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Unto the places of Deuteronome, which proue that nothing ought to be done in the Church, but that which God commaundeth, and that nothing should be added or diminished. First you an∣swere that that was a precepte giuen to the Iewes for that time, whiche had all thinges euen the
least prescribed vnto them. I see it is true which is said, that one absurditie graunted, a hundred follow. For to (a) 1.1 make good, that things ought to be done besides the scripture and word of God, you are driuen to runne into part of the errour of the Manichees, which say, that the old testament perteyneth not vnto vs, nor bindeth not vs. For what is it else, than to say that these two places serued for the Iewes time, and vnder the law? for surely if these two places agree not vnto vs in tune of the Gospell, I knowe none in all the old testament, whiche do agree. And I praye you what is here saide which S. Iohn in the Apocalipse saith not, where he shutteth vp the new testa∣ment on this sort: I protest vnto euery man which heareth the prophecie of this booke, that who∣soeuer* 1.2 addeth any thing to it, the Lord shall adde vnto him the plagues whiche are written in it: And whosoeuer taketh away any thing from it, the Lorde shall take away his portion out of the booke of life, and out of the things that are written in it? whiche admonition if you say perteyneth to that booke of the Apocalipse only, yet you must remember that the same may be as truly said of any other booke of the scripture.
My first answer to that place of Deuteronomie is true, neyther can you disproue* 1.3 it by any sound reason or good authoritie: for if you will haue this precept now to be vnderstanded of all the selfesame ordinances, and lawes, of the whiche, and for the which, it was at that time giuen, then must we of necessitie kéepe the ceremoniall and iudiciall precepts of the Law being at that time in force. The which thing as I suppose, no learned man will once imagine, but yet as this precepte was then gyuen to them, that they should adde nothing to the lawes of God then in force, or take any thing from them, so is it perpetuall for vs also, that we shoulde adde nothing to the law of faith and manners, which is likewise perfectly prescribed vnto vs in the booke of God.
And thus you sée how farre I am from the erroure of the Manichees, and from thin∣king that the old testament doth not apperteine vnto vs: and yet I am not so Iewish, to* 1.4 thinke that we are bound either to the ceremoniall or iudiciall law: and therefore I say that that precepte applyed vnto vs, dothe not extende any further, than to suche thinges as God hathe commauuded or forbidden vs that be Christians to do in hys word. How vniustly therefore you charge me to say, that these two places agree not vnto vs vnder the Gospell, when as I haue plainly declared how they agrée to them vnder the law, and to vs vnder the Gospell, let any man iudge.
The words in the last of the Apocal. although they be properly and namely spo∣ken of that booke, yet I am fully perswaded that they may also be affirmed of the whole testament. And I am so farre from allowing either addition or detraction, to, or from the word of God, that I vtterly cōdemne as false that which you haue setdown before in your booke Fol. 13. That many things are both commaunded and forbidden, of which there is no expresse mention in the worde, which are as necessarily to be followed or auoyded, as* 1.5 those whereof expresse mention is made.
A 〈◊〉〈◊〉 per∣uerting of ma ni〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ell and playn〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 words.
Apoca. 22.
The first an∣swer iustifyed
How farre that precept in Deut. is extended.
Fol. 13. Sect. 2.