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. 97. Sect. 5. 6.

And as touching Ambrose house, albeit the worde doth not employ so great gorgeou〈1 line〉〈1 line〉nesse nor maginfycence of a house, as the Palaces and o〈1 line〉〈1 line〉her magnificall buildings of our Bishops, yet the cause where vpon this rose, doth more excuse Ambrose, who being taken from great wealth and gouernment in the common wealth, giuing ouer his office, did reteyne(*) 1.1 his house and that which he had gotten.

But our Bishops* 1.2 do mainteyne this pompe and excesse, of the charges of the Church, with whose goodes a great number of ydle loytering seruing men are mainteyned, which ought to be be∣stowed vpon the Ministers, which want necessarie finding for theyr familyes, and vpon the poore and maintenance of the Uniuersityes. As for these ryotous expences of the Church goodes, when many other Ministers want, and of making great dinners, and interteyning great Lordes and magistrates, and of the answere to them that say they do helpe the Church by this meanes, I will referre the reader to that, which Ierome wryteth in an Epistle ad Nepotianum monachum, where this is handled more at large.

Io. Whitgifte.

Your answere for Ambrose his house hath no probabilitie in it, for the wordes* 1.3 of Theodorete in that place, do plainly declare that it was neare vnto the Churche, yea infra sept〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 Ecclesiae: within the bondes or close of the Church, and therefore most like to be the house perteyning to the Bishoprike, and not any part of Ambrose his for∣mer 〈◊〉〈◊〉. For if you remember, you sayde a little before, that it was decréed in the. 4. Councell of Carthage. Can. 14. that a Bishop shoulde haue his house neare vn∣to the Church. But wise men can consider from whence such vnlikely assertions without any shew of proofe do come.

Bishops buylde not these great houses of the Churches goodes, but receyue them* 1.4 as left vnto them by such as were farre from séeking a spoyle: they vso them accor∣ding to the lawes of the lande: and their number of men can in no respect be discom∣mended, tending to the defense and strength of the realme, the honour of the Prince, and their owne honest and góod education. Our Bishops therefore vse the goodes of the Church according to the first institution and foundation, and I doubt not but they vse them to more profite both of the Church and common wealth, than they should be vsed, if your phansies might take place.

Your complaint for ministers, for the poore. &c. may be otherwise satisfyed than by* 1.5 a spoyle: For if benefices were rightly vsed, the Ministers of thys Kealme

are better prouided for, than in any rountrey or age: yea there are mo sufficient ly∣uings for them besydes the Bishoprikes, than can be supplyed with able ministers. The poore also are well prouided for (God be thanked,) by sundrie meanes, if lawes* 1.6 made for the same were duely executed, and Hospitalles with suche other prouisi∣ons delyuered from vnreasonable Leases, and bestowed vppon the poore according to their fyrst ordinaunces. Wherefore this clamour of yours is nothing but the* 1.7 voyce of an enuious spirite proclayming the spoyle of the Churche, to the decay of learning, and bringing in of barbarisme, if it be not in time preuented.

The Uniuersityes are much beholding to you for your care ouer them: but what reasons haue you vsed agaynst the lyuings and houses of Byshoppes, that may not also be vsed agaynst their landes and Colledges: for in tymes past, when that Councell of Carthage (before by you alledged) was holden, there were nosuche Colledges indued with such possessions, as there are nowe. Neyther are there (as I haue hearde) in Christendome the like Colledges, and the like liuings for Stu∣die〈1 line〉〈1 line〉es, as are in this Realme of Englande. Wherefore if such examples and con∣ditions of Countries, tymes, and persons bée sufficient to ouerthrowe Bishoppes houses and landes, I sée not howe Colledges can stande long after them, and there∣fore we pray you speake for your selfe, we require not the helpe of so euill a Proc∣tour. Woulde you séeke to mainteyne learning with the spoyle of the Churche, and the diminishing of the rewarde of learning? An non vides, quàm pugnanti〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 lo∣queris?

By that Epistle of Ierome ad Nepotianum, it appeareth that the state of the Clergie was not then so poore, as you woulde séeme to make it. Ierome reproueth the abuses* 1.8 of his time, as couetousnesse, gluttonie, gorgeous and costly apparell with such lyke which at all tymes are in lyke maner to be condemned. But doth he that reproueth the abuse, condemne the thing? It is a fault by couetous or vniust dealing to waxe riche: but yet it is no fault to be riche. Pride in apparell is to be condemned: but yet euerie man may lawfully weare that apparell, that is méete for his degrée. No man alloweth gluttonie or immoderate seasting: neyther doth any wise man con∣denme a plentifull table, and good house kéeping. It is not good dealing to applie that which is spoken agaynst the abuse of a thing, to the condemning and quite euer throw of the thing it selfe, as you d〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 the wordes of Ierome in that Epistle.

Notes

• (*) 1.1

  It was the house belonging to the Bishop.
• * 1.2

  A heape of slaunders.
• * 1.3

  Ambrose house within the bounds of the Church.
• * 1.4

  Bishops de∣fended against the slaunde∣rous replie.
• * 1.5

  Prouision 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ministers.
• * 1.6

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ròuision for the poore.
• * 1.7

  Where vnto the Repliers clamour ten∣deth. The same axe is lifted a∣gainst Uni∣uersities, that hacketh at by∣shops landes.
• * 1.8

  The thing must not be condemned for the abuse.