Theophilus. The law yet nevertheless saith, every soul, every person. Wherefore if we must take the words by rigour, without a fit interpretation, we must comprehend the females, if there had been none other places, which do give unto us the intelligence & understanding of the law: besides that the institution of the same doth sufficiently declare, that it extendeth not unto the women. Then if the women be exempt, because that the law bindeth them not, so are the Infants which dye before the eight day. For they are not bound by the law before the term: or otherwise, God would not have held his peace, sooner then of there things which were not of so great importance. But when the eight day was come, I doubt not, that if through contemning, negligence and despising, the circumcision had been omitted, but y• the Lord 1would have been greatly offended: not by reason of the sign, but through the rebellion and despising of his word, the which he taketh in great displeasure: ⟨image 235⟩as he hath showed the example of him that gathered sticks on the sabbath day. It seemed that y• fault was not great, 2nor such as though he had committed a murder. And yet nevertheless god punished him with a cruel death, as though he had committed the greatest crime in the world. It is then an other thing to have omitted any ceremony commanded of God, through negligence, despising & rebellion, or to have left it undone, through necessity, or because that it was not possible. For when there is let, such that man cannot avoid 3it, and that this mind and will was good, and hath travailed as much as he can for to execute it. I do not believe that god imputeth the fault unto him unto whom he was not bound. For the salvation of men consisteth in the alliance which the Lord hath made with us, by the which doth the small and great are received and joined together in the company and fellowship of the people of God. We do not deny, but that that alliance is signed and sealed by the sacraments, and that the baptism is but the sign and seals among the Christians, as the circumcision was among the Jews. But it followeth not therefore that it is firm and certain enough without that sign and seal.
Theophilus. The law yet neuerthelesse sayth, euery soule, euery person. Wherefore if we must take the wordes by rigor, without a fitte interpretation, wée must comprehend the females, if there had bene none other places, which doe giue vnto vs the intelligence & vnderstanding of the lawe: besides that the institution of the same doth sufficiently declare, that it extendeth not vnto the women. Thē if the womē be exempt, bicause that the lawe bindeth them not, so are the Infants which dye before the eight day. For they are not bound by the law before ye terme: or otherwise, God would not haue held his peace, sooner then of ther thinges which were not of so great importance. But when the eight day was come, I doubt not, that if thorow contempning, negligence and dispising, the circumcision had bene omitted, but y• the Lord 1would haue bene greatlye offended: not by reason of the signe, but thorowe the rebellion and dispisinge of his woorde, the which hee taketh in greate displeasure: ⟨image 235⟩as he hath shewed the example of him that gathered sticks on the sabboth day. It seemed that y• fault was not great, 2nor such as though he had committed a murther. And yet neuertheles god punished him wt a cruel death, as though he had cōmitted the greatest crime in the world. It is then an other thing to haue omitted any ceremony cōmanded of God, thorow negligence, dispising & rebellion, or to haue left it vndone, thorow necessitie, or bicause that it was not possible. For when there is let, such that man cannot auoyde 3it, and that this minde and will was good, and hath trauayled as much as hée can for to execute it. I doe not beléene yt god imputeth the fault vnto him vnto whom hée was not bounde. For the saluation of men consisteth in the alliaunce which the Lord hath made with vs, by the which doth the small and greate are receiued and ioyned together in the company and fellowshippe of the people of God. We doe not denye, but that that alliaunce is signed and sealed by the sacramēts, and that the baptisme is but the signe and seals among the Christians, as the circumcision was amonge the Iewes. But it followeth not therefore that it is firme and certeine inough without that signe and seale.
- 1Rebellion and despising the commandment of God.Rebellion and dispising the cōmaundement of God.
- 2[…]. 15. d. ••〈…〉. 15. d. ••
- 3NecessityNecessitie
