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…

I know Ambrose was taken newly from Paganism / to be bishop of Milan / for the great estimation & credit he had amongst the people / but besides that I have showed / that such things are unlawful being forbidden. The errors and corrupt expounding of scriptures / which are found in his works / declare that it had been more safe for the church / if by study of the scriptures / he had first been a scholar of divinity / or ever he had been made doctor. There may be more examples showed out of that / which you call the primitive church / to the contrary of that which you say. For when they used often times against those that had so fallen such severity (in deed extreme and excessive) that they were never after / until their deaths admitted to the Lords table: I leave to you to think / whether they would then suffer any such to execute the function ¹of the ministry. Besides that S. Cyprian hath also a special treatise of ⟨p. 42⟩this / that those that have sacrificed to idols / should not be permitted any more to minister in the church. But you ask what they say to M. Luther / Bucer / Cranmer / Latimer / Ridley? I pray you when did these excellent personages / ever slide from the gospel unto idolatry? which of them did ever say Mass / after God had opened them the truth? what hath so blinded you that you can not distinguish and put a difference / between one that having been nuzzled from his youth up in idolatry / cometh afterwards out of it / and between him / which having knowledge of the gospel / afterward departeth from it / and of such is the place of Ezekiel / of such I say / as have gone back and fallen away.

I know Ambrose was taken newly from Paganisme / to be bishop of Millaine / for the great estimatiō & credite he had amongst the people / but besides that I haue shewed / that suche thinges are vnlawfull being forbidden. The errors and corrupt expounding of scriptures / which are founde in his workes / declare that it had bene more safe for the churche / if by studie of the scriptures / he hadde first bene a scholer of dyuinitie / or euer he hadde beene made doctor. There may be more examples shewed out of that / which you call the prymitiue churche / to the contrary of that which you say. For when they vsed often tymes agaynste those that hadde so falne suche seueritie (in deede extreme and excessiue) that they were neuer after / vntill their deathes admitted to the Lordes table: I leaue to you to thinke / whether they woulde then suffer any suche to execute the function