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.

Better it is to haue a bad excuse than none at all. Their words and meaning is playne, as shal appeare when I come to thē. I thinke in déede their meaning is, that they would not haue them cōpelled to come to our Churches, and to communicate in the Lordes supper with vs, as it is nowe ministred: For it is well knowne, howe they themselues refuse to do the same, and howe they haue defaced both this Church, and the manner and forme of administring the Sacrament: what they woulde doe, if they might haue their owne deuised reformation, and haue the lawe in their owne handes, I can not tell, but it is very lyke that they woulde be sharpe and seuere

inough in compelling men to come. I speake of their opinion touching the compel∣ling of men to come to our Churche, vnto the whiche they come not themselues.

That whiche followeth in your Replie, I haue sufficiently answered before,* 1.1 where I haue declared, howe that it is no straunge thing for men of cleane contrarie iudgementes and opinions, to ioyne togither in oppugning one and the selfe same truthe. The Papistes pretende one cause of misliking the booke of Cōmon prayers, and they pretende an other cause of misliking the same, do they not nowe both ioyne in defacing and ouerthrowing it? That which followeth is but words, those things whiche they reproue in that booke be godly, and moste of them not to be bettered. The persons that stande in the defense of that booke, haue all poyntes of Papistrie in as great detestation, as they, and peraduenture greater, for they so occupie themselues in these externall thinges, which be of small importance, that in the meane time they* 1.2 slippe ouer matters of weighte and substance, euen the principall poyntes where in we differ from them. Wherefore this comparison of yours standeth vpon a false grounde. For I am fully persuaded, that you and they doo the Pope great good ser∣uice, and that he woulde not misse you for any thing. For what is his desire, but to haue this Churche of Englande (whiche he hathe accursed) vtterly defaced, and discredited, to haue it by any meanes ouerthrowne, if not by forreyne enimies, yet by domesticall dissention. And what fitter and apter instrumentes coulde he haue had for that purpose than you, who vnder pretence of zeale, ouerthrowe that whiche other men haue buylded, vnder colour of puritie, seeke to bring in deformitie, and vnder the cloke of equalitie and humilitie, would vsurpe as great tyrannie and lofty* 1.3 Lordlykenesse ouer your parishes, as euer the Pope did ouer the whole Churche? For who should be the chiefe man of the segniorie but the Pastor, what state and de∣grée of men soeuer else were in that parishe, yea the Prince hir selfe? looke their Admonitions, and especially the seconde, and this booke also: and tell me whether it be so or no? Wherefore these glorious wordes of yours be but mistes to blinde the eyes of the simple, in lyke manner, and to the like purpose vsed of the Anabaptistes agaynst Zuinglius, Oecolampadius, Bucer, and suche like sincere professors of the word* 1.4 of God. Peruse the notes that I haue collected, not onely out of Bullinger, but out of Zuinglius, and Gastius also, and you shall sée them in all poyntes to vse these plausible pretences, and to accuse their aduersaries after the like maner.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pag. 51.
• * 1.2

  The Admo∣nitors gratifie the Papists.
• * 1.3

  Equalitie made a cloke for ambition.
• * 1.4

  In the second edition of the answere to the Admonition.