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…

It is said amongst the Lawyers / and in deed reason / which is the law of all nations / confirmeth it. Quod omnium interest, ab omnibus approbari debet. That which standeth all men upon / should be approved of all men. Which law hath this sense / that if it may be / it were good that those things which shall bind all men / and which require the obedience of all / should be concluded as far as may be / by the consent of all / or at least by the consent of as many as may be gotten. And therefore it draweth much the obedience of the subjects of this realm / that the statutes whereby the realm is governed / pass by the consent of the most part of it / whilst they be made by them / whom the rest put in trust / and choose for that purpose / being as it were all their acts.

It is sayd amongst the Lawyers / and in deede reason / which is the law of all nations / confirmeth it. Quod omnium interest, ab omnibus approbari debet. That whych standeth all men vpon / should be approued of all men. Which lawe hath this sense / that if it may be / it were good that those things whych shall binde all men / and whych require the obedience of all / shoulde be concluded as farre as may be / by the consent of all / or at least by the consent of as many as may be gotten. And therfore it draweth much the obedience of the subiectes of thys realme / that the statutes whereby the realme is gouerned / passe by the consent of the moste parte of it / whilest they be made by them / whome the rest put in trust / and chuse for that purpose / being as it were all their actes.

So is it also when the question is to choose the magistrate / Mayor / or bailiff / or Constable of every town / which things if they have good grounds in civill affairs / they have much better in Ecclesiastical. For it is much more unreasonable that there should be thrust upon me / a governor of whom the everlasting salvation or damnation both of my body and soul doth depend / then him of whom my wealth and commodity of this life doth hang. Onles those upon whom he were thrust / were fools / or mad men / or children / without all discretion of ordering them selves / which as I will show / can not agree with those / that are the church of god / and are to have a pastor. For they of the church of God / although they be called sheep in respect of their simplicity and harmlessness / yet are they also for their circumspection wise as serpents / in the wisdom especially which is to salvation: and how vile account so ever you will make of