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. 3. the. 1. Diuision.

Admonition.

In which a great number of things contrarie to Gods worde are conteyned, as baptisme(i) 1.1 by women.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 79. Sect. 2. 3. 4. 5.* 1.2

But you say, a number of things contrarie vnto Gods worde are conteyned in this booke, as baptisme by women. &c.

Here is not one prayer in all the Communion booke founde fault with, and yet your quarell is agaynst a prescript forme of prayers inuented by man.

You marueylously forget your selfe, and confusedly go from mat∣ter to matter, without any consideration.

Digressing therefore from prayers conteyned in the Communi∣on booke, you come to other matters in the same, agaynst Gods worde (as you say) and first you alledge baptising by women.

I denie baptising by women to be expressed in that booke, and when you haue proued it to be necessarily gathered out of the same, then shall you heare my iudgement thereof.

T. C. Pag. 109. Sect. 4.

Mayster Doctor requireth that it shoulde be proued vnto him, that by pryuate Bap∣tisme is ment, Baptisme by women. First it is ment that it shoulde be done by some o∣ther than the Minister, for that the Minister is bidde to giue them warning, that they shoulde not baptise the childe at home in their house, without great cause and necessitie: secondarily, I woulde gladly aske him who they be that are present, when the childe is so shortly after it is borne, in great daunger of death, and last of all Mayster Doctor doth not see, howe he accu∣seth all the Magistrates of this Realme of the neglect of theyr duetie, in that they allowe of the dayly practising by women in baptising children, if so be that the booke did not so appoynt it, or permit it. If he 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉nt plainly herein there needed not so much a doe.

Io. Whitgifte.

Here is nothing sayde whiche the Authours of the Admonition haue not alledged before, eyther in theyr booke or in theyr Additions, and therefore the same answere that was made vnto them, will serue for you. I tolde you there* 1.3 that the booke of Common prayer doth call it priuate Baptisme, in respect of the place, which is a priuate house, and not in respect of the Minister: whiche euident∣ly appeareth in these wordes, whiche you your selfe alledge in this place, that is, that the Minister is bidde to giue them warning, that they shoulde not baptise the childe at home in their house. &c. but you cannot thereof conclude the meaning of the Booke to be, that women shoulde baptise: for euen in that necessitie, the Curate may be sent for, or some other minister that may sooner be come by.

Your question is soone answered, for no man doubteth of the persons that bée present at suche a tyme: but I haue tolde you, that when suche necessitie requyreth, the Curate, or the next Minister is soone sent for, as often tymes he is in as great extremities as that: and what a reason call you thys, women bée present when the chylde that is borne is in great daunger of death, therefore the Mi∣nister cannot be sent for to baptise the childe?

To your obiection (of the Magistrates allowing the practise of Baptising by women) I answere first, that your generall proposition is vntrue (as I thinke) for all the Magistrates of this Realme, doe not so. Secondly, that if they did, yet it followeth not that they doe it by the authoritie of the Booke: for many things bée permitted as tollerable, whiche are not established by any lawe: and there∣fore if you had done well, you shoulde rather haue reproued the custome that doth vse it, than the booke that speaketh neuer a worde of it.

I deale as playnly as I can, for I kéepe me to the Booke. But your vayne con∣iectures and friuolous reasons against that booke, may not be yelded vnto, but ope∣ned, that they may appeare in their colours.

Notes

• (i) 1.1

  Mat. 28. 19 1 Co. 14. 35 The fyrst appoynter hereof vvas Vietor. 1. Anno. 198.
• * 1.2

  All prayers good in the Communion booke.
• * 1.3

  Why baptism is called pri∣uate.