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. Page. 20. Sect. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. &. Pag. 21. Sect. 1.

And as for Peter Martyr and Bucer, and Musculus, and Bullinger, Gualter, and He∣mingius, and the rest of the late writers, by citing of whome, you woulde gyue to vnder∣stande, that they are agaynste vs in these matters, there is set downe in the latter ende of this booke, their seuerall iudgements, of the moste of these thinges whiche are in controuer∣sie: whereby it maye appeare, that if they haue spoken one woorde agaynste vs, they haue* 1.1 spoken two for vs. And whereas they haue written (as it is said) and alieadged in their priuate letters to their friends, agaynst some of these causes, it may appeare, that they haue in their works published to the whole world, that they confirme the same causes. So that if they wrote any such things, they shall be found not so much to haue dissented from vs, as from themselues: and there∣fore we appeale from themselues, vnto themselues: and from their priuate notes and letters to their publike writings, as more autenticall. You laboure still in the fire that is vnprofitable, to bring M. Bucer his Epistle to proue, that the Church may order thinges, whereof there is no particular and expressed commaundement, for there is none denieth it, neyther is this saying, that all things are to be done in the Church according to the rule of the word of God, any thing repug∣nant vnto this, that the Church may ordeyne certayne things, according to the word of God.

But if this Epistle, and others of M. Bucers with his notes vpon the booke of common prayer, which are so often cited, and certaine Epistles of M. Peter Martyr were neuer printed (as (1) 1.2 I cannot vnderstand they were) then besides that you do vs iniury, which go about to preiudice our cause by the testimonies of them, whiche we can neyther heare nor see, being kepte close in your study: you also do your cause much more iniurie, whilest you betray the pouertie and nakednesse of it, being fame to ransacke, and ruffle vp euery darke corner, to find something to co∣uer it with.

Therefore it were good before you tooke any benefyte of them, to let them come foorthe, and speake their owne testimonies, in their owne language and full out. For now you giue men occa∣sion to thinke, that there are some other thinges in their Epistles whiche you would be loth the world should know, for feare of fall of that, which you would gladly keepe.

There is (2) 1.3 no man that sayth that it ought to be permitted to euery person in the Churche where he is minister, to haue such order or discipline, or to vse such seruice, as he listeth, no man see∣keth for it. But to haue the order which God hathe left in those things which the word precisely appoynteth, and in other things to vse that, which shall be according to the rules of S. Paule be∣fore recited, agreed by the Church, aud confirmed by the prince.

And wheras you haue euer hitherto giuen the ordering of these things to the Church, how come you now to (3) 1.4 ascribe it to the Byshops? you meane I am sure the Byshops, as we call Byshops here in England, whereby you fall into the opinion of the Papists vnawares, whiche when they haue spoken many things of the Churche inagnifically, at the last they bring it now to the doctours of the Church, now to Byshops.

As for me, although I doubt not but there be many good men of the Byshops, and very lear∣ned also, and therefore very meete to be admitted into that consultation, whereinit shall be conside∣red, what things are good in the Church: yet in respect of that office and calling of a Byshop, which they now exercise, I thinke that euery godly learned minister and pastour of the Churche, hath more interest and righte, in respect of his office, to be at that consultation: then any Byshop or Archbishop in the Realme, for as much as he hath an ordinarie calling of God, and function ap∣poynted in the scriptures which he exerciseth, and the other hath not.

But how this authoritie perteyning to the whole Church, of making of such orders, may and ought to be called to a certayne number, that confusion may be auoyded, and with the consent also of the Churches to auoyde tyrannie, it shall appeare in a more proper place where we shall haue occasion to speake of the eldership or gouernment in euery Church, and of the communion and so∣cietie or participation, & intercommuning of the Churches togyther, by councels, and assemblies prouinciall or nationall.

Io. Whitgifte.

Diuers of those learned men here named, being rightly enformed of the state of* 1.5 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* 1.6 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

  You do learned mē great iniury, in accusing thē of contrarietie.
• (1) 1.2

  You cannot but vnderstand that they are printed.
• (2) 1.3

  What say you than to the. 14. reason of the Admonition, then ministers were not so tyed to any forme of prayers. &c.
• (3) 1.4

  An vn truth, for I gyue it not to the Byshops only, but to a godly Prince with the aduice and consent of godly and lear∣ned Byshops, and other of the wisest.
• * 1.5

  The occasion of mens wri∣tings must be considered.
• * 1.6

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