The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

Now let us see / what revel he maketh with the civil Discipline / appointed by the law of God: Where before he can ¹give one answer / he must ask three questions: the first is answered before in the beginning / the last is handled afterward in the 6. Ch. and 5. division. And as for that part of the second question which with other his sayings following surmise that I would have the neglect of the word punished by death: it is directly against my express words / which (having showed the punishments / that should be executed upon contemners) add that there are other punishments for those / which neglect the word &c. And as to that part off his question / which is whether contemners off the word ought to be put to death: it is as his other questions be / of things not only affirmed / and set down / but disputed off both parts. For this is that which we plainly affirm / and bring arguments to prove. And when he that despiseth the word of God / despiseth God himself: the equity of this must needs appear / unto all those in whom there is but a corn off the zeal and love of the glory off God / or rather in whom there is not some pleasure / to see the glory of God trodden under feet. But he saith / that the place off Moses off putting Idolaters unto death, maketh nothing to prove this. The reason ²whereof he assigneth to be: because contemners / are not Idolaters. This is his ordinary fault / that he can not understand / that if an Idolater ought to die: much more a contemner of the word. For contempt (although it be not in an action / which doth utterly overturn the service of God / as Idolatry: but in one which staineth / or cracketh it only / ⟨p. LXIX⟩as is the breach off the Sabbath) is yet showed to be so displeasant unto the lord / and so detestable: that that which off it self / was not deadly / only by this circumstance of contempt / was punished with present death / which may appear in him that gathered sticks on the Sabbath day. The breach off the sabbath day / was not simply punishable by ³death / as Idolatry was / mich less so small a breach / by the gathering off a few sticks: yet because it was done (as the scripture saith) in a high hand / that is to say proudly and contemptuously: