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. 79. Sect. 1. 2.

The Hebrues do deriue the name of time of a verbe, which signifieth to corrupt, bycause in deede it doth corrupt all, & as the times are so are mē which liue in them: that euē very good men cary the note of y^e infection of the times wherin they liue, & the streame of the corruption therof being so ve∣hement & forcible, doth not only driue before it light things, but it eateth also & weareth y^e very hard & stonie rockes, & therfore there is not to be looked for (*) 1.1 such sinceritie at Hieromes hand, Which we found in S. Cyprian, considering y^t he liued, some ages after Cyprian, what time Satan had a great deale more darkened y^e cleere light of the Sunne of the Gospell, than it was in S. Cyprians time. For as those y^t came neerest vnto the Apostles times, bicause they were nearest the light dyd sce best, so those that were further of from these lightes, had vntill y^e time of the manifestation of the sonne of perdition, their heauens more darke & cloudy, & consequently did see more diuiely, which is diligently 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 be obserued of y^e reader, both the better to vnderstand y^e state of this question, and all other controuersies, which lye betwene vs and the Papistes.

And althoughe Hierome besides his other faultes, myghte haue also in this matter spoken more soundly, yet we shall easily perceiue y^t he is a great deale further, from either the title or office of an Archbishop, or else from y^e authoritie, that a Bishop hath with vs, than he is from the simplicitie of the ministerio which ought to be, and is commended vnto vs by the word of God.

Io. Whitgifte.

This is but a poore refuge, when you cannot answere to discredite the author: it is euident that Hierome saythe nothing touching this matter, but that which is both consonant to the scriptures, & confirmed by the practise of the Church, long before his time, as appeareth by that which is saide before. And I pray you what difference is there, betwixte that which Hierome speaketh in this place, and that which Cyprian

hath s〈1 line〉〈1 line〉id before? For Cyp〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ian said, That heresies & schismes haue sprong & do spring of this, bicause the priest of God is not obeyed. &c. And bicause the Bishop which is one, & is set o〈1 line〉〈1 line〉er the church, is through the proude presumption of some contemned. &c. And Hie∣rome saith that y^e cause why among y^e Bishops one was chosen to gouerne y^e rest, was to remedie schismes. Do you not perceiue how these two fathers ioyne in one truthe, & directly affirme y^e self same matter? It is true y^t time corrupteth, & therfore much more occasion is offered to appoint gouernment according to y^e times, least the corruptions preuaile & get the vpper hand, & for this cause, Hierome saith that vpon these corrupti∣ons of time, the Church was constreined to appoint this order.

Notes

• (*) 1.1

  This is your vsuall practise, whē you cannot answere to cauill at the credite of the author.