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

First, God forgiveth not a man his faults but upon condition, that he shall forgive his brother, God is not merciful to a man, but upon condition he shall be so to all men with whom he deals. Secondly, the mercy of God to us, in forgiving our sins, is not made known to the world by any means more, then this, when a man is not hard and extreme, but equal and merciful in his dealing with men. Whereupon therefore it followeth, that the further a man is from God, and the less that he hath felt of Gods love to him, the less moderation will he ⟨p. 85⟩perform to his brother. Let every man then be ashamed, by these his extreme courses with his brethren, to make it known to the world, that he is an Impenitent sinner, himself unreconciled to God, and his sins unpardoned: and let no man think he shall escape that censure, if he be an unmerciful man; for certainly it is imprinted in mens dealings, whether they be in Gods favour, and their sins are pardoned, or no. Let therefore every man, when his own crooked nature, or the devil makes him boil against his brother in anger, and urgeth him to use him hardly and extremely, consider with himself, and say; I live under God, I am more in Gods hand, then this man in mine: I have offended God more, then he me: and if I had my desert, I had now been in hell for my sins: but yet I live, and by his mercy I am spared, and am here still. But hath God spared me, that I should pinch others? hath he been merciful to me, that I should be cruel to others? surely therefore I will be merciful and moderate to my brethren, more then they deserve, least God take his ⟨p. 86⟩mercy from me: and then what shall become of me, but to be thrown suddenly into hell, which I deserved long ago: nay I will by my equity and moderation towards my brethren, move the Lord to be still more merciful to me, without which his mercy, I cannot live one day in the world.

First, God forgiueth not a man his faults but vpon condition, that he shall forgiue his brother, God is not mercifull to a man, but vpon cōdition he shall be so to all men with whome he deales. Secondly, the mercie of God to vs, in forgiuing our sinnes, is not made knowne to the world by any meanes more, then this, when a man is not hard and extreame, but equall and mercifull in his dealing with men. Whereupon therefore it followeth, that the further a man is from God, and the lesse that he hath felt of Gods loue to him, the lesse moderation will he