d Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to
all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, _with the bishops
and deacons_, Grace to you and peace,' [525:3] and so forth. Philippi is
one city of Macedonia, and truly in one city, there cannot be, as is
thought, more than one bishop; but because, at that time, they called
the same parties bishops and presbyters, therefore he speaks of bishops
as of presbyters without making distinction. Still this may seem
doubtful to some unless confirmed by another testimony. In the Acts of
the Apostles it is written [526:1] that when the apostle came to Miletus
he 'sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the same Church,' to whom
then, among other things, he said--'Take heed to yourselves and to all
the flock over which the Holy Ghost has made you bishops, [526:2] to
feed the Church of the Lord which He has purchased with His own blood.'
And attend specially to this, how, calling the elders of the one city
Ephesus, he afterwards addressed the same as bishops. Whoever is
prepared to receive that Epistle which is written to the Hebrews under
the name of Paul, [526:3] there also the care of the Church is divided
equally among more than one, since he writes to the people--'Obey _them_
that have the rule over you and submit yourselves, for they are they who
watch for your souls as those who must give account, that they may not
do it with grief, since this is profitable for you.' [526:4] And Peter,
who received his name from the firmness of his faith, in his Epistle
speaks, saying--'The _elders_, therefore, who are among you, I exhort,
_who am also an elder_, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and
who am a partaker of his glory which shall be revealed, feed that flock
of the Lord which is among you, not by constraint but willingly.'
[527:1] We may thus shew that anciently bishops and presbyters were the
same; but, _by degrees_, THAT THE PLANTS OF DISSENSION MIGHT BE ROOTED
UP, all care was transferred to one. As, therefore, the presbyters know
that, in accordance with _the custom of the Church_, they are subject to
him who has been set over them, so the bishops should know that they are
greater than the presbyters, rather _by custom_, than by the truth of an
arrangement of the Lord." [527:2]

Jerome here explains himself in language which admits of no second
interpretation; for all these proofs, adduced to shew that the Church
was originally under presbyterial government, are