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.

Io. Whitgifte.

If you your selfe will of necessitie inforce these qualities and conditions of Ana∣baptistes (whiche I in the beginning rehersed) vpon the authors of the admonition, who can let you? The moste that I haue sayde, is that I suspecte them, bycause they so agree with them in certaine qualities and practices. But if they were bent that waye, yet doth it not folow that they woulde by and by séeme to con∣temne M. Caluines or any other famous and learned mannes iudgemente. For you knowe that the chiefe captaines of the Anabaptistes, did not forthwith vtter eyther al their contempt of learned men, or all their pestiferous opinions at the fyrst, but vsed therin some policie, suche as might most preuayle to winne credite vnto theyr faction. You remember that Zuinglius in his booke called Ecclesiast. sayth of the Ana∣baptists,* 1.1 that though they protested, and by othe denyed that they ment to take any au∣thoritie from the magistrate, yet shortly after it would appeare, that they would haue bin disobedient to all lawes of Magistrates. &c. as I haue before rehersed: the practise wher∣of is to be séene in Sleidan and other stories.

And although in the beginning it was pretended that the contention was but in matters of no great importance, as cap, surplesse, tippet. &c. yet in the additions to the first admonition fol. 9. it is protested, that the strife is for greater matters, as for a true ministerie, and gouernmente of the Churche, and nowe you say, that certain matters* 1.2 whiche be in controuersie, are matters of lyfe and death, of saluation and damnation. fol. 5. & 14. Besides all thys the additions that you make to the protestation of your obediēcs to the ciuile Magistrate fol. 6. &c. is verie suspicious, so is your doctrine touching the authoritie of the ciuill magistrate also, as I haue in an other place declared. Wher∣fore how farre both they and you will as yet procéede, is not certainly knowne. In the meane tyme, if by allowing suche as M. Caluine is, some credite were not main∣tained, wise and learned men would the sooner espie their dooings.

When I say, that I trust M. Caluines iudgemente will weigh some thing with them. I speake it but in comparison, to the authoritie of suche as I haue before alleaged. For I know they make small acc〈1 line〉〈1 line〉mpt of any author that wri∣teth against them, but least of all of the olde auncient fathers, whom some of them are not ashamed to call pillorie Doctours. They may therfore beare a countenance to suche as hate and confute Anabaptisme, Papisme. &c. and yet both ioyne with the Papists and the Anabaptists &c. in disturbing the Churche.

As the woordes of M. Caluine be directely to my purpose, and my collections truly gathered out of them, so is your answere thervnto verie weake, and in déed nothing. The woordes of M. Caluine wher vpon my seconde collection is gathered, be these: But bicause in externall discipline and ceremonies he woulde not particularly prescribe what we ought to followe, bycause he foresaw that this depended vpon the state and con∣dition of the tyme, neyther did iudge one forme or maner to be agreeable to all ages: Here we must haue respect. &c. Conferre these woordes with my collection, and you shall sée them agrée in all poyntes. And surely M. Caluine sayeth that fully and plainely in this place, whiche I haue taken in hande to proue. M. Caluine neyther addeth all, nor some, and therfore neyther haue I added them, least I mighte séeme to be a corrup∣ter of his woordes.

Your obiection of the Supper of the Lorde, and of Baptisme, is altogether friuolous: for they be substantiall Ceremonies: and not ceremonies onely, but Sacramentes also, and therfore must haue of necessitie an expresse commaundement in the worde of God.

Touching excōmunication, I shal speake hereafter, it is the matter that the Anabap∣tists so greatly vrged, and for the not vsing of the whiche, they separated themselues from the Churches, where the Gospell was preached, as appeareth in the bookes bothe of Caluine, Bullinger, and others, against them. I knowe that touchyng Excommunication, whether the vse of it bée at all 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ymes so necessarye or no,

that it maye not bée altered, learned men doe varie in iudgementes, whose opini∣ons in that matter I will deferre, vntill I come where I haue farther occasion to speake of it.

If M. Caluine were alyue, and vnderstode the state of our Churche and controuersie truly, I verily beléeue that he would vtterly condemne your doings: and I am the rather induced to thinke so, bicause I vnderstande him to haue allowed many things in the Englishe Church being at Geneua, which you altogither misselyke, as Funeral sermons. &c. And therfore he would not thinke his wordes racked one whit, to esta∣blishe any thing that he would haue had ouerthrowne.

The rest of my collections are most agréeable to M Caluines woords, moste necessary for this present time, and moste apte for my purpose: and youre passing them ouer so slightly, doth argue your lacke of abilitie to answere them. In deede they flatly de∣termine this controuersie, and in effect ouerthrowe your whole booke.

Those that make contention in the Churche for suche matters as you doe, and in suche sorte and maner, can not auoyde the iuste accusations of being contentious per∣sons: and if the Physition giueth a purgation where there is no néede, or a more ve∣hement purgation than is conuenient for the disease, or minister it out of time, or giue one purgation for an other. &c. what rumbling and stirre soeuer follow in the bodye, he may be iustly sayde to be the author and cause of them. Do you not knowe what Zuinglius sayeth in his Ecclesiast. speaking of Anabaptistes: If they were sente of God,* 1.3 and endued with the spirite of loue, they would haue construed in the beste parte, those externall things. &c. And againe, Christe neuer made any contention for externall thin∣ges, and in his booke de Baptismo, They go aboute innouations of their owne priuate au∣thoritie. &c.

I vse M. Caluines iudgement, as I vse the iudgement of other learned men, ney∣ther will I refuse any learned mans opinion in these controuersies, that truly and wholly vnderstandeth the state of this Church, and the grounde of all thinges vsed in it. But I doubt how you will hereafter stand to this offer.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Zuinglius ad∣ucrs. Anab.
• * 1.2

  Fol. 5. sect. vlt. Fo. 14. lin. 5. Fol. 6. sect. 4.
• * 1.3

  Zuinglius i〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 Ecclesi〈1 line〉〈1 line〉st. Id〈1 line〉〈1 line〉m de bap∣ti〈1 line〉〈1 line〉mo.