A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to…A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to…

After that M. Doctor hath cast him self in derision / at the feet of the authors of the Admonition / and desired to be taught of them whom he hath so contemptuously condemned as unlearned / he doth by and by raise up him self into his chair / and there sitteth Doctorally / apposing the authors of the admonition / as if they were his scholars: and upon occasion of the sound faith and good behaviour of the parents of the infant mentioned by the admonition / asketh first of all / what if the infant be the child of a drunkard? what if he be of a harlot? shall not (sayeth he) the infant be baptised? If it were not that M. doctor in asking these questions doth also answer them / and answereth them far otherwise then the truth doeth suffer / I would not be drawn from the causes which we have in hand by these roging questions / now I can not leave them unanswered / because I see that master Doctor doth make of the holy Sacrament of baptism (which is an entry into the house of God / and whereby only the family of God must enter) a common passage whereby he will have clean and unclean / holy and profane / as well those that are without the covenant as those that be within it / to pass by: and so maketh the church no household / but an June to receive whosoever cometh. I will answer therefore almost in as many words / as the questions be asked. If one of the parents be neither drunkard nor adulterer / the child is holy by virtue of the covenant / for one of the parents sakes. If they be both / and yet not obstinate in their sin / whereby the church hath not proceeded to Excommunication / (them selves being yet of the church) their child can not / nor ought not to be refused. To the second question / wherein he asketh what if the child be of Papists or Heretics. If both be Papists / or condemned heretics / (if so be I may distinguish papists from heretics) and cut of from the church / then their children can not be received / because they are not in the covenant: if either of them be faithful / I have answered before that they ought to be received. To the other question wherein he asketh / what if they err in some points of matters of faith.

After that M. Doctor hath cast hym selfe in derision / at the feete of the authors of the Admonition / and desired to be taught of them whom he hath so contemptuously condemned as vnlearned / he dothe by and by raise vp hym selfe into hys chaire / and there sitteth Doctorally / apposing the authors of the admonition / as if they were hys schollers: and vpon occasion of the sound fayth and good behauyor of the parents of the infante mentioned by the admonition / asketh first of all / what if the infant be the childe of a dronkard? what if he be of a harlot? shall not (sayeth he) the infant be baptised? If it were not that M. doctor in asking these questions dothe also answer them / and answeareth them farre otherwyse then the truthe doeth suffer / I would not be drawne from the causes whych we haue in hand by these roging questions / nowe I can not leaue them vnansweared / because I see that mayster Doctor dothe make of the holy Sacrament of baptisme (whych is an entry into the house of God / and whereby only the family of God must enter) a common passage wherby he will haue cleane and vncleane / holy and prophane / as well those that are wythout the couenaunt as those that be wythin it / to passe by: and so maketh the church no housholde / but an Iune to receyue whosoeuer commeth. I will answere therfore almost in as many words / as the questions be asked. If one of the parents be neyther drunkarde nor adulterer / the chylde is holy by vertue of the couenaunt / for one of the parents sakes. If they be bothe / and yet not obstinate in their synne / whereby the church hathe not proceeded to Excommunication / (them selues being yet of the church) their chylde can not / nor ought not to be refused. To the second question / wherein he asketh what if the childe be of Papistes or Heretikes. If bothe be Papistes / or condenmed heretikes / (if so be I may distinguishe papistes from heretikes) and cutte of from the church / then their children can not be receyued / because they are not in the couenaunt: if eyther of them be faithfull / I haue answeared before that they ought to be receyued. To the other question wherin he asketh / what if they erre in some poynts of matters of faithe.