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.

Io. Whitgifte.

It is not to be read in any storie, or other wryter, that Ambrose euer sought to haue an Eldership in his Church: for if he had so done, it is not like but that he might haue obteyned it, béeing of that credite and authoritie with the Emperour: onely in speaking of the Eldership which consisteth of Priestes onely: he sayeth that he cannot tell vpon what occasion it grewe out of vse. &c. but this is from the pur∣pose.

Ambrose is commended for excommunicating Theodosius, and▪ for excommunicating him* 1.1 alone, as it may appeare in Theodorete lib. 5. cap. 18. and Sozomene lib. 7. cap: 24. For if he had vsed the assistance of other, the commendation of his courage and bold∣nesse, had not béene so notorious and famous: neyther is it like that the people durst ioyne with their Bishop in such an enterpryse agaynst theyr Emperour, and if it had béene done by any councell of Byshops or Synode, to what ende and purpose should Ambrose carrie away all the fame and commendation, not one worde once mentio∣ned in any storie of any other assistante vnto him in that action? But what néede I vse these wordes, séeing the historie reported both by Theodorete and Sozomene doe verie plainly testifie the same.

My argument is not negatiue from authoritie, but affirmatiue: for all storyes that I haue read do attribute this whole action of excommunicating Theodosius to Ambrose alone. Reade the places of Theodoret and Sozomene, before mentioned, and you shall sée that a man may safely conclude affirmatiuely, that Ambrose alone did both excommunicate and absolue him. Some of the late wryters that haue oc∣casion to speake of this matter, do testifie the same, as namely Master Gualter vpon the. 1. Cor. 5. and therefore reproueth Ambrose his fact. But bicause you here charge me with so often reasoning from authoritie negatiuely, name one vnto mée that I haue so vsed, or tell mée why hitherto you haue onely espyed this? Remember that you are a diuine of whom it is required to speake truly.* 1.2

But say you: what if it be proued that Ambrose did not this of his owne authoritie? and I say what if it be manifestly layde before your eyes, that you haue not rightly* 1.3

collected of those places of Ambrose, and that they make not for your purpose, which you haue here alledged for your proofe? First your quotation in the margent is false: for Ambrose hath not one worde of that matter in his. 38. Epistle, but that might be the fault of the Printer. That which he sayth, is in his. 28. Epistle, the whiche also you haue falsified, for there is not one worde spoken of any excommuni∣cation vsed by that Synode, agaynst Theodosius: onely Ambrose sayth, that when the Synode heard of it, euerie man lamented it, and tooke it in euill part: and that he himselfe could not admit him into his Communion, nor absolue him from that of∣fence without due repentance. And that is his meaning when he sayth: Non erat facti tui absolutio in Ambrosij communione. Whiche also the wordes following and the scope of the whole Epistle doth declare. For in that Epistle Ambrose doth exhorte Theodosius to repentance for that fact, and after these wordes that I haue recyted, followeth immediately this sentence: The grieuousnesse also of the fault shoulde bee* 1.4 layde vnto my charge the more, if no man shoulde say that the reconciliation of our God were necessarie. Art thou ashamed to do that, O Emperour, that the kingly Prophete Da∣uid did? Whereby it is plaine, that Ambrose in his letters signifieth vnto the Em∣perour, that he must first repent him and be reconcyled vnto God, before hée may admit him to communicate with him. Neyther doth Ambrose say: that these Bishops were by and by gathered togither as soone as this murther was heard of: neyther was there any such cause of that Synode: but they béeing gathered togither vpon other occa∣sions and before the murther was committed (as it will appeare if you marke the wordes of Ambrose well) newes was brought vnto them of the murther, whiche they greatly lamented as I sayde before. There is not one worde it that Epistle, whereof it can be gathered that eyther that Synode did excommunicate him, or or∣deyne that he should not be absolued, vntill such tyme as he had done repentance: how much bet∣were it for you to repeate the wordes of the Authour: but then should you spill your grace in counterfeyting.

The seconde place of Ambrose lib de obitu Theodos. alledged to proue that Theo∣dosius afterwarde confessed his fault before the congregation, and asked forgiuenesse of it, is more than néedes: for that is not denyed of any man: and Theodorete lib. 5. cap. 18. doth set that his submission and confession out in these wordes. So in the ende* 1.5 Sainct Ambrose absolued him, and the most faythfull Emperour beeing bolde to enter into the Churche, prayed, not standing or kneeling, but lying prostrate vppon the grounde hee vttered these wordes of Dauid: My soule cleaueth vnto the dust, quic∣ken mee according to thy worde. And pulling his heare with his handes, and beating his face, and watring the grounde with the droppes of his teares, he asked forgiuenesse. But this proueth not that the people had anie authoritie in excommunicating of him. In this Church of Englande, though the Bishop alone doe excommunicate,* 1.6 yet he that is excommunicated for any notorious cryme, is not receyued into the Churche againe, before he haue made a publike confession in the open Congrega∣tion, and asked pardon and forgiuenesse of his offence. Wherefore there is nothing yet alledged of any such force, to proue that Ambrose alone did not excommunicate Theodosius.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ambrose ex∣communica∣teth alone.
• * 1.2

  The Synode dso not excom∣municate
• * 1.3

  Theodosius.
• * 1.4

  Amb. Epist. 28.
• * 1.5

  Theod. li. 5. 18.
• * 1.6

  Excommuni∣cate persons not receyued before publike confession and repentance.