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.

An ansvvere to certaine Pamphlets.

To their second reason I answer, that I thinke they haue bin tal∣ked with, and heard what they haue to say for them selues, but their hautie mindes and good opinion conceyued of themselues, will not suffer them to see their errours. In this reason you alledge nothyng for them, but that which may also be alledged for the Papists, or any other sect of heretikes. But it is an old saying, Turpe est doctori &c. How hapneth it that they themselues haue first defamed, not the Bishops only, but also this whole Church of England with publike libells, before they haue vsed brotherly and priuate conference? This is to espie a moate in an other mannes eye. &c.

How true the thirde reason is, may appeare in my answere to their Admonition, but how true soeuer it were, yet their disordered disclo∣syng, by vnlawful meanes, (that is, by libelling) deserueth as much punishment as hitherto they haue had: for the truth nedeth no such vngodlie meanes of disclosyng.

If Papists goe abroade vnpunished, when by lawe they maye be touched, surely it is a greate faulte, and can not bee excused, and I praye God it maye bee better looked to. But thys is no good and sufficient reason for the impunitie of other: Bicause some Papi∣stes be not punished, shal therfore no disordered persons be punished? Or bicause some in authoritie winke at some Papists, shall therfore no lawes be executed towardes any offenders? Surely touchyng malice agaynst the forme and state of this oure Churche, I see no greate difference betwixt them and the Papists, and I think veri∣ly they both conspire together. The same answere I make to youre first reason: shall no booke be suppressed bicause some be not? It is a faulte I confesse, to suffer lewde Ballades and Bookes touchyng* 1.1 manners. But it were a greater faulte to suffer bookes and Libells, disturbing the peace of the Churche, and defacing true religion.

Concerning the titles and offices of Bishops, I haue spoken suf∣ficiently before.

In manglyng and wrestyng of the Scriptures, none offende so muche as doe the authors of the Admonition, who in that point are comparable to the Papistes, as may be seene by the learned and diligent Reader.

If they whom they terme godly do willingly offende against such lawes as were made for the wicked, they are to be punished accor∣ding to the lawes, neyther are they to be spared bicause they pre∣tende* 1.2 godlynesse: for there is no godlinesse in breaking of lawes.

The thirde scroule, called, (An Exhortation to the Bishoppes and to theyr Cleargie to answere a little booke. &c.) is satisfyed (I trus〈1 line〉〈1 line〉e) for I haue (as it is there required) answered the short and peeuishe Pamphlet (as they tearme it) I haue disclosed their double and corrupt dealing, theyr wringing of the Scriptures to serue their turne, and haue declared the true sense & meaning of thē: I haue not bumbast〈1 line〉〈1 line〉d it with retho∣rike, but in plain & simple maner vttered my iudgement, according to* 1.3 the true meaning and sense of the Scriptures: notwithstanding I haue in sundrie pointes declared the vse of the Church of Christ in tymes past, and do vse the testimonie of auncient Councels and lear∣ned fathers, whiche these vnlearned men vnlearnedly contemne, a thing not heard of in any age or Churche, nor allowed of any learned man, but onely of certaine heretikes, and especially Anabaptists. To be short, I haue not answered the booke by peeces, but wholy. How∣beit I must desyre them to pardon me, for not making more speede with my answere: their friuolous quotations so troubled me, and my other businesse, that I could no sooner make an ende of it. In all the rest of that deryding Pamphlet, there is nothing of any moment,* 1.4 worth the answering. Therefore as they alledge this portion of a sentence taken out of S. Augustine in his Epistle ad Vinc〈1 line〉〈1 line〉n. Si terrerentur & non docerentur improba quasi dominatio videretur, If they shoulde be feared and not taught it might seme a vvicked gouernance: so I con〈1 line〉〈1 line〉lude with the other part of the same sentence: Si docerentur, & non terrerentur, vetustate consuetudinis 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉bdurarentur, & ad capescendam viam salutis pigrius mouerentur: If they should be taught and not feared, in time they vvoulde vvaxestubburne, and bethe hardlier moued to imbracethe vvay of saluation.

T. C. Pag. 177. Sect. vlt.

I know not whether they haue bene conferred with or no, but I thinke the first reason which they had to perswade them, was that they should go to Newgate▪ which is that which the Exhor∣tation cō〈1 line〉〈1 line〉layneth of after, that they are first punished before they be taught. And in this beh〈1 line〉〈1 line〉lfe M. Doctor hath no cause to complaine as he doth. For if he list he may learne or euer he go to prison.

Io. Whitgifte.

If they were so sent to that place, it was a méete reward for such disorderly dea∣ling, for ignorance may not excuse Libellers, if they libell but against a priuate man, much lesse shoulde it excuse them, slaundering in that maner this whole Church and realme. I doubt not but that I shall learne to know my selfe, & to do mydutie whilest I am out of prison, so that I shall not iustly for lacke of dutie and honestie deserue it.

T. C. Pag. 178. Lin. 2.

And as for the truth of the cause, and wresting and mangling of the Scriptures, in most places where they are sayde to mangle and wrest, and how he hath answered the r〈1 line〉〈1 line〉quest of the Exhorta∣tion, which is, to confute the Admonition by the Scriptures, and how truly, 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ptly, and learnedly, M. Doctor hath behaued himself, in citing of the old Councels, and fathers: I leaue it to be estee∣med, partly of that which I haue sayde, and partly by the deeper consideration of those, which by∣cause they can better iudge, may see further into M. Doctors faults-and rapfodyes than I can Al∣though the truth is, that I haue bicause I would not make a long booke, by heaping of one repre∣hension vpon an other, contented my selfe rather to trip, as it were, and to passe ouer with a light

foote, the heades and summes of things, than to number the faults, which are almost as many as there are sentences in this booke, more I am sure than there are pages.

Io. Whitgifte.

I haue confuted both them and you, according to the giftes and grace that God hath gyuen mée, with suche authorityes both of Scriptures and other lear∣ned Auth ours, as is fitte to be vsed in the decyding of suche controuersies. And I am well assured that you haue not omitted the least blot in my booke: and for the most part you haue feyned (agaynst your owne knowledge) those to be whiche are not. I refuse no mans iudgement of my dealing with the olde Councels and fathers, that is learned and will speake without affection what he thinketh. Your hyperbolicall conclusion or figure of lying, where with you close vp your booke, I am well vsed vnto, and therefore it doth nothing trouble me, but remayneth as a certaine note of the spirite that possesseth you, which is the spirite of vntruth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ballets.
• * 1.2

  Godlinesse bre〈1 line〉〈1 line〉keth no lawe.
• * 1.3

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 uncient fa∣thers contem∣ned o〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉∣ned men.
• * 1.4

  Augustine re∣cor〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ed vpon the abu〈1 line〉〈1 line〉tsary.