A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to…A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to…

In Augustine's time it appeareth also / that the consent of the church was required / for in the third book against the epistle of Parmenian / he showeth that if the multitude of the church be not in that fault for which one is to be excommunicated / that then it helpeth much to make the party both afraid and ashamed / that he be excommunicated or anathematised (as he calleth it) by all the church / and in hys books de Baptis. contra Donatistas, in divers places / he is so far from permitting the excommunication to one man / that he seemeth to fall into the other extremity / which is to make the estate of the church to popular / and the people to have too great a sway. For there he showeth / that if the most of the people be infected with the fault which is to be punished by excommunication / that then no excommunication ought to be attempted / for because a sufficient number of voices will not be obtained for the excommunication. By which testimonies / besides the institution of God / & the practise of the churches in the apostles times / appeareth manifestly what hath ben the use of the churches touching excommunication / as long as there was any purity in the church. And it is to be observed here / that both in this part of the discipline / and also in all other parts of it (as I have showed) as in harder and difficulter causes / things were referred unto the Synods provincial / national / or general / as the case required: so if the elders of any church shall determine any thing contrary to the word of God / or inconveniently in any matter that falleth into their determination / the parties which are grieved / may have recourse for remedy / unto the elders and pastors of divers churches / that is to say unto Synods of shires / or dioceses / or provinces / or nations of as great or of as small compass as shall be thought convenient by the church / according to the difficulty or weight of the matters / which are in controversy. Which meetings ought to be as often as can be conveniently / not only for the decision of such difficulties which the several presbyteries can not so well judge of / but also to the end that common counsel might be taken for the best remedy of the vices or incommodities which either the churches be in / or in danger to be in.

In Augustines tyme it appeareth also / that the consent of the church was required / for in the third boke agaynst the epistle of Parmenian / he sheweth that if the multitude of the church be not in that fault for which one is to be excommunicated / that then it helpeth much to make the party both afrayde and ashamed / that he be excommunicated or anathematised (as he calleth it) by all the churche / and in hys bookes de Baptis. contra Donatistas, in diuers places / he is so far from permitting the excommunication to one man / yt he semeth to fal into the other extremity / whych is to make the estate of the church to populare / and the people to haue too great a sway. For there he sheweth / that if the most of the people be infected wyth the fault whych is to be punyshed by excommunication / that then no excommunication ought to be attempted / for because a sufficient numbre of voyces will not be obtained for the excommunication. By whych testimonies / besydes the institution of God / & the practise of the churches in the apostles times / appeareth manifestly what hath ben the vse of the churches touchyng excommunication / as long as there was any purity in the church. And it is to be obserued heere / that bothe in thys parte of the discipline / and also in all other partes of it (as I haue shewed) as in harder and difficulter causes / thyngs were referred vnto the Synodes prouincial / nationall / or generall / as the case required: so if the elders of any church shall determine any thing contrary to the worde of God / or inconueniently in any matter that falleth into their determination / the partyes whych are greeued / may haue recourse for remedy / vnto the elders and pastoures of dyuers churches / that is to say vnto Synodes of shires / or dioceses / or prouinces / or nations of as great or of as small compasse as shall be thought conuenient by the church / according to the difficulty or waight of the matters / whych are in controuersy. Whych meetings ought to be as often as can be conueniently / not only for the decision of suche difficultyes whych the seuerall presbyteries can not so well iudge of / but also to the ende that common counsell myght be taken for the best remeady of the vices or incommodities whych eyther the churches be in / or in daunger to be in.