A18080:392
The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright
The second reply of Thomas Cartwright: against Master Doctor Whitgiftes second answer, touching the Church disciplineThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright: agaynst Maister Doctor Whitgiftes second answer, touching the Churche discipline
Heidelberg: printed by Michael Schirat, 1575
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Tract. 2. and 3. according to the D. Off election of the minister.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Again why do you say / he that is a member off the invisible, may be a minister in the visible? as though the invisible church / were off some higher nature / then the visible: or as though the true members off the visible church / did not make one mystical body off Christ with the invisible.
Againe why doo yow saie / he that is a membre off the inuisible, maye be a minister in the visible? as thowghe the inuisible church / were off some higher nature / then the visible: or as thowghe the trew membres off the visible church / did not make one misticall bodie off Christ with the inuisible.
Therefore when all cometh to all / the reason is nothing else / but he is a member off the church / ergo he is fit to be a minister off the church / which is very absurd. For by this means all good order off discipline is troubled / in house / and in common wealth. The master which hath been deceived off his servant / which he most put in trust (as for example in the office off stewardship) if he give good tokens off repentance / must off necessity restore him to his place. For will he seclude him from his stewardship / ⟨p. CLXXII⟩whom Christ doth receive into his kingdom? and shall not we think him / to be a meet officer in his masters house / albeit he have committed adultery with his mistress: which is a member off the elect church off Christ? And this reason standing / common wealths must goo upside down. for besides that all those laws are condemned / which debar men from certain freedoms / and honours / which have been stained with especial vices: as he that is once convinced off perjury / from bearing witness at any time / &c. there may none either traitor / or murderer / be put to death / if he be repentant. For his pardon is caselie pleaded by the Answ. rule / that if he be meet to dwell in heaven / he is meet to remain upon earth / and if the lord give him everlasting life / should we deny unto him this transitory life? And not that only / but if he had had an office before / it is meet he should be restored to it again. If this be an absurd / and anabaptisticall kind off reasoning / in the discipline off the house / and government off the common wealth: how is it not the same / in the discipline of the church?