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.

Io. Whitgifte.

Diuers of those learned men here named, being rightly enformed of the state of* 1.1 this controuersie, with all the circumstances perteyning therevnto, haue set downe their opinions in writing, and therefore if it should so come to passe, (which as yet is not proued, neyther as I thinke will be) that in their publike writings, they should séeme to affirme any thing contrary to their priuate letters, it is bycause they spea∣king generally of all, and hauing respect to the time and place, wherein and when such things were abused, haue generally spoken of them otherwise then they do, as they be now vsed in this Church of England. And surely in my opinion these their epistles, wherein of purpose (being required) they gyue their sentence of suche matters, oughte to be more credited, than their generall writings, wherein they maye séeme otherwise to speake vppon other occasions. But I thinke that in the ende it will fall out, that they haue written nothyng publikely againste any thing that is written by them priuately: and of some of them I am sure that their publike and priuate writings of these matters doe fully agrée. But where

haue you learned to answere on this sorte to the authoritie of learned men? to ac∣cuse them of contrarietie before you haue manifestly proued it, is to doe vnto them great iniurie.

The place of M. Bucer maketh directly for my purpose, and therefore in giuyng place vnto it, you graunte as muche as I hitherto haue required. For M. Bucer vsed the example of apparell whiche is one thing in controuersie betwixte vs, and sayeth playnly, that the Church hath authoritie to appoint such things, as haue neyther cō∣maundement nor example in the Scripture.

These Epistles of M. Bucer, and of M. Martyr, with the Epistles of other learned men be printed and published wholly and fully, and it can not bée that the same should be vnknown vnto you, the bookes being so cōmon: your pleading of ignorance in this thing is but a colour.

When euery Minister must be chiefe of the seigniorie, and haue with some o∣ther of the parishe the whole authoritie Ecclesiasticall: when they must not bee so* 1.2 tyed to any forme of prayers, but as the spirite moueth them, so to poure out supplications: when the Prince is secluded from authoritie in appoynting of ceremonies, and or∣ders of discipline, that is, when in Ecclesiasticall matters you giue to the Ciuill ma∣gistrate no more than the Papistes do, to wit potestatem facti, and not potestatem iuris, as will afterwardes more plainly appeare: what is it else but for euery minister to be Pope in his owne parishe, and to vse suche order, discipline, and seruice as he himselfe listeth.

If you had bin disposed to speake the truthe, and to report my wordes as they be written, you woulde haue eased your booke of these lynes whiche followe. For where doe I giue this authoritie to the Bishops? or in what words do I restrayne the Churche to them? my wordes be these: Is it not as lawfull for a godly Prince, with the aduise and consente of godlie and learned Bishops, and other of the wysest, to make orders in the Church. &c. You sée that I ioyne the Prince, the Bishops, and other of the wisest together in making of or∣ders. &c. and whensoeuer I meane the Churche in suche a case, I meane not the con∣fused multitude of the Church, but suche as God hath called to gouerne his Church in the externall gouernment: whome I take to be in this Churche, the Prince, the Bishops, the Councell, and suche other, as by the order of this Churche, haue to do in suche like matters.

Your falsifying hurteth not me, but discrediteth your selfe, and your cause.

The Bishops haue muche to thanke you, that it would please you to admitte them into that consultation of yours, if they woulde giue ouer that office and callyng. But (thanks be vnto God) you haue as yet no suche authoritie committed vnto you. Wherfore this and suche lyke kynde of speaches, doe but declare howe magnifically you thynke of your selfe. &c.

If it pertayne to the whole Churche, that is (as I thinke you vnderstande it) to the whole multitude of the Churche, to make suche orders, howe can you restraine it to a certaine number? or why not as well to some one, if the multitude thynke it so con∣uenient, but of this matter, when you come to youre seigniorie and kinde of go∣uernment.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The occasion of mens wri∣tings must be considered.
• * 1.2

  First admo〈1 line〉〈1 line〉▪ the. 14. rea∣son.