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…

Moreover / as in the law the priests were ready in the temple to answer ¹all the doubts and questions that any of the people should come to ask: so the ministers in their several parishes should be ready to dissolve the difficulties that either one hath with an other / or with him self / touching the conscience / for want whereof / the consciences of many / after doubtful and dangerous wrestling with the devil / and with despair are strangled. And thereupon some hang or drown themselves / some other putting away all care or conscience of sinning / ⟨p. 67⟩and labouring to have no sense nor feeling of their sin / close up the wound unhealed / which after / either breaketh out more dangerously / or else every day more and more waxing senseless / and without feeling / treasure up unto them selves the wrath of God against the day of judgement. For although the judgement of God doth not for the time follow them so hard / as them which through terror of conscience untaught and uncomforted / kill them selves: yet their estate is never the less dangerous therefore / but rather more / for as much as by a longer line of sin drawn out / they also pull upon them selves a heavier condemnation. Which things when they see oftentimes before their eyes that will consider it / it is easy to judge that it cometh to pass a great deal oftener then we can see. When as therefore the only preaching of the word of God being continual / is a bond strong enough to hold the pastor to his flock. Then the enquiry of the manners and behaviour of his flock / the private admonitions and consolations / the dissolving of doubts when any riseth / as a three or four fold cord ought much more to hold him: so that he which shall break all these things willingly and wittingly / can not easily be thought to break them as Sampson did his by the strength of God / but rather by some other power not of God. Besides that / S. Paul commandeth that the pastor should be a pattern ²or example in all goodness / and holiness of life unto his flock / and our saviour Christ * saith that when the shepherd hath led forth his sheep / he goeth ³before them / but if the pastor be not amongst his flock / and have not his conversation there / they can not follow him: If they have not the example before their eyes / they can not make the like unto it: