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. 150. Lin. 7.

And it is to bee obserued here, that bothe in this parte of the discipline, and also in all other partes of it (as I haue shewed) as in harder and difficulter causes, things were referred vnto the Synodes prouinciall, nationall or general, as the case required: so if the elders of any Church shall determine any thing contrary to the word of God, or inconueniently in any matter that fal∣leth into their determination, the parties which are greeued may haue recourse for remedie, vnto the elders and Pastors of diuers Churches, that is to say vnto Synods of Shires, or dioceses, or prouinces, or nations of as great or of as small compasse as shall be thought conuentent by the Church, according to the difficultie or waight of the matters, which are in controuersie, whyche meetings ought to be as often as can be conueniently, not only for the decision of such difficulties which the seuerall presoyteries cannot so well iudge of, but also to the end that common counsell might be taken for the best remedie of the vices or incommodities which eyther the Churches be in, or in daunger to be in. And as those things whiche cannot be decided by the eldership of the Churches, are to be reserued vnto the knowledge of some Synode of a shire or diocese, so those which for their hardnes cānot be there decided, must be brought into the Synods of larger com∣passe, as I haue shewed to haue bin done in the Apostles times, and in the Churches which fol∣lowed them long after.

Io. Whitgifte.

So shall there be turbarum & contentionum satis: much vnquietnesse: for one or two busy Pastors, suche as your schole can yelde good store of, woulde inuent matter y∣nough* 1.1 to trouble the whole Church: and Pastors should then be compelled to be as much absent from their benefyces, by reason of those Synods, as they be now vpon other occasions. Lord what a tumultuous Church would this be, if this plat for me might take place? In the meane while the Prince shoulde be a cyphar, and onely wayte to vnderstand what kynde of Religion ceremonies, and gouernment these Seigniories and their Synodes would prescribe vnto hir to mainteyne and defende: for the must haue potestatem facti onely, not Iuris: she must take lawes, she must giue none: she must execute whatsoeuer it pleaseth master Pastors and their Seniors to commaund hir, else wil they stirre vp the whole countrey against hir, at the least she must be excommunicated: me thinketh I see the very beginning

of a newe Popedome.

Haue you shewed this cōfused order to haue bin in y^e Apostles time or in y^e primitiue Church?* 1.2 Where haue you shewed it? or when will you proue it? Synodes there were in∣déede: and necessary it is that when occasion serueth they should be: but your Seig∣niorie in euery Towne or parish vnder a Christian Prince neuer was, neyther is it possible that without confusion it should be, as I haue before declared. But what audacitie is this, to ascribe an order inuented by your selfe (vpon the whiche, scarse thrée of you do agrée, if you were well examined, and in the which your selfe, or euer it were long, would espie some thing to be altered) vnto the Apostles?

Notes

• * 1.1

  The tumul∣tuous and dis orderly order propounded by y^e Replyer.
• * 1.2

  T. C. ascri∣beth his owne deuise to the Apostles.