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…

And to the end that the vanity of this distinction / which is / that there ought to be seniors or ancients in the times of persecution / and not of peace: under tyrants and not under christian magistrates may appear: the cause why these seniors or ancients were appointed in the church / is to be considered / which must needs be granted to be / for that the pastor not being able to oversee all him self / and to have his eyes in every corner of the church / and places where the churches abode / might be helped of the ancients. Wherein the wonderful love of God towards his church doth manifestly appear / that for the greater assurance of the salvation of his / did not content him self to appoint one only overseer of every church / but many over every church.

And to the ende that the vanitie of thys distinction / which is / that there oughte to bee senyors or auncientes in the tymes of persecution / and not of peace: vnder tyrantes and not vnder christian magistrates may appeare: the cause why these senyors or auncientes were appoynted in the church / is to bee consydered / which must needes be graunted to bee / for that the pastor not being able to ouersee all hym selfe / and to haue hys eyes in euery corner of the church / and places where the churches aboade / might be helped of the auncientes. Wherin the wonderfull loue of God towards hys church doth manifestly appeare / that for the greater assurance of the saluation of hys / dyd not content hym selfe to appoynt one only ouerseer of euery church / but many ouer euery church.

And therefore seeing that the pastor is now in the time of peace / and under a christian magistrate not able to oversee all him self / nor his eyes can not be in every place of the parish present to behold the behaviour of the people / it followeth that as well now as in the time of persecution / as well under a christian prince as under a tyrant / the office of an ancient or seignior is required. Onles you will say that God hath less care of his church in the time of peace and under a godly magistrate / then he hath in the time of persecution / and under a tyrant. In deed if so be the ancients in the time of persecution and under a tyrant / had meddled with any office of a magistrate / or had supplied the room of a godly magistrate / in handling of any of those things which belonged unto him / then there had been some cause why a godly magistrate being in the church / the office of the senior / or at least so much as he exercised of the office of a magistrate / should have ceased.