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 touching the election / and consequently the throwing out / it hath been showed before / that together with the church / the eldership hath the principal sway. For the decision of controversies when they rise / it may appear in the. 15. of the Acts / that the Presbytery or Eldership of the church hath to determine of that also. Now it remaineth here / that whereas M. Doctor sayeth that the Excommunication / and consequently the absolution or restoring to the church again / doth pertain only to the minister / that I show that the Presbytery or eldership / and the whole church also / hath interest in the Excommunication / and consequently in the absolution or restoring unto the church. But here by the way it is to be noted / that in saying that it belongeth to the minister / he confesseth the disorder in our church / wherein this power is taken away from the minister / and given to the bishop and his officers.

As touchyng the election / and consequently the throwing out / it hath bene shewed before / that together wyth the churche / the eldershyp hathe the principall sway. For the decision of controuersyes whē they ryse / it may appeare in the. 15. of the Acts / that the Presbyterie or Eldershyp of the churche hath to determine of that also. Nowe it remayneth heere / that whereas M. Doctor sayeth that the Excommunication / and consequently the absolution or restoryng to the church agayne / doth pertayne only to the minister / that I shewe that the Presbyterye or eldership / and the whole church also / hath interest in the Excommunication / and consequently in the absolution or restoryng vnto the churche. But heere by the way it is to be noted / that in saying that it belongeth to the minister / he confesseth the dysorder in our church / wherin this power is taken away from the minister / and geuen to the byshop and hys offycers.

Now that this charge of excommunication belongeth not unto one / or to the minister / but chiefly to the eldership and pastor / it appeareth by that which the authors of the admonition allege out of S. Matthew / which place I have ¹proved before to be necessarily understanded of the elders of the church. It is most absurdly said of M. doctor in the. 135. page / that by the church is understanded either my Lords grace / or the bishop of the diocese / or the Chancellor or Commissary. And that when a man complaineth unto one of these / he may be well said to complain unto the church: which is the more untollerable / for that being so strange a saying / and such as may astonish all that hear it / he neither confirmeth it by any reason / or like phrase of scripture / or by the authority of any godly or approved writer old or new / which notwithstanding he seeketh for so diligently / and turneth the commentaries in his study so painfully / when he can have but one against twenty / and but a syllable where he can not have a sentence. It may be the clearlyer understanded / that the presbytery or eldership / had the chief stroke in this excommunication / if it be observed / that this was the policy and discipline of the Jews / and of the synagogue from whence our saviour Christ toke this / and translated it unto this church / that when any man had don any thing that they held for a fault / that then the same was punished and censured by the Elders of the church / according to the quality of the fault / as it may appear in S. Matthew. For although it be of some (and those very learned)