The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

In the 9. section pag. 6. as though the imperfection off the church were not confessed off our parts / he setteth him self to prove / that men commit faults as long as they be in this life. Secondly to prove that the church florisheth with us / he allegeth that the common wealth florisheth: whereunto forsomiche as it is with out the compass off this treatise to meddle with the recital off the breaches off the common wealth / and there are other proofs enough to convince the deformities off the church: I will make no answer / saving that he must understand that in supposing divers cracks in the common wealth / we are so far from staining the careful watch / and painfulness off the godly magistrate (as he surmiseth) that his faithful and godly travails are rather hereby commended / who in so sore a sickness / and amongst so many partly unfaithful / and partly unskilful physicians / hath hitherto kept life in it.

In the 9. section pag. 6. as thowghe the imperfection off the churche were not confessed off our partes / he setteth him selfe to proue / that men commit faultes as longe as they be in this liffe. Secondly to proue that the churche florisheth with vs / he alledgeth that the common wealthe florisheth: wherunto forsomiche as it is with owt the compas off this treatise to medle with the recitall off the breaches off the common welthe / and there are other proofes enowghe to conuince the deformities off the churche: I will make no answer / sauing that he muste vnderstande that in supposing diuers crackes in the common wealthe / we are so farre from staining the carefull watche / and painefulnes off the godlie magistrate (as he surmiseth) that his faithfull and godlie trauailes are rather herebie commended / who in so sore a sicknes / and amonges so manie partely vnfaithefull / and partely vnskillfull physicions / hathe hetherto kept liffe in yt.

In the 10. section / pag. 6 where he saith / that the threatening off the Prophet appertaineth to other realms / which ¹refuse and persecute the gospel / and can not belong unto ours: the discipline being as it is propounded / and offered to be proved / a part off the gospel / must needs arm the lord against the refusers and so much the more / as it coming into the church as into her home / is therefore more dangerously rejected. And where the answerer in words calleth for fruit off the gospel: In this enmity which he hath with the discipline off the church pulling down the hedge wherewith the lords orchard should be false from the invasion of hurtful beasts: he is as friendly to the fruits of the gospel / as the East wind is to the fruits of the earth. For the Discipline off the church being one off the most excellentest means that the lord hath ordained / to cause the doctrine of the gospel to fructify: he is found a nourice of that barrenness against which he exhorteth.