An answer to a certain book, writtenAn answere to a certeine booke, written

This therefore is a sure reason, and shall stand against the gates of hell, and force of all papists, that Christ is a Priest for ever, and hath an everlasting Priesthood. Therefore he is the only Priest of the new Testament, and his Priesthood is not communicated to any other: and so your priests are no priests, your sacrifice is no sacrifice, your Religion is no Religion, your Christ is no Christ, your God is no God. Depart from them whosoever will not be partakers of their condemnation.

This therefore is a sure reason, and shal stand against the gates of hell, and force of all papistes, that Christ is a Priest for euer, and hath an euerlasting Priesthood. Therefore he is the onely Priest of the new Testament, and his Priesthood is not communicated to anie other: and so your priestes are no priests, your sacrifice is no sacrifice, your Religion is no Religion, your Christ is no Christ, your God is no God. Depart from them whosoeuer will not be partakers of their condemnation.

To show this reason to be childish,¹ you have brought indeed a childish exception. Christ is (you say) a true man for ever, a king for ever, our doctor, master, and teacher for ever: yet are there many men, kings, doctors, & teachers, besides Christ. ²This man is suddenly so drowned in the dregs of popery, that he hath lost all taste and sense of trueth: for else he would have been ashamed of such an answer, which nothing cometh ⟨p. 88⟩near the matter. We speak of those offices, which Christ was appointed to bear by the anointing of the holy ghost, and special commission from God: you bring instance of things that be of an other condition and nature, as to be a true man, an earthly King, an outward minister of the word, & such like. Christ is our only king, Prophet, and Priest: so that in this sense, in which these are given to him, none can be King, Prophet, or Priest, but he. For he only is our spiritual King, he only is our teacher, and author of all heavenly doctrine, he only can offer the sacrifice propitiatory for the sins of the world. If you think any can be a King or Prophet in this manner, but only he, you take his honour from him, and give it to an other, to whom it doth not appertain: which you do indeed most notably in seizing your selves upon his Priesthood, which doth as truly belong to him alone, as the other of his Kingdom and Prophecy do. Now then weigh with your self, what a witless objection you have made: and if you can bring no better defence for your Priests, then your have hitherto done, you have good cause to be sorry, and ashamed