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…

Concerning all the rest of your collections / I have not lightly known a man / which taketh so much pain with so small gain / and which soweth his seed in the sea / whereof there will never rise increase. For I know none that ever denied those things / unless peradventure you would make the reader believe / that all those be contentions / which move any controversy of things which they judge to be amiss / and then it is answered before. And now I answer further / that they that move to reformation of things / are no more to be blamed as authors of contention / then the Physician / which giveth a purgation / is to be blamed / for the rumbling and stir in the belly / and other disquietness of the body: which should not have been / if the evil humours and naughty disposition of it / had not caused or procured this purgation.

Concerning all the rest of your collections / I haue not lightly knowne a man / which taketh so much paine with so small gaine / and which soweth his sede in the sea / wherof there wil neuer rise encrease. For I know none that euer denied those things / vnles peraduenture you would make the reader beleeue / that al those be contentions / which moue any controuersy of things which they iudge to be amis / and thē it is answered before. And now I answer further / that they that moue to reformation of things / are no more to be blamed as authors of contention / then the Phisition / which geueth a purgation / is to be blamed / for the rumbling and stirre in the belly / and other disquietnes of the body: which should not haue bene / if the euil humors and naughty disposition of it / had not caused or procured thys purgation.

Whereas you conclude / that these contentions would be soon ended / if M. Calvins words were noted / here we will join with you / and will not refuse the judgement of M. Calvin / in any matter that we have in controversy with you. Which I speak not therefore because I would call the decision of controversies to men / and their words (which pertain only to God and to his word) but because I know his judgement in these things to be clean against you / and especially for that you would bear men in hand / that M. Calvin is on your side / and against us. And as for Peter Martyr / and Bucer / and Musculus / and Bullinger / Gualter / and Hemingius / and the rest of the late writers / by citing of whom you would give to understand / that they are against us in these matters / there is set down in the latter end of this book / their several judgements / of the most of these things which are in controversy: whereby it may appear / that if they have spoken one word against us / they have spoken two for us. And whereas they have written (as it is said and alleged in their private letters to their friends) against some of these causes / it may appear / that they have in their works published to the whole world / that they confirm the same causes. So y if they wrote any such things / they shall be found not so much to have dissented from us / as from them selves: and therefore we appeal from them selves / unto them selves: and from their private notes and letters / to their public writings / as more authentical. You labour still in the fire / that is unprofitably / to bring M. Bucer his Epistle / to prove / that the church may order things / whereof there is no particular and expressed commandment / for there is none denieth it / neither is this saying / that all things are to be done in the church / according to the rule of the word of God / any thing repugnant unto this / that the church may ordain certain things / according to the word of God.