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. 130. Sect. 2.

M. Doctor asketh howe it is proued that there was any examination of the communicantes. After this sorte, all things necessarie were vsee in the churches of God in the Apostles tymes, but

examination of those, whose knowledge of the mysterie of the Gospel was not knowne or doubted of, was a necessary thing, therefore it was vsed in the churches of God whiche were in the Apo∣stles time.

Io. Whitgifte.

I denie your minor, fyrst, bycause no suche at that tyme woulde offer themselues to receyue the communion. Secondly, bicause if any such did offer themselues, not béeing knowne, the fault is particular to themselues, and toucheth them onely, not the whole Churche. Thirdly, bycause if it had bene so necessarie a thing, Saincte Paule woulde not haue omitted it, especially when he hadde an especiall cause to speake of it, as he had when he spake of priuate examination of a mannes selfe, 1. Cor. 11. Probet autem seipsum home. &c. Of the whiche wordes M. Caluin speaking in* 1.1 his booke agaynst the Anabaptists sayth thus: But what neede we so to dispute? seing the Apostle himselfe in an other place treating of the manner, howe euery man shoulde be prepared to the receyning of the Supper of the Lorde (as it behoueth him) doth not bidde euery one too examine the faultes of hys neighboure, but speaketh after thys manner, Probet seipsum bomo. &c. Lette a man examine himselfe, and so let him eate of this breade and drynke of this cuppe: for hee that cateth and drinketh vnworthily, eateth and drin∣keth his owne damnation. In whiche woordes there are two things to be obserued. Firste, that to communicat with those that are vnworthy, is not to eate the bread of the Lorde vn∣worthyly,* 1.2 but not to prepare himselfe as he ought to do, and not to expend and consider his owne faith and repentaunce. The second, that when the supper is to be receiued, we begin not with other men to examine them, but that we trie ourselues: and surely if all things were exactly considered, euen they which haue so much leysure to enquire of other mens beha∣uiour, are for the most part negligent, and forgetfull of their owne duties. So that it is ne∣cessary for euery man to examine himselfe, and not so necessary for one man to exa∣mine another. But what I thinke of this kynde of examining by other, I haue decla∣red in my Answer to the Admonition.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉. Cor. 11. Caluin.
• * 1.2

  Two things worthy the noting, for those which shall commu∣nicate.