The defense of the aunsvvere to the Admonition against the replie of T.C. By Iohn VVhitgift Doctor of Diuinitie. In the beginning are added these. 4. tables. 1 Of dangerous doctrines in the replie. 2 Of falsifications and vntruthes. 3 Of matters handled at large. 4 A table generall.

T. C. Pag. 142. Sect. 3. 4.

Againe if S. Paule did charge the persecuted, and therefore poore churches, with the finding and prouiding for the Seniors in euery Church (as it appeareth in y^t Epistle to Timothie, where* 1.1 he sayth that Elders which rule well, are woorthy double honoure, whereby he signifieth a plenti∣full reward, and such as may be fully sufficient for them and their housholds, as when he biddeth that the widdow which serued the Church in attending vpon the sicke, and vppon the strangers, should be honoured, that is, haue that wherewith she might honestly and soberly liue) if I say S. Paule would charge the churches then with mainteyning the Elders, whiche being poore, were* 1.2 not sometimes able to liue without some releefe from the Churche, bycause they were compelled oftentimes to leaue their owne affayres to wait of the affaires of the Church, howe much more ought there now to be Seniors, when the churches be in peace, and therefore not so poore, & when there may be chosen such for the most part throughout the real〈1 line〉〈1 line〉e, as are able to liue without char∣ging the Church any whit, as the practise of these days doth manifestly declare.

And if S. Paule that was so desirous to haue the Gospel 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is free and with∣out charges as muche as is possible, and soloth to lay any burthen vpon the churches, especially those whiche were poore, did notwithstanding enioyne the maintenance of the Elders, vnto the churches poore and persecuted, how much more shall we thinke, that his mind was that the chur∣ches which liue in peace, and are rich, and may haue this office without charge, ought to receiue this order of auncients.

Io. Whitgifte.

This is a poore and féeble reason: the Churche founde Seniors in the time of persecution, Ergo, there ought rather to be Seniors vnder a Christian prince than in the time of persecution. Or this: the Church is now better able to finde Se∣niors, Ergo, it ought now rather to be gouerned by Seniors. You may make the same reasons also for wydowes and diaconisses, and as well induce the necessitie of them. But we aske not what the Church was able to do then, or what it is able to do now, but whether the same gouernment ought to be now that was then: and whe∣ther a Christian magistrate haue no more authoritie in the gouernmēt of y^e Church now, than the heathenish and persecuting magistrate had then. Although if you con∣sider the abilitie of some Parishes, and the vnwillingnesse of other some, you shall find that they be hardly able or willing to finde a fit Pastor, muche lesse would they be able or willing to fynde a number of Seniors besydes their Pastor.

The place of S. Paule 1. Tim. 5. is vntruly alledged for your purpose, for the Apo∣stle meaneth of the Minister in euery congregation, and not of any number of Seni∣ors, as I haue before declared. Neither haue yon one place of Scripture to warrant your interpretation, or application of that place.

God hath much better prouided for his church, by placing in it ciuill and Christiā* 1.3 magistrats, whose authoritie is so ample & large, than by placing Seniors: wherfore where Christian magistrates be, the gouernment of Seniors is superfluous, and the Church may not be burdened with vnnecessarie and vnprofitable charges: neyther may the authoritie which God hath giuen to the Christian magistrate, be writhen out of his hand, by a rude companie of Seniors in seuerall parishes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Epistle. 5.
• * 1.2

  The question is not of the abili∣rie to find Seni ors, but of the necesti〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ie of ha∣〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ing them.
• * 1.3

  God hath pro∣uided better for his church by giuyng chri stian magi∣strates, then by Seniors.