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. 5. Diuision.

T. C. Pag. 158. Sect. 1.

Besides this the pollicie of the church of God in tymes past is to be followed herein, that for the expounding of darker places, places of more easinesse ought to be ioyned togither, as in the per∣secution of Antiochus, where they coulde not haue the commoditie of preaching, the Iewes did appoynt at their meeting alwayes a peece of the lawe to be redde, and with all a peece of the Pro∣phets which expounded that peece of the lawe, rather than to bryng in interpretations of men to be redde. And bycause I am entred into that matter, here commeth to be considered, the practise also of the church, both before our sauiour Christes comming, and after, that when the churches met togither, there is nothing mentioned but the reading of the Scriptures, for so is the Liturgie described in the Actes. And it is not to be thought, but that they had those which made expositions* 1.1 of the law & the Prophets. And besides that they had Onkelos the Calday paraprast, both Gala∣tyne,* 1.2 and Rabbi Moses (surnamed Maynion) write, that Ionathan an other of the Calday para∣phrasts florished in our sauiour Christes time, whose writings & paraphrases vpon the scriptures, are esteemed cōparable in that kinde of paraphrasticall writing, with any which hath laboured that wayes, & if any mens writings were to be redde in the churche, those paraphrases which in expla∣ning the scripture, go least from it, and which kept not only the numbre of sentences, but almost the very number of wordes, were of all most fit to be redde in the churche, seyng therefore (I say) the church of God then absteyned from such interpretations in the churche, and contented it selfe with the scriptures, it can not be but a most daungerous attempt, to bring any thing into the churche to be redde, besides the worde of God. This practise (*) 1.3 continued still in the Churches of God after the Apostles times, as may appeare by the second Apologie of Iustine Martyr, whiche sheweth that their manner was to read in the church the monuments of the Prophets, and of the Apostles, and if they had redde any thing els, it is to be supposed that he would haue set it downe, considering that his purpose there, is to shewe the whole order whiche was vsed in their churches then. The same may appeare in the first homilie of Origen vpon Exodus, and vpon the Iudges.

Io. Whitgifte.

Surely in all this there is nothing spokē against reading of Homilies, that may* 1.4 not in like manner be alleaged against preaching of sermons, & other godly exercises of interpreting the scriptures: for if Homilies interpreting the scriptures according to the true meaning, & sense of them, be the interpretations of men, and therefore not to be redde in the Church, whose interpretations shall we call Sermons, and other readinges? The one as well as the other is vttered by men, & by men in that order framed. But I thinke that no right and true interpretation of the Scripture is to be* 1.5 compted mans, though it be written, redde, or preached by man, for the spirite of God is the Author of it, & man is but the instrument. The rest of your proofes taken frō the vse of the Church (as you say) be all ab authoritate negatiuè: and most of them ab au∣thoritate hominum: whiche kinde of argument your self haue before vtterly condēned. I haue oftentimes could you that an argument, à non facto, ad non ius (& it is M. Zuin∣glius and other mens iudgement, as well as mine) is good neyther in diuine, nor yet in humane thinges.

So far as I can learne Ionathan the Calday Paraphrast, florished not in Chri∣stes* 1.6 time, (as you say) but. 42. yeares before Christ was borne, and I thinke there is none of these Paraphrastes so faithfull, in interpreting, but that they misse in some places: & you can not but acknowledge, that one good Sermon or Homilie of some

learned mans, well & plainely redde to the people, may edifie them more, than the reading of these Paraphrastes. And yet I suppose you knowe, that the Iewes haue those Paraphrastes, as yet redde in their Churches: wherefore hitherto if you haue spoken any thing it is against your selfe.

But you say, that this practise continued still in the Churches of god, &c. and you proue it by Iustine Martyr, bycause he mentioneth nothing read in the churche, but Monuments of the Prophetes, and Ipostles. Concerning your proofe, I haue declared already of what force it is, being drawne ab authoritate humana negatiuè. Now that this practise continued not still in the Church, you shall easily perceyue if you peruse that which Eusebius wri∣teth* 1.7 out of an Epistle of Dionysius Corinthius to Soter Byshop of Rome, where he writeth after this sorte. And in this epistle there is mention of an Epistle of Clemēt writ∣ten to the Corinthians, declaring that (according to the olde custome) it was read in the* 1.8 Church. For thus he sayth: we haue this day celebrated the holy day of the Lorde, where∣in we read your Epistle, whiche we will alwayes read for admonition sake, in like sorte as* 1.9 the former epistle written to vs from Clement. The Authors of the Centuries wri∣ting of this Dionysius, thinke it not vnlike that his Epistles were also read in the Churche, bicause Eusebius calleth them Catholicas, Catholike. Their woordes be these: Non videtur prae〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ereundum, quòd Eusebius basce epistolas Catholicas vocet: fortè quia in Ecc〈1 line〉〈1 line〉e∣sijs* 1.10 piorum solitae sunt legi, sicut Clementis. This thing woulde not be omitted, that Euse∣bius calleth these epistles Catholike: peraduenture, bicause they were wonte to be read in the Churches of the faythfull, as the Epistle of Clement was. And this may testifie of the practise of the Churche in Iustinus Martyrs time better than your negatiue* 1.11 argument. And of the practise since, the. 4. Can. Concil. Vasens. will giue sufficient testimo∣nie, where it is decreed, that if the ministers be let by infirmitie or sickenesse, the Homi∣lies* 1.12 of the fathers should be read of the Deacons.

Notes

• * 1.1

  13. Act.
• * 1.2

  15. Act.
• (*) 1.3

  Vntruth as will appeare.
• * 1.4

  Sermons are of the same nature with Homilies.
• * 1.5

  The true in∣terpretation of the scrip∣ture is not to be accounted as of man.
• * 1.6

  Ionathan the Cald〈1 line〉〈1 line〉y para∣phrast before christes time.
• * 1.7

  The epistle of Ciement reade in the churche.
• * 1.8

  Euseb. lib. 4▪ Cap. 2〈1 line〉〈1 line〉.
• * 1.9

  Dionysius li∣ued about the yeare. 147.
• * 1.10

  Cent. 2. cap. 10.
• * 1.11

  Concil. vas. La. 4.
• * 1.12

  Homilies of fathers read in the church.