A contrary (to a certain manis) Consultation: That Adulterers aught to be punished with death. With the solutions of his arguments for the contrary. Made by George joy.  Whoso committeth adultery with another man's wife, let them both die the death. Levi twenty 
&  Deu xxij For thus shalt thou quench this wickedness out of the common wealth of this realm.  

AFter that a certain little book was put forth in latin, to sustain the public judgement of them, that know the tongue entitled. The counsel giving, that adultere●s should or aught no● to be punished: I was desired to write a contrary consultation. That Adulterers aught to be punished, and that in english, that all men might know, how parellous was the title of the latin book, and how ungodly the author thereof had perverted and wrested the holy scriptures to make them seem to serve his detestable error. But not long after this latin writer recanted & altered the title of his book, permitting all his false arguments, weak reasons and his vain probations for his part to stand still, neither recanted ne removed. Which monstrose book having yet so many false arguments, nothing now corresponding the new title, when it was read, I was the more importunely of many desired to confute it, and to put forth m● book in english. All be it some there were, which seemed to be offended, that I answered not in latin, which aught rather to have been offended with so false and unlearned a book to be put forth of any of their family, & also to have estiewed the dedication thereof, that afterward, as he was compelled to recant the title, so is he not able to defend his book, ne to justify his arguments made for Adulterers not to be punished. And of what learning and judgement, and how affected were they (think you) which perusing the book before it was printed, praised it so highly? O wicked flattery. How sweet is this evil? The professors of God's word and the dyscypels of Christ, this writer would not to move, to counsel nor to excite the magistrates to punish adultery. Where I ask this man by the way, whether god almighty be not ever one, and the same God, whose will, as it is immutable, constant and farm, so are his just judgements and commandments constant perpetual and i●uariable: as the Psalm xviij & cxviij and his u book of Moses expressly declareth. Again, whether adultery be not as earnestly foreboden to us, at it was and is to the jews? And whether adultery be not now as great and as detestable a sin before God, and all godly men, as it was then? Is not adultery now as great a corruption, injury, slander, and hurt to Christ's church and to all common wealths, as it was in times past● And to be short. Whether it reigneth not grow, rote, spread, and take place every where as rankly unshamefacedly, and as commonly now as ever it did, sith there is no punishment ministered for it, neither of the ecclesiastic nor secular sort? Forasmuch then as all this is truth let neither the seclare magistrates wink at this offence, let no man defend the crime, nor the professors of God's word cease to spe●e, ne to write exciting and exhorting all estates to their abounden duties and offices, enjoined them of God, putting the word into their mouths, and sword into their hands, lest for our negligence and winking at so grievous offence, God as he hath done in times past, punish both the realms, and the head rulers with all the whole subjects thereof. When therefore chanced upon this book, so entitled: That Adulteres should not be punished, and perceiving the title to be directly against God's word, against all good civil ordinances, natural and written laws, me thought it was an ungodly and an evilll counsel, which is ever worst of all to the counsellor himself And therefore ●beinge the just desires of many, I addressed me to give a contrary counsel. For never was there any time ne nation more corrupt with this crime of adultery, than such, as under the colour of the Gospel, where no punishment is ordained, ruane into the licentious liberty of the flesh, chaste matrimony contemned. insomuch that as we may conjecture by the scriptures, it pro●ostiketh the world to draw fast to an end, and provoketh the hasty wrath of God suddenly to destroy all, and to come to judgement. And therefore I see it to be more godly counsel, to punish justly this great crime so wide spread into so great hurt and corrupcuion of the churches and common wealth. Right heavy may every Christian heart be to see sin and wickedness take such strength and courage in a Christian realm, that any man under any pretence of holiness and charity should stand forth to defend the cause of so notable sinners unpunished. To whom this patron of Adulterers giveth his sinful counsel, I can not tell, he is so sliper a serpent of so variable colours of contraditions, corrections I would say, now counsellinge the preachers, and then dissuading the Discipels of Christ, and ●naue advertising the Magistrates, now to have them punished, and then to have them not punished● now with the word, and then with the sword. To give this counsel to avy private man or preacher, he spendeth his pen in vain. For no private person usurpeth the office of a public Magistrate in punishing this open crime with death. And yet I heard of a man in this realm, which taking the man with his wife, slew him. Whom the law could not punish for so doing. 
Nun. xx●  And Pinhas the son of Eleazar the Priest 〈◊〉 the Israelite, and the Madianite woman both thorough with his spear, as they lay. And God allowed it for a just deed, that pacified his wrath. So heinously hateth God the sin. If this writer be so malapert, as to give his counsel to the kings majesty, and to his counsel, he condemneth himself two manner wise by his own words, once he taketh the autotorite out of their hands to punish them with death, calling it the cruel severity of Moses law now abrogated, and may no more be put in ure. Another is this: He saith: That if the tranquyllite of the common wealth requireth death for the offence, and the magistrates make the law, he saith not against it. But yet he constantly affirmeth it, that law to be neither profitable nor necessary. Whereof it followeth him to consent to a law neither necessary, nor profitable. But I argewe thus: What so ever law pertaineth to the public tranquillity of Christ's church and conservation of the common wealth, the same is both profitable and necessary. But God's saw is to punish adultery with death for the tranquillity and common wealth of his church: wherefore his law is both necessary, and profitable. But here this man will deny the minor, and say that law was given, but to the jews, and is now abrogated. But his saying is false: for this law of punishment with death is the law of nature, whereof the ten precepts are grounded, and can not be abrogated. Neither is there any law abrogated, which beareth in itself the honour of God, & the love to our neighbour: but to punish adultery with death pertaineth to God's honour in his word to be obeyed and observed for the love of our neighbours, which else should suffer intollerabler injuries, then to have all his goods taken from him: wherefore it aught to be more punished than theft. Is not a man's wife, or husband, or daughter, or servant murderer to them, than their temporal goods as horse, cow, & c? God is the God of the Gentiles, and tendereth the preservation & tranquillity of our common wealth and church, as greatly as he did the jews. Wherefore the laws of his honour, of our saith, and mutual love must be given to us, as well as to them. To take away, and to cut of putryfyed and corrupt membres from the whole body, jest they poison and destroy the body, is the law of love to the whole body to be preserved: wherefore every law that beareth this love in itself, is the everlasting will of god, made by the same spirit, which is one & the same of both the testaments, & must needs stand farm & inviolable, according to his own saying by his Prophet: 
Psal xviij ●. ●xviij.  Lord thy judgements are equal farm, fast and just. And all thy judgements shall endure for ever. Wherefore it is plain that they are not abrogated, as this young and new orator would persuade. Saint Paul beholding the morals & judicials of God, affirmeth constantly them to be both perfect & profitable two Timon three both to teach to reprove vice, to correct sin & to instruct man. Now for as much as the judgements of God be so profitable so perfect & so necessary, what man dare be so bold either to abrogat, to altar, to minish, or to suade the Magistrates not to execute then so far of should they be to writ & to affirm them to be neither profitable nor necessary, but to be cruel bloody banished from the Christian common wealths. Master Bullyngerus, a man of an excellent knowledge & highly learned, a man of a pure judgement, in his book of the holy state of wedlock, & also in his ten sermon of his ij. decadis, constantly affirmeth. The punishment of doth for adultery, neither to be abrogated nor changed, not not of the gentiles, as witnesseth lex julia Romano●um. And shall we Christianes' be more licentious to sin then the Heathen? Into our shame & condempnaciun is this written. The gravity of the sin, God ever expressed by the judgement & punishment annexed. What judgement God commandeth to be done upon adulterers his eternal will & word yet declareth. But they that would either abrogate, or take away the punishment: yea, or minish it, declare themselves either to make adultery no sin at all, or useless to esteem it then the Heathen, or else not so great a sin now as it was in the time of Moses. But the commandment of God is ever one & the same, the transgression & offence is against the same God, that yet abhorreth iniquity. Now sith the offence is the same, and the sore all one, why should it not have the same punishment & the same remedy to cure it, & to expel it out of the comen weal of Christ's church? or wherefore should man dispense with, or abrogate more the punishment of adultery, than the punishments of theft and murther● Nor long ago, It was thought justly to be punished with the sword, and so put in execution of some people, and why is it not still executed? Is it thought worthy in women and not in ●en? 
Psa 〈◊〉  God is not acceptor of people. If this writer therefore being put a private person, so usurpeth not to himself only the authority to give counsel, and to persuade adulterers not to be punished, but be content to permit to another the same liberty to write and to counsel, I would give the contrary counsel: even Adulterers to be punished justly by God's word. For often and sharply God commandeth with terrible commynations, the rulers to minister justice and judgement, punishing the enormities of those open crimes, which as they defile and corrupt the christian common wealths, so by no wholesome exhortation, gentle monition, ne preaching of the word may they else be repressed, & ●xtincted? Wherefore else hath God ordained over every church and realm 〈◊〉 princes and magyltrates, putting the sword & sceptre in their hands, but to punish according to his word and commandment such grenouse distuerbers, slanderers and destroyers of the commone wealths. For whom the word can not refrain, God hath ordyned the sword to repress. The sacred integryte therefore of this Christ's holy church, the inviolable honour of holy matrimony ordained of God: the preservation of the private & public peace: all honesty: godly zeal to virtue, to the salvation of our souls and to God's glory should constrain every Christian heart to counsel, to exhort and to excite all christian magistrates to cut of this contagyose canker of adultery from among us, lest in further creeping, as it daily corrupteth the whole body of this noble realm so shall it else be at last so incurable, that as Titus Linius of the Romans complained. Neither the vice nor yet the ●uste remedy willbe suffered, provoking the heavy wrath of God to be powered forth upon us, as the most terrible examples and stories written for our wa●●ynge threaten us, teaching us also how detestable a sin it is before God and man, which God so abhorred, that with as grievous a death he as straightly commandeth it to be punished, as any other blasphemy committed against his own majesty, or for killing father and mother. If the Christian Magistrates therefore will turn from themselves, & from their regions the present wrath of God imminent, as did Pinhas and Moses from the common weal of Israel by slaying the Adulterers in their days, 
●um xxv  let them restore, promove speedily, and stablish purely the Christian religion placed in her own old honour and integrite, not mixed with any human profane traditions, all papistry clean swept out of our churches, and justly punish open obstinate, incurable sinners, lest for these two impediments the Gospel denied us, 
●u xxxiij  as they shallbe sharp thorns in our eyes, and spears in our sides: so shall God for suffering such open whoredom and adultery unpunished deal with us as he dealt for the same sins with the commonalty of his peculiar people: first by Nohas flood, then by Nebuchadnezar, and at last by Titus' th'emperoremperor. And even therefore to punish common a●d impenitent Adulterers with the sword do I counsel by God's word born by the judgement and counsel of all the Godly learned writers, that now writ in latin and in other tongues. This added: If the wickedness be haunted without all fear of God and shame of men, so commonly, openly and desperately accustomed; that otherwise it will not be repressed. Supposed always that the Christian Magistrates and Godly preachers thereto consent, lenite joined with charity called into their counsel. But what charity? Not that fond charity, which so preposterously pitieth an open indurat Adulterer, and the e●rand accustomed strong thief, that neither for their obstinate incorrigible crimes nor for any comonzele to christian brethren, would have the magistrates exec●t their just office enjoined of god, nor gods & the realms just laws executed. But as she laboureth by such blind piety to deliver the strong thief from the gayelhouse, even so by like sinister charity coupled with as lewd ●eni●e couselleth she, fleshly Adulterers to live in their whoredom unpunished, maintaining this sin the original of all wickedness into the destruction of the common wealth and great damnation of many all shameless audacity added to their deep rooted iniquity. But that charity and lenite, would I have called into counsel, for this just punishment, which is so clear eyed, that she can see what thing she may do by God's word, and when she may obtain her purpose, and also knoweth, how much she oweth to the frailty of the weak corrigible at a time overcomen by some great temptation. And how much she oweth to the desperate indurate sinners, which having, or else may have their own, yet like insatiable beasts, all fear of God despised provoke themselves and other unto this detestable filthiness. This charity therefore (I say) do we embrace, which seeketh the glory of God, the keeping of chaste wedlock: yea, rather the public wealth a●d peace of many men and women to be kept pure from this vice, than the life of a few (in comparison) pestilent incorrigible people, which justly deserve to die by God's laws. Some think, it is to hard and to cruel a law to punish Adulterers with death. But these people bliudened with the custom of the sin so long unpunished, either are they guilty themselves or else all fear set a part, consider they not the terrible majesty of him that said: Thou shalt not commit adultery. Wherefore if I had not seen this grievous offence so frequented with out all punishment & shame and fear of God, and this writer so far to have erred in wresting the scriptures to maintain this wickedness contrary to some men in private communication, and also in open sermons exhorting the magistrates justly to punish● adultery: I would have winked at his fond zeal and blind charity. Albe it, his blind love to himself in pleasing himself hath openly for a show of his latin tongue and greek set forth his book more to exercise his style, than to give us any godly doctrine, which book sith it is put forth to sustain the public judgement, I can not but say my mind for the defence of the truth, and confutation of lies. For I judge every professor and minister of the word to be the same to the church, as is the good Magistrate, and citesen to the city, which as they will suffer nothing to grow that may destroy the cite and common wealth, even so should the professor suffer no vice, ne false doctrine nor sinner unpunished in the church: whereby the congregation is corrupted, and grievously slandered, and turned from the fear of God, who be feared & praised for ever. Amen.  
But let us hear, what this writer says. Into the reproach and rebukes of them, whom he judgeth not to approve his book and title thereof: he saith thus: But I marvel at this ungodliness (shall I call it) or rather a love to themselves, which are wont so greatly to abhor them that are slyden into vices, as though their selves were Gods upon the earth, or utterly clear from the same spots. Lo. Adultery is with this man but a little spot, a moot, a little sliding amiss in this man's eye. For what sin else is it, that he in his book defendeth? who there else ●end all his arguments then into this end, that Adulterers should not be punished, according to his his first title an arguments of the whole book? Behold also how spyghtfully he depraveth good men for abhorring adultery, and would have it justly punished. Neither is therre now almost any man, their manners are so corrupt, but he will tell forth other menis offences to show themselves thereby the more pure and honest.  
Here may you see, of what spirit the man is carried into the rebukes an fool hardy judgement, reprehending and depraving other godly ministers, which in pulpits damn and abhor these open obstinate Adulterers, exhorting the Magistrates to punish it by God's laws. As if they should preach against this horrible vice, showing with Paul What an offence it is to take the members of christ and make them the membres of an whore to violate holy wedlock, to pollute the temple of God, to dishonour his high majesty, to slander his holy church, to separate that as God joineth, to poison the whole common wealth, exhorting the rulers to punish the crime. These men for so preaching, he calleth them scornfully, Gods of the earth, & judgeth them to set forth their own honesty and goodness by slandering other men and telling forth their sins. No sir, we slander them not, ne tell we forth their sins. They are their own open filthy deeds, which you defend, that disclose them. If you know any of us that are against your book guilty, and would cover our sin with rebuking adultery in open pulpits, or writing or exhorting rulers to punish it, be you our accuser to make your matter the better, you once exhorted a man to not flatter, but sharply to rebuke vice. And now I perceive you did it to have the same office yourself well remembering the comyk: That the truth getteth hatred and obsequy friends, you shall by this book and this defence get you many Adulterers to friend and to stand one your side.  
But this hatred, this so bitter indignation in private professors not only against the vices, but against the men, I can not tell, whether it becometh men.  
Should we not hate those open sinners and their offences, which God so abhorreth and all godly men, that even the persons we are commanded to estiewe, to neither drink ne eat with them, nor to have any conversation with them? Then he saith:  
Namely them which sin of nature and not of will.  
Here it would be asked this great learned oratore, whether his Adulterers sin not of will, but against their wills, only of nature? There is no actual sin, but it is unluntary. Adultery is actual, wherefore it is a voluntary sin. This were else in deed a good defence for his Adulterers to say, their sin is so natuaall, that it is against their wills, and so not worthy punishment. At last to mitigate their sin he saith: If one commit a little grevoser sin of weakeves, how do these men take on?  
surely if Adulterers had no better patron than this poet to extenuate, and defend their cause, they are like to suffer perpetual hell torments, if they repent not in time, albe it they here escape the Magistrates hands. For these Adulterers whose cause he taketh to defend, and we would prove them worthy to be punished according to God's laws, sin neither of weakness, nor of frailty, nor yet against their wills. For they have, or else may have their own wives and the women their own husbands. But they are such as be so married to their own lusts, that they obey them running headlongs without any resistance, or fear of God, and his precepts into their own fleshly desires, yea it taketh daily such rote and custom, that as in other country's drunkenness is reckoned for a virtue, so is adultery now commonly but a praised laughter, & hath done one the name of praise and virtue among the wicked. Also now this wicked excuse is now invented. That they are not ashamed to say: after they have been long married having many children by their wives, when their lusts, move them to another, I was married young against mywill. And even now what reasons and business begin to arise for divorcements? whether the unguilty part after the divorcement may mary another, or what shall the guilty or unguilty do, if he or she cannot live sole, & what if both be guilty? And who broken wedlock first? which all these shameless ungodly contentious and wicked despitions were clearly ceased, if according to God's laws yet executed in some christian churches, or after the civil laws made by emperors adultery were punished. Then he say th':  
If I might freely say my mind in the free church of the Christian, I verily and constantly judge it, neither to be profitable nor necessary, open Adulterers taken in adultery, to be punished with death.  
Lo, here have you this manis corrupt judgement, and his sinful sentence. Now if the Magistrates judge otherwise (as he here after qualifieth and quidifieth his saying) according to god's laws: so must there sentence, and God's sentences to, be neither profitable nor necessary. But God which is the everlasting wisdom constituting his comen wealth defended with so many good and just laws, to be by them preserved, thought it both necessary and profitable, whose will is so immutable, that even the Gentiles were compelled by the law of nature to f●low the same judgements. Example you have of Tha●ar. 
Gen. xxxv●●  And what plagues did God cast upon Pharaoh and his house for taking Sarai from her husband Abraham, 
Gone twelve  & yet had not Pharaoh to do with her? Pharaoh doing it of ignorance. For when he kuewe her to be another man's wife, he sent her to him again. In such reverence had even the very heathen holy wedlock, as the law of nature, which they dirst not violate into a testimony against us in this matter to rise against us in the day of judgement. Again: when Abimelech took Abraham's wife, 
Gone twenty  did not God tell him, he was but a dead man? and yet had he not offended with her. He threatened him death with all his and the king known not she was his wife, but took her for his sister: so fearful were the heathen kings to violate matrimony, & what death they looked for, if they broken it. And shall we Christians being under the Gospel & God's laws grounded upon the law of nature, either defend adultery or not move the Magistrates to punish it? If we see it not punished neither by excommunication, nor by the sword shall the Christian professors hold their tongues and pens, as would this writer have us to do? O wicked silence. A faithful dog lying at his masters door, will bark & bite to, if the thief come nigh to break in, & to rob his master, and shall a Christian professor and minister of God's word and of his laws, hold his peace, seeing, God rob of his glory, his laws & commandments broken his holy so ancient institution, never yet altered, now violated contemned & trodden under foot unpunished? yea and that among the Christianes'? This one thing dare I constantly say: That except adultery be punished with death, as God commanded, or else now with pains as grievous: as it shallbe the greatest slander to the realm and to the Gospel, so shall it be one of the just causes, wherefore this realm shallbe plagued, & that grievously: yea, and the cause of the damnation of many. This did faithful joseph well see, 
Gene. xxxi●  and consider when his Lady and mistress queen of Egypt provoked him thereto, and resisted it. This did holy job well ponder, when he said: 
job xxxi  If my heart hath but lusted after another manis wife, let mine own be abused. For I know that this iniquity requireth the sentence of death. Now if in the law of nature, when as yet the punishment thereof was not written, but in menis hearts this abominable adultery was so detested and the pains of death were executed and threatened them, much greater pains abide them, that now know the Lords will both in heart written and in express words, and yet contemn it and break it. So that now we are neither ignorant, how God abhorreth this wickedness, & what punishment he hath decreed for it. There is no extern transgression of any of the commandments, but according to the gravity of the sin, God ever of his justice ordained and decreed in writing the just form in punishing it, which pains are yet executed of them to whom he hath given the sword. And what authority hath this young orator, or any man more to abrogate the only punishment for adultery, them pains for murder blasphemy, theft, or sinytinge of parents? Thus saith the Lord God (and no man) whose will and word is everlasting, heaven and earth sooner to perish then one jot of his law to passover. Whoso committeth adultery with any manis wife, shall die to death, both the man and the woman, because he hath broken wedlock with his neighbours wise. 
Levi twenty  The same law is rehearsed also in Deut. twenty 
duty, xx.  If this man had pondered well the high terrible majesty and eternal will and pour almighty of him that spoke and decreed this just judgement: he would not make so light a side sliding of adultery, ne take upon him to defend their cause against God's word, nor yet to excuse Adulterers, and to abrogate the decree of God, ne counsel Magistrates to do contrary to God's word, ne rebuke and condemn the professors and teachers of the word for doing their office enjoined them of God exhorting the rulers to punish this e●ormite and common pestilence and destruction of common wealths. Among the Heathen Leprianis. 
The Leprians law.  Adulterers were carried bound drawn thorough the city, i●. days, and afterward as long as they lived, were despised, shamed and forsaken of all honest people. Among the Locrenses. Zaleucus 
Zaleucus.  forbade adultery under this pay●e. That the transgressor should have both his eyes put out. And when his own son did offend, he vode the judges, as judges put out one of his eyes. And the other eye did himself put out as a father. In the noble Germans, 
Germans.  before they received the christian faith: the punishment of an Adulteres stood in the power of her husband which might at the jest thrust her only in her smock out of his house and beat her naked with rods before all the city as Cornelius Tacitus writeth. Opilius 
Opilius his law.  Macrinius emperor of Rome used to punish Adulterers with fire, throwing them both bound together into the fire where after there was a common law called lex julia: 
Lex julia.  which decreed Adulterers to be punished with the sword, which law stood in strength in S. Hieroms' time, which mentioneth and alloweth it. And the same law de stupris and adultery did the christian emprours receive. And of Justinian is it confirmed & decreed lib. iixi. titu xviij de publicis Iudic●s. In the laws of Bamburgh the same imperial law is executed, and confirmed of the Emperor Charlis u anno. M. CCCCC.XXX. and. M. CCCCC.XXXII. at Auspurg and Regensburch. Now if the offence were considered but even as the Heathen judged in the law of nature, & as yet the civil law esteem it, how detestable a crime it is and how perniciose to the common weal, setting all affections, evil customs and the negligence of rulers a side. And would way what plagues hang over the realm where it is permitted unpunished, what and how grievous offence it is in God's sight, all christian men would desire it to be punished, and thereto exhort all rulers as in times past. For verily, adultery is the destruction, and the great dishonour of God's first ordinance. A damnable wickedness proceeding from the devil out of idleness and excess, and out of the flesh, contrary to the spirit of God, a shameful unfaithfulness, a voluntary peace breaking, a shameless perjury. Wedlock was first of all ordained of God, a natural copulation, never yet altered. And the married people smite a perpetual cone●aunt, never to divide their bodies joined of God into one flesh God and all the congregation with the angels called into record. They promise' faith & truth with hands & mouths the one to the other. Now if it be so small an offence, as of frailty of nature of weakness, against manis will, but a little spot, a sliding amiss, as this man extenuateth and initigateth the crime, to dissemble with God, angels, and men, to tread under fo●e truth and faith, to forswear before God and so holy a company, to call them all into witness of a false promise, than might he have so justly stretched forth his pen to have painted the defence of Adulterers and made so many arguments for their unpunishment in so counseling the Magistrates. why doth he not as vehemently dissuade the punishment of murder and theft? To steel manis goods is worthy death. And what is more dear to man then his wife, even his own body? Solomon weighing theft a●d adultery together proveth 
Proverb vi  adultery to be much more grievous offence. If it be so, it aught more sharply to be punished then theft. Also besides many grievous inconue●ences, this happeneth. That the right airs oftentimes be defrauded of their heritage for ever. I Passover the murders poisoning battles, and treasons with other infinite destructions that have comen of adultery, and yet daily ensueth. But yet the ecclesiastic teachers, he would have them by no zeal nor title to move the rulers to execute justice and God's law upon adulterers. For so to do, he calleth it such cruelty as becometh no preacher.  
If the Magistrates neglect their office in punishing open malefactors, is it cruelty & anger, the preachers to excite and to exhort them with God's word to do their duty? Wherefore else did God command the Levites to take the book of the law and read it continually to the kings? And that in dontful judgements they should call the priests to show them what they should do according to God his word, commanding the kings to judge as the priests should teach them out of God's law. What else are all the sermons and comminations of the prophets, with the apparel of their lives, kindling and stering the kings and rulers unto the punishments and corections of the transgressors of God's laws? They were commanded to cry and cease not to tell them their sydnes in neglecting justice and Gods judgements, yea and where the cause was urgent, necessity requiring the defence of the religion, their selves resisted, punished and avenged it with death doing the office of the seclare Magistrates. Moses was a man both holy and the mildest of all men, the Levites were the ministers of the word. And yet Moses called them together, moved with no little zeal to avenge God's glory, so that they went from tent to tent, from door to door and with bloody hands slew their brethren, and kinsfolcke to the number of 3000. 
●xodi xxxij ●nd two ●um xxv  Moses himself killed the Egiption for sinitinge one of his brethren. Again, what bloody murder made Moses and Pinhas the Le●ite upon Adulterers, ●hen Pinhas smote both the people thorough with his dagger, as they lay, and yet were these ecclesiastik doctors, as this man calleth us. Moses being a spiritual preacher and prophet provoked the judges of Israel, saying: Let every one slay their men, that thus have committed adultery wih Baal Peor And yet says this writer both ignorantly & ungodly, to prove malefactors not to suffer. That the Lord in the old testament willeth not the death of sinners, knowing not of what death God there speaketh. Neither will we, ne any christian Magistrate the perpetual death of damnation of any sinner, but would him to amend and be converted, but yet do not this wish and will take away the just judgements of God, and punishment of any murderer, thief or Adulterer. God there speaketh of the death of the soul and not of the body. Neither willeth God by the text of Ezechiel his judicial laws to be abrogated, as this man means, or else wherefore allegeth he this text against the professors of the word, that they should not iustigate the Magistrates to punish Adulterers? Then he maketh this reason.  
It is not read (says he) that Christ or any of his apostles bode or commanded any adulterer to be punished with death ergo:  
So is it not read, that Christ commanded the two thieves to be hanged that died with him: and yet did they instely suffer for their offences according tu God's laws, Christ not saying against it. By this said reason a negativis, this man would have noman for his crime to suffer death. For where is it read, that Christ bode this particlare thief, or that murderer by name to suffer death? But tell me (I pray you) said not Christ: I am not come to break the law, but to fulfil it? Christ consequently approved and confirmed the judicial laws saing: Whoso killeth, is bound guilty the judgement. Which he declared, saying: who so smiteth with the sword, shall die with the sword. And what law was it, whereof Paul says: 
〈◊〉. Timon i 〈◊〉  It is not ordained for the just man, but for the unjust, as for rebellers to the Magistrates to parents, for murderers, for adulterers, & c? If the pain and law made for adultery were abrogated, Paul would not have confirmed it, as he did with those words yet left in his pistle, neither would he have so threatened and feared the Corinth's, saying: See that you defile not yourselves with adultery, as certain men did, for the which in one day there were slain an hundredth and twenty thousand. Christ's Le●ite (of which you speak so much) was such: That for anger, for an obprobriose word, he pronounced them worthy judgement, and to come before the counsel: wherefore he abrogated not the judicial laws, but established them. For he that so narrowly interpreted his law, to not kill, that for being angry with his brethren, or for an obprobriose word pronounceth him worthy counsel judgement and hell fire, think you that the same law giver doth abrogate or mitigate the punishment for the other most gre●ouse transgressions of the greater precepts? Then argueth he thus out of the example of Christ, saying:  
Christ expresseth his mercy and forgiveness both by examples and doctrine and redemption, wherefore there aught none of his disciples to put any malefactor to death, but likewise to forgive, and to follow his steps.  
Here belike this man taketh not the seculare Christian Magistrates for Christ's Disciples, or else he would not them to put malefactors to death. But let them be only the priests his Disciples. Who made this law, that priests should save thieves, murderers and Adulterers? and that they should convey them from the gallows? and that I should not say the truth before a judge, yea and take an oath to, if he ask it of me? Who caused so many strong thieves to be saved by their books? and sanctuaries to nourish wilful theft and murder? was it not the bishop of Rome's law? But I will set an example of Christ's softness & le●ite against this man so full of fond pity and merciless mercy, where Christ took cords making them into sharp whips, wherewith in great anger & violence he scourged out such fond pituose merchants out of the temple, which took upon them so boldly without all fear of God to bring into his church such licentious liberty and false doctrine, thereby rede●inge and buying by flattery the favour of Adulterers and thieves, when thereby Christ taking upon himself the person of a prophet and bishop, and not of a king ne Magistrate taught the professors of his word and his disciples to correct the arrogant audacity of erroneous teachers and writers, to blame and to chasten them sharply, as it were with whips, of which Christ's fact, it may be well gathered, what may his successors do to such abusers of his word, ●nd deceivers of his church with false doctrine. In deed there aught no ecclesiastik Magistrate take the office of the seclare rulers upon him in putting the malefactor to death. But whether one man may have both the regiments in his hand I think, this man will not say against it. And then is it true that the professor of the word and Disciple of Christ may execute God's work and his office, as the scripture calleth it, and such kings are called Gods: for that they sit in God's place ministering Gods work. Christ himself was and is both priest and king preacher and judge, which first showed himself to come to teach and to save ear, he would come to judge and to condemn. But yet in his first coming he abrogated not his own civil laws and judgements, which he even then confirmed, 
i Timon i  and his apostles did also write them to be obeyed and feared, 
i Petri ii ●●  which commanded to be kept most diligently, and all men to institute all their public and private judgements according to his word. 
Deuter. v●●● xi.  It is plain, that this young writer knoweth not, what it is to be under the law and under the Gospel, and who they be that are under either of them: For all that cry Lord Lord are not under the Gospel. I grant to him, that the laws to punish adulterers and the●es, etc. are abrogated and not ordained for chaste livers, true men and innocent people living under the obedience of the Gospel. But to these open indurate Adulterers, whose cause he defendeth, the laws civil and judicials stand in their strength, and aught to be executed upon them. This doctrine will we teach, whatsoever this man objecteth, and will tell the public rulers that they do the works and judgements & justice of God, whiles like expert and godly wy●e sourgens, they cut of from the body of the city or common weal such corrupt and contagiose membres as are Adulterers. Although this man saith constaintly:  
He heals unhappily that killeihe the sick.  
But a wise sourgen will (if the corrupt member be incurable or should poison, and kill the whole body) cut of that member, and cast it into the fire as Christ teacheth us of the eye, hand, and foot that hurt the whole body. Then he would not: That any father, pastore or preacher should be judges, to minister just judgements and to punish open intractable sinners.  
But I would, as teacheth us God's word, that all seculare judges, rulers, kings, and Magistrates were fathers, pastors and Gods preachers, and understood the scriptures as well, as did David and Solomon, & the other good judges, and kings, whose example we have in the Bible, to whom of election and vocation, it was enjoined of God fatherly to teach, to feed and to govern his people. The cause why true judgement is perverted and justice and equity is not truly ministered is. The judges and rulers are not fathers but tyrants ignorant of God and his laws, they are not true feeders, as it becometh them with God's word, but poysonners with menis traditions To some men verily the ecclesiastik censure of excommunication was some times as geevouse as death. They were of their fathers openly excluded with no little shame from all the Christian society in time of the lords souper, of prayer and other benefits as well unworthy to ate, to drink, or accompany Christian men, casten out by the power of the holy Ghost unto Satan. This authority & formidable censures, the keys to bind, and to retain sinners is given of God to the ministers of the word, which would God it were so justly used now, as it was in Paul's time & sense. But now sith this wholesome remedy is not executed, but abrogated per non vinum: nor yet the seclare sword once drawn out against this horrible crime of adultery. Shall we not excite them both to their duty? But in what an heavy state are impenitent sinners given up to Satan, into their destruction of the flesh, seeing that penitent incestuose of Paul, suffered such pains and his sorrow so great, that it was tube feared as Paul writeth, lest he should have been swallowed up of desperation, if co●̄fort and prayer of the church had not prevented it, and what a death had it been to an hardnecked impenitent person being in Satan's hand, refusing all wholesome counsels, comfort and prayers not suffering the keys of losing to turn in his heart? Such there are among our Adulterers. For this was Paul accused of severity and cruelness of the false prophets. If there be an open accustomed Adulterer, a slander and poison to the congregation, why shall not the ecclesiastic ministers deliver him into the seclare Magistrate's hands to be punished with the sword, as they have done with other offenders? Christ biddeth us to take such impenitent and intractable people, as heathen and publicans: and yet in so doing make we not ourselves Gods on the earth, nor set forth our own honesty in promoving their mischief to them that be bound to punish it as you say. The law is, that if I ●nowe awny such open sinners against God and the public wealth, 
Leuiti. five,  and hold my tongue, it is judged, that I consent thereto, and aught therefore to be punished a like. For religion, faith and love mutual command us to not suffer such ungodliness, which else should grow into further destruction. This manlayth much for him the examples of the apostles, but he seethe not the severity of Peter endued with the holy Ghost smy●inge with so sudden death Ananias and Sapphira for their dissembling hyppocrisy with the church, which was done lest the softness and to●●che favour by the apostles among offenders winking at open sinners should grow into contempt of God and his word, as it is now come to the same by suffering adulterers unpunished. He saith not Paul punishing eliman with perpetual blindness.  
Then he bringeth in David and Solomon with their grievous offences under Moses law, and yet none of the prophets (saith he) were so cruel upon them, as to punish them but with God's word.  
And what else desire we then, that Adulterers might be punished according to God's word. Nathan so punished David in his reprehension, that he caused him to give the sentence of death upon himself for his adultery. And what a punishment was it to ensuer him, the sword never to go from his house for slaying Urias. And for his adultery god to steer up his own sons to abuse his wives, brother to defile his sister, one brother to slay another, and to lay David's sins in the open son, and his own son to chase his father out of his realm. What plagues, deaths and hel● pains were inflict by the prophets to David, his heavy complaints in his psalms declare. Would god this good man with all the professors of the word, would do Nathans part in sharp rebuking adultery this day, and not so to mitigate the sin that the punishment therefore of God, were now abrogated, as though it were not now so grievous a sin, as it was in Moses time. Solom on his kingdom was divided, his servant raig●inge after him. What punishment came upon Jeroboam by the monition of the prophets rebuking the king. And yet saith this man, the prophets showed no severity to the kings, but all softness and mercy. And are not all these things written for our doctrine and ensample so to do? How vehement and sharp were the prophets, Elias, Isai, Hi●remy, and the other in rebuking and condemp●ing sin? Compare your defence of Adulterers to their sharp sermons: and they agree, as Belial & christ. Where was your Levite, when Eias slew the prophets of Baal, and and when joiada Athaliam? And what punishment casted Eliseus upon Gihafi, and his seed for taking gifts of Naaman? Now if Christ hath abolished the punishment for Adulterers, and expressed and decreed an easier, you must show the place, and then we must believe you or else we must stand to the eternal will of God, remitting you to the first original law and ordinance of God. We should consider the circumstances of the sin, how grievous it is, who decreed the pain for it, how rankly it roteth, spreadeth and eucreaseth, yea and that among them that should give the best example, and should see it punished. And then should it be seen to all godly rulers that the sore asketh a sharper corrasie, than your book showeth or maketh.  
For judgements & punishments are most necessary in the offices of the magistrates, albe it they feme to some fond pituose persous, hard and cruel. Nevertheless, except such cruel sharpness be executed, all men are like to feel more hard and crueler plagues. It is no cruelty, which at the commanndent of the Lord is executed for the preservation of common wealths, and public ●ra●●uillite.  
He maketh a great difference betwixt, the old and new testameut (and yet knoweth not what a testament is) and saith, that in the old testament, the grace of the Gospel was not showed to the world.  
If he taketh the world for all men good and bad, so is it not yet revealed to it. For to them that shut up their eyes blindened of the God of this world and stop their ears at the preaching thereof, 
ij. 〈◊〉. ix.  it is yet hovered. But in the old testament to Adam, Abel, Enoch, and Helias, etc. and to all the choose faithful the Gospel of Christ to come, was showed. For they were all under the grace of the Gospel and not under the law. For the old & new covenant in Christ was all one in substance to them and us, and differ not, but in certain accidentay added ceremonies, rites and respects of the time and persons. For the Hebrew & Greek word which is commonly translated into Testamentum signifieth properly foedus, a covenant or bargin made and straiten, testified with certain instruments, promises and conditions writ and sealled, which covenant is all one in substance to them and us, as it appeareth Gone xvij Nomeruel though this man erreth so much in the nocables, testamentum & lex. For I heard him once say: It is but a frivole curiose thing in reading of the scriptures to expone and declare the ●ermes. But all learned writers will say, that the terms or words not known what they properly signify, the sentences shall never be truly understanden Then he saith:  
The people of Christ is a mystic divine flock, etc. and therefore must be fed with God's word, etc.  
All this we know as well as you, and that you aught not to feed them with such false doctrine, as to say and write:  
That the Professors and Disciples of Christ aught not to iustigate and exhort the Magistrates to punish adultery with death. And that it is to cruel a punishment ordered of God for them in his law, and therefore to be now abrogated.  
But whether your Adulterers (whose cause you defend) being impemteut indurated, and not receivers of the word determining rather to live with whores then with their own wives, be of Christ's flock, and be content to be fed with the word, when they persecute the word and say: It were better for a priest to have a● C. whores, than one his own wife, of this, let all men be judges.  
Then he taketh his course into manis heady rash judgements, as touching the punishments of indurate, desperate Adulterers with death, calling it rash and heady, saying we have no apart scriptures, to punish them.  
Lo, here is it plain, he would have them sin unpunished, being ignorant of the scriptures, which commanndeth them to be stonned to death. Where is it manifest that he belieth the scriptures & Gods laws, which Christ came to confirm both with mouth and miracles. And Paul affirmeth the Magistrates therefore to bear the sword to execute the laws ordained for Adulterers. And then to declare his high cunning, he saith:  
I know with how great cruelty adultery was punished by Moses in the old law.  
●o this man is not ashamed ne afraydé to call the just patient merciful Lord, & his laws cruel. Beware lest you be so served of the same judge, as was that vuprofitable servant, which for so esteininge his master was worthily bound hand and foot, and cast into extreme darkness. God is no chaungelinge, his will, word and judgements stand farm and fast for ever.  
But wherefore do we call it old, but because there is now comen a newer law to the which the former must give place.  
This new law to the which Gods law must give place, you must understand it to be this new counsellors new law where with Adulterers must be newly punished, that is to say, to have three flaps with a fox tail for breaking holy wedlock, orels it is as yet no law at al. For it is yet but under his consultation, which if it be death, it shallbe by this man neither profitable nor necessary ergo it is an naughty and wicked law. Thus you see his fond presumption to make God's law to give place to his new law, which is yet to be made, so that in the mean season they may commit adultery freely unpunished. But if the old law concerning the punishment, for breaking Gods commandments had been abrogated, as this writer falsely saith. Christ would never have so often alleged it against the Pharisees for the defence and confirmation of his doctrine and deeds. He told them constantly: That God commanded it, that whoso curseth father or mother should die. If this had been abrogated by Christ's coming, christ would not have alleged it for his purpose. Wherefore that same judicial law stood in strength after his coming, as the other like laws judicial do, as honour thy father and mother. But this man saith: It was said to the jews and not to us: which if it were true, so were we not bound to honour parents, ne Magistrates, neither to keep wedlock.  
Or else (saith he) if nothing be changed, wherefore are there two testaments? wherefore hath not the former continued still, if there be nothing in it, which must be abrogated and abolished?  
This man should have learned of Paul what things and laws be abrogated, and which parts yet stand in effect, and wherefore they were abrogated as he writeth Hebr vij That is, even for their weakness, inutilite and imperfection there declared at length. But the moral and judicial laws did bear in them no imperfection, no weakness nor inutilite, but the honour of God and conservation of his common weal by love mutual, wherefore they are not abrogated, as this man blasphemeth. If he had considered the circumstance and process of Paul in that place, where without any respect to the context he snacked out this authority, he should have seen Paul to have treated the old tabernacle compared to the new not made with hands, the old sacrifices of beasts with their blood compared to the later and least sacrifice of Christ's body and blood upon the altar of the cross, Aaron's pristheit to Christ's, the utterward ablutions and justifications of the flesh with the new washings and purging with Christ's blood & justification by faith only. And at last concluded th●se old shadows of the true good things, then to come, to be antiquated, vanished and abrogated, and nothing less, than God's judgements and his ●orall precepts, to be abrogated, as this writer would prove them for the licentious liberty of these libertyve Adulterers. The judicial laws a●d the ten precepts containing in them faith and love must stand for ever. 
faith a●d love contained in the iudicialles can not be abrogated.  For faith and love are the se●ews blood marry and life of all these perpetual laws. And wherein these senews are contained, that law must nediss stand. Bears it not great love to our neighbours, and to the common weal to have open robbers, murderers and ravishers of menswives, daughters, etc. punished? Christ being the correction and full perfection of the law, corrected not, ne abrogated any law of M●ses, but for the weakness, inutilite, etc. Now show us: What weakness, inutilite and imperfection was there in the stoning to death of Adulterers? you will say, it was to cruel But hearken what Christ saith. 
Mat twenty ●nd twenty-five.  Beware lest at my goodness and justice thou takest an occasion to be evil, and least as thou judgest me, such o●e thou findest we. Agayve, Christ corrected not, ne abrogated any law, but he constituted a better and more perfecter in stead thereof, as it is to see in the ceremonial rites & sacrifices. Now us show what better & perfiter law hath he constituted for Adulterers to be punished thereby, then was & is yet written in his testament? It is great shame, that any learned man should see such a blasphemose book to go forth in this Christian realm, which professeth the word of God. He knoweth not, that testamentum signifieth the covenant which God of his mercy and goodness to our fathers and us hath smitten, and that there was no nother covenant of our salvation, justification by faith and redemption made with us, than was made with Adam, Nohe, Abraham, etc. They had Christ in figures and shadows promised them, looking for him in hope as we have him in present faith past. So that in substance the old and new covenant is all one. As the two Cher●bims standing upon the propitiatory looking two contrary ways face to face, did behold the only one, and the same propitiatory signifying Christ. So did they, & do we behold one Christ and saviour. Our faces and faith turned backward to Christ past, a●d to them beholding Christ to come. There is as much difference in this thing, as in the same bargain made at sundry times with like wages and like condition both on the masters, and servants behalf. So that the name of new and old testament springeth not out of the substance of the covenant but are of certain accidentary added considerations, which were put for certain sundry ceaso●s, places people and diversive of nations to be at last changed. Without which additions the substance of the cou●nant itself ever abode and abideth to the worlds end, of the which law Christ sayde● There shall not one jot ne title passover, till all be fulfilled. And sooner shall heaven and earth perish, than this law or covenant be annulled. There is therefore but one covenant or testament in substance and two in the manner of deliverance of the same. For to our fathers was it given to worship one God in spirit, in faith in innocency of living, they had one rightwismakinge and one redemption, and did see with us in faith and hope one sacrifice jesus Christ. But because the manner of the deliverance varied as touching the time, people and the figures of the verity, therefore in two diverse respects one thing hath two accidentary names, which thing Paul considering saith: All things happened to them in figures, but not so unto us, for we have him in verity. They rejoiced in extern, & we in spiritual things. Wherefore that giving of the law, whereby the religion was then set forth by figures and ceremonies to the old fathers, is now called the old testament. But that religion whereby Christ, which hath fulfilled all things in the law and prophets now being only all in all things is delivered and given us in very deed without all figures, is now called the new testament. Not therefore because the fathers had not then Christ, the grace of the Gospel and remission of their sins, but because in comparison of the old, and for that the very body at his presence hath abolished the ceremonial shadows and figures. And this much be said for the difference of the old and new testament, for the names thereof and abrogation of the ceremonial laws. Which this writer knoweth not, and therefore thus erreth in the abrogation of the laws and especially against that godly homily set forth by the Kings Majesty against whoredom and adultery, which is the eleventh in order, and last save one.  
He reprehendeth the school divinity for dividing the law into three parts, ceremonies, judgements and moral precepts.  
But he is deceived, for that distinction was made of the most aunceet doctors, or any school divinity was known, if he had red them. And if he had read the Bible orderly, he should have found in the old testament, and in the new, that Christ made of two people one church, by suffering in his flesh, breaking down the mud brickwall and hedge of ceremonies, abrogaty●g but that law, which made the variance betwixt the jews & us, which were only the ceremonies set in the commanded decrees. For what contention, circumcision made berwixt the jews and gentiles, and how it is abrogated by the decree of the apostles, you see in Act xu And as for the place this writer bringeth in for the abrogation of the indicialls and morals Coloss. two as he understandeth it not so doth he falsify the text, to rake & wrist it for his false purpose. For Paul's words make clear against him, saying:  
The ceremonies were not against us, and therefore they were the moral laws (saith he) which he abrogated, & whereof Paul speaketh.  
Full little knoweth this man cleaving to much to his own wit, how the ceremonies were against the jews, and not against us, which never had them. If he had red and understand 
The place ij Collo. he understandeth ●ot.  Paul Hebr ten he should have se●e, how and in what ways they were their own hand writing against themselves. For the jews in keeping and using the ceremonies declared their own imperfection, and spotted consciences. For all their sacrifices were (as Paul saith) the commemoration, accusations and testifications against themselves in uttering their sy●ful lives every time they did their sacrifices, ablucio●s, etc. Hebr ix and ten For in the ceremonies of the jews, saith Austen, there was rather the confession of their sins than the expiation. In that their sacrifices and ablutions did bewray them to be impure, when they would be seen most purest, & were as (saith Paul) it were their own hands writing, whilis they offered & washed themselves, thereby testifying against themselves to be sinners having ●ede of offreances and purifyings And therefore Paul saith against the jews, and not against the Gentiles. And even the same text which he so v●lerd●edly bringeth in for his Adulterers and for the abrogation of all three laws cere ●iudicial & morals. Paul before and immediately declareth himself to understand it of the ceremonies only, concluding with this illation thus: Let no man therefore condemn you for meats and drinks or for a peses of an holy day, etc. And this man had red and understood this pistle, when he took in hand to read, & to teach it ere he had learned it, he should have perceived Paul's mind to have b●ne, That the dead sacrificed beasts, did as their own hand writings declare and testify to the jews them selves worthy death and condemnation, a●d their washings to testify against themselves, to be unclean people. And thus they eating the duty a●d testimomonye of their own condemnation, death a●d impurity, showed themselves never to have satisfied for their sins. And therefore Paul calleth those ceremonies their own hand writings against themselves. For that they sealled up to themselves their own damnation & uncleanness. But here you may perceive the perverse devillishenes and devilish perversity of the spirit, wherewith ● this sect is carried, which when in perverting the scriptures, it can not prove his errors, then to falsify the almighty word of god it addeth to, his own poison, where god commandeth nothing to be added ne taken from his word, here he putteth to the judicial laws, and thrusteth them into Paul's pure text, and to the hand writing, saying:  
Verum judicia & chirographum. Look better of your book both greek and latin, and tell us where you found judicia in that place coupled with Chirographum? as I herded your preacher, be like at your request, I will not name him, openly preach it, that the ceremonials and judicials are both abrogated. adding that the copulaty●e was true when both the parts be a like true. Which doctrine he nor you were able to defend, when it was afterward reasoned at the table, you wot where. And here this man noteth in the mergen of his book, all the whole laws universal of Moses both ceremonial, judicial and moral to be abrogated, which he resy how detestable it is, all men see it, for than should we be all law less with his Adulterers to sin in all kind of sin unpunished. There is no heathen miscreant, which naturally consenteth to the law egraven i● his heart whereupon the judicial and moral laws of God are grounded, that ever dirst say or writ the ten commandments of God and the dew punishment ordained of God for breaking them, were abrogated and blotted out never to be observed. Nomeruel this man would set Adulterers at liberty in so licentious a state. God giant it that he syn●e not but of ignorance and simplicity, & not of a set malicious mind incensed of other against me, which have standen against him in this cause, before he written his book advertising and counsellinge him to cease from his error, which nothwithstandinge yet did he put forth this book openlye● whose title he hath changed, but not the book nothing agreeable to the new title, ●e to the things prefixed. Then he asketh this question:  
If Adulterers should be punished according to God's law in Moses book, why did not Christ command the open Adulteres to be stoned?  
Here he declareth his mind plainly, that adulterers aught not to be punished because Christ remitted the Adulteres. How soever this man will now seek & hunt for evasions to gloze and pot out his book saying, that he meant the use of the law or of the malediction thereof to be abrogated, yet as it is plain, neither the just use execution nor the malediction is abrogated and abolished from the Adulterers, but from the justified by faith in an innocent life, so do this, and all his other arguments tend into this scope and end, that Adulterers ought not to be punished, neither by death, nor by any other pain. For this is his argument: Christ punished not the Adulteres, but absolved her, and his example aught to be followed of every Christian, ergo no man ought to punish Adulterers, but let them go quiet, absolved, unpunished. But I answer this man in few words, as I answered him th●n, and also other which did set him up to convict me in this argument and other, if they had could at that time. Because his father sent him then to save sinners and not to give sentence of death as a judge, he came then himself to be judged and to be killed and not to slay in iudggement, he would not then take upon him the office of a seculare Magistrate, but refused to divide the heritage, and then, when they would have made him a king he came to constitute a spiritual kingdom, wherein he reigneth by his word for ever. This man should have considered who they were, that brought the Adulteress to him, and for what intent, not to have Moses law justly executed, but to trap Christ. Where he then taught all judges and accusers of other, to be pure in themselves, lest in accusing and condempni●ge other they accuse and condemn themselves. Also this learned man must learn, that if Christ had condemned her there standing alone without sufficient witness, he had broken his father law, which he came to fulfil. And then had the Pharisees and Scribes the thing they hunted fore. To this he bringeth in saint Paul, excommunicating the incestuose Corinth. I answer likewise (as I did then by mouth) Paul was no seculare Magistrate, he was a private preacher, having power to edify and not to destroy with death him, whom he knew to repent and to be converted to the church by such delivering to Satan. And therefore having the ecclesiastik keys, and censure did he bind and loose him, as Christ commanded. But how formidable is and was that censure to that man it appeareth two Corinth vij and I have said it before. Neither was there then in that city any seculare Christian Magistrate as you see it i Cor vi to execute the law upon such offenders. Neither is it a good argument, Christ nor Paul judged none to death, ergo Adulterers & murderers aught not to be punished, with death. Neither is it a just argument Magistrates neglect their office in justly punishing malefactors, ergo thieves, murderers and Adulterers may sin unpunished. Then this man bringeth another argument to prove Adulterers not to be punished out of the vij Chap. to the RO. thus:  
If we be married to the new and second husband Christ, then are we out of bondage and cruelty of the former husband which is sin, etc.  
If he take & put his adulterers in the number of these new married to Christ (or else the argument maketh nothing for his purpose) so maketh he a godly marriage to mary his Adulterers to Christ, taking the members of an herlet to couple them to Christ. But it rather thus followeth. Adulterers have forsaken Christ and have married themselves to their flesh and to the devil, and therefore shall God justly destroy them. For that they are under the curse and punishment of the law judicial i Tim i Tell us, are your Adulterers under the law, that is married to sin not yet known to them by the law, or under grace, that is in God's favour justified? Before you said the whole universal law was abrogated, and so to be no law, left to punish them: wherefore they must be now after you (as you here would prove it) under grace, under a godly grace have you put them: even under a lawless lycenciouse liberty to sin unpunished, married to Christ, say you: God is highly beholden to such a marriage maker, and so are all Adulterers, so to couple them to Christ their spouse. If they be not under the law so is their old husband, the law and sin known by it, dead from them, & they delivered from this their former, old wife married to Christ: which if it be so, them are they no more Adulterers. Paul saith with many express words that he (whose former wife is thus dead and he loosed by her death, married to Christ the new man) is such one as is dead from sin, regevered into Christ's death by a new birth, buried and risen with Christ into a new life, whose old man is by repentance & perpetual mortification crucified with Christ, absolved from sin, in whom no sin reigneth ●e dwelleth. To these men thorough faith, and love and innocency of living, is the cruel exaction, execration, malediction and damnation of the law abrogated, and not to your Adulterers. For they do that as the law commandeth not for fear of the law, but of a ready courage and of a faithful heart and mind, for they are married to Christ in dead. But Adultrrers are married to sin, and therefore are they under the law to be punished thereby. Where you see your own text returned into your own confusion. For you know not, what it is to be under the law, ne what is the law in this place, ●e who be under it, nor how we are delivered from it, and married to Christ, nor how many kinds of liberty there are, neither understand you Paul's mind in these vi seven. and eight Chapter to the Rom. And yet you take in hand to treat of the difference betwixt the law and the Gospel, shewing nothing less in your book, opening a perilous door to Adulterers to sin unpunished, putting them not under the law.  
Who is so ignorant in the scriptures, that knoweth not Moses laws to be given, but for a time, and but to the jews Even yourself so ignorant, which knoweth not the only ceremonial laws to be given but for a time to them. And the laws judicial and moral, which contain in them Gods worship our faith and love, to be the perpetual will of God given to all nations. And that the transgression of the same laws must be punished according to the gravity of the sin. Show us, where Christ tempered or minished in any words of his the punishment for blasyhemers, false prophets for murderers and Adulterers, and would the Magistrates to not punish them with death? bring forth your scriptures. For we know that he hath given the rulers the sword, 
Roma xiij  and that not in vain. The law of God abrogateth not the laws of nature but confirmeth them, but the law of nature punished adultery with death, as it is before showed, or else why is the punishment of adultery more abrogated then the punishment for theft a●d murder? are they not all a like precepts? Thou shalt not kill, nor steel, nor commit adultery? Adultery was thought once of God to be as grievous a sin as was blasyhemy, false doctrine, witchcraft, enchantings, sinitinge and killing of father and mother, and therefore was punished a like. And is adultery now no sin or a less sin than it was in Moses time? Then he saith:  
What is more true and instep, than the law of God, which proceedeth of itself, righteousness? And though god punished it sharply, yet may it not be said he did it unjustly.  
If God's law proceedeth out of righteousness, and his righteousness endureth for ever: why then will you abrogate his everlasting rightwise will and law to punish adultery? will you exalt yourself above God and his righteousness? Sin is now as odiole to God, as ever it was and with grievouser plagues are they worthy to be punished, which know no we his will, & will not obey it. surely all the rethryke you have, can not defend your Adulterers from the just punishment with death, but to folis and to men corrupt with the same filthy scab, perchance your book may seem somewhat plausible and pleasant. In some places you would seem to have them punished, but not with death, and in some unpunished, for that you set them not under the law, and the law to be abrogated, and the sin to be healed by God's word with softness, and le●ite and mercifully to be forgiven because they are after you under grace, married to Christ. So that your colours of corrected contraditions and contrary corrections fight greatly among themselves, if the state of your cause & scope of your arguments be diligently observed. Then thus you say:  
Christ abolisheth not the former laws as unjust, but with le●ite he tempereth the severity and rigore of them, so that now they be put in use not to damn by strength, to rule, and not to by●de, to prick, and not to kill Christians.  
It is no point of a writer to entitle and propone one thing, and to deduce his arguments into another contrary end. Although the law condemn not just Christians, yet can you not deliver your Adulterers from the condemnation, severity, rigore, bond, and prick to kill them, prove by God's word, that the punishment decreed in Moses law for Adulterers is abrogated, and stand not in strength, prove that God's laws are cruel, rigorose to sharp for t●● sin committed. Prove where by his word they should be tempered with le●ite and pity upon any obstinate accustomed Adulterer the●e or murderer.  
You say, that now those laws be put in use not to dampne, to rule and not to bind, etc.  
But what and if God's law can neither rule nor bind, nor with pricking nor killing bring and pluck men from their open adultery theft and murder? What will you then do with your soft levity and pity to your adulterose Christians, as you call them? Here you argue contrary to your institution of the use of the law concerning just men and Christians for whom the law judicial is not ordained (as Paul saith) as though the law had the saw use, strength and effect upon just and unjust, wisely.  
Then he bringeth in the example of the brazen serpent compared to Christ, which (the price paid for sin) should put the law out of strength & effect for malefactors saying: Not nother wise the serpents sting taken away, the serpent abideth, may hiss but to sting he can not.  
Lo, the law may hiss at his Adulterers that is, give them a flap with a foxtaile, and hurt them not. He would the just laws of God to lose their strength by Christ's coming (which came to fulfil them, and not to break them) that they should not condemn Adulterers whereof Paul saith, the letter, that is, the law slayth. But he saith, the law now ruleth: whom? Even them that will not be ruled, and not to bind them to their own wives. What a regiment and bond of the law this man dremeth, I can not tell. Paul saith out of Osee: That neither the sting of death, which is sin, nor the strength and power of the sin, which is the law, shall not be taken away, till Christ hath put all his enemies under his feet, and delivered up his kingdom to his father. But be like this man imagineth such an holy church in this world as shallbe after domes day: when all rightwiseness only shall devil upon the earth two Pet. three But you shall know, when Christ came, he paid the price for all penitent sinners, and true believers that received the benefit of their redemption and not for common Adulterers that will not receive Christ and his laws. For Christ is no gift to them, that will not receive him. Christ's blood is no such a gift to them that thrust it from them by infidelity, tread it under their feet, contemn so rich a redemption. Of which sort are they, that think adultery to be no sin, ne punish worthy, but without all fear of God and man persist in their filthy living. Christ expowned that similitude of the brazen serpent far otherwise, than this man wresteth it for Adulterers. He applied it to the believers in him, saying: As Moses exalted the serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up on the cross, that all that believe in him perish not: he saith not, that Adulterers (whose life showeth them not to believe in Christ) perish not, nor yet to not be delivered from that just punishment of the law. For they that looked not up to the serpent Christ by faith, hanging upon the cross, died of the serpents stinging. Neither is the sting of the law plukt out of them that looked not up to the brazen serpent. And therefore you are but a perverter of Christ's words. Then in alleging Austen you condemn yourself. For he speaketh there plainly of the heavy multitude & burden of ceremonial laws, and not of the judicial and moral laws. And then to use your colour of correction or rather contradiction, you say:  
Here I will not play the patron of carnal licence to cause men to sin unpunished, which will not repent.  
When you contend to prove and defend nothing more.  
Neither do you twyche (you say) the public ordinary laws, etc.  
When you do all that you may to destroy them. If you take away the judicial and moral laws, as you abolish them altogether. For he that taketh away all laws of God, whereof all laws and Magistrates be grounded, taketh away the Magistrates and the ministers of the laws.  
But you condemn (you say) this importunity in divines, which so sharpen and whet the civil laws beyond all necessite.  
And then to correct your saying (a just and plain writer with a good conscience never v●eth so many corrections) you say:  
Yea verily, beyond their profession. But is it not every Christian manis profession, so to love the glory of God, the health, peace, integrity and tranquilite of the Christian churches, cities and realms, and so to promove such open injuries and enormities to the rulers by exhortations, sermons and monitions, that all such putrefied, pestilent corrupt members, destroyers, and s●launderers of Christ's congregation may be cut of and punished according to God's word? Then he saith:  
It is the part and duty of the professors of the word, to preach the forgiveness in the Gospel and to invite the people to repentance, to lead the weak with the spirit of softness, and the hardnecked obstinate, impenitent, inflexible to lead them from their sins, and not from their lives.  
And is it not the part of a preacher first to preach them the law to show them their sins, ere they preach them the Gospel of forgiveness? men must know and acknowledge their sins with repentance, ere they be forgiven. But what and your Adulterers will neither hear law nor Gospel, nor any repentance preached, but willbe sooner led from their lives, then from their sins? must not those obstinate, hardnecked Adulterers be k●t of with the sword, and that by God's word? And will not you have us to preach, and to teach this law of God? joan and Christ began at the law to preach the Gospel. Wherefore else do the Magistrates bear the sword, but therewith to correct and cut of them, whom God's word can not refrain from their open wickedness? God first to repress our affects, commandeth us not to lust, ne to desire, or to have any concupiscence of any other thing, than our own. Which bar, if it can not hold us yet he setteth before us another bar to bridle us from the act saying: Thou shalt not commit adultery, nor steal, nor kill, etc. And if this bar will not hold us, then hath he constituted the Magistrates with his laws to punish the transgressors with death, which is the last remedy to destroy the offender. But if we could keep the first and most perfect law, so needed we not the second, nor the third. But when God did foresee that neither the first nor the second bar could bridle such prefracte Adulterers and murderers from the extern act, but that they would brydelles run into the open dead unto the great destruction of the comen wealth and intolerable corruption of the Christian society, them he added the third and last remedy both wholesome, profitable and necessary, & not so rigorose ne cruel, as this man writeth. If it be lawful for the Magistrates to execute death upon them, why is it not as lawful for the preacher to exhort them to their lawful office, if they neglect it? God commandeth us not to be angry which natural sore and vice in us to heal it, and that it should not break forth into the hurt of my neighbour. He commandeth us not to kill, which yoke if we cast of, and slay the man, then is there the third degree present, even the slayer to be slain And this is the third part and last degree of the law so adjoined and annexed in the second that the one can not be abrogated without the other. And therefore to be sure, this man abrogateth the whole law for his Adulterers sake. If you suffer all adulterers and malefactors to sin, till they be all slain with the sword of this new broached spirit, England is like to swarm full of thieves and Adulterers to. For what and if these sinners will not be touched with the very sword of God's spirit, ●ut so violently resist it, that they will turn the point thereof into the bellies of the true teacher? Truly your spirit is all to weak to enter, where Christ's spirit taketh no place. Christ commandeth not to give so holy things to dogs, nor to cast perels before swine. But you will have your incurable Adulterers not by fear of death to be brought to continency but by the word, which they will neither hear, ne believe, but thrust it from them.  
The original vice and sore of adultery (saith he) lieth deep in our concupiscence which must be first cured.  
I pray you in which of all the most perfectest, justified was the original concupiscence so cured, that he neither lusted ne desired at any time contrary to gods will? your presupposition is impossible, whereof you know what followeth.  
But and if the flesh be corrupt with concupiscence, the severity and cruelty of the extern laws shall do nothing. Yisse verily, for whom the fear of god refraineth not, yet the fear of the law which is death, holdeth them from the extern act. For what fear, the sword born of the Magistrates smiteth into malefactors hearts, 
R●man. xii●  Paul expresseth with many terrible sentences, and much more fear it bringeth, when it is justly without affections and respect of persons ministered and truly executed, yea and that when the inward lusts and concupiscence rage, and is not mortified.  
This spiritual sore (meaning the concupiscence) saith he, must be healed with spiritual medicines, that is with the word of God.  
If this be true, so would you have no seclare Magistrates, which thing the Anabaptistes hold. For what sin is there, but it cometh out of the concupiscence of the spiritual part of man, which is his soul consenting to sin? Whereof sin gendered, and death following, the man is called flesh, and the sins the works of the flesh. Now call them carnal or spiritual sores as you list. Belike you call lechery a spiritual sore, because the spirituality, after they had forsaken their own wives and vowed their chastity, and considering none so like to live in adultery as themselves, than they devolved the judgements of this spiritual sore of adultery from the laity into their own spiritual courts, that one lecherous stalland might ●law each others bake. And now was lechery called no more a carnal sore, but a spiritual, to be healed with a spiritual medicine: with what think you? with the word of God? Not, for they known it not. They laid their own syge leaves thereto that is their daily dark confessions, penances, satisfactions, and misses, and as they daily sinned, so were they day by day in healing and never cured. But he that was foul, was every day the filthier, as joan writ ●hi● his Apo. Then this man argueth thus:  
That because in many men adultery can not be healed, ne Adulterers brought to repentance, ne corrected with the word therefore yet it may not be punished with death, but permitted. But you should have argued thus. Because they contemn the medicine of the word, and persist in their wickedness, therefore aught they to be punished with the sword. 
Luce. xii●.  And here he bringeth in the words of Christ directly against himself, rending out a peses of the parable that seemeth for him, but the effect and scope thereof is plain against him, which he leaveth out for fear, and perverteth the text, saying:  
The Lord forbiddeth the rotten tree to be cut done.  
But the text is: The Lord not finding fruit in the tree, commandeth it to be cut down. Nevertheless at the desire of the keeper of the vineyard praying him to suffer it, to be dunged at the rote this one year, and then if it brought notfrute, to be cut down by both their consents. And in another place Christ not finding fruit in the fig tree, accursed it, and it withered dead, never more to bring forth fruit. And what then think you, is his sentence upon them, that with no movitions no teaching, no dunging willbe fruitful, but will despise his labour and bring forth evil fruits, saying, he commanded the fruitless trees to be cut down? here you see, how he perverteth Christ's words saying: Chiste forbiddeth, which he plainly commandeth. Then he maketh this wise argument:  
Hole men have no need of a physician, but they that are sick, ergo Adulterers aught not to be punished with death, but must be healed with God's word.  
Such an argument may he make for all thieves and murderers, and so noman to suffer, but be healed with God's word which is not else but to abolish the civil laws, and all Magistrates. Such a licentious common weal dream the Anabaptistes this day. But and if the sick despise the wholesome medicine, being a purryfyed member, than John baptist and Christ command such trees to be cut down and cast into the fire.  
But here this man calleth such obstinate, hardnecked, incurable Adulterers, but weak brethren, and but sickly people. Ask what physician ministereth his diligence to the sick man to slay him, whose cure he taketh in hand?  
And here I ask him again: what Physician is to solishe that taketh an incurable sore in hand? or will heal that sor● otherwise, or with any other medicine than God's word prescribeth him: with what medicine commandeth God the Magistrates to heal murder, adultery theft, and such like pestilences to the common wealth? All this manis arguments brought for Adulterers tend into the favour of such that gladly receive wholesome counsel being obedient to the word when they are monished of the preachers do fear God, amend their lives. And make nothing for Adulterers to be not punished of the Magistrates. He bringeth in many examples of mercy showed of Christ to the faithful penitent confessing their sins, which all make nothing for open obstinate malefactors. Neither do those examples take away the civil justice, nor the sword from the magistrates to be executed upon Adulterers but that the thief and murderer and Adulterer must nevertheless suffer death although he repented him an hundred times with him that was hanged by Christ. And much just execution was done of them in Christ's days & senses, albeit the guilty & condemned person died a repentant just man before God, whose death Christ nor his apostles letted not as the priests do now with books and sanctuaries. And as for the roytose son, whom this man bringeth in for the defence of Adulterers. He confessed his sin, with great repetaunce to his father, or he received him. He spent but his own good in excess of meats and drynckes. And was no open hurt to the common weal as are thieves, Adulterers, etc. he hurted only himself. And therefore this example is but racked & wrested for his purpose● I can not marvel enough at the forgetfulness of this man to see himself serve so far from the station on his cause, to prove the thing with scriptures nothing pertaining to the title of his book. When Peter asked Christ, how often he should forgive: he expressed his brother, that by weakness sinneth daily privately one offending another, & not such as sin incorrigibly against the hole congregation customably which for his obstinacy deserveth not the name of a christian brother. But & if I forgive my brother steling my horse or ox, yet shall ●ot my forgiveness deliver him from the civil judgement & from the galows: & yet bringeth this man Peter's seven seventy forgiveness of his brother for the unpunishment of adulterers. He would galdly be fellow to christ in so rich & often forgiveness of adulterers: little remembering what god says to all judges of the indicial laws, that when any man break his laws, thou shall punish him, and not have mercy on him. Let not thyve eye spare him, 
duty. x●●  but cut and rote him out of the common weal that other may take ensample, & be afraid to transgress gods laws. He looketh so much of god's mercy, that he forgetteth his justice & judgements, which said: That whoso offend but one of his little one's, that believe in him. It is expedient a mill stone be hanged about his ●ecke and be drowned in the deepest of the sea. What pains of death than would Christ to be executed upon him, that offend the whole church and especially, that man whose wife is kept in adultery. Then he saith:  
That forebecause Christ bode Peter suffer the darnel to grow with the wheat therefore he would Adulterers, and all such criminose sinners to be permitted unpunished among the Christian society. Who seethe not the fond ignorance; (shall I call it) or the manifest wickedness of this man? Christ never said this to Peter. But the householder to his servants expressing no particlare person, but this is not the matter, The kocle or darnel is their hersies & false doctrine sowed by the devil, which christ would not have plucked up; where peril is, therewith to be pluck up also the good corn. For if paul had been plucked up a phariseis, he had never have been the apostle & preacher of Christ. Wherefore Christ willeth not in my wise these kocles or darnel of heretics, and not of Adulterers and thieves, & c? to be permitted, but heretics, where their uproting is turned into the destruction or hurt of the good and of the whole church. It behoveth (saith Paul) hersies to be among you, that they which be proved be known among you. But and if such men (if they should continue) would be the subversion of many good men, and of the whole church, they must rather be smitten down with the sword and scythe of justice: now look & Adulterers corrupt not holy matrimony other menis wives daughters, etc.  
What and Christ should now come again, and write in the foreheads of these men that would so earnestly have adultery punished their own filthiness and Adulteries? Or if he should with Moses cruel extremity stone them to death, as many as he knoweth guilty of this sin, beginning at these men that would so fain have adultery punished. I marvel if they should be a live.  
If this be not a blasphemy to call and attribute cruel extremity to our God of all goodness, mercy and clemency, there was never blasphemy. Is God changed from a merciful father to a cruel law giver? to so unjust a judge, that he willeth now not the same sin to be punished with like pains? bring forth his words of the change ro abrogation of the pains of Adultery if you can? or else let his law stand farm and fast just in itself, for ever as the holy Ghost teacheth us in his Psalms, and God also in his books of his laws, judgements, and precepts. But is this a good argument for the defence of your Adulterers?  
God to come and write other menis secret faults in their foreheads?  
God is not so cruel, as you would have him, or else he might shame by such ways as perfect a man as you are yourself. But here may men see the burning charity of such men that so set forth Gods ●enite to destroy his justice & just iudgements● where is that charity which should cover the multitude of sins? M. Latemer 
●temer.  in the kings days that dead is, did openly before him and his nobles viheme●tly & continually imieye in his sermons against adultery, & did see it so spread, that he persuaded & exhorted him, & his counsel to punish it according to God's law or by the sword. The bishop of 〈◊〉 David's that now is, of lare in his sermons, & diverse other godly and learned preachers exhorted the sin to be punished right grievously And the learned preachers in Germany consent all, that it aught to be punished with death, as well as murder or theft. And yet would this patron and defender of adultery have such men for their good zeal to chaste matrimony, and for their desper of the just execution of God's laws openly shamed, and his open Adulterers to sin unpunished. I myself in private communication, when the question hath been asked me, considering the bold shameless continual frequency of the sin without all fear and shame of God & man, have said my mind contrary to this man, whishing the Magistrates to make it death according to God's commandment, whereof this man answered that law to be given to the jews, & not to us, & that the judgements ceremonials & judicials all, as he here writeth, are abrogated. Whereof I perceived afterward, that this man was kindled to writ this his book partly against my sentence & twitcheth me therein, albe it not by name. But here I tell him again, but nameless: That if he knoweth any such crime, which he would have it written in my forehead, let him write it in his next answer, and so accuse me justly, if he can. And I shallbe ready at all times to come forth unto mine answer before any judge. But wherefore would he not have the same done to his Adulterers defamed by their own filthy acts. If the Magistrates be negligent and cease from their office, should not the public ministers of the word exhort and warn them of their duty? They are commanded to cry & not to cease to tell every state their offences. But little regardeth this man the terrible commination of God, saying: 
●zechiel three  If I say to the wicked: Thou shalt die. And thou (preacher) premonishest him not telling him it, that he may be turned from his sin. Surely he shall perish in his sin, but his blood will I require at thy hand. This writer so wisely understandeth the scriptures, that where so ever he finds, that we be commanded to forgive our brethren and fellow servants their private mutual, quotidian faults, these texts he wresteth to the open crimes committed against the hole commonalty & church, and would have them so forgiven, that the civil justice should lose her strength. We are bond verily to forgive our detterstoward ourselves, but the common debt required by the law, & they worthy to pay it for their open murder or adultery, I being a private man, can not dispense with it, or else wherefore are laws and magistrates ordained? If my forgiveness should deliver the thief from the galhose. He would not the public ministers of the word to preach that adultery, theft & murder be sins worthy to be punished with death. The kings were commanded, that the Levites and Priests should read to them the law, that thereby as by the just rule, they should judge and give sentence, which all is written for there's and our doctrine, or else let us cancel all the old, testament, & then what doctrine is there left of the laws blotted out of the book of God, and of menis minds? As would ●ow a certain sect lately sprongen up, which are so perfect to themselves in their living, that they can not sin after they be regenerated & once justified, for they are immediately taught, I can not tell of what spirit, so that they need neither book written, ne extern word, preachers nor Magistrates seclare.  
Bring forth any o●e place, where christ or a●y of his apostles commanded Adulterers to be s●ayne ●or else did consent to their death.  
Bring you forth any one word for the abrogation for the stoning or punishment with death of the Adulterers, or where Christ commanded the preachers to not excite the Magistrates to their office, or where we should not consent to the just execution of God's just laws? Peter in his sermon sharply rebuketh the jews for quitting and asking the deliverance of a murderer & crucifying the author of life. Christ and his apostles alleged every where Moses law, and the fearful examples of death therein to confirm their doctrine, and said that it was ordained to punish malefactors, ergo they consented to the death of them that offend it. And Christ being God & man did consent to the laws, which he made and to the execution of the same, and commanded the kings to see his justice judgements a●d equity ministered. And where they were corrupted by the Pharisees. He delivering them from their false gloss so constantly confirmed the punishment for the utterward act that even for their anger and obprobriose words to their brethren he pronounced them worthy judgement. He told the jews seeking occasions to kill him, that Moses did accuse & condemn them. He told Peter sinitinge of the bishops servants right ear (which bishops servants neither the bishops themselves sense hard a right, but s●nistrely God's worde● biding him to put up his sword. That who so smiteth with the sword, should perish with the sword, ergo Christ, & his apostles consented to the just punishment with death of the malefactors. But what law was it, that Christ came to fulfil, & not to break it? And what law was it, that Paul affirmed to be ordained for Adulterers and murderers, slayers of parents, & c? It must needs be the laws of Moses, which was death. He consented to this law judicial of Moses, that he gave the sword to the Magistrates to be executed upon these adulterers and malefactors. Then saith he of himself.  
Scio quid dictat lex Mosaica, etc. That is, It is I that knoweth the mind of Moses law, but as for these cruel unlearned (I know the contempt lurking in the pronoun, Isti) little understand they or perceive the office of Moses, little know they the mystery of the will of god, which constituted Moses● ye●eder of our church. It is this learned man alone that knoweth the mystery of God's will Lo, a marvelous high knowledge & a profound strange spirit usurpethe this man to himself. I never heard ne read of any learned man, neither old nor new of this opinion. If we had not Moses the leader & usher unto Christ, we should never come to him. Who cometh to Christ, but he first by Moses law of the precepts: knoweth his sins, confesseth them and repenteth? The office of Moses was with the law to lead God's people to that degree, where josua taketh them at his hand to bring them into the promised land, which figured the gospel. What nation, 
Deuter four  says God, is there so great, that hath judgements and laws so righteous, as are the laws and judgements, which I set before the this day? If God's laws and judgements which both be thus joined together thorowt the repetition of the whole law, be thus righteous, as no nation else can make or use: dare any Christian man abrogate, change or abolish, yea or neglect these judgements of God? If any man dare do it, he must give us in their places, judgements better more necessary and profitable: but what are they that give us none at all? Verily such persons, as would constitute a lawless licentious liberty to sin unpunished. God never abrogated any law but he placed a better and perfecter in her stead, as for circumcision he gave us baptism, for the passouer lamb, the eating of his last souper, wherein his death is remembered with immortal thanks. Now if the punishment for Adulterers be abrogated, let this man show us what other stronger pain Christ hath set in stead thereof to repress the sin. The spirituality did give us in stead of it a thrice going in shirt about the church yard before the procession to be displed at the four corners thereof. But & if the iudicialles be all abrogated by God, so may there no man use, ne exercise them ayen, or else we might use circumcision, & offer up beasts again. God commandeth both private and public judgements to be instituted according to his word, 
Deu vi & xi ●  & not after this, or any man's fantasy, He would have his judgements written in our hearts to fear us from the transgression of his precepts, which teacheth us not to be so light things as to be either forgotten or neglected, or to be called, as this man calleth them (exotica) that is strange as never to be heard, ne read, ne used of us. He is not conte●t●  
That we should make Moses the leader of our church.  
As though Moses church & ours were not both one church of God, led and taught of one & the same spirit, brought into the same way, that said: I am the way, verity and life. And as though ihey and we had not both one covenant and the same commandments. What thing in the very substance of our faith was given them by Moses & the prophets, but the same is given us? He taught them one God for all sufficient. Him only to be worshipped in spirit, in faith and innocency of living, and to be one righteous making & one redemption thorough Christ the only very Priest & ●rewe sacrifice, him to be both God and man, to be hoped for of God, the resurrection of our bodies and sonles to be immortal. And what man is there now to be led under the gospel and grace of Christ b●t the same must have Moses first his leader, as the scolemayster to bring him up taking him forth from under the law unto an higher lesson even unto Christ. 
●ala three  Then he saith:  
For what else is Moses, them prophetical shadow of Christ?  
Whether he taketh Moses here for his person, or for his law, yet was he not Christ's shadow. But the ceremonial sacrifices were the figures and shadows of Christ to come. For Christ came to fulfil the law, which none else could do. And in the office of teaching and declaring Gods will, it is thus written: 
Deu xix  A prophet out of the mids of thy nation, even out of thy brethren like unto me, saith Moses, shall thy Lord God steer up, whom see that you hear. It was josua, which in name & office figured Christ. And Moses shadowed the law in this action & office of leading. For as Moses died in the desert, & could not bring the people into the promised land, so could not the law bring us to perfection & to our promised heritage. But as josua after his death brought the people into that rest, so did Christ bring his faithful into the eternal rest. 
The opinion of a certain sect now sprongen up  Thou shalt therefore know (christian reader) that there are now a certain spirited sort of sects: of which some understand by the letters all things written in the old testament, which men admit nothing in their reasoninges, but that as is contained in the new testament. For that they say, the letter slayeth. Another sort grant & admit both the testaments But by the letter they understand the plain literal sense and sentences. And the spirit, they call what so ever their own affects or mind, corrupt with any evil opinion or sect, move them to utter and to teach it. With these men the spirit is, what soever their selves feign and imagine: yea, they dare say the spirit to be their own most impudent erroneous corruption & wresting of the plain scriptures. And if thou press upon these spirits with any never so plain place of scripture, which confoundeth and convinceth their errors, so that they have not to answer. Then they i'll to this shift. The law of Moses is but the cruel letter that slayth, it is abrogated, it is but a shadow. It is the spirit that quickeneth. This matter must therefore be understanden spiritually. For what else are all that Moses written but the letter shadows, say they and figures, yea & that even the ten commandments are but shadows of a spiritual law. Of what spirit, think you, speak and write these spirits? Verily of the spirit of frenzy and hypocrisy. For this sect abrogateth and passeth not upon carnal adultery, nor theft, etc. But all upon spiritual adultery, theft and spiritual murder. And will have all spiritual punishment for them. Whose spiritual pains are so subtle that they hurt not a carnal body. And therefore do they fondly and perversely, which in this our corrupt and perverse world teach liberty, before they have learned them selves, and are taught, what thing is faith. For sith the nature of man, naturally be prove to slide from labour to lust, it will follow the liberty of the flesh, and headlongs fall into all voluptuousness & mischief wrapped in the mire of errors and all filthiness. And why? verily they want the bridles of fear, faith and love of God and of our neighbours. Wherefore if writers were wise now a days, before they teach men to be free Christians from Moses laws, they should incu●ke the fear of God into their hearts, the fear of the punishment decreed of god for sin, and the obedience to faith and to the law: which thing Erasmus considering. full diligently, did write thus most wisely eloquently and godly saying: Moses law, because for very fear of pain and punishment, it held men in their duty and office refrayninge them from their lusts, it is servile, Moses face is covered, which cover or veil was a token of bondage. But where as the spirit of our Lord jesus, which bringeth to such secret pricks, that men will unboden gladly live pure and innocently. There there is the very liberty. No man is compelled to believe. But who so truly believeth, the same will willingly and readily estiewe all uncleanness and embrace Godly purity, and will even of fervent love accompleshe more of the law willingly, then could be extorted of the jews for the very fear of punishment. But return to this man saying thus:  
What else were the ten comman●dementes of God, than a certain figure of Christ and of the spiritual law?  
Here is fine figuring. Paul calleth the law of the precepts, all spiritual. Ro. seven. even the eternal spiritual will of God requiring our spiritual affects, & hertes● and not our extern dediss only For the law is contrary to our carnal affects, saying: Thou shalt not lust. The deeds of the law are the fruits of the spirit. I would know what thing was figured by this precept: It is I that am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no strange gods in my sight? I know but one of the ten precepts to be a figure of the very true rest and Sabbothe from sin and from our own wills as isaiah exponeth it. For, the law and Christ have contrary operations, as have Moses & the Gospel, wherefore one can not be the figure of the other. The law worketh wrath. The Gospel & Christ reconcile us to God. That law maketh sin to increase, Christ remitteth it. The law accuseth and dampneth, Christ with his Gospel delivereth and saveth. And yet saith this man●  
That all Moses deeds, all his writings yea and all his life were not else, but a mystik figurative image and similitude of Christ to come.  
Belike this man is universally seen in all the scriptures & namely in all Moses laws & gests, non except, that he dare so universally compare them with Christ making the one holly the figure of the other when the one is in working & effect contrary to the other, as is the law to the gospel, the letter to the spirit, and death to life. 
●, Corin three  But and if he would admit this division of Moses his laws into ceremonials, judicials and morals, taking Moses for his ceremonial sacrifices, priest he it tabernacle, etc. Then had Moses been the shadow of Christ, as Paul treateth it in the pistle to the Hebr. or else is his saying false. For this his saying so absolutely abrogateth the ten precepts, The figures are all abrogated at the presence of the body so shadowed, which is Christ. 
●olossen two   
Moses was a minister & not a master of the church, and yet prince of all the Prophets.  
If a master be a commander, a teacher and a ruler, than was Moses a master and chief governor of the church of Israel, which church was taught & ruled by the same spirit of faith and religion in Christ to come as is ours in Christ past. He commanded the same precepts which are now commanded to us by Christ & his apostles. And if he taketh a master for the head of the church: so was Moses the master thereof. And then he saith:  
Because the disciples of christ see none example of Christ to put Adulterers to death, therefore Christ's disciples may put no man to death.  
Are not all christian kings & magistrates applying themselves to be taught of christ and following his doctrine Christ's disciples? and why theu may it not stand with Christ's disciples to minister in Christ's common weal and execute Christ's laws? Then would he prove the whole tables of the ten commandments to be abrogated. And why?  
Because (saith he) Christ broke the jewish ceremonial of the Sabbath day. Should we not keep the other commandements, as to have on strange gods. To make us no image, etc. because christ abrogated the ceremuniall shadow and sour bark of the jews Sabbath? It appeareth here what learning this man hath, as to err in so plain a place of the scriptures. He should have learned of isaiah, which is the very Sabbath. Fo● the prophets are the exponers of the law. There is it declared, what is our perpetual Sabbath and rest from our own affects and will, from ●he confidence in our own works, and to suffer God to work his will in us. And how the extern observance of the Sabothe, taught them, & is the spiritual rest, he should have learned, into what respects the Sabbath is ceremonial, & where it is moral? And wherefore Christ being the body present would 'cause us, and them to cease any longer to behold the shadow, and to look upon the body being the Lord of the Sabbath. For the ceremonial part, thereof was the school master unto the spiritual observance thereof. Then he bringeth in the text Gal. vi. confounding the private mutual daily offences of brethren prevented, with sin done of weakness of man, with the open obstinate impenitent adultery, and saith:  
That because Paul biddeth them, that are more spiritual and perfect to heal such weak brethren that of frailty be prevented uwares of their flesh, or temptore, and so fall into some fault.  
Therefore we may not exhort and move the Magistrates to take away open acocustomed obstinate door mongers, which slander and poison both the churches of Christ and the whole common weal. No sir. These your punishments to such Adulterers as you defend are to small for them. And I doubt not but some good magistrates are spiritual, and yet will they punish open indurate Adulterers with a sharper weapon, than spirit● lenitatis, or else the realm should soon swarmeful of malefactors incurably.  
Then he bringeth in the example of the Samaritans and of Christ's Disciples, which would have had fire to have fallen down upon them, for which Christ rebuked them.  
But the offences, were not a like. The Samaritans of ignorance not knowing Christ to be Messiah denied him his harbour, because he went to worship at Jerusalem. Neither came Christ then to hurt, but to save, as he there told them willing so great a punishment for so little a fa●t. The disciples than would have had Christ to declare his almighty Godheyt upon them by miracle where it pleased him not so to do at their instance into the hurt of any man. And yet was he content with the tower that fill upon the xviij in Siloo, and with slaughter of the Galilens destroyed of Pilate. And told them that brought him the tidings. That except they repented they altogether should perishe● But let him show us, where ever Christ or his apostles letted, or delivered from the jailhouse any man justly condemned by the magistrates for his open offence either of adultery, or murder or theft. He said: who so striketh with sword, shallbe slain therewith, lo: is not here a plain sentence of death, out of Christ's mouth? ergo he consented to the punishment of sin with death, contrary to this manis dream.  
I know these whoredoms and Adulteries to be spread as wide as th●y are unpunished, and to deserve to be with violence repressed with the most strong bars of the laws.  
Know you so? And yet neither will you counsel them to be punished, nor yet other ministers to move the Princes to punish them. Be like you favour them greatly, and love sin more, than Godliness, or else have you but a could zeal to the Christian religion, common wealth and honesty. Paul commandeth us to prosecute with hatred that as evil is. If yourself, being a professor of the Gospel, should now counsel the Magistrates to punish adulterers as you do, so do yourself contrary to your own book, which would all the professors of Christ to have lenite, mercy and piety, no man by their counsel and motion to be punished, but forgiven and healed with the spirit of softness, and by preaching the word. And then you say.  
Albeit, it is not lawful for the preachers to put forth the power, which the human v●cion suadeth: yet with the spirit of lenite it must be moderated, reckoning with themselves, not what is lawful, but what is expedient.  
As though albeit, It were lawful to them to move the Magistrates to punish sin yet is it not expedient. I would you could join these two contradictories in this cause. Believe you that it is not charity and dew obedience to God, for his minister to execute God's laws? Is it not expedient. yea and necessary, that such common malefactors be taken out of the common weal. Greater is the charity, that extendeth her to many, then to one man or woman: and which extendeth herself to the preservation and tranquillity of the whole church and common weal, than it which is but a fond foolish piety to save an Adulterer or a murderer, which hurreth the whole commonalty, which once delivered continuing in his mischief and wickedness increaseth his crimes into the great hurt of many. Thus hast thou (christian reader) these false arguments that Adulterers should not be punished with death soluted, with the solutions also, that the professors & preachers should not move the Magistrates so to punish this gre●ouse crime, adding that the decree and laws of God be abrogated & of no strength so to punish the sin. And yet are they not so abrogated, but they y● ruler's and princes may now execute the same law, if they will, which thing speedily with all diligence to do, god give them grace thereby to rote out this pestilent and n●oste detestable crime, out of Christ's church, that holy matrimony may be restored to her dew honour integrity and purity according to God's institution. So be it.   
I Corinth. UI Be not deceived, for neither fornicators, nor image worshippers, nor whormongers, neither softe●ings nor buggers, nor thieves nor greedy covetous insatiable deceitful gatherers, nor dronckerds, nor evil speakers, nor pyllers, and pollers shall inherit the kingdom of God.  

¶ printed at London by George joy.