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

This should every Christian man seriously consider of, and think with himself, how much this binds a man to deal moderately with his brother, when the Lord deals so moderately with him. Thou sinnest, & God chastiseth thee most mildly, and layeth not on thee the thousand part of these crosses, which ⟨p. 83⟩in Justice he might do. Shall the Lord deal thus moderately with thee, for thy many▪ and so great sins, and wilt thou deal so hardly with thy brother, in his few and small offences against thee? remember therefore in thy dealing with thy brother, this dealing of God with thee, and certainly thou canst not forget the one, if thou hast tasted of the other. Show thy self therefore, that thou hast been partaker of Gods favour, and that thou hast felt in thy soul, the sweetness of his mercies, by being mild & merciful to thy brethren: out of that great sea of mercies, which God lets flow over thee all thy life long, let fall some drops of mercy on thy brother, and remembering how God deals with thee, deal not thou with thy brother always so hardly, nor so straitly, as thou mayest, or he deserves. Let these four merciful actions of god towards thee, be four strong bonds, to tie thee to the obedience of this duty, to be mild and merciful to thy brethren, remembering every day, how moderately God deals with thee, and how far from that extremity, which ⟨p. 84⟩thou deservest. And to move us hereunto, let every man be well assured, that the more he hath tasted of Gods mercy, the more shall men taste of his mercy; and the more sins that a man hath forgiven him at gods hands, the more will he remit and forgive in his brother; and the more he feels in his own soul Gods love and mercy to him, and the more near he is to God by his faith and repentance, the more careful will he be, to deal gently with his brethren: and the reasons hereof are these.

This should euery Christian man seriously consider of, and thinke with himselfe, how much this bindes a man to deale moderately with his brother, when the Lord deales so moderately with him. Thou sinnest, & God chastiseth thee most mildly, and laieth not on thee the thousād part of these crosses, which ⟨p. 83⟩in Iustice he might doe. Shall the Lord deale thus moderately with thee, for thy many and so great sinnes, and wilt thou deale so hardly with thy brother, in his fewe and small offences against thee? remember therefore in thy dealing with thy brother, this dealing of God with thee, and certainely thou canst not forget the one, if thou hast tasted of the other. Shew thy selfe therefore, that thou hast beene partaker of Gods fauour, and that thou hast felt in thy soule, the sweetnesse of his mercies, by beeing milde & mercifull to thy brethren: out of that great sea of mercies, which God lets flowe ouer thee all thy life long, let fall some droppes of mercie on thy brother, and remembring how God deales with thee, deale not thou with thy brother alwaies so hardly, nor so straitly, as thou maiest, or he deserues. Let these foure mercifull actions of god towards thee, be foure strong bonds, to tie thee to the obedience of this dutie, to be milde and mercifull to thy brethren, remembring euery day, how moderately God deales with thee, and howe farre from that extremitie, which