An ansvvere to a certen libel intituled, An admonition to the Parliament, by Iohn VVhitgifte, D. of Diuinitie

A briefe examination of the reasons vsed in the booke, called an Admonition to the Parliamente.

FIrst, in that booke the scripture is most vntollerably abused, and vnlearnedly applyed, quoted only in their margent to delude both such, as for lacke of lear∣ning, can not, and suche, as either for slouthfulnesse or some preiudicate opi∣nion, will not, examine the same: as I haue particulerly declared in my aunswere following.

Secondly their proofes consist especially of these argu∣ments. The first is ab eo quod est secundum quid, ad id quod simplicitorest as, such and such things were not in the Apostles time, Ergo they ought not to be nowe. Whiche kinde of argumente is very deceiptfull, and the mother and welspring of many both olde and newe schismes: of old, as of them that called them selues Apostolicos, and of the Aërians: of new, as of Anabaptists, who conside∣ring neither the diuersitie of times concerning the exter∣nall ecclesiastical pollicie, nor the true libertie of the chri∣stian religion in externe rytes and ceremonies, in mat∣ters neither commaunded nor forbidden in Gods lawe, nor the authoritie of Christian magistrates in the Chri∣stian congregation, concerning the same haue boldely en∣terprised to stirre vp many and heynous errours: For if these reasons should take place: the Apostles vsed it not, Ergo it is not lawfull for vs to vse it: or this either: they did it, Ergo we must needes do it: then no Christians may haue any place to abide in: they maye haue no Christian Princes: no ministration of sacraments in Churches and suche like: for the Apostles had no place to abide in, they

had no Christian Princes to gouerne them, no churches to minister sacraments in. &c. Likewise we must haue al things common: we must departe with al our possessions when we be conuerted to the Gospell: baptise abroade in the fields: minister the communion in priuate houses on∣ly: be alwayes vnder the crosse and vnder Tyrants, and such like: For the Apostles had al thinges common, de∣parted from their possessions, baptized abroade in fieldes, ministred the communion in priuate houses, were al∣wayes vnder persecutors and Tyrants. &c.

2. Another kind of argumente is much like vnto this, and is taken ab authoritate negatinè, which in matters of saluation and damnation holdeth when we reason ab au∣thoritate scripturae, from the authoritie of the scripture, but not else: For this argument (it is not commaunded in the scripture to be done nor there expressed, Ergo it ought not to be done) is so far out of the way and so erronious, that it is not tollerable: for it taketh away the most parte of all due circumstances, without the which either after one manner or other, the very institutions of Christ can∣not be obserued: For how is it possible to receiue the holy Communion, but either sitting, standing, knéelling, wal∣king, or lying: either at one time or other: in y^e morning, or at night: before meate, or after meate: clothed or na∣ked: in this place or in that place. &c. and yet none of these circumstances are in scripture commaunded, or by ne∣cessary collection may thereof be gathered: the same is to be said of the obseruatiō of times, of common prayers, and other conuenient and necessarie orders in the Church. If this argumente were good, then all good lawes and ordi∣nances made for the aduancing of true religion, and esta∣blishing of good orders, were to be abolished, whiche were the very roote and welspring of stubbornesse, obstinacie, sedition, disobedience, and confusion.

3. The third kind of argument is called petitio principij,

whiche is when a man frameth vnto himselfe principles of his owne deuise, grounded neither vpon authoritie, nei∣ther yet upon substantial reason, and then vpon the same will conclude his purpose: which is vit ••••sissimum gen•••• ar∣gumentands: a very erronious kynde of reasoning as these men doo in vsing these two false principles: the one, when they say, that to be inuented by an Antichristian Pope which was not so inuented: the other, when they say that nothing may be vsed in the Church of Christ which was inuented by the Pope, or vsed in the Popes Churche: which can not be true, as in sundrie places of the boke I haue declared. The selfe same reasons moued the Aërians to forsake the order of the Churche, and to commaunde their Disciples to do the contrarie of that that the Church did. We borrow good lawes of the Gentiles, and we vse the Churches, Belles, Pulpits, and many other things vsed of Papists. &c.

4. The fourthe kynde of reason is, of negatiues by comparison: as this, Priestes and Ministers are to be known by their doctrine, not by their apparel, Ergo they ought not to haue distinct apparell from other men. This argumente followeth not, for negatives by comparison are not simplie to be vnderstanded, but by the way cō∣parison: And therefore of the former sentence thus we may conclude, that the apparell is not to be estéemed as a note of difference in comparison to learning & doctrine, and yet a note. As when Paule sayth that Chryst sente him not to baptise, but to preache the Gospell: 1 Cor. 1. And God by his Prophete I wil have mercy, and not sa∣crifice. Ose. 6. and Mat. 9.

5. The fift is ab eo quod est non causam vt causam pone∣re, vvhen that is taken for the cause of any thing, vvhich is not the cause: as when they condemne the booke of com∣mon prayer, and a prescript forme of seruice, bycause (as they say) it mainteineth an vnlerned (or as they term it)

a reading ministerie, whē as the boke is not y^e cause of it, neither yet a prescripte forme of prayer, but either the parties themselues that be vnlearned, or they that do ad∣mitte them, or else both. This kind of argument is vsuall in the Admonition.

There be other vnlearned and vnskilfull reasons vsed in this booke, whiche may easily be discerned euen of chil∣dren: and therefore I here omit them.

Thus much I thought good generally to write, which being duly considered, the booke it selfe needeth no other kinde of confutation.