The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

And whereas he saith / that he maketh the difference off the severity off the law, and lenity off the gospel no further then in respect off the temporal punishment off the law: even that is the very point / wherein a great part off the error off the Manichees / doth consist. For they were led / to condemn the justice off God under the old Testament: because off the outward punishments / ⟨p. CXI⟩which were exercised / partly by the hand of God by judgements from heaven: partly by the ministry off men / at the commandment off the law / therefore the savour off Manichisme / is still as hot as ever it was.

And wheras he saithe / that he makethe the difference off the seueritie off the lawe, and lenitie off the gospell no further then in respecte off the temporall punishemente off the lawe: euen that is the very poincte / wherin a greate parte off the error off the Maniches / doothe consiste. For they were led / to condemne the iustice off God vnder the olde Testamente: because off the owtewarde punishementes / ⟨p. CXI⟩vvhiche were exercised / partly by the hande of God by iudgementes from heauen: partely by the ministerie off men / at the commaundemente off the lawe / therfore the sauour off Manichisme / is still as hoat as euer yt vvas.

And because I am entered into the mention off this / although the answerer can not hyrte off it: yet the truth is / that even in thes outward punishments / the dispensation off God under the law / is divers from that which is under the gospel. For under the schoolmastership of the law / as he crowned the obedience of it / for the most part / with greater abundance off outward blessings / then he doth the obedience off his saints under the Gospel: so did he with more terrible / oftener / and more manifest judgements / revenge the breach off it in that time / than he doth now. And herein indeed is the difference which he is groping a bowte: but that this should bring any diversity / in the set and ordinary punishments / prescribed by the law: I for my part can not understand / The contrary rather I can gather. For even as although the lord doth not now by outward blessings / give so plentiful testimony unto the obedience off the gospel / as then off the law: yet the magistrate ought to be as diligent / to procure the Good off the church / as ever he was in the time off the law: even so / although the lord by bodily punishments / doth not so severely revenge as he did then: yet the magistrate / may not remit any thing therefore off that severity / which he was wont to use. Nay more: even as the magistrate / ought so much more carefully procure / the outward welfare of the church now: as the lord withdraweth his hand that ways / more now / then he did then: even so ought he to keep / by so much a harder hand / over the punishment off sin now / then he did then: as the lord / more rarely thundereth by his Judgements from heaven / now / then he did in the time off the law.