A18078:126
A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to…A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to…
A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to the Parliament. By T.C.A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to the Parliament. By T.C.
printed by John Stroud?, 1573
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
From moreover. &c. unto To conclude.
From moreouer. &c. vnto To conclude.
Now you carry us from the Anabaptists in Europe / unto the Donatists in Africa / & you will paint us with their colours / but you want the oil of truth / or likelihood of truth / to cause your colours to cleave / & to endure. The Lord be praised / that your breath / although it be very rank / yet it is not so strong / that it is able / either to turn us / or change us / into what forms it pleaseth you. I shall desire the reader / to look Theod. lib. 4. De fabulis haereticorum, and Augustine / ad quod vult Deum, and in his first and second books / against Petilian's letters / where he shall find of these heretics / that by comparing them with these / to whom M. Doctor likeneth them / the smoke of this accusation might the better appear: for these slanders are not worth the answering. To this division from the churches / and to your supposed conventicles / I have answered. They taught that there were no true churches but in Africa / we teach nothing less / than that there is no true church but in England. If the churches be considered in the parts / whether minister / or people / there is none pure & unspotted / and this is the faith of the true Church / and not of the Donatists: If it be considered in the whole and general government / and outward policy of it / it may be pure and unspotted / for any thing I know / if men would labour to purge it. The Donatists van ted them selves to be exempted from sin / and what likelihood is there between any assertion of the authors of the Admonition / and this fancy of the Donatists. To the last point of no compulsion to be used in matters of religion denying it to be true / I reserve the further answer to another place.
Now you cary vs from the Anabaptists in Europe / vnto the Donatists in Affrike / & you wil paint vs with their coloures / but you want the oyle of truth / or likelyhode of truth / to cause your colours to cleaue / & to endure. The Lord be praised / that your breath / although it be very ranke / yet it is not so strong / that it is able / either to turn vs / or chaunge vs / into what formes it pleaseth you. I shal desire the reader / to loke Theod. lib. 4. De fabulis haereticorum, and Augustine / ad quod vult Deum, and in his first and second bokes / against Petilians letters / where he shall finde of these heretikes / yt by comparing thē wyth these / to whom M. Doctor likeneth thē / the smoke of this accusation might the better appeare: for these slanders are not worth the answering. To this diuision from the churches / and to your supposed conuenticles / I haue answeared. They taught that there were no true churches but in Affrica / we teach nothing les / thē that there is no true church but in Englande. If the churches be considered in the partes / whether minister / or people / there is none pure & vnspotted / and this is the faith of the true Church / and not of the Donatistes: If it be considered in the whole and generall gouernment / and outward pollicie of it / it may be pure and vnspotted / for any thing I know / if men would labor to purge it. The Donatists vaū ted them selues to be exempted from sinne / and what likelyhode is there betwene any assertion of the authors of the Admonition / and this fansy of the Donatists. To the last poynt of no compulsion to be vsed in matters of religion denying it to be true / I reserue the further answer to another place.