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…

Upon the. 6. leaf / M. Doctor saith that the Pope taketh the sword from Princes / but our bishops take it at their hands / and given of them: as though challenge were not made against the Pope / for using the material sword / and not only for using it against the will of the princes. For by that reason / if Princes would put their swords in his hand / as sometimes they have done / he might lawfully use them. And whereas he sayeth / that our church men meddle not with all civill causes / or exercise all civill jurisdiction / but such as helpeth to discipline / and the good government of the church / and the state: What saith he / that is not ⟨p. 217⟩truly said of any civill magistrate in the realm? for no one doth meddle in all causes. And further / I would gladly know what civill jurisdiction is in this realm / which helpeth not unto the good government of this church / and state. For if they meddle with all that / there is none which they have not to do with.

Vpon the. 6. leafe / M. Doctor sayth that the Pope taketh the sword from Princes / but our byshops take it at their hands / and geuen of them: as thoughe chalenge were not made agaynst the Pope / for vsing the materiall sworde / and not only for vsing it against the wil of ye princes. For by that reason / if Prynces would put their swordes in hys hand / as sometymes they haue done / he myghte lawfully vse them. And wheras he sayeth / that our church men meddle not with all ciuill causes / or exercise all ciuill iurisdiction / but suche as helpeth to discipline / and the good gouernment of the church / and the state: What sayth he / that is not ⟨p. 217⟩truely sayd of any ciuill magistrate in the realme? for no one dothe meddle in all causes. And further / I woulde gladly knowe what ciuill iurisdiction is in thys realme / whych helpeth not vnto the good gouernment of thys church / and state. For if they meddle wyth all that / there is none whych they haue not to do with.

Upon the. 7. leaf / he saith / that he knoweth not the meaning of the admonition / when it proveth that the government of the church is spiritual / their meaning is plain enough / and I have declared it more at large to be / not only that our saviour Christ ruleth by his spirit in the hearts of his elect (besides which government M. doctor seemeth to know none.) But that there is also spiritual government / which is in the whole church visible / & to be seen / exercised by those / whom God hath appointed in his stead / called spiritual / because where as the civill government useth the sword / this useth the word: and where the civill governor addresseth himself unto the body / and hath that for special matter to work on / the spiritual governors be occupied in reforming the mind / and subduing that with those punishments and corrections / which God hath appointed for that purpose. Which signification of spiritual government / M. Calvin doth speak of in both the places alleged by M. doctor: and especially in the later / unto whom the admonition sent the reader / not thereby to give more weight unto the truth / but that he might have there a plainer / and fuller understanding of that which it meant / and could not for that brevity and shortness which it followeth throughout / utter at large. Whereby it is manifest / that the admonition is so far from shutting out either civill government / or external government in the church / that it teacheth of an external government which M. doctor seemeth not to have heard of / albeit there be nothing either more common in the scriptures / or Ecclesiastical writers.