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.

Admonition.

They had no introite, for Celestinus a Pope brought it in, about the yere. 430. But we haue borrowed ap〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ce of one out of the Masse booke.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 94. Sect. 1. 2.

What you vnderstande heere by the Introite, certaynely I knowe* 1.1 not. The first thing that we say at the Communion is the Lordes prayer, which Celestinus did not inuent, but Christe. Matth. 6. nor* 1.2 first vse in the celebration of the Lordes Supper, but the Apostles, as we reade in good Chronicles: next vnto that is a very godly and necessary prayer, worthy to be sayde in the celebration of suche a my∣sterie, and therefore no matter at all who inuented it, or broughte it in: And yet Celestinus was a godly Bishop, and the Churche of

Rome, at that tyme had the substance of the sacraments, according to Gods word, neither was there any superstitiō mixed with them: notwithstanding I know not any Introite of Celestinus inuētion, that* 1.3 we haue in our order of the Communion: for the Introite that he appoin∣ted was one of the psalmes, as Volateranus, Gratianus, and Polydorus Vergili∣u〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 do testify. And we haue not any psalme in the celebratiō of the sup∣per: if we had, it were not to be reproued.

This I am sure of, that it is not euill, bycause it is in the Masse booke, except it be repugnāt to the word of God: for the Lords pray∣er* 1.4 some of the psalmes, the Gospells and Epistles, the Nicene creede &c. be in the Masse booke, and yet good, so is there some other good prayers in it also.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The introite.
• * 1.2

  The Apo∣stles began the Lordes supper with the Lordes prayer,
• * 1.3

  Celestinus introite what it was.
• * 1.4

  The epistle and Gospell.