The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

And if he say / that those men have not spoken without reason and warrant off the word of god: then besides that he is greatly to blame / that bringeth not the reasons which moved them to think so / and whereupon as upon certain pillars that sentence might stand: it falleth out still against him that the argument off authority hath no force: as that which hath no credit off it self / but as altogether lame is fain to borrow feet off an other. And then the D. should have considered / that for so much as the reason off authority standeth for the cause and sake off an other / that is to say for the argument off causes and other places: it must needs be worse then the arguments whereupon it hangeth. for that for whose cause another thing is / is better than the thing which dependeth upon it. And thereby further followeth that forsomuch as reason without authority is good / and authority without reason nothing worth: that those arguments which are grounded upon reasons / are better then those which are grounded upon authority. And whereas peradventure he will seek some colour of defence off his absurd speech / in the words which he addeth (of such learned men as do rightly interpret the scripture:) that addition as it taketh not away from the absurdity: so it addeth to the folly and impropriety of speech. For besides that he taketh that for granted / which is the question / that is to say whether it be rightly interpreted or no: he should have understanded that the rightness of the interpretation / dependeth not upon the authority of the man / or in that such a godly or learned man did so interpret it: but in that the place is expounded agreeably unto the suite of the text.

And iff he saye / that those men haue not spoken withowt reason and warrant off the word of god: then besides that he is greatly to blame / that bringeth not the reasons which moued them to thinke so / and wherupon as vppon certen pillers that sentence might stand: it falleth owt still against him that the argument off authoritie hathe no force: as that which hathe no credit off it selffe / but as altogither lame is faine to borowe feete off an other. And then the D. should haue considered / that for so muche as the reason off authoritie standeth for the cause and sake off an other / that is to saye for the argument off causes and other places: it must needes be worse then the arguments wherupon it hangeth. for that for whose cause another thinge is / is better thē the thing which dependeth vpon it. And therby further followeth that forsomuch as reason withowt authoritie is good / and authoritie withowt reason nothing worthe: that those argumentes whiche are grounded vpon reasons / are better then those which are grounded vppon authoritie. And wheras peraduenture he will seke some colour of defence off his absurd speache / in the wordes which he addeth (of suche learned men as do rightly interprete the scripture:) that addition as it taketh not awaye from the absurditie: so it addeth to the folie and impropretie of speche. For besides that he taketh that for graunted / which is the question / that is to saye whether it be rightlie interpreted or noo: he should haue vnderstanded that the rightnes of the interpretation / depēdeth not vpon the authoritie of the man / or in that suche a godlie or learned man did so interprete it: but in that the place is expounded agreablie vnto the suite of the texte.