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…

Afterward he asketh what seniors may be had in most of the parishes of England fit for that office? he asketh the same question in the. 133. page / where he also addeth pastors / asking where may be gotten such pastors as the authors of the Admonition require / when as they require no other then those which the word of God requireth. Well then if this be a good reason why there should be no elders in any church / because fit men are not to be gotten in all parishes: it followeth by M. Doctors reason / that forasmuch as we have not fit and able pastors for every church / that therefore we ought to have no able pastor in any church.

Afterwarde he asketh what senyors may bee had in most of the paryshes of Englande fitte for that office? he asketh the same question in the. 133. page / where he also addeth pastors / asking where may be gotten such pastoures as the authors of the Admonition require / when as they require no other then those which the word of God requireth. Well then if thys be a good reason why there should be no elders in any church / because fitte men are not to be gotten in all paryshes: it followeth by M. Doctors reason / that forasmuch as we haue not fit and able pastors for euery church / that therfore we ought to haue no able pastor in any church.

And if he will grant that we ought to have able pastors in as many places as they may be gotten: how can he deny / that we should have elders in those churches where fit men may be had. And I say further / where we have an express commandment laid upon us to do a thing / there all disputations must cease / of hardness / of impossibility / or profit / or else of peace. For first God hath not commanded any orders in his church which are impossible / and if they seem hard / it must be remembered / that the best and excellentest things are hardest / and that there is nothing so hard / which diligence and travail to bring it to pass / will not overcome. Which thing if it be proved true in worldly affairs / the truth thereof will much more appear in the matters pertaining unto God / considering that if God with his blessing do surmount all the difficulties in worldly matters which are otherwise hard to be compassed / he will in his own matters / and matters pertaining to his glory / fill up the valleys / although they be never so low / bring down the hills / although they be never so high / plain the ways be they never so rough: so that he will make of a way not passable in the eyes of flesh / away tracked and easy to go in / and to walk towards that kingdom / whereunto he calleth us. Besides that / I answer wheresoever there is a church / there are the riches of the spirit of God / there is with knowledge / discretion & wisdom / and there are such as * S. Paul calleth wise /