The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

To that off the people perishing without prophecy, ¹which is not bare reading, but expounding, and applying off scriptures: he answereth that the people must needs decay in holiness, and knowledge where there be no preachers. but why doth he say decay, and not perish as Solomon speaketh? where his cause falleth flat to the ground. For if the people perish / where be no preachers / although there be readers / and contrariwise preaching without bare reading / saveth / engendereth faith / and nourisheth it: it is manifest that the word red is not so effectual as preached / and that by bare reading ordinarily / there is no salvation / and therefore also no faith / both which he before denied. And if the people perish without preaching / which have already been lightened by it. how much more (except the Lord work extraordinarily) must they perish / that never had preaching?

To that off the people perishing vvithovvt prophecy, ¹vvhich is not bare reading, but expounding, and applying off scriptures: he answereth that the people muste needes decay in holines, and knowledge where there be no preachers. but why doth he say decay, and not perish as Salomon speaketh? where his cause falleth flat to the ground. For if the people perish / where be no preachers / althowgh there be readers / and cōtrariwise preaching withowt bare reading / saueth / engendreth faith / and nourisheth yt: yt is manifest that the word redd is not so effectuall as preached / and that by bare reading ordinarily / there is no saluation / and therfore also no faith / both which he before denied. And if the people perish withowt preaching / which haue already bene lightened by it. how muche more (except the Lord worcke extraordinarily) must they perish / that neuer had preaching?

1. 1Pou. 29. 18.

Where he saith / both preaching, and bare reading be necessary in the church: if he mean publicly / as it is true in preaching / so it is untrue in simple reading. For although it be very convenient which is used in some churches / where before preaching time the church assembled hath the scriptures red / in such order that the whole Canon thereof is oftentimes in one year run thorough: yet a number of churches which have no such order of simple reading / can not be in this point charged with breach of Gods commandment: which they might be / if simple reading were necessary. Considering especially that some off them beside their set sermons / expounding every day paraphrastically two chapters /