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. 6. the. 1. Diuision.

Admonition.

Nowe they are bounde to the booke of Common prayer, in which a great number of thinges contrary to the worde of God are conteyeed. &c. as (k) 1.1 priuate Communion. &c.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 81. Sect. 1. 2.

I knowe not what you meane by priuate Communion: if you* 1.2 meane the receyuing of one alone, there is none suche allowed in the booke: if you meane bicause it is ministred sometime vpon occasion in priuate houses, I see not howe you can call it priuate in respect of the place, if the number of Communicants be sufficient. You must explicate your selfe before I can tell what you meane.

There is nothing in the communion booke touching the Commu∣nion, contrarie to the place of S. Paule by you quoted, to my* 1.3 knowledge.

T. C. Page. 105. Sect. 1.

There followeth the priuate Communion, whiche is founde faulte with, bothe for the place wherein it is ministred, and for the small number of Communicants, whiche are admitted by the booke of seruice. Touching the place before is spoken sufficiently, it resteth to consider of the num∣ber. But before I come to that, I wil speake something of the causes and beginning of receyuing in houses, and of the ministring of the Communion vnto sicke folkes. It is not to be denyed, but that this abuse is very ancient, and was in Iustine Martyrs time, in Tertullians and Cyprians tyme, euen as also there were other abuses crepte into the Supper of the Lorde, and that very grosse, as the mingling of water wyth wyne, and therein also a necessitie and great mysterie pla∣ced, as it may appeare bothe by Iustine Martyr, and Cyprian, whyche I therfore by the waye doe admonishe the Reader of, that the antiquitie of this abuse of priuate Communion, be not pre∣iudiciall to the truthe, no more than the mingling of water with that opinion of necessitie that those fathers had of it, is or ought to be preiudiciall to that that we vse in ministring the cuppe wyth pure wyne, according to the institution.

Io. Whitgifte.

This is your accustomed maner (but it is besides all good maners) to wype away* 1.4 auncient and learned authoritie, by obiecting vnto the authors, some imperfection in their writings, or errours in their times. Is this a good reason, water was of necessitie required in Cypryans time in the administration of the supper, and that was an errour, therefore the communion at that tyme, and long before, ministred vnto the sicke, and carried to priuate persons béeing absent, was vnlawfull? Suche be your arguments, and this is your kinde of answering: which maye be plausible to the ignorant people, but nothing pleasaunt to suche as be learned. This one thing* 1.5 I will desire the Reader to consider (that séeing our sacraments nowe be more sin∣cerely ministred than they were in Iustines, Tertullians, and Cyprians tyme, bée∣ing so neare the Apostles) what cause there should be for you, so bitterly to inu〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ygh agaynst this Church in that respect.

Notes

• (k) 1.1

  1. Cor. 11. 18.
• * 1.2

  〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉.
• * 1.3

  1. Cor. 11. 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉.
• * 1.4

  The vsuall answering of T. C.
• * 1.5

  More since∣ritie in the mi nistratiō now than in the auncient Churche.