The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

Having spoken thus much for their causes especially / which misinformed by the D. have no good opinion of the discipline now propounded: it remaineth to say something for theirs / which acknowledging it for the truth off God / do not stretch forth their hands to bring it in / or at the least / not with that endeavour which ought to be. Wherein it seemeth they do not so fully consider that before alleged / of the use of the discipline / the same in the church / that the wall about the city / or hedge about the orchard. If we think / that men which would be safe from their enemies / need not greatly to travail after a wall / or they which would have their tender plants bring plentiful fruit and be untouched off hurtful beasts / not much to labour after a ⟨image 11⟩hedge or ditch for safeguard of them / then we may also think / that the church / and the doctrine of the Apostles whereupon the church is builded / may long continue and flourish without the discipline left by them. But if / the one be not to be looked for: the hoping for the other / will but deceive us. Whereof if there were no proof / but our own experience: the case is clearer / then can be well denied. For whereof cometh it that so many thousands (I will not say of men and women) but of towns and villages remain in such ignorance of all duty towards God / and their neighbour: that the estate off their ox (which with his last breath shall end his labour / and hear no more the voice of the whip) is a thousand times better then theirs / whom everlasting torments of body and soul wait for / and must assuredly ensue if they so remain. Cometh it not hereof / that in steed of a learned ministry / which should show them the right way / be thrust upon them at the pleasure / or permission off the bishop / and appetite off the patron / blind guides which scarce know a foot of it them selves: yea which sometimes (as cometh to pas in sundry popish priests that remain) endeavour to turn them out off the way / if happily any were entered? Whereof cometh it that off those which have able ministers to feed them: divers towns can not yet get out of this condemnation, is it not thereof / that some pastors like covetous nurses charging them selves with moe / then they are able to nurse / suffer them all to starve?

Hauing spoken thus muche for their causes especially / which misinformed by the D. haue no good opinion of the discipline now propounded: yt remaineth to say something for theirs / vvhiche acknowledging yt for the trwth off God / doe not stretch forth their handes to bring yt in / or at the least / not with that endeuour which owght to be. Wherin yt seemeth they doe not so fully consider that before alledged / of the vse of the discipline / the same in the churche / that the wal abowt the citie / or hedg about the orcheiard. Yf we thinck / that men vvhiche vvoulde be safe from their enemies / need not greatly to trauail after a wal / or they which vvould haue their tender plantes bring plentifull fruict and be vntowched off hurfull beastes / not muche to labour after a