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. 124. Sect. vlt.

Whereas vnto the Admonition prouing out of the third of S. Mathew, that preaching must go before the ministring of the Sacramēts, you answer first, that it is against al logicke to cōclude a generall 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ule vpon a particular example: you shall vnderstand that that whiche Iohn did in that poynte, he did it not as a singular person, or as the sonne of Zacharie, but as the minister of the gos∣pell, and therefore it apperteyneth as well to all other ministers, as vnto him. For as it is a good conclusion, that for so much as Peter in that he is a man is borne to haue, and by common course of nature hath two legges, therefore Iohn, & Thomas, and al the rest haue so: euen so, for so muche as Iohn by reason of his ministerie, had neede first to preach, then to baptise, it followeth that all others, that haue that ministerie committed vnto them, must do the like.

Io. Whitgifte.

So did Iohn not as a priuate man, but as a minister of the Gospell preach in the wildernesse, baptise in Iordan, must therefore all other ministers of the Gospell do the same? This is no orderly kind of reasoning to saye, Peter in that he is a man is borne to haue two legges, Ergo euery man hathe two legges: but the due forme of reasoning is this: Euery man by nature hath two legges, Peter is a man and ther∣fore by nature hath two legges. Therefore if the argumente had bin framed on thys sort, it is the office of euery minister of the Gospell to preach before baptisme: Iohn, Peter, and Thomas be ministers of the Gospell, Ergo they ought to preach before baptisme. It had bin in some good order touching the forme, though in the matter ther had bin some fault. But you must thinke that to preach before the administration of baptisme, is not so natural to a minister of the Gospell, nor so much of the substance of his office, as to haue two legges is to a man. For he may be a true, faithfull, and perfecte minister of the Gospell, though he neuer preache before the administra∣tion of Baptisme: But he cannot be a perfecte man, touching his body, that lac∣keth the one or bothe of his legges. It is an vndoubted rule in the Scriptures, that

a generall doctrine, may not be concluded of particular examples, except the same examples be according to some generall rule or commaundement.

The Apostles in that they were ministers of the worde, preached in all places, cured diseases, wrought miracles. &c. But it doth not therefore follow that all other ministers must do so likewise. Howbeit if the case were now with other ministers* 1.1 of the Gospell, as it was then with Iohn, that is, if they had to baptise only men of yeares and discretion, and such as beléeued not in Christ, as Iohn had: then it were most necessary that they should preach before they did baptise. But séeing the case is cleane altered and there is now no occasion to minister the sacrament of baptisme to any but to yong infants, that vnderstand not the word preached, I cannot perceyue how that example of Iohn can be aptly applyed, for he preached to such as were yet to be baptised. But the Reader may note, that you are content to passe ouer the vn∣apt allegation of the Scripture, vsed by the authors of the Admonition in this place.

Notes

• * 1.1

  When prea∣ching before baptisme is necessary.