The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

And seemeth it so strange a thing unto him / that a man should not take up a straw / but for some purpose / and for some good purpose? or will he not give the lord leave / to require off a Christian man / endowed with the spirit off God / as much / as the heathen require off one / which is only endued with reason / that he should do nothing / whereof he hath not some end / and that in all his doings whether public / or private / at home / or abroad / whether with him self / or with an other / he ought to have regard / whether that which he doth / be done in duty or no? And if the taking up off a straw / be done to good end / either off helping him self / or others / regard of profit / or pleasure / or what else: it hath testimony off the word off God. And if it have not an end / and a Good end: will not the A. give the lord leave to con damn that in his infinite wisdom / which men by the light off a little wisdom / do account foolish? or will he be so injurious to the justice off god / that he may not judge that to be sin / which they say is done against duty? What also? that some even off those heathen men / have taught / that nothing ought to be done / whereof thou doubtest whether ¹it be right or wrong. Whereby it appeareth / that even those which had no knowledge of the word off God: did see much of the equity of this / which the Apostle requireth of a Christian man: and that the chiefest difference is / that where they sent men for the difference off good and evil / to the light off reason / in such things: the Apostle sendeth them / to the school of Christ in his word / which only is able thorough faith / to give them assurance / and resolution in their doings.

And semethe it so strange a thinge vnto him / that a man should not take vp a straw / but for some pourpose / and for some good pourpose? or will he not giue the lord leaue / to require off a Christian man / endewed with the spirite off God / as muche / as the heathen require off one / which is onelie endued with reason / that he should do nothing / wheroff he hathe not some ende / and that in all his doinges whether publicke / or priuate / at home / or abroade / whether withe him selfe / or with an other / he owght to haue regard / whether that which he dooth / be donne in dutye or no? And iff the taking vp off a straw / be donne to good ende / either off helping him selfe / or others / regarde of profite / or pleasure / or what els: it hathe testimonie off the word off God. And if it haue not an ende / and a Good ende: will not the A. giue the lord leaue to cō demne that in his infinite wisdome / which men by the light off a litle wisdome / do accompte folishe? or will he be so iniurious to the iustice off god / that he maie not iudge that to be synne / whiche they saye is donne against dutie? What also? that some euen off those heathen men / haue tawght / that nothing owght to be donne / wheroff thow dowbtest whether