We speake not of the name of Prieste, wherwith he defaceth the minister of Christe, (bicause the Priest that translated it, would perhaps fame haue the minister of Christe to be ioyned wyth him) seyng the office of priesthood is ended Christ being the last Priest that euer was. To cai vs therfore Priests as touching our office, is eyther to call backe againe the olde priesthoode of the law, which is to denie Christ to be comen, or else to keepe a memorie of the popishe priesthode of abhomination stil amongst vs. As for the fyrst, it is by (d) 1.1 Chryst abolished, and for the seconde it is of Antichrist, and therfore we haue nothing to do with it. Suche oughte to haue (e) 1.2 no place in our Church, neither are they ministers of Christ, sente to preach his Gospell, but Priests of the Pope to sacrifice for the quick and the dead, that is, to treade vnder their feet the bloud of Christ. Suche ought not to haue place amongst vs, as the scriptures manifestly teache. Besydes that we neuer reade in ye new Testament, that this word Priest, as touching office, is vsed in y• good parte.
The name of Priest neede not to be so odious vnto you, as you* 1.3 would seeme to make it. I suppose it cōmeth of this worde Presbyter, not of Sacerdos, and then the matter is not great.