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…

Neither is the high priest commanded to be present to this end / that he should sit as judge of that matter / but that he might dissolve the difficulties / if any rose of the understanding of the law / and that he might prick forward and stir up by admonition / the Princes to whom the judgement appertained / if so be he should see them cold & slack to revenge the injury done unto the Lord. Which thing may the better appear / in that the handling of the matter / is there appointed not unto the priests / but unto the judges or princes only / and so likewise of matrimony and divorce / although the judgement thereof appertain unto the civill magistrate / yet the minister if there be any difficulty in knowing when it is a lawful contract / & when the divorce is lawful / may and ought to be consulted with. Thus may the common wealth and church enjoy both the wisdom & learning which is in the minister / & things may be done in that order which God hath appointed / without such confounding and jumbling of offices and jurisdictions together. For although Aristotle's obeliscolychnion, and Plato's dorydrepanon, that is / instruments serving to two purposes / be lawful in offices of the common wealth / where things are more free / and left in greater liberty to be ordered at the judgement and advise of men / especially considering that upon the diversity of the forms of common wealths / variety of regiment may spring: yet in the church of God where things are brought to a straighter rule / and which is but one and uniform / the same may not be suffered. And yet even those common wealth Philosophers which do licence upon occasion that two offices may meet in one man / hold that it is best and convenientest / that every one should have a particular charge. For Aristotle sayeth that it is most agreeable to nature / that hen should be pros hen, that is / one instrument to one use. And Plato useth the ¹proverb mede heracleis pros duo, against those which will take upon them divers vocations / and not content them selves with one / so that they make the meting of many functions in one man / to be a remedy only in extreme need & poverty of able men.

Neyther is the hyghe priest commaunded to be present to thys ende / that he should sitte as iudge of that matter / but that he might dissolue the difficulties / if any rose of the vnderstanding of the law / and that hee myght pricke forward and styre vp by admonition / the Princes to whome the iudgement appertayned / if so bee he should see them colde & slacke to reuenge the iniury done vnto the Lorde. Which thing may the better appeare / in yt the handling of the matter / is there appoynted not vnto the priestes / but vnto the iudges or princes only / and so lykewyse of matrimony and diuorse / although the iudgement thereof appertayne vnto the ciuill magistrate / yet the minister if there be any difficulty in knowing when it is a lawfull contract / & when the dyuorse is lawfull / maye and ought to bee consulted wyth. Thus may the common wealth and church enioy both the wysedome & learning which is in the mynister / & things may bee done in that order which God hath appoynted / without suche confounding and iombling of offyces and iurisdictions together. For although Aristotles obeliscolychnion, and Platoes dorydrepanon, that is / instrumentes seruing to two purposes / bee lawfull in offyces of the common wealth / where things are more free / and left in greater liberty to bee ordered at the iudgement and aduise of men / especially consydering that vppon the diuersitye of the formes of common wealthes / varietie of regiment may spring: yet in the church of God where things are brought to a strayghter rule / and which is but one and vniforme / the same may not bee suffered. And yet euen those cōmon wealth Philosophers which doe lycence vpon occasion that two offices may meete in one man / holde that it is best and conuenientest / that euery one shoulde haue a particulare charge. For Aristotle sayeth that it is most agreeable to nature / that hen shoulde be pros hen, that is / one instrument to one vse. And Plato vseth the