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.

Ansvvere to the Additions. &c.

Fol. 1.

There is added Portuis, for where before they sayde that our booke of Common prayers was culled and picked out of that Popyshe dunghill the Massebooke, nowe vppon better aduisement, they saye that it was culled out of the portuis and Masse booke. It derogateth nothing from the booke of Common prayers, bicause something therein is in the portuis and massebooke, no more than it derogateth from the scrip∣tures, that some portion of them, as the whole Psalmes, and certain other portions of the Epistles, Gospels, and other Scripture, bee in the same: neyther are they allowed bicause they be in the portuis and massebooke, but bicause they be either Scripture, or moste agreeable therevnto.

They also adde in the firste reason, that the comming of women in vayles to be Churched, is not commaunded by lawe, but yet the abuse to bee great, by reason that superstition is growen thereby in the heartes of many, and other are iudged that vse it not. This is an argument of their former rashnesse, but not worthy any answere, especially being confessed to be without the booke.

For the. 120. Psalme. is now quoted the. 121. Psalme, which I haue also corrected before.

Fol. 2.

For the. 26. of Math. is noted the. 28. And this also I corrected in answering that place.

Where it was before, and minister a Sacrament, nowe is added, according to their appointmente, to what purpose I knowe not.

There is also added in the same leafe these wordes: are not the people well nodified thinke you, when the homely of sweeping the churche is read vnto them:

Surely such flouting termes are vsed of none but of nodies in deede, and suche as are more meete to be fooles in playes, where they maye iest, thā to be platformers of churches, in whom wisdome, learning,

grauitie & godlinesse is to be requyred: I know no Homelie entituled of sweeping the Churche, one there is of repayring and keeping cleane of churches: whether it edifie or no, I referre to the wise and discrete Reader to iudge, when he hath perused it.

Before it was in y^t secōd reason, for the very name Apocrypha testifieth that they* 1.1 ought rather to be kept close than to be vttered: Now it is, for the very name Apocrypha testifieth that they were read in secrete, & not opēly: This is some correction of their former rashnesse. But of this matter, that is, of reading Homelies in the Church, I haue spoken before. I omit. 2. Tim. 3. vers. 6. which is now vers. 19. & 2. Pet. 1. vers. 20. which is now vers. 19. 20. 21. For these be not matters of any great importance, & they be quoted to proue a matter not doubted of among vs. In the former edition & fourth reason, it is thus written: In this booke we are enioyned to receyue the Cōmunion kneeling, which beside that it hath in it a shewe of papistrie, doth not so well expresse the mysterie of this holy Supper. For as in the old Testament eating the Paschall Lamb stāding, signified a readinesse to passe: euen so in receiuing it now sitting, according to the exāple of Christe, we signifie a rest, that is, a full finishing thorough Christ, of all the ceremoniall lawe, and a perfect worke of re∣demption wrought that giueth reste for euer, and so we auoyde also the daunger of Idolatrie. In the second Edition these wordes be thus altered: In this booke we are enioyned to receyue the Cōmuniō kneeling, which beside that it hath in it a shew of popish I∣dolatrie, doth not so well expresse a Supper, neither agreeth it so well with the institution of Christ, as sitting doth: not that we make sitting a thing of necessitie belonging vnto the Sacra∣mēt, neyther al firme we that it may not be receyued otherwise, but that it is more neare the in∣stitution, and also a meane to auoyde the daunger of Idolatrie. Here is the signification* 1.2 of sitting (which they before made) cleane dashed out, as a thing vnad∣uisedly before put in. It is also here graūted that the Cōmunion may be receyued otherwise than sitting, with other circūstances, wherof they haue now better cōsidered. Surely this is a great alteration vpon such a sodaine: & I would hardly haue bene persuaded that these men would so sone haue discredited thēselues by theyr inconstancie. But peraduen∣ture the selfe same had not the correction of the booke which were the first penners of it, and therefore how they will like of this correction, it may be doubted. But although the wordes in the texte be altered, yet the quotations in the margent remayne still: Belike they are to be ap∣plied as it pleaseth the platformers.

All this is added in the seuenth reason: But some will say that the baptisme of* 1.3 women is not cōmaunded by law, if it be not, why do you suffer it, & wherfore are the childrē so baptized accordingly? cōmon experience teacheth that it is vsed almost in all places, & fewe speake against it: & this I am sure of, that when it was put in the booke, that was the meaning of the most part, that were thē present, and so it was to be vnderstāded, as cōmon practise with∣out cōtrolement doth plainely declare. All these be but cōiectures. Diuers things be suffered & in many places vsed without cōtrolment, which notwith∣standing by no lawe be cōmaunded. What the meaning was of those that penned the booke, I know not, neither as I thinke do you. And surely for cōmon practise I can say litle, but for mine own experiēce this I dare affirme, that I haue not knowne one childe so baptised in places where I haue had to do, no not since the beginning of the Q. Maiesties reigne. I speake not of the thing it self, but only of your coniectures: I* 1.4 thinke if the circūstances of the booke be well considered, it will appeare that the meaning is, that priuate baptisme is rather to be ministred by

some minister (which in y^e time of necessity may soonest be come by) thā by any womā. But in this poynt I submit my iudgemēt to such as bet∣ter know the meaning of y^e bok? (being pēners therof) thā I do. In the same leafe & ninth reason speaking of certeyne things vsed about mari∣age, they adde these words: VVith diuers other heathenishe toyes, in sundry coūtries,* 1.5 as carying of wheat sheafs on their heads, & casting of corne, with a nūber of such like, wherby they make rather a maygame of mariage, thā a holy institutiō of God. These be but toyes in deede, vsed I know not where, not conteyned in any part of the boke of cōmon prayers, & therfore without my cōpasse of defense. They lacke matter whē they stuffe theyr booke with such vaine & friuolous trifles.

In the. 10. reason to these wordes, (as for confirmation) is added, which the* 1.6 Papists and our men say was in times past Apostolicall, grounding their opinion perhaps vpon some dreame of Hierome: And in the same place these wordes be left out: VVe speake not of other toyes vsed in it, & how far it differeth, & is degenerated from the first in∣stitution, they thēselues that are learned can witnesse: And in the place hereof this is inserted, as though baptisme were not already perfect, but needed cōfirmation, or as though the Bishop could giue the holy Ghost. You your selfe in effect haue confessed in your first edition, that confirmation of children is very auncient, & that it hath bene wel instituted, for there you say that now it differeth & is degene∣rate* 1.7 frō the first institution: But vpon better aduisemēt you haue left out these wordes in your second Edition: as you haue also left out these, with other toyes vsed in it, wherby you confesse (contrary to your former sentence) that the confirmation of Children now vsed is without any toyes. Howso∣soeuer it pleaseth you to accompt Hieromes iudgemēt (touching the an∣tiquitie of confirmation) a dreame: yet his dreame may be of as much credite with wise men, as your bare deniall of the same. The wordes* 1.8 that you haue added in the second place might wel haue bene spared: for you know that confirmation now vsed in this Churche is not to make baptisme perfect, but partly to trie how the godfathers & Godmothers haue performed y^t which was enioyned thē whē the children were bap∣tised: partly that the childrē thēselues (now being at the yeares of dis∣cretiō, & hauing learned what their Godfathers & Godmothers promi∣sed for thē in baptisme) may with their owne mouth & with their owne consent openly before the church ratifie & confirme the same, & also pro∣mise that by the grace of God they will euermore endeuour themselues faithfully to obserue 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 keepe such things as they by their own mouth & confessiō haue assented vnto. And this reason is alledged among other euē in the booke of cōmon prayers. And that it is not to make baptisme perfect, y^e boke of cōmon prayers it self declareth in these words: And that no mā shal think any detrimēt shal come to Childrē by deferring of their cōfir∣matiō, he shal know for truth that it is certaine by Gods word that childrē being baptised, haue all things necessary for their saluatiō, & be vndoubtedly saued.

You adde, as though the Bishop could giue the holy Ghost: the Bishop may vse the ceremonie vsed by the Apostles, that is, imposition of handes, & may safely say this godly prayer conteyned in the booke: Defend O Lorde this childe with the heauenly grace, that he may continue thine for euer, and dayly encrease in thy holy spirit, more and more, vntill he come vnto thy euerlasting kingdome. Amē. And other such godly prayers there cōteiued. Of any o∣ther kind of giuing y^e holy ghost, there is no mētion in that boke, & ther∣fore

these additions might very well haue bene leftout of your libel. To the end of the eleuenth reason, these wordes be added, and open our eyes that we may see what that good and acceptable will of God is, and be more earnest to prouoke his glory: to the which I onely answere, Amen.

In the ende of the. 12. there is something left out which they haue placed in the. 13. reason: but it is answered before.

There is nothing added or altered worth the noting: onely in the* 1.9 fiftenth reason, where they sayd before that we honored Bishops by the titles of kings: nowe they haue recanted that, and condemned them∣selues of an vntruth, for they haue left out that title.* 1.10

In the seuenth leaf and 19. reason these words be left out, banners and belles: which argueth that they were before vntruly sayd to be vsed in gang weeke: But to lye, is a small matter with these men.

For Lordes grace of Yorke, there is the Archbishop of Yorke. The cause of* 1.11 this alteration I know not.

When you say that you striue for true Religiō & gouernment of the Church, &c.* 1.12 You say, that you do that, which is to be wished you should do. But your doings tēde to y^e defacing of true Religion, & ouerthrow of the right gouernment of the Church, & although you be not the head of Antichrist, yet are you his tayle: for the tayle of the beast, (as learned* 1.13 mē say) be false Prophets, Hypocrites, such as stirre vp Schismes & factions among true Christians, and by pretence of zeale, by cloaked and coloured meanes, seeke to draw into the church Antichrist back∣ward, as Cacus did the oxen into his denne.

Io. Whitgifte.

To these things y^e Replier hath giuen his consent as it should séeme by his silence.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Fol. 3. Apocrypha▪
• * 1.2

  Correction.
• * 1.3

  Fol. 4.
• * 1.4

  Baptizing by women not collected out of the booke.
• * 1.5

  Toyes about mariage.
• * 1.6

  Fol. 5.
• * 1.7

  Confirmation of children al∣lowed at the last.
• * 1.8

  The ende of confirmation.
• * 1.9

  Fol. 6.
• * 1.10

  Fol. 7.
• * 1.11

  Fol. 8.
• * 1.12

  Fol. 9.
• * 1.13

  Tayle of An∣tichrist what it is.