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.

Chap. 1. The eight Diuision.

T. C. Page. 16. Sect. 2. &. 3.

But this I cannot omit, that you make it an indifferent thing to preach the worde of God in Churches or in houses, that is to say, priuately or publikely. For what better interpretation can I haue than of your owne words, which saith by and by after, of Baptisme, that it is (a) 1.1 at the order of the Church, to make it priuate or publike. For if it be in the power of the Church to order that Baptis〈1 line〉〈1 line〉e may be ministred at the house of euery priuate person, it is also in hir power to ordayne that the word be preached also priuately. And then where is that whiche Salomon saith that (b) 1.2 wisedome crieth openly and in the streates, and at the corners of the streates where many 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ieete? and where be the examples of the old Church, which had besides the Temple at Ierusalem, erec∣ted vp Sinagogues in euery towne to heare the word of God, & minister the circumcisiō? (c) 1.3 what is become of the commaundement of our sauioure Christ, whiche willed his disciples that they should preach openly, and vpon the house topps, that which they hard in the eare of him and secret∣ly? and how do we obserue the example of our sauioure Christ, who to deliuer his doctrine from all suspicion of tumults and other disorders, sayd that he preached openly in the temple, and in the Si∣nagogues, albeit the same were very daungerous vnto him? and the example of the Apostles that did the sa〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ie? for as for the time of persecution, when the Church dare not, nor it is not meete, that it should shew it selfe to the enimie, no not then is the word of God nor the sacramentes priuately preached or ministred, nor ought to be.

For although they be done in the house of a priuate man, yet bycause they are and ought to be ministred in the presence of the congregation, there is neither priuate preaching, nor priuate bap∣tisme. For like as wheresoeuer the Queenes maiestie lyeth there is the Court, although it be in a gentleman his house, so wheresoeuer the Church meeteth, it is not to be holden priuate as tou∣ching the prayers, preachings, and sacraments, that shall be there ministred: so that I denie vnto you that the Chnrch hathe power to ordeyne at hir pleasure, whither preaching or ministring of Sacraments should be priuate or publike, when they ought not to be, but where the Church is, and the Church (d) 1.4 ought not to assemble (if it be not letteed by persecution) but in open places: and when it is driuen from them, those places where it gathereth itselfe togither, although they be o∣therwise priuate, yet are they for the time that the Churches do there assemble, and for respect of the word and sacraments, that are there ministred in the presence of the Churche, publike places. And so you see those (whome you charge slanderously with conuiuticles) are fayne to glase vp the windowes that you open to secret and priuate conuenticles.

Io. Whitgifte.

But this you cannot omitte, that I make it an indifferent thing to preach the worde of God in Churches or in houses. &c. it is an argument that you lacke good matter, when you make such excursions from the purpose. My words be, that the scriptures speake not one worde of meeting in Churches, fieldes, or houses too heare the word of God, of baptising in fonts, in basons, or riuets, o∣penly or priuately, at home or in the Church. &c. If I haue said vntruly, conuince me with scripture, and shew me those places, where these things be deter∣mined. Where do I say that these things be now indifferent? to haue the word prea∣ched is not indifferent but necessarie, to haue it preached in this place or in that place, in Churches, in fieldes, or in houses, is indifferent, vntill suche time as the Churche* 1.5 hath otherwise determined. So is it likewise in baptisme, the sacrament is necessa∣ry, the circumstances of time and place. &c. be committed to the disposition of the Churche, and remayne so long indifferent, vntill the Churche hathe taken order in them: which being done, then they be no more indifferente. Do you not know that, wherevnto so many Churches reformed, and learned men haue of late subscribed? it is the. 6. assertion. Res alioqui per se mediae, mutant quodammodò natur〈1 line〉〈1 line〉m. &c. Things other∣wise* 1.6 indifferente of themselues, after a sorte change their nature, when by some lawfull commaundemente, they are either commaunded, or forbidden, bycause neyther then

can be omitted contrary to the commaundement, if they are once commaunded, neyther done contrary to prohibition if they be prohibited, as it appeareth in the ceremoniall law. The place is not of the substance either of the word or of the sacraments: but yet to contemne or willingly to breake the order appointed by the Church in such matters, is sinne.

You say that I affirme it to be at the order of the Churche, to make baptisme priuate or publike. Surely you do me greate iniurie, and win your selfe small credite by thys* 1.7 kind of dealing. Is it all one to say, that the scripture hath not determined whether baptisme should be ministred opēly or priuately, at home or in the Church, and to say, that the Church may make baptisme priuate or publike? For hereby you would giue your readers to vnderstand, that I thinke it in the power of the Church to ap∣point that there should be no publike baptisme, wherin (as I said) you do me greate iniurie. My words therefore and meaning tend to this end, that the scripture hathe not any where expressed when baptisme should be celebrated publikely, when pri∣uately: but hathe left that to the determination of the Church, to do therin according to the circumstances of time, person. &c. Neither do I call baptisme priuate in any o∣ther* 1.8 respect than of the place: and therefore my meaning is, that the scripture hathe not determined where, or when we should baptise, at home in priuate families, or in publike and open places, as fields, Churches, &c. For we haue examples in scripture both of baptising in houses, and of baptising in fields. Act. 8. 9. 10. &. 26. Therefore tou∣ching the place, the scripture hath not determined any thing, and in the respect of the place I call it publike or priuate: although I sée nothing in the scripture to the cōtra∣ry, but vpon necessarie occasion, and other circumstances it may be priuate in the re∣spect of persons, that be presente at the celebrating of baptisme: for the number of standers by or of such as are to be baptised, is not of the substance of the sacramente, therefore in that also the Church may take order and hath therein to deale.

And as I thinke, that in such respects baptisme may be priuately administred, so* 1.9 thinke I also that in the like respects the word may be priuately preached. Neyther did the Apostles only preache in the Sinagogues, and in open places, but in priuate families and houses also, as it is manifest. Act. 5. Where it is said that the Apostles did not cease daily to teach and to preach Iesus Christ in the temple, and house by house. Act.* 1.10 10. Peter preached in Cornelius his house. &. Acts. 16. Paule preached in prison. And* 1.11 not only was the word preached priuately in respect of the place▪ but sometimes also* 1.12 in the respect of the persons, as Christe preached to the woman of Samaria alone.* 1.13 Io. 4. And Philip in the chariot to the Eunuch. Act. 8.* 1.14

Your scriptures brought in to proue that there may be no priuate preaching, are very farre fetched, and some of them very straungely applied. That which Salomon saith Prouerb. 8. proueth that God calleth all men by his word and by his works, to follow that which is good, and flye from that which is euill. And I thinke that the meaning of Sa∣lomon in that place is that God dothe offer his worde to all persons, in all places, so that there can be no ignorance pretended. But I pray you, how doth this argument follow, the worde of God is offered to all, and openly proclaymed: Ergo it may not be also priuately taught? all your proofes and examples that follow, be of like effect: they proue that the word of God ought publikely to be preached, but they do not take away priuate exhortations and preachings. It is true that both Christe and his Apostles taught in Smagogues, so it is true also that they taught in priuate families, as I haue declared: but yet I say, the scripture hathe not appointed any certaine place of prea∣ching. For Esdras red the law in the streates, Nehem. 8. wisedome crieth in the topps* 1.15 of the high places by the way side in the pathes, in the gates before the Citie. Pro. 8. Christ* 1.16 preached in the Mountaine Math. 5. in the Sinagogue, Math. 4. the Apostles in the* 1.17 temple, and in priuate families: do not you therfore sée, that there is no determinatiō∣of* 1.18 any place? wherefore the aptnesse of the place, and the conueniencie of it: like∣wise* 1.19 when the word is to be preached publikely, when priuately, is left to the iudge∣ment and ordering of the Church. And therefore it is true that I haue set downe, that

the scripture hath not dermined any thing of meeting in Churches, fieldes or houses to heare the worde of God: or of preaching in Pulpits, chaires, or otherwise.

There are and may be occasions, euen in the time of prosperitie, when bothe the word may be preached, and the Sacraments administred in priuate families, so that they be done according to the order of the Churche, and not in the contempt of com∣mon and publike assemblies. And I thinke that suche noble men and gentlemen as vpon oceasion either of infirmitie of body, or of distance of place, or some other vrgēt cause, haue the word of God preached in their priuate families, and the Sacraments ministred according to the order of the Churche, are greatly to be commended. Ney∣ther doth this open any window, to secrete and schismaticall conuenticles, (suche I meane as seeke corners) bycause they wil not kéep the orders & lawes of the Church, but contemne the same, and conspire in some new and erroneous opinions. In the which number those be, whome I haue truly charged with conuenticles, for they de∣spising the order of the Churche, haue wickedly separated themselues from the same, whose opinions notwithstanding you mainteine, although you would séeme to con∣demne their conuenticles. But it may be that you coumpt this time to be a time of per∣secution, and so excuse their doings.

To be short, when I speake either of priuate preaching or of priuate ministring the sacraments, I meane it especially in respecte of the place, and not in the respect of any schismaticall separation: so that hitherto you haue said nothing, that impugneth any thing that I haue written. Neyther haue I spoken any otherwise in all these things, than other learned and godly men haue done, as it is to be séene by all theyr seuerall authorities, which I haue in their places set downe.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  An vntruth, for there is no such thing said.
• (b) 1.2

  A place of scripture strāge lv applied.
• (c) 1.3

  These places proue that the word ought to be preached publikely, but not onely pub∣likely.
• (d) 1.4

  This is only said, but not proued.
• * 1.5

  Things in∣different lose the nature of iudifferencie when they are commaunded.
• * 1.6

  Theses eccles. Belgio. art. 6.
• * 1.7

  T. C. peruer∣teth y^e words of the Answer
• * 1.8

  Baptisme is called pr〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ce in respec〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 of the place.
• * 1.9

  The worde may be prea∣ched priuately both in r〈1 line〉〈1 line〉pect of the place and persons.
• * 1.10

  Act. 5.
• * 1.11

  Act. 10.
• * 1.12

  Act. 6.
• * 1.13

  Io 4.
• * 1.14

  Act. 8.
• * 1.15

  Nehem. 8.
• * 1.16

  Pro. 8.
• * 1.17

  Math. 5.
• * 1.18

  Math. 4.
• * 1.19

  Act. 5.