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.

Chap. 4. The first Diuision.

Admonition▪

That the parties to be baptised, if they be of the yeares of (p) 1.1 discretion, by them selues and in their owne persones, or if they be infantes, by theyr parentes (in whose rooine if vpon necessary oc∣casion they be absent, some one of the congregation, knowyng the good behauiour and sounde faythe of the par〈1 line〉〈1 line〉tes) may both make rehersall if theyr faythe, and also if their fayth be sounde, & agrea∣ble to holy scriptures, desyre to be in the same baptised. And finally, that nothyng be done in this or any other thing, but that which you haue the expresse warrant of Gods worde for.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 111. Sect. 1. 2.

I muse what you meane to saye on this sorte: The parties to be bapti∣sed* 1.2 if they be of the yeares of discretion. &c. You knowe that in this Church of England none tarry for baptisme so long, except it be in some secrete congregation of Anabaptistes. The place alledged out of the third of Matthew telleth how they that were baptised cōfessed their sinnes, it speaketh nothing of any confession of faith.

It is well that you admitte some to answere for the infant in the* 1.3 absence of the parent, and why not in his presence to? what scripture haue you, that the Parent at the baptising of his childe should make a rehersall of his fayth, and desire that his childe should bee therein baptised? this I desire to knowe for myne owne learning, for I nei∣ther remember any such thing in scripture, neither yet in any auncient wryter: I do herein but desire to be instructed.

T. C. Pag. 139. Lin. 6.

And bicause I would haue all those thyngs togither that touche this matter of baptisine, I come to that which he hath in the next Section and in. III. page, where after his olde manner, he〈1 line〉〈1 line〉

wrangleth and quarrelleth. For although the Admonition speaketh so playnely and so clearely, that as Hesiod. sayth, it myght 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 satisfie Momus, yet M. Doctor goeth about there, to bryng it in suspicion of Anabaptisme, bicause allowing in playne wordes the baptisme of infantes, they adde that if the parties be of discretion and yeares, them selues in their own persons, should de∣maunde to be baptised. For sayth he in this Church they tary not for baptisme so long: But is ther no cause or may there not be, when they that be of age may be baptised? It may be there are Iewes in Englande, which vnderstanding their blyndnes and confessing their synne, may desyre to be bap∣tised, and 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉here be dyuers Mores in noble mens & gentlemens houses, which are sometimes brought to the knowledge of Christe, whereby th〈1 line〉〈1 line〉re is some vse and practise of this case.

Io. Whitgifte.

Anabaptisme being so crafty an heresy, that it dissembleth many things, vntill it* 1.4 haue sufficient ayde, a man can not be to suspicious of it, especially in those that walke in steppes so lyke vnto it. And yet I speake nothing in that place, that may bryng the A〈1 line〉〈1 line〉thours of the Admonition into suspicion of Anabaptisme, vnlesse they suspect them selues, or that you would haue them suspected: for you knowe the olde prouerbe. Con∣scius ipse sibi. &c. It may be in deede that there be Iewes in Englande, & Mores, & Turkes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and that some of them being conuerted to the fayth, be afterward〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 baptised, and 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 it is so, but the case is very rare, and there is no man that doub∣teth but 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 to be examined in their fayth before they be admitted to baptisme. This is against nothing that I haue sayde.

Notes

• (p) 1.1

  Math. 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉. 6.
• * 1.2

  Of those that are to be bap∣tised.
• * 1.3

  Of the parēts answering 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉or their children.
• * 1.4

  Anabaptisme a crafty here∣sy〈1 line〉〈1 line〉.