THE JUDGMENT OF DOCTOR RAINOLDES TOUCHING THE ORIGINAL OF EPISCOPACY. MORE LARGELY CONFIRMED OUT OF ANTIQUITY BY JAMES USSHER, ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH. FIRST PRINTED IN 1641. THE JUDGMENT OF DOCTOR RAINOLDES, &c. &c. "WHEN" elders were ordained by the apostles in every church, through every city, to feed the flock of Christ, whereof the Holy Ghost had made them overseers:" they to the intent they might the better do it by common counsel and consent, did use to assemble themselves and meet together. In the which meetings, for the more orderly handling and concluding of things pertaining to their charge, they chose one amongst them to be the president of their company and moderator of their actions. As in the church of Ephesus, though it had sundrye elders and pastors to guide it, yet amongst those sundry was there one chief, whom our Saviour calleth " the angel of the church," and writeth that to him, which by him the rest should know. And this is he whom afterward in the primitive Church a Acts, chap. 14. ver. 23. Acts, chap. 20. ver. 28. b Tit. chap. 1. ver. 5. dПoμaivεiv, that is, to do the duty of a pastor to it. Acts, chap. 20. ver. 17. f Revel. chap. 2. ver. 1. the fathers called bishop. For as the name of ministers, common to all them who serve Christ in "theh stewardship of the mysteries of God," that is in preaching of the Gospel, is now by the custom of our English speech restrained to elders who are under a bishop: so the name of bishop' common to all elders and pastors of the Church, was then by the usual language of the fathers appropriated to him who had the presidentship over elders. Thus are certain elders reproved by Cyprian, for "receiving to the communion them who had fallen," in time of persecution," before the bishop had advised of it with them and others." And Cornelius' writeth that "the Catholic Church committed to his charge had six-and-forty elders, and ought to have but one bishop." And both of them being bishops, the one of Rome, the other of Carthage, dom witness of themselves that "they" dealt in matters of their church's government by the consent and counsel of the company of elders," or the eldership, as they both, after St. Paulo, do call it. g 1 Cor. chap. 4. ver. 1. Luke, chap. 12. ver. 42. i 1 Tim. chap. 3. ver. 2. Tit. chap. 1. ver. 7. Acts, chap. 20. ver. 28. k Epist. 9. presbyteris et diaconis, op. pag. 18. I Euseb. hist. eccles. lib. 6. cap. 42. m Cornelius Cypriano, ep. 46. op. pag. 60. Cyprianus presbyteris et diaconis, ep. 6. op. pag. 9. n Cornelius ep. 46. apud Cyprianum, op. pag. 60. 1 Tim. chap. 4. ver. 14. |