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…

As for Epiphanius / it is known of what authority he is in this place / when as by Aerius sides / he goeth about to prick at the Apostle / whilst he goeth about to confute the Apostle which maketh a distinction and difference between those which the Apostle maketh one / that is / a bishop and an elder / and to spare the credit of Epiphanius / it were better lay that opinion upon some Pseudepiphanius, that is to say counterfeit / which we may do / not without great probability / seeing ^*Augustine saith / that the true Epiphanius uttereth all after a story fashion / and doth not use any disputation / or reasoning for the truth against the falsehood / and this Epiphanius is very full of arguments and reasons / the choice whereof M. Doctor hath taken.

As for Epiphanius / it is knowne of what authoritie he is in this place / when as by Aerius sides / he goeth about to pricke at the Apostle / whilest he goeth about to confute the Apostle which maketh a distinction and difference betwene those which the Apostle maketh one / that is / a byshop and an elder / and to spare the credite of Epiphanius / it were better lay that opinion vpon some Pseudepiphanius, that is to say counterfaite / which we may do / not without great probabilitie / seeing ^*Augustine sayth / that the true Epiphanius vttereth all after a story fashion / and doth not vse any disputation / or reasoning for the truth agaynst the falshode / and thys Epiphanius is very full of argumentes and reasons / the choyse whereof M. Doctor hath taken.

1. *Ad quod vult Deum.

And whereas M. Doctor citeth Ambrose / Calvin / and other godly writers / to prove that the minister is understanded by the word elder or presbyter, he keepeth his old wont / by bringing sticks into the wood / and proving always that which no man denieth: and yet with the minister of the word / he also understandeth the elder of the church which ruleth / and doth not labour in the word. But therein is not the matter / for I do grant that by presbyter, the minister of the word is understanded / & yet nothing proved of that which M. Doctor would so fain prove. It is no marvel although you take up the authors of the admonition for want of logic / for you utter great skill your self in writing / which keep no order / but confound your reader in that thing / which even the common logic of the country / which is reason / might have directed you in. For what a confusion of times is this / to begin with Cyprian / and then come to Jerome and Chrysostom / and after to the scripture / and back again to Ignatius / that was before Cyprian / which times are ill disposed of you / and that in a matter wherein it stood you upon to have observed the order of the times. But as for Ignatius place it is sufficiently answered before in that which was answered to Cyprian his place / for when he saith the bishop hath rule over all / he meaneth no more all in the province / then in all the world / but meaneth that flock & congregation / whereof he is bishop or minister. And when he calleth him prince of the priests / although the title be to excessive and big / condemned by Cyprian and the council of Carthage / yet he meaneth no more the prince of all in the diocese as we take it / or of the province / then he meaneth the Prince of all the priests in the world: but those fellow ministers and elders that had the rule and government of that particular church and congregation / whereof he was bishop / as the great churches have for the most part both elders which govern only / and ministers also to aid one an other / and the principality that he which they called the bishop had over the rest / hath been before at large declared.