The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

As for the casting away / of the study / and large volumes of the law / which he imagineth to follow of this assertion: he deceiveth him self. For even when these laws were fully in force / the Judges thereof (by reason of their shortness / comprehending many things not expressed) had matter enough to occupy the ⟨p. CIIII⟩greatest diligence / memory and sharpness of wit / that could fall into any. And if he ask our lawyers / upon what grounds the greatest part off their huge volumes (as he calleth them) stand they will answer him / they partly stand upon the plain words off the law off Moses / and partly off reason uncorrupt / which is the equity off the law urged off us. And therefore although our laws / be some time in form diverse / from the laws off Moses: yet they vvill never grant him (which he hath / not so aduisely set down) that our healthsome laws, be contrary to Moses laws. For both being Good / one off them can not be contrary to the other. where he saith / that we of the clergy, should be the best judges by this means, &c. it is to open injury / to charge us with that / which we openly renounce / and condemn in him: which is / that in meddling in civill affairs / they put their sickle in an other mans harvest. Notwithstanding if in establishing of laws / for the Godly / and peaceable government off the common wealth / there may be no assistance of the ministry / whereby the laws should be the better compassed / to the equity prescribed in the word of God / and to take heed that nothing be done against it: there is no just cause / to uphold the Bishops presence in the Parliament house. Where he saith / that the laws which our sa. Christ made Mat. 5. 19▪ touching divorcement for adultery, had been to no purpose, if the adulterer should off necessity be put to death: first / he may be here justly charged with that he hath untruly surmised off me / because he bringeth in our sa. Christ / a maker off laws under the gospel, whereas he made none in those places / but expounded the law of God / which he had made from the beginning. The other refusals made by the Jews off their wives / were never any laws / but permissions only: and therefore in there abolishment / there was no law of God abrogated.

As for the casting away / of the studie / and large volumes of the lawe / which he imagineth to followe of this assertion: he deceiueth hym selfe. For euen when these lawes were fully in force / the Iudges thereoff (by reason of their shortnes / comprehending many thinges not expressed) had matter enoughe to occupie the