The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

There are a fourth sort of places out of the ancient fathers / wherein he putteth the greatest confidence / and upon which he hath laid greatest weight: and therefore by hands set over against them / moveth the reader to lay sure hold on them. Thes places drawn out off Ambrose upon the Ephes. and of Tertull de virginibus velandis. that of Ambrose being (as hath been showed) very corrupt / is also a counterfeit / as shall after be noted. The other off Tertull / is a flat and a plain Montanist. it is not unknown / that Montanus held / that there was no sufficient instruction given by the Apostles unto the church / but that there were only certain principles off Religion given by them being unperfect / and were afterward to be finished / and polished / by the comforter which himself did forge. This poison Tertullian having drunk / he left the Savour off it in divers places / but in no place more brimly then in this. which may appear / by the comparisons he useth / off likening the church off God in the Apostles time / unto a tree whose fruit was not bloomed / and unto one which is in his base age: and the churches after the Apostles times / through revelations (such as he imagineth the Apostles were not able to bear) always marching forward towards a greater ripeness in fruit / and perfection in age. And if the D. had been a little awakened / he might have smelt the fraud even in thes words / which he hathe bene ab used by. For when he imagineth another rule off conversation / and leading of life of a Christian / then that which hath been given: he might have justly suspected the sentence: seeing the rule off conversation / comprehended in the commandments / is unchangeable. And when he addeth / that that should be done by the grace off God / receiving increase daily unto the end: he did not obscurely touch / the head off his error / which is / that there shall be still unto the worlds end / greater graces off the spirit off God given to the church generally / then hath been before in the Apostles times. Whereby appeareth / that the places which the A. will have the reader lay so fast hold of / are thorns not to be once touched ⟨p. LXXX⟩/ without a hedging glove in one hand / and a hatche• in the other. We willingly subscribe / unto the Judgement off M. Calvin alleged here.

There are a fourthe sorte of places owte of the aunciēte fathers / wherin he putteth the greateste confidence / and vpon which he hathe laide greateste weight: and therfore by handes set ouer againste them / moueth the reader to laie sure hould on them. Thes places drawne owte off Ambrose vppon the Ephes. and of Tertull de virginibus velandis. that of Ambrose being (as hathe bene shewed) very corrupte / is also a conterfaite / as shall after be noted. The other off Tertull / is a flat and a plaine Montaniste. yt is not vnknowne / that Montanus helde / that there was no sufficient instruction giuen by the Apostles vnto the churche / but that there were onely certeine principles off Religion giuen by them being vnperfect / and were afterwarde to be finished / and polished / by the conforter whiche himselfe did forge. This poison Tertullian hauing druncke / he lefte the Sauour off yt in diuers places / but in no place more brimly then in this. which maye appeare / by the comparisons he vseth / off likening the churche off God in the Apostels time / vnto a tree whose fruicte was not blomed / and vnto one which is in his base age: and the churches after the Apostels times / throwghe reuelatiōs (suche as he imaginethe the Apostels were not hable to beare) allwaies marching forward towardes a greater ripenes in fruicte / and perfection in age. And if the D. had bene a litle awakened / he might haue smelt the fraude euen in thes wordes / which he hathe bene ab vsed by. For when he imagineth a nother rule off conuersatiō / and leading of liffe of a Chirstian / then that which hathe bene giuen: he might haue iustly suspected the sentence: seing the rule off conuersation / comprehended in the commaundementes / is vnchangeable. And when he addeth / that that should be doone by the grace off God / receiuing increase dailie vnto the ende: he did not obscurely touche / the head off his error / which is / that there shall be still vnto the worldes ende / greater graces off the spirite off God giuen to the churche generally / then hathe bene before in the Apostels tymes. Wherbie appeareth / that the places which the A. will haue the reader laye so faste houlde of / are thornes not to be once touched