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…

But M. Doctor sayeth / that civil offices are not to be counted worldly affairs / but heavenly and spiritual / it is so / and yet when they are compared with the ecclesiastical offices / they may be called secular offices / for so much as they together with the care of religion / procure and provide for the things whereby we may quietly and commodiously live here / where the ecclesiastical offices are immediately and only bent / to procure the glory of God and the salvation of men / and in that signification of heavenly & spiritual which you take / merchandise / husbandry / and the handy craft be heavenly and spiritual / although not in the same degree. All lawful callings came from God / & return to him again / that is / he is both author of them / and they ought to be referred to his glory / so that if the minister may exercise all things which be heavenly / and spiritual / you may as well bring him down to the plough / as promote him to the court. And whereas M. Doctor saith that the office of a commissioner is ecclesiastical / because it handleth ecclesiastical causes / I marvel that he is so ignorant / that he can not put a difference between giving judicial sentences / and appointing bodily punishments (which are mere civil) and between the understanding the truth of every such cause according as the word of God defineth of it: which is a thing common as well unto the magistrate as unto the minister / and wherein the minister because he ought to be most ready / ought (if need be) consulted with.

But M. Doctor sayeth / that cyuill offices are not to be counted worldly affayres / but heauenly and spirituall / it is so / and yet when they are compared with the ecclesiasticall offices / they may be called secular offices / for so muche as they together with the care of relygion / procure and prouide for the things wherby we may quietly and commodiously lyue here / where the ecclesiasticall offices are immediatly and only bent / to procure the glory of God and the saluation of men / and in that signification of heauenly & spirituall which you take / marchandyse / husbandry / and the handy craft be heauenly and spyrituall / although not in the same degree. All lawfull callinges came from God / & returne to hym agayne / that is / he is both author of them / and they ought to be referred to hys glory / so that if the mynister may exercise all thinges which be heauenly / and spirituall / you may as well bring hym downe to the plough / as promote hym to the courte. And whereas M. Doctor sayth that the office of a commissyoner is ecclesiasticall / because it handleth ecclesiasticall causes / I meruayle that he is so ignorant / that he can not put a difference betweene geuing iudyciall sentences / and appoynting bodely punishmentes (which are meere cyuill) and betweene the vnderstanding the truth of euery such cause according as the worde of God defyneth of it: which is a thing common as wel vnto the magistrate as vnto the minister / and wherein the mynister because he ought to be most ready / ought (if neede be) consulted with.