An apology, or answer in defence of the Church of England concerning the state…An apologie, or aunswer in defence of the Church of England concerninge the state…

¹We say also, that ministers ought to be lawfully called & rightly and orderly appointed unto the administration of the Church of God, and that no man may thrust in himself to the holy ministry after his own will & pleasure. So much greater is the injury that these men do unto us, in whose mouths nothing is more common, then that amongest us nothing is done by order, nothing comely, all things in confusion & full of trouble amongest us: all men to be priests, all men to be doctors, all men to be interpreters.

¹We say also, yt ministers ought to be lawfully called & rightly and ordrely appointed vnto the administration of the Churche of God, and that no man maye thruste in himselfe to the holy ministerie after his owne wyll & pleasure. So much greater is the iniury yt these men do vnto vs, in whose mouthes nothing is more common, then that amongest vs nothinge is done by ordre, nothinge comely, al things in confusion & ful of troble amongest vs: all men to be preestes, al men to be doctors, all men to be interpreters.

1. 1The calling of Ministers.The callinge of Ministers.

¹We say, that Christ hath given unto ministers authority to bind, to lose, to open and to shut. And that the office of losing doth consist herein: when that other to such as are overthrown in their own consciences and are truly returned to a better mind, the minister by the preaching of the Gospel offereth the merits of Christ and absolution, and doth assure him of the remission of his since and of the hope of eternal salvation: other when such as in any grievous and slanderous offence, & by some notable & public fault have offended their brethren's consciences, and thereby have in manner alienated themselves from the common society of the Church and from the body of Christ, after that they do return again to a better mind, he doth reconcile, gather and