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

The preface of the Admonition.

To the godly Readers, Grace and peace from God. &c.

TWo treatises yee haue here en∣suing (beloued in Christ) which ye must reade without a 1.1 parcia∣litie or blinde affection. For o∣therwyse you shall neither see theyr meanyng: nor refrayne your selues from rashely condemning of them without iust cause. For certain men there are of great countenance, which will not lightly like of them, bicause they principally concerne their persons and vniust dealings: whose credite is great, and whose friends are many, we meane the lordly Lords, Archbishops, bishops, Suf∣fraganes, Deanes, Doctours, Archdeacons, Chauncelours, and the rest of that proude ge∣neration, whose kingdome must downe, holde they neuer so harde: bicause their tyrannous Lordship can not stande b 1.2 with Christes king∣dome. And it is the special mischief of our En∣glish Church, and the chief cause of backward∣nesse, and of all breach and dissention. For they whose authoritie is c 1.3 forbidden by Christ, will haue their stroke without their fellow seruan∣tes, yea, though vngratiously, cruelly & Pope∣like they take vppon them to d 1.4 beate them, and that for their owne childish Articles, being for

the moste part, againste the manifest truthe of God: First, by experience their rigoure hathe too plainely appeared euer since their wicked raigne, and specially for the space of these fiue or sixe yeares last past together. Of the enor∣mities, whiche with such rigoure they main∣teine, these treatises do in part make mention, iustly crauing redresse therof. But the matters do require a larger discourse. Only the authors of these, thoughte it their partes to admonish you at this time, of those inconueniences whi∣che men seeme not to thinke vpon, and whiche without reformation, can not but increase fur∣ther dissention: the one part being proude, pon∣tificall, and tyrannous: and the worde of God for the other part expresse and manifest, as if it pleased the state to examine the matters, it would be euident. And would to god, that free conference in these matters might be had. For howsoeuer learned & many they seeme to be, they should & may in this realme finde inowe, to matche them and shame them to, if they hold on as they haue begon. And out of this realme they haue all the best reformed churches tho∣roughout Christendome against them. But in a fewe words to saye what we meane. Either must we haue a e 1.5 right ministerie of God, and a right f 1.6 gouernment of his church, according to the scriptures set vp (both whiche we lacke) or else there can be no right religion, nor yet for cōtempt therof can g 1.7 Gods plagues be from vs

any while differred.* 1.8 And therfore though they link in together, & slaunderously charge poore men (whom they haue made poore) with grie∣uous faults, calling them Puritans, worse thā the Donatists, exasperating & setting on, suche as be in authoritie againste them: hauyng hy∣therto miserably handled them with reuilings depriuations, imprisonements, banishmentes, & such like extremities, yet is these poore mens cause neuer the h 1.9 worse: nor these chalēgers the better: nor God his i 1.10 hande the further of, to linke in with his against them: nor you (chri∣stian brethren) must neuer the rather without examination k 1.11 condemne them. But thankful∣ly take this taste which God by these treatises offreth you, & weigh them by the word of god, and do your endeuor, euery one in his l 1.12 calling, to promote his cause. And let vs al with more m 1.13 earnest prayer than wee are wont, earnestly cōmend it to God his blessing, and namely that it will please him by his spirite, to lighten the heart of our most gratious soueraigne, and the rest in authoritie, to the benefite of his small flocke, and the ouerthrowe of their proude eni∣mies, that godlinesse maye by them proceede in peace, and God his glorie thorowe Jesus Christ, be throughly aduaunced. Whiche wee call God to witnesse, is our onely laboure and suite. And so presently, we leaue you: hearti∣ly beseeching God to graunt it. Amen.

Notes

• a 1.1

  ••. Thess 5.21. Iam. 1.19 20. Iam. 2 1.
• b 1.2

  Math. 15.23. Luc. 16.15.
• c 1.3

  Math. 20.25.26. Math. 23.8.9.10. Marc. 10.42.43. Luc 22.15 &c.
• d 1.4

  Math. 24.48.49.
• e 1.5

  Math. 9.37.38. Ephesi. 4.11.12.
• f 1.6

  Mat. 18.15.16.17.
• g 1.7

  pro. 29 18.
• * 1.8

  Amo••. 8.11.12. &c. Ma. 21.23. &c 1. Cor. 11.30.
• h 1.9

  Mat. 10.16.26.
• i 1.10

  Esai. 59.1.
• k 1.11

  Exod. 23.1.2. Math. 7.1.2. Iam. 4.11.12.
• l 1.12

  1. Cor. 5.20. 1. Cor. 7.27.
• m 1.13

  Psalm 50.15. Math. 7.7. 1. Tim. 2.1.2.