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. 125. Sect. vlt.

After this M. Doctor accuseth the authors of the Admonition, as though they simply con∣demned reading the scriptures in the church, and this accusation he foloweth in many wordes, and in diuers places, wherein as in a number of other places of their booke, the authours of the Admoni∣tion haue cause to renew that olde complaynt of Theodorus, which is that whensoeuer any thing is sayde that is vnpleasant, that is by and by expounded otherwyse than it is ment of hym that spea∣keth it: so that that which is giuen with the right hande, is receyued with the lefte. For the authors of the Admonition declaring their vtter mislikyng, that there shoulde be in steade of a preaching minister (a) 1.1 (if I may so call hym) and in steade of preachyng reading, are vntruely expounded of M. Doctor, as though they condemned all reading in the churche. And here he maketh himselfe worke, and picketh a quarell to blot a great deale of paper, and to proue that which no man denieth, for besydes this treatise, he speaketh afterward of it in halfe a score pages, euen from the. 159. page vntill the. 170. page, & so lighteth vs a candle at noone dayes. (*) 1.2 It is a token of at nature disposed to no great quietnesse, whiche rather than he would not striue, striueth with himselfe.

Io. Whitgifte.

Whither I accuse them iustly or no, I shall referre it to the Reader to iudge, after I haue set downe their very wordes, which indéede no Christian cares can pa∣ciently heare: pag. 157. they say thus: Reading is not feeding, but it is as euill as playing vpon a stage, and worse to. Which wordes if they be well marked and ioyned with the reason that followeth: for players yet learne their partes without booke. &c. must néedes signifie a mer〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 contempt of reading the scriptures, and a mynde that thinketh lesie edifying to come by reading, than by playing vpō a stage, which is an vntolerable blasphemy. Pages. 164. and. 165. their talke of reading the scriptures tendeth wholy to this pur∣pose, to make the same altogether vnprofitable: and surely no man can excuse them

of this crime, but he that is bent without respect to assent vnto them in all thinges, though they be moste manifestly false, and moste absurde.

But I would haue the Reader marke this one thing, that speaking of a reading minister, you saye, It I may so call hym, whereby you giue playne signification that you may not call nor esteeme them to be ministers which cannot preache. Whiche if it be true, then haue they not in your doctrine delyuered any of the sacramentes, &* 1.3 so consequently so many not baptized as haue bene baptizedby thē, to the proofe wher∣of your doctrine tendeth wholly. The like he hath after warde, pag. 128. Sect. 1.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  A daunge∣rous parenthe∣sis.
• (*) 1.2

  Herein you haue aptly de∣scribed your own nature.
• * 1.3

  The marke that the Re∣plier shoteth at