An apology or answer in defence of the Church of England with a brief…An apologie or answere in defence of the Churche of Englande with a briefe…

Further we say, that the Minister ought lawfully, duly, and orderly to be preferred to that Office of the church of God, and that no man hath power to wrest himself into the holy ministry at his own pleasure & list. Wherefore these persons do us the greater wrong, which have nothing so common in their mouth, as ye we do nothing orderly and comely, but all things troublesomely and without order: and that we allow every man to be a priest, to be a teacher, and to be an Interpreter of the Scriptures.

Further wee saye, that the Minister ought laufully, duely, and orderly to be preferred to that Office of the church of God, and yt no mā hath power to wrest himself into ye holy ministery at his own pleasure & list. Wherefore these persons do vs ye greater wrong, which haue nothing so common in their mouthe, as ye wee do nothing ordrely and comely, but al thinges troublesomly and without ordre: and that wee alow euery man to be a preest, to be a teacher, and to be an Interpretour of the Scriptures.

Moreover we say, that Christ hath given to his ministers power to bind, to loose, to open, to shut, and that the office of loosing consisteth in this point, that the Minister should either offer by the preaching of the gospel the merits of Christ & full pardon, to such as have lowly & contrite hearts, and do unfeignedly repent them, pronouncing unto the same a sure & undoubted ⟨image 24⟩forgiveness of their sins, & hope of everlasting salvation. Or else that the minister, when any have offended their brothers minds with a great offence, & with a notable & open tault, whereby they have as it were banished and made themselves strangers from the common fellowship, and from the body of Christ, then after perfect amendment of such persons, doth reconcile them, and bring them home again, and restore them to the company and unity of the faithful. We say also that the minister doth execute the authority of binding and shutting, as often as he shutteth up the gate of the kingdom of heaven against the unbelieving and stubborn persons, denouncing unto them Gods vengeance and everlasting punishment. Or else when he doth quite shut them out from the bosom of the Church by open ex-communicatiō. Out of doubt, what sentence so ever the Minister of God shall give in this sort, God him self doth so