Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

And yet here I make difference betwixt sin and sin. For the ¹Saints sin, but yet they abstain commonly from heinous crimes, although now and then too, they fall into them, as it is evident by the example of David. But yet for the most part they fly from theft, murder, whoredom, and other grievous sins like unto these. And while the Saints are afflicted by tyrants, it is not for their neglecting of justice & true religion, but for yt contemning of superstition, and steadfast sticking to Christ and his Gospel. The Lord therefore doeth forgive, and in the blood of Christ wash away yt sins of the holy Martyrs, reputing them to suffer death, not for the sins which they have committed, but for the zeal and love of true religion. He also punisheth the tyrants for the death of his Martyrs, because in putting them to death they follow their own tyrannous affection, and not the just judgement of the living God. The Lords mind verily was by tyrants to chasten his people Israel. But the tyrants (as Isaiah in his 10. Chapter witnesseth) did not take it to be so, but rather following their own affections, they passed all measure in afflicting them, and never sought after justice and equity: they therefore are punished of the Lord for killing his innocent and guiltless servants. For the thing which the Lord did persecute in his people, (their sins, I mean and offences) that do the tyrants neither punish nor persecute: but that thing that pleaseth God (the love, I mean, of true religion, and the utter detesting of idolatry) that they are mad upon, and persecute it with sword & fire, and unspeakable torments. To this therefore doeth that saying of Saint Peter belong: See that none of you be punished as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil doer, or as a busy body in other mens matters: but if any man suffer as a Christian man, let him not be ashamed, but rather glorify God on this behalf.

And yet here I make difference betwixt sinne and sinne. For the ¹Sainctes sinne, but yet they abstaine commonly from heynous crimes, although nowe and then too, they fall into them, as it is euident by the example of Dauid. But yet for the most parte they flye from theft, murder, whooredome, and other grieuous sinnes like vnto these. And while the Sainctes are afflicted by tyraunts, it is not for their neglecting of iustice & true religion, but for yt contemninge of superstition, and stedfast sticking to Christ and his Gospell. The Lorde therefore doeth forgiue, and in the bloud of Christ washe away yt sinnes of the holye Martyrs, reputing them to suffer deathe, not for the sinnes whiche they haue committed, but for the zeale and loue of true religion. He also punisheth the tyrants for the death of his Martyrs, because in putting them to death they follow their owne tyrannous affection, and not the iust iudgement of the liuing God. The Lordes mynd verily was by tyrauntes to chasten his people Israel. But the tyraunts (as Esaie in his 10. Chapter witnesseth) did not take it to bee so, but rather following their owne affections, they passed all measure in afflicting them, and neuer sought after iustice and equitie: they therefore are punished of the Lorde for killing his innocent and guiltlesse seruauntes. For the thing which the Lorde did persecute in his people, (their sinnes, I meane and offences) that do the tyraunts neyther punishe nor persecute: but yt thing that pleaseth God (the loue, I meane, of true religion, and the vtter detesting of idolatrie) that they are madde vpon, and persecute it with swoorde & fire, and vnspeakable torments. To this therefore doeth that saying of Sainct Peter belong: See that none of you be punished as a murtherer, or as a theefe, or as an euill doer, or as a busie bodie in other mennes matters: but if any man suffer as a Christian man, let him not be ashamed, but rather glorifie God on this behalfe.