A18080:942
The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright
The second reply of Thomas Cartwright: against Master Doctor Whitgiftes second answer, touching the Church disciplineThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright: agaynst Maister Doctor Whitgiftes second answer, touching the Churche discipline
Heidelberg: printed by Michael Schirat, 1575
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And that it may appear how justly we call this canon off the council / unto the touch stone of the word off God / let it be considered what is ordained off them in the 12. and 23. Canons after Ruffin: where they prescribe seven years unto one fallen in. 1to Idolatry / all which time (although very repentant) they forbid him the supper off the lord: where also it keepeth out one ⟨p. CCCCLXXXV⟩which coming from the war returneth thither again / by the space off thirteen years / &c. which severity (to let pas the rest) as it is against the rule of S. Paul: so it could not but put a halter 2in the devils hand / to snare a number of souls with all. what corruption there was further at that time / ether by ignorance / or ambition / may appear by that if one Paphenutius had not been: they had all concluded against the honourable society off bishops 3/ elders / and Deacons with their lawful wives. If the Ans. say / thes errors were but the errors off those bishops only / but the canon off a Metropolitan hath beside their allowance / the approbation off the former times also / so that although their single authority be not able to way it down / yet helped with the ancient custom before / it will carry it away: I answer 4that in the same council appeareth / that to those chosen unto the ministry unmarried / it was not lawful to take any wife afterwards: only being married before entrance into the ministry / it was lawful for them to use the benefit of that marriage. And Paphenutius showeth / that not only this was before that council: but was an ancient tradition of the church / which both him self / and the rest off the council rested in. what soever credit therefore in any respect / cometh unto the Metropolitan by this sixth canon: the same in every: point cometh to this so great a corruption / that nether single ministers might marry / nor those which entered married / might after death of their wives marry again If the fame of the council can not wipe away the infamy of this: nether can it of that: and if the ancient tradition of the church / do not authorise the one: nether can ancient custom / authorise the other.