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. 86. Sect. 1.

And therefore M. Caluine, doth warely say, that one amongst the Apostles indefinitely, not a∣ny one singular person, as Peter, had the moderation and rule of the other: and further shadoweth out what rule that was, by the example of the (*) Consull of Rome, whose authoritie was to ga∣ther the Senate togyther, and to tel of the matters which were to be handled, to gather the voices, to pronounce the sentence. And although the Antichrist of Rome had peruerted all good order, and taken all libertie of the Churche into his handes, the Cardinals, Archbyshops, and Byshops, yet there are some colde and light footings of it in our synods, which are holden with the Parliament: where amongst all the ministers which are assembled, out of all the whole realme, by the more part of voyces, one is chosen whiche shoulde go before the rest, propound the causes, gather the voyces, and be as it were the mouth of the whole company, whome they terme the prolocutor. Such great force hath the truth that in the vtter ruines of Poperie, it could neuer be so pulled vp by the rootes, that a man could neuer know the place thereof no more, or that it should not leaue such markes and prints behind it, whereby it might afterwardes recouer it selfe, and come agayne to the knowledge of men.

Io. Whitgifte.

It followeth in the same place of M. Caluine immediatly. Sic nihil absurdi esset si fateremur Apostolos detulisse Petro talem primatum. Sed quod inter paucos valet non pro∣tenus trahendum est ad vniuersum o〈1 line〉〈1 line〉bem terrarum, ad quem regendum nemo vnus sufficit. So shoulde it be no absurditie if we shoulde confesse that the Apostles did giue this kynde of preheminence vnto Peter. But yet that whiche auayleth among fewe, must not by and by be drawen to the whole worlde, to the ruling whereof no one man can suffice. You sée therefore that M. Caluine speaketh of one singular person, euen of Peter hym selfe, and yet dothe he not slide into the tents of the Papistes, but teacheth rather how to beware of them, and yet to acknowledge the truthe of Peter.

We gyue no greater authoritie eyther to Archbyshop or Byshop, than the Consull, or Pretor had among the Romanes, or a Master and president in a col∣ledge: for the Consuls (vppon whose authoritie you séeme so muche to stay) were appoynted to gouerne the common wealth of the Romanes, after they had ba∣nished theyr kynges, and they were called Consuls, quia plurimum reipublicae consule∣bant: bycause they profited the common wealth very muche: whose authoritie in thys dyd differ from the authoritie of a king, that there mighte be appeale from them, and that they could〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 not put to deathe any citizen of Rome, withoute the consente of the people: but they mighte otherwise punishe them, and 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ast them into prison: They had authorite also to make frée th〈1 line〉〈1 line〉se that were in bondage, they were of the greatest honoure (si nullus esset Dictat〈1 line〉〈1 line〉r) if there were

no Dictator) in the common wealth, and their authoritie was offorce, not onely in the Senate, but else where. And it is manyfest that they had not onely authoritie to call the Senate, to tell those matters that were to be handled, and to take their voyces, but to com∣maunde that none shoulde depart oute of the Citie, that had anye v〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ycè in the Senate and to electe Senators. &c. It appeareth that you little knewe what the offyce of a Consull was, when you wrytte thys. If you take aduantage of thys, that the office of the Consull was annuall and not perpetuall, yet it helpeth not you anything, for he was moderator and ruler not of one action onely, but of so manye, as were by oc∣casion, eyther ordinarie, or extraordinarie in the whole yeare of 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ys Consulshyp. For my part I doe not thinke that the Archbyshop, either hath, or ought to haue that authoritie in his prouince, that the Consull had in Rome.

A Master of a Colledge (the which example also Master Caluine doth vse) hath a perpetuall offyce, he is chiefe gouernour of that societie, and all the members there∣of owe duetie and obedience vnto him, as to their head: he hathe authoritie to puni〈1 line〉〈1 line〉he and to sée lawes executed: neyther doe I thynke that eyther Archbyshop or Byshop claymeth greater authoritie and iurisdiction ouer theyr Prouinces and Diocesse, than is due to the Master within hys Colledge. And therfore those examples of Master Caluine do confute your assertion, they doe in no poynt confirme it.

In Synodes thoughe there be chosen a prolocutor for the inferior sorte of the Cleargie, yet dothe the Archbyshop reteyne still bothe hys office, place, and autho∣ritie: euen as the Prince dothe, or the Lorde Kéeper, notwythstanding it be per∣mitted to the lower house of Parliament to choose them a Speaker, and therefore this is nothyng, nor alleaged to anye purpose: excepte you wyll saye that in the ciuill state all was equall, and that there was no superior, but in eueryaction some chosen by the multitude, to gouerne the action, bycause in the lower house of Parlia∣ment they choose a Speaker, whose offyce continueth but duryng that Parlia∣ment. You passe not what you alleage, so you maye séeme to alleage something.

Notes

• (*)

  The Arch∣byshop conten∣teth himselfe with lesse autho∣ri〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ie than the Co〈1 line〉〈1 line〉suls had.
• Instit. cap. 8.
• The example of T. C. a∣gainst him∣selfe. Consuls, and their autho∣ritie.
• Masters of Colledges and their au∣thoritie.