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 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 / ¹and can discern and judge. And we see that when men are called to a lawful and profitable calling / and especially to a public calling / God doth pour on his gifts of that person which is called so plentifully / that he is as it were suddenly made a new man / which if he do in the wicked as Saul was / there is no ²doubt but he will do it in those / which are with the testimony of the church / and with experience of their former godly behaviour / chosen to such offices of weight. So that there is not / nor can not be any want to obey God's commandment / and to establish the order in the church which God hath appointed / but our own either negligence and slothfulness / or fearfulness / or ambition / or some other leaven which we nourish within our selves.

And if he will graunt that we ought to haue able pastoures in as many places as they may be gotten: how can he deny / that wee should haue elders in those churches where fitte men may bee had. And I say further / where wee haue an expresse commaundement layde vpon vs to doe a thing / there all disputations must cease / of hardenes / of impossibility / or profite / or else of peace. For first God hath not commaunded any orders in hys churche which are impossible / and if they seeme harde / it must bee remembred / that the best and excellentest things are hardest / and that there is nothing so harde / which dyligence and trauayle to bring it to passe / will not ouercome. Which thing if it bee proued true in worldly affaires / the truth therof will much more appeare in the matters pertayning vnto God / considering that if God with hys blessing doe surmount all the difficultyes in worldly matters whych are otherwyse harde to be compassed / hee will in hys owne matters / and matters pertayning to hys glory / fill vp the valleys / although they be neuer so low / bring downe the hylles / althoughe they bee neuer so high / playne the wayes be they neuer so rough: so that he will make of a way not passable in the eyes of flesh / away tracked and easie to goe in / and to walke towardes that kingdome / whereunto hee calleth vs. Besides that / I answere wheresoeuer there is a churche / there are the riches of the spirite of God / there is wyth knowledge / discretion & wisdom / and there are suche as * S. Paule calleth wise /