The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

As for the reasons I brought to prove / that the placing off bishops in villages, and small cities, could no more bring them in contempt, then the shining of the sun, or falling off the rain in villages as well as in cities, breedeth contempt off those benefits: or the name or authority of father, given to poor men as well as rich, maketh that ordinance off ⟨p. DXXVI⟩God nothing set by: he answereth not a word. Where I further alleged the foresight / and wisdom of God / which should receive a great wound if in instituting for every church a Bishop / he should not have foreseen this inconvenience / which the Ans. upon the Popes authority maintaineth: he asketh when and where? I have (I trust) showed him now both. although he if he had ether understood / or remembered what he wrote before twice / or thrice / when with Jerome he propoundeth unto us / that Bishop / and elder were all one by Gods word: he should not have fallen into this extreme boldness / of denying every thing which is enemy unto his unadvised assertions. For if it be the institution off God / that every church should have a teaching elder / and that elder (according to Jeromes saying allowed off him) were a bishop: it must needs follow / that to have a bishop in every church / is the institution of God. And because the D. boweth so casely under the authority of men / that he esteemeth it the best proof: let him understand that this was the judgement off two of the most famous men / which our land brought forth thes many years. And the same also executed for the testimony off the truth off god: whereof one of them amongest other things / suffered also for this cause now in hand.

As for the reasons I browght to proue / that the placing• off bishops in villages, and small cyties, coulde no more bringe them in contempte, then the shininge of the sonne, or falling off the raine in villages as vvell as in cyties, breedeth contempte off those benefites: or the name or autoritie of father, gyuen to poore men as vvell as riche, maketh that ordinance off ⟨p. DXXVI⟩God nothing set by: he answereth not a worde. Where I further alledged the foresight / and wisdome of God / which shoulde receiue a greate wound if in instituting for euery churche a Bishop / he shoulde not haue foreseen this inconuenience / which the Ans. vppon the Popes autoritie meinteineth: he askethe when and where? I haue (I truste) shewed him now bothe. althowghe he if he had ether vnderstoode / or remembred what he wrote before twise / or thrise / when with Ierome he propoundeth vnto vs / that Bishop / and elder were all one by Gods worde: he should not haue fallē into this extreme boldenes / of denying euery thing which is enemie vnto his vnaduised assertions. For yf yt be the institution off God / that euerie churche shoulde haue a teaching elder / and that elder (according to Ieromes saying alowed off him) were a bishop: yt muste needes folowe / that to haue a bishop in euerie churche / ys the institution of God. And because the D. boweth so casely vnder the autoritie of men / that he estemeth it the beste proofe: let him vnderstande that this was the iudgemēt off twoo of the moste famous mē / which our lande browght forth thes manie yeares. And the same also executed for the testimonie off the truth off god: wheroff one of them amongest other thinges / suffred also for this cause nowe in hande.