A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to…A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to…

You work a sure way / which to maintain your corruptions / deny the scripture / which speaketh against them / to be understanded of those which be in our time / and that to be understanded of our ministers / which was of theirs / or of our faults / which was of theirs. This is not the way to Anabaptism / but to all heresies / and schisms / that ever have been or shall be. For if you go forward in clipping the scripture / as you begin / you will leave us nothing in the end / wherewith we may either defend our selves against heretics / or be able to strike at them.

You worke a sure way / which to mayntayne your corruptions / deny the scripture / which speaketh agaynst them / to be vnderstanded of those which be in our time / and that to be vnderstanded of our ministers / which was of theirs / or of our faultes / which was of theirs. Thys is not the way to Anabaptisme / but to all heresies / and schismes / that euer haue bene or shall be. For if you goe forwarde in clipping the scripture / as you begin / you will leaue vs nothing in the ende / wherewith we may eyther defend our selues agaynst heretikes / or be able to strike at them.

Whereas you say / there is a great difference / between the severity of the law / and lenity of the gospel / me thinks I smell a spice of the error of the Manichees / which were also scholars in that behalf of the old heretic Cerdon / that there is a good and an evil / a gentle and a severe God / one under the law / and an other under the gospel. For to say that God was then a severe punisher of sin / and that now he is not at so great hatred with it / but that he will have it gentlyer and softlyer dealt with: is even all one in effect with that / which supposeth two Goddes. I will join with you in it / that the transgressions of the law in the time of the gospel ought rather to be severelyer punished / then they were under the law / for as much as the knowledge is greater / and the abundance of the spirit of God / whereby the laws are kept is more plentiful / then under the law.

Whereas you say / there is a great difference / betweene the seueritie of the law / and lenitie of the gospell / me thinkes I smell a spice of the error of the Maniches / which were also schollers in that behalfe of the olde hereticke Cerdon / that there is a good and an euill / a gentle and a seuere God / one vnder the law / and an other vnder the gospell. For to saye that God was then a seuere punysher of sinne / and that now he is not at so great hatred wyth it / but that he will haue it gentlyer and softlyer dealt with: is euen all one in effect with that / which supposeth two Goddes. I will ioyne with you in it / that the transgressyons of the law in the tyme of the gospell oughte rather to be seuerelyer punyshed / then they were vnder the law / for as muche as the knowledge is greater / and the aboundance of the spirite of God / whereby the lawes are kept is more plentifull / then vnder the lawe.