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.

Ansvvere to the Additions. &c.

Fol. 9.

All this is added: Neyther is the cōtrouersie betwixt them and vs as they would beare the world in hand: as for a cap, a tippet, or a surplesse, but for greater matters concer∣ning a true ministerie and regiment of the Church according to the worde. VVhich things once established, the other melt away of themselues: and yet consider I pray you, whether their owne argument doth not choake themselues, for euen the very name of trifles doth playnly declare that they ought not to be maynteyned in Christes churche: and what shall our Bishops winne by it? forsoth that they be maynteyners of trifles, and trifling Bishops, consuming the greatest part of their time in those trifles, whereas they should be better oc∣cupied. VVe striue for true religiō and gouernment of the Church, and shew you the right way to throw out Antichrist both head and tayle, and that we will not so much as commu∣nicate with the tayle of the beast: But they after they haue thrust out Antichriste by the head, go aboute to pull him in agayne by the tayle, cunningly colouring it, least any man should espie his foote steps, as Cacus did when he stole the oxen.

What other men haue done, I know not, but for my parte, I al∣wayes suspected & partly knewe, that some of you had greater mat∣ters* 1.1 in hand, and of more importance than cap, tippet, and surplisse, which surely was one of the firste causes that moued me to be more earnest against you, than I was accustomed: for I did vnderstād that you were hatching opinions tending not only to Anabaptisme, but to the ouerthrow of the Gospell, & disturbing the quiet state of this

church: and yet who knoweth not that you haue made the cappe, and surplisse your pretence hetherto, vntill nowe of late when you see al∣most all men condemne your folly.

You say, we choake our selues with our owne argumēt, for euen the very name of trifles doth playnely declare, that they ought not to be maynteyned in Christes churche. Surely of themselues they be but trifles, as all other externall Ce∣remonies and indifferent thinges be: it is the circumstances that maketh them no tryfles, but matters of weight: For thinges indif∣ferent beyng commaunded thus or so to be vsed by the Magistrate (not as necessarie to saluation and iussification, but as conuenient and necessarie for order̄ and decencie) be not now trifles. And who∣soeuer without a lawfull vrgent cause, or in a case of necessitie dothe breake the lawe made of them, sheweth himself a disordered person, disobedient, a contemner of lawfull authoritie, and a wounder of his weake brothers conscience. And if any man shall say, that this is to bring vs agayne in bondage of the lawe, and to depriue vs of our li∣bertie: I answere, no: for it is not a matter of iustification but of or∣der: and to be vnder a lawe, is no taking away of Christian libertie.* 1.2 For the Christian libertie is not a licence to do what thou list, but to serue God in newnesse of minde, & that for loue, not for seruile feare. Of themselues therefore they be but trifles, but beyng commaunded by the Magistrate to be vsed, or not to be vsed, they are no trifles, no more than it was for women to come into the Church bareheaded, or a man to pray hauing his cappe on his head, after that S. Paule had made an order to the contrarie. And therefore these scoffes and floutes (And what shall our Bishops winne by it? forsoth that they be maynteyners of tryfles, and tryfling Bishops, consuming the greatest parte of their time in these tryfles, whereas they should be better occupied) might with more commendation of your modestie haue bene well forborne. They see your doinges tende not onely to contention but to confusion: not onely to disobe∣dience towardes the lawes of the Prince, but also to dangerous er∣rours, yea to the ouerthrow of Religion: & therefore they are neither maynteyners of tryfles, nor tryfling Bishops, but wyse, discrete, vigilant, and learned Fathers, whiche seeke to maynteyne peace, preserue good order, defende the authoritie of lawfull lawes, and in time suppresse erroneous doctrine.

You rather spende the time in trifles, when you might be better oc∣cupied, for you (omitting all other necessary pointes of doctrine, and* 1.3 profitable exhortations to good life) stuffe your sermons, and furnish your table talke with nothing else, but with bitter inuectiues against those rytes, as though they were matters of damnation, and against those learned and discrete ministers of the woorde, who (according to their dutie vsing of them) seeke in deede to beate downe Antichrist to plante necessary pointes of Religion in mens heartes, and to teach* 1.4 repentance with newnesse of life: which your vnfruitfull, frowarde, and contentious dealyng, reioyseth the Papiste, discrediteth the sounde and learned preacher, offendeth the godlye, woundeth the weake, worketh contempte of Magistrates and superiours in the

heartes of the hearers, destroyeth that which other men buylde, and finally doth good to none. For what fruite can there come to the hea∣rers, by inueighing continually against Cappe, Tippet, Surplesse, Ring in mariage, womens whyte kerchers, baggepipes, funerall sermons, mourning aparel. &c. Bishoppes, Preachers, Magistrates, Prince? These and suche lyke be onely the common places, you en∣treate of.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Great mat∣ters pretēded not yet vtte∣red.
• * 1.2

  Christian li∣bertie what it is.
• * 1.3

  Inuectiue Sermons.
• * 1.4

  Unfrutefull sermons.