A69028:2385
The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…
The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as it affordeth both milk for babes, and strong meat for such as are at full age / by ... Nicholas Bifield ; ... now published ... by his son, Adoniram Bifield.The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as it affordeth both milke for babes, and strong meat for such as are at full age / by ... Nicholas Bifield ; ... now published ... by his sonne, Adoniram Bifield.
London: printed by G.M. for Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith, 1626
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Ob. But how can this be just, that they should be punished for ever, that have sinned but a little time?
Ob. But how can this be iust, that they should be punished for euer, that haue sinned but a little time?
Sol. Divers things may be answered to this: 1. That no Judge limiteth his torments to the time of the doing of the fact or crime: he measures his punishment by the greatness of the offence, not by the length of time. As in the case of treason, murder, whoredom, &c. which may be done in an instant or short time, and yet the punishment be for a long time: as men punish by death, which is a removing of the malefactor from the society of men for ever; and shall not God have the like allowance for his proceedings? Secondly, we must consider of the greatness of sin by the person against whom it is committed; men sin against God who is infinite, and therefore must suffer punishment that is infinite in continuance. Thirdly, if two men bargain together, one selleth, another buyeth, the buyer will have his bargain for ever, though the contract be made in a quarter of an hour: now, sinning is a selling of mens souls and bodies to the devil for a short pleasure, and therefore why should it not be just that the devil should have them for ever?
Sol. Diuers things may be answered to this: 1. That no Iudge limiteth his torments to the time of the doing of the fact or crime: he measures his punishment by the greatnesse of the offence, not by the length of time. As in the case of treason, murder, whoredome, &c. which may be done in an instant or short time, and yet the punishment be for a long time: as men punish by death, which is a remouing of the malefactor from the societie of men for euer; and shall not God haue the like allowance for his proceedings? Secondly, we must consider of the greatnes of sin by the person against whom it is committed; men sinne against God who is infinite, and therefore must suffer punishment that is infinite in continuance. Thirdly, if two men bargain together, one selleth, another buyeth, the buyer will haue his bargaine for euer, though the contract be made in a quarter of an houre: now, sinning is a selling of mens soules and bodies to the deuill for a short pleasure, and therefore why should it not be iust that the deuill should haue them for euer?