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.

The Admonition sayth thus: they haue the shew of euill, seing y^e popish priesthood is euill. To this I answer that whē they were a signe & token of the popish priest∣hood, then they were euill, & a signe of euill, bicause the thing was e∣uill, which they signified: but now they are tokens of the Ministers of the Gospell which are good, and therfore they are good, & the signes of good. The reason is M. Bucers: I am not ashamed of my author, and it is stronger than you can ouerthrowe. For let me heare howe you will answere this argument: whatsoeuer signifieth and noteth that which is good, is a signe of good: but this appa∣rell signifieth that which is good, Ergo, it is a signe of good. The Maior is euident. The Minor is thus proued. The ministerie of the Gospell is good: but this apparel is a signe of the ministerie of the Gospell, Ergo it is a signe of good. All the Logike you haue can not answere this argument, except you will denie the apparell to be the signe of the ministerie of the Gospel, which were to denie y^t which is subiect to the senses: the other examples that I haue vsed, doth make this matter more manifest. I referre it to the Reader to iudge how fitly you haue answered them.

Whether they be good signes, or no, is not nowe the question, but whether they be signes of good, for that the Admonition denieth. If you can conclude that they be euill, bicause they be signes of euill, why may not I likewise say that they be good, bicause they be signes of good. We commonly call that a good signe, which is a signe of good, neyther can you place this reason in any fallacian, it is a signe of good, Ergo, it is a good signe: for it is called a good signe in this respect onely, that it signifieth that, which is good.

Those names in respect of those whom they signified were good: in the respect of the* 1.1 Idols, to whome they properly belonged, they were euill: for such externall things in diuers respects may be both good & euill. The golden calfe was an Idoll made to be wor∣shipped, no signe of the true God, and therfore vndiscretly here brought in.

Wheresoeuer I haue before alleaged these things you speake of, yet be they answe∣red neither here nor there: & this the Reader may note if he list, that whersoeuer you cannot answere, there either you frumpe & girde after your maner, or you cauill and confute your owne imagination, or closely passe the matter ouer in silence, or poste it ouer to some other place, where you speake nothing of it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Externall things may be both good and euill in di∣uers respects. The diuers 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vsed b〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 T. C. in answering.