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.

Admonition.

They should first proue that holy dayes ascribed to Sayncts, prescript seruices for them, &c. are agreeable to the written worde of the Almightie.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 153. Sect. 4. & Pag. 154. Sect. 1.

Holy dayes ascribed to Sainctes, wherein not the Sainctes, but God is honoured, and the people edified, by reading and hearing suche sto∣ries and places of Scripture, as perteyne to the martyrdome, cal∣ling▪ and function of such Sainctes, or any other thing mentioned of them in Scripture, must needes be according to Gods worde. For to honor God, to worship him, to be edified by the stories and exam∣ples of Sainctes out of the Scripture, cannot be but consonant to the Scripture. The prescript secuice for them is all taken out of Gods worde, and not one peece thereof, but it is moste consonant

vnto the same. If ther be any that is repugnant, set it down, that we may vnderstande it.

I tolde you before, that touching the dayes and times and other Ceremonies, the churche hath authoritie to determine what is most cōuenient, as it hath done from time to time. S. August. in his epistle* 1.1 ad Ian. in y^e place before of me recited saithe, that the passion of Christe, his resurrectiō, his ascētion, & the day of the cōming of the holy ghost (which we cōmonly call Whitsontide) is celebrated, not by any cōmaundement written, but by the determination of the church. And it is the iudgement of al learned writers, that the church hath authoritie in these things so that nothing be done against the word of God. But of this I haue spoken partly before, and intende to speake more largely thereof in the place folowing, where you agayn make mention of it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Augustine.