The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

Whether this were one cause off the bishops stately pomp ¹that (certain noble and rich men rece••ed to the ministry, and living somewhat like their former estates) others assayed to be like unto them: whether an other cause were for that it being ²amongest the heathen priests before it came into the church off the Christians it was (as divers other corruptions) taken off them by imitation: whether a third and more higher cause thereof were / that the bravery of the purpled whore of Rome might both easelier take her seat and faster hold it, whilst other bishops were made somewhat suitable unto her, which she could not have done if (other bishops left in the simplicity wherein God had appointed them) she had been as an owl amongest the rest of the birds: I say whether these three / ⟨p. DCLX⟩are amongest the causes off bringing in the bishops pomp into the church / I leave to the readers judgement. Considering that the D. beside begging / and dissembling the matter / which I goo about to prove: hath nothing. That Christians might aswell be thought to have followed Maximinus in building churches, as in sufficiently providing for the ministers: is to simple / seeing we deny him not sufficient provision. But if he esteem nothing sufficient, onles he be maintained as a lord: let him learn off S. Paul / what is sufficient / and so he shall (I doubt not) fall from his 1000. to a 100. unto thes three ³causes off the bishoplike stateliness I will heer ad the fourth: worthy to be observed. M. Bucer showing the incommodities which came / by that the bishops were received to bear civill offices. saith: after they began to occupy the place off princes: they challenged also to them selves their pomp and bravery. So let the reader judg how true it is that I said: that our archbishops, bishops, &c. besides the names, have almost nothing common with those of elder times: and how if the old bishops were alive, they would not know one another. For that they would think ours princes, and ours would esteem them as hedge priests. What I allow, off the old Canons, and what I disallow, although ⁴