A18078:833
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…
A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to the Parliament. By T.C.A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to the Parliament. By T.C.
printed by John Stroud?, 1573
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And if S. Paul that was so desirous to have the gospel adapanon, that 1is / free and without charges as much as is possible / and so loth to lay any burden upon the churches / especially those which were poor / did notwithstanding enjoin the maintenance of the elders unto the churches poor and persecuted / how much more shall we think / that his mind was that the Churches which live in peace / and are rich / and may have this office without charge / ought to receive this order of ancients?
And if S. Paule that was so desirous to haue the gospell adapanon, that 1is / free and without charges as much as is possible / and so loth to lay any burthen vpon the churches / especially those which were poore / dyd notwithstanding enioyne the mayntenaunce of the elders vnto the churches poore and persecuted / how much more shall we thincke / that hys mynde was that the Churches which liue in peace / and are rich / and may haue thys office without charge / ought to receiue thys order of auncientes?
Moreover those that be learned know / that the government of the church which was in the apostles times / being partly in respect of the people that had to do in the elections and other things popular: partly in respect of the pastors and ancients Aristocratical / that is the rule of the best: I say they know that these governments do easily decline into their contraries / and by reason thereof both the government of those which were most virtuous / might easily be changed into the government of few of the richest / or of greatest power / and the popular estate might easily pass to a confused tumult. Now this incommodity were they more subject unto under a tyrant / then under a godly prince. For they had no civil magistrate which might correct and reform those declyninges when they happened. For the tyrants did not know of it / and if they had known of it / they would have been glad to see the churches go to wrack. Therefore now we have a godly civil magistrate / which both will & ought to remedy such declinings & conversions of good government into evil / it followeth that this estate & government by ancients / is rather to be used under a christian prince then under a tyrant.