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.

I haue shewed before in the begynning of my Answere to the Admonition,* 1.1 not onely howe weake, but also howe daungerous a kynde of reasonyng it is, to saye, that the Apostles did it, Ergo, wée muste doe it, or the Apostles didde it not, Ergo we muste not doe it. Zuinglius a notable learned man, dothe especially reproue the Anabaptistes for this kynde of reason, and sayeth that an argumente, à facto ad ius, or à non facto ad non ius, is neuer good, excepte those examples be groun∣ded vppon some lawe or rule. Wherefore, when I thus laboure to ouerthrowe the vitious manner and kynde of the Anabaptisticall argumente, I truste no in∣different man will suspect me of their errors? when I say, that this is no good argu∣ment: In the Apostles time those that beléeued had all things common among them, therefore Christians muste haue all thynges common: doe I confirme theyr

heresie of hauing all things common? I knowe not why you shoulde so charge mée with the whirlewynde and tempest of my affection bente to mayntaine this estate. &c. except you be offended bicause I shewe the weakenesse of the Anabaptistes reasons for their communitie.

My honour and wealth is not so muche, but yet I would be loth to haue it common, and you may not blame me though I maynteyne that state, where all men may qui∣etly enioye their owne, without confusion.

I know the Anabaptistes doe not only erre in their kinde of reasoning, but in the right vnderstanding of the Scriptures also, euen of those places wherevppon they frame their argumente. But the texte sayeth playnely, Omnes qui credebant. &c. All whiche beleeued, were in one place, and had all thyngs common. Acto. 2. &. 4. Quot∣quot* 1.2 enim possessores praediorum aut domorum erant. &c. For as manie as were possessours of landes or houses solde them. &c. And thoughe they were greately to be commended in sellyng their landes and possessions, and in so lyghtly estéeming the riches of this worlde, yet it followeth not, that no man can bée a good Christian, vnlesse he followe that example. There are sundrie places of the Scripture that ouerthrow the Anabaptisticall communitie: and therefore howesoeuer they vnderstande these examples, yet can they not proue theyr errour, for it is true that Zuinglius sayeth, Nullius facta iuri praeiudicant, examples must giue place when they be agaynste a generall lawe, commaundement or right.

I haue not spoken one woorde of Ananias and Saphira, and therefore I muse to what purpose you bryng them in: neyther am I agaynste the interpretation of those places of the Actes, yet doe I saye, that no man is bounde of necessitie to fo∣lowe those examples, excepte it were in the lyke tyme, and state. So that if the Anabaptistes bothe erre in the vnderstandyng of those places, and in theyr kynde of reasoning also as they doe in bothe. M. Doctor maye kéepe his Doctor∣ship still, and they be farre enough from their communitie. The communitie that was in the Apostles tyme was Christian, and moste fitte for that tyme, but the same maye not nowe be vrged in the selfe same maner, and forme, without sus∣picion of Anabaptisms. And it is a very good argument againste you: for as the communitie vsed amongste the Christians Act. 2. &. 4. was godlie, and yet not ne∣cessarie nor méete for all states of the Churche, euen so the election then vsed was also godlie, and yet not at all tymes to be practised, but only in the lyke state of time.

Notes

• * 1.1

  No good ar∣gument, a f〈1 line〉〈1 line〉▪ cto ad iu〈1 line〉〈1 line〉.
• * 1.2

  Act. 2. Act. 4.