Hepieíkeia: or, a treatise of Christian equity and moderation. Delivered publicly in lecturesHepieíkeia: or, a treatise of Christian equitie and moderation. Deliuered publikely in lectures

The first Action of God, wherein he showeth great moderation towards all men, is this. A law was given to our first parents, Eat not of this tree, if you do, you die for it: and that a double death, both of body and ⟨p. 68⟩soul. But they ate and so brake the law, and thereby did undergo the penalty annexed▪ by force and virtue whereof, they should have died presently, the death both of body and soul, and this had been no Extremity but Justice, for this was due unto them by the Justice of that law, which was given them. But now, behold Gods Equity, and moderation of the Justice of that law, he struck them not presently, as the tenor of the law, and their desert required, neither with the first nor second death, but defers the full execution, laying upon them (for the present) a less punishment, namely a subjection to the first death, and a guiltiness of the second, that is, of damnation. Behold a marvellous mitigation: by the tenor of that law, their bodies and souls should both have presently died, and been cast into hell, but God in mercy suspends and defers the execution of it, and only strikes Adams body with mortality, whereby he was subject to the first death, and his soul with guiltiness, whereby he was subject to the second death: by which mitigation it came to pass, ⟨p. 69⟩that as Adam by his repentance, afterward quite escaped the second death, so he tasted not of the first death till nine hundred years after. If a prisoner counts it a merciful favour of the Prince, or the Judge, when after his judgement to die, he is reprieved but one year, then what a merciful mitigation was this in God, to reprieve our first parents for so many hundred years? This was the first action of Gods mercy to man, and this concerns all mankind generally, but especially Adam and Eve.

The first Action of God, wherein he sheweth great moderation towards all men, is this. A lawe was giuen to our first parents, Eate not of this tree, if you doe, you die for it: and that a double death, both of body and ⟨p. 68⟩soule. But they ate and so brake the lawe, and thereby did vndergoe the penaltie annexed▪ by force and vertue whereof, they should haue died presently, the death both of bodie and soule, and this had beene no Extremitie but Iustice, for this was due vnto them by the Iustice of that lawe, which was giuen them. But nowe, behold Gods Equitie, and moderation of the Iustice of that lawe, he strooke them not presently, as the tenour of the lawe, and their desert required, neither with the first nor second death, but deferres the full execution, laying vpon them (for the present) a lesse punishment, namely a subiection to the first death, and a guiltinesse of the second, that is, of damnation. Beholde a marueilous mitigation: by the tenour of that law, their bodies and soules should both haue presently died, and beene cast into hell, but God in mercie suspends and deferres the execution of it, and onely strikes Adams body with mortalitie, whereby he was subiect to the first death, and his soule with guiltinesse, whereby he was subiect to the second death: by which mitigation it came to passe,