The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

Where I say / that thereby there is a gate opened unto the the Papists / to bring in under the colour off traditions / all their beggary: he answereth / that the Papists are rather confuted by this means / considering that the Pope / hath nether at all times / nor in all places been received. Where to let pas / that to help him self / he addeth at all times which is not in Augustine's rule: he toucheth not the point off the cause. For in that only that it is said / that there be precepts off the Apostles unto the church / not contained in the word of God: is pushed at the strongest bulwark / which the church hath to defend it self / against the Popish beggary / and all other corruptions / Which bulwark is / that whatsoever is commanded of the Lord unto the church / is contained in the word off God. if this be once shaken: there is no sufficient resistance left unto the church / against this assault. For although it hath some great likelihood / which hath been generally / and from the Apostles times received: yet for so much as it is not unpossible for the whole church to err in some point / and to have taken up / or retained off that which it had before / some thing not delivered by the apostles: it can be no sufficient bar / to withstand the corruptions offered to be brought in by the Heretics / to say that the church hath ether done / or not done / so / and so / sithens the Apostles times. And although we might be assured that they are the precepts of the Apostles / which have been so generally received: yet the door is not so close shut against corruptions / as he pretendeth. For this thing standing that there are commandments given of the Apostles / not contained in the word of god: they ⟨p. LXXXVIII⟩may thrust in things / which have not had that general / and continual observation. For although Aug. say / that they are the traditions of the Apostles / which are generally received: yet he doth not say that they only are / and the Heretics whose corruptions should be repulsed in this respect / that they have not been generally nor always received / might have an easy reply / that there is the same prejudice against certain off the commandments off the Apostles committed to writing: considering that they have nether generally / nor continually been received.

Where I saye / that thereby there is a gate opened vnto the the Papistes / to bring in vnder the colour off traditions / all their beggery: he answereth / that the Papistes are rather confuted by this meanes / considering that the Pope / hath nether at all tymes / nor in all places bene receiued. Where to let pas / that to helpe him selfe / he addeth at all times which is not in Augustines rule: he towcheth not the point off the cause. For in that onely that it is saide / that there be precepts off the Apostels vnto the church / not cōteined in the word of God: is pusshed at the strongest bulwarcke / which the church hath to defend yt selfe / against the Popishe beggerie / and all other corruptions / Which bullwarke is / that whatsoeuer is commaunded of the Lorde vnto the church / is conteined in the worde off God. yff this be once shaken: there is no sufficient resistance left vnto the church / against this assaut. For althoughe yt hath some great likelihood / which hath bene generally / and from the Apostels times receiued: yet for somuche as yt is not vnpossible for the whole church to erre in some point / and to haue taken vp / or reteined off that which yt had before / some thing not deliuered by the apostels: it can be no sufficiēt bar / to withstand the corruptions offred to be brought in by the Heretikes / to saie that the church hath ether doon / or not doon / so / and so / sythēs the Apostels tymes. And althoughe we might be assured that they are the precepts of the Apostels / which haue bene so generally receyued: yet the doore is not so close shut against corruptions / as he pretendeth. For this thing standing that there are cōmaundemēts giuen of the Apostels / not cōteined in the word of god: they