A Christian instruction, containing the law and the Gospel Also a summary of the…

Of the ministry of the Church, and of the gifts necessary to the same.

Of the ministerie of the Churche, and of the gifts necessarie to the same.

1. 1Rom. 10. c. d

P. It is by the ministry of the word of God, according to the saying of Saint Paul, that faith is given by the hearing ⟨p. 266⟩of the same.

P. It is by the ministerie of the word of God, according to the saying of Saincte Paule, that faith is giuen by the hearing ⟨p. 266⟩of the same.

M. Is that the cause why the same Apostle said, that God hath given to his Church,¹ some Apostles, some Prophets, others Evangelists, and others pastors and Doctors, for the establishment of the Saints to the work of administration for the building up of the body of Christ, unto the time that we come all into the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to be a perfect man, according to the measure of the full age of Christ?

M. Is that the cause why the same Apostle sayde, that God hath giuen to his Church,¹ some Apostles, some Prophets, others Euangelists, and others pastors and Doctors, for the establishment of the Saintes to the worke of administration for the buylding vp of the bodie of Chryst, vnto the tyme that wée come all into the vnitie of the faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God, to be a perfect man, according to the measure of the full age of Chryste?

1. 1Ephes. 4. b

P. Beside that which thou sayest, thou hast yet to note, that S. Paul meaneth not by these words, that Christ giveth only men to his Church, which may have these offices, but also that he giveth them gifts meet for them, whereby they may well exercise them.

P. Beside that whyche thou sayest, thou hast yet to note, that S. Paule meaneth not by these words, that Chryst giueth only men to his Churche, whiche maye haue these offices, but also that he giueth them gifts méete for them, wherby they may wel exercise them.

M. Seeing it is so, these gifts of the holy Ghost which thou hast said, that God did distribute, not only to the faithful, but also oftentimes to the unfaithful, are necessary for his Church.

M. Séeing it is so, these guiftes of the holie Ghost which thou hast sayd, that God did distribute, not only to the faithful, but also oftentymes to the vnfaithfull, are necessarie for his Churche.

Peter. There be of them that are so necessary unto it, that the Church can not be a Church without them, and therefore they be ever in her. But there be others without the ⟨p. 267⟩which she may better be: And therefore god hath not given unto them her but for a certain time.

Peter. There be of them that are so necessarie vnto it, that the Churche can not be a Churche without them, and therfore they be euer in hir. But there be others without the ⟨p. 267⟩whiche she may better bée: And therfore god hath not giuen vnto them hir but for a certaine time.

Howe that the gift of preaching is at all times necessary in the Church, and of the ordinary ministry of the same.

Hovve that the gifte of preaching is at all times necessarie in the Church, and of the ordinarie ministerie of the same.

M. Declare to me more familiarly by examples thy meaning.

M. DEclare to me more familiarly by examples thy meaning.

Pe. Seeing that the Church can not be a Church but by the mean of Faith in Jesus Christ, and that the mean whereby the faithful which are the members of the same, are called to the faith,¹ is the preaching and hearing of the word of God, it followeth well, that necessarily, this word be ever there taught, and that the Church be first assembled together, and afterward augmented, entertained, & conserved by the same.

Pe. Séeing that the Church can not be a Churche but by the meane of Faithe in Iesus Chryst, and that the meane whereby the faithfull whiche are the membres of the same, are called to the faithe,¹ is the preaching and hearing of the woorde of God, it followeth well, that necessarily, this word be euer there taught, and that the Churche be first assembled togither, and afterward augmēted, entertayned, & conserued by ye same.

1. 1Rom. 10. c. d

M. I do so understand it well.

M. I do so vnderstād it wel.

P. Now this word cannot be there set forth & entertained but only that there be men which have this gift of the holy Ghost to know how to set it forth in such sort as it is meet, as true prophets & ministers of god as the Lord hath also promised unto it, when he said by Moses, and after by Isaiah, ⟨p. 268⟩that he would give to his people, a prophet, in whose mouth he would put his word, and that it should never depart from the mouth of the seed of his people, and that his spirit also should never be separate from it.

P. Now this word cānot be there set forth & entertained but only yt ther be mē which haue this gift of the holy Ghost to know how to set it forth in such sort as it is méet, as true ꝓphets & ministers of god as the Lord hathe also promised vnto it, when he said by Moyses, and after by Esay, ⟨p. 268⟩that he wold giue to his people, a prophet, in whose mouth he would putte his word, and that it should neuer depart frō the mouthe of the séede of his people, and that his spirit also shuld neuer be separate from it.

M. I think that that prophecy which thou hast now alleged of Moses ought to be properly understood of Jesus Christ.

M. I thinke that that prophecie which thou hast now alledged of Moyses ought to be proprely vnderstode of Iesus Christe.

P. Saint Peter and S. Steven do also apply it to his person,¹ as to the head and prince of all prophets and ministers, which giveth power to the ministry of all others. But that exposition which is very certain and very well applied, doth not let at all, but that this passage of Moses may be taken for the ordinary ministry which God hath established in his Church, as the circumstance of the place doth sufficiently declare it, the which ministry hath ever ben founded in Jesus Christ, which is the foundation of the prophets and Apostles.

P. Sainct Peter and S. Steuen doe also applie it to his person,¹ as to the head and prince of all prophetes and ministers, whiche giueth power to the ministerie of all others. But that exposition which is very certaine and very wel applied, doth not let at al, but that this passage of Moyses may be taken for the ordinarie ministerie which God hath established in his Church, as the circumstāce of the place dothe sufficiently declare it, the which ministerie hath euer ben founded in Iesus Christ, whiche is the foundation of the prophets and Apostles.

1. 1Act. 3. d. 7. •