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. Page. 172. Sect. vlt.

And if the matter herein alleadged, do not satisfye you, then I desire euen before the same GOD, that you confute it, not by passing ouer thynges whyche you can not

answer, or by stauing both the words and the meaning of the booke, and taking your owne fansie to confuce, or by wrougling with the fault of the print, or by carping at the translation, when the wordes being changed the sense remayneth, or by alleadging that such a one, or such another was of this or that iudgement, as you for the most part (hauing nothing but his bare name) haue done. All whiche thinges you haue committed in this booke▪ but that you confute it, by the authoritie of the worde of God, by good and sound reasons, wholy, and not by peecemeale. And if you bring the practise of the churches, we desire that it may be out of authorities which are extant, which are not counterfeyte, and which were in the best and purest times. And if you thinke that the credite of your Doctor ship or Deanry will beare out that which you cannot answer your selfe, besides that (*) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is neuer shut▪ remember M. Doctor that lighte is come into tht worlde, and* 1.1 men will not be deluded with nothing, nor abused with visards, neyther let it embolden you which peraduenture hathe made poli presume the more in▪ this booke) to write any thing vppon hope, that no man dare answer it. For neyther the Queenes Maiestie nor hir honorable counsell, as we are perswaded, will deale so sharply with those, whome they know to be faithfull, and lawfull sub∣iects, which pray that all the treasures of Gods wisedome may be poured vpon them: neither haue we cause to thinke, but that as the euill opinion which is in part conceiued of vs, hath growen vp∣pon false and vntrue informations, whiche you and such other haue giuen in crying in their eares, that we be Anabaptists, conspired with Papists, Puritanes, Donatists, bringers in of confusion and anarchy, enimies to ciuill gouernment, and I know not what: euen so when hir Maiestie, and their honours shall vnderstand how farre we are from those wicked opinions, they will leaue that opinion of vs▪ and rather esteeme of vs, by that we haue preached, taught, and now write, than that whiche other men report of vs, being thinges which we neuer taught▪ spake, or so much as drea∣med of.

Io. Whitgifte.

It is so farre from satisfying me in any point, that it greatly confirmeth me in some thing, where vnto before I did but incline. Such is the weakenesse of your grounds.

Your request made vnto me is against all reason, for how can you require that of* 1.2 me towarde you, which you haue in no respect perfourmed towards me? for firste, you haue not set downe my booke, that the Reader mighte perceiue, how vprightly you deale with me: secondly, you haue passed ouer many thinges and left them vn∣answered: Thirdly, you haue vnreasonably wrested my words, and in most places you do nothing but wrangle: you haue mangled my booke, and so skipt from place to place, that the Reader shall hardly perceine, what you take or what you leaue: to be short, you haue vsed few scriptures, and those vntollerably wrested. How then can you require the contrary of me? But I haue satisfied your request to the full I trust: saue only I do not intend to learne of you how to answer, what authoritie to vse, but if the authorities and reasons that I bring shall be sound to be light, they shall the more easily by you be remoued.

I depend not vppon the credit of my Doctorship or Deanry, neither would I wish you too much to trust to the opinion of your owne learning and witte: I say with Sainte Augustine, Let scripture be compared with scripture, reason with reason, authoritie with authoritie, cause with cause, and let vs both according to the same be iudged.

I doubte not of the answering of my booke, neyther do I feare it: you knowe that* 1.3 I haue offered you diuerse tymes this kind of conference, though not in thys pub∣like manner. I haue spoken nothing agaynste you, before hir maiestie, whyche your bookes and doings, haue not proued to be true. Hir Maiestie and their ho∣nours know what they haue to do, the Lord blisse them with his holy spirit, and in all their doings guide them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The reuen∣ging eye.
• * 1.2

  The Replye〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 requireth that of others which he him selfe woulde not performe.
• * 1.3

  Conference by writing hath bin often offered to the Replier.