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The Epist. of T. C. Sect. II.
An other exception against the fauorers of this cause, is taken for that they propounde it out of time, which is that the Jewes said, that the time was not yet come to builde the Lords house: but it is knowne what the Prophet answered. And if no time wer vnseasonable, in that kind of material building, wherin there be some times (as of sommer) more opportune and fit than others: how can there be any vntimely building, in this spiritual house, where, as long as it is called to day, men are commanded to further this worke. And as for those which say, we come to late, & that this shoulde haue bin done in the beginning, and can not now be done without the ouerthrow of all, for mending of a peece: they do little consider, that S. Paule compareth that which is good in the buylding vn∣to golde, and siluer, and precious stones, and that whiche is euill, layde vpon the foundation, vnto stubble and hey, and woode. Likewise therfore as the stubble, & the hey, & the wood be easily by the fyre consumed, without any losse vnto the gold, or siluer, or precious stones: so the corrupt thynges in this buylding, may be easily taken away, without any hurt or hinderaunce vnto that whiche is pure, and sounde. And if they put such confidence in this similitude, as that they will therby with∣out any testimonie of the worde of God, stay the further buylding, or correcting the faultes of the house of the Lorde (which by his manifest commaundement ought to be done with all spede) then besides that they be verie vncunning buylders, which can not mende the faults without ouerthrowe of al (especially when as the fault, is not in the foundation) they must remember, that as the mean, which is vsed to gather the children of God, is called a building, so it is called a planting. And ther∣fore as dead twigs, riotous or superfluous branches, or what soeuer hindereth the growth of the vine tree, may be cut of, without rooting vp the vine: so the vnprofitable things of the Church may be taken away without any ouerthrow of those things which are wel established. And seeing that Christ and Beliall can not agree, it is strange, that the pure doctrine of the one, and the corrupti∣ons of the other, should cleaue so fast together, that pure doctrine can not be with hir safetie, seuered from the corruptions, when as they are rather lyke vnto that parte of Daniels image, which was compounded of claye and iron, and therfore coulde not cleaue or sticke one with an other.
Io. Whitgifte.
They did not only propound it out of time, (after the Parliament was ended) but out of order also, that is in the maner of a libell, with false allegations and appli∣cations of the Scriptures, opprobrious speaches, and slaunders: not to reforme, but to deforme the Church, and to confound al. The rest in this part is Petitio principij, the petition of the principle, for you take that as confessed & true, which will not be graun∣ted vnto you, as shall more at large hereafter appeare.