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…

This might Master Doctor have learned by that which the noble emperor ¹* Constantine attributeth to the fathers of the Nicene council and to the Ecclesiastical persons there gathered: which he doth also permit the Bishops / ⟨p. 193⟩Elders / and Deacons of churches to do / either by correcting or adding / or making new if need be. And by the continual practise of the church in the time of christian Emperors / which always permitted unto the ministers assembled in ²councils / as well the determination of controversies which rose / as the making or the abolishing of needful or hurtful ceremonies / as the case required. Also by the Emperors epistle in the first action of the council of Constantinople where by the epistle of the Emperor it appeareth / that it was the manner of ³the Emperors to confirm the ordinances which were made by the ministers / and to see them kept. The practise of this he might have also most plainly seen in Ambrose / who would by no means suffer that the causes of the churches should be debated in the Princes consistory or court / but would have them handled in the church / by those that had the government of the church: and therefore excuseth him self to the emperor Valentinian / for that (being convented to answer of the church matters / unto the civill court) he came not. And by whom can the matters and orders of the church be better ordained / then by the ministers of the church? And if that be a good reason of Master Doctor in the forty and seventh page / that the Bishops ought therefore to ordain ministers / because they are best able to judge of the learning and ability / of those which are the fittest / it is also as good reason / that therefore the ministers and governors of the church should appoint and decree of such ceremonies and orders as pertain to the church / for because it is to be supposed that they can best judge of those matters / bestowing their studies that ways / and further best understanding the estate of the church about the which they are wholly occupied. And this is not (Master Doctor) to shake hands with the papists. For the papists would exempt their priests from the subjection / and from the punishment of the civil magistrate / which we do not.