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. 118. Sect. vlt.

Now to the churching of women, in the which title yet kept, there seemeth to be hid a great part* 1.1 of the Iewish purification: for like as in the olde law she that had brought forth a child was holden* 1.2 vncleane, vntill such time as she came to the temple to shewe hirselfe, after she had brought forth a man or a woman: so this terme of churching of hir can seeme to import nothing else, than a banish∣ment (and as it were) a certaine excommunication from the Churche during the space that is be∣twene the time of hir deliuerie, and of hir comming vnto the Church. For what doth else this chur∣ching implie; but a restoring hir vnto the Church, which cannot be without some barre or shutting forth presupposed. It is also called the thankes giuing, but the principall tytle whiche is the di∣rectorie of this part of the Liturgie, and placed in the top of the leafe, as that which the translator best lyked of, is (Churching of women.) To passe by that, that it will haue them come as nigh the Communion table as may be, as they came before to the high aultar (bicause I had spoken once ge∣nerally agaynst such ceremonies) that of all other is most Iewish, and approcheth nearest to the Iewish purifycation, that she is commaunded to offer accustomed offrings, wherein besydes that the verie worde offering caryeth with it a strong sent and suspition of a sacryfice (especially being vttered symply without any addition) it cannot be without daunger that the booke maketh the cu∣stome of the Popish Churche (which was so corrupt) to be the rule and measure of this offering. And although the meaning of the booke is not, that it should be any offring for sinne, yet this maner of speaking, may be a stumbling stocke in the way of the ignorant and simple, and the wicked & ob∣stinate thereby are confirmed and hardned in their corruptious. The best which can be answered in this case is, that it is for the reliefe of the minister, but then it should be remembred, first that the minister lyueth not any more of offrings: secondarily, that the payment of the ministers wages is not so conuenient, eyther in the Church, or before all the people: and thirdly, that thereby we fall into that fault which we condemne in Poperie, and that is, that besydes the ordinarie liuing ap∣poynted for the seruice of the Priests in the whole, they tooke for theyr seuerall seruices of Masse, Baptisme, Burying, Churching, &c. seuerall rewardes, which thing being of the seruice booke, well abolished in certains other things, I cannot see, what good cause there shoulde be to reteine it in this and certaine other.

Io. Whitgifte.

It is the propertie of quarellers, and of men naturally bent to contention, to striue* 1.3 about wordes and termes, when they cannot reproue any thing in the matter it selfe. For in all these faults here pretended there is not one that toucheth the matter of the booke, onely the tytle in the top of the leafe, the cōming of women so neare to the Communion table, the paying of the accustomed offrings to the Curate, are in this place reproued, as mat∣ters of great importance, being all of themselues not worth the talking off: and yet béeing (as comely and decent orders) prescribed by the Church, may not be contem∣ned and despysed, without the crime of stubbornnesse and disobedience. But that your quarelling may the rather appeare, I will answere your cauilles in as few wordes as I can, and first for the title which is this. The thankes giuing of women after child∣birth, commonly called the Churching of women. Now sir you sée, that the proper tytle* 1.4 is this. The thankes giuing of women after Childebirth. The other is the common name customably vsed of the common people, who will not be taught to speake by you, or any man, but kéepe their accustomed names and termes: therefore they call the Lordes day Sunday, and the next day vnto it Monday, prophane and ethnicall names, and yet nothing derogating from the dayes and tymes. Lykewise they call the Mor∣ning and Euening prayer, Mattens and Euensong, neyther can they be brought to the contrarie, and yet the prayers be not the worse: so they call the day of Christes nati∣uitie Christmasse, &c. what is this to condemne the things themselues?

But you say this terme doth import nothing else than a banishment from the Church. &c. so might you say that these names Sunday & Monday do import y^t we dedicate those days to the Sunne & Moone: and so likewise might you say of the other names reteyned in the cōmon and vsuall speache: but all men would then espie your folly euen as they may do nowe, if they be disposed. The absence of the woman after hir delyuerie,

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is neyther banishment nor excommunication (as you terme it) but a withdrawing* 1.5 of the partie from the Churche by reason of that infirmitie and daunger, that God hath layde vpon woman kinde in punishment of the first sinne, whiche daunger she knoweth not whether she shall escape or no: and therefore after shee hath not onelye escaped it, but also brought a childe into the worlde, to the encrease of Gods people, and after such tyme as the comelinesse of nature maye beare, she commeth firste into* 1.6 the Churche to giue thankes for the same, and for the deliueraunce by Christe from that sinne, whereof that infirmitie is a perpetuall testimonie. And this being done, not Iewishly, but Christianly, not of custome, but of duty, not to make the act of law∣full matrimonie vncleane, but to giue thankes to God for deliueraunce from so mani∣folde perilles, what Christian hearte can for the names sake, thus disallowe of it, as you doe?

The comming so neare the communion table, is a verye small matter to carpe at, it is thought to be the moste conuenient place, both for the minister & for the woman, espe∣cially if she be disposed to receiue the holy Communion. But such trifling quarrels ar∣gue an extreame penurie of good and substantiall reasons.

The paying of hir accustomed offrings which you séeme moste to mislike (as your selfe confesse the meaning of the booke to be) hath no such purpose and intent, as you would make the Reader to beleue, neither can it: for she neither offereth Lambe, Turtles, or* 1.7 yong Pigeons, as the lawe requireth, but payeth to the Curate his accustomed dutie, which both she may as lawfully giue, and he receiue, as the other tenthes may be payde and receyued. It is a portion of the Pastors liuing appointed and limitted vnto hym by the Churche, and therefore he may lawfully receiue it, as it is appointed vn∣to him. And all your obiections to the contrary, are hereby answered fully.