The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

Saint Paul therefore showeth not only what came to pass in those times: but what for the most part cometh / and shall come to pass / unto the worlds end in the Kingdom of Christ: even that he had before learned of our saviour Christ / that the poor as those that are afflicted / and cast down with the sense off their miseries / oftentimes do gladlier receive the gospel. Neither followeth it hereupon that the rich and noble are shut out off the kingdom off God / or that riches off them selves make men less apt to the kingdom off heaven / seeing Abraham the father off the believers was rich: or else that the rich sometime goo not before the poor in receiving off the gospel: which we read to have come to pass in Beroe / and Thessalonica / and which sometimes cometh to ¹pass not only in one city / but in a whole realm / that the nobility embrace the gospel / and the baser sort despise it. But this I say which also the Apostle meaneth / that the common and most usual calling off God / resteth in more off the poorer then off the richer sort: that the rich and noble that have received that benefit of this holy calling / may learn thereby the better to esteem the treasure they have / and the faster to ⟨p. XII⟩hold y•. But I fear lest in confuting his absurdity / I become almost as absurd as he.

Saint Paule therfore sheweth not onely what came to passe in those times: but what for the moste part cōmeth / and shall come to passe / vnto the worldes ende in the Kingdome of Christ: euen that he had before learned of our sauior Christ / that the poore as those that are afflicted / and cast downe withe the sense off their miseries / oftentimes do gladlier receiue the gospell. Neither followeth it herevpō that the riche and noble are shut owt off the kingdome off God / or that riches off them selues make men lesse apte to the kingdome off heauen / seing Abraham the father off the beleuers was riche: or els that the riche sometime goo not before the poore in receiuing off the gospell: whiche we reade to haue come to passe in Beroe / and Thessalonique / and which sometimes commeth to ¹passe not onelie in one citie / but in a whole realme / that the nobilitie embrace the gospell / and the baser sort despise yt. But this I say which also the Apostle meaneth / that the common and most vsuall calling off God / resteth in more off the porer then off the richer sorte: that the riche and noble that haue receiued that benefite of this holie callinge / maie learne therby the better to esteme the treasure they haue / and the faster to