg, therfore in al England: is vnaequal. For yt was not nakedly ſo propounded, but warranted with reaſons: in that the Apoſtles labored after the cōformity of the churches. ſo that the proof, that there was ſuch an office in one, is proof, that there was in al: or at leaſt that there owght to hauehave bene, which is al one, to the matter in hand, his anſwer wherunto is before confuted. Therfore, the compariſon had beneIn the former part 6. Tract. and 3. ca…. Tract. S. chap 2. Diuiſ. 9. p. 641. iuſter with this: that the men in the city hauehave two handes a peece, therfore they in the countrey hauehave ſo to: and if any hauehave not, that there is a faut. The next is anſwered, ſo is the next to yt.
To the reaſon I alledged, that the church may be at as ſmale charges vuith a Deacon, as vuith a Collector, ſeing that yt may make of the Collector a Deacon: he maketh no anſwer, onelyonly he couereth hym ſelf, vnderunder colour of the admonit: which (ironically as I iudg) ſaith that eueryevery parish, can not be at cost, to hauehave boeth a Curat and a Deacon: conſidering, that yt requireth, boeth a Paſtor and a Deacon, in eueryevery congregation. althowgh, to cut of occaſion, abowt their meaning herein, I wil not ſtriue. The ſecond chapterIn the 8. Tract. diuiſ. 5. p. 637. of this tractat, is anſwered before.
Seing then, the Apoſtle ſeparateth the office of the Deacon, from the miniſtery of the word, making them diuers members of one whole: and ſeing that in the perfect diuiſion of the miniſtery of the word, he is not remembred: ſeing alſo the Apoſtle deſcribing his qualities, requireth not that he should be able to teach: Again, ſeing that in executing his office towardes the poor, togither with the function of preaching, he should be charged with more, then the Apoſtles them ſelues could doe, and had need of greater giftes, then the Paſtor: laſt of al, ſeing boeth by iudgment, and practis of the purer churches, the Deacons hauehave bene ether altogither shut owt from preaching, or being permitted to preach, hauehave doen yt vponupon a nue grace, ouer and aboue the calling, of a Deacon: I conclude, that the Deacon hath no calling of god to preach the word, and by the ſame reaſon, that he hath none to adminiſter any Sacramēt: which later concluſion shal further appear, in the next Tractat.