The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

To Cyprian saying / the unity off the church is entertained ¹by consent off bishops one with an other: the D. answereth / they agree never the worse by having a superior above them Albeit they agree never the worse / yet if they agree never the better: he ought as an unprofitable tree / which occupieth place in the lords orchard / be rooted out. Although it shall (God willing) appear / that the Archbishops office is the knife which cut the cords off unity: which both was / and otherwise might have been maintained / amongest the bishops. The first reason why the archbishop is necessary / is: because there may be one to assemble them together. As ²though that was not done before that office was heard off: or it could not be done conveniently without an archbishop / by appointing one amongest them at every off their Synods / who should have authority to call the Synod following. Which is likewise answer to his next reason / of putting them in mind off their duties. Al this may be seen / not only by practise of reformed churches in divers places / France especially (where Synods are assembled from all parts of the realm twice a year / notwithstanding all that dominion of one minister over an other / pulled up by the roots): but also in the primitive church / by that recited of one Malchion. ⟨p. DL⟩³Who being a simple Elder (so far from the estate of a•• Archbishop / that he was not Bishop) was president in the Council off Antioch / assembled against Samosatenus heresy. If a simple Elder might govern the Bishops: it shall be to great shame for them / not to suffer them selves to be governed for the time by one of their own order / without making an archbishop. Whereby appeareth how untollerable the D. is: which condemneth this order as inconvenient / confused / disordered.

To Cyprian saying / the vnitie off the church is interteined ¹by consent off bishops one vvith an other: the D. answereth / they agree neuer the worse by hauing a superior aboue them Albeit they agree neuer the worse / yet if they agree neuer the better: he owght as an vnprofitable tree / which occupieth place in the lordes orchard / be rooted owt. Althowgh it shal (God willing) appeare / that the Archbishops office is the knife which cut the cordes off vnitie: which both was / and otherwise might haue bene mainteined / amongest the bishops. The first reason why tharchbishop is necessarie / is: because there may be one to assemble them together. As