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.

T. C. Pag. 57. Sect. 6. 7.

Whereas you say that the accursed things of Iericho, and the Oxe, that was fedde to be 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉anc∣tified vnto Baal, and the wood consecrated vnto the Idoll, were conuerted to the seruice of the liuing God, when you shall proue that the surplis is so necessary to the seruice of God, as gold. and siluer, and other mettall, and as Oxen and wood, whereof the first sort were such, as without the which, the temple could not be built, the other, such as were expressely commaunded of God▪ to be vsed in his seruice, then I will confesse that this place maketh something for you. And(*) 1.1 yet if your coapes and surplices. &c. should haue such a purgation by fyre, as those(a) 1.2 metalls had, or euer the Lord would admitte them into his treasure house, and should be driuen to passe from Poperie vnto the gospell, by the Chimney, the fire would make suche wracke with them, that they should neede haue better legges, than your arguments, to bring them into the Church.

Moreouer, do you not see heere, that you haue not losed the knotte, but cut it? For the authors of the Admonition obiect the place of Esay. 30. and you obiect againe the places of Deuteronomy, and of the Iudges, this is to oppose sword against sword: in stead that you shoulde haue first hol∣den out your buckler, and latched the blow of your aduersary. As for Churches, it hath bin answe∣red that they haue a profitable vse, and therefore very euill compared with the surplis, whiche be∣side that it bringeth no profyte, hurteth also, as is before said.

Io. Whitgifte.

That wood, that golde, and that Oxe. &c. was not so necessary, but that bothe God might haue bin serued, and the temple builded without them: and therefore that is no an∣swere.* 1.3 For although gold, wood, oxen. &c. be necessary, yet the golde and siluer founde in I〈1 line〉〈1 line〉richo, the Oxe reserued by Gedeons father, and wood that was consecrated to Baal, was not so necessary: for there might haue bin other golde, siluer, wood, oxen. &c. prouided. In that God commaunded these things to be done, you know that S. Au∣gustine (in the epistle ad Publicolam, in the words before rehearsed) doth conclude a ge∣nerall doctrine, that things dedicated to Idolls may be conuerted to common vses, and to the honoure of God. For he vseth the selfesame places to proue the same, and an∣swereth that, which may be alledged to the contrary out of Deuterono. So doth it al∣so the place of Esay quoted in the margent of the Admonition: which answer if it will not satisfy you, then do I further referre you to that, which I haue also before allead∣ged out of M. Caluine writing vpon the. 23. of Exod. verse. 24. But thys place of E∣say and suche lyke, are vnaptly alleadged agaynste the apparell nowe vsed, being

nothing of that nature, that those thinges be, whereof the Prophete in that place speaketh.

You say: if our coapes and surplices. &c. should haue suche a purgation by fyr〈1 line〉〈1 line〉. &c. I pray you where reade you of any such purgation by fire of those metalls before they were admitted into the Lords treasure house? And what purgation by fire coulde there be of the wood, or of the oxe, before they were vsed in the sacrifice and s〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ruice of the Lorde? There is no such purging of the things taken in Iericho mentioned in that Chapter, but the* 1.4 contrary: for thus it is written. After they burnt the citie with fire, and all that was there∣in, only the siluer and gold, and the vessels of brasse and iron they put into the treasure house of the Lorde: and in the place before, where Iosua is commaunded to reserue these things, there is no commaundement of any such purging.

As your common answer is this, that such things haue profitable vses, and therfore may be reteyned, though they were consecrated to Idols (which is but a shift of your owne without any ground) so I say that these vestures haue a decent and comely vse, and be referred to order, and therefore may be reteyned likewise although they were vsed in Idolatrie. And if you shal answer and say that ther may be other things vsed mo〈1 line〉〈1 line〉t comely and decently, then I reply, that so there may be places as commo∣dious as these Churches: golde, siluer, wood. &c. as good and as profitable as that. And if you obiect that they be not comely and decent, then I say vnto you, that it is your part, and the part of all those, that be obedient, to submitte your selues to the iudge∣ment of those that be in authoritie, except they commaund such things as be contrary to the commaundement of God.

Notes

• (*) 1.1

  Here you dis∣port your selfe, with your owne imagination.
• (a) 1.2

  No such pur∣gation to be found in that place.
• * 1.3

  Things dedi∣cated to idolls may be con∣uerted to gods honour.
• * 1.4

  Iosu. 6. ver. 24