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.

T. C. Pag. 108. Sect. 3.

As these are diuers things more than ought to be conueniently, so want there some things in the prayers: there are prayers set forth to be sayd in the common calamities, & vniuersall scourges of the realme, as plague, famine, &c. And in deede so it ought to be, by the worde of God, ioyned with a publike faste cōmaunded, not only when we are in any calamitie, but also when any the churches rounde about vs, or in any countrie receyue any generall plague, or grieuous chastisement at the Lordes hand. But as such prayers are needefull whereby we begge release from our distresses, so there ought to be as necessarily prayers of thankes giuing, when we haue receyued those things, at the Lordes hande, which wee asked in our prayers. And thus much touching the matter of the* 1.1 prayers, eyther not altogither sounde, or else to much or to little.

Io. Whitgifte.

If any thing lacke in the booke, that derogateth nothing from that which is good & godly in the same: neyther is it any cause why any man should depraue it or make such a stirre and schisme in the Churche for it.

It is méete that we should as well giue thankes for the benefites receyued, as to pray for the receyuing of them: neyther is the booke voyde of any suche kinde of prayers. These be vut verie small quarels agaynst the booke, and slender faultes (if they were faults) to make so great a schisme for. But as I sayde with S. Augustine,* 1.2 agaynst the Authours of the Admonition, so say I vnto you. If thou runnest through all the wordes of the holy prayers, I suppose thou shalt finde nothing which the Lordes prayer doth not conteyne: therfore we may in other wordes speake the same things in our prayers, but we may not speake contrarie things. You haue not as yet, neyther will you euer be able to shewe one lyne in any prayer conteyned in that booke, to be contrarie to the worde of God, or not consonant or agréeable vnto the same. And this dealing of yours agaynst it vpon so weake reasons (or rather none at all) argueth that you séeke only contention, and that your chiefe quarell is at the mainteyners of the booke, and not at the matter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Great faultes in little matters.
• * 1.2

  August. Epist. 121.