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…

Therefore this commandment also bindeth them to residence amongst their flocks. S. Peter willeth the pastors ¹of the churches / that they should feed the flocks. What flocks? not every one / but those which are committed to their faith or trust / or which dependeth upon them. And S. Paul speaking to the ministers or bishops of Ephesus / ²willeth them that they should take heed unto the flocks / over the which the holy Ghost had made them overseers / where he restraineth as S. Peter did their oversight and watch unto their particular flock. S. Paul saith that he toke ³it heavily / that he was separated from them but a small time / if therefore the Apostle was away with grief from them whom he had taught / whom his calling compelled to be away from / and would not suffer to be always there: what shall be thought of the pastors / whose calling is to be with their flocks / and which are consecrated unto them / even as the Apostles were unto the whole world / what I say shall be thought of them that are away months and years. And in deed those that feed their flocks faithfully according to the commandment of God / do see what a great wisdom and mercy of God it is to appoint every flock his pastor / and every pastor his flock. They can tell of a wonderful love that God worketh in them towards their flocks / and in their flocks towards them. A great encouragement unto them / and as it were a prick to stir up their dullness it is / when they see the blessing of God upon their labours / and thereof a marvellous care and thought to turn all such things away / as should hinder the increase of that blessing / which they can not have any feeling or experience of / which are not conversant with their flocks. Besides this / a familiarity between the pastor and the flock is profitable / that they may be emboldened to come and demand to be satisfied of those things they doubt of / which they will never do unto those / whom they are not by continual conversation acquainted with. And it is not nothing / that Aristotle disputeth against Plato his community / which would have all things common / and that all men indifferently should have care of all things / and should have nothing which he should say to be his own.

Therefore this commaundement also bindeth them to residence amongste their flockes. S. Peter willeth the pastors