The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

I Only prove that their high estate ought not to shadow the cause in hand: I say nothing less then that men in high estate can not have the truth: their is no syllable sounding that ways / the contrary I plainly affirm / that many off the Nobility and gentry / are Zealous and Religious. To what end therefore these places out off Isay / Gualter / Bullinger to prove a thing not only not denied / but plainly affirmed? For if he think Master Bullingers sentence doth hinder / that the saying off S. Paul to the Corinth. can not be understanded of these times: he is greatly abused / considering that the reason which the Apostle there useth / which is that no flesh should glory in the sight off God / reacheth to the whole estate of the kingdom of Christ / and is not proper to that time. And when Master Bullinger saith that it came to pass especially in that time / he excludeth not the times that follow.

I Onelie proue that their highe estate owght not to shadowe the cause in hand: I saye nothing lesse then that men in highe estate can not haue the trewth: their is no syllable sounding that waies / the contrary I plainely affirme / that manie off the Nobilitie and gentrie / are Zelous and Religiouse. To what ende therfore these places owt off Isay / Gualter / Bullinger to proue a thing not onelie not denied / but plainely afmed? For iff he thinke Maister Bullingers sentence dothe hinder / that the saiynge off S. Paule to the Corinth. can not be vnderstanded of these times: he is greatlie abused / consideringe that the reason which the Apostell there vseth / which is that no fleshe should glorie in the sight off God / reacheth to the whole estate of the kingdome of Christ / and is not proper to that time. And when Maister Bullinger saith that it came to passe especiallie in that time / he excludeth not the times that folowe.

Where as he saith the simple and plain meaning of the text to be / that god in his election to eternal life / hath neither respect to learning / nobility / riches or any such thing: he do the manifestly corrupt the sentence off the Apostle / and the whole process off his disputation. for the apostle going about to maintain / the naked simplicity off the preaching off the word of god / against those that would have the word preached in the swelling words off mans eloquence: amongest other reasons useth this / that the lord useth for the most part other means to do his / then the wisdom off men would choose to do their matters. And therefore that the simple kind