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.

The fourth Diuision.

Admonition.

The seuententh and eightenth. Then nothing taught but Gods word, now princes plea∣sures, mēs deuises, Popish ceremonies and Antichristian rites in publike pulpits defended. Then they sought (p) 1.1 them, now they seeke theyrs.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 84. Sect. 3. 4. 5.

It had bin wel to let vs vnderstand what those Princes pleasures* 1.2 be, what mens deuises, what Popish ceremonies, what Antichristiā rites, for nowe you haue but slandered both the Prince & the whole state of religion, in this Churche by publike authoritie established: wherfore vntil you shew some particulars, this shal be my answere, that Spiritus Dei ne{que} est mendax, ne{que} mordax, The spirite of God is neyther a lyer, nor a slaunderer.

It is but your pleasure thus generally to say: That then pastors soughte their flocks, now they seeke theirs: for it is well knowne that there bee Pa∣stours which seeke their flockes, and not theirs.

Hitherto (thanks be vnto God) in al this discourse, ther is not one peece of false doctrine of any substance ascribed to this Churche of England by these libellers, & therfore it hath (as God will) the fyrst note of the true church of Christ, that is, puritie of doctrine.

T. C. Pag. 124. Lin. 12.

To the next section being the rest of the. 84. page. I minde to say nothing, hauing before spo∣ken of the faults, of the ceremonies and rites which are vsed with vs.

Io. Whitgifte.

The Admonition saith, that then nothing was taught but Gods word, now Princes plea∣sures, mens deuises, popishe ceremonies, and Antichristian rites, in publike pulpits defended, and will neyther you, nor they tell vs, what those Princes pleasures. &c. be? well, it is true y^t followeth in that part of my Answer: for there is nothing said to the cōtrary.

Admonition.

These and a greate many other abuses are in the ministerie remayning, which vnlesse they be remoued, and the truth broughte in, not onely Gods iustice shall be poured foorthe, but also Gods Church in this realme shal neuer be builded. For if they which seeme to be workinē, are no work∣men indeede, but in name, or elfe worke not so diligently and in such order as the workmaster com∣maundeth, it is not only vnlikely that the building shall go forward, but altogither impossible that euer it shall be perfited. The way therefore to auoid these inconueniences, and to reforme these de∣formities, is this: Your wisedomes haue to remoue Aduousons, Patronages, Impropriatiōs, and Byshops authoritie, clayming to themselues thereby right to ordeyne ministers, and to bring in that old and true election, which was accustomed to be (q) 1.3 made by the cōgregation. You must dis∣place those ignorant and vnable ministers already placed, and in their roomes appoynte suche as both can and wil by Gods assistance (r) 1.4 feede the flocke. You must plucke downe and vtterly ouer∣throw without hope of restitution, the Court of Faculties, from whence not only licences to en∣ioy many benefices are obteyned, as pluralities, Trialities, Totquots. &c. but all thinges for the most part, as in the Court of Rome are set on sale, licences to marrie, to eate flesh in times prohibi∣ted,* 1.5 to lie from benefices and charges, and a great number beside, of such like abhominations. Ap∣point to euery congregation a learned and diligēt preacher▪ Remoue Homilies, Articles, iniuncti∣ons, a prescript order of Seruice made out of the Masse booke. Take away the lordship, the l〈1 line〉〈1 line〉yte∣ring, the pompe, the idlenesse, & liuings of byshops, but yet employ them to such endes as they were in the old Church appoynted for. Let a lawfull and a godly scigniorie looke that they preache, not quarterly or monethly, but continuallie: not for filthy lucre sake, but of a ready mind. So God shall be glorifyed, your consciences discharged, and the flocke of Christe (purchased (s) 1.6 with his owne bloud) edifyed.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 86. & 87. Sect. 1. 2.

What these great abuses by you hitherto alleadged be, I trust you* 1.7 do now fully vnderstand, surely except such factious libellers, suche stirrers vp of schismes, such disturbers of the peace of the church, such contemners of those that be in authoritie, be not onely remoued, but repressed, God will not only of his iustice punish the magistrates of this Realme for their carelesnesse in this behalfe, but also Gods gos∣pell will therein be as much defaced with factions, schismes, and he∣resies, as euer it was in the Popes time, with superstition and ido∣latrie. For surely these men that would be compted such perfect buil∣ders,* 1.8 be but vnderminers and destroyers, and instruments of some greedy guttes, and lusty toysters, who to maynteyne their pride, and ioylitie, seeke for the spoyle of the Churche, and indeede the vtter o∣uerthrow both of learning and religion.

For take from Byshops their lands and their authoritie, let euery* 1.9 parish elect their owne minister, remoue Homilies, Articles, Iniunc∣tions, appoynt no prescript order of seruice (that is to say) let there be no order prescribed to any man, no law to direct him or controll him, but let euery minister do what he list, speake what he list, alter what he list, and so oft as him list: to be short, let euery minister be King and Pope in his owne parish, and exempted from all controlemente of Byshop, Magistrate, and Prince, and you shall haue as many kinds of Religion, as there is Parishes, as many sects, as ministers, and a Church miserably torne in peeces, with mutabilitie and diuersitie of opinions.

Do you not see what they shoote at? would they not be free from al* 1.10 magistracie? do they not most ambitiously desire that themselues, whiche they condemne in other? that is, Lordship and superioritie. For who thinke you shoulde be chiefe in euery parish, and direct the rest? Surely euen the minister: The Pope neuer required greater authoritie ouer al Christendom, than they seke to haue ouer their pa∣rish. The Pope and his Clergie did neuer more earnestly seeke, and desire to be exempted from the iurisdiction of ciuil magistrates, than these men do both from ellesiasticall and ciuill Princes, nobles: and magistrates were neuer brought into greater seruitude & bondage, than these men seeke to lay vpon them.

T. C. Pag. 124. Sect. 1.

After a number of words without matter, sayings without proofes, accusations without a∣ny grounds, or likelihoode of grounds, as that they be instruments of greedy gutts, 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉nd lusty roy∣sters to maynteyn〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 them in theyr ioylitie, whych notwithstanding speake ageynst Patron 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ges, and would haue the liuings of the Church, which are idlely and vnprofitably spent (for the most p〈1 line〉〈1 line〉rt) applyed to the right vses of the poore, and of ministers and schollers, and that they would be discharged from ciuill and ecclesiasticall subiection, whiche humbly submitting themselues to the Queenes maiestie, and all those that are, sente of hir, would deliuer the Churches and themselues for the Churches sake, from the vnla〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ull dominion of one, to the end that they might yeld them∣selues with their Chruches subiect to the lawfull ecclesiasticall gouernment of those which▪ God hath appoynted in his word. After I▪ s〈1 line〉〈1 line〉y a number of such and like accusations, mixt with most 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉itter and reprochfull words, vnto all which, it is sufficient answer, that▪ Quod verbo dictu mest, verbo sit negatum▪ As easily denyed as sayd.

Io. Whitgifte.

For proofe of all that I haue here sayde, I referre my selfe to common experi∣ence, and the like pract〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ses in other Churches, by persons of much like disposition, as the notes in the beginning of the second edition of my Answer to the Admoni∣tion doth more 〈◊〉〈◊〉 large declare.

What that lawfull eccles asticall gouernment of those which (you say) God hath appoynted in his word, is▪ and whether it verifyeth my saying or no, shall be séene, whē we come to that part of your Replie. Certain it is that you would transferre both the autho∣ritie of the Prince, Archbyshop, and Bishop, to your selues, and your seniors▪ for that is the lawfull ecclesiasticall gouernment you meane. And those be the persons whome you thinke God to haue appoynted in his word, as it will fall out more euidētly hereafter.

Ansvver to the Admonition. Pag. 87. Sect. 2.

Wherefore you that be in authoritie, if you loue the peace and pro∣speritie* 1.11 of the Church of Christ, if you desire the good successe of the Gospell if you will preserue the state of this Realme, if you thinke it necessary to haue good magistrates, to haue good lawes and orders in a common wealth, if you esteeme learning, and seeke to preferre it, if you hate anarchian, confusion, Anabaptisme, if you allowe of your owne condition▪ and like of a kingdome better than of a popular state: Then prouide betime some speedy remedy, for these and suche like kind of men: and if the religion you haue established be good, if the orders and lawes you haue made be conuenient, let them not be written against, spoken against, nay openly contemned and broken, withoute sharpe and seuere punishment: suffer not suche as execute them to be contemned, hated, discouraged, and oftentimes frumped* 1.12 by some superiours. Either let your lawes be mainteined as lawes,

or else deliuer vs from our dutie in executing and obeying of them.

T. C. Pag. 124. Sect. 2.

He turneth him self to those that be in authoritie, whom he would make beleue, that it stan∣deth vpon the ouerthrow of the church, of religion, of order, of the Realme, of the state of Princes, of Magistrates, which are by this meanes established, and whose estates are made this way most sure, when as the true causes of these clamors, and outcries, that M. Doctor maketh, is nothing else, but the feare of the ouerthrow, of that honoure which is to the dishonor of God, and ignomune of his Church, and which maketh to the good dispensing of these goodes, for the ayd〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 and helpe of the Church, which now serue to oppresse it.

Io. Whitgifte.

It shall be sufficient to referre the consideration of this your answer to such as be in authoritie, who can best consider of both our meanings.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 88. Sect. 1.

Touching the Court of faculties I cannot say muche, for I haue no great experience of it, and lesse knowledge in the lawe, notwith∣standing* 1.13 bycause by lawful authoritie, it is allowed in this Realme, I cannot but reuerently iudge of it, for in such matters I thinke it a poynt of modesty to suppose the best, and to absteine from cōdemning of that gouernment, whiche is allowed as conuenient. If there be faultes in the officers, they may be corrected.

T. C. Pag. 124. Sect. 2.

As for the Court of faculties, the corruptions thereof, being so cleare that all men see them, and so grosse that they which cannot see, may grope them. M. Doctor answereth that he knoweth not what it meaneth, and therefore is moued of modesty to thinke the best of it, whiche is but a simple shift. For besides that that the Admonition speaketh nothing of it, but that the streates, and high wayes talke of: if there had bin any defense for it, it is not to be thought that M. Doctor woulde haue bin so negligent an aduocate, as to haue omitted it, seeing if he were ignorant, he mighte haue had so easily, and with so little cost, the knowledge of it. As for his modesty, his bolde asseueration of things which are doubtfull, which are false, which are altogyther vnlikely, which are impossible for him to know, doth sufficiently bewray, and make so well knowne, that no such visard, or payn∣ting can serue to make men beleeue, that meere modesty shut vp his mouth, from speaking for the Court of faculties, which hath opened his mouth so wide, for the defense of those things, wherein as it falleth out, he hathe declared himselfe, to haue lesse skill and vnderstanding than he hathe of that Court.

Io. Whitgifte.

I haue spoken my cōscience of that Court, neither did I cōferre with any to giue me any instructions concerning it. And surely as I thought then, so do I think now. I haue affirmed nothing which I will not stand to, except you can conuince me by better reasons, than I haue heard any as yet. That Court hath the original and au∣thoritie from the Prince: it is established and confirmed by Parliament: it medleth nothing with that, that perteyneth to the office eyther of Byshop or Pastor. The principall officers be the Lord Chauncellour and the Archbyshop. It maynteyneth the Quéenes prerogatiue in causes ecclesiasticall, and was erected the. 25. reare of King Henry the eyght by authoritie of Parliāment, to the suppressing and vtter a∣bolishing of the Byshop of Romes iurisdiction. It medleth not (for any thing that I know) with matters, that by learning can be proued to be against the word of God: and in some poynts it cannot without inconuenience be missed. But this is a matter of pollicie, and therefore I leaue the further consideration of it, to suche as God hathe committed the gouernmente of thys realme vnto, to whome it dothe especially ap∣perteyne.

Notes

• (p) 1.1

  Phil. 2. 20. 21.
• * 1.2

  The Churche of Englande slaundered by the Admoni∣tors.
• (q) 1.3

  Act. 1. 26. &. 6. 2. 3. 14. 13.
• (r) 1.4

  1▪ Pet. 5. 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉.
• * 1.5

  1. Pet. 5. 2.
• (s) 1.6

  Acts. 20. 28
• * 1.7

  Discipline ne∣cessary.
• * 1.8

  Libellers be vnderminers▪ not builders.
• * 1.9

  Confusion.
• * 1.10

  Anabaptisme feared. Ambition in the Admoni∣tors.
• * 1.11

  An exhortati∣on to those that be in au∣thoritie.
• * 1.12

  Lawekeepers contemned.
• * 1.13

  The Court of faculties.