The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

for if there were no Christian Princes in the Apostles times / they being needful for preservation ⟨p. CCCCLIIII⟩off the churches: the cause was that it was not in the Apostles power / to ordain Christian Princes. But it was in their power to have provided the churches off Archbishops / if they had been needful: and therefore they had been inexcusable for not appointing them / serving so greatly to the building off the church / as we are borne in hand.

for if there were no Christian Princes in the Apostles times / they being needfull for preseruation ⟨p. CCCCLIIII⟩off the churches: the cawse was that it was not in the Apostles power / to ordein Christian Princes. But it was in their power to haue prouided the churches off Archbishops / if they had bene needfull: and therfore they had bene inexcusable for not appointing them / seruing so greatly to the building off the church / as we are borne in hand.

Moreover the comparison is most unfitly made: seeing the civil magistrate is a perpetual office for all times / persons / places: whereas by his own confession / the Archbishop is temporal / and arbitrary. Where also he asketh whether the civill Magistrate shall not have the chief authority in governing the church, because there is no express mention off him in thes two places: I answer that the Princes authority is established in other places / so that it may flourish without thes. But the Archbishopric / seeing it is an ecclesiastical function / ether must be planted by one off thes places / or die in the church considering that there is no ecclesiastical function / which is not here set forth. Your collection off my words is evil bound together. for how cleave thes? Some offices instituted off God endured for a time, therefore men may devise new offices. Where lieth the strength of your argument? Whether in this that because God instituted offices for a time / therefore man may: or in this that God did abrogate certain offices / therefore man may institute? Which soever you say (as you must needs say one): the absurdity is apparent. for in both the comparison is made / between the authority off God / and the authority off man. Between whom how great distance there is: so great difference is there between your argument / and a just conclusion. The clean contrary is gathered rather. For as we reason against the Papists / that God did not abrogate his own ceremonies / that men should thrust in others considering that if he would have had ceremonies / he would have taken off his own: so it may be said / that God did not cut off his own ministries / to make place for others: and that if moe ministries off preaching / and governing jointly had been necessary / beside Doctors / and Pastors: he would rather have kept his own / then taken those which men devise.