A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to…A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to…

To the next section beginning in the. 38. page.

What ought to be general / if this ought not / to put the minister that hath been an idolater / from his ministry? is it not a commandment of God / and given / not of one Levite or two / but of all those that went back / not at one time / but at others also / when the like occasion was given / as appeareth in the book of Kings / where all the priests of the Lord that had sacrificed in the ¹high places / were not suffered to come to the altar in Jerusalem? Doth not S. Paul make smaller causes of deposing from the ministry then idolatry? for after ²he hath described what manner of men the ministers should be / and deacons / he addeth: And being tried / let them execute their functions / as long as they remain ⟨p. 41⟩blameless. I think if so be a man had been known to be an adulterer / although he repented him / yet none that is well advised / would take him into the ministry. For if S. Paul reject him that had ij. wives at once (which was a thing that the Jews and Gentiles thought lawful / and that was common amongst them / and had prevailed throughout all the world) how much less would he suffer any to be admitted to the ministry / which should be an adulterer / and have an other mans wife / which is condemned of all that profess the name of Christ / and which is not so general a mischief as that was: Or would he suffer him to abide in the ministry / which should commit such wickedness during his function / likewise of a murderer. Now the sin of Idolatry is greater & more detestable / then any of them / in as much as pertaining to the first table / it immediately staineth Gods honour / and breaketh duty to him / unto whom we more owe it (without all comparison) then to any mortal man. And if S. Paul in the choice of the widow / to attend upon the sick of the church / which was the lowest office in the church / requireth not only such a one as is at the time of the choice / honest and holy / but such a one as hath led her whole life in all good works / and with commendation / how much more is that to be observed in the minister or bishop of the church / that he be not only at the time of his choice / but all other times before such a one / as hath lived without any notable / and open offence of those / amongst whom he had his conversation.