By a Priest then in the new testament 1understand nothing but an elder to teach the younger, and to bring them unto the full knowledge and understanding of Christ and to minister the Sacraments which Christ ordained, which is also nothing but to preach Christs promises. And by them that give all their study to quench the light of truth, and to hold the people in darkness, understand the disciples of Satan and messengers of Antichrist, what soever names they have, or what soever they call themselves. And as concerning that our spirituality (as they will be called) make themselves ⟨p. 145⟩holier then the lay people, and take so 2great lands and goods to pray for them, and promise them pardons and forgiveness of sins, or absolution, without preaching of Christs promises, is falsehood and the working of Antichrist: and (as I have said) the ravening of those wolves which Paul (Act. xx.) prophesied, should come after his departing not sparing the flock. Their doctrine is that merchandise whereof Peter speaketh saying: through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you. ij. Pet. ij. And their reasons wherewith they prove their doctrine are (as saith Paul. i. Timo. vj.) superfluous disputynges, arguynges or brawlings of men with corrupt minds and destitute of truth, which think 3that lucre is godliness. But Christ saith. Math. vij. by their fruits shalt thou know them, that is by their filthy covetousness and shameless ambition and drunken desire of honour, contrary unto the example & doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles. Christ said to Peter, the last Chapter of John. Feed my sheep, and not shear thy flock. And Pet. saith. i. Pet. v. Not being Lords over the Parishes: but these shear, and are become Lords. Paul saith. ij. Cor. ij. Not that we be Lords over your faith: but these will be Lords & compel us to believe what soever they lust, without any witness of Scripture, yea clean contrary to the Scripture, when the open text rebuketh it. Paul saith, it is better to give, than to receive. Act. xx. But these do nothing in the world but lay snares to catch and receive what so ever cometh, as it were the gaping mouth of hell. And. ij. Cor. xij. I seek not yours but you: but these seek not you to Christ, but yours to them selves, and therefore lest their deeds should be rebuked will not come at the light.
By a Priest then in the new testament 1vnderstand nothing but an elder to teach the younger, and to bring thē vnto the full knowledge and vnderstanding of Christ and to minister the Sacramentes which Christ ordeyned, which is also nothyng but to preach Christes promises. And by them that geue all their studie to quench the light of truth, and to holde the people in darcknes, vnderstand the disciples of Sathan and messengers of Antichrist, what soeuer names they haue, or what soeuer they call themselues. And as concerning that our spiritualtie (as they will be called) make themselues ⟨p. 145⟩holyer then the lay people, and take so 2great landes and goodes to pray for them, and promise them pardons and forgeuenes of sinnes, or absolution, without preachyng of Christes promises, is falsehode and the woorkyng of Antichrist: and (as I haue sayd) the rauenyng of those wolues which Paul (Act. xx.) prophesied, should come after hys departyng not sparyng the flocke. Their doctrine is that marchaundise wherof Peter speaketh saying: through coueteousnes shall they with fayned wordes make marchaundise of you. ij. Pet. ij. And their reasons wherewith they proue their doctrine are (as sayth Paul. i. Timo. vj.) superfluous disputynges, arguynges or braulyngs of mē with corrupt mindes and destitute of truth, whiche thinke 3that lucre is godlynes. But Christ sayth. Math. vij. by their frutes shalt thou know them, that is by their filthy couetousnes and shamelesse ambition and dronken desire of honor, contrary vnto the example & doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles. Christ sayd to Peter, the last Chapter of Iohn. Fede my sheepe, and not shere thy flocke. And Pet. sayth. i. Pet. v. Not being Lordes ouer the Parishes: but these shere, and are become Lordes. Paul saith. ij. Cor. ij. Not that we be Lordes ouer your faith: but these will be Lordes & compel vs to beleue what soeuer they lust, without any witnes of Scripture, yea cleane contrary to the Scripture, whē the opē text rebuketh it. Paul sayth, it is better to geue, thē to receaue. Act. xx. But these do nothyng in the world but lay snares to katch and receaue what so euer cōmeth, as it were the gapyng mouth of hell. And. ij. Cor. xij. I seeke not yours but you: but these seeke not you to Christ, but yours to thē selues, and therfore lest their dedes should be rebuked will not come at the light.
- 1The office of a Priest.
- 2They will be holier, but their deeds be not holy at all.They will be holier, but their deedes be not holy at all.
- 3Compare their deeds to the doctrine end deeds of Christ. and of his Apostles, and judge their fruits.Compare their dedes to the doctrine end deedes of Christ. and of his Apostles, and iudge their fruites.
