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. 7. the. 2. Diuision.

Admonition.

The thirtéenth. In all their order of Seruice (p 1.1) there is no edification according to the rule of the Apostle, but confusion. They tosse the Psalmes in most places like tennese balles, the people some standing, some walking, some talking, some reading, some praying by themselues, attend not to the Minister. He againe posteth it ouer as fast as he can gallop: for eyther he hath two places to serue, or else there are some (*) 1.2 games to be played in the after noone, as lying for the whetstone, heathnish dauncing for the ring, a Beare or a Bull to be bayted or else Iacke an apes to ride on horsebacke, or an Enterlude to be played, and if no place else can bee gotten, it must be done in the Church. &c. Now the people sit, now they stande vp: when the olde Testament is read, or the les∣sons, they make no reuerence, but when the Gospell commeth, then they (*) 1.3 all stande vp. For why, they thinke that to be of greatest authoritie, and are ignorant that the Scriptures came from one spirite. When Iesus is named, then off goeth the cap, and downe goeth the knees, with suche a scraping on the grounde, that they cannot heare a good while after, so that the worde is hindered, but when any other names of God are mētioned, they make no curtesie at all, as though the names of God were not equall, or as though all reuerence ought to be giuen to the sillables. We speake not of ringing, when Mattens is done, and (*) 1.4 other abuses incident: bicause we shall be an∣swered, that by the booke they are not mainteyned, onely we desire to haue a booke to reforme it.

Ansvvere to the Admonition. Pag. 204. Sect. 1. &. 205. Sect. 1. 2.

This is a slaunderous vntruth. And the. 1. Cor. 14. abused to* 1.5 confirme it. Whatsoeuer S. Paule requireth in that place, is vsed in that booke of Seruice: for first the whole Seruice is in a tongue knowne (as S. Paule there requyreth) that the people may vnder∣stand & say Amen. Then are the Scriptures read▪ the Sacraments ministered according to Christes owne institution, those that bee Godly disposed persons know what a manifest vntruth this is that you here vtter.

But mad men, women and children, must haue their wordes. &c.

If by tossing of Psalmes, you meane the singing of them, alternatìm, then do you disallow that which is both commendable, and of great anti∣quitie, as it appeareth in an Epistle that Basilius Magnus, did wryte to the Ministers in Neocaesaria, where he sheweth the selfe same or∣der of singing Psalmes to be then vsed in the Church, that we vse at this day.

If by tossing of Psalmes like tennise balles, you meane the ouer hastie rea∣ding or singing of them, it is indeede to be misliked: but it is no part of the booke, and therefore no cause why you shoulde absteyne from subscribing to it.

T. C Pag. 163. Sect. 1.

To passe by the prophane prouerbe here vsed, which matcheth mad men, and women, and childr〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 togither▪ most vnseemely for a D. of diuinit〈1 line〉〈1 line〉, especially handling diuine matters: for the singing of Psalmes by course, and side after side, although it be very auncient, yet it is not commendable, and so much the more to be suspected, for that the diuell hath gone about, to get it so great autho∣ritie, partly by deriuing it from Ignatius tyme, and partly in making the worlde beleeue, that this* 1.6 came from heauen, and that the Angels were heard to 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ng after this sort, which as it is a mere fable, so is it confuted by Hystoriographers, whereof some ascribe the beginning of this to Dama∣sus, some other vnto Flauianus, and Dioo〈1 line〉〈1 line〉rus. From whence soeuer it came, it cannot be good,(*) 1.7 considering that when it is graunted that all the people may prayse God (as it is in singing of Psalmes) there this ought not to be restrayned vnto a fewe, and where it is lawfull both with heart and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to sing the whole Psalme, there i〈1 line〉〈1 line〉is not inecte that they should sing but the one half with their heart and voyce, and the other with their heart onely. For where they may both with heart and voyce sing, there the heart is not enough. Therefore besides that incommoditie whiche cōmeth this way, in that being tossed after this sort, mē cannot vnderstand what is song, these other two incōuemences come of this forme of singing. & therfore is banished in all reformed churches.

Io. Whitgifte.

To the slaunderous vntruth of the Admonition, or to my answere there vnto, you say nothing, but passe it ouer.

S. Paule vsed a prophane prouerbe in very serious and diuine matters, when he sayde: Cretenses semper mendaces. &c. ad. Ti. 1. and therefore it well beséemeth a Doctor of* 1.8 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉itie, aptly and fitly applying it. But why doe you not find fault with the Authors of the Admonition who vse a more prophane prouerbe, (that is, tossing of tennise balles) in as serious a matter?

You confesse that singing of Psalmes by course, and side after side is verie 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉uncient, and therfore I shal not néede to labour in prouing that: the diuersitie of opinions touching the originall of it, cannot preiudice the thing: and yet if Ignatius were the Author of it, as Socrates lib. 6. cap. 8. sayth, it is not the lesse to be estéemed, but I will examine your* 1.9 reasons. When it is graunted (you say) that all the people may praise God, it ought not to be re∣strayned to a fewe: this is soone answered, for all the people may sing if they can and wil: and those that sing not in voyce may sing in heart, for the Psalmes are soong in a tong that is knowne: and some there be that can neither read nor sing, such of necessitie must hearken to those that sing, and ioyne with them in heart. You adde, that where they may sing the whole Psalme both with voyce and heart, it is not meete they should sing with heart onely, for where they may both with heart and voyce sing, there the heart is not enoughe. Where learne you this in scripture? will you set downe generall and absolute rules, and not tell vs vpon what authoritie they be grounded? This is tootoo Popelike, whose wordes will stande for reason, whom none must aske why doth he so, or sayth so. The prayer of the heart alone when a man may also pray with voyce, is of great* 1.10 force, and very effectuall, as the example of Anna in the first of Samuell doth declare. I grai〈1 line〉〈1 line〉t that in the publike cōgregation God is to be called vpon both in heart & voice, but yet if a man at some times either bicause of the order appointed by the Church, or vpon some other occasion do holde his peace, and desire that in heart onely, which other sing▪ or pray in voyce, no doubt he prayeth effectually. Saint Paule. 1. Cor. 14. speaking of praying and thankesgiuing in the publike Congregation sayeth: Else* 1.11 when thou blessest with the spirite, howe shall hee that occupieth the rowme of the vn∣learned

say Amen at thy giuing of thankes, seing he knoweth not what thou sayest? Of the which wordes it may euidently be gathered, that one sayd the prayers, and the rest of the people ioyned with him in heart, and therefore sayde Amen, when he had ended his prayers. And so doth M. Caluin interpret this place. You see then how farre your rule is wide from the rule of S. Paule. For euen in the publike congregation, he al∣loweth one to pray in heart & voyce, and all the rest to pray in heart only. Wherfore, where they may both with heart & voyce sing, there to sing with the heart is inough. But Lorde how you forget your selfe: before you founde fault with the booke b〈1 line〉〈1 line〉se* 1.12 the people repeated their prayers after the minister, and that bicause the Minister is the onely mouth of the people to the Lorde. &c. nowe (as though you were not the same m〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 but played some other part) you finde fault with the order of Seruice bicause they 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 not their owne mouthes to the Lord: then to pray with heart was sufficient: now it is not enough: whence this cōtrarietie should spring I cannot imagin, except I should ascribe it to a frowarde and preposterous desire that you haue to deface this Church:* 1.13 but bicause I haue touched this more largely in the proper place, I will content my selfe with the onely noting of it in this place.

If you will say it was then the maner of the Church, that one should pronounce the prayers, the rest harkening vnto him, and therefore could not without the brea∣king of order speake: the same I say vnto you: that this hath beene of long tyme the generall order of the Church to s〈1 line〉〈1 line〉g bysides, and therefore may not without disorder be broken, so long as the Church doth thinke it conuenient to be kept, as a lawfull and conuenient order.

The Psalmes béeing song, may as well be vnderstanded as being sayde, and bet∣ter too. If it be otherwise, the fault is not in singing, but in the maner of s〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ging, which is the fault of the persons, not of the thing. And therefore that is but a verie weake reason, and it is à non causa.

Notes

• p 1.1

  1. Co. 14. 16
• (*) 1.2

  Games of Sodome.
• (*) 1.3

  Standing at the Gospell came from Anastatius the Pope in An. 404.
• (*) 1.4

  Accidentall abuses.
• * 1.5

  A slaunder of the Commu∣nion booke.
• * 1.6

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ocrat. 6▪ 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉. 8. cap. Platin. cap. Damas. Theod. 2. lib. 24. cap.
• (*) 1.7

  This is slat con〈1 line〉〈1 line〉r. 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ie to that you affirme. pag. 109. Sect. 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉.
• * 1.8

  Tit. 1.
• * 1.9

  Socr. li. 6. cap. 8
• * 1.10

  Prayer by heart onely, effectuall.
• * 1.11

  1. Cor. 14.
• * 1.12

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉
• * 1.13

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉