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. Pag. 29. Sect. 6. & Pag. 30. Sect. 1. 2. 3. 4.

And I maruayle with what conscience he coulde answere so in this place, especially where it is forthwith added, that they ordeyned them by the suffrages, and voyces of the Church. But you say that the Greeke worde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is by the common opinion of almost all ecclesiasticall wry∣ters, vsed in the scripture for the solemne maner of ordeyning of ministers, by the imposition of hā∣des: which is the seconde exception you take to this reason. Wherein, but that I haue promised to holde my selfe to the matter, and that these bolde asseuerances in matters most vntrue, are so cō∣mon, that if I shoulde euery foote pursue them, I should wearie my selfe and all others, I coulde not keepe my selfe from running out to maruell at suche high speaches voyde of truth. First, where you say that somè translation hath, that they ordeyned ministers without making mention of Elec∣tion, what haue you gayned thereby, when I can shewe moe that translate it otherwise, and say it is, that they ordeyned by election, or voyces, or suffrages? I had not the commoditie of Bokes, whereby I coulde see the iudgement of all Ecclesiasticall writers. But of those which I had, I finde that there was but (a) 1.1 one, onely M. Gualter of that minde, and yet he doth not shut out the peoples consentin the Election, neyther M. Caluine, M. Beza, M. Bullinger, M. Musculus, M. Brentius, he that translated Chrysostome vpon that place, Erasmus in his Paraphrases vp∣on that place are of the contrarie iudgement, of whose iudgement I woulde not haue spoken, if you would not haue gone about, thus to abuse your reader, with such manifest vntruthes, to ouerthrow the order which God hath established.

But let all authorities of men goe, and let vs examine the thing in it selfe. If so be that the ho∣lie Ghost had meant the solemne putting on of the hands vpon the hed of him that was created El∣der and Minister, had he not words inow to vtter this his meaning? would he haue for laying on of hands vsed a word that signifieth lyfting vp of handes: would he haue vsed a word signifying holding vp for laying downe? for when the handes are layde of the heade of an other, they are layde downe, and not holden vp. There are woordes in the olde Testamente, and in the newe before Luke wrote, and after he wrote, to expresse thys Ceremonie of laying on of hands, and yet none haue euer expressed this.

Saincte Paule speaketh thrise of it in his Epistles to Timothie, and alwayes hee vseth* 1.2 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. In the olde Testamente where this ceremonie is vsed and spoken of, the Septuaginta did neuer traslate 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, But as the wryters of the newe Testament, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. And what shoulde I stande in thys, when as Sainct Luke himselfe, bothe before and after, speakyng of that Ceremonie of laying on of handes, dothe neuer vse this woorde* 1.3 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but the same woorde whyche Saincte Paule vseth, and the Septuaginta? And althoughe the Holye Ghoste speake proprely, and well by whome soeuer he speaketh, yet it coulde haue bene worste of all sayde by Saincte Luke, of all the Canonicall writers, that hee shoulde speake thus vnproprely, who of them all wryteth moste purely and elegantely, accor∣dyng to the phrase of the moste eloquent Grecians, and therefore hee borrowed thys speache of the auncient Greeke wryters, whyche dyd vse to expresse theyr Elections by thys worde, bycause they were made, and voyces giuen by this Ceremonie of lyftyng vp of handes.

But what if Saincte Luke haue vsed this worde before, and in thys booke, in the signi∣fication of choosyng by voyce, dare you then saye, that he vseth it here for putting on of hands?

In the. 10. of the Actes Sainct Peter sayth, that Christe after his resurrection, appeared not vnto the whole people, but vnto those whome he had before chosen by his (b) 1.4 voyce, to bee his witnesses, he vseth this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Nowe if you will saye here, that it is to be turned, those of whome he layde his handes: I will aske you where you reade, that euer he layde his handes of theyr heades. I will shewe you where he dyd by hys heauenly voyce appoynt them. And I thynke you are not able to shewe in any Greeke authour auncient, and whiche men doo take to be autenticall to teache the propertie or eloquence of the greke tongue I meane whyche were before Saincte Luke his tyme, where the worde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is ta∣ken for the laying on of handes of the head of any.

This I confesse that the Greeke Ecclesiasticall wryters haue sometymes vsed it so, but you must remember that Sainct Luke coulde not learne to speake of them that came two or three hundred yeares after him? but he borowed this phrase of speach of those that were before him, and therefore speaketh of elections as they dyd. So that you see this shift will not serue.

Io. Whitgifte.

There is nothyng to proue that they ordeyned them by the suffrages of the Churche, but this worde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the acceptation whereof in this place is nowe in question: I say still, that although it proprely signifie to electe by putting vp of handes, yet is it the common opinion almoste of all ec∣clesiastical* 1.5 writers, that it is vsed in Scripture for the solemne ma∣ner of ordering ministers by the imposition of handes. And that thys is neyther so straunge nor so vntrue, as you would séeme to make the reader beléeue, I haue set downe those authors which haue taught me so to say.

Bullinger vppon the same place sayeth thus: Caeterum dictio 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

ita ponitur, vt velsuffragijs populi delectos esse, vel manuum impositione inauguratos in∣telligere possimus. But the woorde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is so placed that wee may vnderstande either that they were chosen by the voyces of the people, or ordeyned by the laying on of handes.

M. Caluine vpon the same place hath these woordes, Verbum Graecum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sig∣nificat* 1.6 aliquid manibus sublatis discernere, qualiter in commitijs populi fieri solet. Scriptores ta∣men ecclesiastici nomen 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 alio sensu vsurpant: nempè pro solenni ordinationis ritu, qui in Scripturis vocatur, manuum impositio. The greeke woorde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth to deter∣mine some thing by holding vp of handes, according as it was vsuall in the assemblies and elections of the people: notwithstanding the Ecclesiasticall wryters vse this woorde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in an other sense. For the solemne manner of ordering, which in the scrip∣tures is called the laying on of handes. And this saying of M. Caluine hathe Marlorat also written in his collections, as allowyng the same. The same M. Caluine Instit: cap. 8. Sect. 65. Sequitur iam vt tractemus. &c. It foloweth nowe that we shoulde intreate of the maner wherby the ministers of the primitiue Churche were placed in theyr office. This the Latinistes call ordering or consecration, the Grecians 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and someti∣mes also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: although 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is properly called that kynde of election, wher∣in the voyces are signifyed by lifting vp of handes.* 1.7

Lykewise Gualter vpon the fourtéenth of the Actes. Deinde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 mentionem facit Lucas. &c. Furthermore Luke maketh mention of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by the which not onely the gathering of voyces, but also the laying on of handes, whiche was a signe of consecration, maye be signifyed: And surely the latter seemeth moste conueniente. For it is not lykely that the Apostles woulde departe from that order, whiche wee see to haue bene obserued in the election of Matthias, and permitte any thing to the iudgemente of man (whiche in voyces oftentymes commeth to passe) seeyng that they stirred vp the whole Churche to prayer and fasting.

Thus then you sée that the matter is nothing so straunge as you make it: for all these learned wryters affirme as muche touching the acceptation of this woorde, as I haue done: and if you will giue mée leaue to alleadge the Canons attributed to the Apostles, as you do, I wil fynde it there taken in thesame signification also: for in* 1.8 the first Canō it is thus written, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Let a bishop be ordeyned of two or three Bishops. And in the second Can. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Lette a minister be ordeyned of one Bishop. You can not denie, but that the olde translations and commentaries also make only mention of electing and ordeyning, and not of electing or ordeyning by voyces.

Oecumenius in his commentaries vpon this place dothe affirme, that Paule and Barnabas did create and ordeyne them: so doe other lykewise: and howesoeuer the worde in Chrysostome is translated, yet Chrysostome giueth no signification in hys* 1.9 commentaries that his meaning was so. But Hom. 14 in Act. he wryteth thus, Vide quomodò scriptor. &c. Marke howe the writer is not superfluous, for he dothe not declare how, but he simply declareth, that they were ordeyned by prayers: for this i' 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. ordinatio, that is to say, ordeyning, the handes are layde vpon the man, but God worketh the whole, and it is his hande that toucheth the head of him that is ordeyned, if he be or∣deynedas* 1.10 as he ought to be. Hierome also writing vppon the. 58. of Esaie sayeth, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is vsuallye taken for the ordeining of Clerkes, by Prayer and laying on of handes.

I denie not but that many doe translate it, as you saye, yet is it doubtefull in* 1.11 diuers of them whether they ment the voyces of the whole Churche, or of the mi∣nisters, or of Paule and Barnabas onely. M. Bullinger sayeth that hee is elected by the common suffrages of the people, qui optimorum testimonio probatus est: whiche is appro∣ued by the testimonie of the best. And the lawe sayth, in publico negotio qui se non appo∣nit cum possit, consentire intelligitur, he is thought to consent in a publike businesse, whiche doth not withstande when he may.

I thinke your complaint for lack of bookes is without cause, & verie vnlykely it is

to be true, all thyngs consydered. Howe so euer M. Caluine, or M. Bullinger doe take that worde themselues, yet haue they affirmed as muche of the other signi∣fication, as I haue doone, and therfore the more lyke to be true. Neyther haue you as yet alleaged any thing that can proue the contrarie.

You maye not teache the Holye Ghoste howe to speake, neyther muste you in suche matters vse so lyghte and vayne reasons. Neyther M. Bullinger nor M. Caluine disalloweth that signification, or goeth aboute to confute it, and you youre selfe confesse, that the Greeke Ecclesiasticall wryters haue semetyme vsed it so, as in déede they commonly doe, which maye easily be vnderstanded, by that that I haue hitherto spoken.

Hee that layeth hys handes vpon a mannes head, dothe lyfte them vp be fore hée can laye them on, and therefore you doe but trifle in makyng so muche a doe aboute holdyng vp, and laying downe. There bée other weordes, (I graunt) to expresse thys Ceremonie of laying on of handes, and I knowe that Luke and Paule doe vse an other woorde for the same, and the Septuagint. in lyke manner, but what is all thys to the purpose? What can you conclude hereof? Is thys sufficiente to proue, that thys woord therefore in this place may not sig∣nifie the same? are these bare coniectures sufficiente, to improue so manye learned mennes iudgementes.

I doe not saye that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 dothe signifye onely the bare Ceremonie of laying on of handes, but the whole solemnitie of creatyng Ministers, whyche is also sometymes signifyed by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as namely, 1. Ti. 9. But Saincte Luke, when he vseth in other places 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he dothe vse it in the bare signification of laying on of handes, and not for any other ryte or solemnitie, as he doth this worde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in thys place: and therefore you doe petere principium, when you frame youre proofes, as thoughe it were affirmed or graunted, that Saincte Luke by this worde shoulde meane onely the bare ceremo∣nie of imposition of handes.* 1.12

The place that you alledge oute of the tenthe of the Actes maketh moste a∣gaynste youre selfe, and ouerthroweth youre whole buyldyng. Fyrste, bycause 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is not there taken for liftyng vp of handes, but for appoyntyng or ordei∣nyng onely: for Christe didde not appoynte his Disciples by lifting vp of handes: Secondly, it signifyeth not to appoynt or to ordeyne by the suffrages and consente of other: for Christe required no mannes consente in the choyse of his Apostles: so that you haue loste and not gayned by alleadging of that place: for as this worde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the tenthe of the Actes doth not signifye, that the Apostles were chosen by the consente or voyce of any other, than of Christe onely: so dothe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 also in this fourtéenth of the Actes signifie, that Paule and Bar∣nabas didde appoynte and ordeyne them ministers by theyr owne voyces onely, and not by the suffrages of the people. Certainly that place of the tenth of the Acts manifestly declareth, that this worde in Scripture dothe not signifie anye com∣mon Election by the voyces of the people, as you woulde haue it to doe. Wherfore I thinke that theyr iudgemente can not iustly be mislyked, whyche say this worde in this fouretéenth of the Actes, to signifie the solemne manner of ordeining Mini∣sters by the imposition of handes: not meaning thereby the bare Ceremonie, but the whole action of ordeyning. To conclude, I wyll desyre no other interpreta∣tion of thys worde in the. 14. of the Acts, than that same place whyche you haue al∣leadged Actes. 10. whiche also answereth, what so euer you haue héere spoken of Saincte Lukes skyll in the Gréeke tongue: or of the vse of this woorde in the Scriptures: so that I shall not néede any other Author before Sainct Lukes tyme, to proue the same.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  An vntruth, as will appeare.
• * 1.2

  1. Tim. 4. 1. Tim. 5. 2. Tim. 1.
• * 1.3

  8. Actes. 9. Actes. 19. Actes.
• (b) 1.4

  If you will graunte that this word is ta∣ken for electing by one voice, we shall soone a∣gree.
• * 1.5

  The signifi∣cation of the worde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.6

  Caluin〈1 line〉〈1 line〉.
• * 1.7

  Gualter.
• * 1.8

  Can. Apost. 1. &. 2.
• * 1.9

  Chaysost. in 14. in Act.
• * 1.10

  Hierome.
• * 1.11

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.12

  T. C. brin∣geth a place a∣gainst himself.