A15061:148
An answer to a certain book, writtenAn answere to a certeine booke, written
An answer to a certain book, written by Master William Rainolds student of divinity in the English college at Rhemes, and entitled, A refutation of sundry reprehensions, cavils, etc. by William Whitaker ...An answere to a certeine booke, written by Maister William Rainolds student of diuinitie in the English colledge at Rhemes, and entituled, A refutation of sundrie reprehensions, cauils, etc. by William Whitaker ...
Printed at London : For Thomas Chard, 1585
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Where I say, that Christ hath committed his Church to be ruled by Pastors and Doctors for ever, and not to Priests,1 you demand whether this appointment had effect or no & give me warning to beware (as though some danger were at hand) what I answer. But we shall easily, I trust drive away this cracking Hannibal from the gates of our City, who cometh only to make a show, and hath no force to hurt.2 That Christ ordained Pastors and Doctors to rule his Church, the scripture is plain, so that you may not for shame deny it: now if these were priests truly and properly, then should they have been so called, and by this name commended unto us in the scriptures. But whereas their office is declared diversly in great variety of names, y•t is this name never once given unto them in no Gospel, in no epistle, in no book of the new testament. And may we think that if the ministers of Christ in the new Testament were by Gods institution very Priests, as these men bear us in hand, and had commission to offer so excellent a sacrifice, as no Priest ever the like, save Christ himself, may we think, I say, or is it ⟨p. 80⟩likely that this name should never have been found in all the new Testament in this sense, where are so manifold titles given unto them, as of Elders, Overseers, Rulers, Shepherds, Watchmen, Ministers, Stewards, Servants, and such like? Of all which names none pleaseth their humour: but Priests they will be called & accounted, as though Gods spirit which appointeth offices in the Church, could not have given fit names unto them, but would rather give them any name, then that which is their proper name. Any man then, that hath but half an eye, may soon see, that the holy ghost in avoiding this name so carefully, hath given our Popish Priests a clean wipe, and both left them out of the door, and shut the door against them: & though they strive never so much to creep in, yet are they to be driven away by lawful authority, and kept forth, as they that have nothing at all to do in Gods house.
Where I saie, that Christ hath committed his Church to be ruled by Pastors and Doctors for euer, and not to Priestes,1