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…

Further / in the council of Calcedon it was decreed / that none of the ¹clerks or clergy (as it termeth them) should receive any charge of those which are under age / unless they were such as the laws did necessarily cast upon him / which it calleth inexcusable charges / meaning by all likelihood / the wardship of his brothers children or some such thing. Where is also declared the cause of that decree to have been / for that there were certain ministers which were stewards to noble men. And in the. 7. canon of the same council it is decreed / that none of the clergy should either go to warfare as soldiers or captains / or should receive any secular honours / and if they did / they should be excommunicated or accursed. Now I come to M. Doctors arguments / which he bringeth to establish this disorder.

Further / in the councell of Calcedon it was decreed / that none of the ¹clearkes or cleargie (as it termeth them) shoulde receiue any charge of those which are vnder age / vnlesse they were suche as the lawes dyd necessarily cast vpon hym / which it calleth inexcusable charges / meaning by all lykelyhoode / the wardshyp of hys brothers children or some suche thing. Where is also declared the cause of that decree to haue beene / for that there were certeine mynisters which were stewardes to noble men. And in the. 7. canon of the same councell it is decreed / that none of the cleargy should either goe to warfare as souldyers or captaynes / or should receiue any secular honors / and if they dyd / they shoulde bee excommunicated or accursed. Now I come to M. Doctors argumentes / which he bringeth to establish thys disorder.

1. 1Tom. 2. con. Calced. can. 3.

And first he sayeth ministers of the word may not occupy them selves in worldly business / as to be merchants / husbandmen / crafts men / and such like / but they may exercise civil offices. Where first of all I perceive M. Doctor is of this mind / that the order of God is not to be broken for small gain / or when a man must take great toil of the body to break it: but it may be broken with getting of honour / and doing of those things which may be done with out soil / & with great commendation / there it is lawful to break it. In deed so the Poet (but in the person of an unjust and ambition man / ) said: ei chre adicein, tyrannidos heneca chre, that is. If a man must do unjustly / he must do it to bear rule.