The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

And although there be diverse causes / why the ancient stories do not so often make mention / of the bishops of uplandish towns / as that in those times of persecution / a number off them did scarcely yield one sufficient company / able to maintain the ministry off the word: and that by all likelihood the country men round about / made their resort unto the good towns next them / which had a bishop: and for that the stories for the most part / keep the memory only of the most famous bishops / which by godly policy off the church / were placed in the most peopled towns: yet notwithstanding it is not hard to show divers / which are expressedly called bishops off small towns / or villages. As off one ^aZor•cus Bishop of the village of Coman: of ^bMares / Bishop of a small town / called Dolicha: of ^cAsclepius / Bishop of a small town in Africa; and of others / which partly I have already showed out off ⟨p. DXX⟩the testimony off Jerome / and partly shall be showed (God willing) in discourse off Cyprian's testimonies. I leave also to speak of ^dGregory / bishop of a small city / called Naz•anzum: of an other which was ^epriest of the Castle Cumane / that is ^fBishop: both which are as well forbidden / as to have a bishop in a village. I followeth to show upon what causes / and by what means the church so fruitful in Bishops became afterward so barren. whereof albeit it is most certain / that the principal cause was the wrath off the lord / who angry with his church / sent such a dearth: yet the doings off men which God had disposed of wisely / for the accomplishment of his counsel touching the man of sin / were partly unadvised / partly proceeding off ambition: and that not always after one sort / but taking increase / and gathering strength with the time. So that the ambition which at the first was kept in some awe / and restraint / in the end brake out / and showed it self as it were bare faced.