William Roye's Dialogue betweeii a Christian Fatlier and liis stubborn Son. 453 



I well perceave. for Christ and his body is one tliynge \Yherin 

 yf one once be grafted, in tyme requyred he bringeth forthe 

 the frute there of. wheare none hypocrysy, nor ontwarde 

 dissiraulacion can healpe. So. What is the power and ma. xxüj. 

 authorite of this churche? Fa. Paul declareth saynge. The 

 lorde hath geven me power to edyfy, and not to ij. co. xüj. 

 destroye. which thynge perteyneth to eache one of the mem- 

 [fol. 29''.] bers of this boddy, seynge that all thynges ought to 

 be done for the edificacion of the congr[eg]acion, and not to 

 the destruccion. vnto the which entent all spretuall gyftes 

 lykwyse shulde be vsed and ministred amonge theym. j. co. xij. 

 Son. Have they whom menne call lordes of the spretualte non 

 wother power? Fa. Judge in thyne herte whether they be 

 members of this body or not. Yf they were, they shulde also 

 be ministers of the congregacion, and fulfill the office of a 

 trewe shephearde. and nether soifre theym selves to be called 

 lordes or masters. nor yet their shepe to be devowered of 

 wolveSj but rather after Christis example put their owne j. cor. üj. 

 bodies in ieoperdy for theym. Son. They make men sore astnnnyed 

 with theyr coursse and excommunicacion. Fa. The excom- 

 municacion of Christis congregacion, is an acte of gret charite, 

 and brotherly love. Wherby wother shulde refrayne joau. x. 

 theym silves from the life and learnynge of hym which is 

 acoursed or excommunicate. ordened to the entent that therby 

 the wicked myght the better come to the knowledge of hym 

 sylfe. and at the last confounded and asharaed of his owne 

 ofFence and misdede before his brethren, confesse hym silfe 

 to be as an infecte and rotten mem- [t'ol. ,'30'.] bre, worthy to 

 be reiecte from the whole bodv. and so with amendment desire 

 helpe and foryeveues of Christ and his lioly Company. So. Is 

 thio excommunicacion nedfull vnto the churche of Christ? 

 Fa. Ye surely, that Christen men cannot be without it. For 

 herby prove they all thynges, and kepe that gode is, and 

 beleve not every sprete, but prove theym whether they are off 

 god or nott. And herby syngulerly beware of faulce j. cor. v. 

 learnynges. and so exchewe all faulce and disceatfuU delusions 

 of the wicked. So. The right coursse or excommunicacion as 

 they saye cannot be, except it be declared in the polpet. 

 Fa. Loke howe moche the more a manne perceaveth j. t^sa. v. 



Sitzungsber. d. phil.-hist. Cl I.XXVl. Bd. UT. Hft 30 



