WRIGHT. N Fujrrtttn, having preached seven years in the university with a license, and being since that time regularly ordained, by the layingon of the hands of the presbytery at Antwerp." The bishop having charged Mr. Wright with saying, " That the election of ministers ought to be by their flocks," he acknowledged the charge, and supposed it was noerror; adding, -" That he was himself thus chosen by his flock at Rochford ; that in his opinion, every minister was a bishop, though not a lord bishop; and that his grace of London, must be of the same opinion ; because when he was last before him, he rebuked Mr. White for striking one of his parishioners, alleging that text, A bishop must be no striker : which had been impertinent, if Mr. White, who was only a minister, had not been a bishop." When he was charged with saying, " That the ministers who only used the common prayer, were dumb dogs ;" he said, " the phrase, though used in scripture, has very seldom been in my mouth, onany occasion whatever. But it can never be proved, that I ever called any man, especially any preacher, by that name. Yet a man who is professedly the pastor of a flock, and does not preach at all, may, according to the design of the prophet, deserve thename of dumb dog." Aylmer alsocharged himwith saying, " There wereno law- ful ministers in the church of England ; andthat those who are called ministers, are thieves and murderers." To this, Mr. Wright said, " I will be content to"be condemned, if I bring not two hundred godly, preaching ministers, as witnesses against this accusation. I doas certainly believe, that there are lawful ministers in England, as that there is a sun in the sky. In Essex, I can bring twenty godly ministers, all preachers, who will testify that they love me, and have cause to think that I love and reverence them. I preached seven years in the university of Cambridge with approba- tion, and have a testimonial under the hands and seals of the master and fellows of Christ's college, being all ministers, ofmy good behaviour.". This excellent divine havingbeen a considerable time in the Gatehouse, in September, 1582, became willing to sub- scribe to the allowance ofthe ministry of the church of Eng- land, and the Book of Common Prayer. Yet Bishop Aylmer required his friends- to be bound in a good round sum, that henceforthhe should never preach, nor act, con- trary to the same. Upon these conditions, his grace was Strype's Annals, vol. ill Appeo p, SS-43. YOL. I.
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