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

Peccatum cum voce, sin with a voice is sin in action: Peccatum cum cl•••, sin with a cry is sin in presumption, Greg. Their wickedness passed the bo••• of all moderation: the fame of it was not only spread upon earth, and blown […] the ears of men: but it pierceth the air, passeth the stars, climbs like the Sun in the morning, comes up amongst the Angels of God, and exposeth her filthiness […] the throne of his Majesty. This iniquity here is not less than a theomachy, a d•• perate war against heaven, a tower of sin like Babel, reaching to the clouds. A sin which the Scripture calls lifting up the hand, and lifting up the heel, against the Lord. Manum in contendendo, calcem in contemnendo: lifting up the hand in opposition, the heel in contempt.

Peccatum cum voce, sin with a voice is sinne in action: Peccatum cum cl•••, sin with a cry is sinne in presumption, Greg. Their wickednesse passed the bo••• of all moderation: the fame of it was not only spred upon earth, and blowen 〈…〉 the eares of men: but it pierceth the aire, passeth the starres, climbes like the Sun in the morning, comes up amongst the Angels of God, and exposeth her filthinesse 〈…〉 the throne of his Majestie. This iniquity here is not lesse than a theomachie, a d•• perate warre against heaven, a tower of sinne like Babel, reaching to the clouds. A sin which the Scripture calls lifting up the hand, and lifting up the heele, against the Lord. Manum in contendendo, calcem in contemnendo: lifting up the hand in opposition, the heele in contempt.

There are two Ladders whereby men climb up into heaven, and become acquainted with God. The Ladder of Petition, and the Ladder of presumption. The Sa••• ascend by the one to their consolation, the wicked by the other to their confusi. Both press into the Presence-chamber, both have the like access, both have not the like success. The one thrusts in like a conspirator to practise treachery: the other […] a petitioner to implore mercy. Wickedness is saucy and peremptory, and will be notable though hit be notorious. It scorns to keep low water, or live in an b: […] like pride, is only to that end proud, that some notice may be taken of it. Commonly it is gone from the memory of the offender, ere it come with so fierce an i tion before the punisher. And that wind of rebellion which causeth justice to wa, rocks unrighteousness a sleep. But shall our sins come up before God, and […] first come before our selves; who dwell in the region where they were borne, a were present when they were done? This is the greatest fault of our ignorance, to be ignorant of our faults. Must heaven know what is done on earth, before earth […] self be acquainted with it? As Tully said, he could hear at Antium what news […] at Rome, better than at Rome it self. Shall we turn our wickedness so far o […] our own remembrance, that we never think of it till we feel it in vengeance. These be wilful mistakings, tricks to make our selves blind. Alcaeus took a mo upon ones face for a grace, it was none by his leave. The more quietly and securely sinners sleep in the good opinion of themselves, the more certainly their dami on sleepeth not.