The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

Albeit he is constrained / to agree to that which is affirmed: ¹yet for the great desire he hath / to strike at me / he would wrest this epistle out of my hands / then the which there can be nothing more plain. For Cyprian / reasoneth against Fortunatius challenge off his bishopric / after that he had fallen to Idolatry: by the general rule / that none ought to be admitted unto the ministry / which had so fallen. And therefore almost in the beginning off the Epistle / he chargeth him that he dare challenge unto him the ministry, which he hath betrayed: as though it were lawful after having been at the alter off the devil, to come unto the alter of god. And after he had showed the horrible punishments / that the lord God willed they should be punished with / that faulted that ways: he addeth / Seeing therefore the lord threateneth such torments, and punishments in the day off his wrath, to such as obey the devil, and sacrifice to idols: how can he think, that he may do the office off the minister off God, which hath obeyed, and served the ⟨p. CLXXXII⟩priests off the devil? or how doth he think, that his hand can be translated to the sacrifice, and prayer off the lord: which was captive to sacrilege, and to such a crime? Off thes words and divers other in that epistle / it is evident / that he doth not therefore seclude Fortunate. only / because he did not repent: but because it was not lawful / for those that had sacrificed / &c. to be restored unto their ministry. And therefore he purge the him self / and his fellows in an other place / off that he was supposed to ²have received Trophimus to the ministry / and otherwise then a lay man: although it be there declared / that Trophimus did submit him self in all humility / unto the church.

Albeit he is constrained / to agree to that whiche is affirmed: ¹yet for the great desire he hathe / to strike at me / he woulde wreste this epistle owte of my handes / then the whiche there can be nothinge more plaine. For Cyprian / reasonethe againste Fortunatius chalenge off his bishoppricke / after that he had fallen to Idolatrie: by the generall rule / that none owghte to be admitted vnto the ministrie / whiche had so fallen. And therfore almoste in the beginninge off the Epistle / he chargeth him that he dare chalenge vnto him the ministerie, vvhiche he hathe betraied: as thovvgh yt vvere lavvfull after hauing bene at the alter off the deuil, to come vnto the alter of god. And after he had shewed the horrible punishementes / that the lorde God willed they should be punished with / that faulted that waies: he addeth / Seing therfore the lorde threateneth suche tormentes, and punishementes in the daie off his vvrathe, to suche as obey the diuel, and sacrifice to idoles: hovve can he thinke, that he maie doo the office off the minister off God, vvhiche hathe obeied, and serued the prie