Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	bishop_n	church_n	prince_n	3,510	5	5.6598	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04542	A treatise of the ministery of the Church of England Wherein is handled this question, whether it be to be separated from, or joyned vnto. Which is discussed in two letters, the one written for it, the other against it. Wherevnto is annexed, after the preface, A brief declaration of the ordinary officers of the Church of Christ. And, a few positions. Also in the end of the treatise, some notes touching the Lordes prayer. Seuen questions. A table of some principal thinges conteyned in this treatise.	Johnson, Francis, 1562-1618.; Hildersam, Arthur, 1563-1632. aut	1595 (1595)	STC 14663.5; ESTC S117234	146,027	152

Antichrist and they also come into theyr Ministery by them it cānot be avoyded but theyr Ministery by vertue whereof they deale with the holy things of God and work vpon mens consciences is Antichristian ād therefore not to be receyved or ioyned vnto Which is the thing that was to be proved What is it then that he saith herevnto Doth he deny that the Prelates be limmes of Antichrist and prove the contrary by the Scripture No in deed but he leaveth them as he found them the limmes of Antichrist and seemeth so astonyed partly at the truth on the one hand partly with the vnlawfulnes of theyr office on the other as notwithstanding they are thus deeply charged yet he denyes not the charge but rather yeelds vnto it saying that whatsoever is vnlawfull in theyr callings he will not go about to mainteyne Yea that by Law of God they are not capable of that which is committed vnto them by the Parliament Where besides that he leaveth them without defence against so waighty an accusation he doth himself also charge them with breach of Gods Law and vnlawfulnes in theyr callings and so yeelds vs the cause The Prelates and his fellow Priests will not thank him for this And sure if any way it could have ben done now was it altogether needfull to have convinced by evidence of Scripture both that the Prelates are not the limmes of Antichrist and that theyr offices and callings are lawfull But the truth is mighty and will prevayle against all that withstand it ●●ll they will they Well then leaving thus the Prelates to be limmes of Antichrist what saith he to the other which is that the Ministers of the land come into theyr Ministery by the Prelates Doth he deny this No but graunteth it also as needs he must For such is theyr constitution and practise Besides that if any standing Ministers of these assemblyes should enter otherwise they could not but be intruders and hypocrites Intruders because they should thrust themselves into theyr Ministery eyther by no calling or by other then is receyved and allowed in theyr Church Hypocrites because ministring in and to these assemblyes they should seem vnto men to do it by vertue of such calling as is appoynted by Law of theyr Church when in deed it were otherwise It cannot be denyed then but they do and must come in by the Prelates who are limmes of Antichrist Now what followeth herevpon let themselves and all that partake with them well consider and repent whiles it is called To day But saith Mr H. nothing in this poynt at all Yes though he leave the Prelates and other Priests to shift for themselves yet for himself he takes a litle paynes saying he will simply ād playnely set down what moved him to seek a calling from the Prelates and what perswadeth him to think the calling he receyved from them is not vvicked and vnlavvfull Well but what if the other Ministers of the Land who take themselves to have as a good a calling as he yet were not moved neyther are perswaded therevnto by these reasons wherevpon he rest●th what now will he and what must we account of theyr Ministery by this reckoning Agayn what if the reasons he alledgeth for himself be not of waight in this case so to move and perswade eyther him or any other How then will he have vs esteem of his calling and Ministery Let vs therefore examine his reasons But first mark that he saith he sought a calling from the Prelates and receyved it He was not thē sought spyed out and called by a Church as is the ordinance of Christ but himself he saith sought to be called by the Prelates and receyved his calling from them Which maner of calling seing it is such as God never ordeined it therefore neither might be receyved of him neyther may be ioyned vnto by any other But let vs see what moved him herevnto FIrst saith Mr H. being persvvaded in my conscience that the Lord had a true Church in this Realme even at the beginning of her Maiestyes raigne vvhich being assembled out of all parts of the Land in Parliament did commit this authority to ordeyne Ministers vnto the Bishops and knovving out of the vvord of GOD that every true Church hath this povver and authority to ordeyne Ministers I considered vvith my self that though the Church offended in committing this povver vnto them that by the Lavv of God vvere not capable of it yet I might vvithout sinne seek and take the Churches ordination at theyr hands as I may reverence and take the benefit of the Princes povver ād authority vvhich is of God though it be committed vnto and exercised by men that by the Lavv of God are not capable of it THis is Mr H. his first and chief reason Wherein as also in the rest following let this be observed generally that although in the beginning of his letter he promised nothing should be brought to perswade but the word of GOd yet now in stead thereof he setteth before vs the perswasions of his conscience Which is a thing very vsuall among them as if they were eyther divine oracles or as foroible to perswade as they Yea here he seemeth to prefer his perswasions before Gods oracles Which if he had not done I would not thus have noted it For confessing on the one hand that he knoweth out of the word of God that every true Church hath this power and authority to ordeyne Ministers and consequently that it is Gods ordinance to have it in and from a true Church as he hath appoynted yet on the other hand he professeth that the Parliament committing this power vnto such as by the Law of God are not capable of it to wit to the Prelates and so offending therein he notwithstanding vpon his perswasion sought and took ordination from the Prelates hands Now what was this els but to regard his own perswasion more then the word of God Specially when he ioyneth withall that he thought he might so do without sinne Sure this is straunge divinity The Scripture teacheth that we may not be partakers of other mens sinnes And that the transgression of Gods Law is sinne He notwithstanding thought that he might partake with others in the breach of Gods ordinance and yet not sinne I hope he is otherwise mynded synce and so will be every day more and more In the meane tyme it is cleare that though these very things which he would seem to rest vpon were all graunted him yet they make altogether agaynst him and so this first reason of his is found in this case to be of no waight Yet before we proceed to the rest it will not be amisse for more evidence of the truth more fully to consider the particulars here set down 1 And first where he sayth he is perswaded the Lord had a true Church in this Realme at the beginning of her Majestyes raigne c. it would be knowen

H. alledgeth theyr book doth As that they be of vnblameable life apt to teach examined allowed ordered in a solemne assembly and such like Yet I trow Mr H. will not cōclude that the popish priests have therefore the substance eyther of a true office or of a true calling to the Ministery Or if he should yet will the consequēce never be proved eyther for those Priests or for theyr own Neyther let any think it straunge that theyr book and pontificall should have some things that the Law of GOd hath and yet that this should nothing help them for having a true calling to the Minist●ry In the prophecy of Daniel we read that when king Be●shazar made a great feast to his Princes he commaunded that the golden and siluer vessels that were taken out of the Temple of the Lords house at Ierusalem should be brought and the king and his Princes his wines and his concubynes drank therein Now although they had there the vessels of the Lords house and drank in them yet was it not therefore a feast of the Lord but a feast of Babylon notwithstanding Even so it fareth with the Ministery and entrance into it vsed in England and among the Papists Towching which although theyr book and pontificall have taken some things out of the scripture as it were some of the Lords vessels out of his Temple yet inasmuch as they are applyed by them to a false office ordination and ministration never appoynted by Christ but invented by Antichrist even as it were in a Caldean banket they do no more make theyr Priesthood or calling vnto it to be the Ministery and calling ordeyned by Christ then those vessels taken out of the LOrds house made that banquet of Babylon to be one of the Lords feasts Likewise in the prophecy of Ezechiel we are taught that albeit men set theyr thresholds by Gods thresholds ād their posts by Gods posts that is theyr inventions by Gods ordinances yet it maketh them not therefore to be the house and Temple of God and to have his true worship and ministery among them but as the Lord there testifyeth by his Prophet by this meanes they set a wall between God and themselues and defile his holy Name with theyr abominations This is the account the Lord maketh of the ioyning of his ordinances with mans inventions And what then will it help the Priests of England or Rome that theyr book and Law requier some things that the word of God prescribeth seing they ioyne and apply them to a false ministery devised by mā It may in deed make the mist which through theyr delusions they cast before the eyes of the people to be far the greater but it can no way iustify theyr standing or lessen theyr sinne Nay rather it doth increase it because thus they prohaue the word of God and defile his holy Name and cause them to ●rre that are led by them And thus against themselves they verify the Scripture which calleth the apostasy of Antichrist and the working thereof a mystery of iniquity But yet further if theyr Law agree in deed with the Law of God as it should what need Mr H. coy●e so many excuses for the authority of theyr Lordbishops and the calling receyved from them as afterward he doth For if it agree with Gods Law it need no excuse If it do not which in deed is theyr case no excuses will help no figge tree leaves wil cover the nakednes of such deformity Specially now when by the light of Gods word it is so discovered as themselves have seē it ād laid it opē to the view of others howsoever now they win● with theyr eyes that they might not see and would also blyndfold others by theyr pleading to the contrary Therefore will I conclude this poynt with theyr own testimony wherein they confesse as the truth is that theyr pontifical whereby they make ministers is taken out of the Popes pontificall that theyr ordering of Ministers is straunge from the word of God that theyr entrance is not by Christ but by a popish and vnlavvfull vocation that vvhen the Bishops have made them Ministers eyther they may tary in their Colledges and lead the lives of loytering losels as long as they live or els go abroad with the Bishops Buls like to Circumcellions to preach in other mens charges vvhere they list or els get benefices by frendship or money or flattery where they can catch them or to conclude if all these fayle that they may go vp and down like beggars and fall to many follyes or els as many have done set vp bils at Paules or at the Royall exchaunge and in such publick places to see if they can heare of some good Masters to entertayne them into service This is theyr own confession towching theyr entrance to the Ministery ād this is the testimony which themselves have heretofore given vnto the truth though now as you see they labour by all meanes they can to obscure it even wearying themselves in vayne whiles they would cure Babel ād lay plaisters on her sore which can not be healed To which end besides all that hath ben brought hitherto yet see what more balme Mr H. bringeth now also in the conclusion of his matter Which is thus as followeth being the last words of his letter ¶ Mr H his letter Section 10. BVt you vvill say vvhich of you all have such a calling as hath ben said is prescribed by Lavv I aunsvver that many Ministers in the land have and all may if they vvill have these substantiall parts of a true calling theyr gifts may be examined and approved by such as are learned and godly vpon vvhose iudgment they may safely rely themselves i● that 〈◊〉 they may be chosen and approved by the people that they are to be set over they may be rightly ordeyned and as it vvere invested into theyr office But your vvriting affirmeth they come in by the Bishops who are the limmes of Antichrist VVhatsoever is vnlavvfull in theyr callings I vvill not go about to mainteyne Onely I vvill simply and plainely set dovvn vvhat hath moved me to seek a calling from them and vvhat persvvadeth me to think that the calling I have receyved from them is not vvicked and vnlavvfull First being persvvaded in my conscience that the Lord had a true Church in this Realme even at the beginning of her Maiestyes raigne vvhich being assembled out of all the parts of the Land in Parliament did commit this authority to ordeyne Ministers vnto the Bishops and knovving out of the vvord of God that euery true Church hath this povver and authority to ordeyne Ministers I considered vvith my self that though the Church offended in committin-this povver and authority vnto them that by the Lavv of God vvere not capable of it yet I might vvithout sinne seek and take the Churches ordination at theyr hands as I may reverence and take the benefit of the

Princes povver and authority vvhich is of God though it be committed vnto and exercised by men that by the Lavv of God are not capable of it Secondly seing it is a thing not to be refused if a man entring into the ministery might have the approbation of all and every one of the Ministers of the Gospell in the land it seemeth vnto me the approbation of that Bishop that is also a Minister and preacher of the Gospell cannot be deemed to be meerly vnlavvfull Thirdly the authority of the Christian Magistrate vvithout vvhose liking and allovvance a Minister cannot be admitted to the Ministery in peace comming to the Bishop by Act of Parliament I may more boldly come to him for his approbation in regard of the Lavv not looking so much vnto the Man as ●●garding vvith reuerence the povver of the Lavv and Christian Magistrate ¶ Aunswer to Section 10. I Am sory to see Mr H. thus weary himself in seeking balme for the healing of Babels sore which cannot be cured We need not aske him as here he deviseth an obiection with himself vvhich of them have such a calling as is prescribed by the Lavv For notwithstanding theyr manifold breaches even of theyr own Law yet we doubt not but ynow and to many of them have the calling appoynted by Law that is are made Deacons and Priests by a Lordbishop according to theyr book taken out of the Popes pontificall contrary to the Testament of Christ and are also presented by the Patrones and instituted by the Prelates to cure of soules whereof would to God they made not marchandize as the Scripture speaketh The oftener then that he mentioneth this he doth but so much the more cast doung in theyr own faces Neyther is it to be past over but well to be observed that himself here reckoneth vp and accounteth these three to be substantiall parts of a true calling to the ministery 1. A due examination of gifts 2. The choyse and approbation of the people that they are to be set over 3. A right ordination into theyr office These three he sayth are substantiall parts of a true calling Wherevpō it followeth that none of theyr Ministers have the substāce of a true calling seyng they wāt these substātiall parts thereof as is proved before and afterward agayne ād as theyr own estate testifyeth agaynst them to theyr faces Yea M r H himself vp his own words here importeth thus much that divers at least of their ministers wāt the substāce of a true calling Els when he aunswereth to his own objection why saith he Many Ministers in the Land have these substantiall parts ād sayth not that all theyr Ministers have them Many he sayth ād not all Thus to vphold some of theyr Ministers if he could he careth not to smite down others of them to the ground ād those also such as have the same Ministery ād calling with the rest which is prescribed by Law But compare this with that which he wrote and see what a fayre thred he hath spun for himself Al theyr Ministers have not the substāce of a true calling This he insinuateth here ād in his own vnderstāding of the substantiall parts set down by himself cannot deny it if he would Yet all theyr Ministers be made Priests or Deacons or both by the Prelates according to theyr book aforesayd This also he yeelded before neyther if he would can deny it The conclusion therefore must be this that the Priests and Deacons so made by the Prelates according to theyr book such as be all theyr Ministers have not the substance of a true calling to the Ministery This you see followeth vpon his own aunswers Besides that we omit to speak of theyr presentations and of theyr inductions by the Prelates which the Law appoynteth as substantiall parts of theyr calling when they take charge of soules Onely marke here agayn his contradictiō with himself whiles he stribeth against the truth Now to proceed let him tell vs whom he meaneth here by the learned and godly whose examination and approbation they are to have and on whose judgment they may safely rely in that matter If he meane the Archdeacon or other Priests that be examiners for the Prelates as theyr Law and vse is how will he prove that they are such as he sayth that is learne● and godly or that theyr examination and approbation was ever appoynted by Christ or is to be had as a substautiall part of true calling to the Ministery or finally that any may safely rely vpon theyr iudgment in this matter But if he meane as doubtles he doth the examinatiō and approbatiō of some of the forward Preachers amōg them himself knoweth first that the Law appoynteth it not wherevpon will follow by his own assertion that all the substātiall parts of a true calling to the ministery are not prescribed by Law which yet before he labored to prove Secondly he is not ignorant and theyr constitution and practise showeth it that although secretly it may be some of them are tryed ād approved by such as here he intēdeth yet neyther is this generall ād those also which have this have notwithstāding ād must have that other which law binds vnto Now if that after the Law be of Christ why have they the other If it be not of Christ why receyv they it at all or how is it true which he sayd before that their Law agreeth with the Law of God as towching the substance of a true calling to the Ministery Thirdly are not these forward preachers also aswell as the other Deacōs and Priests so ordeyned by the Prelates as aforesayd ād therefore have a Ministery never ordeyned by Christ but brought in by Antichrist And what priviledg them have they herein more then the other Or how will it be proved for them any more then for the other that thus standing their examination and allowance is an ordinance of Christ or substantiall part of true calling to the Ministery Or that any may safely rely themselves vpon theyr judgment in this matter For the next likewise that is the choyse ād approbatiō of the people that they are to be set over if he meane it generally of any people whatsoever whether Idolaters Atheists Papists or others standing subject to Antichrist or such like how will he ever prove that such have this power and authority of Christ to choose the Ministers of his Gospell Or if he meane it as needs he must if he speak to the purpose of such people as by the word of God be called ād separated from the world ioyned in covenāt ād fellowship of the Gospell being true visible Churches of Christ then also how will it ever be proved that theyr people in this theyr Church constitution as now they stand in confusion ād spirituall bōdage to Antichrists Ministery worship ordināces courts and jurisdiction are such people and Churches having the power ād liberty which Christ hath given to

able to bring warrant for them out of the Law of God and therefore got what strength they could from the Law of Man The truth then is that not at the beginning of her Majestyes raigne but hundreds of yeares before her Majesty was borne the Prelates had this power of ordination in theyr hands as much as now they have For who knoweth not that both their offices and callings and this their authority of ordination is part of the apostasy of the Man of sinne even part of those abominatiōs wherewith the golden cup of the whore of Babylon is full and wherewith she hath long syn●e made drunken the nations of the earth and this of England among the rest Many of which abominations we confesse have ben swept out of this Land both in the tyme of King Henry the eyght and of King Edward the sixt ād of Elizabeth our dread Soveraigne For which we prayse God Yet notwithstāding to speak as the truth is many also of those abominatiōs of Babylō are remayning in the Lād from which it was never purged ūto this day Of which sort are the offices callings administration and maintenance both of the Prelacy and other clergy yet retayned in the Land from the hyest Prelate to the lowest Priest together with theyr book worship canons compulsion and confusion of all sorts of people whatsoever to be members of theyr Church and such like which were long to relate in particular So then if Mr H. would have simply and plainely showed vnto vs the originall of this power and authority in the Prelates he should have led vs not to the beginning of her Maiestyes raigne as if it had then begun but to the apostasy of the man of sinne from whence it first sprang and spred abroad into this and other Nations of the earth many ages before her Highnes raigne or birth Neyther hath it hitherto ben abolished out of this land as it ought but being found here at the beginning of her Maiestyes raigne was left remayning still ād is not suppressed but retayned evē vnto this day Wherevpō is come to passe that the Prelates ād Priests retayning still theyr calling and authority have by the iust iudgment of God showed themselves to be nothing behind the Cananites Hivites Iebusites and other inhabitants of the Nations whom God commaunded Israel to drive out before them ād they notwithstanding let them still remayne among them that is they are become pricks in our eyes and thornes in our sides vexing all such as feare God in the Land and it is to be feared if Gods mercy be not the greater will be a snare and destruction to the Land as already they are to the soules and consciences of the people therein The Lord stir vp the royall heart of her Maiesty that she may discerne theyr iniquity and abolish theyr offices and callings out of the Land and make them desolate and naked eating theyr flesh even theyr revennewes and poffessions by converting them to her own civill vses and the weale publik of the Land Thesame God the King of Kings work it also in the hearts of the other Princes and Magistrates of the world that they may do likewise within theyr Dominions that so the most wicked Hierarchy and religion of Antichrist may be vtterly consumed from of the earth and the Gospell of Iesus Christ may have free passage ād be glorifyed among all nations to the ends of the world as the Scripture hath said shall come to passe Rev. 17. 16. and 18. 20. 21. and 14. 6. 7. 8. and 21. 15. 24. 26. with 2 Thes. 2. 8. and 3. 1. Mat. 24. 14. 3 Thirdly where Mr H. saith he knew out of the word of God that every true Church of GOD hath the power and authority to ordeyne Ministers ād that the Prelates by the Lavv of God are not capable of it and yet that he sought and took ordination of the Prelates this is so far from being any defence vnto him in this case as it doth rather manifest his sinne to be the greater and far more grievous inasmuch as hereby it seemeth he took ordination of the Prelates against the knowledg which he had out of the word of God to the contrary 4. Fourthly let it be observed that here he saith the Parliament offended in committing the povver and authority of ordination to the Prelates that by the Law of God are not capable of it and yet before he affirmed that theyr Law agreeth with the Law of GOD as towching the substance of a true calling to the Ministery of which he made right ordination to be a part Thus he both contradicteth himself and agayn yeeldeth the cause For if they offended against the Law of God in committing this power to the Prelates as he directly affirmeth and there is no other Ministery had and all●●ed in the Land but from the Prelates as there is not hence it must needs follow that theyr calling and Ministery is vnlawfull and neyther to be receyved nor joyned vnto 5. Fiftly where he calleth the ordination taken from the Prelates the Churches ordination receyved at their hands and yet before sayd the Church hath power to ordeyne but the Prelates by the Law of God are not capable of it here agayne he forgetteth and contradicteth himself 6. Finally it may be observed that in the shutting vp of this reason he speaketh of the Princes power and authority committed to men that by the Law of God are not capable of it when as before in the former part of the reason he had spoken of the Churches power and authority committed to such as by the Law of God are not capable of it Thus he keepeth not to the poynt in question but speaking of ordination of Ministers one while he caryeth vs to the Churches power and authority committed to men not capable thereof another while to the Princes power so likewise committed As if the power and authority of Princes and of the Church were all one ād not distinct in the ordinance and appoyntment of God or as if whatsoever may be done in the one were also to be admitted in the other What straunge consequences would follow herevpon let himself consider And hitherto of the insufficiency of his first reason Now let vs see if there be any more wayght in his second which is as followeth SEcondly sayth M r H. seyng it is not to be refused if a man entring into the Ministery might have the approbation of all and every one of the Ministers of the Gospell in the land it seemeth vnto me the approbation of that Bishop that is also a Minister and preacher of the Gospell cannot be deemed to be meerly vnlavvfull 1. BVt what if the Bishops and Ministers he speaketh of be not the Bishops and Ministers of Christ but of Antichrist not in a true but in a false Ministery not according to Christs Gospell but Antichrists apostasy not servants of Iesus Christ the onely LOrd

whether he speak of invisible or of a visible Church of God If he speak of invisible he speaketh not to the poynt in question besides that they could not be counted an invisible Church and yet be knowen to be assembled together in Parliament If he speak of a visible Church as he must if he will speak to the purpose and as it seemeth he meaneth because he sayth they were then assembled together then how doth he prove this to be so In deed we deny not but God had his flock and Church even a true visible Church in this Land at the beginning of her Majestyes raigne For we have heard and read that in Queen Maryes dayes there was here a Congregation of faythfull people separated from the rest of the Land and gathered into fellowship together to serve the LORD according to his word and to keep themselves pure from the abominations of Antichrist That this Congregation also chuse them Ministers Elders and Deacons to instruct guyde and serve them in the Lord and that they had theyr holy meetings and showed notable testimonyes of their faith and love So long then as they kept communiō in this way we deny not but they were a true visible Church though it may be in some defects through want of further light and instruction The like we think also of our countreymen that were then at Frankford Geneva and other where beyond seas But when Queen Mary dyed and Queen Elizabeth whom God long preserve came to the Crown then the Masse and some other superstitions of popery being abolished agaynst which these Congregations had witnessed the truth in much affliction they herevpon dissolved and the severall members scattered themselves to theyr parishes here and there throughout the Land commingling themselves in confusion with the rest of the land that were Idolaters and repented not and submitting theyr soules to the Prelates and to the Ministery receyved from and executed vnder them as also to theyr courts canons excommunications and other Antichristian jurisdiction retayned in the Land And so have continued in apostasy from the way of Christ vnto this day Now these Congregations being thus dissolved and the members there of thus standing they were not now any lōger true visible Churches in the order of Christ but fallen into confusion with the world and into spirituall bondage to the Prelates and other Clergy the limmes of Antichrist So as from hence for the poynt in hand M r H. can derive no help for himself But be it that they had remayned still visible Churches in true constitution and had assembled together and committed this authority of ordination to the Prelates Yet this being not warrantable by the word of God it had bound no mans conscience neyther ben sufficient warrant for any to partake in theyr sinnes For the sinfull actions of the Church do not bynd or warrant vs any more then the sinfull actions of the world Neyther can all Churches or Nations vnder heavē make that lawfull which God by his word maketh vnlawfull Though all the people of Israel being the true Church of God enjoyne and commit vnto Aaron to make a molten calfe to go before them Yet was not Aaron therefore bound or warranted therevnto but sinned in so doing as they also did that tooke part thereyn Agayne for example sake let vs suppose that which in deed was not to wit that Moses and Aaron and all that were famous in the Congregatiō yea that the whole Cōgregation of Israel being the true Church should have committed to Corah Dathan Abiram ād theyr company power to take censers and burne incense thereyn before the LOrd yet they being not capable of that power by the Law of GOD neyther might have taken it neyther might any other have communicated with them thereyn but all that would not perish in theyr sinne should have departed from them and theyr tents When Achaz King of Iudah appoynted and Altar to be made after the fashion of the altar of Damascus though the disciples and people of God which at that tyme were in Iudah should have consented thereyn and committed power to Vryah and the other Priests to offer vpon it burnt offrings and peace offrings ād that to no other but the true God Yet should not ●riah or any other therefore eyther have done it or partaken thereyn When Ieroboam King of Israeel toke counsell with his Princes and people and made Priests of the lawest of the people which were not of the sonnes of Levi ād therefore not capable of the Priests office though the ten tribes having ben til this tyme the Church and people of God consented therevnto Yet did not this therefore bynd or warrāt any of them eyther to receyv that office or to joyne vnto them in the worship of God To come nearer our own dayes let vs suppose that which himself will think is as likely if not more thē that he alledgeth to wi● that in this Land was a true Church at the end of King Edwards dayes vvhich being assembled out of all parts of the Lād in Parliament in the beginning of Q Maryes raigne did commit this povver ād authority of ordination to the Prelates vvhereof by the Lavv of God they vvere not capable Yet will not M r H. say but it was vnlawfull notwithstanding for any to seek or receyve ordination from then Otherwise what impiety is there that by this meanes might not be made at least some what tolerable as may appeare by the examples and instāces before mentioned and infinite other that might be alledged The same Parliament whereof he speaketh authorising the book of common prayer did thereyn he knoweth commit power and authority vnto weomē in cases of necessity to baptize whereof by the Law of God they are altogether vncapable will he therefore say it is lawfull eyther for women to administer Baptisme or for any to yeeld their children to be baptized of them because they may reverence and take benefit of the Princes povver ād authority vvhich is of God though it be committed vnto and exercised by such as by the Lavv of God are not capable of it Many mo particulars might be alledged of like nature both out of the Scriptures and Lawes of this and other Nations but for the matter in hand the former allegations may suffice 2. Next where Mr H. sayth that at the beginning of her Maiestyes raigne the Parliament committed this authority to ordeyne Ministers to the Bishops he mistaketh the matter if he think that then first they receyved it For the authority of ordination was not then first committed vnto the Prelates but continued to them from former tymes ād ratifyed vnto them both at that tyme and afterward agayne in the eyght yeare of her Highnes raigne as may appeare by the statu●es then enacted Which it seemeth the Prelates and Priests of the Lād desired because theyr offices and authority being called into question they were not