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.

Io. Whitgifte.

I doubt not but that Iohn preached vnto them oftner than once, or twice before he did baptise them: for else should he haue baptised them being infidels: but it may wel be gathered by those places of Sainct Mathew, that he did not immediatly preache vnto them before baptisme, which is that that I affirme. For the authors of the Ad∣monition séeme to condemne the administration of our sacramentes, bycause the word is not always preached immediatly before they be ministred.

I vnderstād not how you can gather any such order out of that. 19. of Actes, vers. 5. except you cal questioning preaching. For S. Paule there doth question with them, asking them whither they had receiued the holy Ghost, or no, and vnto what they were baptised? there is no mention of any sermon preached, for any thing that I can espie. Moreouer it is daungerous to vnderstand that place of the Sacrament of bap∣tisme,* 1.1 least we should séeme to admitte rebaptisation, and to fal into the heresie of the Anabaptists, who vse this plars for that purpose or else thinke that there is so greate difference betwixt the baptisme of Iohn, and the baptisme of Christ, that suche as were baptised with the baptisme of Iohn, had néede againe 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 baptized with the baptisme of Christ, which opinion some hold being deceiued by this place: There∣fore that it may appeare how vnaptly you haue alleadged this place for your pur∣pose, and what suspition you haue giuen either of the Anabaptisticall rebaptisati∣on, or Papisticall difference betwixte the baptisme of Iohn, and the baptisme of

Christ, I will recite vnto you the iudgement of some learned men concerning thys place. M. Caluine vpon the same verse and sentence writeth thus: But now it may be asked whether it be lawfull to reiterate baptisme, and furious men of our time vsing thys testimonie, haue gone about to bring in Anabaptisme. Some men by the name of baptisme vnderstand a new institution: vnto whome I do not assent, bycause their exposition as it is enforced, sauoureth of a shift. Others denie that Baptisme was reiterated, bycause they had* 1.2 bin baptised, of some folish imitator of Iohn. But bycause their gheasse hath no coloure of truth, nay rather the words of Paule do testify that they wer the very true disciples of Iohn, and Luke very honorably calleth them the disciples of Christ: I do not subscribe vnto thys sentence, and yet I denie the baptisme of water to haue bin reiterated, bycause the wordes of Luke do sound nothing else, but that they were baptised with the spirit. First it is no new* 1.3 thing to transferre the name of baptisme to the gifts of the spirite, as we haue seene in the first and. 11. Chap. where Luke sayd that Christ, when he promised to the Apostles the vi∣sible sending of the holy Ghost, called it baptisme, and agayne when the holy Ghost des∣cended vpon Cornelius, that Peter remembred the wordes of the Lord, you shall be bapti∣sed with the holy Ghost. Then we see that it is here namely intreated of the visible gifts, and that they are conferred and giuen with baptisme. But wheras it followeth immediatly, that when he had layd his hands vpon them, the holy Ghost came. I interprete that to be put in the way of exposition, for it is the vsuall and familiar manner of speaking in the scripture, to propound a matter briefly, and after to explicate it more plainly. That therfore which for breuitie was somewhat obscure, Luke doth better expresse, and more largely expound, say∣ing, that the holy Ghost was giuen them by the imposition of hands. If any man obiecte, that the name of baptisme, when it is vsed for the gifts of the holy Ghost, is not put simply, but with addition, I answer that the meaning of Luke is euidēt enough by the text. And fur∣ther, that Luke alludeth to baptisme, wherof he had before made mentiō. And surely if you should take it for the externall signe, it will be absurd that it was giuen vnto them, without any better instruction. But if metaphorically of the institution, the phrase would yet be more hard, and the story would not agree, that after they were taught, the holy Ghost des∣cended vpon them.

But be it as other some learned men also interprete thys place, that in the for∣mer parte of the Chapter, the baptisme of Iohn is taken for the doctrine of Iohn, and in this place for the sacrament of baptisme: and that Paule preached before he did administer the same, yet doth it not follow, that of necessitie there must be prea∣ching before the administration of baptisme. The Anabaptists abused this place to the same effect, but M. Bullinger doth answer them in this manner. VVhereas the Ca∣tabaptists* 1.4 obiect here, Therefore doctrine goeth before baptisme: no man denyeth it, but yet in those that be of yeares of discretion, and with whome the name of Christ hath not bin published. But agayn whereas the name of Christ hath bin heard of, no man can denie, but that there the parents being carefull for the saluation of their children, do offer them vnto holy baptisme, bycause they heare that God is also, the God of infants: but baptisme 〈◊〉〈◊〉 selfe to be nothing else, but the signe of the people of God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The place. 19 Act. may not be interpreted of y^e sacrament of baptisme.
• * 1.2

  Caluin in. 19. Acto.
• * 1.3

  The name of baptisme transferred to the gifts of the spirit.
• * 1.4

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ullin. in. 19. Acto.