The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

§. 3. III. If there were no life of retribution after this, the sins of the Great ones and Rulers of the world, and all others, that by strength could make their part good, would be under no sufficient Justice. But the sins even of the greatest and strongest are under sufficient justice: Therefore there is a life of retribution after this.

The Major is clear by experience: The sins of all the Sovereigns of the earth are rarely under sufficient justice in this life. If there were no punishment hereafter, what justice would be done upon a Tamerlane, a Bajazet, a Mahumed, a Dionysius, an Alexander, a Caesar, a Marius, a Sulla, a Sertorius, and many hundred such, for all the innocent blood which they have shed, for their pride and self-exalting. What justice would be done on Kings, and Emperors, and States, that have none above them, for all their lusts and filthiness, ⟨p. 128⟩their intemperance and sensuality,¹ their oppression and cruelty? I know that God doth sometimes punish them by Rebels, or by other Princes, or by sickness in this life: but that is no ordinary course of justice, and therefore not sufficient to its ends: Ordinarily all things here come alike to all. And what justice would be done upon any Rebels or Robbers that are but strong enough to bear it out? Or upon any that raise unrighteous Wars, and burn, and murder, and destroy Countries and Cities, and are worse than plagues to all places where they come, and worse than mad dogs and bears to others? If they do but conquer, instead of punishment for all this villainy, they go away here with wealth and glory.

The Major is clear by experience: The sins of all the Sovereigns of the earth are rarely under sufficient justice in this life. If there were no punishment hereafter, what justice would be done upon a Tamerlane, a Bajazet, a Mahumed, a Dionysius, an Alexander, a Caesar, a Marius, a Sylla, a Sertorius, and many hundred such, for all the innocent bloud which they have shed, for their pride and self-exalting. What justice would be done on Kings, and Emperours, and States, that have none above them, for all their lusts and filthiness,