The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

But let these goo / and let us see how this oracle agreeth with the word off god. And first if by a church established / you mean a church which hath one uniform order grounded out off the word off god: you take that for granted which is the controversy / for we deny that the church off England is so established. But if you understand by a church established / a church of god wherein (with other things well done) the corruptions which are in it / are by common consent off those which rule the church / agreed upon: it is manifest that in such a church / there hath been a calling lawful / which was not ordinary. For before the coming off our Saviour Christ / it is confessed that there was amongst the Jews (and in Jerusalem especially) a church of god established / the ordinary ministries off the priests and Levites used / th• prescribed sacrifices offered / the law read and taught: the corruptions of the church were not the several opinions of particular persons / but the uniform decrees off those which had the government. And yet there the lord raised up Simeon / and John Baptiste / whose vocations being extraordinary / were notwithstanding lawful. And that there be no hole for M. D. to hide his boldness off casting forth whatsoever taketh him first in the head: it is to be showed that in the most orderly established churches off god / and most purely reformed according to the word of god / there have been ministers lawful / and yet not ordinary.

But let these goo / and let vs see how this oracle agreeth withe the word off god. And first iff by a churche established / yow meane a church which hathe one vniforme order grounded owt off the word off god: yow take that for graunted which is the controuersie / for we denie that the churche off England is so established. But iff yow vnderstand by a churche established / a church of god vvherin (vvith other thinges well donne) the corruptions which are in yt / are by common consent off those which rule the churche / agreed vppon: it is manifest that in suche a churche / there hath bene a calling lawful / which was not ordinarie. For before the comminge off our Sauior Christ / it is confessed that there was amangest the Iewes (ād in Ierusalē especially) a churche of god established / the ordinarie ministeries off the priestes and Leuites vsed / th• prescribed sacrifices offred / the law read and taught: the corruptions of the churche were not the seuerall opinions of particular persons / but the vniforme decrees off those vvhich had the gouernment. And yet there the lord raised vp Simeon / and Iohn Baptiste / whose vocations being extraordinarie / were notwithstanding lawfull. And that there be no hole for M. D. to hide his bouldnes off castinge forthe whatsoeuer taketh him first in the heade: it is to be shewed that in the moste orderlie established churches off god / and moste purelie reformed according to the worde of god / there haue bene ministers lawfull / and yet not ordinary.