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.

What S. Augustine did in such matters, and whether he weroccupied in world∣ly* 1.1 matters or no, and that he was not a counsell giuer only, but also a iudge, it shall best appeare by his owne wordes spoken of himselfe, whiche are so playne and eui∣dent, that after you haue hearde them, you will be ashamed of this answere to Pos∣sidonius, and of your former assertion also. Augustine therefore in his booke de ope∣re* 1.2 Monachorum, of this matter writeth thus: VVho feedeth a flock, and doth not receiue of the milke of the flocke? And yet I call to witnesse vpon my soule the Lorde Iesus, in whose name I doe boldely speake these thinges, that touchyng myne owne commoditie, I hadde rather euerye daye (as it is appoynted in well ordered Monasteries) to woorke some thyng wyth my handes, and to haue the other houres free, to reade, and to praye, or too dooe somme thynge in the Holye Scriptures, than too suffer the

tumultuous perplexities of other mennes causes touchyng secular businesse, eyther in de∣terminyng them by iudging, or in cutting them off by intreatyng: to the whyche trou∣bles* 1.3 the Apostle hathe bounde vs, not by his owne iudgement, but by the iudgement of hym whyche didde speake in him, and yet hee himselfe did not suffer these troubles, for the discourse of his Apostleship was otherwyse. Here in playne woordes hée decla∣reth, that it was secular busynesse aboute the whyche he was occupyed: and al∣though he séeme to complayne of the multitude of suche businesse, yet dothe hee acknowledge the same to bee lawfull, iuste, and conueniente, and therefore he addeth, and sayeth: VVhyche laboure notwythstandyng, wee suffer not without the consolation of the Lorde, for the hope of eternall lyfe, that wee maye bryng foorthe frute wyth pacience: for wee are seruauntes of that Churche, and especially to the weaker members, what members soeuer wee are, in the same bodie. And a little af∣ter hee sayeth, That hee coulde not omitte those businesse, withoute the omittyng of his dutye. To the same effecte dothe he speake in that Treatise that is among his Episiles in number an hundreth and ten, where he desyreth the people that they woulde not moleste hym for the space of fyue dayes wyth theyr worldely matters, by reason of certayne busynesse commytted vnto hym, as it appeareth in these woordes: It pleaseth mee and you, for the care of the scriptures, whych the brethren and fathers, my fellowe Byshops dydde vouchesafe to laye vppon mee in* 1.4 the Councells of Numidia and Carthage, for the space of fyue dayes no man shoulde trouble mee. These thynges were propounded, you were contente, youre decree and consente was rehersed: it was kepte but a small tyme, and afterwardes you did vio∣lently brust in vnto mee, neyther coulde I bee suffered to doe that whyche I woulde: In the forenoone and in the after noone, I am troubled with mennes busynesse: I de∣syre you for Chrystes sake, to suffer me to committe the care of my troubles to Eradi∣us this yong man, and prieste, whome thys daye in the name of Christ, I appoynt to be your bishop and my successour.

Possidonius nameth no elders, but speaketh onely of Augustine, and whosoeuer shall with diligence pervse the nintéenth chapter of Possidonius, shall be enforced to confesse that he meaneth Augustine was occupyed as well in ciuill, as ecclesiasti∣call matters, and in determinyng of them, as in writyng of letters for them, or in giuyng of counsell. Wherefore this example of Augustine is moste fitly alleaged of the Bishop of Sarum, and manyfestly declareth what was the vse in his dayes touching suche matters.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Augustine iudge in worl∣dely matters.
• * 1.2

  Aug. lib. de o∣pere Monac.
• * 1.3

  Augustine thinketh that the how ghost hath bounde Bishops to ciuill causes.
• * 1.4

  Ang. epi. 110.