To that I answer: God in his law hath once expressed, how he esteemeth adultery, and how he will have it punished. Now if men have not done Gods commandment & according to the same, then is it never the better: yet endureth the law of God unmoveable and sure. Nevertheless 1they of the old time did punish adultery with the pain of death, as it is sufficiently proved afore out of the stories. The objection therefore that adulterers make, is but vain. Now though all sentences & judgements ye have been executed and practised because of adultery stand not in holy scripture, it is no marvel. For the Bible is not a register of unthrifts & of such, as for their wickedness have been put to execution. Or is it not evident enough unto you, how it was like to have gone with Susanna? 2David committed adultery once in his life, which drew him also and brought him into great murder, so that he caused not only ⟨image 54⟩his faithful servant Uria, but other noble men likewise to be slain. Behold what occasion adultery giveth? What cometh of it? Trueth it is, he was not stoned to death. But what chanced unto him? Even as he had dishonoured another mans child, so saw he shame upon his own children while he lived & that with great wretchedness. For Amnon deflowered Tamar his own natural sister. And they both were Davids children. Yea Absalom did miserably slay Amnon his brother, for committing that wickedness with his sister Tha mar. Not long after, did the same Absalom drive his own natural father David out of his Realm, & shamefully lay with his fathers wives. Whereupon there followeth an horrible great slaughter, in the which Absalom was slain, with many thousands moo of the common people Now let every man ponder w•ll by himself, whether it be not a less thing, once to meddle, and so to have execution & dye: then to abide the death of so many, and that so long, with such misery and sorrow. Therefore was David sorer punished, than if he had been but once stoned unto death. And let every man learn hereby, that no man can escape the hand of God, although the world lay no hand upon him, God punisheth nevertheless, yea & that much ⟨p. xxxvi⟩sorer, when he doth not here, but differreth it into another world.
To that I aunswere: God in hys lawe hath once expressed, howe he estemeth aduoutry, and how he wyl haue it punyshed. Nowe yf mē haue not done Gods cōmaundement & accordinge to the same, then is it neuer the better: yet endureth the lawe of God vnmoueable and sure. Neuerthelesse 1they of the olde tyme dyd punysh aduoutry wyth the payne of death, as it is sufficiently proued afore oute of the stories. The obiection therfore that aduouterers make, is but vayne. Nowe thoughe all sentēces & iudgemētes ye haue bene executed and practised because of aduoutry stonde not in holye scripture, it is no maruayle. For the Byble is not a register of vnthriftes & of suche, as for theyr wyck•dnes haue bene putte to execu•ion. Or is it not euident ynough vnto you, howe it was lyke to haue gone wythe Susanna? 2Dauid committed aduoutrye once in his lyfe, which drewe hym also and brought him into great murther, so that he caused not onely ⟨image 54⟩his faythfull seruaunt Uria, but other noble mē lykewyse to be slayne. Beholde what occasion aduoutry gyueth? What cometh of it? Trueth it is, he was not stonned to deathe. But what chaunsed vnto hym? Euen as he had dishonoured another mannes chylde, so sawe he shame vpon hys owne chyldren whyle he lyued & that with great wretchednesse. For Amnon defloured Thamar hys owne naturall syster. And they both were Dauids chyldren. Yea Absolom dyd miserably slaye Amnon his brother, for cō mittyng that wyckednesse wyth his syster Tha mar. Not longe after, dyd the same Absalō driue his owne naturall father Dauid out of his Realme, & shamefully laye with his fathers wifes. Wherevpon there followethe an horrible great slaughter, in the whyche Absalom was slayne, wyth many thousandes moo of the comon people Nowe lette euery man ponder w•ll by hymselfe, whether it be not a lesse thyng, once to meddle, and so to haue execuciō & dye: then to abyde the death of so many, and that so longe, wythe suche misery and sorowe. Therfore was Dauid sorer punyshed, than if he had bene but once stoned vn to deathe. And lette euery man learne hereby, that no mā can escape the hand of God, althoughe the worlde laye no hande vpon hym, God punysheth neuerthelesse, yea & that muche ⟨p. xxxvi⟩sorer, whan he doth not here, but differreth it into another worlde.
- 1Death was the punishment of adultery.Death was the punyshement of aduoutry.
- 2The adultery of davidThe aduoutry of dauid
