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.

Chap. 1. the. 6. Diuision.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 114. Sect. 1.

In the. 1. Corin. 12. S. Paule sayeth, that God hath ordeyned in the* 1.1 Church first Apostles, then Prophetes, thirdly teachers, then them that do miracles, after that the giftes of healing, helpers, gouernours, diuersities of tongues: here is not one worde of the office of Seniors, neyther yet of their names: for this worde, gouernours, teacheth vs, that Christ hath ordeyned in his church, some to beare rule & gouerne, but whe∣ther one in euery congregation or moe: whether ministers of the worde or other: whether Magistrates or Seniors, it is not here ex∣pressed: howsoeuer it is, it maketh nothing for your purpose.

T. C. Pag. 139. Sect. 1.

And whereas M. Doctor sayth, that the place of the Corinths may be vnderstanded of ciuill* 1.2 Magistrates, of preaching ministers, of gouernours of the (*) 1.3 whole Churche, and not of euery particular Churche, and finally any thing, rather than that whereof it is in dee〈1 line〉〈1 line〉e vnderstanded: I say first that he still stumbleth at one stone, whiche is, that he can not put a difference betweene the Churche and common wealth: and so betweene the Churche offycers, whiche he there spea∣keth of, and the offycers of the common wealth, those whiche are 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉cclesiasticall, and those whiche are ciuill. Then that he meaneth not the minister whiche preacheth, it may appeare, for that he had noted them before in the worde (teachers) and last of all he can not meane gouernour of the whole Church, onlesse he shoulde meane 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 Pope, & if he will say he meaneth an Archbishop which gouer∣neth a whole Prouince, besides that it is a bolde speeche without all warrant, I haue shewed be∣fore, that the worde of God alloweth of no suche office, and therefore it remayneth, that it muste be vnderstanded of this office of Elders.

Io. Whitgifte.

Héere haue you manyfestly fals〈1 line〉〈1 line〉yed my booke, and greatly abused me. For I haue not these wordes, of gouernours of the whole Church, and not of euery particular Churche: neyther any thing sounding that way: the Reader hath my wordes before his eyes, let him consider whether you haue reported them truely, or no. Surely if there were nothing else, your ofte leasings might sufficiently conuince your doctrine of méere vanitie and forgerie.

But to returne to your Replie.

First, I can not put any suche difference betwixte the Churche and a Christian common wealth, the Church officers and christian Magistrates, that they may not be comprehended vnder this worde vsed in this place by the Apostle. For I vtterly renounce that di∣stinction inuented by Papistes, and maynteyned by you, whiche is, that Christian* 1.4 Magistrates doe gouerne, not in the respect they be Christians, but in the respecte they be men: and that they gouerne Christians, not in that they be Christians, but in that they be men. Whiche is, to giue no more authoritie to a Christian Magistrate in the Church of Christ, than to the great Turke. I am fully persuaded therefore, that there is no suche distinction betwixte the Churche of Christ, and a Christian common wealthe, as you and the Papistes dreame of. And therefore there is no cause why th〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 Apostl〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 maye not in this place, vnder this worde, Gouernours, comprehende as well ciuill Magistrates, as ecclesiasticall. The whiche notwithstanding, I doe not determi∣nately affirme, as likewise I haue not done in myne Answere: for I would be glad to learne, and to heare some reason to the contrarie. Master Gualter seemeth to 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉a∣uour this opinion, for expounding this place, he sayth: He comprehendeth seuenthly* 1.5 in this order, gouernours, vnder whome are conteyned ciuill persons, whiche in worldly matters dyd ayde all men, and had the hearing of causes, if any fell out amongst the Chri∣stians. And a little after: There is no neede of suche publikely nowe a dayes, seeing there are christian Magistrats, by whose authoritie all these thinges may be better prouided for. Moreouer the Apostle may meane in that place Bishops or Pastors, of whome he made no mention before. For you will not haue the office of a Pastor, & of a Doctor confounded, wherefore you forget your selfe in saying, that in this worde, teachers, he meaneth the minister that teacheth, that is, the Pastor, for of him I am sure you meane. Last of all, I haue no where sayde, that he meaneth one gouernour of the whole Church, neyther haue I written one worde tending to that ende, but this I say agayne, whe∣ther the Apostle meaneth one ruler in euery congregation, or mo, is not héere determined: and I sée no cause, as I haue sayde, whye in this place of th〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 Apostle, thys word, Gouernours, may not eyther signifie the Christian Magistrates o〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 Ecclesiasticall, as Archbishops, Bishops, or whatsoeuer other by lawfull autho∣ritie are appoynted in the Churche: neyther is there any reason to be shewed, why he shoulde rather meane your Seniors, than any other Magistrates. Sure I am that there be learned men whiche thinke that the Apostle in this worde dothe com∣prehende Ecclesiae gubernatores, tum ciuiles; tum ecclesiastic〈1 line〉〈1 line〉s: The gouernours of the Church

as well ciuill as ecclesiasticall. Howsoeuer it is, the place béeing doubtful, it can not esta blishe the office of your Seniors, as perpetuall.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Go〈1 line〉〈1 line〉rnours in the church.
• * 1.2

  1. Co. 12.
• (*) 1.3

  A manif〈1 line〉〈1 line〉st vntruthe, for there is no such thing affir〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ed.
• * 1.4

  The Papists opinion of christian Ma∣gistrates.
• * 1.5

  Gualter in. 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 Cor. 12.