A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

But how doth this stand with the Justice of God, for finite transgression to give infinite destruction? Sins are the actions of time, done in a temporality, limited in a certain space. Now if the punishment be proportionate to the sin, how can the one be temporal, the other eternal: sin transient, plague permanent? I answer, this equity and equality is observable in our civill punitions: the thief dispatcheth a robbery in half an hour; he lies many days in irons for this, and at last answers it with his neck. Adultery is soon perpetrated, a long and infamous shame depends upon it. Treason may be a villainy of no length; yet the delinquent finds mercy if he but lie in prison for it all his life, and lose his possessions for ever. Hic non quaer••da temporis aequalitas, sed expendenda sceleris gravitas. A man quickly gives himself a wound, but the Surgeon cannot so quickly heal him. David was not long in killing Uriah with the sword, yet did the sword never depart from his house. A man commits murder but once, and it was soon done; yet he is condemned to the perpetual galleys. There was one sick 38 years, Joh. 5.14. and Christ says, this was because of his sin. Consider some reasons why their punishment ⟨p. 472⟩is not less than damnation eternal.

But how doth this stand with the Iustice of God, for finite transgression to give infinite destruction? Sins are the actions of time, done in a temporalitie, limited in a certaine space. Now if the punishment be proportionate to the sin, how can the one bee temporall, the other eternall: sin transient, plague permament? I answer, this equitie and equality is observable in our civill punitions: the theefe dispatcheth a robberie in halfe an houre; hee lyes many dayes in irons for this, and at last answeres it with his necke. Adulterie is soone perpetrated, a long and infamous shame depends upon it. Treason may be a villanie of no length; yet the delinquent finds mercie if he but lie in prison for it all his life, and lose his possessions for ever. Hic non quaer••da temporis aequalitas, sed expendenda sceleris gravitas. A man quickly gives himselfe a wound, but the Surgion cannot so quickly heale him. David was not long in killing Vriah with the sword, yet did the sword never depart from his house. A man commits murder but once, and it was soone done; yet hee is condemned to the perpetuall galleys. There was one sicke 38 yeares,