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…

The reason is of greater force then you would seem to make it / for as the twelveth place was to Mathias / so is a certain church unto a pastor or minister / and as the Apostles ordained none unto that place / before it was void / so ought not the Bishop ordain any / until there be a church void and destitute of a pastor. And as the Apostles ordained not any Apostle / further then they had testimony of the word of God / as it appeareth that S. Peter ¹proceedeth by that rule to the election / so ought no bishop ordain any to any function / which is not in the scripture appointed: but there are by the word of God at this time / no ordinary ministries ecclesiastical / which be not local / and tied to one congregation / therefore this sending abroad of ministers / which have no places / is unlawful.

THe reason is of greater force then you woulde seeme to make it / for as the twelueth place was to Mathias / so is a certayne churche vnto a pastor or mynister / and as the Apostles ordayned none vnto that place / before it was voyde / so ought not the Byshoppe ordayne anye / vntill there be a churche voyde and destitute of a pastor. And as the Apostles ordayned not any Apostle / further then they had testimonie of the worde of God / as it appeareth that S. Peter ¹proceedeth by that rule to the election / so ought no byshop ordayne anye to anye function / which is not in the scripture appoynted: but there are by the worde of God at thys time / no ordinarie ministeries ecclesiasticall / which be not locall / and tyed to one congregation / therefore thys sending abrode of ministers / which haue no places / is vnlawfull.

1. 1Act. 1. 20.

And that it may the better appear / that those functions do only remain / which are appointed to one certain place / and that the reader may have the clearer and plainer understanding of all this matter / all the whole ecclesiastical function may be well divided: first into extraordinary / or those that endured for a time / and into ordinary / which are perpetual. Of the first sort are the Apostles and Evangelists / which the Lord used for a time as it were for chief masons / and principal builders of his church / as well to lay the foundations of churches where none were / as also to advance them to such forwardness and height / until there might be gotten / for the finishing of the building and house of the Church fit pastors / elders / and deacons. And that being done / they went from those places into others / which thing may be perceived by the continual story of the Acts of the Apostles / and by divers sentences which are found in the Epistles of S. Paul. And therefore also / when the churches have been by antichrist even razed from the foundations / God hath stirred up Evangelists even immediately by this spirit / without any calling of men / to restore his churches again: of which sort was Master Wycliffe in our Country / Master Hus and Jerome of Prague in Bohemia / Luther and ♉winglius in Germany. &c. And after this sort / God may at his good pleasure work / when he purposeth to set in his gospel in any nation / where the whole face of the earth is covered with the darkness of ignorance / and want of the knowledge of God.