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.

Chap. 3. the 42. Diuision.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 71. Sect. 4.

It is not to be denied but that ther is an equalitie of al ministers of* 1.1 gods word, quoad ministeriū, touching the ministerie, for they haue allike power to preach the word, to minister the sacraments, that is to say, the word preached, or the sacramēts ministred, is as effectual in one (in respect of the ministerie) as it is in an other. But quoad ordinem & poli∣tiam, touching order & gouernment, ther always hath bin & must be de∣grees and superioritie among them. For the churche of God is not a cōfused congregation, but ruled & directed aswel by discipline & poli∣cie in matters of regimēt, as by the word of God in matters of faith.

T. C. Pag. 84. Sect. 1. 2.

Nowe M. Doctor cōmeth to his olde hole, where he would fayn hide himself, and with him all the ambition, tyrannie, & excesse of authorttie which is ioyned with these functions of Archebishop and bishop, as they are now vsed: & this his hole is, that al the ministers are equall with bishops & Archbishops, as touching the ministerie o〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 the word & sacramentes, but not as touching policie & gouernment. The Papists vse the very self same (a) 1.2 distinction for the maintenance of the Popes tyrannie and ambition, and other their hierarchie.

M. Doctor hath put out the mark & concealed the name of the Papists, & so with a little change of wordes, as it were with certayn newe colours he would deceyue vs. For the Papistes saye, that euery syr Iohn or hedge Prieste hathe as greate authoritie to sacrifyce, and offer for the quycke and the deade, and to minister the Sacramentes, as the Pope of Rome hath, but for go∣uernment, and for order, the Bishoppe is aboue a Prieste, the Archebishoppe aboue a bishop, and the Pope aboue them all. But I haue (b) 1.3 declared before out of the Scriptures, h〈1 line〉〈1 line〉we vayne

a disrinction it is: and it appeareth out of Cyprian, that as all the Bishops were equall one to another, so he sayth that to euerie one was giuen a portion of the Lords flock not only to feed with the worde and sacraments, but to rule and gouerne, not as they which shal make any accompt vn∣to an archbishop, or be iudged of him, but as they which can not be iudged of any but of God. And Ierome vpon Cituz sayth, that the elder or minister (c) 1.4 did gouerne and rule in common with the Bishops, the Churche wherof he was elder or minister.

Io. Whitgifte.* 1.5

The distinction is good and true, allowed of the best writers, though the Papists wrongfully applie it. M. Caluin vpon the 2. Cor. 10. hath the same distinction. Quamuis (sayth he) commune sit omnibus verbi ministris idem{que} officium, sunt tamen honoris gradus: Al∣though there is one office cōmon to al the ministers of the word, yet are there degrees of ho nour. M. Beza likewyse lib. conf. cap. 7. saith thus: that pastors in proces of time wer distinct into Metropolitanes, Bishops, and those we now call curates, it was not in therespect of the ministerie of the worde, but rather in respecte of iurisdiction and disci∣pline. Therefore concerning the office of preaching the vvorde and admi∣nistrating the Sacramentes, there is no difference betwixt Archbishops, Bi∣shops, and curates. &c. The same distinction doth Hemingius vse in his Enchiridion,* 1.6 as shall be seene hereafter. What say you now? is this a starting hole, or rather a true distinction, allowed by such as are far frō Papistrie? except you wil accuse M Caluine and Beza for Papists. You are not able to improue this distinction with all the lear∣ning you boast of: and bitternesse of words will not carie away the matter.

You haue declared nothing tending to the improuing of this distinction, & the wordes both of Cyprian and of Hicrom do manifestly confirme it: for they both would haue one chief among the ministers to gouerne the rest, as it is said before. You deale cor∣ruptly in reciting Hieroms words: for you haue left out his purpose and meaning, I wil set them down as they be in déed. Idē est ergo presbyter. &c. VVherfore the minister* 1.7 and bishop are al one, and before that through the instinct of the deuil, there were diuisions in religion, and that it was sayd among the people, I hold of Paule, I of Apollo, and I of Ce∣phas, the churches were ruled in cōmon by the coūcell of the ministers: But after that euery one accompted those whom he baptized to be his, and not Christes, it was decreed thorow∣out the whole world, that one being chosen from amōg the ministers should be placed ouer the rest, to whom the whole care of the church should appertein, and the seedes of schismes be taken away. Wil you not leaue off to deale thus guilefully with your Reader? haue you no care to deale plainly and simply? Ierome in that place verifieth this distinctiō, and she weth that it was for order & policie, that among the ministers there was one bishop apointed, ad quē omnia ecclesiae cura pertineret, & schismatū semina tollerētur. And what can be spoken more directly to the purpose? But one thing here I note, that you wold be controlled of none but of God, that is, you would be exempted from all authoritie of man, euen as the Pope himselfe is.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Equalitie a∣mong mini∣sters touching minist〈1 line〉〈1 line〉rie.
• (a) 1.2

  This distin∣ction is allowed of those that be sarre from Pa∣pistrie.
• (b) 1.3

  You haue no〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 yet declared 〈◊〉〈◊〉, neyther can you.
• (c) 1.4

  But you con 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that which foloweth.
• * 1.5

  The distine∣tion (quoad ministerium, & quoad or∣dinem) tusti∣syed. Caluine. Beza. Lib. con. cap. 7 art. 12.
• * 1.6

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 the. 72. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of this chapter.
• * 1.7

  Heir. ad Tit. 1.