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.

That Reading is Preaching.

Chap. 2. the. 1. Diuision.

T. C. Pag. 127. Lin. 13.

And nowe I thinke by this tyme M. Doctor knoweth his answere to his seconde question, which is whether reading be not preaching▪ And if this be not sufficient that I haue sayde, I woulde aske gladly of him, (*) 1.1 whether all Readers be Preachers, and whether whosoeuer rea∣deth, preacheth, for if it be true (which he sayth) that reading is preaching, then that is lykewise true, that all those which reade, preache, and so a childe of. 4. or. 5. yeares olde, is able to preach, by∣cause he is able to reade.

Io. Whitgifte.

I know an answere in déede, such as it is: but it is much more fit for a Papist or Atheist, than for a professor of the Gospell. If preaching be taken generally for e∣uerie* 1.2 kinde of instructing or teaching by the worde of God, as it is ad Rom. 10. then is reading preaching. But if it be taken in the vsuall signification, for him that inter∣preteth the Scripture, teacheth, and exhorteth in the Congregation, by discoursing vpon the scriptures, and applying them as occasion serueth, then it is not so: and yet no lesse profitable to edifying, to such as vnderstande that which is read, than prea∣ching. To reade the Scriptures is not to preach, or teache, in respect of him that rea∣deth, but in the respect of Gods spirite, whiche thereby worketh knowledge in the heart of the Reader or Hearer. For we must thinke it to be true that Cyprian sayth. VVhen we reade the Scripture God speaketh vnto vs: and in this sense a childe that can read, may preach, that is, God by his worde read of a childe, may, and doth oftentimes teach vs. And hereof we haue (God be thanked) many examples in Englande, of those which béeing not able to reade themselues, by the meanes of their children rea∣ding to them at home, receyue instruction and edifying. And if you had béene disposed to haue called to remembrance, that which you say you haue so diligently read in M. Foxe, you might haue knowne that diuerse in the beginning came to the light of the Gospell onely by reading, and hearing the newe Testament in English read: which I am sure you will confesse to haue bene to them a preaching and instruction.

Chap. 2. the. 2. Diuision.

Admonition.

By the worde of God it is an office of preaching, they make it an office of reading.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 159. Sect. 1.

But where doth the booke make the ministerie an office of reading onely? Or what contrarietie is there betwixt reading and prea∣ching? Nay what difference is there betwixt them? If a man* 1.3 shoulde write his Sermon, and reade it in the booke to his flocke, doth he not preach? Is there no Sermons but such as be sayde without booke? I thinke to preache the Gospell is to teache and instruct the people, in fayth and good maners, be it by wryting, rea∣ding or speaking without booke: and I am sure the spirite of God, doth worke as effectually by the one of these wayes, as it doth by the other. Did not Saint Paule preache to the Romaines when he writte to them? Was not the reading of Deuteronomie to the people a preaching? 2. Reg. 23. Will you so scornefully and so con∣temptuously speake of the reading of Scripture, beeing a thing so frutefull and necessarie?

T. C. Pag. 127. Lin. 18.

And least he shoulde seeme to be thus euill aduised, without some reason in the. 159. Page, he asketh whether (if a man wryte his Sermon and after reade it in the booke) that reading be preaching. Here is hard shift, what if I graunted that it is preaching, yet I denie that there∣fore he that readeth an other mannes Sermon preacheth: and further I say, that if there be any such, as beeing able to preache for his knowledge, yet for fault eyther of vtterance or memorie, can not doe it, but by reading that whiche hee hath written: It is not conuenient that hee shoulde bee a Minister in the Churche. For Saint Paule doth not require onely, that the* 1.4 Bishoppe or Minister shoulde be learned in the mysteries of the Gospell, and such a one as is

able to set downe in wryting in his studie, the sense of the Scripture, but one whiche is apt and fitte to teache. And the Prophete Malachie sheweth, that he must haue the lawe, not in his pa∣pers,* 1.5 but in his lippes, noting thereby that it is necessarie to haue the gifte of vtterance: And Esay the Prophete saying that God had giuen him the tongue of the learned, doth thereby declare,* 1.6 that it is not sufficient that he be well instructed in the mysterie of saluation, but that he haue also the gift of vtterance.

Io. Whitgifte.

And why doth not he which readeth an other mans Sermon preache, as well as hée doth when he readeth his owne? What if he pronounce another mans Sermon in the Pulpit without booke, doth he not preache, bicause it is not his owne? I do not speake this to defende any such ignorant Pastor, that should néede so to depende vpon other mens labours: I doe but put a case. It may be that a learned Pastor hauing both memorie and vtterance, sometime vpon occasion may reade a Sermon. And I nothing doubt, but in so doing he preacheth. And surely he shall the more redily haue the lawe in his lippes, if he haue it first in his Papers. And yet if he reade, he must vse his lippes. Ieremie the Prophete as it appeareth in the. 36. Chapter, was com∣maunded to write that which the Lord had commaunded him to say to the people of* 1.7 Iuda, and of Ierusalem, and to cause it to be read vnto them, and so it was in the open congregation, and in the house of the Lorde, in the hearing of all the people. And so did Baruch in like maner write that which he had to say to Iechonia, and to* 1.8 all the people, and read the same in the open congregation Bar. 1. and surely both these bookes were Sermons.

Chap. 2. the. 3. Diuision.

T. C. Page. 127. about the middest.

Afterward M. Doctor asketh whether S. Paule did not preach to the Romaines, when he wrote vnto them. No forsooth, his writing to the Romaines, was no more preaching than S.* 1.9 Paules hande, or his pen. which were his instruments to write with, were his tongue, or his lightes, or any other partes, which were his instruments to speake with. And S. Paule himselfe writing to the Romaines, putteth a difference betwene his writing & his preaching, when although he wrote vnto them, yet he excuseth himselfe that he coulde not come to preach vnto them, saying, that he was readie, as much as lay in him to preach vnto them.

Io. Whitgifte.

Forsooth and I thinke verely, that the same Epistle did them more good, and wrought more with them, than if the selfe same matter, had béene preached vnto them, and not written. And if you will but peruse the. 15. and. 16. vers. of the. 15. Chapter of that Epistle, I thinke that you shall heare the Apostle call this writ∣ten Epistle in effect, preaching. I do not perceyue that in the first Chapter of this Epistle, he maketh any such difference betweene his wryting vnto them, and hys preaching. If you meane the. 15. verse, he therein onely signifieth, that so much as lyeth in him, he is readie personally to preach the Gospell among them, as well as he doth it nowe by his letters: and therefore to say that this his wryting is no more preaching than his hande or his pen, was his tongue or his lightes, is a proper iest, but not so apt for the purpose, nor so fitte for your person. A mans minde is commonly much better ex∣pressed by wryting than by worde, and that which is written continueth.

Chap. 2. the. 4. Diuision.

T. C. Pag. 127. somevvhat past the middest.

But sayeth he was not the reading of Deuteronomie preaching? No more than the reading

of Exod. Here be good proofes. It is generally denied, that readyng is preaching, and M. Doctor without any proofe, taketh it for graunted, that the readyng of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is preaching, al men see how pitifull reasons these be.

Io. Whitgifte.

And why then did God by Moses Deut. 31. commaunde the Priestes and Le∣uites, that they should reade The wordes of this lawe before all Israell, that they might* 1.10 heare it and learne, and feare the Lorde God, and keepe and obserue all the wordes of the lawe? Why did Iosiah after he had founde this booke, cause it to be read, before all the people? if readyng had not bene effectuall, and of as great force to persuade as prea∣ching, that is, if readyng in effect had not bene preaching. If the eight chapter of Ne∣hemias* 1.11 be well considered, and the true meaning of the. 4. and. 7. verses, according to learned and godly interpreters weyghed and pondered, this controuersie will soone be at an ende, & it will there appeare in expresse wordes, that readyng is preaching.

These pitifull reasons so disquiet your patience, that it woulde pitie a man to see how of a diuine, you are become a scornefull iester.

Chap. 2. the. 5. Diuision.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 162. Sect. 2.

Act. 15. it is thus written: For Moses of old tyme hath in euery citie them that preach him, seyng he is read in the Synagogues euery Sabboth day. Where he also seemeth to call reading preaching.

T. C. Pag. 127. Tovvardes the ende.

And in the. 162. page, he alleageth that in the. 15. of the Actes. S. Luke seemeth to meane by readyng preaching. But what dealing is this? vpon a (*) 1.12 seeming and coniecture, to set downe so certainely, and vndoubtedly, that reading is preaching, and then there is no one letter nor syllable that vpholdeth any suche comecture. For S. Iames sayeth that Moses (meaning the lawe) read euery Sabboth thorough out euery towne in the Sinagogue, was also preached, or had those that preached it, setting forth the order which was vsed in all the 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉hurches amongst the people of God: that alwayes, when they mette vpon the Sabboth dayes, they had the scriptures first read, and then preached of and expounded, which is that the Authours of the Admonition do desire, and therefore complayne, for that after readyng followeth no preaching, which any indifferent man may easily vnderstande, by that that they saye: In the olde tyme the worde was preached, nowe it is supposed to be sufficient if it be read.

Io. Whitgifte.

Surely the place of it selfe is euident, neyther can I reade any interpreter, that doth otherwise vnderstand it, than of reading, & the occasion of vttering these wordes importeth the same. For S. Iames doth vse this for a reason, why the ceremonies of the lawe could not by and by be abolished among the Iewes, bycause Moses was of so great authoritie with them, beyng read euery Sabboth day in their Churches. Therefore hauing the wordes of the Scripture with me, I must rest in my opinion, vntill I heare some proofe or authoritie to the contrarie. Howbeit the waight of the cause lieth not vpon this text, this is but one reason among diuerse.

Chap. 2. the. 6. Diuision.

T. C. Pag. 127. Sect. vlt.

But M. Doctor heareth with his left eare, and readeth with his lefte eye, as though his right eye were pulled out, or his right 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉are cut of. For otherwise, the other wordes which they haue tou∣ching this matter, might easily haue bene expounded, by the argument and matter whiche they handle.

Io. Whitgifte.

How doth it then happen that you haue not salued the matter, by setting downe theyr wordes, and declaring how I haue mistaken them? seyng you haue omitted that, men may well thinke that this is not vttered of you in good earnest. Now that you haue sayde all in this matter, you must giue me leaue, to let the Reader vnder∣stande, what you haue lefte vntouched in my booke concerning the same, whither it be bycause you consent vnto it, or that you cannot answere it, I referre to his dis∣cretion.

Notes

• (*) 1.1

  A mere cauil.
• * 1.2

  How reading is preaching.
• * 1.3

  A written ser∣mon is prea∣ching.
• * 1.4

  1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3.
• * 1.5

  Mal. 2.
• * 1.6

  Esay. 50.
• * 1.7

  Iere. 36.
• * 1.8

  Bar. 1.
• * 1.9

  Rom. 1.
• * 1.10

  Deut. 31.
• * 1.11

  Nehem. 8.
• (*) 1.12

  If your see∣mings and con∣iectures were taken away, there would be few reasons left.