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…

Thirdly / for that Ambrose in an other place (which you after cite) dividing all the church into the clergy and laity / doth subdivide the clergy into bishops / elders / and deacons / and therefore it is not like that there was any which had any continual function of archbishop. But as he was called choregos or leader of the dance / which cometh first / and after coming in again in the second or third place / is no more so called: so that bishop was called archbishop / which for the time present did gather the voices of the rest of the bishops / which he by & by laid down with the dissolving of the meeting. And that this is not my conjecture only / that there was no ordinary or absolute archbishop / let the Centuries be seen / which allege that place of Ambrose / to prove that the office of an archbishop / was not then come into the church / which was. 400 years after Christ / and more also.

Thirdly / for that Ambrose in an other place (whych you after cite) deuiding all the church into the cleargye and laitye / dothe subdeuide the cleargy into bishops / elders / and deacons / and therfore it is not like that there was any which had any continuall function of archbyshop. But as he was called choregos or leader of the daūce / whych commeth first / and after comming in againe in the second or third place / is no more so called: so that byshop was called archbyshop / whych for the time present did gather the voyces of the rest of the byshoppes / whych he by & by layde downe wyth the dissoluing of the meeting. And that this is not my coniecture only / that there was no ordinarye or absolute archbyshop / let the Centuries be seene / whych alledge that place of Ambrose / to proue that the office of an archbishop / was not then come into the church / whych was. 400 yeares after Christ / and more also.

Basil you say the great Metropolitan of Cappadocia. I have showed what the word metropolitan signifieth / and how there was not then such a metropolitan as we have now / and as the admonition speaketh against. You play as he which is noted as none of the wisest amongst the merchants / which thought that every ship that approached the haven / was his ship: for so you think that wheresoever you read metropolitan or archbishop / forthwith you think there is your metropolitan or your archbishop / whereas it shall appear / that besides the name / they are no more like then a bishop with us / is like a minister.