The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

If I should suffer you to go away with this great / and ungrounded saying: yet thereby can not be concluded / that there are more Christians now in a part off Europe, then was throughout the world in the Apostles time. But I require proof of that you set down so precisely / not only because I think you can not warrant it by any: but also because I have somewhat to except against ¹it. For it may appear that Samaria did wholly receive the gospel. For beside that it is recited / that with one accord the multitudes gave heed unto that Philip said: S. Luke declaring in the 10. and 11. verses / that all that were in Samaria from the little to the great / were bewitched with the enchantments off Simon: addeth in the 12. verse / that when they believed they were baptised. This having relation unto that which goeth before / which is that all were abused by the magician: it followeth ⟨p. CCXXXVI⟩that the whole city received the gospel. Whereunto may be referred ²the emulation between Jerusalem / and Samaria: whereby it came to pass that the gospel thrust out off Jerusalem / was both easier / and more generally received in Samaria. Likewise that it is said in the 13. verse / that even Simon him self off all ³other most untoward / believed: and that in the 14. ver. that Samaria had received the word off God, and not many in Samaria / ⁴as he speaketh off other places / where the Gospel was but in part received. If one except / that it is not like every singular person turned / at the preaching off Philip: I answer that in such straight signification of all / there shall be at this day found no kingdom / and almost no city which hath received the gospel. But if the whole profession off the gospel / be esteemed off that which is done by the body / and state of the city: it seemeth that the words off Saint Luke will bear out / a whole / and general profession at the least off the most part / which you deny. And if it be true that Euseb. writeth / we have a manifest testimony off the whole receiving off the gospel in the ⁵