Short Treatise Against the Donatists of England, Brownist position 7 – Brownist position 8
The Brow. Heere you ſay is no reaſon rendered by vsus, why it is a falſe and Antichriſtian miniſtery which is impoſed. But if you had better weighed theſe two former tranſgreſſions, wherewith we charge you, or duly conſidered of this, or of your owne anſwer, before you had put penne to paper, you might hauehave gained this labour you hauehave taken, and ſhame you are like to ſuffer by theſe your friuolous and indirect anſweres, &c.
What reaſons yée hauehave brought in your two former accuſations,G. G. or in this third, to prooue the Miniſterie of England Antichriſtian, let all wiſe men iudge. Indéed if we will admit falſe accuſations, and hereticall opinions, for reaſons, then hauehave yée ſaid ſomewhat, for in them yée are prompt and plentifull. The ſhame yée ſpeake of, that I am like to ſuſtaine by mine aunſwers, I doo not feare at all. It appeareth plainely by your words, it dooth not pleaſe yée, that yée are not encountred in diſputation by ſome famous learned men, ſo deſirous yée are of that glory. But is it méete, or is there any reaſon, that preſumptuous, bold, and raſh ignorance, ſhould not be incountred but with great learning: Sophiſters, nay poore artificers and Huſbandmen, are the eueneſt matches to diſpute with yée? If I had counſelled with my learned brethren, yée ſay, they would hauehave counſelled me not to write. You hauehave put on the Lions ſkinne, and ſo imagine, that all the learned doo tremble at yée, and the truth is, they hauehave eſpied your long eares: (But rather to hauehave vſed my diſcretion in the Pulpit, as they doo, where wee may ſaye what wee luſt without controulement, for they conſider an euill matter is to bee raked in,) &c. If I did not know the contrary, yée are ſo confident in your ſpéeches, that I ſhould almoſt beléeue yée. But now that I know, as ſure as anye thing may be knowne, that you doo impudently ſlaunder and belie the learned, who though they diſdaine to deale with mad frenſie, yet they like well, in reſpect of the poore people which are ready to be ſeduced, that your matters ſhould be aunſwered, how will yee perſwade me, or others, that yée are not without care what yée ſpeake? And if there be any ſparke of modeſtie leaft in yée, I will not ſay, make ſome due proofe, but euen a colourable ſhew, that the learned of this land, if I had conferred with them, would hauehave giuen that counſell vntounto me▪ which you affirme, and for that cauſe which you mention. Now come your reaſons, you are perſwaded by the worde of God, that a true miniſter of Chriſt, cannot be a miniſter of idolatrous and falſe worſhip. Yee are rightly perſwaded, and I am fully of your minde in this point. But where yée ſay ye hauehave prooued our worſhip to be ſuch, therein yée faile, for ye hauehave falſely accuſed, but not prooued. Then yee were alſo perſwaded by the word of God, that a true Paſtor cannot ſtand an heard to the Lords Goates and Swine, bleſſing them with the bleſſing of the faithfull, and deliuering to them the holy things of God, as the Sacraments, &c. I hauehave ſhewed alſo in that your ſecond accuſation, how preſumptuouſly and heretically yée hauehave dealt, in iudging Chriſtian men to be Heathen and Swine. In this third accuſation, your reaſon is in the word impoſed. That miniſterie which is impoſed vponupon the flockes, is Antichriſtian, becauſe they be not fréely choſen by the Lords faithfull people, &c. But the Miniſtrie of the Church of England is impoſed, &c. I take exception againſt both the propoſition and aſſumption of this argument. For the propoſition, albeit the impoſing of a miniſter vponupon the flocke, may carry an iniurie to the Church depriued of hir priuiledge and right: yet it dooth not followe, that the ſame miniſter or his miniſtery is Antichriſtian. Our Sauiour in the place ye alledge, Iohn. 10. ſpeaketh onelyonly of Heretikes and falſe Prophets, which clime ouer into the ſhéepefold, he ſpeaketh not of any which lead the ſhéepe to the doore, that is to Chriſt, whether their calling to the office hauehave béene ſuch in all reſpects, or not as it ought to be. Secondly, if by frée choiſe of the faithfull, you meane that in the chooſing of a Paſtor, the people or priuate members of the flocke are to giuegive their voices, or elſe the miniſter is impoſed and Antichriſtian: then doo yée condemne all the Miniſters of France, of Geneua, and other Churches. For they are not choſen by the voices of the people, neither doe they hold that way the moſt conuenient, for the people to declare their conſent, but rather theyr ſilence, as yée may ſée in diuerſe Epiſtles of Maiſter Beza, and namely in the laſt. But when a flocke is deſtitute of a Paſtor, their choiſe is after this ſort: The Prebyterie or Senate of Paſtors and Teachers, doo examine and make triall, and chooſe him whome they ſhall finde eueryevery way qualified for ſo worthy a function. The matter being made knowne to as many as may be, and eſpecially to that flocke ouer which he is to be ſet, that if any can alleadge iuſt cauſe why he is vnworthy of ſuch an office, they be heard, otherwiſe after a due kind he is ordeyned and put into poſſeſſion of his Miniſterie. Then touching your aſſumption, the Miniſters of the Church of England (as ye ſay) be impoſed: If ye vnderſtand by impoſed, that they be all thruſt vppon the flockes againſt theyr will and liking, or that the flockes hauehave no power to take exception, yee ſpeake vntruly. For there be many flockes in England, which hauehave thoſe Paſtors and Miniſters of the Goſpell whome they hauehave deſired to hauehave, and made choyſe of, I meane by ſuite, both to the Patrones, and to the parties whome they deſire to hauehave: and if any of the people can ſhew iuſt cauſe againſt the partie which is to be ordeined, the Byſhop may not admit him. There follow now many boaſting words, with which yee march in tryumph, it is pitie to put them out of their array. You require one reaſon at the leaſt to confirme our Miniſterie: I confeſſe it is a reaſonable requeſt, but firſt, I muſt anſwere that which ye bring for to ouerthrowe it. To proue our Miniſterie not to be of Chriſt, but to hauehave his negatiue: Yée ſay, yée finde not in his Teſtament the names we carry, the offices we beare, the manner of our entrance and adminiſtration, our ſupport and maintenance. Touching our names, we are called Miniſters of the Goſpell, Paſtors, and Teachers, which be the Tytles giuen in Gods word. The names of Parſons and Vicars, are not to make any diſtinction of the Miniſterie, but of the ſtate of maintenance annexed vntounto the ſame. The Offices we beare, are to teach and inſtruct our flockes by the wholeſome word of God, to adminiſter the Sacraments, and to make publike prayers. And I am ſure, theſe are preſcribed in Chriſtes Teſtament, and if your eye were not malignant, yee might eſpy them there. Our entrance is not by intruſion, but by calling, and that in many, by the deſire of the flockes, as I hauehave ſhewed before: and for the manner of our adminiſtration, it hath béen dealt in at large in the firſt accuſation. Our ſupport by Tythes and ſuch like, is not mayntayned as a matter of neceſſitie, but as the moſt conuenient. The word of God hath giuen the generall rule, that the Miniſter of the word is to be liberally mayntayned: the manner touching circumſtances, is to be ordered for moſt conueniencie by the Church, and power of the Chriſtian Magiſtrate. For many things are lawfull, and in the power of the Church to ordeyne, which are not particularly named in Gods word, but conteyned in generall rules. Your next words are farre ſharper, and cut more déepely, yea, euen ſo déepely, that wo bée vntounto vsus all, if you hauehave not the venemous toong of liers and falſe accuſers. Yée vſe a gradation to ſet foorth our pedigrée, for we are (yée ſay) the children of the Byſhops: The Byſhops are the creatures of the Pope: The Pope is the eldeſt ſonne of Satan, and his vicar generall in earth. Now, as yée hauehave ſet vsus héere vnderunder a verie honorable parentage, ſo doo yée ſhewe vsus great kindneſſe, in ſetting vsus foorth not to be degenerate, but to beare the image, the marke, the power and life of the Pope: and together with him, to growe, liue, raigne, ſtand, and fall, as the branches with the trée. Héere is the verie bottome of your gall, héere is your poyſoned ſting thruſt as déepe as is poſſible. But let your words be examined: and by the ſtepps that you aſcend, I will deſcend. The higheſt is the Deuill, the father of lyes: Next vntounto him, the Pope his eldeſt ſonne, and vicar generall in earth. In déede I am reſolutely perſwaded, that the Pope is the Beaſt, vntounto whome the Dragon gaue his power, his Throne, and great authoritie, Reuel. 13. of whome it is ſayd in the ſame place, that all the world wondred and followed the Beaſt. They worſhipped the Dragon which gaue power to the Beaſt, and they woorſhipped the Beaſt, ſaying: Who is like to the Beaſt, who is able to warre with him? This no doubt is that man of ſinne, who hath exalted himſelfe aboue all that is called God, or that hath imperiall maieſtie, ſitting in the Temple of God, and boaſting himſelfe as God: whoſe comming ſhould be by the effectuall working of Satan, with all lying ſignes and wonders, 2. Theſſ. 2. He hath ſet vp the verie worſhip of Deuils, with all abhominable Idolatrie, and blaſphemous hereſies and lyes. He hath not only vſurped and challenged a ciuill power and Lordſhip ouer Kings, but alſo a ſpirituall Dominion ouer the conſciences and faith of man, to make Lawes at his pleaſure contrarie to Gods word, to binde the ſame: this is the vicar generall of the Deuill. Then to come to the next ſteppe, where there is no queſtion nor doubt neyther to be made, but that all Popiſh Byſhops be the creatures and children of the Pope, in as much as they hauehave their calling, and conſecration, and power deriued from him; in as much as they ſweare obedience vntounto him, to mayntayne his dignitie, his tyrannie, his doctrine, and his lawes: and in as much as they challenge together with him a Lordſhip and tyrannie ouer the conſcience. But the Byſhops of the Church of England hauehave not their calling, conſecration, or power frō the Pope, but frō our Church, which hath forſaken the Church of Rome, as the Sinagog of Satan. The Byſhops of England acknowledge no ſubiection to the Pope, but by an oath renounce his vſurped power & tyranny. The Biſhops of Engl. are not ordeined to maintain or defend ye religion & lawes of Antichriſt, but quite contrary, they promiſe and profeſſe to aduance the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, & by the liuely word, to cut downe all idolatrie, hereſies, and popiſh abhominations. Finally, the Biſhops of Engl. do not vſurp a Lordſhip ouer the faith & conſciences of men; for the power which they hauehave peculiar in the Church, is only in the adminiſtration of externall gouernment. It is therfore with manifeſt & wicked ſclander, that ye tearme the Biſh. of Engl. Antichriſtian, the creatures of the Pope, and ſuch as hauehave his power & life in thē, yea ſuch, as whoſoeuer is ordeined by thē, hath his miniſtry frō Antichriſt, and from the Deuill. There is controuerſy about the ſtate & gouernmēt by Biſhops, whether ye Church of Engl. hath not erred in cōmitting into their hands the execution of diſcipline, which is the matter to be handled in your fourth accuſation: but to gather from hence a pedegrée from the Pope, is verie fooliſhe. Let vsus come then to the loweſt ſtep, which is in the miniſters. We hauehave laboured in ſtudie of holie things, to be fitte for the Miniſterie, and ſo furniſhed and inſtructed to the Kingdome of Heauen, as to be lyke Houſeholders that bring out of theyr Treaſures things new and old. We deſire to call men that wander in ignorance and ſinne, vntounto the light, and ſo to build the Church of Chriſt. We know, no man is to be Iudge of his owne ſufficiencie, nor to intrude himſelfe into publike office, but to be tryed and ordeyned by the Church which hath that power committed into her hands from Chriſt. The ſupreme Magiſtrate, and Church of England hauehave committed this truſt vntounto the Byſhops, iudging it the quieteſt and ſafeſt way. We are preſented vntounto them to be examined and tryed, to be ordeyned and put into poſſeſſion of our Miniſterie by them, and from them to receyue the power to execute the ſame, not as theirs, but the Churches, which hath put it into their hands. It is the ordinance of God, and not the deuice of Antichriſt, that Paſtors and Teachers ſhall be tryed and ordeyned by Elders, Paſtors, and Gouernours, and ſet ouer his people. We receyue only this Ordinance, and ſuch as hauehave any vnderſtanding may ſée, that the queſtion can not be whether the power it ſelfe bée from Antichriſt, but whether there be not error and defects in adminiſtring the ſame, to the hurt and dammage of the Church? Now further, hauing receyued this authoritie, we Preach the holie Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, and by the pure doctrine of the ſame, we conuince and ouerthrowe Idolatrie, ſuperſtition, and Hereſies. We correct and reprooue all manner of vices, informe and exhort vntounto true Godlines. In performing theſe things, we drawe men out of Poperie, by letting them vnderſtand, that the worſhip of Poperie, is the verie worſhip of Deuils, and that the Pope is Antichriſt.
This Romane Antichriſt and his adherents doo féele, that the miniſterie of the Goſpell in England doth deſtroy hys kingdome, and therfore ſtirred vp by the Deuil they rage, and by all diueliſh meanes, ſéeke to deſtroy our noble Quéene and Countrie. Except therefore you Browniſts had euen let looſe all the raynes of your toong, and after a ſhameleſſe manner to lie and ſlaunder, how could ye pronounce, that the miniſtery of England is Antichriſtian, and of the Deuill? or that it is in the life and power of the beaſt, to liue, to raigne, to ſtand, to fall together with him, as the branches with the trée? In the next place, yée hauehave whet & filed your cankered toong, to vtter verye vile reproche, againſt the nurſeries of all good learning and holy religion within this land, the two Vniuerſities. I know not how idlely, and in what heathen vanitie yée ſpent your time there your ſelues: but this I dare avow, and make the challenge, and let triall be made, I will beare the ſhame for euer if it be not found true: that there be many in the Vniuerſities, and not aboue the degrée of Bachelour of Arts, vntounto whome the principall Maiſters of Browniſme are inferior: if wee reſpect either the Liberall Artes, or the knowledge of toongs, as of Hebrew, Gréeke, and Latine, or a ſound iudgement in Diuinitie. If this can be attained in fewe yeares, with more then Moonkiſh idleneſſe, the Browniſts may in ſome thing be beléeued. Some do abuſe the liberall Arts: but to condemne Logike, Rhethorike, and the reſt as vaine and curious, as you doo, is a very beaſtly error. Saint Luke, from whom yée draw your phraſe of ſpéech, Act. 19. dooth not ſpeake of theſe, but of Magicall ſcience. I doo not maruaile, that blind Schiſmatikes doo ſo bitterly iuueigh againſt learning, ſéeing it is their bane. For they ſéeke victorie, triumphe, and glorye ouer all the learnedeſt, and if there were no learning to diſcouer and to lay open their nakedneſſe and ſhame, they would much preuaile, and be had in greater reputation. Thus do the Browniſts labour to bring in ſauage barbariſme. But yet héere, vp goeth your ſaile againe, and yée hauehave winde at will, and neuer ſo much ſea roome, as when with bitter ſlaunders and reproches yée rowle away. Ye wrappe vp altogether for the offences of ſome. Yée reckon vp certaine things of circumſtance, and in themſelues indifferent and yet vponupon your credit we muſt take them to be odious enormities. Ye are vp with perfidi, tyrannie, and the ſtatutes of Omry. Your frenſie is great, I did aduiſe, that men would ſuſpend their iudgement, and enquire of the Churches touching the Miniſterie of England. Againſt this yée crie out, and aſke, if it be the beſt counſell I can giuegive them? I anſwer, it is the beſt, being that which God hath ordeined. HaueHave yée not read, that the Préeſts lippes ſhall kéepe knowledge, men ſhall enquire at his mouth, for he is the Angell of the Lord of Hoſtes? By this it is cléere, that whenſoeuer Heretikes and Schiſmatikes doo raiſe doubts, it is Gods will that the people ſhall enquire for reſolution out of the word, at their mouthes whome he hath raiſed vp, and ſet as the greateſt lights in his Church. Yet ſée how ſottiſhly you cauill againſt this. Yée take it I would hauehave them doo things which they doubt off, and my wordes are but to hauehave them ſuſpend their iudgement, vntill they enquire, and not to be too raſh in following the call of blinde, preſumptuous, and hereticall ſchiſmatikes. Then yée ſay, I ſend them ouer the ſea we wotte not whether, &c. They make doubt of vsus, we are the men whoſe Miniſtery is in queſtion, we ſend them therefore vntounto thoſe of whome they can hauehave no doubt, and that is to the worthy inſtruments and ſeruants of God, the Paſtors of other Churches. I do no not ſend them ouer the Seas, for there be diuerſe godly Churches of ſtrangers within the land, as the French, the Dutch, the Italian: there be the churches of Scotland, and no ſea to paſſe, nor diuerſitie of language ſo great as to hinder: we hauehave alſo the writings of all the worthieſt. Yée ſay I ſend them vntounto the word of man: which is falſe, for I doo ſend them vntounto the learned paſtors, to be reſolued by the word of God. Theſe hauehave the calling vntounto this office from God, and his bleſſing vponupon thoſe which ſéeke it with humility and reuerence. It is not to vſe old popiſh worne arguments, but yours is the courſe of all arrogant proud heretikes & ſchiſmatikes, which couet to draw the people to depend vponupon them, that they may hauehave fame, & to forſake their Paſtors, which take it gréeuouſly, that they ſhould ſéeke reſolutiō any where but at their hand. Whether ſhall we iudge the godly learned miniſters of the Churches aboue named, which hauehave their calling from God, or the vnlearned & raſh Browniſts, intruding themſelues without calling, and run before they be ſent, fitteſt to enquire at for reſolution? It were a pretie thing, to heare the Harlots in the ſtewes, euen in good earneſt to boaſt and glory of their chaſtitie. Who is more fierce and outragious, more vncharitable in condemning, then yée Browniſts? And yet ye bragge of ſuch patience and charitie, as cannot be ouercome. Then yée turne your ſelues to thoſe poore ſoules as yée terme thē, whom we, like miſerable Phyſicians ſéeke to cure: and your Counſell you giuegive them. I doo allow it, for it is the ſame in effect, if you could ſée, that I gaue them before. I would to God the people did follow it: we ſhould not then hauehave one Browniſt, The Deuill counterfaiting Chriſts voice, in hereticall ſchiſmatikes, ſhould not be able to allure and call away the ſhéepe from their ſhéepeheards. Now remaineth the laſt point onelyonly, that I ſhew ſome reaſon to prooue our Miniſtery to be of Chriſt.
The miniſtery of the Goſpell, which bringeth the worde of faith and reconciliation betwéene God and the worlde, is the true miniſterie of Chriſt, for the Deuil and Antichriſt ordeine no ſuch miniſterie. Nowe the miniſterie of the Church of England, doth bring no word nor doctrine, but the ſacred ſcriptures. It preacheth faith in God through Chriſt, and the doctrine of repentance, deliuering the holy ſacraments, as ſeales to confirme the ſame. Let all the ſchiſmatikes in the world barke againſt it, and ſay we hauehave no word nor Sacraments: yet this is the holy word: God ſo loued the world, that hee gaue his onelyonly begotten ſonne, that whoſoeuer beleeueth in him ſhould not periſh, but hauehave life euerlaſting. It may be ſayde, that many miniſters in England, doo not, nor cannot preach the Goſpell, how then is their miniſtery the miniſtery of reconciliation? Héere note, that as we muſt diſtinguiſh betwéene the miniſtery and the man himſelfe which is the miniſter: for the man may be of the Deuill, and yet his miniſtery of God: ſo muſt we alſo diſtinguiſh betwéene the function it ſelfe, and the execution of the ſame. For when one is called to bee a miniſter of the Goſpell, which is able, and dooth not preach, the defect is not in the function, but in his negligence about the execution. Likewiſe when the office or function is layd vpō him that cannot preach, the function it ſelfe is entyre, the defect is in the execution thereof, through his diſabilitie. I ſay therfore, that the Miniſterie of England is the Miniſterie of the Goſpell, though ſome doo not, and ſome cannot Preach. Then further, ſuch as hauehave the calling and ordination of the Church, hauehave the Miniſterie of Chriſt: for it is giuen to the Church, to hauehave power to call and ordeine Miniſters. Now if the Church doo falt and breake, either by error or negligence, in ſome rules which are to be obſerued about this calling and ordinatiō, yet the power is not diſanulled, nor the function deſtroyed, vnleſſe we will hold, that where there is tranſgreſſion either of ignorance, or otherwiſe, the whole is ouerthrowne: and ſo conclude, that there is no praier nor worſhip of God, nor any true ſeruice doone vntounto him vnderunder heauen, becauſe all is with errors and faults.
In England the Miniſters hauehave their calling and ordination by the Church of God. For that people which hath forſaken hereſies, and falſe worſhip, and imbraced the doctrine of the Goſpell, hath in it the true Church, which hath the power. And the Miniſters intrude not themſelues, but hauehave the power giuen them by the hands of the Biſhops, who doo it not by their owne authoritie, nor by any authoritie from Antichriſt, but as committed to their truſt by publike authoritie. Moreouer, that is the Miniſterie of God, which is to bring men to the faith, and to build vp the body of Chriſt. The Miniſterie of England is to none other end. For the whole drift, the whole ſcope, and burthen laid vponupon them, is to féede with wholſome doctrine, and to guide in the waye of godlineſſe, the ſhéepe of Chriſt, walking before them in godlye conuerſation. The Browniſt will not take himſelfe héere conuinced, but will ſay, theſe cauſes are but pretended, and are not in truth. I will therefore now reaſon from the effect, together with that which is properly adioyned to the Miniſterie of Chriſt. That Miniſterie, with the execution whereof there is ioyned the effectuall grace, power, bleſſing, and operation of the Holy-ghoſt, to the true conuerſion of mens ſoules, is not a Miniſterie of the Deuill, nor of Antichtiſt, nor commeth not in the life and power of the beaſt, but is indeed the true Miniſterie of Chriſt. I thinke the Browniſts will not be ſo beaſtly as to affyrme that the grace and operation of the holy Ghoſt to the conuerſion of mens ſoules, is ioyned to that, and worketh by that which is of the Deuill, and commeth in the life and power of Antichriſt. Then it remayneth only, to ſhewe that there hath béene and is this grace and worke in the execution of our function. If the Browniſts will deny that euer they felt that maieſtie and power in the preaching, which can not be in the words of man, but only in that word which is ſharper then any two edged ſword, and pierceth ſo déepe, as to be a diſcerner of the thoughts and ſecret intents. Or if they will denie that euer they hauehave béene driuen by it vntounto hatred, ſorrowe, and remorſe for ſinne, and rayſed vp with comfort and hope of forgiueneſſe, and with the promiſes of eternall glorie: Yet vntounto many other which by it are conuerted vntounto the Lord in déede, which vntounto feare and trembling doo féele the power and ſwéetneſſe of the liuely word, it may be ſayd, as S. Paule ſpeaketh to the Corinths: for when his aduerſaries did denie him to be an Apoſtle, the Corinths by his Miniſterie were begotten in Chriſt: wherevpon he ſayth, If I be not an Apoſtle vntounto others, yet am I vntounto you, for you are the ſeale of mine Apoſtleſhip in the Lord▪ 1. Cor. 9. ver. 2. Euen ſo, if the Miniſtery of Englād, be not the Miniſtery of Chriſt vntounto others, yet you can not doubt of it: your faith, your repentance, your ioy in the Lord, are the ſeale of it. You can not but ſée and knowe, that they be vile blaſphemous wretches, which beare ye in hand, that it is not the word of God, nor the grace of his ſpirit which worketh in ye, but the power of the Deuill, and the ſpirit of Antichriſt. You knowe it is the direct way which the Deuill taketh by his miniſters to bring in flat Atheiſme, to diſgrace and throwe downe the credite of the miniſterie. But doth it not make againſt the Miniſterie of England, that many of the Browniſts confeſſe they hauehave béene greatly moued at ſometimes with the power of the preaching, and at the adminiſtration of the Sacraments? for may it not bée ſayd héerevpon, that it is but a deceyuable ſhewe of grace and power, for if it had béene in truth, it would hauehave continued? I anſwer, it is ſufficient to proue the Miniſterie, and that the power of the holy Ghoſt goeth with it, when men hauehave bin ſo moued, although they do not continue, ſéeing the reprobate do féele the power, and taſte the ſwéetnes of the word for a time, Hebr. 6. He that hath therefore felt the power of God in his ſoule by the preaching of the word, and now doth not, the falt is in himſelfe. If the Brow. do further reply, that they be not true Chriſtians which yet are moued by the preaching, the motions are deceiptfull. Then I wil frō that which they confeſſe, ſhew that ſuch people are truly faithfull. For they confeſſe, that they were bleſſed and holy Martyrs that ſuffred in the dayes of Quéene Mary: and I ſay they were conuerted by the ſame miniſterie which we hauehave now. They had but the ſame motions at the preaching of Latimer, Howper, Taylor, Bradford, and others, which our people hauehave nowe. If the people at this day then féele the ſame effect in their ſoules at the preaching and Sacraments, touching faith, repentance, and reſolution to dye with ioy for the teſtimonie of the Lord if he ſhall require it, let the Browniſts, and all other wicked Sciſmatikes barke that we hauehave no Miniſterie, we hauehave no Word, we hauehave no Sacraments, nor true Church, yet the godly wiſe ſhall be able to diſcerne the voyce of Chriſt from the voyce of the Deuill, and perceyue that the power of our Miniſterie is not of the Deuill, but of the holy Ghoſt, whom they hauehave moſt wickedly reproched.
The fourth tranſgreſsion.
The Brow. THen, for that their Churches are ruled by and remayne in ſubiection, &c.
The fourth fault is, in the ſubiection to an AntichriſtianG. G. gouernment. If it were admitted that there is ſome yoake of Antichriſtian gouernmēt, vnderunder which, the poore Church may grone, as it is her lot to be oppreſſed with outward bondage, to be made to kéepe the Vineyard which is not her owne, to be beaten of the watchmen, to hauehave her vayle taken from her: is ſhe therefore no longer the Spouſe of Chriſt?