An ansvvere to a certen libel intituled, An admonition to the Parliament, by Iohn VVhitgifte, D. of Diuinitie

¶ An Exhortation to suche as bee in authoritie and haue the gouernement of the Church committed vnto them, whether they be Ciuile or Ecclesiasticall Magistrates.

COnsideryng the strangenes of the time, the varietie of mennes myndes, and the mar∣uellous, inclinations in the cōmon sorte of per∣sons (especially where the gospel is most prea∣ched) to imbrace newe inuented doctrines and opinions, thoughe they tende to the disturbing of the quiet state of the Churche, the discrediting and defacing of such as be in authoritie, and the maynteining of licenciousnesse and lewde libertie: I thought it good to set before your eyes the practises of the Anabaptistes, their conditions and qualities, the kinde and maner of their beginnings and procéedings, before the broching of their manyfolde and horrible heresies, to the intent that you vnderstanding the same, may the rather in tyme take héede to suche as procéede in like maner: least they béeing suffred too long, burst out to woorke the same effect. I accuse none, only I suspect the authors of this admonition, & their fautours: What cause I haue so to doe, I referre to your selues to iudge, after that I haue set foorth vnto you the Anabap∣tisticall

practises, euen as I haue lerned in the writings of such famous and learned men, as had themselues ex∣perience of them, when they firste began in Germanie, and did both personally reason with them, and afterwar∣des very learnedly write agaynst them: neyther will I in this poynt write one worde, whiche I haue not mine author to shewe for.

* 1.11 Firste Anabaptisme tendeth to this ende, that (in these places where the Gospel hath ben for a tyme prea∣ched, and where Churches be reformed) the Gospel may be hindered, the churches disquieted, the simple brought to doubt of the religion that hath ben taught them: con∣tentious and vnquiet mynds may haue matter to work on, the preaching of the Gospell become odious: finally that magistrates and suche as bée in authoritie, may bée contemned and despysed of their subiects and inferiours.

* 1.22 Secondly they bitterly inueyed agaynst ministers and preachers of the Gospell, saying that they were not ordinarily and laufully called to the ministerie, bycause they were called by the Magistrate, and not by the peo∣ple: that they preached not the Gospell truly, that they were Scribes and Phariseis: that they had not those things whiche Pause required in a minister. 1. Timo. 3. That they did not themselues those things, whiche they taught vnto other: that they had stipendes, and labored not, and therefore were ministers of the belly: That they coulde not teache truely, bycause they had greate liuings, and liued wealthily and pleasantly: that they vsed not theyr authoritie in excommunication, that they attributed too muche vnto the Magistrate.

* 1.33 Thirdely, the whole reformation that was then in the Churche displeased them, as not spirituall y∣noughe and perfecte. For the Sacramentes were not (as they sayde) syncerely mynistred, things were not reduced to the Apostolike Churche, Excommunicati∣on

not ryghtly vsed, no amendement of lyfe appeared synce the preaching of the Gospel: therfore the Church then reformed, no more the true Church of Christ, than was the Papisticall churche.

4 Fourthly,* 1.4 they had theyr priuate and secrete con∣uenticles, and did diuide and separate themselues from the Churche, neyther woulde they communicate wyth suche as were not of their secte, eyther in prayers, Sa∣cramentes, or hearing the woorde.

5 Fifthly,* 1.5 they compted all them as wicked and re∣probate, whiche were not of their sect.

6 Sixthly,* 1.6 they pretended in all theyr dooyngs, the glorie of God, the edifying of the Churche, and the pu∣ritie of the Gospell.

7 They earnestly cryed oute agaynste pryde,* 1.7 glut∣tonie. &c. They spake muche of mortification: they pre∣tended greate grauitie: they sighed muche: they seldome or neuer laughed: they were verye austere in repre∣hendyng: they spake gloriouslye: To bée short, Ma∣gna & varia erat ipsorum hypocrisis, they were greate hypocrites, thereby to winne authoritie to their here∣sie, among the simple and ignorant people.

8 If they were at any time punished for their errors,* 1.8 they greatly complayned, that nothing was vsed but vio∣lence, that the truthe was oppressed, that innocent and godly men which would haue all things reformed, accor∣ding to the worde of God, could not be hearde, nor haue libertie to speake. That Zuinglius stopped their mouths, and defended his cause, not by the worde of God, but by the authoritie of the magistrate.

9 They founde greate faulte wyth the baptizyng of children,* 1.9 and ceremonies vsed in the same: But after∣ward did vtterly condemne it.

10 They taught that the ciuile magistrate hath no au∣thoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters,* 1.10 and that he ought not

to meddle in causes of religion and fayth.

* 1.1111 That no man ought to be compelled to faith, and to religion.

* 1.1212 That Christians ought to punish faultes not with imprisonement, not with the sword, or corporall punish∣ment, but only with excommunication.

* 1.1313 They complayned muche of persecution.

* 1.1414 They bragged that they woulde defend their cause not onely with wordes, but with the shedding of theyr bloud also.

* 1.1515 Their whole intēt was to make a separation and a schisme, and to withdrawe men from their ordinarie Churches and pastours, and therfore most odiously they inueyed against such pastours, and sought by all meanes to discredite them.

* 1.1616 There was no stay in them, but dayly they inuen∣ted new opinions, and did runne from errour to errour.

* 1.1717 They were very stubborne and wilful, which they called constancie: they were weywarde and frowarde, without all humanitie, they iudged and condemned all other men.

* 1.1818 They sought to ouerthrowe common weales, and states of gouernement.

* 1.1919 They gaue honor and reuerence to none, and they vsed to speake to such as were in authoritie without any signification of honour, neyther would they call men by their titles, and they answered churlishly.

* 1.2020 They attributed much vnto themselues, & pleased themselues very well, other men they contemned, and therfore their myndes were full of pride and contempt.

* 1.2121 They went not to preache in such places wher the Gospell was not planted, but only they insinuated them selues into these places, wherin the Gospel had béen di∣ligently preached: and where ther were godly and quiet men: there they made a sturre, they raysed vp factions

and bredde discorde.

22 They sought to be frée from all lawes,* 1.22 and to doe what they list.

23 They were animated by craftie & suttle Papists,* 1.23 whiche did séeke the ouerthrowe of the Gospell, and the restoring of papisme.

24 To be short,* 1.24 the people had them in great admira∣tion, bicause of their hypocrisie and straightnesse of lyfe, and suche as were of contentious natures ioyned with them, and commended their doings.

These were the manners, conditions, practises, and procéedings of the Anabaptists in Germanie, before they vttered their sedicious and monstrous heresies.

I leaue the application hereof to youre wysedomes, who easily can coniecture, what kind of men they be that come nearest to those steps. Only I desire you to be cir∣cumspect, and to vnderstande, that Anabaptisme (which vsually followeth the preaching of the Gospel) is g••••••t∣ly to be feared in this Church of Englande, and almoste playnly professed in this Admonition, the authors wher∣of agrée with them in these forenamed practises and qualities.

Moreouer it may also please you to consider the con∣ditions and practises of the Donatists, who deuided them selues from the congregation, and had their peculiar Churches, or rather Conuenticles, in Africa: They taught also that all other Churches were spotted and im∣pure, bicause of their Ministers. Finally, that there ought to be no compulsion vsed in matters of Religion and sayth, and that none should be punyshed for their conscience.

To conclude, these men ••••atly ioyne with the Papists, and by the selfe same assertions, bend their force agaynst this Churche of Englande. For,

Fyrst, the Papistes affirme that we are not the true

Churche, no, that we haue not so muche as the outward face and shewe of the true Churche. And so do these men almost in flat and playne termes.

2 Secondly the Papistes say, that we haue no mini∣sterie, no Byshops, no Pastours, bicause they be not ritely and canonically called to these functions: the selfe same do these men affirme.

3 Thirdly, the Papistes say, that our Sacraments be not rightly ministred: and so say they likewise.

4 Fourthly, the Papistes wholly condemne our booke of Common prayers, set out by publike authoritie, and the whole order of our seruice: In that poynt these men do fully ioyne with them also, for they condemne it wholly, and that with most bitternesse.

5 Fiftly, the Papistes would not haue the Scrip∣tures read in the Churche to the people: no more would they. For they say, reading is not féeding, but as euil as playing vpon a stage, and worse too.

6. Sixtly, the Papistes denie the ciuill Magistrate to haue any authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters: and so do they.

7 To be shorte, the Papistes refuse to come to our Churche, to communicate with vs in the Lords supper: and these men would not haue them by lawes and pu∣nishment compelled there vnto.

Hereby it is manyfest, that the Papistes and they ioyntly séeke to shake, nay to ouerthrowe the selfe same foundations, grounds, and pillers of our Churche, al∣though not by the selfe same instruments and engines. Wherfore it is time to awake out of sléepe, and to draw oute the sworde of discipline, to prouide that lawes which be generall and made for vniformitie, aswell of doctrine as Ceremonies, be generally and vniuersally obserued: that those which according to their conscience and duetie execute them, be maynteyned, and not disco∣raged,

either boldly to defende the religion and kinde of gouernement in this Realme established, or else (if you can) to refourme and better the same: for it can not bée, but that this fréedome giuen vnto men, to obey and dis∣obey what they liste, to speake what they liste, agaynst whome they liste, and where they liste, to broche what opinions and doctrine they list, muste in the ende burst out into some straunge and daunge∣rous effecte. The Lorde bothe graunt vnto you that be Magistrates, the spirite of gouernement, and to all other that be Subiectes, the spirite of true obedience. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Bulling ad∣uers Ana∣bap. fol. 1.
• * 1.2

  Idem. fol. 1.11.18.87.102.244.
• * 1.3

  Fol. 9 18.
• * 1.4

  Fol. 9.18.77.
• * 1.5

  Fol. 1.
• * 1.6

  Fol. 10.
• * 1.7

  Fol. 11.17.
• * 1.8

  Fol. 11.
• * 1.9

  Fol 10.214
• * 1.10

  Fol 19.
• * 1.11

  Fol. 19.95.242.
• * 1.12

  Fol 178.
• * 1.13

  Fol. 11.242.
• * 1.14

  Fol. 11.
• * 1.15

  Fol. 17.77.
• * 1.16

  Fol. 18.
• * 1.17

  Fo. 78.244
• * 1.18

  Fol. 78.
• * 1.19

  Fol. 79.
• * 1.20

  Fol 85.
• * 1.21

  Fol. 88.
• * 1.22

  Fol. 95.
• * 1.23

  Fol. 11.
• * 1.24

  Fol. 11.