A18078:562
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.
It will be said that no one is able to do the office of a bishop / unto all the whole church / neither is there any one able to do the office of a bishop to the whole church of England. For when those which have ben most excellent in knowledge ⟨p. 107⟩and wisdom / and most ready and quick / in doing and dispatching / matters / being always present / have found enough to do to rule and govern one several congregation: what is he which (absent) is able to discharge his duty toward so many thousand churches? And if you take exception / that although they be absent / yet they may do by under ministers / as by Archdeacons / Chancellors / Officials / Commissaries / and such other kind of people / what do you else say / then the Pope / which sayeth / that by his Cardinals / and archbishops / and Legates / and other such like / he doeth all things? For with their hands he ruleth all / and by their feet he is present every where / and with their eyes he seeth what is done in all places. Let them take heed therefore / least if they have a common defence with the Pope / that they be not also joined nearer with him in the cause / then peradventure they be aware of. Truly it is against my will / that I am constrained to make such comparisons / not that I think there is so great diversity between the Popedom and the archbishopric / but because there being great resemblance between them / I mean / having regard to the bare functions / without respecting the doctrine good or bad which they uphold / that I say there being great resemblance between them: there is yet as I am persuaded / great difference between the parsons that execute them. The which good opinion conceived of them / I we most humbly beseech them by the glory of God / by the liberty of the church purchased by the precious blood of our saviour Christ / and by their own salvation / that they would not deceive / by retaining so hard / such excessive and unjust dominion over the church of the living God.
It will be sayd that no one is able to do the office of a byshop / vnto all the whole church / neither is there any one able to do the office of a byshop to ye whole church of England. For when those which haue ben most excellent in knowledge ⟨p. 107⟩and wisedome / and most ready and quicke / in doing and dispatching / matters / being alwayes present / haue found enough to do to rule and gouerne one seuerall congregation: what is he whych (absent) is able to discharge hys duety toward so many thousand churches? And if you take exception / that although they be absent / yet they may do by vnder ministers / as by Archdeacons / Chauncellors / Officials / Commissaries / and such other kinde of people / what doe you else say / then the Pope / whych sayeth / that by hys Cardinalles / and archbyshoppes / and Legates / and other suche like / he doeth all things? For wyth their hands he ruleth all / and by their feete he is present euerye where / and wyth their eyes he seeth what is done in all places. Let them take heede therfore / least if they haue a common defence wyth the Pope / that they be not also ioyned nearer wyth hym in the cause / then peraduenture they be aware of. Truely it is against my will / that I am constrained to make suche comparisons / not that I thinke there is so great diuersity betweene the Popedome and the archbyshoppricke / but because there being greate resemblance betweene them / I meane / hauing regarde to the bare functions / wythout respecting the doctrine good or badde whych they vpholde / that I say there being great resemblance betweene them: there is yet as I am persuaded / great difference betweene the parsons that execute them. The whych good opinion conceyued of them / I we moste humbly beseeche them by the glory of God / by the libertye of the churche purchased by the precious bloude of oure sauioure Christe / and by their owne saluation / that they woulde not deceiue / by retaining so harde / suche excessiue and vniust dominion ouer the church of the liuing God.