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. 89. Sect. 2.

Touching Theodoret Bishop of Cyrus,(a) 1.1 to let passe that which the Bishops of Egypt cried in the Councel of Calcedon, that he was no Bishop, it is to be obserued, that which the Emperors* 1.2 Theodosius & Ualentinian, write vnto Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria, that he had commaun∣ded Theodoret Bishop of Cyrus that he should kepe himselfe vnto his owne Church only: wher∣by* 1.3 it appeareth,(b) 1.4 that he medled in more Churches than was meete he should. Besides, that wanteth not suspition that he speaketh this of himselfe, especially when he sayth that there was not in all those. 800. Churches one 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉are, that is(c) 1.5 one hypocrite or euill man.

Io. Whitgifte.

In the conuocation holden in the first yeare of Quéene Marie, the testimonie of* 1.6 this Theodoret, being alledged agaynst transubstantiation, D. Watson bicause hée coulde not answere the authoritie, denyed the Authour, accusing him to be a Nesto∣rian. To whom replie was made, that it was but a lewde refuge, when he could not answere, to denie the Authour. The same may be sayde to you, dealing in the selfe same maner. For this Theodorete as he is a notable Hystoriographer, & of great cre∣dite in the reporting of things done by other, & before his time, so is there no cause at all why he shoulde be suspected speaking of him selfe. And he himselfe doth report of himselfe in that Epistle written by him to Leo, that he had not onely gouerned these 800. Churches, but so gouerned them by the space of. 26. yeares, that he susteyned no re∣proch or blame of the bishops of Antioche: whereof I might also truely gather, that the Bishop of Antioche was as it were his Archbishop or Metropolitane. This autho∣ritie or rather example of Theodorete is so plaine, that you are driuen to séeke vn∣lawfull shiftes to deface a worthie wryter: but let vs sée how iustly.

You say, that the Bishops of Egypt cryed in the Councell of Calcedon, that he was no Bishop, and you note in the margent the. 1. Act. of that Councell: and I say vnto you againe, that the whole Councell in the. 8. Action, cryed out and sayde, Theodoretus dig∣nus* 1.7 est sede Ecclesiae, orthodoxum Ecclesia pastorem recipiat. Theodoret is worthie the seat of the Church (that is the Bishoprike) let the Church receyue him as a Catholike Pastor.

You adde, that Theodosius and Ualentinian, writte vnto Dioscorus Bishop of Alexan∣dria,* 1.8 that he had commaunded Theodoret Bishop of Cyrus, that he shoulde keepe himselfe to hys owne Church onely, &c. To this I answere, that you haue here delt, as commonly you do, that is, verie corruptly: for the wordes that followe in the same Epistle doe eui∣dently declare, that the Emperours meaning was, that Theodorete shoulde kéepe himselfe at home, and not come to the Synode, vnlesse it should please the whole Sy∣node to accept of him, and to admit him. The which also appeareth in another Epistle of the Emperours to Dioscorus in that first Act of the Councell of Calcedon (in the which Epistle the Emperour calleth the Bishop of Ierusalem Archbishop) It appea∣reth that Theodorete was first by the Emperours commaundement inhibited from comming to that Synode, which was called the seconde Councell of Ephesus, and af∣terwarde that he was con〈1 line〉〈1 line〉mned in the same Synode in his absence, and not called to answere for himselfe, as he declareth in his Epistle written to Leo. But he was restored in this generall Councell of Calcedon, and that seconde Councell of Ephasus

was afterward condemned: so that all this that you speake to the discredite of Theo∣dorete is but a friuolous, and yet a corrupt shift.

You do but as you are woont, when you expounde that which Theodorete spea∣keth of his 800. Churches being without tares, of hypocrites and euill men. If you had read the authour your selfe, I thinke you would not so grossely haue erred: his words be these. By Gods helpe I deliuered more than a thousande soules from Martions heresie,* 1.9 and I conuerted many to Christ the Lorde from the sect of Arius, and Eunomius, & vt in octingentis Ecclesijs pastor essem, mibi sortitò obtigit: tot enim paroecias, habet Cyrus: and it was allotted to me to be pastor in 800. Churches, for Cyrus hath so many parishes: in the which* 1.10 through your prayers there did not remaine one tare: sed ab omnierrore haeretico liberatus fuit grex noster, but our flocke was deliuered from all hereticall error. Theodorete there∣fore meaneth heresie, he meaneth not hypocrisie, there was not one heretike in all his Bishoprike, he doth not say one hypocrite or euill man: so that you are farre wyde and do Theodorete double iniurie, for you do both slaunder him, and misconstrue him.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  You 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 agayns〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 you.
• * 1.2

  In the. 1. Act.
• * 1.3

  In the same Act.
• (b) 1.4

  An 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ & 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉oule oue〈1 line〉〈1 line〉sight.
• (c) 1.5

  Vntrue 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ terpretation.
• * 1.6

  Theodorete can haue no credite either with the Pa∣pists, or with the Replier.
• * 1.7

  Act. 8. Con. Cal〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ed.
• * 1.8

  The corrupt dealing of T. C.
• * 1.9

  Theod. in E∣pist. ad Leonē.
• * 1.10

  How Theo∣dorete le〈1 line〉〈1 line〉t no tares in his 800. churches