A confutation of certaine articles deliuered vnto the Familye of Loue with the exposition of Theophilus, a supposed elder in the sayd Familye vpon the same articles. By William Wilkinson Maister of Artes and student of diuinitye. Hereunto are prefixed by the right reuerend Father in God I.Y. Byshop of Rochester, certaine notes collected out of their Gospell, and aunswered by the Fam. By the author, a description of the tyme, places, authors, and manner of spreading the same: of their liues, and wrestyng of Scriptures: with notes in the end how to know an heretique.

ARTICLE. 5. HN. No Ministery.

WE must haue respect vnto the seruice mini∣stred in the Familie by the Elders thereof.* 1.1 For God hath chosen vnto him selfe the Fa∣milie of loue, and this seruice of the holy and gracious word: for their ministration is the safe making ministration.

Neither is there any minister of the worde rightly called but by their Familie.* 1.2

Theophilus.

BEcause their exercise is obedience and loue accordyng to the requiryng of his word.

William Wilkinson.

TRue it is that Gods ministery is an holy and sacred thing, in thought not to be violated, in word and déede greatly to be had in reuerence.* 1.3 For they which are Gods messengers doe bryng the glad tidynges of deliueraunce from sinne and Sathā vnto the people of God.* 1.4 They are Gods watchmen and do warne vs of the commyng of the enemy, which like a roaryng Lion goeth about séekyng how hee may deuoure vs.* 1.5 And because their mouthes should kéepe knowledge, of them must wee aske for the vnderstandyng of the word, and enquire after the will of our God: yet doth not all this proue, that that ministra∣tion which is by you, of that faythlesse Familie forged, is the true and holy ministration. For sometyme (as now in your Familie) it cōmeth to passe, that false Prophetes will say, thus sayth the Lord, and yet the Lord hath not spoken. They will presume to preach without a vision, and prophesie without a burthen: runne when God bid∣deth them not go, & take the testimonies of the holy ones in their mouthes, when yet the Lord sendeth them not. Heretiques will with a face of the Churche séeke to out∣face

both the children of God and the truth also.

Thus then not euery one that pretendeth is called in déede, for some come not in at the doore, but clyme in at the windowes, and as many as come before Christ, and set downe a contrary requiryng (as ye do) he is a Wolfe & séeketh but to rauin. Not euery one that crieth Christ, Regeneration,* 1.6 the spirite, a perfect, and true incorporatyng in∣to the vpright, beyng a consubstantiation and counityng with God, is a true teacher and faythfull Christian. Nor eue∣ry that taketh vpon him to expounde knoweth the mea∣nyng of the word. For many of you, when as ye would be Doctours of the word, had néede to be instructed in the very principles of fayth, and first grounde of Religion. So the true Ministers haue both a publicke and externall callyng by man: as also a priuate and internall callyng by God, which who so hath not he is an hereticall intru∣der and no propheticall Minister of God, nor Preacher of the most holy one. The whiche internall and externall callyng to the Lordes haruest to be a true labourer, if any man shall pollute with his lewde life, and light conuer∣sation, he is at the Lordes hand to be beaten with stripes without number. Yet if any man shall say well and doe euill (whiche God forefend) with man it may discredit him that doth speake well and yet do amisse: with God e∣uill déedes doe not disanull the truth of doctrine, as good déedes proue not euill doctrine to be true. A ring of gold in a swines snowt ceaseth not to be a ryng of gold though a swine weare it: pearles are pearles before dogges or swine. The broad seale of England, is highly to be hono∣red, for the Maiestie of the Prince therein appeareth: though some tyme the partie that may cary it may bee a lewde person and a Godles Atheiste. The word and Sa∣cramentes ministred by wicked men cease not by their administration to haue their force. For the wickednes of man can not ouerthrow the institution of God. Where, I in good conscience testifie, that I speake not to defend corrupt life in any man, but to vphold the truth, of good

liquor in an vnsauery vessell, and gods good worde, and sacramentes in a minister of an euill lyfe, and conuersa∣tion. For that Iudas, and Iames in their ministery gaue the same word, and wrought to the same wonders, yet the one a reprobate, the other an holy one, and a perfect Saint of God.

So then this reason that in corners your froward Fa∣milye vseth to whisper agaynst euill men (though Gods Ministers) is Anabaptisticall.* 1.7 Your Ministers liue not as they teach. Therefore their doctrine is not true. In Scrip∣ture I know this reason is often vsed: Your lyfe is not according to the law & your profession:* 1.8 Therefore you are hypocrites and dissemble with me sayth God. The former fond argument I neuer hard of any man that is sound for iudgement, and sincere for godlynes.

The same reason is by your Familye, and by your good minded brethren the Papistes alledged agaynst the truth, now preached after this sort. We worke better then you, therefore our religion is truer they yours. The first ex∣position (if you know what proposition meaneth) I de∣ny, and also the argument. More than we they marke I graunt (so had they néede that will haue heauen by de∣sert, or els will-naue none of it) but better they doe not. Quod non est ex fide peccatum est. What is not of fayth &c. The Pharisie gaue more almes, tithes &c. than the Pub∣lican, yet was the Publican more iust by much then the Pharisie. Not to worke,* 1.9 but to worke well in Gods sight is commendable. Non tam quid, quam quomodo ope∣ramur, inquiret dominus. Not so much what as with what fayth we worke, that will God demaund.

Thus haue I obiter and by the way touched your Fa∣milies Papisticall, & Anabaptisticall argument,* 1.10 where∣of the one will be saued by the fulfilling of the lawe, the other will haue markes concurre with fayth in the mat∣ter of Iustification, cleane contrary to S. Augustine who sayth, Opera sequuntur iustificatum, non praecedunt iustifi∣candum. The workes we doe follow as fruites and goe

not before as the efficient cause of our iustification. And thus much of the worthines of the Ministery, and mini∣sters thereof, Whome I counsell you to reuerence in better sort, both in worde, and writing, than ye haue done.* 1.11 For you know what Christ sayth: he that despi∣seth you, despiseth me &c. and reade further Exod. 16.8.1. Sam. 8.7. Num. 16. chap. throughout.

I haue in this place (gentle and indifferent reader,) to desire thée diligently, to marke the sly and crafty dea∣ling of this peuish Familye. For in my Articles which I exhibited vnto them for my further satisfaction, I ad∣ded this clause of the outward calling of the minister, which then I did suspect they denyed, and since by their faythles demeanour of concealing that clause,* 1.12 I am cer∣tainely perswaded to be true, where also it shall not be amisse if besides their fond behauiour (in ouerhipping that which they néedes must confesse to be truely repor∣ted of them by me) to consider also how guilefully they protest that. No man is able iustly to blame, accuse, de∣tect,* 1.13 or burthen them as transgressors of the lawe beīt a∣gaynst any the Quéenes Maiesties proceadinges in cau∣ses Ecclesiasticall &c. And yet in this place by me quoted out of the lamentable complaynt, sent. 34. They deny without their Familye their is no lawfull calling of Mi∣nisters.* 1.14 Their wordes be these. For to be a teacher or minister of the holy worde is not euery mans office but his on∣ly, which is thereunto, euen lyke as was Aaron, called and elected of God, whose rodde or staffe greeneth, blossometh, and beareth fruit, as lykewise his which is a true disciple of the worde, and louer of the truth, hath receiued the learning and administration of his holy word, with integritye of sin∣glenes of hart of the Elders in the house of Loue, obediently, and euē so is growē vp vnder thobediēce of the loue in the ho∣ly vnderstādings, till vnto the Elderdome of the man Christ, and taught to the kingdome of God. And the same is by thē in playne wordes affirmed, but more skoffingly, and con∣temptuously in the same booke. sent. 34. But of that

place more hereafter in the addition to the Article.

They with their cauill, as it is common vnto them with their brethren the Papistes, and Anabaptistes, (who alwayes, not being able to criminate, and blame the doc∣trine taught, flye straight wayes to the persō of the prea∣cher) demaunded, A Syr what auctoritye haue you to mi∣nister, and who layd handes on your, who called you? &c.* 1.15 as also their forefathers the old Pharisies, which demaū∣ded of S. Iehn the Baptist the same question, with that learned man M. Musculus. I aunswere,* 1.16 Qui legitimé vo∣cati non sunt, quaestionem de vocatione mouent. They which are not called lawfully, first moue a controuersie about a lawfull calling: which obiection M. Bullenger in his booke agaynst the Anabaptistes doth aunswere learnedly and at large. Bullenger agaynst the Anabaptistes 3. booke. 4. chap. 90. leafe.

An addition to the 5. Article of an out∣ward calling.

SƲch an one as in euen so with his vnderstanding,* 1.17 and thoughtes, become incorporate in all obediēce of the word to the truth of God, and lyfe of Christ, and euen so acknow∣ledge the truth, the same verily bideth rightly in the doc∣trine of Christ, and is apt to minister the holy word of truth, and to be a teacher of the people. &c.* 1.18 No man can teach the word of Christ, and his doctrine, but such as first haue bin o∣bedient disciples of Loue.

No man ought to busy himselfe about the word,* 1.19 but the Elders in the Familye. &c.

No man knoweth Christ nor the father nor yet also the ser∣uices or Ceremonies of Christ,* 1.20 but euen onely those which are euen so through Christ, as we haue rehearsed, renewed or re∣generated in their spirite and mynde: neither doth it also be∣houe or belong vnto any other to set forth any seruices of Ce∣remonies of Christ nor to preach or declare the Euangely: but such are those whiche are sent of Christ himselfe, for other∣wise it is all false. The Disciples of Christ could not vnder∣stand

the clearenes of Christ before the fifty day, taht the ho∣ly Ghost was poured vpon them: much lesse then verely can now the Scripture learned, which haue not kept the passeouer from death into lyfe, and from flesh into spirite with Christ, nor yet atteined through the power of the holy Ghost to the clea∣renes of Christ, vnderstand out of the knowledge of the Scrip∣ture, the clearenes of the word of Christ; nor yet set forth or teach accordyng to the truth his ceremonies or seruices, nor also preach or declare the Euangely of Christ.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Exhort. cap. 12. sent. 40.41.42.43.44. &. cap. 16. sent. 16.
• * 1.2

  Lam. cōp. sent. 31.
• * 1.3

  Euang. cap. 52.7 Math. 4.14.
• * 1.4

  Ezech. 33.7. 1. Pet 5.8. Luk. 22.31.
• * 1.5

  Malach. 2.7.
• * 1.6

  Bulleng. 1. boke. 8. chap. leafe. 12. verse.
• * 1.7

  Bullen. 2. boke. 7. chap. leafe. 97.
• * 1.8

  Esay. 58.
• * 1.9

  Luke. 18.11.
• * 1.10

  Bullen. 2. boke. 8. chap. leafe 18. Euang. cap. 13. sent. 4.
• * 1.11

  The dignitie of the Ministrie. Math. 10.40.
• * 1.12

  Fam. conceale that maketh a∣gaynst them.
• * 1.13

  Confes. pag. 4. confuted by Theoph.
• * 1.14

  Lam. Compl. sent. 34. of HN.
• * 1.15

  Zuinglius a∣gaynst the Ca∣tabap. fol. 188. Iohn. 1.22.25.
• * 1.16

  Musculus Com∣mon places title of Ministers. pag. 182.
• * 1.17

  Lam. Compl. sent. 33.34.
• * 1.18

  Docum. sent. 3. cap. sent. 1.
• * 1.19

  1 Exhort. cap. 16 sent. 16.
• * 1.20

  Euang. cap. 23. sent. 2.