The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

When it is said / that the whole church assembled for election: all men know that thereby is meant / that particular company off professors off the gospel / which dwelling nigh together / make one assembly: and therefore that you write off the impossibility, off gathering all the church scattered through out the whole world into one place, is but a mere dalliance. You say / they might well meet without confusion in the Apostles times, which can not be now: the reason you assign / in the fewness in one place off the professors then, and multitude now. Although it be granted that there are moe now in the cities / then were then: and that be given you too / that the multitude ought to change the form off elections (neither whereof you are able to show): yet it still falleth out against you. For albeit there be moe professors in a city then were: it followeth not / that there are moe belonging unto one assembly / then there were then. Wherein I will go no further / than to the example of the church / which you allege to have chosen the deacons: where could hardly be less then six thousand persons / seeing that at the second sermon of Saint Peter / there being five thousand / it is affirmed afterward that multitudes ¹off men / and women were added. Now where shall you have ⟨p. CCXXXIX⟩lightly in the cities which profess the gospel / one only church of so many thousand persons? considering that for the greater commodity of meeting / and governing the whole mass off Christians in one city / it is divided into several churches / as it were flocks into several feedings. And if you would have proved any thing / you should not have considered how the number off Christians are increased in their cities: but how they are increased in their churches. And so you should have found that by your own reason / the elections in the time off persecution / ought rather to have been made by one / and the elections now / by many: seeing in persecuted churches / for want off the commodity off dividing them selves into proportionable assemblies: the number being more / the danger off tumult / and confusion / must by your own saying be greater.

When it is saide / that the whole church assembled for election: all men knowe that therby is mente / that particular companie off professors off the gospell / which dwellinge nighe together / make one assemblie: and therfore that yow write off the impossibilitie, off gathering all the church scattered throwgh out the whole worlde into one place, is but a meere daliance. Yow saie / they mighte well meete withowte confusion in the Apostles times, which can not be nows: the reason yow assigne / in the fewnes in one place off the professors then, and multitude now. Althowghe yt be graunted that there are moe nowe in the cities / then were then: and that be geuen yow too / that the multitude owghte to chaunge the forme off elections (neither wheroff yow are hable to shewe): yet yt still fallethe owte againste yow. For allbeit ther be moe professors in a citie then were: yt followeth not / that there are moe belonginge vnto one assembly / then there were thē. Wherin I wil goe no further / thē to the exāple of the church / which yow alledge to haue chosen the deacons: vvhere coulde hardly be lesse then sixe thowsande persons / seing that at the second sermon of Saincte Peter / there beinge fiue thowsande / it is affirmed afterward that multitudes