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. 119. Sect. 1.

The holy dayes followe, of which M. Doctor sayth that so they be not vsed superstitiouflye, or vnprofitably, they may be commaunded. I haue shewed before that they were, if they were so indif∣ferent as they are made, yet being kept of the Papistes, which are the enemies of God, they ought to be abolished. And if it were as easy a matter to pull out the superstition of the obseruyng of those holydayes out of mens heartes, as it is to protest and to teache that they are not commaunded for any Religion to be put in them, or for any to make conscience of the obseruing of them, as though there wer some necessary worshippe of God, in the keping of them: then were they much more tollerable, but when as the continuance of them doth nourishe wycked superstition in the myndes of men, and that the doctrine whiche should remedy the superstition through the few〈1 line〉〈1 line〉nesse and scarcitie of able ministers, cannot come to the moste parte of them which are infected with this disease, and that also where it is preached, the fruite thereof is in part hyndred whylest the common people attende oftentymes rather to that whiche is done, than to that which is taught, being a thyng indifferent (as it is sayde) it ought to be abolyshed, as that whiche is not onely not fyttest to holde the people in the syncere worshypping of God, but also as that which keepeth them in their former blyndnesse & corrupt opinions, which they haue conceyued of such holydayes.

Io. Whitgifte.

Things that be good and profitable and haue a necessarye vse, tending to the edifying of the Churche, and the worshyppyng of God, are not to bée vtterly remoued for the abuses crepte in, but the abuse muste be taken awaye and the thing still re∣mayne. If all things should bée abrogated bicause they were kepte of the Papistes,

there would bée a meruailous alteration, bothe in the Churche and in the common weale. But I haue shewed before howe farre this is from the truthe, euen in some things inuented by Popes, much more in suche things as were agréed vppon in the primitiue Church (as many of the holydays were) before the Popes tyranny, though afterwardes greatly abused.

Holydayes as they be nowe vsed, be rather meanes to withdrawe men, not only from superstition of the dayes them selues, but from all other kyndes of superstition whatsoeuer: for then is God in the publike congregation truly worshipped, the Sa∣cramentes rightly ministred, the scriptures and other godly Homilies read, the worde of God faythfully preached: all whiche be the chiefe and principall meanes to with∣drawe men, not onely from superstition, but all kynde of errour likewyse.

Notes

• Profitable thyngs must not be refused for the abuse.
• Tract. 7. ca. 5.
• The vse of our holydaies a stoppe to su∣perstition.