56 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. F. Then every one that will, may preach the word irt your assemblies. P. Not so. For we hold it unlawful for any man to intermeddle with the Lord's holy,trutb, beyond the bounds of his gifts ; or for him who is endowed with gifts, to preach or teach in the church, except he be desired and called thereto by the bodyof the church. F. May any person then preach, who hath no office so to do ? P. Yes, that he may ; and the word of God bindeth every one to preach who intendeth to become a pastor or teacher in the church. of Christ, even before he take upon him this office. F. What office then hath he all this time ? P. No other office than the other members of the body have, who are bound to perform their several operations in the body, according to that measure of grace which they have received from the Lord Jesus. And, indeed, it is a common practice in our colleges and universities, for those to preach who have no office. F. Yes, it is in the schools. P. If this exercise, according to your own confession, be warrantable in the schools and colleges, it' is certainly much more so in the church and congregation. F. Well, then, you bear no office in your church. You will not tell us whether you taught among them ; but you say you would if they required you. P. True. F. But how came it to pass that you were not made an officer among them ? P. Doubtless I was desired to take a charge, and to con- tinue among them, but I would not; because I have always purposed to employ my small talent in my poor country of Wales, where, I know, the poor people perish for lack of knowledge. F. You labour to draw her majesty's subjects from their obedience to her laws, and from the church of England, to hear you, and such as you, teaching in woods. P. Nay ; I persuade all men to obey my prince and her laws. Only I dissuade all the world from yielding obedi- ence and subjection to the ordinances of antichrist, and persuade them to be subject to Jesus Christ and his laws : I know this to be agreeable to the laws of her majesty. F. What! Is it meet that subjects should charge their
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