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…

You ask whether the christian magistrate may enjoin a several kind of apparel to the ministers. Either the cause is too weak which you defend / or else it hath gotten an evil patron / which would so gladly shift it / and change it with an other. For this is an other question which you speak of. For although that be granted unto you / which you demand / yet you can not conclude your cause. For all be it the magistrate may command a several apparel / yet it followeth not that he may command this kind of popish apparel / and therefore what manner of argument is this of yours / the magistrate may command a ⟨p. 74⟩several apparel / therefore he may command this. The college walls will tell you / that a man can not conclude from the whole to the part affirmatively. So you see I might let you fish / and catch nothing / but I am neither afraid / nor ashamed / to tell you the truth of that you ask / so far forth at least as I am persuaded. I think therefore it may be such a kind of apparel / as the magistrate commanding it / the minister may refuse it / and such it may be / as he may not refuse it. But whatsoever apparel it be / this commandment can not be without some injury done to the minister. For seeing that the magistrate doth allow of him / as of a wise / learned / and discrete man / and trusteth him with the government of his people in matters between God and them / it were somewhat hard not to trust him with the appointing of his own apparel / and he is probably to be supposed that he hath discretion to wear his own gear comely / and in order / that is able to teach others / how they should wear theirs? and that he should be able to do that by his wisdom / and learning / that others do without learning and great store of wisdom / & that he should keep order and decency in apparel / which hath learned in the school of Christ / which they do that had never other schoolmaster / then common sense and reason? And if any minister be found to fault / in going either dissolutely / or to exquisitely and delicately / then the Magistrate may punish him according to the disorder wherein he faulteth.

You aske whether the christian magistrate may enioyne a seuerall kinde of apparell to the ministers. Either the cause is too weake whych you defende / or else it hath gotten an euill patron / whych would so gladly shift it / and chaunge it with an other. For this is an other question which you speake of. For although that be graunted vnto you / whych you demaunde / yet you can not conclude your cause. For all be it the magistrate may commaunde a seuerall apparell / yet it foloweth not that he may commaund this kinde of popishe apparell / and therefore what manner of argument is this of youres / the magistrate maye commaunde a