A18078:447
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…
A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to the Parliament. By T.C.A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to the Parliament. By T.C.
printed by John Stroud?, 1573
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Seeing therefore / that these functions of the Archbishop and Archdeacon are not in the word of God / it followeth that they are of the earth / & so can do no good / but much harm in the church. And if any man will say ye we do the church great injury / because we do tie her to a certain number of orders of ministers / ⟨p. 84⟩as it were to a stake / so that she may not devise new functions / I say that both the church and Christ doth accuse him again. Christ esteemeth him self to have injury / because that by this means he is imagined not to have been careful / and provident enough for his church / in that he hath left the ministry / wherein doth consist the life of the church (being that whereby it is begotten) so raw and unperfect / that by permitting of it to the ordering of men / there is a great danger of error / which he might have set without all danger / by a word or two speaking.
Seeing therefore / that these functions of the Archbishop and Archdeacon are not in the word of God / it foloweth that they are of the earth / & so can do no good / but much harme in the church. And if any man will say ye we do the church great iniurye / because we doe tie her to a certaine nomber of orders of ministers / ⟨p. 84⟩as it were to a stake / so that she may not deuise new functions / I say that bothe the churche and Christ doth accuse him againe. Christ estemeth him selfe to haue iniurie / because that by thys meanes he is imagined not to haue bene careful / and prouident enough for hys church / in that he hath left the ministerie / wherein doth consist the life of the church (being that wherby it is begottē) so raw and vnperfect / yt by permitting of it to the ordering of men / there is a great danger of error / whych he might haue set without all daunger / by a word or two speaking.
The church of the other side riseth against him / for that he maketh Christ less careful for her / then he was for that under the law. For tell me in the whole volume of the Testament is there any kind or degree of ministry / whereof God is not the certain and express author? was there ever any man (I except Jeroboam and such profane men) either so holy / or so wise / or of such great knowledge / that ever did so much as dream of instituting of a new ministry? After the long wandering of the Ark in the wilderness / when it came to be placed in Jerusalem / tell me if any besides the Levites and Priests / the ordinary ministers / and the Prophets which were immediately stirred up of God / were found to have ordained any office or title / which was not commanded / or whether there was at any time any thing added / or enjoined to those offices of priesthood and Leviteship / which was not by the law prescribed.