To be shorte, they say that all these offices be plainely in Gods worde forbidden, and they alleage Math. 23. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 4. 1. Pet. 5. The places of Mathew & Luke be answered before. Christ beateth* 1.1 downe ambition and pryde, and desire of bearing rule, as he did be∣fore, when he sayde, be ye not called Rabbi, and call no man father, be not called Doctors, he doth not condemne the names, but the ambi∣tion of the minde.
In the. 1. Cor. 4. it is thus written, Let a man thus thinke of vs, as of the ministers of Christ, &c. The ministers of the worde in deede are not to be estemed as Gods, but as the ministers of God. Some among the Corinthians gloried in their ministers, and attributed to much vnto them. Here of came these factiōs, I holde of Paule, I of Apollo, &c. This teacheth your adherentes and disciples, not to attribute to much to you, & such as you are, or any other minister of Gods word. It maketh nothing agaynst the names or authorities eyther of Archbishop, Lordbishop, or any other that you haue named, who be the ministers of Christ, and ought so to be esteemed.
The place of S. Peter cap. 5. is this, Feede the flocke of God, &c. not as though you vvere Lordes ouer the flocke, &c. Peter here condemneth hautinesse, contempt, and tyrannie of pastors towards theyr flockes, he doth not take away lawfull gouernment. The Pastor hath rule and superioritie ouer his flocke, but it must not be tyrannicall.
These be but very slender proofes that the names and offices of