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.* 1.1

I haue sufficiently proued that the administration of the Sacramente of Bap∣tisme may be committed to those which be not preachers of the worde.

If the life of the sacrament depende of the preaching of the worde, as you haue said before: then there is an absolute necessitie that the worde be preached immediatly before the sa∣cramentes be ministred, and therefore in making this doubt, you doe but declare a waue∣ring mynde, and an vncerteyne iudgement.

Howe can he begge helpe of an other minister, seing no man may preache in an other mans cure?* 1.2

You greatly forget your self, and the absurditie of your doctrine appeareth by your owne contrarieties.

But nowe that it may be knowen, howe neare in this point you approche to Ana∣baptisme,* 1.3 I will note one or two places out of Zuinglius, touching this matter. In his booke De baptismo, speaking against this selfe same assertion of the Anabaptistes, he saith thus: The disciples did minister the baptisme of water in times past without any do∣ctrine, and without giuing the holy Ghost, for they baptised when as Christ taught and did not baptise, as we haue before shewed out of the. 4. of Iohn, and out of the: 1. Cor. 1. for Paule* 1.4 sayth, Christe sent me not to baptise, but to preache, therfore some taught, and other bapti∣sed. But we may gather out of the sixt of Iohn, that baptisme was vsed before that men be∣ing indued with true faith, did sticke vnto the doctrine, for there we reade that many for∣sooke Christ, whom notwithstanding no man doubteth to haue bin before baptised. Again intreating of these wordes. (Euntes docete omnes gentes. &c. Math. 28. which the Anabap∣tistes vse for an argument to improue the baptisme of infantes, bicause Christe sayd there Docete, before he said Baptizate, whereof they gather your assertion, that preaching must go before baptisme, and therefore conclude that infantes may not be baptised bicause they can not be taught) saith thus: By these wordes they which deny baptisme vnto infantes do not only seduce them selues, but drawe others also into great errors, and Laberinthes: for vrging of the bare order of the wordes of Christe, they haue nothing else in their mouthes but onely this: Docete & baptizate, teache and baptise. Beholde saye they the commaundement of Christe. In the meane tyme, they do not marke (nay in deede they will not marke) that the same thing that they so much crie vpon, doctrine, is afterwarde also set after, when as he sayth, Docentes eos seruare. &c. teaching them to obserue all those thinges, vvhich I haue commaunded you. By the which wordes, it is manifest that baptisme is a signe whereby we giue our names, and haue our firste entrance vnto Christ, the which being giuen and receiued, yet notwithstanding those thinges are to be taught and to be learned, which Christ would haue vs to keepe: but these men vrging the bare letter, Crye still, that Christe sayd, Docete & baptizate, teache and baptise. VVherfore I will also vrge the same bare letter, but for their causes onely, if by any meanes I might withdrawe them from their desire to contende. Sirs you vrge that saying, Go and teache al nations, bap∣tizing thē in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost: and I say this, Baptise them in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost, teaching them to obserue all things, vvhatsoever I haue commaunded you. VVherefore nowe I aske, whither of vs hath the worde more plaine and apert, that concerneth doctrine? you verily bring the worde of God, whiche proueth that men should be taught, but what kinde of doctrine that is, is not in those your wordes expressed. But wee haue the worde of God more cleare and playne than yours, which is, Teaching them to obserue all those things, vvhatsoeuer I haue commaun∣ded you, and these wordes are put after, and not set before baptisme. And a little after. Although we graunt that this order of wordes hath some force in this place, yet these things perteine nothing vnto young children and infantes, that they should not be baptised before doctrine: for these wordes perteine vnto those that are instructed in doctrine and the out∣ward worde: but it is manifest that infantes are not taught, therfore these wordes can not so be referred vnto children, that they ought not to be baptized.

And in the same booke, speaking of this. 3. chap. of Mathewe by you alleadged* 1.5 and vsed of the Anabaptistes to the same purpose, he graunteth that Iohn did preache before he did baptise, For necessitie so required, that by teaching he should expounde to

the people the causes of baptisme. For except doctrine were preached, no man woulde in these our dayes haue their children baptized. But after they were of yeares of discretion, and had receiued faith through the ministerie of the doctrine, (as we reade that it was done of them in olde time) they brought their children also to be baptised. And in the ende he con∣cludeth thus: In the meane time, we do willingly graunt this vnto them, that doctrine and instruction ought to go before, if at any time we come vnto infidels, for none of the Heathen ought to be baptised, but he which hath heard and beleued that doctrine, which was before vnknowen vnto them and theirs.

Thus then you sée, howe nere your opinion of the necessitie of preaching before the administration of the Sacramentes, approcheth to the heresie of the Anabaptists. If you would shifte off the matter, as though you required not this necessitie of prea∣ching before the administration of the Sacramentes alwayes in respecte of those whiche are ro receiue them, but in respect of the rest which are present, as this would be but a shifte, so can it not agrée with your assertion: for the lyfe of the sacramentes, per∣teyneth not to those that bée present, but vnto those that are partakers of them. Wherefore M. Doctor néedeth not his egles eyes to espye your errors (that I saye no worse) but with dimmer sight than he hath, might easely sée, that you in this doctrine haue playnely ioyned handes with the Anabaptistes.

And yet I would not haue any man thinke that I mislyke preaching in the ad∣ministration* 1.6 of the sacramentes, which can be vnprofitable at no tyme: but this only I affirme, that it is not so necessarily ioyned with the administration of the sacra∣mentes, but that they may be rightly administred, though the woorde be not at the same tyme preached.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tract. 6. cap. 1 & Tract. 9. cap. 1. diuis. 15
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.3

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 approcheth to 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
• * 1.4

  Zuinglius.
• * 1.5

  When prea∣ching is neces∣sary before 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.6

  Preaching be fore the mini∣stration not disalowed.