table Iudas treason was as yet hidden there were no witnesses off it and therfore by no law off God either ciuill or ecclesiasticall could be proceaded against For the law off God in all ecclesiasticall and ciuill punishmentes requireth either confession by the partie off the faulte vvhiche is committed or els profe by witnesse He proceedeth saying that the Scribes and Pharises criminous c. are commaunded to be hard in the chaire c. Good lord be mercifull vnto vs whether vvill this man goo vvill he haue traitors vnto Christ sworne open and professed enemies vnto the gospel to haue charge in the church off God and not to be deposed for whether can these examples tend els our Sauiour Christ commaunded the people that they should be heard in that they said trewly owt off the law and that their faultes should not hinder theÌ„ to embrace that which they taught well What is that to our question this dothe aptely proue that the vertue off the worde dothe not depende vpon the worthynes off the minister and thetherto it is referred But to proue that they owght not haue bene deposed from theire ministerie there is not a word But why did our Sauiour Christ not depose them And vvhy did he vvill there doctrine agreable to the law to be receiued He deposed them not for that as he was the Minister off circumcision he coulde not hauing not to doo that wayes but vvithe those that vvoulde submit themselues to his doctrine And if he should haue giuen sentence off there deposition they vvould not haue obeied yt and he had not the svvorde to compell them This therfore remained for hym to doo that vvhen neither the people could shake off their yoke nor he displace them that as he had often giuen warning off their false doctrine so he should will them to take heede that neither the hatred off there euill liffe nor off their false doctrine driue them to mislike off that vvhich vvas well taught And iff this be a good reason to proue that those that be criminouse should not be deposed because our Sauiour Christ willed the people to heare c Then spirituall theues and murtherers corrupters off the law teachers off iustification by workes owght not to be put owt off the ministerie For those off vvhom our Sauiour Christ spake these thinges were suche And as for the wicked preachers in the church off Philippos fyrst yow are greatlie abused For althowghe he vvrite vnto the Philpiane yet these preachers he there speaketh off were in the church of Rome and not in the church of Philip. And theÌ„ if I should aske yow how yow know that he did not will their ministerie to be taken from them your owne mouth condeÌ„neth yow For by your rule it is presumption to speake any thinge that the holie gost hathe not expressed And it is not onelie not expressed but it can not be gathered For if yow thinke that therfore he willed them not to be deposed because he was gladd that Christ was preached by them yow deceiue your selfe For he saith if he vvere offered vp and should die for confirmatioÌ„ of his ministerie yet he vvould reioice in it and requireth the vvhole church to reioyce vvithe him for yt Would not therfore S. Paule haue escaped the TiraÌ„tes hand if he might lawfuly or owght not the church of Philippos to haue forbiddeÌ„ the puttinge to death off the Apostell yff they could haue done yt So that yow see a man maye reioyce at the fruite off an action that an other doeth which if it laie in him to let he owght not suffer to be done For when as of euill doinge maye come good as we owght to be sorie at the euill which is done so it is lawfull for vs to reioice of the good vvhich hathe followed that euill And this distinction off reioycinge S. Paul dothe include in these wordes in this vvhich he setteth downe to be in that Christ is preached As yff he would saye yt greueth me that the word is preached by suche men but yet I am glad that yt is preached And althowghe it be hard to knowe how they sought to add to S. Paules bandes yet if be trew that the greke Scoliast vvriteth that they did it to this ende that the persecutors seing the numbre off the professors of Christ might beinge more inflamed against S. Paul as one vvhich had sowen the first seed the rather hasten his death vvho seeth not that it had bene the churches parte at Rome to haue to the vttermost off their power endeuored to haue stopped the mouth off those preachers therfore I am well assured that yf the godlie off the church vvhich vvas at Rome could haue restreyned those preachers they vvould not haue suffred them to haue abused the gospell to his streighter imprisonment much lesse to the taking away off his life And therfore that they were not restreined proueth nothinge that they owght not by any meanes so to haue bene but rather argueth the fewnes of the church which fauoured sinceritie off the gospell that S. Paule preached which fewnes also appeareth in an other place The next reason is verie straunge that everie one which is a membre off the inuisible church should be a minister off the visible For by this meanes may be taken not onelie the most vnhablest in the church but those also which are not yet called to the church But your meaning is if he be off the church and other thinges correspondent yet one off those conditions is no where expressed and the other is almost thirtie lines before in an other sectioÌ„ aÌ„d in an other case so that it is daungerously spoken and may gyue very great occasion off offense And I leaue it to the consideratioÌ„ of the teâ—der how often yow haue quarreled vvhere there is nothing the like occasion as yow giue by this losenes I will also let goo your vnproper and vnwonted speach wherby yow make one and the same at one and the same tyme a membre off the visible and inuisible church For seinge the inuisible church vppon earth is off those onely which either are not called or lie hid aÌ„d vngathered vnto any knoweÌ„ felowship where the word of God is preached and the sacrameÌ„tes administred he which by repentaunce ioineth him selffe to the visible church off God can not be said to be a membre off the inuisible church For as when the triumphant church is opposed vnto the militante one man at one time can not be said to be a membre off bothe so here where yow oppose the visible and inuisible church it can not be that he that is said to be a membre off the one should be also a membre off the other But for answere I saie that if there were here any comparison at all yet it halteth downe right althowghe we owght charytably to thinke that he that hath giuen good tokens off repentance hath trewlie repented and therfore is
saying haue not answered 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 depende Na in that the Apostell putteth a sword in the hande off 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 gladly 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 manner off ciuill punishements as vvel by the pourse as by other bodelie 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 rather a streighter bond vpō the magistrate to execute those vvhich committ thinges vvorthie of death Hytherto generally of putting those to death vvhich commit thinges against the lawes remaining 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 considered that yt is a breach off the most holy and auncient both institution and solemne couenant off the lord Then that it is an iniurie 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 ether 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 education become hurtefull members off the common vvealth Wherby all men may clearly see the perpetuall equitie off the lawe 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 vnto the heape off incommodities before rehersed for fault off exequuting 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 accursed nature off men it hath vpholden it self against the ignorance 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 onelie the Godlie as Iob vvhich vvere in some part reformed of the 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 that the filth off this sinne vvas such as ought to be vvashed away 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 afterward 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 manifest that the lawe which God hath written in the table off the hartes of all men pronounceth the sentence off death agaynst adulterers 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 punishement 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 thereoff 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 further to be noted that the causes remaining whereupon that necessitie off punishement by death was grownded in the lawe the punishement must still remaine The Lord sheweth these causes 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 murtherer 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 murtherer 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
and yet not slaine and not what are the meanes which the lorde hathe appointed for a whole and wholesome constitution off the bodie of the churche And iff excommunication or the one forme off gouernement were not necessarie for the churche because the churche which wanteth them maie be the churche by the same reason a man maie saye that the holie sacrament of the supper of the lord is not necessarie for the churche seing that in that companie where the worde of god is onelie preached and receiued there is the churche off god And hereof also the practise is to be sene in some places where the magistrate according to the churches the preaching off the word off god for certeine occasisions will not accorde the ministring off the supper Last off all M. Beza shewing the true markes of the churche addeth to the two former the discipline framed accordinge to the word con 5. 7. so that whatsoeuer necessitie commeth vnto the worde and Sacraments in that they are notes the same commeth also to the discipline by M. Bezaes Iudgement Where he quarrelleth with me as thowghe I had concluded off particulars onelie beside that he owght to know that man maie conclude a particular either affirmatiuely or negatiuely in any figure not onelie off particulars but off singulars he must vnderstand that a particular instance ouerthroweth him which opposeth matter of ceremonies and gouernemēt vnto matters off faithe and saluation generally and withowt exception His accusation against me for callinge the holie Sacramentes ceremonies considering that kind off speache is receiued amongest the diuines and I had no further occasion to speake off them then to shew they were ceremonies is vtterlie vnworthie any answere To the third Diuision pag. 81. The Answerer broileth thinges togither off the infinite mercie off god and of repentance in a moment of his vnsearchable iudgementes hauing neither heade nor fote in his talke And althowghe he would seme to saie somewhat against me yet in deede he confirmeth that which I haue set downe For when he saithe that the doctrine of free will being damnable of it selffe dothe not preiudice the mercie off god iff he meane that the merrie off God embraceth him that being infected with that error dothe by no especiall repentaunce call it backe as that which is vnknowen vnto him then he fullie agreethe with me Iff he meane that vppon speciall repentance and chaunge off minde in that pointe he obteine mercie he speaketh truelie but to no purpose off that matter whiche we haue in hande Therfore to bringe some light vnto those thinges which the A. withe his disorder darkeneth it is to be vnderstanded that first off all euerie transgression off the law be it neuer so litle off it selffe and in the owne nature is dānable Secondlie it is to be obserued that no synne vnto those whiche are throwghe faithe grafted into the bodie of Christ can bringe damnation as also withowt faithe I speake off those whiche haue vnderstanding there is none which bringeth not certaine deathe the mercie off god althoughe neuer so infinite being shut vp against all vnbeleuers Which I therfore add because the D. speaketh so confusedlie off the infinitenes off Gods mercie In the third place it must be seene what faultes vtterlie destroye the faith which is in Christ For it is cleere that those that doo not pull vp the rootes and rase the foundations of faithe can by no meanes shut the kingdome of heauen against those which are infected with them althowg he they do neuer come to the knowledge off them Wherin I thinke that no man off any Iudgement will denie that errors not in the hearers onelie but also in the teachers maye be suche as do not destroye the foundation And this thing maie be easelie shewed by diuerse places off scripture where this distinction off errors which destroie the foundations and which do not which hold the heade and which do not which are deadly and which are not may be easely gathered It remaineth onelie to see whether the erorr off fre will be amongest them whiche do not rase the foundations as I haue alledged or no. And when as one which mainteineth fre will maie holde the fre remission off sinnes in the grace off god and likewise holde that that grace is shewed vnto him for Christes sake these being the growndes off our saluation it must needes folowe that fre will dothe not rase the foundations For there is no necessitie that he who saithe that the spirite off God by the new birthe hathe giuen him power to die to synne and to liue vnto righteousnes should also affirme that it is giuen him off merite In the opinion that S. Peter had of his owne strenght and habilitie to die for Christ entangled as it may seeme with ignorance off this pointe off Religion touching the bondage off mans will he ceased not therfore to haue a true and iustifyinge faith in the sonne off God wherunto our sauiour Christ himselfe had giuen testimonie And if their were not sufficient holde in this example off Peter against the A yet in the greke doctors and some also off the latin as in Ierome especially which did not by one acte or two as Peter but by argumentes and open sayinges declare there liking of fre will this is manifest for dare the. A. saie of all thē that they beleued not the fre remission off syn̄es For Iesus Christes sake or helde not the foundation of religion all that time that they taught in the churche of god ād helde that opinion And if he graunt that they had faithe then I conclude that euen then when they helde fre will they helde the foundations which is not so in the example off beleuinge that the masse is a sacrifice for the quicke and the deade whiche he vnskilfullie comparethe withe this error off free will consideringe that that ouer throweth and turnethe vppside downe the materiall cause off our saluation which is the sacrifice off the sonne off god that he once for euer in his owne person offred for the sinnes off the worlde And therfore that error can not be in any in whom there is faithe I brought three reasons off comparison to proue that the worde off god is a rule to square out whatsoeuer thinge is to be doone in the orderinge off the church and the A. in callinge them bare wordes hathe made a quicke dispatche off them sauinge that his marginall note dothe kepe the wonte off vntrue surmisinge which vpon that I compare the gouernement with chaines and bracelets saithe that I account yt more pretiouse then the doctrine As iff the apparell which clothethe the nakednes were not alwayes more necessarie ād sometime also more preciouse then those iewels And if I had not this defence yet if I had fallen vppon an aduersary which had not bene disposed to trifle the lawe off comparisons which exacteth not likelihood in all thinges but onely in that where in
because contemners are not Idolaters This is his ordinary faulte that he can not vnderstande that iff an Idolater owght to die miche more a contemner of the worde For contempte althowghe yt be not in an action which doothe vtterly ouerturne the seruice of God as Idolatrie but in one which staineth or cracketh yt onely as is the breache off the Sabbothe is yet shewed to be so displeasante vnto the lorde and so detestable that that which off yt selfe was not deadly onely by this circumstance of contempte was punished with presente deathe which may appeare in him that gathered stickes on the Sabothe daye The breache off the sabothe daie was not simplie punishable by deathe as Idolatrie was myche les so small a breache by the gathering off a fewe stickes yet because yt was doone as the scripture saithe in a highe hande that is to saie proudly and contemptuouslie the lorde commaunded that he shoulde be put to deathe and setteth that downe for a generalle lawe How myche more then shall he which despisethe the worde off God which is the rule off the whole bodie off the seruice off God and off that trew reste From our owne workes and from sinne whereoff that bodelye reste was a figure be punished withe deathe And iff because the lawe doothe not saie in thus many wordes that a contemner shall die yt be not lawfull to conclude that he owght to be put to deathe what wil the answerer saie vnto the writer vnto the hebrues which saithe that he that despisethe the lawe off Moses vnder two or three witnesses was put to deathe withowt mercie For by those wordes yt appearethe not onely that a contemner of the lawe off Moses owght by the lawe to die which is that which I sett downe but also that the writer vpon thâ—â— and suche like places as I haue here alledged gathered that whiche is no where in the lawe found in the same wordes wherin he vttereth that sentence Touching the place off Deutronomy which he saithe is onely vnderstaÌ„ded off false witnesse yt is apparaÌ„t that althowghe yt folowe immediatly the lawe off puttinge a false witnesse to deathe yet it is a generall sentence and hathe regarde vnto all the crimes which are capitall for iff false witnesses be put to deathe and Idolaters or contemners remaine how is the lande purged off the euills whiche drawe the wrathe off God vpon yt or how is a terror stricken into the reste wherby they may be kepte from the infection off that synne And if no punishement but deathe be hable to giue a sounde full enoughe to stricke a sufficiente terror of the synne off false witnes in suche a case how myche more ys yt needefull that there be as brymme and as audible a punishement against Idolaters and contemners of the worde to the ingendring of that feare in others wherby the reste maye be kepte in the feare and trewe worship off the lorde The place off the Chronicles is not answered for yt is more generall then the A. taketh yt and is an exposition off the lawe For where the lawe saithe that he that seruethe straunge Gods shall die this place saithe that he shall die vvhich seekethe not the lorde wher in are comprehended not onely Idolaters but Atheistes and mockers and contemners off God which is that which I had to proue As for that he asketh off the perpetuite off thes lawes yt is afterwarde spoken off In the ende he findeth faulte that I saying there are other punishementes for suche as neglecte the worde of God according to the faulte doo nether tell what they are nor where they be to be founde I thowght that the mowthe of his vnderstanding had not bene so narrowe but yt coulde easely comprehende that if contempte be by the vvorde off God to be punished by deathe that the neglecte off yt owght not to escape the ciuile punishement either in bodie or Godes c. Why I did not recken them vpp I assigned sufficiente cause in that the varying according to the quantitie off the faulte more or les coulde not be sett downe And iff he will see in generall what punishement the lawe of God aloweth of in such cases he may reade in Esra Where beside the punishement off deathe againste the transgressors off the lawe there be also appointed banishement losse of Good or imprisonement as the qualitie off the faute required And if he saye that that vvas doone by the authoritie not off the lawe of God but of a heathen prince the answer is easie that yt is very like that the commission given to Esra and authorised by the kinge vvas drawne by Esra vvhich vvas a cunninge scribe in the lawe of god At the lefte yt is manifeste that he bothe accepted that and amongeste other thinges gaue God thanckes for yt which he wolde neuer haue doone oneles â—t had bene a Good interpetation off the lawe in that behalffe considering that euen the ciuill and politike lawes Wherby the Iewes were theÌ„ and in Iurie especially gouerned â–ª ought to be no other then those which the lorde had prescribed in the lawe And thus let yt be Iudged what Good cause I had to aske vvhat vvas become off the A. iudgement vvhen he set dovvne that there is no Discipline appointed â—n the worde off God for those which shall contemne the worde off god and common praiers Diuision 7. pag. 91. THe answerer saide that there was not one worde in the scripture off pulpites or off sytting at the communion in a worde I shewed that ther was And where he saithe the pulpit was placed in open streete That vvas because off their dwelling in tentes the feaste vvheroff they celebrated For otherwise yt appeareth that suche a highe place in the temple owte off the vvhich the voice off him vvhich spake might be hearde vvas ordinary The reason off calling the doctrine of Moses the chaire of Moses by a metonumie off the subiecte For the adiuncte I will leue to the reader to iudge of for my iudgement off them I saide that they are not lightly to be chaunged and he dispurethe against me as if I had saide that yt were not lawfull to chaunge thes vppon any occasion And beside this disputing againste his owne phansie and not against my vvordes he hathe violently broken into the question off reading and interpreting the vvorde off God vvithowt any the leste occasion giuen therof and hathe also shamefully corrupted the place off Nehemias as shall be seene in the proper place 8. Diuision pag. 92. Here he accusethe me of falsifying his wordes whiche haue charged him vvith saying that yt ys an indifferent thinge to preache the worde of God in churches or howses priuately or publikely wherin he still vttereth his forheade harder then any steele For thes being his owne wordes that the scripture speaketh not a worde of preaching or baptizing openly or priuately at home or in the church doothe he not saye
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 notwithstanding that part off the morall lawe which standeth in commaunding and forbidding remaineth vnshaken and as concerning abrogation 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 atonement 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 wealthe 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 yet abrogated so that iff they had any estate off common vvealthe in the Land off Canaan they should be constreined to vse that forme off gouernemēt vvhich vvas gyuē vnto them of Moses Nowe albeit those lawes gyuen vnto the Iewes for that land doo not binde the Gentils in other landes for somuche as the diuersitie 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 shrewdly 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 place c. frame them Furthermore that this equitie off the Iudiciall lawe remaineth 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 vse off men to proue that a Minister off the Gospell ought to be mainteined off the churches chardge vnto the aduersarie which might except that those were but humane reasons he alledgeth as the eternall lawe off God one off the Iudiciall lawes off Moses which was that a man should not mousell the mouthe of the oxe vvhich tredeth ovvt the corne Where it is manifest that he doubteth not to binde the cōscience off the Corinthes vnto the equitie off that lawe which was Iudiciall Likewise of the finding off the priestes in the seruice off the altar commaunded in the lawe he concludeth that those which preache the gospell should liue off it And this maintenance off the preistes albeit 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 Whereuppon it is brought to passe that in those iudicialls to all the circumstances whereoff we are not bound we are notwithstanding bound to the equitie Yt remaineth to shewe that there are certein Iudiciall lawes which can not be chaunged as that a blasphemer contemptuous 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 downe 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 gratious presence off the lord And iff it were so that our Sa. Christe had borne in his owne bodie this ciuill punishement off publike 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 whole appearing off the sonne of God in fleshe For where he appepeared for this cause that he might destroy sinne which is the 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 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 followe 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 committed And what is if this be not to make our sauiour Christe a troubler 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 mention 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 vvrytinges 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
diuersitie betwene the lawe and the Gospell whiche I haue alledged 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 onelie shewed howe this cause is nothinge hindered but greatly helped 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 other sense be sowgthe then that vvhiche the vvordes doo proporte Wherunto I answere that Moses shewinge vvhat owghte be 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 Moses meane there truly and as his vvordes sounde that the false teacher shall die If yow dare not denie yt then yow see yowr reason vvhiche yow heere assigne is nothing vvorthe for there also 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 vppon the lawe off God vvherby yt vvas prouided that the witnesse vvhiche had accused shoulde throwe the firste stone againste 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 giltie 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 reason 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 argumentes that whiche yow haue set downe The prowde Sorbonistes and Magistri nostri off Paris did neuer vsurpe a more absolute 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 vnderstande 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 suppose the for parentes to kyll ther children whiche shall prophecey falsely what leue yow to the Iewes wherin they differ from the Christians 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 lawe 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 rather 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 otherwise kepe still the trewe worshippe off god But where and in what shopp is this difference coyned Whose Image and superscription beare the yt the Doctors What Paules no Whitgyftes 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 glorye 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 shoulde haue remembred that he condemned in the Admonition allygoryinge as Papistical vvhiche in deede is not so muche Papisticall 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 obserue Good reader howe he that chalenged the Admo For makinge 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 whiche 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 corporall vveapons spirituall and heretikes heresies is by Maister Luthers 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 meaninge off the place for enemie So that either maister Luthers meaninge 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 preiudice vnto the truthe nowe he perceyued they were directly againste him he is fledd to Maister Luther to borowe this sentence off him What iff I had alledged the authoritie off Maister Caluin Maister Beza Maister Martyr Maister Gwalter and diuers others for the confirmation off this sentence that heretykes owghte to be put to deathe nowe as well as false Prophetes vnder 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 fanticall spirites vvhiche contrarie this doctrine What place shoulde Maister Luthers allegorie haue had againste suche an hoste off learned men cominge so strongly with substantiall argumentes 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 authoritie 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 nowe vnder the gospell againste false teachers comparing one parson and circomstance withe a nother As he that hathe fallen awaie 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 counted withe the holie goste and then shall not yow smell off Manichisme but be a flat Manichean And althowghe in other cases off Idolatrie vppon repentance liffe is giuen as in the examples off the Lenytes fallinge awaie from the truthe in the generall reuolte off the people yet in this case off willing sliding backe 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 natiuitie 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 certeine 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 bothe 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 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 example 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 owghte to punishe Idolatrie withe all seueritie and alledginge this lawe in 13. Deutr. and another off the destruction off a vvhole citie 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 Christianitie to Paganisme shoulde render his liffe for yt and not onely the newe testamète but the olde also is the store howse vvhere owte vve take our argumentes to proue the truthe and to impugne 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 Testamente which is not conteined in the olde and there is somewhate 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 corporall liffe owghte to die yt followethe muche more that he whiche 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 precious then all mens liues be withe smaller punishemente established 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 armes 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 glorie 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 breache off the seconde yt can not be let the magistrate late as Good watche as he can boothe multiplie and aggrauate his punishmētes 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 therfore 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 woulde 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
prophanacion yt was of the giftes of God no man of any iudgement in the worde of God can be ignorante For semeth it a meete thing that for the blessing off God gyuen vnto their preaching they shoulde be made rulers off all those peoples which they gained And what differeth this from symonie but that as one selleth the giftes off the holy goste for monie so this made march andrise off them for honor and money both And verely hauing before a competente stocke in this poincte they did not so much get disciples vnto Christe as to them selues nor so much enlarge his kingdome as their owne not doo thoffice of pastors as of hirelinges and stâ—pendarie souldiers bente vpon the spoile Another cause off this scarcitie was that as they prouided that there should be no bishops where were none before so they decred that in dioceses where there were if after the deathe of the bishop the people of that church had rather yelde them selues subiecte vnto another bishop then chuse a newe that it shoulde be lawfull for them so to doo And theruppon yt is very like that diuers churches when good bishops beganne to be rarer then wedges of golde seing any one which behaued him selfe more tolerably yelded them selues vnto him Not muche vnlike those times off the Lordes indignacion which the Prophete speaketh of wherin a nomber of weomen laide holde off one man Beside that it is not vnlike but the stately pompe off bishops hauinge taken deepe roote the people did not vnwillingly quite the estate of a bishop and as off an euill neighbor and one which laie to heauy vpon them were glad to be rid off him yt might be also the peoples faulte which as our experience teachethe to muche rather then they woulde beat the charge of mainteining a sufficiente mynistrie off their owne were contente to yelde vp their priuiledge off hauing a bishop to receiue with abatement off their charges a mynistrie they cared not what Laste of all when Sathan had lifted vp the sonne of perdition into his feare and had made a full conqueste off all synceritie off religion yt was flatly decreed that yt should not be lawfull to ordeine any Bishop ether in villages or small cytie leste throwghe the multitude bishops should waxe vile as I haue alledged in the former booke Wherupon cometh here to be considered what ys answered that I be not coÌ„pelled there to renewe this question againe His answer is that I haue falstfied the place that I haue not redd the Epistle that yf I had hauing anie modestie I would neuer haue so written To let the reste goo and withal his vnworthy reproche so often repeated for saying Boniface to Zacharie in steade off Zachary to Boniface seing the quotation in the margent is right I say to let thes goe consider wherin I haue vsed falshoode Yâ— ys firste assigned in that where the wordes off the Epistle are leste the name off a Bishop shoulde vvax vile I saide leste they shoulde vvaxe vile throvvghe the multitude If I haue falsified in adding throvvgh the multitude what truth or faithe hathe the Answerer vsed in adding becawse the contemptiblenes off the place often tymes bringeth contempte off the person This addicion off wordes ys greater then mine and no more founde in the Epistle then mine whose interpretacion is more aggreable vnto the minde off the writer his that the daunger off contempte was conceiued by reason off the place ormine that it was by reason off the multitude let the reader iudge Which that he may he may the easelier doo let it be considered what Ierome writeth where speaking off the pride off the Deacons he assigneth the cawse that they were so much set by to haue bene their fewnes and the cawse why the Elders were so light made of becawse they were moe in nomber For the aboundance of any commoditie doth so commenly bring downe the price of it that there is no nation I thinck where it is not in prouerb that rare thinges are greatly esteemed as contrariwise thinges off excellent and necessarie vse are throwgh their multitude called vile Which is declared there by example of Poley a commen and vile herb in those countreis and yet for the rarenes more esteemed in India then pepper Of the other side where he saith they were not placed in villages â–ª or small cities because the smallnes of the place doth make the person often times contemned in steed that it is meet the bishop should be reuerenced by that reason there should be no minister of the word in those places at all For it behoueth that the minister also haue the reuerence of his people which becommeth the embassadour and steward off Christ and if the bishop looke for more he pricketh at a further marck then euer the word off God set vp But how cometh it to passe that the bishop off Canturbery is more esteemed then the bishop off London and he off Winchester then he off Norwich if the place cawse the estimacion of the Bishop When gentlemen and noblemen build their howses more commenly in small townes and more solitary places doth the Ans thinck that they lose any of their estimacion therby Also by this reason it owght to be forbidden that Iustices off Peace and Quorum shoulde dwell in countrey townes and commaunded to dwell onely in great townes lest they be contemned off the people But beside that it is contrary to the wisdome of God in the scripture the Paganes which neuer saw that light could tell that the places doo not make men honorable but men the places And Ierome saith the bishop off an obscure citie hath as much autoritie as he off the most famous If the D. aÌ„swer that it owght to be so but it is not throwgh the folie off certein yf that were graunted yet yt is vnmeet that the ministrie should be according to the euill disposition off certein for then forsomuch as yowth is subiect to contempt it shoulde be vnmeet to choose a young man of what giftes soeuer vnto the ministerie Thother falshoode the Ans chargeth me with is for that I gather off this canon that in times paste there were bishops in seuerall parishes and small townes when there was no bishop before off anie parishe yt semeth that his vnderstanding can not be so simple but that he maie perceiue if there were no other proofe that those canones made so often for the forbidding of ordeining of bishops in villages and small cities proceeded theroff that the churches in villages and small cyties had their bishops as other places had For to what pourpose doo they defende yt but that yt was vsed And wherfore was that lawe so often renewed vnles there had bene resistance and vnles the churches refused to subiecte themselues to suche a wicked order yf men make not lawes but vpoÌ„ erperience of thinges which they mislike how muche les doo they renew them againe and againe