Here I wyll take in that whiche the Bishop of Sarisburye hath in the last page of his half sheete touching this matter.
And fyrst of all I well agree that he sayth, that to giue vnto Sathan (which is to excommu∣nicate, and to correct an ecclesiasticall person by reprehension, or putting him out of the ministerie, if the cause so require) is mere ecclesiastical, and not ciuill, and that those things ought to be done of the officers of the Churche. This onely I denye, that the ministers ought to medle with ciuill offices. For proofe whereof, the Bishop alleageth the example of Augustine, whiche as Possidonius writeth was troubled with the hearing & determining of causes, Wherin Possido∣nius sayth nothing, but that I willingly agree vnto. For the minister with the elders ought both to heare and determine of causes, but of such causes, as perteyne vnto their knowledge, whereof I haue spoken before. And that Possidomus ment such causes as belonged vnto Augustine, as he was a minister, and not of ciuill affaires, it appeareth by that which he writeth immediatly af∣ter, where he sayth: Being also consulted of by certain in their worldly affaires, he wrote epistles to diuers, but he accounted of this, as of compulsien, and resiraynte from his better busynesses. Wherby it appeareth, that S. Augustine medled not with those worldly affaires, further than by way of giuing counsell, which is not vnlawfull for a minister to doe, as one friende vnto another, so that his ministerie be not therby hindered.
What S. Augustine did in such matters, and whether he weroccupied in world∣ly* 1.1 matters or no, and that he was not a counsell giuer only, but also a iudge, it shall best appeare by his owne wordes spoken of himselfe, whiche are so playne and eui∣dent, that after you haue hearde them, you will be ashamed of this answere to Pos∣sidonius, and of your former assertion also. Augustine therefore in his booke de ope∣re* 1.2 Monachorum, of this matter writeth thus: VVho feedeth a flock, and doth not receiue of the milke of the flocke? And yet I call to witnesse vpon my soule the Lorde Iesus, in whose name I doe boldely speake these thinges, that touchyng myne owne commoditie, I hadde rather euerye daye (as it is appoynted in well ordered Monasteries) to woorke some thyng wyth my handes, and to haue the other houres free, to reade, and to praye, or too dooe somme thynge in the Holye Scriptures, than too suffer the