The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

The 12. Canon off the Council of Laodicea / in saying that a bishop ought not to be appointed to the government off the church, beside the judgement off the Metropolitan, and other bishops hard by: giveth to understand / that as they had a stroke in that election / so there were other that had to do beside them. For otherwise it would not have spoken so coldly off it: For it saith not / that the Metropolitan / and other Bishops / should only appoint a bishop: no not so much as that they should appoint / but only that the Bishop should not be appointed / without them.

The 12. Canon off the Councell of Laodicea / in sayinge that a bishop ovvghte not to be appoincted to the gouermente off the churche, beside the iudgement off the Metropolytan, and other bishopps harde by: gyuethe to vnderstande / that as they had a stroke in that election / so ther were other that had to doo beside them. For otherwise yt woulde not haue spoken so koldly off yt: For it saithe not / that the Metrapolitaine / and other Bishoppes / shoulde onely appoincte a bishoppe: no not so much as that they should appoint / but onely that the Bishoppe shoulde not be appointed / vvithout them.

The 13. Canon / which provideth that it should not be permitted unto the people, to make election off the minister: agreeth well with the 16. Canon off the Council off Antioch. Which as it would not have a bishop put upon the churches otherwise froward / without their consent (as hath been showed): so vvill it not / that those which the churches had chosen without the judgment off the bishops round about / should stand in force. And if either Master Calvin / or Master Beza have any credit with you / you have their interpretation / that the meaning off the Council was not / to shut out the consent off the ¹church: but only to provide / that the ministers / and elders should have direction / as best able to judge off the fitness of him that should be chosen. If they have no credit with you / yet whether ye w•l• or no it may manifestly be showed / that the canons meaning was not to shut out the people / by other Councils / off Nice / off Constantinople / off Tolled / off Carthage / alleged in the former book. Whereof some going before / and some coming hard after / with such clear testimony off the peoples consent in the election: declare sufficiently / that the Council of Laodicea cannot be thought / to have had any such meaning / as you suppose. but that there be no controversy / I will add to them the testimony off such / whereby shall appear / not only what the judgment