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

It may not unfitly be noted in this place, that sometime God may be said to cast a man into hell, and sometime man himself. God throws a man into hell, when for some monstrous and contagious sin, he takes away a wicked man in the midst of his wickedness, by some sudden Judgement, and so sends him to hell. But a man plungeth himself into hell, when God gives him leave to live, and liberty and time to repent, but he ⟨p. 75⟩continueth carelessly in his sins till he die, and so casteth himself violently into damnation. Now such is the merciful moderation of God, that for one man whom he casts into hell (as he did Judas presently upon his sin) a hundred wicked men cast themselves into hell, abusing that time and liberty, which he gave them to repent in, and so bringing upon themselves swift damnation. Let every man therefore every day of his life, when he considereth the thousands of sins that are committed that day, and seeth no flood of water, fire nor brimstone to come upon us, let him wonder at gods mercy, and say with the Prophet, It is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed. Furthermore, this moderation of God to all men, hath another branch. Every mans ill conscience is to him like the fire of hell, and doubtless the torment of conscience, is a part of the very real torment of hell: now if every man had but Justice, he should feel presently after every sin, the very torment of hell, namely the sting and torment of a guilty accusing conscience: but see the mercy & moderation ⟨p. 76⟩of God, he inflicts it not presently, but only gives the sinner a prick, or a little pang (as it were) when he hath sinned, but the raging fury of the conscience, (which is the greatest hell that is upon earth) he defers till the hour of death, or the day of Judgement. When therefore thou hast done evil, and feelest a prick in thy conscience, and a cheek, but no more, remember that even then, if God did not moderate his Justice, thou shouldest feel the extreme horror of thy conscience, which would overwhelm thee as a burden, which is to heavy for thee to bear.

It may not vnfitly be noted in this place, that sometime God may be said to cast a mā into hell, and sometime man himselfe. God throwes a man into hell, when for some monstrous and contagious sinne, he takes away a wicked man in the midst of his wickednesse, by some suddaine Iudgement, and so sends him to hel. But a man plungeth himselfe into hell, when God giues him leaue to liue, and libertie and time to repent, but he