The later bibles read "church."

Acts xvi.

FULKE, 4.

tion,* and of the apostles and elders." Again, "The apostles and elders came together to reason of this matter." Again, "Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole congregation to send," &c. Again, "The apostles and elders send greeting," &c. Again, "They delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders." If in all these places they had translated "priests," as indeed they should have done according to the Greek word, it had then disadvantaged them this much, that men would have thought both the dignity of priests to be great, and also their authority in councils, as being here joined with the apostles, to be greatly reverenced and obeyed. To keep the people from all such holy and reverent cogitations of priests, they put “elders,” a name wherewith our holy christian forefathers' ears were never acquainted in that sense.

Fulke. In all those places by you rehearsed, Acts xv. and xvi., your own vulgar Latin text hath seniores, which you had rather call "ancients" (as the French Protestants call the governors of their churches,) than "elders," as we do. That popish priests should have any dignity or authority in councils, we do flatly deny: but that the seniors, ancients, elders, or priests (if you will) of the New Testament, should have as much dignity and authority as God's word doth afford them, we desire with all our hearts. That " our christian forefathers' ears were not acquainted with the name of 'elders,"" it was because the name of priest in their time sounded according to the etymology, and not according to the corruption of the papists: otherwise I think their ears were as much acquainted with the name of "elders," which we use, as with the name of "ancients," and "seniors," that you have newly taken up, not for that they differ in signification from elders, but because you would differ from us.

.....

Οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν καὶ Συρίαν. ·xaípew. Acts xv. 23. "Apostlis and elder britheren," Wiclif. "The apostles, elders and brethren, send greetings," Tyndale, Cranmer. "The apostles and the elders and the brethren send greetings," Geneva. "The apostles and elders and brethren," Authorised version.

παρεδίδουν αὐτοῖς φυλάσσειν τὰ δόγματα τὰ κεκριμένα ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τῶν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ. Acts xvi. 4. "They delivered them the decrees for to keep ordained of the apostles and elders," Tyndale, Geneva. "They delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders," Cranmer, Authorised version.]

Martin. But let us go forward. We have heard often and of old Martin, 5. time, of making of priests; and of late years also, of making ministers; but did ye ever hear in all England of making "elders"? Yet by these men's translations it hath been in England a phrase of scripture this thirty year; but it must needs be very strange, that this making of "elders" hath not all this while been practised and known, no, not among themselves in any of their churches within the realm of England. To Titus they make the apostle say thus: "For this cause left I thee in Tit. i. Creta, that thou shouldst ordain elders in every city," &c. Again, of Paul and Barnabas: "When they had ordained elders by election in Tous peoevery congregation." Acts xiv. If they had said plainly, as it is in the BuTépous. Greek, and as our forefathers were wont to speak, and the truth is, Bib. an. 1562. "Titus was left in Creta to ordain priests in every city;" and, "Paul and Barnabas made priests in every church;" then the people would have understood them: they know such speeches of old, and it had been their joy and comfort to hear it specified in holy scriptures. Now they are told another thing, in such newness of speeches and words, of "elders" to be made in every city and congregation, and yet not one city nor congregation to have any elders in all England, that we know not what is profane novelty of words, which the apostle willeth to be avoided, if 1 Tim. vi. this be not an exceeding profane novelty.

Fulke.

Presbyteros.

When you have gotten a bauble, you make more FULKE, 5. of it than of the Tower of London; for you have never done playing with it. It must needs be a clerkly argument that is drawn from the vulgar speeches of "making priests," and "making ministers." Those priests or ministers that are made among us, are the same "elders" that the scripture in Greek calleth peoẞUTépovs, and the bishop's letters of orders, testifying of their ordination, call them by none other name, but by the name of presbyteri, which the scripture useth: which term though in English you sound it priests, elders, ancients, seniors, or ministers, which is the common people's word,

[ καὶ καταστήσῃς κατὰ πόλιν πρεσβυτέρους. Titus i. 5. “ And ordeyne preetis by citees," Wiclif. "And shouldest ordain elders in every city," Tyndale, Cranmer, 1539, 1562, Bishops' bible, 1514, Geneva; Authorised version.

Χειροτονήσαντες δὲ αὐτοῖς πρεσβυτέρους κατ ̓ ἐκκλησίαν. Acts xiv. 23. "Et cum constituissent illis per singulas ecclesias presbyteros," Vulg. v. 22. "And whanne thei hadden ordeyned preestis to him bi alle citees," Wiclif. "And when they had ordained them elders by election in every congregation," Tyndale, Cranmer. "And when they had ordained them elders by election in every church," Geneva. "And when they had ordained them elders in every church," Authorised version.]

MARTIN, 6.

χειροτονεῖν.

Acts xiv1.

it is the same office which is described by the Holy Ghost, Tit. i., and in other places of scripture. As for the "profane novelty," wherewith this word "elder" is changed, we will consider of it in the next section.

Martin. That it is novelty to all English christian ears, it is evident. And it is also profane, because they do so English the Greek word of ordaining (for of the word presbyter we will speak more anon), as if they should translate Demosthenes or the laws of Athens concerning their choosing of magistrates, which was by giving voices with lifting up their hands. So they do force this word here, to induce the people's election; and yet in their churches in England the people elect not XELPOTOVŃ- ministers, but their bishop. Whereas the holy scripture saith, they ordained to the people; and whatsoever force the word hath, it is here spoken of the apostles, and pertaineth not to the people; and therefore KαTασT- in the place to Titus it is another word which cannot be forced further than to "ordain and appoint." And they might know, if malice and heresy would suffer them to see and confess it, that the holy scriptures, and fathers, and ecclesiastical custom, hath drawn this and the like words from their profane and common signification to a more peculiar and ecclesiastical speech: as episcopus, an "overseer" in Tully, is a "bishop" in the New Testament.

σαντες αὐτοῖς.

σαι. Tit. i.

FULKE, 6.

Fulke. The name "elders," used in our translation, is neither more novel to English ears, nor more profane to godly ears, than the name "ancients," which your translation useth. And yet I think the apostle, 1 Tim. vi., spake not of novelty to English ears, but of that which was new to the ears of the church of God. But the word "elders" (I ween) must be profane, because we "English the Greek word of ordaining, as if we should translate Demosthenes or the laws of Athens concerning the choosing of magistrates." Doth not this cavil redound more against the Holy Ghost, to accuse his style of profaneness, which useth the same words for the ordering of priests, that Demosthenes or the laws of Athens

[ Χειροτονήσαντες δὲ αὐτοῖς πρεσβυτέρους κατ ̓ ἐκκλησίαν. Acts xiv. 23. "And when they had ordained them elders by election in every congregation," Tyndale, Cranmer. "In every church," Bishops' bible, Geneva, Authorised version. "Priests in every church," Rhemish version.

..

Καὶ καταστήσῃς κατὰ πόλιν πρεσβυτέρους. Titus i. 5. “ Ordain clders," all the versions, except the Rhemish, which has, "Ordain priests."]

might use for choosing of their magistrates? But this word we "enforce (you say) to induce the people's election, and yet the bishop, not the people, elect our ministers." We mean not to enforce any other election than the word doth signify. Neither doth our bishops (if they do well) ordain any ministers or priests without the testimony of the people, or at leastwise, of such as be of most credit where they are known. Where you urge the pronoun autois, " to them," as though the people gave no consent nor testimony, it is more than ridiculous; and beside that, contrary to the practice of the primitive church for many hundred years after the apostles; as also that you would enforce upon the words kaтασтñσαι, used by St Paul, Tit. i., as though that word of "constitution" did exclude election. That the word xepoTovia by the fathers of the church since the apostles hath been drawn to other signification than it had before, it is no reason to teach us how it was used by the apostles. Election is an indifferent thing: the election of bishops, elders, or priests, is an holy thing, the holiness whereof is not included in the word χειροτονεῖν, but in the holy institution of Christ, and authority by his appointment delivered by imposition of the hands of the eldership.

in titul. Ser.

ἐπίσκοπος

Martin. And concerning xeporovía, which we now speak of, St. MARTIN, 7. Jerome telleth them in chap. lviii. Esai. that it signifieth clericorum Greg. Nazian. ordinationem, that is, "giving of holy orders," which is done not only 1.4, 5.3μeTa by prayer of the voice, but by imposition of the hand, according to St TV TOU πρεσβυτέ Paul unto Timothy, manus cito nemini imposueris, “Impose or put hands ρου χειροquickly on no man :" that is, be not hasty or easy to give holy orders. Tovíav, and Where these great etymologists, that so strain the original nature of this word to profane stretching forth the hand in elections, may learn on. Ignat. another ecclesiastical etymology thereof, as proper and as well deduced of bishops, of the word as the other, to wit, putting forth the hand to give orders; βαπτίζουσι, ἱερουρand so they shall find it is all one with that which the apostle calleth youo, Xel"imposition of hands," 1 Tim. iv. 2 Tim. i.; and consequently, for POTOVOUσL, χειροθε

[Plerique nostrorum xeporovíav, id est, ordinationem clericorum, quæ non solum ad imprecationem vocis, sed ad impositionem impletur manus; ne scilicet, ut in quibusdam risimus, vocis imprecatio clandestina clericos ordinet nescientes. Comment. Hieronymi in Isaiæ

c. lviii. Opera, Vol. I. p. 432.]

[ Gregor. Nazian. Edit. Paris. Morell. 1630. 1. 6. 7. The titles quoted are from 1 and 7.]

ἐχειροτο

Ep. x. saith

τοῦσι.

χειροτονία. ἐπίθεσις τῶν χει pwv.

FULKE, 7.

ordaining elders by election," they should have said, "ordaining or making priests by imposition of hands;" as elsewhere St Paul, 1 Tim. v. and the Acts of the Apostles, Acts vi. and xiii., do speak in the ordaining of the seven deacons, and of St Paul and Barnabas.

Fulke. The testimony of St Jerome, whom you cite, In Isai. Iviii. you understand not; for speaking there of the extension of the finger, which the Septuaginta translate xeipotovíav, “and God requireth to be taken away," he saith: "Many of our interpreters do understand it of the ordination of clerks, which is performed not only at the imprecation of voice, but also at the imposition of hands, lest (as we have laughed at in some men) the secret imprecation of the voice should ordain clerks, being ignorant thereof." And so proceedeth to inveigh against the abuse of them that would ordain clerks of their basest officers and servitors, yea, at the request of foolish women. By which it is manifest, that his purpose is not to tell what xepotovía properly doth signify, but that imposition of hands is required in lawful ordination, which many did understand by the word xepotovía, although in that place it signified no such matter. And therefore you must seek further authority to prove your ecclesiastical etymology, that xapoтovía signifieth putting forth of the hands to give orders. The places you quote in the margin, out of the titles of Nazianzen's sermons, are to no purpose, although they were in the text of his homilies. For it appeareth not, although by synecdoche the whole order of making clerks were called xeiporovia, that election was excluded, where there was ordination by imposition of hands. As for that you cite out of Ignatius, [it] proveth against you, that xe porovεiv differeth from "imposition of hands;" because it is made a distinct office from xepolereiv, that signifieth to "lay on hands": and so xeipoтovia and eπíveσis Twv Xεipwv by your own author do differ.

MARTIN, 8.

τοὺς πρεσα

βυτέρους.

Martin. But they are so profane and secular, that they translate the Greek word "peoßúrepos in all the New Testament, as if it had the old profane signification still, and were indifferent to signify the "ancients of the Jews," "the senators of Rome," "the elders of Lacedæmonia,” and "the christian clergy." Insomuch that they say, "Paul sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church," Acts xx. ; and yet they were such as