The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

If Bucer speak as you make him: I can by no means subscribe unto him. For S. Luke saith plainly / that there were many ¹bishops at Ephesus: and giveth the name off bishop to many. That the name off bishop did properly remain in one off them, and improperly in the other / if it have so good authority as the former / I will believe that too: if not / I hold me unto the words off S. Luke. And if the name off bishop doth unproperly belong unto those / whom Saint Paul saith the holy ghost had appointed bishops: over the church: I confess that I can not tell what authority is sufficient / to make that name off bishop proper unto them. And if the name off bishop did not properly belong unto them all / but unto one only: it followeth that the name also of an Elder / did not properly belong unto them. For the one of them is ²as well verified of them / as the other: and there is no more restraint off the name off bishop then of an Elder / unto any one singular person amongest them. And how is this sentence off Bucer here pulled in by the hear? for albeit it were concluded / that one bishop should bear dominion over the ministers of one church: yet it followeth not which is here in question / that one also ought to rule over all bishops in a province. The rest is answered.

Yf Bucer speake as yow make him: I can by no meanes subscribe vnto him. For S. Luke saith plainly / that there were many ¹bishops at Ephesus: and gyueth the name off bishop to many. That the name off bishop did properly remaine in one off them, ād improperly in thother / if it haue so good autoritie as the former / I will belieue that too: if not / I hould me vnto the wordes off S. Luke. And if the name off bishop doth vnproperly belong vnto those / whom Saint Paul saith the holy gost had appointed bishops: ouer the church: I confesse that I can not tell what autoritie is sufficient / to make that name off bishop proper vnto them. And if the name off bishop did not properly belong vnto them all / but vnto one onely: yt followeth that the name also of an Elder / did not properly belong vnto them. For the one of them ys ²as well verified of them / as the other: and there is no more restreint off the name off bishop then of an Elder / vnto any one singular person amongest them. And how is this sentence off Bucer here pulled in by the heare? for albeit it were concluded / that one bishop should beare dominiō ouer the ministers of one churche: yet yt followeth not which is here in question / that one also owght to rule ouer all bishops in a prouince. The rest is answered.