The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

And whereas he saith that an Argument off authority hath an other weight in our profession / then it hath in humane sciences: I confess it hath so / if the authority off the Scripture be considered: But as for the authority off men / for the which cause he allegeth this / y• is far otherwise. For if the authority off man in humane sciences / and in mens matters / be off small force: off how how much less force ought it to be in God's matters? it is clean contrary therefore to that the D. saith. For although that Kind off argument off the authority off men / is Good neither in humane / nor divine science: yet it hath some small force in humane sciences: for as much as naturally / and in that he is a man / he may come to some ripeness off Judgement in those sciences. Which in divine matters hath no force at all / as off him which naturally and as he is a man / can no more Judge off them / then a blind man off colours. Yea so far is it from drawing credit if it be barely spoken without reason and testimony off Scripture: that it carieth also a suspicion off untruth / whatsoever proceeded from him / which the Apostle did well note when to signify ¹a thing corruptly spoken / and against the truth / he saith: that it is spoken according unto man: he saith not as a wicked or lying man / but simply as a man. And although this corruption be reformed in many: yet forsomuch as in whom the knowledge of the truth is most advanced / there remaineth both ignorance / and disordered affections (whereof either / turneth him from speaking off the truth) no mans authority with the church especially / and those that are called and persuaded off the authority off the word off God / can bring any assurance unto the conscience. So that if all that the D. ⟨p. XX⟩affirmeth were true (as it is untrue): and if all those authorities which are alleged were faithfully / and according to the meaning off the writers cited (as they are almost all writhen / and falsified) yet being for the most part / upholden by the bare authority and credit off men / they can give no rest to any Christian conscience which shall lean upon them.

And wheras he saithe that an Argument off authoritie hathe an other weight in our profession / then yt hathe in humane sciences: I confesse it hathe so / iff the authoritie off the Scripture bee consydered: But as for the authoritie off men / for the which cause he alledgeth this / y is farr otherwise. For yff the authoritie off man in humane sciences / and in mens matters / be off small force: off how how muche lesse force owght yt to be in Godes matters? yt is clene contrarie therfore to that the D. sayth. For althoughe that Kinde off argument off the authoritie off men / is Good neither in humane / nor diuine science: yet it hath some smale force in humane sciences: for as muche as naturallie / and in that he is a man / he maye come to some rypenes off Iudgement in those sciences. Which in diuine maters hathe no force at all / as off him which naturally and as he is a man / can no more Iudge off them / then a blind man off colours. Yea so farre is it from drawing credite if it be barelie spoken withowt reason and testimonie off Scripture: that it carieth also a suspition off vntrewth / whatsoeuer proceded from him / which the Apostle did well note when to signifie