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. 2. the. 3. Diuision.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 172. Sect. 1. 2. 3.

That place also. 1. Cor. 1. is not fitly applied to this purpose: there is Scripture sufficient directly to proue the sufficiencie of scripture, so that you should not haue needed to giue the aduersarie occasion to carpe at the vnaptnesse of these places for that purpose.

Homilies conteyning doctrine agreable to the Scriptures, be of the same nature that sermons be: Wherefore if it be not lawfull in the Churche to reade Homilies, neyther is it lawfull to preach Ser∣mons: The reason is all one, neither is there any difference, but that Homelies be read in the booke, Sermons sayde without the booke.

Homilies are pithie, learned, and sounde: sermons oftentimes be* 1.1 wordes without matter, vnlearned, erroneous.

T. C. Pag. 157. Sect. vlt.

The place vnto the Corinthes, is the same vnto the Romaines, and M. Doctor approuing one hath no cause to finde faulte with the other. For the hemilies, first of all I haue shewed how absurde a saying, and how vnlike a diuine it is, to matche reading of homilies with preaching of sermons. For if the reading of the holy Scriptures is nothing so fruitefull as the preaching of them, muche lesse is the reading of homilies to be for their fruite matched with preaching of ser∣mons.

Io. Whitgifte.

Neither of both the places doth proue directly that, for the which the Authors of the Admonition do vse them: and there be other places more manifest which they haue omitted.

I haue answered in that place to all your Replie concerning this point: I do not match reading of Homilies with Sermons simply, or with all sermons, but with* 1.2 some: and to some sermons I do preferre the Reading of Homilies for the causes conteyned in mine Answere to the Admonition. Both the reading and the preach∣ing of the Scriptures is necessarie, and the one in diuerse respectes as necessarie, and in some respectes more necessarie than the other. For the Scripture is the rule to discerne and iudge sermons and preachers by: Christe willeth to take heede of false* 1.3 Prophetes. Math. 7. Which can not be done without the diligent reading of the Scrip∣tures: those of Thessalonica are to be commended, for trying by the Scriptures the* 1.4 doctrine preached vnto them: Act. 17. S. Iohn willeth that the spirites be tried, whe∣ther* 1.5 they be of God or no, which must be by the Scriptures. S. Paule Gal. 1. willeth them to holde him accursed that shall preach any other Gospell vnto them, whiche they can not do without that knowledge, whiche God doth giue vnto them by reading of the Scriptures. Infinite places there be, that tendeth to this ende, but I haue spoken of this matter before. This is my opinion that both reading and preaching be most necessarie: but in some respectes the one to be preferred before the other.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Some Ho∣milies better than some sermons.
• * 1.2

  Reading of Scriptures a meanes to iudge of ser∣mons.
• * 1.3

  Math. 7.
• * 1.4

  Act. 17.
• * 1.5

  Iohn. epist. 4. Cal. 1.