The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

Where he saith / I thus appoint the Prince a good office: I have showed that the scripture appointeth it / and not I: and it is the most honourable office which the Prince can have / to see the churches be kept in good order: nether taketh it any thing from the royal estate that he must obey / and serve the lord. And where he saith / by this means the Prince must stand, and look on all this while, and in the end lay to his hand: I answer / that whereas thes ways off admonition by the churches / and Synod are sent before his authority: it serveth not only for the ease off the magistrate / whilst that after this sort oftentimes / the difference is ended before it come to him: but also agreeth better with the manner off Physic / which ought to be used in such diseases. For that which may be conveniently won with a word / should not be gotten by the sword: and that which may begotten to be done with conscience / should not be essayed by compulsion. Your slander (that we give no more to the civil magistrate, then the papists) so often repeated / is already / and god willing shall be more / apparent. It is also a notable / and an impudent slander / that the Magistrate must only at the commandment of the seniors, execute such laws as they have devised: where as we hold / that if all the bishops / and elders in the realm / would decree unlawful things / the Prince ought to make them void: and that he may / and ought to punish all ecclesiastical persons / which walk disorderly. Likewise it is a fond dream / of surcharging the Prince with thes matters: as though the Princes authority / necessarily derived unto divers in every shire / for other affairs off government / may not likewise depart also this care unto them.

Where he saithe / I thus appointe the Prince a good office: I haue shewed that the scripture appointeth yt / and not I: and it is the moste honorable office which the Prince can haue / to see the churches be kepte in good order: nether taketh yt any thinge from the royall estate that he muste obey / and serue the lorde. And where he saithe / by this meanes the Prince muste stande, and loke on all this while, and in the ende laie to his hande: I answer / that wheras thes waies off admonition by the churches / and Synode are sente before his authoritie: yt serueth not onely for the ease off the magistrate / whilest that after this sorte oftentimes / the difference is ended before it come to him: but also agreeth better with the maner off Phisicke / which owght to be vsed in such diseases. For that vvhich may be conueniently wonne vvith a vvorde / shoulde not be gotten by the sworde: and that vvhich maye begotten to bee doone with conscience / shoulde not be essaied by compulsion. Yowr slaunder (that wee gyue no more to the cyuill magistrate, then the papistes) so often repeted / is already / and god willing shall be more / apparante. Yt is also a notable / and an impudente slaunder / that the Magistrate muste onely at the cōmaundemēt of the seniors, execute suche lawes as they haue deuised: wher as wee holde / that if al the bishopes / and elders in the realme / woulde decree vnlawfull thinges / the Prince owght to make them voide: ād that he may / ād owght to punishe all ecclesiasticall persons / which walke disorderly. Likewise yt is a fond dreame / of surcharginge the Prince with thes matters: as thowgh the Princes authoritie / necessarily deriued vnto diuers in euery shire / for other affaires off gouernment / maie not likwise depart also this care vnto them.