The defense of the aunsvvere to the Admonition against the replie of T.C. By Iohn VVhitgift Doctor of Diuinitie. In the beginning are added these. 4. tables. 1 Of dangerous doctrines in the replie. 2 Of falsifications and vntruthes. 3 Of matters handled at large. 4 A table generall.

T. C. Pag. 82. Sect. 3. 4.

But Ierome sayth that this distinction of a Bishop, & a minister or elder, was frō S. Marke his tyme, vnto Dionysius time, whereby M. Doctor would make vs beleeue, that Marke was the author of this distinction: but that cannot be gathered by Ieromes wordes. For besides that things being ordered then by the suffrages of the ministers and Elders, it might (as it falleth out oftentimes) be done without the approbation of S. Marke: the wordes from Marke may be ra∣ther taken exclusiuely, to shut out S. Marke, and the time wherein he liued, than inclusiuely, to shut him in the tyme wherein this distinction rose.

Howsoeuer it be, it is certayne that S. Marke did not distinguishe, and make those things di∣uers, which the holy ghost made all one. For then (which the Lord forbid) he should make the sto∣rie of the Gospell, which he wrote suspected.

Io. Whitgifte.

This is no answere to Ieromes woordes, but a dallying with them: the place is euident: he sayth, from the time of Marke the Euangelist, whom vndoubtedly he would not haue named, vnlesse the same manner had bene in his time. But be it

that the wordes (from Marke) be taken exclusiuely (which no man of Iudgement will graunt) yet doth it argue a great antiquitie of this distinction, euen from the moste pure and best time of the Churche.

It is certayne that these thinges were not otherwise distinguished than the holy Ghost had appoynted: and therefore your (for then &c.) is an vngodly collection, and vnbeséeming your person in any respect, to imagine of the glorious Gospell written by that holy Euangelist.