The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

And when the lord addeth this / for a reason off putting the adulterer to death / that the evil may be taken out off Israel: ¹unto the heap off incommodities before rehearsed / for fault off executing his Judgement off death / he threateneth the whole common wealth / with mischief to fall upon it. And the equity off this punishment by death / hath so lightsome colours upon it / that even in this glimmering sight / which remaineth in the accursed nature off men / it hath upholden it self against the ignorance / and injustice off all which have not willingly put forth / that sparkle which standeth in the discretion of honesty. For even before this candle light of the law off God was set up / not only the Godly (as Job) which were in some part reformed / of the ²General blindness: but even those which were not of the church of god / as Abimelech the king of Gerar / and the very Canaanites (as long as there was any step off equity amongest them) did see ³that the filth off this sin was such / as ought to be washed away with the blood of the offenders. For unhereas Isaac feared the assault / both of his life / and of the chastity of Rebekah: the king ordained / that whosoever ether laid violent hand of him / or had to do with his wife / should dye. And in that Judah / called for Tamar / to be led forth to death in the land off Canaan / where him self was but a private man / for that she being made sure unto a husband / plaid the harlot: he gave to understand / that the Canaanites / which had even then filled a Good part off that ⟨p. CII⟩measure off sin / unto the brink whereof they came afterward / did notwithstanding pursue adulterers unto death.

And vvhen the lord addeth this / for a reason off putting the adulterer to death / that the euill may be taken ovvt off Israel: ¹vnto the heape off incommodities before rehersed / for fault off exequuting his Iudgement off death / he threateneth the whole common vvealth / vvith mischeif to fall vppon yt. And the equitie off this punishement by death / hath so ligthsome colours vpon it / that euen in this glymmering sight / vvhich remaineth in the accursed nature off men / it hath vpholden it self against the ignorance / and iniustice off all vvhich haue not vvillingly put forth / that sparkle vvhich standeth in the discretion of honestie. For euen before this candell light of the lawe off God vvas set vp / not onelie the Godlie (as Iob) vvhich vvere in some part reformed / of the