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If you say, that the church remayneth among Bishops, you are very much de∣ceiued, and ignoraunt in the scriptures. And it is manifestlye declared in the sa∣cred Bible, that the church consisteth not in the company of Bishops. The Iewes had a true church in the time of the prophets. And if a general Counsel of priestes and Bishops should haue bene then gathered, what manner of face shoulde the
church haue had? The Lord declareth his wil not to one or two, but to the whole order of priests. Ieremy saith: Obstupescent sacerdotes, et prophetae terrebuntur.* 1.1 That is: The Priests shalbe astonied, and the prophets shalbe afraid. Also Miche∣as saith. Nox vobis pro visione erit, et tenebrae pro diuinatione, et occumbet sol su∣per prophaetas, et obtenebrabitur super eos dies. That is: the night shalbe to you for a visiō, & the darknes for diuination, and the sonne shal go down from the pro¦phetes, and the day shalbe darkened vpon them. And if al that were of one minde and iudgement should haue bene then gathered together, what spirit would haue ruled? We haue an euident proofe in the assemblye that Achab called together. There wer conuented .400. prophets,* 1.2 but bicause they assembled to flatter the wic¦ked king, the Lord sent Sathan to leade them into al lies, & there the veritie was condemned, Micha was condemned of heresy, he was smitten, and cast into pri∣son. And so was Ieremy and the other prophetes handled. As touching the out∣ward apparance of a church, what lacked in the coūsel, which the bishops gathe∣red against our sauiour Christ? For vnles the church had bene then among thē, Christ would neuer haue bene partaker of their sacrifices and other ceremonies. Ther was a solemn conuenticle, the high bishop went formost, the whole compa∣ny of priestes sat with him, and yet notwithstanding Christe was there condem∣ned, and his doctrine abolished. This fact teacheth vs, that the Churche was not included and shut vp in that assembly. Wherefore, it is not to be graunted, that the church consisteth onely in the assembly of pastors and Bishops.
Cap. •• Mi••h
3. Reg