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.

Admonition.

The fiftenth and sixtenth. Then (n) 1.1 feeding the flocke diligently, nowe teachyng quarter∣lye:

then preachyng (o) 1.2 in season and out of season, nowe once in a moneth is thought sufficient, if twice, it is iudged a worke of supererogation▪

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 82. Sect. vlt. & Pag. 83. & Pag. 84. Sect. 1.

These be but wordes of pleasure: God bee thanked there bee ministers (and suche as you mislyke of) whiche feede their flocks di∣ligently, and preache in tyme, and out of tyme, according bothe to S. Peters and S. Paules meaning.

But you must vnderstande, that he doth not always feede the* 1.3 best, nor take the greatest paines, which preacheth most often, but he that preacheth most learnedly, most pithyly, most orderly, most dis∣cretely, moste to edifying.

It may be that he which preacheth but once in the moneth, taketh* 1.4 more paynes for his sermon, hath more pithe and learnyng in hys sermon, edifieth more by his sermon, than you doe for all your ser∣mons, in all your sermons, or by al the sermons that you make in the whole yeare, be they neuer so many. For what is it to preache eue∣ry* 1.5 day, and to spend the time with words only, or with bytter inuec∣tiues against certain trifles, and against superiours? Such sermons do not edifie, but destroy, do not worke in the heartes of the hearers faith & charitie, but either cōtempt of religion, or else contempt of su∣periors, cōtempt of good orders, yea hatred, malice, vndiscrete wrath, coloured with a pretēce of zeale. Truly such sermōs seldome or neuer worke any good effect: many womē in London could on that sort oc∣cupie the tyme. Wherfore I am fully persuaded, that he cōmeth nerer to the fulfilling of the mynd of the Apostle, which diligētly studying & labouring continually for knowledge, doth orderly, learnedly, and ef∣fectually preach once in the moneth, thā such as backbiting at other mens tables, running all the day long vp and downe the stretes, sel∣dome or neuer studying, do negligently, vnorderly, verbally (if I may so terme it) preach euery day twice. And yet I know the oftner a man doth preach (the former circumstances being considered) the better it is. But of euery one it will be required according to his talent: & not he that speaketh most, but laboureth most to speak, not he that prea∣cheth most often, but that preacheth moste painfully, truly, and dili∣gently, shall in that day be beste accepted.

That learned and auncient father M. Whithead hath sundry times lamented in my hearing (and I thinke there be other of his fren∣des hathe hearde the same) the loose, friuolous, and vnprofitable preaching of diuers ministers in London. And I would to God it were better looked vnto: then I thinke verily we shoulde haue lesse contention and more religion.

Notes

• (n) 1.1

  1. Pet. 5. 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉.
• (o) 1.2

  1. Tim. 4. 2.
• * 1.3

  Who teacheth best.
• * 1.4

  One learned sermon better than many vnlearned.
• * 1.5

  Friuolous and contenti∣ous sermons▪