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…

In the end M. Doctor to shut up this matter / saith / that it is the first steppe to the ministry / and so joined of S. Paul in the third chapter and first Epistle to Timothy. But what a reason is this: to be a Deacon is the first step to the ministry / therefore the Deacon may preach and minister the sacraments / when as the contrary rather followeth. For if it be a step to the ministry / then it is not the ministry / but differeth from it / and so ought not to do the things that belong to the minister. But I deny that it is / or ought to be always a steppe to the ministry. I knew that it hath been the use of long time / & I know also that there be very many which interpret the place of S. Paul / (where he speaking of the Deacons that behave them selves well / that they get them selves a good bathmon, that is a degree to be a minister or a bishop.) But I will show a manifest reason / why it can not so be understanded / which is / for that as the functions of a Deacon or a minister are divers: so are the gifts also whereby those functions are executed likewise divers. And therefore there may be some men for their wisdom and gravity / discretion and faithfulness / and whatsoever other gifts are required in him / that should do this office of providing for the poor / and to be a good Deacon: which notwithstanding for some impediment in his tongue / or for want of utterance shall never be able as long as he liveth / to be a good minister of the word / and therefore the gifts being divers wherewith those offices must be executed / (although it is neither unlawful / nor unmeet to make of a Deacon a minister if he have gifts for that purpose) yet I deny that S. Paul appointeth that the Deaconship should be (as it were) the seed or fry of the ministers: or that he meaneth by those words that the Deaconship is a steppe to the pastorship. Which may yet also further appear / by the phrase of speech which the Apostle useth. For he doth not say that they that do the office of Deaconship well / shall come to or get a good standing / but he saith that in so doing they do get themselves a good standing / that is they get themselves authority & estimation in the church / whereby they may be both the bolder to do their office / and whereby they may do it with more fruit.

In the ende M. Doctor to shut vp thys matter / sayth / that it is the first steppe to the mynistery / and so ioyned of S. Paule in the third chapter and first Epistle to Timothe. But what a reason is thys: to be a Deacon is the first step to the mynistery / therefore the Deacon may preach and mynister the sacraments / when as the contrary rather followeth. For if it be a step to the mynistery / then it is not the mynistery / but differeth from it / and so ought not to doe the things that belong to the mynister. But I deny that it is / or ought to be alwayes a steppe to the mynistery. I knew that it hath bene the vse of long tyme / & I know also that there be very many which interpreate the place of S. Paule / (where he speaking of the Deacons that behaue them selues well / that they get them selues a good bathmon, that is a degree to be a mynister or a byshop.) But I will shew a manifest reason / why it can not so be vnderstanded / which is / for that as the functions of a Deacon or a mynister are dyuers: so are the giftes also wherby those functions are executed likewyse dyuers. And therefore there may be some men for their wisedome and grauitie / discretion and faythfulnesse / and whatsoeuer other giftes are required in hym / that shoulde doe thys office of prouyding for the poore / and to be a good Deacon: which notwithstanding for some impediment in hys tongue / or for want of vtterance shall neuer be able as long as he lyueth / to be a good mynister of the word / and therefore the giftes being dyuers wherewith those offices must be executed / (although it is neyther vnlawfull / nor vnmeete to make of a Deacon a mynister if he haue giftes for that purpose) yet I deny that S. Paule appoynteth that the Deaconship shoulde be (as it were) the seede or frie of the mynisters: or that he meaneth by those words that the Deaconship is a steppe to the pastorshyp. Which may yet also further appeare / by the phrase of speach which the Apostle vseth. For he doth not say that they that do the office of Deaconship well / shall come to or get a good standing / but he sayth that in so doing they doe gette themselues a good standing / that is they get themselues authoritie & estimation in the church / whereby they may be both the bolder to doe their office / and whereby they may doe it with more frute.