xile we cannot well
have the use thereof, and would to God it were not neglected where
better occasion serveth. These ministers are called teachers or doctors,
whose office is to instruct and teach the faithfull in sounde doctrine,
providing with all diligence that the puritie of the Gospel be not
corrupt either through ignorance or evill opinions."[184] Now, can it be
supposed that Knox would have said all this of the doctor and not a word
of the superintendent, if he had deemed both to be of like permanence
and necessity in the church of Christ; or that he would have devoted
several pages to explain the duties of the office-bearers, and their
assemblies for the interpretation of the Scriptures and the
administration of discipline, and not have uttered one word about the
bishop, had he believed that that official was the chief or even an
essential minister of the church? Can it be supposed likely that he
would have been so silent, even if there had been no bishop, as
confessedly there was no doctor, among the English in Geneva; or
possible that he could have been so with Miles Coverdale,[185] a
regularly consecrated bishop attending on his ministrations and acting
as an elder in his congregation, unless he had regarded (and wished it
to be known that he regarded) the simple presbyter as _jure divino_ on a
level with the diocesan bishop, to say nothing of the fact that his
party at Frankfort had refused to have a bishop or superintendent over
their congregation?

[Sidenote: Necessity of Preaching.]

This examination of the introductory chapters of the Book of Common
Order will enable us the better to understand and explain the parts of
the Book of Discipline drawn up in 1560 respecting the ministers and
office-bearers of the church. Even the ordinary ministers of the church
must all be well qualified to preach the gospel of salvation, as many of
the common people were unable to read,[186] and could only be saturated
with its teaching by the living voice of the preacher who, by sermons
and catechising on the Lord's day, and in the towns also by the sermon
during the week, was to his utmost to carry home the truth to their
hearts. Our reformers judged it necessary "that His Gospell be truely
and openly preached in every church and assembly of this realme";[187]
that no one "unable to edifie the church by wholesome doctrine" should
be promoted to or retained in ecclesiastic administration;[188] and held
that the sacramen