136 As touching the second, third, fourth, and the fifth, he answereth to every one severally, Daniel in his exhortation where in he counselleth Nebuchadnezzar ⟨p. 126⟩to redeem his sins with righteousness, and his iniquities with pitying of the poor, his meaning was not to say that righteousness and mercy are satisfactory appeasements of GOD and redemptions of pains, but to refer this word redeeming to men rather than to GOD. As if he should have said, O King thou hast used an unrighteous and violent government, thou hast oppressed the humble, thou hast spoiled the poor, thou hast hardly and unjustly handled the people: for thy unjust exactions, for thy violence, and oppression, now render to them mercy and righteousness. Likewise Solomon saith, That with charity the multitude of sins is covered, not before GOD, but among men themselves: he doth by way of comparison of contraries, compare the evils that grow of hatreds, with the fruits of Charity. In such sense is the place of Peter to be taken. But where he teacheth that sin is purged with mercifulness and liberality, he doth not mean that there withal satisfaction ⟨image 134⟩is made for sin before the face of the Lord, but after the accustomed manner of the scriptures, he declareth that they shall find him merciful to them, that leaving their former vices and iniquities, do turn to him by godliness and truth, as if he should say, the wrath of God doeth cease, & his judgements rest when we cease from evil doings, neither doth he declare the cause of pardon, but the manner of true conversion. The Prophets do declare that hypocrites do in vain pester GOD with forged Ceremonial usages in stead of repentance,2 whereas it is uprightness of life, with the duties of charity that delighteth him.
136 As touching the seconde, thirde, fourth, and the fift, hee answereth to euery one seuerally, Daniell in his exhortation where in hée councelleth Nabucadnezer ⟨p. 126⟩to redéeme his sinnes with righteousnesse, and his iniquities with pitiyng of the poore, his meaning was not to say that righteousnesse and mercy are satisfactorie appeasementes of GOD and redemptions of paines, but to referre this word redéeming to men rather than to GOD. As if hée shoulde haue sayde, O King thou hast vsed an vnrighteous and violent gouernment, thou hast oppressed the humble, thou hast spoiled the poore, thou hast hardly and vniustly handeled the people: for thy vniust exactions, for thy violence, and oppression, nowe render to them mercy and righteousnesse. Likewise Solomon saith, That with charitie the multitude of sinnes is couered, not before GOD, but among men thēselues: hée doth by way of comparison of contraries, compare the euils that growe of hatredes, with the fruites of Charitie. In such sense is the place of Peter to bée taken. But where hée teacheth that sinne is purged with mercifulnesse and liberalitie, he doth not meane yt ther withal satifaction ⟨image 134⟩is made for sinne before the face of the Lord, but after the accustomed maner of the scriptures, hée declareth that they shall finde him mercifull to them, that leauing their former vices and iniquities, doe turne to him by godlinesse and truth, as if he should say, the wrath of God doeth ceasse, & his iudgementes rest when we ceasse from euill doings, neither doth he declare the cause of pardon, but the maner of true conuersion. The Prophetes doe declare that hypocrites doe in vaine pester GOD with forged Ceremoniall vsages in stéede of repentance,2 whereas it is vprightnesse of life, with the dueties of charity that delighteth him.
- 1Dani. 4.24 Pro. 16.6 Matt. 23.35
- 2Heb. 13.16 Matth. 23.25 Luke. 11.39
