A short instruction for to arm all good Christian people against the pestiferous errors…A short instruction for to arme all good Christian people agaynst the pestiferous errours…

First they allege that the Lord Jesus, did not ordain, that the woman which was taken in adultery, should be stoned to death, as the law of God required: but that he used mercy towards her, saying. Go sin no more. Before I answer, I will are one question of them. They say that in the christian church, excommunication doth succeed the material sword, in such wise, that where as afore time a crime was punished by death, now the offender ought to be punished by privation from the company of the faithful. Therefore I ask them how they will excuse Jesus Christ, for that which he hath done? For he hath not observed their rule: neither in condemning the woman to be banished from the holy congregation: neither yet to dye. By this a man may see, how brainless they be, speaking without reason. Now do I come unto the true solution which is very easy. It is to be noted, that these poor beasts in this place, follow the exposition, wherewith the Papistical priests ⟨image 33⟩have made their stones fat. For seeing marriage was forbidden them, for a recompense, they sought to have leave, to play the whoremongers, and so have borrowed their neighbours wives. And because adultery should not appear to be so great a sin, they said that in this matter, we be under the law of grace. And in a manner they reknowledge the grace of Jesus Christ in none other thing, but only in this, that he left adulterers unpunished. These poor people do follow them, and it happeneth unto them, according to the saying of our Saviour Jesus Christ, that if one blind lead an other blind, both fall into the ditch. Now is it very true that the Lord Jesus would in no point change the policy or civil order: but without any derogation thereunto, would do his office, for which he came into the world: that is to say, to pardon sins. For he was not sent of God his father to exercise the office of a worldly▪ Judge: but to redeem the world by his death, and to testify the grace of this redemption, by the preaching of the Gospel, and of all other goodness which we receive by him. As we see how he promiseth to receive the these into Paradise: and yet nevertheless doth suffer him to bear the pain of his wicked deed. Therefore it is all one absolution, which he maketh unto the woman, and unto the these. But the worldly Justice punisheth the these:

Fyrste they aledge that the Lorde Iesus, dyd not ordayne, that the womanne whyche was taken in adulterye, shoulde be stoned to death, as the lawe of God required: but that he vsed mercye towardes hyr, sayinge. Go sinne no more. Before I answere, I wyl are one question of them. They saye that in the christian church, excommunication doth succede the materiall swerde, in suche wise, that where as afore tyme a cryme was punished by death, nowe the offender oughte to be punished by priuatiō from the companye of the fayethfull. Therefore I aske them how they wyll excuse Iesus Christe, for that which he hath done? For he hathe not obserued theyr rule: neyther in condemnynge the woman to be banished from the holy congregation: neither yet to dye. By thys a man may se, howe brayneles they be, speakynge wythoute reason. Nowe do I come vnto the true solutiō whyche is very easye. It is to be noted, that these poore beastes in thys place, folowe the exposition, wherewyth the Papasticall priestes