Secondly, you myslike that I should say, The scripture not to haue ap∣pointed discipline or correction, for such as shall contemne the cōmon Prayers, and hearing the worde of God. And you aske me where my iudge∣ment was? but I haue more cause to deiliaulide of you, where that learning and skill is which you so muche bragge of, séeing that you so vnskilfully alledge the Scriptu∣res against their true meaning and sense? For where haue you learned that Christ in the. 18. of Mathew dothe appointe any generall rule for publike offences, suche as negligence, and contempt in frequenting publike Prayers, and hearing of the word of God is? The very words of Christ, If thy brother trespasse agay〈1 line〉〈1 line〉st thee &c. do teath that he meaneth not there of open and knowne, but of secrete and particular sinnes. The which thing also the note that is in the margent of the Bible printed at Gene∣ua, myghte haue taught you, if you had bene as well disposed to haue followed the same in this place, as you séeme to haue doone in other places. M. Caluine in his boke agaynst the Anabap. reprouing them for vsing this place to the establishing of their kynde of discipline by excommunication, saythe on this sorte: They are againe de∣ceyued, in that they consider not that the Lorde speaketh in that place of secrete faultes: for as for those, which are manifest and giue vnto the people cause of offence, they are to be corrected by other meanes than by secrete admonitions. You muste therfore séeke for some other place than this, if you will proue that the Scripture hath appointed any discipline and correction for suche as shall contemne the Common Prayers, and hearing of the worde.
To proue that there are also ciuill punishmentes, and punishments of the bodie for contem∣nyng common prayers, and hearing of the worde, appointed by the worde of God, you cite 22. of Exodus. 19. of Deuteronomie &c. But before I come to the answering of these places, I pray you let me aske of you these questions.
First, whether you would haue both Ecclesiasticall & ciuil punishment for the selfe same faulte?
Secondly, whether you woulde haue negligence or contempte in frequen∣ting of common prayers & hearing of the word, punished with death or no? for that punish∣ment is appoynted in those places by you alleaged.
Last of all, whether you thinke the Iudiciall lawes to be perpetual, & to binde the ciuill Magistrate to the obseruing of them, & to restrain him from making any other, as shall be thought to him most conuenient? for except you wil haue two kinds of pu∣nishments for one and the self same offence: except you will punish with death suche as be negligent in cōming to publike prayers: to be shorte, except you will haue the ciuill Magistrate bound of necessitie to practise these iudicial lawes of Moses, (which in déede you affirme afterwardes in your booke) those places make nothing for your purpose. So that you are yet as farre to séeke for Scripture, that appointeth any cer∣taine kinde of discipline for these matters, as euer you were.
But that it may be vnderstode howe vnreasonably you wring & wrest the scri∣ptures, so make them serue your turne, I will in one woorde or two declare ye mea∣ning of those places, and set open the might of your argumentes.
In the. 22. of Exodus the place by you alleaged, the punishment of death is appoin∣ted for Idolaters, whervpon you would ground this argument. God in the. 22. of Exo∣dus appointeth death as a punishment for Idolaters, Ergo the word of God appointeth a certain kind of punishment for such as be negligent in frequenting publik prayers, and contemne the hearing of the worde. I say there is no sequele in this argument, vnlesse you wil make all those that be negligent in cōming to publike praiers, and cō∣temne to heare the word Idolaters, and this to be a perpetuall lawe.
In the 19. of Deuteronomie ther is nothing tending to any such purpose, only in the latter end of the chapter, there is a punishment appointed for him that beareth false witnesse, whervpon these woords, so thou shalt take euill away from the middest of thee &c. by you here alledged, do folow. Now if you will thus conclude, God in the. 19. of Deutronomie appointeth a punishment for a false witnesse: Ergo, the scripture hath appointed discipline for such as neglect to come to publike praiers. &c. then indéed you