The second replie of Thomas Cartwright: agaynst Maister Doctor Whitgiftes second answer, touching the Churche discipline

Cap. 3. Diuision 1. pag. 100.

IN the first whole page / there is nothing to be answered: yt be∣ing

shewed / that yt is not our question (which the A. dooth so sha¦mefully affirme) whether the scripture haue expressed all exter∣nall ceremonies / &c. In the next page / vnto me shewing that the place off August. to Casulanus is against hym / for that where he would proue / that certein thinges are in the churches power / the wordes which he alledgeth say / that the decrees of the forefa∣thers / and coustomes off the people off God are to be obserued / tying the church to the decrees / and coustomes off those which went before: he answereth / that August. giueth a rule vnto priua∣te men and not vnto the church. Wherein he condemneth him self / off hauing alledged that sentence cleane beside the cause. For it is manifest / by the wordes immediatly goinge before / that he alledged it / to proue the autoritie off the church in thinges indif∣ferent: neither can yt in any other respect / haue any bonde with that / which he pretendeth to proue. And nowe that yt is shewed / howe vnfitly the place is alledged: he shifteth his footing / and in steade off a rule towchinge the church / he maketh yt a rule for priuate men: and in steade off shewing the libertie off the church / he sheweth the bondage / that a priuate man is tyed by.

Where I conclude against hym off that sentence off Au∣gustine / that we ought to followe the coustomes / and orders off the Apostels / and off the primatiue churches / seing yt ys certein / that they were our forefathers / and the people off God: and that we owght not to followe the Papistes / which are neither the people off God / nor our forefathers: to the first / off folo∣winge the Apostels / he saith / there were certeine thinges conue∣nient onely for their tymes / which are not to be folowed. Where∣in onlesse he meane those thinges / which are in controuersie / yt is nothing to the pourpose: and iff he meane them / yt is a mani∣fest begging off that / which is in demaunde. Vnto the seconde point / off not taking the Papistes coustomes / and decres: he re∣ferreth me to other places. Where notwithstanding he neuer answereth this argument off Augustin: and so in pretence off a fitter place / he hath taken a longer day.

Where he noteth me of ignorance (in that I saide / I could

oppose Ignatius / and Tertull / vnto August. and Ambrose / to∣wchinge the fast vppon the Lordes day) saying / that there is no difference betweene them, thone part speaking off the Saturday, the other off the Sonday: I am contented to beare his charge off ignorance. But is there any man / so forsaken off all not learninge onely / but common reason / which dooth not vnderstand that thes pro∣positions differ / and fight amongest them selues / yt ys a de∣testable thinge to fast on the Lordes day: which is the Iudge∣ment off Ignatius / and Tertull: and / yt is lavvfull to fast on the Lordes day: Which is the Iudgement off Augustine / set downe off him selffe? And when Ambrose / speaking not onely off the Sabbothe off the Iewes / but generally / willeth that vvhat∣soeuer the coustome off the church be in that behalffe off fast∣ing, yt should be folovved: dooth he not manifestly ouerthrowe his saying / which saith / to fast on the Lordes day is to kill the Lorde? And euen in the case off the fast off the Iewes Sabbo∣the / which Casulanus demaundeth counsaill off / yt appeareth there was great disagrrement betweene the aunciēt fathers / con∣sideringe that in the Canons / which are attributed vnto the A∣postles / * 1.1 it was ordeined / that if one were founde to faste on the Lordes day / or on the Sabbothe (one onely exepted): being a cler∣ke / he should be deposed / and being a layman / separated from the supper off the Lorde. If I haue off ignorance / set the fathers to∣gether by the eares (as he saith): let vs see / howe with his know∣eledge / he can part them / and set them at one in this be∣halffe.

That the fastes which were kept / in the tymes off Ambrose / and Augustine / and longe before / and their allowance especially off the Lentenne fastes Were corrupte / and prophanations off the true vse off fast: yf neede were / as I haue in part / so yt might in more wordes easely be shewed. That the counsaile giuè for the kee¦ping of those superstitious fastes / might haue place in a straun∣ger / and priuate mā / which owght not to stand towardes a Citi∣sen / and hym that hath charge: yt is apparent. And yet bothe thes the Answerer would beare downe with wordes / and nothing but wordes.

Where the answ. saying that he knoweth nothing in the pla∣ce off Augustine / or Ambrose / towching fasting / which may not be obserued withowt iust offense / may be taken either to speake of the places which I alledged / thouching merite off fasting / or the places which him selffe alledged: I will rather esteme (vntill I knowe the contrary) that he ment off those which he browght him selffe / then together with the slipp off standing daies off fast / he should also fall flat by opinion / off the merite in fasting. And so I would haue the reader to take him / that there be no offense taken at this place / so doubtfully left. Where he bringeth me in concluding / that because the auncient fathers erred in some thin∣ges / therfore they saide true in none: my wordes cary no suche sense. But for so muche as they erred / and euen in this matter off fast / which was in hande: they owght to haue no further credite / then their authoritie is waranted by the word off God / and good reason. and that therfore the Answ. which presseth their bare au∣toritie / withowte any warde off the word of God / or assistance of good reason / ether browght of him selfe / or fetched from them / bringeth an intollerable tyrannie into the church of God. This I gaue to vnderstand / which because he durst not in plaine wordes gaine saie: he hathe tourned my wordes vnto another sense.

Cap. 3. Diuision 2 pag. 103.

Augustine saithe / that the feast of Easter, Pentecoste &c. are the statutes off the Apostles, and commended to the churches, and addeth / that they are not conteined in the scripture. Wher∣euppon I concluded / that there is some thinge (by this reckening) commanded off God to be obserued / not conteined in the scriptu∣re: and consequently / that there is no sufficient doctrine / con∣teined in the scripture / whereby we may be saued. To this the Doct. answereth / that yt is a pretie and sound collection. I haue in de∣ed for shortnes sake / trussed that into twoo or three propositions / which to put in full / and comptere argumentes / required a grea∣ter nomber: Howbeit the soundenes off the collection / is appa∣rant to all / which will open their eies. And because the Ans: will yeald no obedience vnto the truthe / vnlesse she taking him by the

collar / haue her handē vppon his throat: the foundenes off the col∣lection shall thus appeare vnto him. What soeuer was decreed off the Apostles / and commended vnto the churches to be obserued / is necessarie: but some thinges (by Aug. and the D.) not conteined in the word off God / were decreed and commended by the Apo∣stels / vnto the posteritie of the churches: therfore some thinges (by Aug. and the D.) not conteined in the word of God / is necessarye to be obserued. The first proposition is manifest / considering that the statutes off the Apostels / are the statutes off Christ: the secon¦de is Augustines / allowed off the D. and iff bothe these be true / then the third must needes be.

This being thus gathered / that which I added / that therupō yt folowed / that there is no sufficient doctrine conteined in the scriptures: is thus concluded. That which doothe not conteine all the will off God / necessarie for vs to doo / conteineth no sufficien∣te doctrine vnto saluation: but the scripture (by Aug / and the d.) conteinethe not all the will off God / necessary for vs to doo: ther∣fore the scripture (by Aug. and the d) conteineth no sufficient do∣ctrine vnto saluation. The first proposition is manifest / in that S. Paul to deliuer him selffe from the gilte off bloude / towards the * 1.2 Ephes. alledgeth / that he had taught them all the will off God: the second foloweth off that which Aug. and the d. allowe. for iff there be some thing commanded off the Apostells / not conteined in the worde off God: that being necessarie / yt must folowe / that some necessarie thing for vs to doo / is not conteined in the worde.

And where the A. saithe / that neither Aug. nor he say, that any thin∣ge not conteined in the scripture is so necessarie, that it may not be altered (vpon iust occasion) by suche as haue autoritie: he can not mocke the worlde af∣ter that sorte / withe faste and loose at his pleasure. For if they be statutes off the Apostels / and commended vnto the churches: w∣hat autoritie is there vppon earthe / whiche can displace them w∣hich the apostels haue placed? and iff it be madnes (as he saith af∣terward owte off Augustin) not to obserue them / or once to rea∣son off them: how can they take order in them? And this answer is ouerthrowne / by the wordes off Augustin whiche folow imme¦diatly. But other things (saith he) vvhich are varied by regions (as that some faste vpon the sabbothe daye, some doo not, &c.

are at libertie to bo obserued: neither is there any better rule to a Christian man in thes, then to do as the churche doothe vv∣here he comethe. Where it is manifest / that he opposeth the tra∣dition off the Apostels / and ther statutes receiued by tradition: vnto those thinges / whiche are in the churches power to ordeine / and to those wherin yt ys safe for vs to applie our selfes / to the order off the churche. They being therfore in this opposed / the one beinge in the churches power / the other are nor the one being of that sorte / that off which side soeuer the churche determine off them / a man may saflie obey / the other muste needes be off that sorte / that if the churche woulde otherwise ordeine of them / then the Apostels: that a man may not safely obey. And in the nexte sen∣tence / the thinges which he opposethe those statutes off the A∣postels vnto / he calleth indifferent: and therby giueth to vnder∣stande / that he tooke them for vnindifferent. and hitherto pertei∣neth / that he alledgeth owt off August. in Zuinglius name / and is * 1.3 found in his booke against the Donatistes / where yt ys said / that they are to be holden as giuen by Apostolicall autoritie. Which is more then if he had said / giuen by the Apostels: considering that there are thinges giuen off the Apostels as counsailes / and left at the churches order to chaunge vppon occasion as were the tradi∣tions / which M. Caluin speaketh off / but they were neuer left vn∣to the church / with an Apostolical autoritie. Which autoritie is off the higheste nature / and proceding from the higheste court that can be.

And that this was Augustines meaning / appeareth manife∣stly by the place which I alledged / out of his booke againste the do¦natistes. * 1.4 Where he saithe / that all those thinges vvhich the chur¦che houldeth generally, are to be houlden as praeceptes off the Apostels, althovvghe they be not vvriten: wherunto he answe∣reth nothing. And by that place / the folie off the answerer wher∣by he woulde tune Augustin by maister Caluins wreste / is more plainly discouered. For where he wolde haue vs thinke that August vnderstood those traditions onely / which perteine to or∣der / and politie / that may be varied / and not vnto doctrine: yt is manifest / that Augustin in that place saithe / that the Apostels

gaue commaundement, tovvching the not rebaptising off tho∣se vvhiche vvere baptized by Heretikes, and that the custome of off the churche in not rebaptizing, vvhich vvas obiected aga∣inst Cyprian, had the beginning off the Apostels tradition. No∣we I would knowe off the answerer / whether he dare saye / that this iudgement off rebaptizing / be off traditions / which may be chaunged: or whether there can be any iust cawse / wherefore this may be altered? And if he dare not saye this / then let him confesse his faut / and not seeke to make vp his breaches / by sutche vntem∣pered morter.

Where I saye / that thereby there is a gate opened vnto the the Papistes / to bring in vnder the colour off traditions / all their beggery: he answereth / that the Papistes are rather confuted by this meanes / considering that the Pope / hath nether at all ty∣mes / nor in all places bene receiued. Where to let pas / that to hel∣pe him selfe / he addeth at all times which is not in Augustines rule: he towcheth not the point off the cause. For in that onely that it is saide / that there be precepts off the Apostels vnto the church / not cōteined in the word of God: is pusshed at the strongest bulwarc∣ke / which the church hath to defend yt selfe / against the Popishe beggerie / and all other corruptions / Which bullwarke is / that whatsoeuer is commaunded of the Lorde vnto the church / is con¦teined in the worde off God. yff this be once shaken: there is no sufficient resistance left vnto the church / against this assaut. For althoughe yt hath some great likelihood / which hath bene gene∣rally / and from the Apostels times receiued: yet for somuche as yt is not vnpossible for the whole church to erre in some point / and to haue taken vp / or reteined off that which yt had before / some thing not deliuered by the apostels: it can be no sufficiēt bar / to wi∣thstand the corruptions offred to be brought in by the Heretikes / to saie that the church hath ether doon / or not doon / so / and so / syt∣hēs the Apostels tymes. And althoughe we might be assured that they are the precepts of the Apostels / which haue bene so general∣ly receyued: yet the doore is not so close shut against corruptions / as he pretendeth. For this thing standing that there are cōmaun∣demēts giuen of the Apostels / not cōteined in the word of god: they

may thrust in thinges / which haue not had that generall / and con¦tinuall obseruation. For althowghe Aug. saie / that they are the tra¦ditiōns of the Apostles / which are generally receiued: yet he dooth not saie that they onely are / and the Heretikes whose corruptions should be repulsed in this respect / that they haue not bene gene∣rally nor alwaies receiued / might haue an easye replye / that there is the same preiudice against certen off the commandementes off the Apostels committed to writing: considering that they haue nether generally / nor continually bene receiued.

Where he alledgeth Zuinglius / vsing a sentence off Augusti∣ne not muche vnlike / to confirme childrens baptisme: yt is to be no¦ted / that Zuinglins vsed not that sentence / but in the confirmaci∣on off a thing / which hath certeine testimonie owt off the word off God / as hath childrens baptisme / whereit could not be dan∣gerous. and then yt is to be obserued / that thereby is ouerthrow∣ne his whole answer. For Zuinglius taking that sentence off thin∣ges / which haue a necessarye obseruation in the church off God / ād can not be chaunged: putteth to flight his whole answer / with the defense theroff / which supposeth Augustine to haue gyuen this rule / off thinges indifferent. And therefore either the A. is abused / in vnderstanding thes places off thinges indifferent: or els Zuinglius / in vsing this for the necessitie off childrens baptis∣me / gaue his aduersaries great aduantage / whilest they might ha¦ue answered with the D. that that authoritie off the Apostels is suche / as the church vpon consideration may alter. And where he alledgeth M. Caluin / as one which had vsed that rule off Au∣gustine: I answer / that yt is one thing / to alowe the sentence off a writer: and another thing / to take some aduantage off it when his aduersarie presseth hym with his authoritie. A man vseth some ti∣me that defense / prouoked by the manner off assault off his enne∣mie / which he would not doo / iff he might choose his owne fight: and it might serue M. Caluin in part / for arm our against the ba∣re autoritie off Augustine vrged off the Papistes / which is not of proofe / against the shot off the word off God.

Where he saieth / that the Papistes haue no wicked thing, which e∣ther hath bene generally obserued, or whereoff he is not able to shewe the first autor: I answer / that it is well the church standethe not in neede / off this defense off yowres. For if the Lenten fast, (which in Au∣gustines

time had bene by longe coustome receiued) if holy water / * 1.5 holy oyle / the superstition off praying towardes the East (which are off those traditions / that in the place by him alledged owt off * 1.6 Basile / are attributed vnto the Apostles) yff those I saie / and su∣che like / be against the word off God: let hym tell howe he will cleare the Apostels / of being autoures off these corruptions / w∣hich are fathered of them by men off suche credit / onlesse he flye to this rocke (which by the doctrine off traditions he goeth abowte to vndermine) that is to saie: that the Apostles haue left in wri∣ting / whatsoeuer they would haue the churches obserue. For w∣hat autoritie soeuer he bring to shewe / who were the first inuen∣tors of these thinges / yt being humane / is counteruailed by them / which haue caried them vnto the times off the Apostels.

Where vppon on that I saide / that all the commandementes off God, and off the Apostels, are nedefull for our saluation, he maketh such a terrible owtcrie / as if all the church had bene set on fire: I dowbt whether (for the vanitie of the accusation) I should vouchesafe yt of answer / which for the strong / and bitter wor∣des / might seme to require a large defense. Howbeit let him vnd∣erstand that when I speake of all the commandementes of God / and off the Apostels: nether by the deduction off that which I handled / nor by any Iudgement / not altogether peruerted / could I be thowght to meane any other commaundementes / then those which perteine vnto vs. And iff I had met with the vainest trif∣ler / and hawker after syllables / which can possibly be: yet the sen∣tence I set downe / is sufficiently fenced against all his greedines / of snapping at yt. For the Ceremoniall lawe / and personall lawes giuen in times paste (being nowe no commaundementes off God / and the Apostels) can not be comprehended vnder my wor¦des / off the commandementes off God, &c. And iff a man leuing the deduction off the cawse / which I had in hand / will staie in the bare wordes / which I vsed: then euen bothe cermoniall / and those which were giuen to particular persones / albeit they be not to be doone / yet are they for our better instruction in the will off God / needefull for our saluacion.

To the argument which I vsed / that iff Augustine would haue vs doo those thinges / which the Apostels vsed in the chur∣ches

/ not committed to writing: then muche more he would haue bene off aduise / that we should kepe that / which is committed to writing / towching their gouernement off the church: he answe∣reth nothing.

In the thirde diuision pag. 107. to that I found fault with / off the second rule off Augustine / which is / that yt is madnes, e∣ther not to kepe, or to reason off that, vvhich is vniuersally ob∣serued off the church: he answereth / that was a rule for Augustines time, and not for all times. Wherein / he first condemneth him selfe / off wandring from the cause: which to shew / that some thing may be established in our church / not commaunded in the scripture / alled∣geth a rule that belongeth not vnto vs. Then it is manifest / howe helpeles a shift this is / considering that the rule is generall / and as generally gyuen / as any other the rules / which the A. comen∣deth vnto vs / out off Augustine. Beside that I alledged / that euen in August. time / yt was wicked to giue any such autoritie / to the decree / or custome of men / as not to enquire into yt: which becau¦se he durst not denie / he left vnanswered. And whereas he addeth / if it be not repugnant to the word: I shewed that Augustine / could ha∣ue no suche meaning: which althoughe he confesse in one word / contrary to that which he set downe: yet in the same page (lest the truthe should get any victorie at his handes) he dooth in effect denie yt. For he saithe / that Aug. hath sondry times in suche rules, made this exception, iff they be not against faith, &c. Where yt is manifest / that this exception is of those rules / which are diuersly obserued / and which he openly opposeth / vnto this rule / and suche as this is / off the necessary obseruacion off thinges.

The place vnto the Gall. was needefully opposed. For if * 1.7 there be commandementes off the Apostells vnto the churches / and thinges which yt is madnes not to kepe / or to enquire into / not writen: there ys something necessary to saluacion / which S. Paul preached not: considering / that the whole summe off his pre¦aching / is cowched in writing.

The place off Augustine / off abrogating ceremonies other∣wise indifferent / he answereth / was not for his pourpose. Howbeyt /

of his pourpose had bene / to haue boulted owt the truthe: yt •••• cleare / that hauing this cawse in hand whether ceremonies in them selues indifferent / owght to be remoued: he would not ha∣ue dissembled yt. As for that he chargeth me / with leuing owt off thinges before / in the middest / and after / and thereof hath al∣moste fylled a whole syde: it is vtterly vnworthy any answere / con¦sidering that I haue left nothing owt / which is in controuersie / nothing which I doo not willingly confesse / nothing that he ha∣the any aduantage by: yea I left that owt / whereby I could haue taken aduantage. For beside that the ceremonies with vs are in greater nomber / then August. alloweth / all men see / that they are more vrged / and the omitting off them seuerelier punished / then the breache off the commaundementes off God: in which case he will haue them abrogated. For he scapeth far better / which hath not preached a whole halfe yeare in his church / then which prea∣ching euery weeke twise / leueth off his surplis once. And yt is better with him / whose whole liffe / then whose capp is owt off square: vvhich is ennemie off the crosse off Christe / then which can not abyde the crosse in baptisme: with those which leaue owt some ceremonie / in burying the bodyes off the dead / then vvith those vvhich murder the soules off the liuing. All which thinges / the place of Augustine giuing me occasion off. I notwithstanding for shortnes sake / passed by.

The Answer to the laste place off Aug. was needeles / being the same with the third / vvhich I subscribed vnto. The answer to your conclusion / had bene superfluous: I hauing before declared / vvherein I agree vvith yowe / ād vvherein I withstand yow. And vvhereas I laye to his charge / that he fetcheth rules ovvt off the vvritinges of mē, to square the Ceremonies by, vvhich he might haue had in the vvord of god, here certeine, ād altogether true, vvhich are there vncerteine, ād in part vntrue: he answereth / that he browght thē not for that pourpose. wherein / beside that he calleth thē rules / his answer is directly against that / which he hath set dow¦ne. For he (chap. 1. diuision 9. pag. 94.) making his beginning off the sentence off Saint Paul / which he saithe is a rule for the church / to examine her ceremonies by pursueth the selfe same point

vnto this place. And where he saithe / they are meete for a Diuine to know: yt is no answer / considering that yt may be profitable / for a Diuine to know many thinges / which yt is daungerous to pro∣pound vnto the church / muche more to propound them / as rules to grownd the churches lawes vppon.

In the next diuision / there is nothing to be answered / or w∣hich hath not bene answered before. In the next / where he saithe / that the priuate sentences off men in their Epistels of these pointes, are off mo∣re credite, then that which they haue published vnto the whole world: yt is a saying / meet for such a cawse as he defendeth. For all vnder∣stand / that men be more soudeine in letters to their freindes / then in their bookes: and that they burne more candell / and make the file off their Iudgement / and vnderstanding passe oftener vppon those writinges / which they will submit to the Iudgement off all men / then to the iudgement off one: vpon those / which they kno∣we shall come on the racke off their wrangling ennemies / then which shal finde rest / in the bosome of an easie ād frendly interpre∣tation: vpon those / which they thincke shall remaine vnto all po∣steritie / then which they thincke shall dye / at the least with him to whom they wrote. And therefore iff there were occasions / to mo∣ue them to speake otherwise in their publike writinges / then in their priuate: yet that turneth all to the aduantage off those / which alledge that which was spoken vppon the howse toppe: rather then off those / which presse that was rounded in the eare off one man. Yf their priuate writinges / varie not from their publike / yt is so muche better for vs: which are well assured / that the publike we haue alledged / stand off our syde.

Where I suppose him / to attribute the order off church mat∣ters / vnto the Bishoppes / which he parteth with the prince / and other wise men (albeit yt will appeare / that he shutteth owt di∣uers / which haue interest in that consultation:) yet he might haue some cawse to complaine in that behalfe / and yt was I confesse / my ouersight.

Vnto the two next diuisions / pag. 117 / &c. Where I haue she∣wed the places off Deut. 4. 12. are still in force / against the error off the A. which (in saing / that in the time of the Iewes, and during that estate, yt was not lawefull to adde any thing, &c.) gyueth to vnderstand / that

we are not so streightly bound vnto yt at this tyme: he answereth / that he applied that rule, vnto the lawe off faithe, and manners▪ but he sho∣ulde haue vnderstanded / that in restraining the rule after that sor∣te / therby shutting owt the lawes off making orders / and cere∣monies off the church: he still falleth into that fault / whereoff he is accused. For hauing shewed / that not onely in thinges which he calleth matters off faithe / and manners / but euen in the variable Ceremonies off the church / there ys a worde off God: yt is also true / that he is accursed, which in making orders off the church / foloweth not the rule off the lawes off God / proui∣ded in that behalfe. And I hauing shewed / that the Iewes them selues had certen Ecclesiasticall Ceremonies in mariadge / buri∣all / &c. which are not expressly commanded vnto them: yf they (as he confesseth) had addresse owt off the word off God / for all their lawes off what sorte soeuer and this curse fell off them / if in their variable lawes they ether added or diminished from the word of God: yt muste needes folowe / that the Christians nowe in their variable lawes / bothe haue a word to direct them / and a curse for either adding / or diminishing from that word. Onles he will sa∣ie / that the Christians / in thinges which were a like left vnto the libertie off them / and the Iewes / are les bownd to folowe the prescript off the worde off God / then were the Iewes: which ys absurd.

In the places owt off Ieremy / and Isay / yt is euident / that there is set forthe / howe there shalbe greater knowledge off the will off god / vnder the Gospell / then vnder the Lawe. And euen that which I haue set downe / off the people which should be as learned vnder the Gospell / as the Leuites / and Priestes vnder the lawe: beside that yt conteineth a manifest truthe, and therfore can not be to flatter the people (as he surmiseth): may be also gathe∣red off the 5. verse off the 56. chap. off Isaie. Where the Lord / pro∣mising to bring the Gentils into a better place of his temple / then the Iewes had before / dothe not obscurely declare / that which I saide.

Vnto the twoo next diuisions pag 118 / &c. for replie I saie / that he answereth not to the matter. For the questiō is not / whether we haue fewer or moe lawes then they / but whether we haue dire∣ction by those lawes which we haue / to all thinges whatsoeuer

belongeth vnto vs to doo / as they had to doo that / which apper∣teined vnto them. To proue that there is a word off God / for all thinges vve haue to doo: I alledged / that othervvise our estate should be vvorse, thē the estate of the levves: Which the Ans. con¦fesseth to haue had directiō, owte of lawe, in the leste thing they had to doo. And when yt is the vertue off a good lawe / to leaue as litle vnde∣termined / and withowte the compasse off the law / as can be: the A. in imagining / that vve haue no word for diuers thinges / whe∣rein the Iewes had particular direction: presupposeth gteater perfection in the lawe / gyuen vnto the Iewes / then in that vvh∣ich is left vnto vs. And that this is a principal vertue off the la∣we / may be seen / not onely by that I haue shewed / that a con∣science well instructed / and towched with the feare off God / seeketh for the light off the word off God / in the smallest actions: but euen by common reason / the masters whereoff giue this rule / 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is to saie / that yt greatly * 1.8 behoueth those lavves, vvhich are vvell made (as muche as can be) to determine of all thinges, and to leaue as fevve thinges as may be to the discretion off the iudges. Where he saithe / that the examples I browght off orders / vvhich the Iewes did vvell obserue / vvhereoff there was no expresse mention in the lawe off God / make not to the pourpose, for that, he spake off ceremonies, vsed a∣bowt the worship off God: I answer / that that vvhich I haue alled∣ged is a manifest confutation off those wordes / which he hathe set downe / nether was ther the least thing, to be doon in the church, omitted in the lawe. For are not these thinges / vvhich I browght example off / to be doon in the church: are they not Ecclesiasticall orders: yea are not part off them (which he denieth) perteining to the seruice off God? Yf these orders / off the howre for the morning / and af∣ternoone sacrifice / off preaching the vvord off God in a place vvhere yt may be best hard / off fasting for the better humbling off the people before the lord in praier / be not orders / and Ceremo∣nies perteining to the worshipp off God: then the daylie sacrifi∣ces / preaching the vvord off God / and calling vppon his name / (vvhereunto these belonged) are no partes off the worshipp off God: then the vvhich there is nothing more absurde. And verily this is not / by iugling / or sleight off hand / to deceiue the

eyes off the reader: but by flat facing / to endenour to make hym tourne them from the truthe. That vvhich I said / off the Iewes Ecclesiasticall gouernement / by the morall and Ceremoniall lawe onely / and not by the iudiciall: (as that vvhich may be cast downe with reasons owt off the vvord of God / vvhich is here onely do∣on by autoritie of men) I am vvell content it fall. So that I haue no fault to finde vvith the Ans. in this behalfe / but that the vvea∣pon he strooke this vvith all / vvas not sharp enoughe.

Diuision 5. pag. 120 &c. Of the nomber off thinges / vvhich the Iewes had not particulerly decided by the lawe / the reason is apparant / vvhich I haue assigned: that this hyndereth not / but that there is a vvord / and generall commandement to direct them by / hath bene shewed: that it is a vaine cauill / that maketh doubt / whether in saying / that vve haue the same lavves to direct vs in the seruice off God, vvhich the Ievves had, I meane the Ceremoniall lawe, or no, appeareth by that / vvhich I set downe (in the third di∣uision. p. 118.) vvhere / I receiuing the morall lawe / for our directi∣on / left the Ceremoniall. and of the same sort is that vvhich he vv∣rangleth in / becawse I saie / the nevve Testament is a noble addi¦tion vnto the ould: considering that I adding vvherein / namely that it maketh the ould more manifest, and bringeth greater light: shut owt all / euen the least occasion off suche trifling. And * 1.9 this maner of speach that I haue vsed / Maister Caluin vvhich is here opposed / hath him selff vsed. Where he calleth in this respect / the gospell an addition vnto the lavve. yt remaineth to see / vvhe∣ther in the matter off the iudiciall lawe / that vvhich I haue set downe be straunge / and daungerous (as the A. surmiseth) or no.

It is not (as the A. surmiseth vntruly) that the magistrate is sim∣ply bound vnto the iudicial lawes off Moses: but that he is bound to the e∣quitie / which I also called the substance / and marrowe off them. In regard off vvhich equitie / I affirmed that there are certen la∣wes amongest the Iudicialles / which can not be chaunged. And hereof I gaue example / in the lawes vvhich command / that a stub¦bern Idolater / blasphemer / murtherer / incestuous person / and su∣che like / should be put to death. For the first point / that the equitie of the iudicialls doth remaine / ād therfore owght to be a rule / to * 1.10 direct al lawes by / to let passe the autoritie of M. Caluin / M. Beza /

and other writers off our time / that haue writen with any iudge∣ment off this matter (which doo in plaine wordes affirme that * 1.11 there is a perpetuall equitie in them / and that our lawes albeit they differ in forme / yet owght to reteine the reason / or ground of them) I saie to let that passe: yt is to be considered / that all these la∣wes morall / Ceremoniall / and Iudiciall being the lawes off God / and by his reueled will established / must so far forth remaine / as yt appeareth not by his will / that they are reuoked.

And seing that the alteration which is come in this behalfe / is by the comming off our Sauiour Christ onely: yt is to be inqui∣red / what those lawes are / which he put end vnto. Which thing may be considered / in that diuision which Saint Paul vseth / whe¦re he saith / that our Sa. Christ came / to make peace / first betwene God and men / and then betwene men and men: that is to say / bet∣wene * 1.12 the Iewes / and Gentils. The Ceremoniall lawe therefore / beinge a lawe of enimitie (which as a wall held owt the Gentils / from ioyning them selues vnto the Iewes) was necessary amon∣gest other cawses / in this respect / to be taken away. The curse off the lawe / for the breache of any the lawes of god / ether perteining to the Iewes in tymes past or vnto vs nowe / being that which maketh the wall betwene the Lord and vs: was for our recon∣ciliation with his maiestie / necessarily to be remoued. Wherevp∣pon followeth / first that the morall lawe (as that which nether hindereth our reconciliation with the Lord / not our good agree∣ment with men) is in as full strenght as euer it was before the comming of our Sauiour Christ. For the curse off the lawe / beside that it is in regard off the elect / rather fulfilled / and executed in the persone off our Sa. Christ / then abrogated: beside that also / yt hath a necessary vse as yet towardes the elect / not onely to driue them to the faith which is in Christ Iesus / but also to kepe vnder the remantes of rebellion / euen of them which haue already bele∣ued: and beside that the force thereoff / is daily / ād shalbe for euer / execured vpon the wicked: beside all this / seing this curse was an∣nexed / not onely to the breache off the morall lawe / but also off the Ceremoniall / and Iudiciall: there is no iuste cause why the morall lawe should be sayde to be abrogated. At the least / it can not stand (which the Ans. hathe very daungerously set downe) that the whole lawe off god generally is abrogated. For if a man will make the curse a

part of all the morall lawe / wher yt is rather a necessary adioinct / vnto the breache of the lawe / then a part therof: yet notwithstan∣ding / that part off the morall lawe which standeth in commaun∣ding and forbidding / remaineth vnshaken / and as concerning ab∣rogation / vntowched off our Sa. Christ.

Secondly / it foloweth hereuppon / that those iudiciall lawes off Moses / which are merely politik / and withowt all mixture off Ceremonies / must remaine / as those which hinder not / the atone∣ment off the Iewes / and Gentils with God / or off one off them / with an other. Beside that / it being manifest / that our Sa Christ came not / to dissolue any Good gouernement off commen weal∣the: he can least off all be thowght / to haue comme to dissolue that which him selffe had established. And off this point / the Ans. hath twoo contrary sentences: one off Musculus / which saith / that the iudiciall lavve is abrogated, the other off Beza / which is the same with that which I haue brought reasons off: that is to say / that the iudiciall lavve being giuen vnto the Ievves, is not * 1.13 yet abrogated, so that iff they had any estate off common vveal∣the, in the Land off Canaan, they should be constreined, to vse that forme off gouernemēt, vvhich vvas gyuē vnto them of Mo∣ses. Nowe albeit those lawes / gyuen vnto the Iewes for that land doo not binde the Gentils in other landes / for somuche as the di∣uersitie off the disposition of the people / and state off that country gaue occasion off some lawes there / which would not haue bene in other places / and peoples: yet forsomuche as / there ys in those lawes a constant / and euerlasting equitie / whereuppon they were grounded / and the same perfecter / and farther from error / then the forge off mans reason / (vvhich is euen in this behalffe / shre∣wdly vvounded) is able to deuise: yt followeth / that euē in making politike lawes / for the common wealth / Christian Magistraites owght to propound vnto them selues those lawes / and in light of their equitie / by a iust proportion off circunstances off person / pla¦ce / &c. frame them.

Furthermore / that this equitie off the Iudiciall lawe / re∣maineth not as a counsaile / vvhich men may followe yf they list / and leaue at their pleasure / but as a lawe / vvhereunto they be

bound: what better proofe can we haue / then the Apostle? Which after he had alledged diuers similitudes / fetched off the common * 1.14 vse off men / to proue that a Minister off the Gospell / ought to be mainteined off the churches chardge / vnto the aduersarie / wh∣ich might except / that those were but humane reasons: he alled∣geth / as the eternall lawe off God / one off the Iudiciall lawes * 1.15 off Moses / which was / that a man should not mousell the mou¦the, of the oxe vvhich tredeth ovvt the corne. Where it is mani∣fest that he doubteth not / to binde the cōscience off the Corinthes / * 1.16 vnto the equitie off that lawe / which was Iudiciall. Likewise / of the finding off the priestes / in the seruice off the altar / commaun∣ded in the lawe: he concludeth / that those which preache the go∣spell / should liue off it. And this maintenance off the preistes / al∣beit in the maner off prouision / yt was ceremoniall: yet as it was a reward of their seruice / due by men (as the punishementes also / iff they had failed in their duties) was mere iudiciall. Whereup∣pon it is brought to passe / that in those iudicialls / to all the cir∣cumstances whereoff we are not bound: we are notwithstanding bound to the equitie.

Yt remaineth to shewe / that there are certein Iudiciall la∣wes / which can not be chaunged / as that a blasphemer / contem∣ptuous / and stubborne Idolater / &c. ought to be put to death. The doctrine which leueth this at libertie / when they can alledge no cause off this loosenes / but the comming off our Sauiour Christ / and his passion / faulteth many wayes. And first / yt is a childishe error / to thincke that our Sauiour Christe came dow∣ne / to exempt men from corporall death / which the lawe casteth vppon euill doers: when as he came not to deliuer from death / which is the parting off the bodie from the soule / but from that which is the separation bothe off bodie / and soule / from the gra∣tious presence off the lord. And iff it were so / that our Sa. Chri∣ste had borne in his owne bodie / this ciuill punishement off pu∣blike offenders: yt must folowe thereupon / not (which the Doctor Phansieth) that it is in the libertie off the Magistrate, to put them to death: but that he must / will hee / nill he (yff they repent) kepe them aliue. For if our Sa. Christe hath answered that iustice off God in his lawe / whereby he hath commaunded / that suche malefactors

should be put to death: yt should be great iniustice / to require that againe / in the life off the offender. So that ether our Sa. Christe / hath answered that iustice off God / which he requireth in his lawe / concerning the death of suche offenders / and then yt can not be asked againe / in the bodie of the offender: or els he hath not answered yt / and then yt remaineth of necessitie / to be answered in the life off the offender.

Againe / this opinion ys iniurious vnto the death / and wh∣ole appearing / off the sonne of God in fleshe. For where he appe∣peared for this cause / that he might destroy sinne / which is the * 1.17 worck off the Deuill: the Answerer in his imagination of choise / which he leueth to the Magistrate / towching the putting of suche horrible offēders to death / doth at vnawares as muche as in him lieth / make our Sa. Christe build againe that kingdome of sinne / which he hath destroyed. For when bothe in common reason / and by the manifest word off God before alledged / the Lord giueth * 1.18 this blessing vnto the punishement of suche greiuous offenders by death / that others not onely which see / but also which heare off them / haue the bridell off feare put vppon them / whereby they are withholden from the like crimes: yt must nedes follo∣we that whosoeuer maketh our Sauiour Christ / autor of this loosenes / in punishing suche offenders: maketh him forthwith / to lose the bridell / whereby others are staied / from throwing them selues downe the hill off wickednes / which was before commit∣ted. And what is / if this be not / to make our sauiour Christe / a tro∣ubler off common wealthes?

Moreouer if our Sa. Christe by his comming / loosed thes cyuill punishementes / and pourchased this grace off his Father / for blasphemers / &c. that if they could finde fauour in the eies off the Magistrate / they might escape the handes off death / which the lawe off God adiudged them vnto: howe cometh it to passe / that the Apostels / to whom the Lord committed the publishing off all that pardon / which he obteined for vs / did neuer make men∣tion off the slacking of these punishements? Yf our Sa. Christe / had obteined this libertye / yt was worthye the preachyng.

And therfore onles the A. can shew something / owt off the vv∣rytinges off the Apostels / to vvarrant this sanctuarye / vvhich he would so faine build to the support off blasphemers / murtherers / &c. yt followeth / that the Apostles (by his saying) haue not answe∣red the trust committed vnto them. But if all godlie mindes doo abhor these absurdities / there is no cause / vvhy they should like of this corruption off the Doctor / vvhereupon all these depen∣de. Na / in that the Apostell putteth a sword in the hande off * 1.19 the Magistrates / and in the vse off it maketh him a Minister / and seruant off the vengeance and iustice off the Lord against sinne: he striketh thorowe this opinion / which imagineth that our sa. Christe / came to hange the sword off the Lordes iustice / vpon the pleasure and vvill off men. For the Magistrate being the Lordes officer / as the Sheriff is the Magistrates: yt is no more in his choise / to vvithold the sword / vvhich the lord hath put in his hand to drawe: then in the power off the Sherif / to staie the execution off that iudgement / vvhich the magistrate him selfe hath lawefully commaunded. Nowe seing there is a sword in the Magistrates hand / by the doctrine off the Apostels / and that also vvhich the magistrate must of dutie draw: I vvould gla∣dly knowe off the A. where that necessitie can be found / if it be not in these crimes of blasphemy / &c. Which I haue set downe? And if he saie that S. Paul by the sword / vnderstandeth all man∣ner off ciuill punishements / as vvel by the pourse / as by other bo∣delie chastisementes / vvhich spare the life: I graunt it / but by an vsed maner off speache / vvhich noteth the vvhole by the part / he rather chose to vtter those punishemets by the sword / thē ether by the vvhip / or by the pourse. Wherby he did not onely not exclude / this necessitie off punishing malefactors by death: but laied ra∣ther a streighter bond vpō the magistrate / to execute those / vvhich committ thinges vvorthie of death. Hytherto generally / of put∣ting those to death / vvhich commit thinges against the lawes re∣maining still in force / as they vvere in times past established off the lord / in the bloud off the transgressors.

Nowe I vvil come to the particular crimes / vvhich I haue set downe. And first for the crime off adulterie / it is to be conside∣red / that yt is a breach off the most holy / and auncient both insti∣tution

/ and solemne couenant off the Lord. Then / that it is an in∣iurie doon vnto the innocent part / in the moste pretious possessiō that can be / in thinges perteining to this present life / ioyned with dishonour / caste not onely vpō the person / but vpō all his children / and in a maner of al those which belōg vnto hī. Thirdly / that this fire / doth not onely vvaste the familie vvhere yt is / but maketh a breach into the cōmon vvealth / vvhilest the right of inheritance e∣ther of landes / or offices / is oftētimes thus translated frō the true inheriters: vvhilest the children vvhich are so begotten / hauing oftentimes les care / and coste bestowed vppon them in their edu∣cation / become hurtefull members off the common vvealth. Wherby all men may clearly see the perpetuall equitie off the la∣we off God in the reuengement off this sinne by death.

And vvhen the lord addeth this / for a reason off putting the adulterer to death / that the euill may be taken ovvt off Israel: * 1.20 vnto the heape off incommodities before rehersed / for fault off e∣xequuting his Iudgement off death / he threateneth the whole common vvealth / vvith mischeif to fall vppon yt. And the equitie off this punishement by death / hath so ligthsome colours vpon it / that euen in this glymmering sight / vvhich remaineth in the ac∣cursed nature off men / it hath vpholden it self against the igno∣rance / and iniustice off all vvhich haue not vvillingly put forth / that sparkle vvhich standeth in the discretion of honestie. For euen before this candell light of the lawe off God vvas set vp / not one∣lie the Godlie (as Iob) vvhich vvere in some part reformed / of the * 1.21 Generall blindenes: but euen those vvhich vvere not of the church of god / as Abimelech the king of Gerar / ād the very Cananites (as longe as there vvas any step off equitie amongest them) did see * 1.22 that the filth off this sinne vvas such / as ought to be vvashed a∣way vvith the bloud of the offenders. For vnhereas Isaac feared the assault / both of his life / ād of the chastitie of Rebecka: the king ordeined / that vvhosoeuer ether laide violent hand of him / or had to doo vvith his wife / should dye. And in that Iuda / called for Thamar / to be led forth to death in the land off Canaan / vvhere him selfe vvas but a priuate man / for that she being made sure vnto a housband / plaide the harlot: he gaue to vnderstand / that the Cananites / vvhich had euen then filled a Good part off that

measure off sinne / vnto the brincke whereoff they came after∣ward / did notwithstanding poursne adulterers vnto death.

And when the Lord did afterward gyue testimonie vnto this punishement / by the expresse wordes of his lawe: yt is mani∣fest / that the lawe which God hath written / in the table off the hartes of all men / pronounceth the sentence off death agaynst ad∣ulterers. So that onles men / will like Gyantes fight agaynst the light of nature / or saye that our Sa. Christe / came to abolishe that which in all times / and with all nations (not alltogether spoiled off the discretion off honestie / and dishonestie) was obserued: yt foloweth / that the punishement off death against adulterers / and consequently muche more against incestuous meetinges / standeth in as full force nowe / as euer yt did / before the cōming of our Sa. Christe. And when as adulterie being the least off those faultes which I haue set downe / is found worthy of death. Yt is easye to see / what is the iudgement off the reste.

Howbeit hauing spoken somewhat before / off the ciuill pu∣nishement off those which offend against the seruice off God / and more being to be saide vppon occasion afterward: that the necessary punishement off murtherers by death / may haue with the rest some particular defence / let some thing be said there∣off. Firste the consent off all nations (were they neuer so sauage) in punishing this sinne with death / teacheth that yt is the lawe of nature: which can not be broken / nor dispensed with. yt is fur∣ther to be noted / that the causes remaining / whereupon that ne∣cessitie off punishement by death / was grownded in the lawe: the punishement must still remaine. The Lord sheweth these causes / * 1.23 of not sauing the life off a murtherer at any hand / first because the bloud vvhich his hand hath shed, poluteth the land, so that there can be no purgation off yt, but in the bloud off the mur∣therer: secōdly / because the Israelites, / whiche were the people of God) ād thirdly / because the lord him selfe, had his abode there. cōsidering first / that the strenght of this sin̄e in polluting a land / is as great as euer it was (onles for grace / giuen to one murthe∣rer / men will / call the wrath off God / vppon a whole people:) the necessitie off putting murtherers to death remaineth vnshaken. Then / forasmuch as Christian cōmon wealthes / are the people off God / amongest whom he maketh speciall residence: beside the

common obligation / whereby all men are bound in the lawe of na¦ture / to punishe a murtherer by death: Christian common weal∣thes / haue two newe bondes / whereby they are tied to a more streighter obseruation / of this seueritie. Last of al / as this iudiciall lawe was giuen of God long before Moses: so not to be in the * 1.24 nomber off lawes / corrected by the comming of our Sa. Christ: yt is manifest by his owne wordes / whereby he confirmed this lawe of God / saying / that vvhosoeuer tooke vpp the svvord sho∣uld * 1.25 perishe vvith the svvord. And there is no doubt / but if he had had like occasion / to speake of other ciuil punishement by death / established in the lawe / as he had of this / he would haue brought the same confirmation of them / that he did off this.

The exceptions against this doctrine / are off no valwe. For if this be the truth of God / there can be no prerogatiue against yt: onles he can shewe / some higher court then heauen / and some cheif iustice aboue the Lord, yt is not denied / but the punishementes by death / wherewith men haue established lawes / which them selues haue for their better commoditie deuised / may be ether mi∣tigated or taken away / by those to whom it apperteined / nether is the magistrate / by any thing I haue set downe / bound to miti¦gate the punishement of theeues. for their punishement may gro¦we / by the circumstance of place / as in Scithia / where all thinges lying opē to the spoile / had neede to belocked vp by a streighter pu¦nishemēt: and some times / by the disposition of the people / lighter handed then others / as if one had to doo with the Lacedemoniēs / or some other nation / in whom that sinne had taken deeper roote. And I will not denie▪ but euen these crimes of murther / and adul¦terie / may varie by diuers circumstances: and therefore yt is in the discretiō of the magistrate / according to the quantitie of the fault / to appoint the maner of death / sharper or softer. But that there is any place / time / or other circumstance / which can lessen these cri∣mes / that they should not be worthie of death: vpon the reasons before alledged / I vtterly denie.

As for the casting away / of the studie / and large volumes of the lawe / which he imagineth to followe of this assertion: he de∣ceiueth hym selfe. For euen when these lawes were fully in force / the Iudges thereoff (by reason of their shortnes / comprehending many thinges not expressed) had matter enoughe to occupie the

greatest diligence / memorie and sharpnes of vvit / that could fall into any. And if he aske our lawiers / vppon vvhat groundes the greatest part off their houge volumes (as he calleth them) stand they will answer him / they partly stand vppon the plaine vvordes off the lawe off Moses / and partly off reason vncorrupt / which is the equitie off the lawe vrged off vs. And therfore althoughe our lawes / be some time in forme diuerse / from the lawes off Moses: yet they vvill neuer graunt him (which he hath / not so aduisely set downe) that our healthsome lawes, be contrarie to Moses lawes. For both being Good / one off them can not be contrarie to the other. where he saith / that we of the clergie, should be the best iudges by this mea¦nes, &c. it is to open iniurie / to charge vs with that / vvhich vve open¦ly renounce / and condemne in him: vvhich is / that in medling in ciuill affaires / they put their sickle in an other mans haruest. Not∣witstanding if in establishing of lawes / for the Godly / and pea∣ceable gouernement off the common welth / there may be no assi∣stance of the ministerie / wherby the lawes should be the better cōpassed / to the equitie prescribed in the word of God / and to take heede that nothing be doon against it: there is no iust cawse / to vphold the Bishops presence in the Parlament howse. Where he saith / that the lawes which our sa. Christe made Mat. 5. 19▪ towching di∣uorcement for adulterie, had been to no pourpose, if the adulterer should off ne¦cessitie be put to death: first / he may be here iustly charged with that he hath vntruly surmised off me / because he bringeth in our sa. Christe / a maker off lawes vnder the gospell, whereas he made none in those places / but expounded the lawe of God / vvhich he had ma∣de from the beginning. The other refusals made by the Iewes off their wiues / were neuer any lawes / but permissions onely: and therefore in there abolishement / there was no lawe of God abro∣gated. Secondly / yt was necessarie to vse that exposition / notwi∣thstanding that the punishement of the lawe by death remained. For beside that the Iewes / being vnder the gouernement off the Romanes had those ciuill punishements by death / suspended v∣pon * 1.26 the pleasure off their officers / which were often corrupted: our sa. Christe (forseing all thinges) did forsee / what loosenes would followe in this behalfe. And therfore as the office off a Good Doctor required / he instructed the conscience / and taught /

that albeit the Magistrate failed / in the execution of the lawe / yet that the former yoke being broken / men were at their libertie / to enter into a newe contract of mariadge with other. Whereby he met with the corrupt opinion off those / which dreame that the knot of mariadge / is not cut a sunder by adulterie / durīg the life of the parties maried. Of the autorities which are brought / to proue that the punishements by death off the lawe off God / are taken away there is not one onely / but Cyrill / which maketh agaynst this cause / yea which doth not ether in part / or alltogether / ouer∣turne his assertion.

And as for Cyrill / I can at no hand allowe: the reason shall appeeare / where the clawes of this sentence are more plainly seen. Augustine in the place cited vnto Pollentius / hath nothing for the Doctor. For he setteth him selfe to proue vppon the place off S. Iohn / that the howsband ought to forgiue his wife / seing our sa. Christe forgaue the adulteresse. Wherin / not to enter into questi∣on / whether that be well reasoned of Augustine / or no / and to pas∣se by the aduantage / which Erasmus autoritie may giue / which calleth that sentence off August. a hard sentence: I answer / that yt is one thing to say / a priuate man should forgiue his iuiuri∣es, * 1.27 and nother thing to say / that the Magistrate is not bound to take ad∣uengement of them. A priuate man / may with commendation forgy∣ue the trespace agaynst him selfe / where the magistrate shalbe in great fault / if he poursew not yt. And iff that place of August. per∣teine vnto the Magistrate / and our Sa. Christes example pro∣ue / that the Magistrate neede not punishe adultery by death: yt proueth as well / that he neede not punishe adulterie at all. For bothe our Sa. Christe / forgaue her f••ely / and gaue no sentence of any ciuill punishement against ••••r and Augu will haue the how∣sband / freely forgiue his adulterous wife Nay the place off Au∣gustine maketh against him. for ••n that he exhorteth the howsbād / to spare the bloud or life of his wife / yt appeareth / that in the church of God / in his times / this crime of adulterie was punished by death.

Musculus / albeit his maner off speache (in saying that all Moses is abrogated) be hard: yet I would first aske hym / what

aduantage he can take here / for the abrogation off the Iudiciall / which is not the same against the Morall. Then let it be obserued / howe far against the meaning of the autor / the Ans. hath wrong this sentence and howe he is but a snatcher at sillabels / and a te∣arer of lerned mennes wordes from their meaning. The meaning off Musculus was / that these lawes abrogated as they were giuē by Moses / remaine notwithstāding as they cōteined a perpetual equitie. For in the same title off lawes he writeth thus. There are * 1.28 (saith he) vvhich thinck, that Christe did abrogate the punishe∣ment, prescribed by the lavve against adulterers, vvhen he sai∣de, nether doo I condemne the, goo and sinne no more. These be gaie fellovves, they thinke not of this, that our Sa. Christe came into the vvorld, not to iudge, or punishe, but to saue sinners: and yet in the meane season, not to take avvay the punishementes of the lavve, gyuen of God his father, by Moses. VVhereupon he sayde not symply, I condemne the not, or thovv oughtest not to be condemned off any, &c. And so sheweth / howe if she had be∣ne condemned / according to the sentence off the lawe: that the Lord would not haue saide against yt.

The like trust he hath vsed / in alledging off M. Caluin. Wh∣ich albeit he saie / that there be certen Iudicialls / to the precise obseruation whereoff the magistrate is not bound (which I did likewise set downe) yet that he esteemed certen Iudicialls vn∣changeable / and those especially which I haue alledged: it may appeare / in that he calleth it the Popishe diuinitie, that the sen∣tence * 1.29 off our Sau. Christe / in the eight off Iohn / brought any grace to adulterers / as towching the ciuill punishemēt. And in an other place he saithe / that yt is the common right, or lavve of all natiōs, that adulterers should be put to death which he affirm∣meh also of murtherers / in the place set downe by the D.) and that yt is a sortishe imitation off our Sauiour, and proceding from a grosse ignorance: Vnder colour off the place in S. Iohn / s. to release the punishement of adulterers / prescribed in the lawe. And in an other place / speaking off the false Prophet / which tour∣ning * 1.30 away the people from God / is commanded to be put to de∣ath)

he saithe / that lavve is euerlasting, apperteining as well vnto vs nowe / as vnto the Iewes in times past: and pincheth them which say otherwise.

As for M. Beza / which is here brought / yt is knowne / that euen in the same booke / owt of which these testimonies be cited off the Ans. he proueth / that heretikes owght by vertue off the lawe off God gyuen by Moses to be put to death. Whereby appeareth / that all these will haue certen Iudicialls / off moses / and those e∣specially that giue sentence off death / against the crimes which I setdowne / to be still in as full force as euer they were. Vnto whom I could adde Peter Martyr / which hath a longe dispute off the necessarie obseruation / off the punishement off the lawe a∣gainst adulterers. And as for Hemingius / considering that he a∣greeth / that so much remaineth off necessitie / as perteineth to the lawes of nature: he maketh nothing against me which both haue shewed / and further am readie to shewe: that all those crimes a∣re off that kinde / which by the lawe off nature / ought to receiue the reward of death. Howe for so much as the 8. Diuision off the 2. cha. in the 3. Tract. perteineth vnto this matter: I will here set do∣wne the answer off yt.

8. Diuiston. pa. 149.

Here is to encounter withe Zacharie the Prophet / Cyrill / and suche a corrupte sentence off Cyrill / as doothe at once / bothe ouerthrowe vnder the lawe / the iustice of God againste synne / in the worlde to comme: and vnder the Gospell / all manner off cor∣porall punishementes in this worlde / to be executed by men / vp∣pon those whiche hauinge done euill / repente them. For yt dothe not onelye affirme / but yt goethe a bowte to proue: that the synne whiche was vnder the lawe punished by corporal deathe / coulde not be punished off the lorde / by eternall deathe / which as it is a wicked error (the rewarde off synne beinge not onely deathe off * 1.31 the body / but off the sowle also:) so the two pillers wheroff yt stan¦dethe / are as detestable.

For the firste / whiche is / that they haue suffred punishe∣mente fo their synnes, and receiued the revvarde off their vvickednes, so that for that faulte vvhiche they so suffer

for, there can be no reuengement aftervvarde hange ouer their sovvles: yt is no les despiteful to the iustice of god and iniurious to the deathe of Christe: then the popishe doctrine of supererogatiō. For if an adulterer by suffrīg deathe for his crime / hathe āswered the iustice of god / so that the lorde for that faulte / can not take ad∣uenge mente of his sowle: when a man suffrethe withowte cause and for righteousnes sake / howe owghte he not beside his owne purgacion for synne / purchase somewhat for him that lackethe?

As for the other reason / yt is moste false. For the lorde, pu∣nishe the one synne / by other synnes / by deathe in this worlde / and by deathe in the worlde to come, yt is also a false grounde off the Pelagian heretike / wherwithe he woulde proue / that our original corruption is no synne / whiche can deserue the wrathe off God. And as the former parte fighte the for the Papistes / and for the Pelagians: so this other / standethe for the Anabaptistes / men w∣hom the aswerer pretendethe / to haue war withe / but to whom in deede / he ministrethe weapons (suche as they be) to fighte aga∣inste the trewthe. For yf this be not Anabaptisticall / that there is no bodily punishemente laide vpon publike offenders vnder the gospell, and that whatsoeuer offence he committe, if he shewe tokens off repentance, he maye be deliuered from bodylie punishemente: I knowe not what is Anabap∣tisme For what murtherer is there / what traitor / &c. whiche altho¦ughe he be neuer so vnrepentante / and obstinate in his synne ha∣uinge hearde tell off the answerers gracious pardon / will not en∣force himselfe / to shewe all tokens off repentance? whiche if he doo / the eie off mens iudgemente beinge not hable to perce furth∣er / then to thes owtwarde signes: they muste haue him for repen∣tante / althowghe he remaine the same whiche before. And if there be one suche sentence / in all either the admonition / or my replie / so iniurious to the office off the magistrate / so pernicious vnto all manner of common welthes / as this is: wee refuse not (that I ma∣ye also promise for the Admonitors) to be taken as enemies / vn∣to the magistrate and as ouerturners off common welthes. For this is the sworde (whiche S. Paule put in the magistrates han∣de * 1.32 / to be drawne not of pleasure / but off dewtie / not againste the vnrepentante onelye but againste the vnrighteousnes off those whiche shall publikly offende whatsoeuer) either striken cle∣ane

owte of his hande: or els if ante remaine / yt is more worthie to be called the signe off the sworde / then the sworde. Nowe yf twoo notable errors / be hable to proue one trewthe: he maye be thowghte to haue browghte something / for the iustifyinge off this pullinge downe off the walle off the common welthe. But iff it muste needes be false / whiche hath nothinge to leane vppon but error: I dowbte not but as the vntrewthe of yt doothe by yt selfe appeare: so by this so shameles defence / yt is laide more open.

And where he saithe / that this sentence off Cyrill, maie Minister occasion of quarrelinge vnto suche as be disposed: I answere / that there can be no peace withe this sentence / but by betrayinge the trew∣the: and that the vntrewthe of yt is so apparante / that all the pat∣ched shiftes whiche he hathe / shall neuer be hable to hide yt. But howsoeuer yt be (saithe he) this is euidente. What: forsooth that the quan∣titie off synne is not to be estemed, accordinge to the externall punishmen∣te. Howe is it euidente / by what worde / or by what sentence? yff the autoritie off the sentence fall: iff it consistinge vppon two par∣tes / haue neuer a one trewe: yff in that verie poincte for whiche yt is alledged / yt is moste false: where ys your Howe so euer? yow a∣re a daūgerous aduersarie to deale withe al / for whether the pro∣fes yow^t bringe be trewe / or whether they be false: they fall still v∣pon your syde.

But if the heynousenes of the synne / be not to be estemed ac∣cording to the corporall punishmente: wherby is it then to be estemed? accordinge (saie yowe) vnto the commaundemente of god, ac∣cordinge to the threates of god pronounced againste yt. As thowghe yt were not the commaundemente off God / that there shoulde be bodylie punishemente: and as thowghe the ciuill punishementes in this worlde / were not parte off those threates / wherwithe the lorde threatneth the breakers of his lawe. Yow make therfore an opposition / where none is: And it is all one as if yow had saide / the corne maye not be moten withe a bushel / but withe a measure. For as the busshell / is one measure: so is the corporall punishem∣ente / bothe one off the commaundementes / and off the threates * 1.33 of god / againste open sinnes. Salomon prouethe Adultery to be a greater sin̄e / then thefte: for that where a thefe was not / the adul∣terer was purswed vnto deathe, wherbie it is manifest / that She

lomo was of this iudgement / that in open faultes / committed a∣gainst a godly / and honest peace: the greater faultes owght to be punished / with more greauous punishement. And if equalitie of punishement in vnequall faultes / be iniustice: how myche more is yt iniuste / to punishe greater faultes / with les / and lesser with greater punishements? And therfore that nothinge shoulde be wantinge / to proue the doctor a perfecte confounder / and tumb∣ler of thinges in to the heapes of disorder: he dothe not onelie put no differēce / betwene the thinges whiche are seperate: but in those also whiche are ioyned together / he imagineth suche enemitie: as yf the one standinge / the other coulde not remaine. And as for his reason / that we see smaller faultes punished withe greater tormente: the questiō is not what we see doone / but what owghte to be done. I graūte that one / and the same faulte / maie be punished sharpelier in one contrie / then in an other: in the same contrie also sharpelier at some tyme / then at an other: But I denie / that theroff yt follo∣wethe / that in the same contrie / and at the same tyme / a greater faulte shoulde be punished withe lighte punishmente / and a lig∣hter withe a greate: whiche thinge / seinge yow excepte againste a generall rule / owght to haue beene shewed. And the vanitie off this startinge hoole / whiche is soughte in the diuersitie of contri∣es / maye partlie appeare / in that to the people off the Iewes / ād in the countrie off Iewry the lorde did neuer make lawe / to punishe a les faulte / by a greater punishement. And yet yt is certaine / both that people and countrie / had some thing different from others: and that in gyuinge lawes to that people / he had respecte boothe to them and their countrie. whereby I conclude / that diuersities off punishementes / accordinge to the state off the countries / may be established: althowghe ther be no suche disorder committed / off punishinge small faultes greuously / and greuous faultes. smallye.

And wheras he saithe / that he makethe the difference off the seue∣ritie off the lawe, and lenitie off the gospell no further then in respecte off the temporall punishemente off the lawe: euen that is the very poincte / w∣herin a greate parte off the error off the Maniches / doothe consi∣ste. For they were led / to condemne the iustice off God vnder the olde Testamente: because off the owtewarde punishementes /

vvhiche were exercised / partly by the hande of God by iudgemen∣tes from heauen: partely by the ministerie off men / at the com∣maundemente off the lawe / therfore the sauour off Manichisme / is still as hoat as euer yt vvas.

And because I am entred into the mention off this / altho∣wghe the answerer can not hyrte off yt: yet the trewthe is / that euen in thes outwarde punishmentes / the dispensation off God vnder the lawe / is diuers from that vvhiche is vnder the gospell. For vnder the scolemastershipe of the lawe / as he crowned the o∣bedience of yt / for the moste parte / vvithe greater aboundance off owtward blessinges / then he dothe the obedience off his sainctes vnder the Gospell: so did he vvithe more terrible / oftener / and mo∣re manifeste iudgementes / reuenge the breache off yt in that time / thē he dothe nowe. And herein indeede is the differēce vvhiche he is gropinge a bowte: but that this shoulde bringe any diuersitie / in the set ād ordinarie punishemētes / prescribed by the lawe: I for my parte can not vnderstand / The contrarie rather I can gather. For euen as althowghe the lorde dothe not nowe by owtward blessinges / giue so plentifull testimonie vnto the obedience off the gospell / as then off the lawe: yet the magistrate owghte to be as diligente / to procure the Good off the churche / as euer he vvas in the time off the law: euen so / althowghe the lorde by bodilie puni∣shementes / doothe not so seuerelie reuenge as he did then: yet the magistrate / maye not remitte any thinge therfore off that seueri∣tie / vvhiche he vvas vvonte to vse. Nay more: euen as the magi∣strate / owghte so muche more carefully procure / the owtwarde vvelfare of the churche nowe: as the lorde vvithdrawethe his hande that vvaies / more nowe / then he did then: euen so owghte he to kepe / by so much a harder hande / ouer the punishemente off synne now / then he did then: as the lorde / more rarely thunde∣reth by his Iudgements from heauen / nowe / then he did in the time off the lawe.

And surely / if there euer had beene any time / vvherin the magistrates svvorde mighte haue rested / and rusted in the she∣athe: the time off the lawe / of all had beene fitteste: vvhen the lor∣de / did so visiblye sit in his iudgmente seat / and him selfe in proper

person / holde the assise / and gaile deliuerie. The causes off that di∣uersitie / betwene the lawe / and the Gospell / whiche I haue alled∣ged / maye be fetched from those lerned men / whiche handle this poincte: yt is enowghe for me / so to haue helped the answerer owte / withe that whiche he trauailed with: that I haue not one∣lie shewed / howe this cause is nothinge hindered / but greatly hel¦ped therby.

Yff the plaine wordes off the Prophete Zacharie / will not serue for our pourpose: what shall become off your cause / that hathe neuer a worde of the scripture? let vs then heare / why it will not serue. Because forsoothe by that meanes, the parentes shoulde haue powre of deathe vppon their children: and therfore their muste some o∣ther sense be sowgthe / then that vvhiche the vvordes doo propor∣te. Wherunto I answere / that Moses shewinge vvhat owghte be * 1.34 doone / agaīste those false teachers / whiche goe abowte secretly / to vvithdrawe frō the trewe worship of God: saithe / that allthoughe he be his brother / his soōe / his dawgther / or his wiffe / he shal not spare / but fill them. Tell men owe I praie yow / doothe not Mo∣ses meane there truly / and as his vvordes sounde / that the false teacher shall die? If yow dare not denie yt: then yow see / yowr re∣ason vvhiche yow heere assigne / is nothing vvorthe: for there al∣so / yt is commanded to the father / to kill his sonne.

Now if yow liste to lerne / yow maye perceiue that by thes vvordes / vnderstanded simplie / there is no powre giuen to one priuate man / to kil another / nor for the parente (as a priuate man) to kill his children: but this manner off speache / is grounded vp∣pon the lawe off God / vvherby yt vvas prouided / that the wit∣nesse * 1.35 vvhiche had accused / shoulde throwe the firste stone again∣ste the conuicted person. for so muche therfore / as boothe Moses / and Zachary after Moses / wil haue the father accuser of his owne childe / if the knowledge off his inticemente to Idolatrie / remaine vvithe him alone: therfore also they ascribe the killinge of the gil∣tie person vnto them / as a thinge belonginge vnto the dewtie off the accuser.

But seeinge this sense please the yow not / let vs heere what yow bringe. Yf (saithe he) yow will referre yt to the tyme of the gospell, then this is the true meaninge: if to the time off the lawe, then that. Yf al be gospell yow speake / vve muste needes beleue yow▪ yf your wordes

haue no further aucthoritie / then yow gyue them by Good rea∣son / and conference off the scriptures: then castinge a waye the sense / whiche hathe warrante off the manyfeste wordes off the Scripture: yow shoulde haue confirmed by substanciall argu∣mentes / that whiche yow haue set downe. The prowde Sorbo∣nistes / and Magistri nostri off Paris / did neuer vsurpe a more ab∣solute auctoritie / and more owte off rule then this is: And yt is to bringe in an intollerable Tyrannie into the churche off God / and lordeshippe not to be abydden. Whiche when I vn∣derstande off all interpretations off men / be they neuer so lerned / and sharpe: muche more off suche wooden interpretations whiche the answerer thruste the vppon vs. But tell me Good Sir / what difference is there betwene yowr firste interpretation / and yowr seconde? For iff vnder the gospell, it be lawfull (as yowr exposition sup¦pose the) for parentes to kyll ther children whiche shall prophecey falsely: what leue yow to the Iewes / wherin they differ from the Christi∣ans? and tell me also / howe yow differ herin / from that whiche I set downe: that Idolatrie ovvghte to be punished vvithe deathe vnder the gospell?

But pardon me / I thinke I see yowr difference / which is / that the Iewes muste doo yt accordinge to the lawe off Moses / and the Christians accordinge to the lawe off whome? why kepte yow backe that? Surely iff the Christians be bounde to doo yt (as yowr interpretation saythe) they are bounde to doo yt by the la∣we off Moses: for I knowe no other lawe off preceptes / but that.

There is yet another difference / whiche yowr wordes maye gyue suspicion off: that is / that the Christian parentes shoulde ra∣ther put them to deathe / then be withdrawne by them: so that the Iewes haue a symple commaundemente to put them to deathe / but the Christians haue yt vnder condition / yf they can not other∣wise kepe still the trewe worshippe off God. But where / and in what shopp is this difference coyned? Whose Image / and super∣scription beare the yt? the Doctors. What Paules? no Whitgyf∣tes. I knowe him not / yt is not good. For howe shall they be sure they shall not be withdrawne by him: onles they procure hym to

be put to deathe? And althowghe they were owte off perill off beinge withdrawen: how are other prouided for / whome he maye corrupte? And yff it were possible that poison which he hathe / coulde not hurte any other: where is the reuenge off Godds glo∣rye / whiche hathe bene dishonored by suche false teachinge / and in the maintenance vvheroff / the zeale off the children off God / aswell vnder the gospell as vnder the lawe / dothe consiste? Thes differences betwene his interpretacions he giueth incklinge off / but the folye off them was so apparante / that he durste not laye them open.

And althowge vve haue alredy to manye interpretations by one: yet here comethe the thirde. And this is an allegorie / whiche expoundeth killinge, confutinge. Where firste / the answerer shoul∣de haue remembred / that he condemned in the Admonition ally∣goryinge as Papistical / (vvhiche in deede is not so muche Papisti¦call / as Anabaptisticall) allbeit they fetched their allegorie / from two famous men / maister Hoper and Maister Alasco. Here yt is Catholike in him / that was there Papisticall in them. then obser∣ue Good reader / howe he that chalenged the Admo. For ma∣kinge the holy scripture a nose off wax, and me that I make yt yt a shipmans hose: hathe here set vpp three interpretations off one / and the same place. Off vvhiche althoughe neuer a one / can stande vvith a nother: yet becawse he thinkethe they all make for him / he stickethe not euen to strike hym selffe / to gyue a pricke vnto the truthe.

And as for maister Luther / I answere withe Ierome: whi∣che (albeit he did not so well practise it him selfe) yet in one place of the smaller Prophetes (that cometh not now to my minde) saithe / that to seeke for an alligorie, vvhere a Plaine and litterall sense maie be had: is to seeke a knotte in a rishe. Seinge therfore the scripture meaneth here as it speaketh / and calleth a spade a spade / and a figg a figg: to expounde killinge confuttinge, and cor∣porall vveapons spirituall / and heretikes heresies: is by Maister Lu¦thers Good leaue / owte off season.

Futhermore if Maister Luther shoulde by confutinge off their herysies / shut owte the corporall punishmente off deathe:

he hath the Answ. interpretation (whiche he calleth thē true me∣aninge off the place) for enemie. So that either maister Luthers me∣aninge was / that they shoulde not onely put them to deathe / but also confute their heresies: or els yt serueth as well to ouerthrowe that / whiche the answerer hathe set downe / as that which we mainteine.

But obserue here I beseche yow / the shamfull practise off the Answ. If Maister Caluine / or Maister Gualter vppon thes places / had had any thinge for him / that shoulde haue bene set downe: iff they had had nothinge againste him / he woulde (as h•• hathe doone in diuers places) haue vsed that nothing / as a pre∣iudice vnto the truthe: nowe he perceyued they were directly aga∣inste him / he is fledd to Maister Luther / to borowe this sentence off him. What iff I had alledged the authoritie off Maister Cal∣uin / Maister Beza / Maister Martyr / Maister Gwalter / and di∣uers others / for the confirmation off this sentence / that heretykes owghte to be put to deathe nowe / as well as false Prophetes vn∣der the lawe: what if I had browghte maister Caluins / ād maister Gualters interpretation off this place off Zacharie / expoundinge yt as I haue doone (wheroff also one off them / callethe those fan∣ticall spirites / vvhiche contrarie this doctrine) What place shoul∣de Maister Luthers allegorie haue had / againste suche an hoste off learned men / cominge so strongly with substantiall argumen∣tes / fetched from the symple meaninge off the scriptures? Yet all men of any reading knowe that this might easely haue bene doon: if I vvould haue sought to preiudice yowr parte / by the authori∣tie off men

I concluded onelie off that place off Zacharie (againste yowr fonde distinction) that the same seueritie off punishemente / that vvas vsed againste false Prophetes then: owghte to be vsed no∣we vnder the gospell / againste false teachers / comparing one par∣son / and circomstance withe a nother. As he that hathe fallen a∣waie from God / and goone abowte to drawe others away: to be handled accordinge to the lawe prescribed in that chap. 13. off Deut. if this be bloudie, and extreme: I am contente to be so coun∣ted / withe the holie goste: and then shall not yow smell off Ma∣nichisme / but be a flat Manichean. And althowghe in other

cases off Idolatrie / vppon repentance liffe is giuen / as in the ex∣amples off the Lenytes / fallinge awaie from the truthe / in the ge∣nerall reuolte off the people: yet in this case off willing sliding ba¦cke * 1.36 / and mouing others to the same: and other some cases / whiche are expressed in the lawe / as off open / and horrible blasphemie off the name off God: I denie that vppon repentance / ther owghte to followe any pardon off death / whiche the Iudiciall lawe dothe require.

And where yow saye / that there is no example, from the natiui∣tie off Christe vnto this howre: firste yow greatly forget / how euill yow intreate them whiche reason negatiuely off autoritie: and how yow crie owte vppon them / which (as yow saye) off a thinge not doone, conclude yt owghte not be doone. And this reason is yet worsse: for yt vvoulde conclude / that no Idolater repentante / shoulde be put to deathe / because ther was none so handled / within a certei∣ne space. Then yow maye vnderstande / that the princes vvhiche haue mainteined the gospell all this vvhile yow speake off / by vvhome thes executions shoulde haue bene doone / haue bene bo∣the fewe in number / and off small endurance off tyme. And yet althowghe Constantyne the Emperour were to mylde a prince / and did as Eusebius witnessethe / muche harme in the churche * 1.37 vvith his clemencie: yet he made a lawe as Socrates testifiethe / that as manie as were founde to haue any writinge off Arius shoulde die for yt. iff that vvere put in execution / as is to be thowghte: the ex∣ample theroff comethe nothinge behinde in seueritie / that vvhich is here defended.

Thirdely they did not lacke / Good / and faithfull admonitours to vse this seueritie. For one writinge vnto the two bretherne Emperours / Constance / and Constātins / shewethe that they ow∣ghte * 1.38 to punishe Idolatrie withe all seueritie: and alledginge this lawe in 13. Deutr. and another off the destruction off a vvhole ci∣tie / vvhiche shall be partaker off suche slyding away / saythe / that they are commaundementes vnto the Emperours. I haue read also in some storye / off Aluredus a Kinge off Englande vvhiche made a lawe / that vvhatsoeuer he vvere that vvente frome Chri∣stianitie to Paganisme / shoulde render his liffe for yt. and not o∣nely

the newe testamète / but the olde also / is the store howse vvhe¦re owte vve take our argumentes / to proue the truthe / and to im∣pugne the contrarie. Therfore yt is an euill argumente / to saye / yt can not be shewed owte off the newe Testamente, therfore yt is not true: when as a man maye rather reason / that forsomuche as yt can not be shewed owte off the olde testamente / therfore yt is not true. Consideringe that there is no doctrine in the newe Testa∣mente / which is not conteined in the olde: and there is somewha∣te in the olde Testamente / whiche is not to be found in the newe. And yet forsomuche as I haue shewed / euen owte off the newe Testamente / that he that killethe a man / and takethe awaie his cor¦porall liffe owghte to die: yt followethe muche more / that he whi∣che takethe a waie the liffe off the sowle / shoulde die. And iff yt be meete to mainteine the liffe off man / by the punishement off deathe: howe shoulde the honor off God / whiche is more preci∣ous then all mens liues / be withe smaller punishemente establi∣shed?

Therfore to close vpp this question / I will ad this: That the magistrates whiche punishe murther / and rheftes / and treasons / withe other transgressions off the seconde table seuerely / and are lose in punishinge the breaches off the firste table / beginne at the wronge ende: and doo all one withe those / whiche to drie vpp many riuers fedd continually by one fountaine / begynne at the chanels where yt deuidethe / and partethe yt selfe into manie ar∣mes: whiche as yt is an endles labour / so is this also that they Goo abowte. For when as S. Paule teacheth / that God for iuste reuenge off the dishonor off his name / and staininge off his glo∣rie / * 1.39 giue the men into wicked mindes / to the cōmittinge of all kinde off synnes / conteined in the second table / be they neuer so horrible / and so makethe the breache off the firste table / cause off the brea∣che off the seconde: yt can not be (let the magistrate late as Good watche as he can / boothe multiplie / and aggrauate his punishmē∣tes as muche as he can) I saye yt can not be / but where ether the firste table is broken / or the breache not dewly reuenged swarmes off treasons / theftes / murthers / adulteries / periuries / and suche like / muste needes breake owte in those gouernmētes. And therfo∣re as the shorte / and easye waie to drie vp the chanels / and riuers

is to stoppe the heade / and fountaine off all: so the onelie remedie of purginge the com̄on wealthe off thes pestilences / is to bende the force off sharpe and seuere punishementes / especially againste Idolaters / blasphemers / contemners of trw Religion / and off the seruice off God And therfore I conclude / that those whiche woul¦de haue the seueritie of the lawe againste Idolaters abated / doo at vnawares / not onelie therby vtter the small price whiche they set / ether off Godes glorie or of the saluation of their brethren: but withall declare them selues enemies to common wealthes / and off all bothe cyuill / and Godly honestie of liffe.

Your conscience Maister W. and the conscience of all men beare witnes / that bothe here / and almoste euery where / yow w∣ringe my wordes clean contrary to my meaninge: and therin I am well contente the Iudgemente remain with the reader. And al¦thowghe I am fully perswaded / that ther was no occasion taken off euill by this doctrine: yet if any weare / it beinge the doctrine of the holy Goste / whoso euer hathe taken occasion of euill / hathe without repentance borne his punishemente: and so shall yowe moste assuredly in that daye / wherin the mouthe off wickednes shall be stopped.

Yt maie not be passed by / that he in the begininge of the fir∣ste of thes sections / matched the lawes off the Iewes / whiche we∣re the lawes gyuen by God him selfe / vvithe the lawes of the mo∣ste barbarous / and Prophane Tyrant that euer was: suche is the reuerece he beareth to the lawes of God. Note also that where I saie / that I vvill ioyne vvithe him, that the transgressions off the lavve vnder the gospell, are to be seuerelyer punished, then they vvere vnder the lavve: He in pretendinge / and makinge a bra¦ge that he woulde ioyne / slyppethe me clean a syde / and saythe / that he will ioyne withe me that the magistrate is not bounde to the iudiciall lawe off Moses, for the manner off punishinge: as thowghe that were any thinge like / that whiche I propounded. And in that he answere∣the no one worde / to the two reasons whiche I alledged / that is to saye / for that bothe the knovvledge off the lavve is greater novve then thē, and other gyftes off the spirite off God, vvherby the lavve shoulde be better kepte, more aboundantly povvred

oute novve then then: he dothe not onely slyppe a side / but turne∣the his blinde partes towardes me.

Nowe to returne backe / to the Diuis. pag. 123. I leaue to the iudgement off the reader / howe importunate an aduersarie the D. is: vvhich requireth answer of that / which hath been so often answered. In the next Diuis. p. 124. seeking to mainteine his lo∣gicke in diuiding / and defining / he maketh him selffe pytifull / to all that euer saluted that scoole. For what an absurd saying is yt / that becawse the definition off a generall thing, agreeth vnto his particular: therfore yt is the definition off the particular? As though euery thing / vv¦hich vvere verefied of an other / were by and by the definition off it: or as thoughe the same coulde be the definition / of the gene∣rall and of the speciall. And what a miserable defence of his diuisiō is yt / which to proue that his three last partes / are not conteined vnder the first: alledgeth / that they are not all one with the first? But as I promised / I will leaue this to the learned reader: that I leese not the tyme / in confuting off these tryfles. The rest off his secti∣on is answered before.

In the next / beside the sentence which I denie / and he vntru¦ly fathereth off Zuing. that in Ceremonies, thinges are to be vsed in the church, which are not conteined in the scriptures▪ There is nothing / which maketh any thing vnto the questiō. For where he saieth / that I mis∣like that of Zuing. (If they be not repugnant to the vvord) I ha∣ue tould him before / that I neuer found fault with that / but be∣cawse he condēned the Ad. which will haue thē caste in the mould off the word off God. And as for Maister Bezaes sentence repe∣ted here / off discipline left in the order off the church, and that some thinges doon off the Apostles, are not alvvaies to be follo¦vved off vs: whereby it seemed the D. would make the reader be∣lieue / that he meaneth this / off the pointes of discipline nowe de∣bated: yff I should herein charge him with vntrue dealing / vp∣pon Maister Bezaes booke off Epist. Which declareth in so many * 1.40 places / and wordes / that there is a Discipline off God left vnto his churche vnchangeable / and precisely determined in the word off God: and howe he maketh the partes thereoff / the same which the D. fighteth against with might / and maine: he would parad∣uenture

saie / that he could take no notice off that / which was not yet brought to light. But when the same booke from whence he drewe thes outorities / mainteneth those partes off discipline tow¦ching the Eldershipp / the consent off the church in Eccesiasticall elections / the right institution off Deacons / &c. as necessarye / w∣hich he will haue arbitrarie: he owght to haue vnderstanded / that those thinges which M. Beza noteth / vnder the name off Discipline left at the order off the church, are nothing lesse then these / which he would insinuate. Which he might yet easelier haue vnderstanded / by the place which he alledgeth out off the Corin∣thes / that leaueth yt not in the churches power / ether who shall gouerne / or what they ought to doo which must gouerne: but ho∣we that gouernement which is prescribed / may be vsed most de∣cently / in regard off circumstance off time / &c. For euen in that pla∣ce / the Apostle defining off certen pointes of discipline / (as that vvemen ought not to speake in the church, &c.) declared suffi∣ciently / that he ment not to leaue the gouernement off the church / in her owne disposition / and order. But what M. Beza ment by this arbitrarie Discipline / yt shall yet better appeare in the next tractate / off the Election off the church: where this here spoken ge∣nerally / shall there belaied open by example. the reste off this Di∣uis. is answered.

In the next Diuis. I leaue yt to the iudgement off the rea∣der * 1.41 / whether I haue truly gathered off his wordes. As for the de∣fense he maketh to proue / Truly and Purely all one (for so he must / if he mainteine his answer) the first reason he bringeth / (that a man may preache true thinges, and not truly) is cleane ouerthrowne by his o∣wne answ. for to ouerthrowe (that which he falsely attributeth vn¦to the Adm.) that the word is not truly preached, becawse the Ministers are not duely called: he saithe / that the reason is not Good / becawse ho∣we wicked soeuer the man be which preacheth, yet he may preache the true word off God. Here ether the Ans. must make to preache true thin∣ges / and to preache truly all one: or els he hath not answered to the argument he supposeth the Adm. to vse. The other is / for that S. Paul vseth these wordes in truthe, for syncerely. Whe∣rein beside the former fault (which is the contrarietie with him

selfe) he should haue learned / that that maner off speach / is ta∣ken off the Ebrues: which as they call a lie / not onely that which is spokē / but that which is doon / or imagined against the truthe: so likewise contrary. Which maner off speach not being receiued in our tounge / is fondly / and out off time pretended: considering also / that the translatiōs in our tounge (as in others) haue shun∣ned that phrase / as that which they could not reache vnto.

Notes

• * 1.1

  65. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.2

  Act. 20.
• * 1.3

  Li. 4. con. Don. ca. 23.
• * 1.4

  De bapt. contr. Do¦natist. 5. lib. 23. ca.
• * 1.5

  Epist. 119.
• * 1.6

  lib. de spirit sanct.
• * 1.7

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.8

  Aristot. ad Theode.
• * 1.9

  Vpon 2. Tim. 3.
• * 1.10

  Cal. Insti¦tu. 4. cha.
• * 1.11

  20. s. 15. Bez. in his boo∣ke of put¦ting Here. to death.
• * 1.12

  Ephes, 2.
• * 1.13

  Beza in his form¦er booke.
• * 1.14

  1. Cor. 9.
• * 1.15

  Deu. 25. 4.
• * 1.16

  1. Cor. 9.
• * 1.17

  1. Iohn ••.
• * 1.18

  Deut. 19.
• * 1.19

  13. Rom.
• * 1.20

  Leuit. 19. 29.
• * 1.21

  Iob. 31. 11.
• * 1.22

  Gen. 26. 11. Gen. 38. 24.
• * 1.23

  Nomb. 35 33. 34.
• * 1.24

  Gen. ••.
• * 1.25

  Math. 26:
• * 1.26

  Iohn 18. 31.
• * 1.27

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.28

  In thē c. of punis. of forbid¦den lust.
• * 1.29

  In his com. vpp Iohn. Har. in Mo. super iudic. 7. mandati.
• * 1.30

  Har. in c. 13. v. 5: Deut.
• * 1.31

  Rom. 6.
• * 1.32

  Rom. 13.
• * 1.33

  Prouer. 6.
• * 1.34

  Deut. 13. 9. ver.
• * 1.35

  Deut. 17. 7. ver.
• * 1.36

  In the next tre∣atise.
• * 1.37

  4. lib. off the liffe off Const. 1. lib. 9. cap.
• * 1.38

  Iulius firmicus Mater∣••us.
• * 1.39

  1. Rom.
• * 1.40

  Epist. 11. 14. 20. 83.
• * 1.41

  pag. 130.