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. 1. the sixt Diuision.

T. C. Pag. 25. Sect. 1.

Thirdly, I mislyke the booke, bicause it permitteth, y^e the Bishop may admit the minister vpon the credit & report of the Archdeacon, and vpon his examination, if ther be no opposition of the peo∣ple: which appereth by these words in the booke, wheras to the Archdeacon saying thus: Reuerend father in God, I present vnto you these persons to be admitted to be Priests. &c. The bishop answe∣reth. Take heed that y^e persons whom you present vnto vs, be apt & meet for their godly cōuersation to exercise their ministerie duly to the honor of God & edifying of his church. And thervpō I think it commeth that the Archdeacon is called the eye of the bishop. But why doth not he himselfe take heed vnto it? with what conscience can he admit a minister, of whose fitnesse he knoweth not, but v∣pon the credite of an other, although he were otherwise very fitte? where can he haue that ful per∣suasion that he doth well, vpon the report of others, when the reporte of his lyfe and learnyng▪ is made but of one. And therefore * 1.1Sainct Paule ordeyned, that the same shoulde be the ordey∣ners, and the examiners, and not to hang vpon the fayth or report of an other man, in thyngs that are so weyghtie, and wherof he may himselfe take notice.

Io. Whitgifte.

This reason thoughe it differ in some circumstances, yet in effecte it is all one wyth the seconde, for it is agaynste the examination of the Archedacon, and so was that. But youre argumente is not sounde: for dothe the Bishoppe therefore admitte Ministers onely vppon the credite, and at the reporte of the Arche∣deacon, bycause the Archedeacon presenteth them vnto hym? you knowe that none is admitted to anye degrée here in Cambridge, but the same is first presented to the Uicechancelor, & to the Uniuersitie, by some one of that facultie, who giueth his fidelitie for them: doth the Uniuersitie therfore admitte them onely vppon the credite and reporte of that one man? You knowe the contrarie: euen so it is here: The Archdeacon presenteth to the Bishoppe, the Bishoppe dothe inquyre if hée hath diligently examyned them. &c. dothe he therfore thinke you, not examine them

him selfe? I haue knowne Bishops reiecte those whome their Archdeacons haue al∣lowed.

If any Bishop doe giue that credite to his Archdeacon, he dothe more than I woulde wishe he shoulde doe, and otherwyse than the booke requireth of him: ney∣ther muste his example doone without the booke, preiudice that whiche is well ap∣poynted in the booke.

Paule. 1. Ti. 3. declareth what qualities and conditions a 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ishop ought to haue: but can you gather of any thing there written, that the same should be the ordeyners and examiners? it is moste meete it should so be I graunte, but yet woulde I not haue the Scriptures made ship menn〈1 line〉〈1 line〉s hose, to serue our tournes as it pleaseth vs to tourne them, least wée fall into that faulte oure selues, whiche wée iustly reproue in the Papistes.

But stil you are contrarie to your self, for if the same must be the ordeyners & the exami∣ners,* 1.2 then muste the Bishops of necessitie be the examiners, for you can not denie but that the Bishoppes muste be the ordeyners. And if you will haue. 1. Ti. 3. to serue your purpose, then must you of force confesse it, for there Saincte Paule writeth to Ti∣mothie béeing a Bishop, and but one man, so that this reason is directely agay〈1 line〉〈1 line〉st the firste.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Timo. 3.
• * 1.2

  T. C. contra∣ry to himselfe.