[572] In edit. 1621, "the cause wherefore they are ordained."
[573] The last six words are omitted in edit. 1621.
We dare not prescribe unto you what penalties shalbe required of suche: But this we fear not to affirme, that the ane and the other deserve death; for yf he which doeth falsefye the the seall, subscriptioun, or coynzie of a king is adjudged worthy of death; what shall we think of him who planlie doeth falsefye the Seallis of Christ Jesus, Prince of the Kingis of the earth? Yf Darius pronunced, that a bauk[574] should be taken frome the house of that man, and he him self hinged upoun it, that durst attempt to hinder the re-edificatioun[575] of the materiall Temple, What shall we say of those that contempteouslie blaspheme God, and manifestlie hynder the [spirituall] Temple of God, which is the saullis and bodyis of the elect, to be purged by the treu preaching of Christ Jesus, from the superstitioun and damnable idolatrie in which thai have bene of long plunged and holdin captive? Yf ye, (as God forbid,) declair your selfis cairless ower the treu Religioun, God will not suffer your negligence unpunished. And thairfoir, moir earnestlie require we, that strait lawis may be maid against the stubburne contempnaris of Christ Jesus, and against such as dare presume to minister his Sacramentis, not ordourlie called to that office, least that whill thair be none found to ganestand impietie, the wrayth of God be kindilled against the hoill.
The Papisticall Preastis have neather power nor authoritie to minister the Sacramentis of Christ Jesus; becaus that in thair mouth is not the sermon of exhortatioun. And thairfoir, to thame most strait inhibitioun be maid, notwithstanding any usurpatioun whiche thai have had in that behalf in the tyme of blyndnes:[576] It is neathir the clipping of thair crownes, the crossing[577] of thair fingaris, nor the blowing of the dum doggis, called the Bischopis, neathir yit the laying on of thair handis, that maketh thame treu Ministeris of Christ Jesus. But the Spreit of God inwardlie first moving the heartis to seke[578] Christis glorie and the proffeit of his Churche, and thaireftir the nominatioun of the People, the examinatioun of the learned, and publict admissioun, (as befoir is said,) maikis men lauchfull Ministeris of the wourd and sacramentis. We speak of ane ordinarie vocatioun, whare churches ar reformed, or at least tend to reformatioun,[579] and not of that which is extraordinarye, when God by him self, and by his only power, raseth up to the Ministerie such as best pleaseth his wisdome.