The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

To your answer to the •. and sixth off the Acts / you have my reply before. And where you add further to the first off the Acts / that Master Beza saith / that they were not presented by the multitude, but by the Apostles only: I know not wherefore you should bring that in. For I say not that the multitude had the presentation: it appeareth manifestly / that no one had the handling of that action / which striketh the bishops sole election to the heart: it appeareth also / that the judgement / and consent of the church was required / which is that we desire. Master Beza writeth thus / Augustine with whom this whole chapter is read very ¹corruptly, interpreteth this word they set up, he set up, not without a dangerous error, for here was nothing done off Peter, by him self as one endowed with greater dignity: but every thing is done publicly, and by voices off the whole ⟨p. CXXXV⟩church. Upon the word [Greek or Hebrew], he saith thus / The ²strength off this word, which is to ordain by voices, is to be noted: that we may know that Paul, and Barnabas did nothing by their own private pleasure, nor exercised no tyranny in the church, as the Romish Harlot doth now, and his assistants which they call ordinaries. And in other place upon the ³words / lay not thy handee suddenly upon any, &c. That is (saith he) admit not all without choice to any Ecclesiastical function, as much as in the lieth. For all the authority was not in Timothy: but after the election made by voices off the whole church (as we have said of the election in the 14. of the Acts, and as appeareth by the election off Matthias, and the Deacons) he that governed the company in the name of the whole Eldership, did by the putting on off his hands, consecrate ⁴him that was chosen. And in an other place were the apostle willeth Titus / that he should appoint elders town by town: he referreth the reader to his exposition off the place off the 5. to Timothy / and the 14. off the Acts. And in the same chapter (out off the which master D. hath borrowed this place) he showeth / that albeit all those things are not always to be followed / which were done in the apostolical elections: notwithstanding that they had one unchangeable end.