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ALso God would haue vs to vn∣derstand thereby, how great & how vile a villanous euil, sinne is. And how great wtout mea∣sure the rewarde thereof is, to those
vnfaithfull ones that will not know him, for that thereby, of a suerty they are set a farre distance from god, and brought in hatred with him. For if god haue loued vs so much, yt he hath all ready pardoned, and reconsiled vs to him by the death of his sonne, then for the rest of the sinne that remay∣neth in vs, he dooth with the greater iustice, treate and deale with vs so se∣uerely, as to make vs liue and dye in crosses and calamitie. And therefore what a wonderfull correction or pu∣nishment, may we thinck that he wil vse, to them that are so fully fraught with mischiefe, that they be euen the seruants of sinne, and of the diuell, & enimies to all kinde of rightuousnes. But yet for all this god dooth not pu∣nish vs for sinne, bicause that Christe hath bene punished therefore already. But he dooth punish ye sinne that dooth alwayes reigne in vs, not for the ha∣tred he hath vnto vs, but for ye mallice that he hath vnto sinne.
And if we beinge sonnes & children,
be put in such a streight by our father, that for the sinne that is in vs we be iudged of men to be stranges and for∣riners to him, what shall be come of those, or them that beléeue not ye gos∣pell, but are rather enimies thereof. He will not onely punish the sinne yt is in them, but also will of necessitie consume them and their sinnes toge∣ther to euerlasting destructiō, for that they cānot abide so rigorrous a iudge∣ment of God, (who most horribly ha∣teth sinne) as is due for the same.
The tyme is already come (sayth S. Peter) that iudgement must begin at the house of God. If it begin first with vs, what ende will then come of thē, which haue not nor doo not beléeue his gospel, nor yet wil be none of his hous∣hould. If the rightuous can scarsely be saued, what will then become of sinners, or where shall they appeare. If amongst vs (I say) which are his temple and holy habitacion, he doo be∣ginne to punishe with suche rigour: what wyll he then dooe when as his wrath and ire shalbe inflamed against
all, both one and the other. That is to say, as well the househould of god, as the houshould of the diuell. When he beginneth to take vengeance of that house where the diuell dwelleth, is obeyed, and all his will fulfilled, he will take in his hand the cuppe of his wrath against sinne, & all shal drincke thereof, for all are sinners. But the children of God shall drincke & tast of the first, best, & purest thereof, bicause they may vnderstande what enmytie they ought to haue to sinne. Sith god doth abhorre it so much that he will punishe it first in vs, it is a great sig∣nificacion, that the rest (I meane the reprobate) shall be also punished, tast of his wrath, and shall not escape, al∣though they thincke themselues at li∣bertie, and loose there from. And if we the sonnes of God be subiect to suppe the first and best thereof, it cannot be but that the other must néedes drinck and swallow vp the dregges, last and worst. But for the childrē and sonnes of God (I meane ye faithful) to drinck of that cuppe in such maner of wyse,
and to that ende that God hath deter∣mined: me thincketh it is more salu∣dable and healthfull to them, for that the lorde will vse suche moderacion & so much alay the extréeme bitter taste thereof: bicause he giueth it them to none other ende, but to bring them to humilitie, yt being humbled & brought low in mynde, they might with more greater earnestie in christian affectes, imbrace the benefites of him already receaued, & open their eyes with such clearenesse, that they might the more soner sée and behoulde, how dearely & louingly he loueth & fauoureth them. So that thereby he hathe made them more capable of his riches (as Dauid sayth) although ye Lorde doo cast them downe neuer so déepe, yet he leaueth them not therein but lifteth and exal∣teth them thereby into his great glo∣ry, bicause it is his condicion and qua∣lite to exalt the humble and méeke, & to reise the poore from the dounghill.
Sith the determinacion of the al∣mightie Iehouah, is so fatherly & frēd∣ly for vs, let vs drinke with a good wil
of ye cup that he dooth giue vs, be they crosses or griefes, whatsoeuer, for yt thereby he dooth call vs to his know∣ledge, which for our ingratitude & o∣ther vices were seperated frō him for a season, with deseruing of most rigo∣rous pain & punishmēt for ye same. And therefore I saye we ought yt rather too take in good part ye bitter tast of being tost in the floud of any affliction. We haue deserued to be chorlishly cheined in perpetual prison world wtout ende, yet god is so mercifull & louing vnto vs, yt without respect of any thinge, he hath allotted vs but a lyght penance, wt suffering a few, of short sorrowes & calamities. But we moste stobbernly refuse thē wt al our strōgist forces yt we haue. Yet for all that sith Iesus Christ hath called vs to ye crosse we ought not to grudge at ye bearing therof, but ac∣cept it paciētly, bicause of ye cōdiciō wt it, alredy performed. If we wold looke and sée about vs, we should sée, finde, & know, yt it is not we our selues yt bear these crosses alone, but he himselfe in vs: for (the prophet Esay saith) yt it is
he, it is he himself, that dooth carry his kingdom vpon his shoulders. Whom shal we vnderstand for his kingedom: but the persecuted, ye imprisoned, the abhorred, and condempned, that are kylled for his name sake. It is he him selfe that they persecute and punishe in vs his membres, for the hate they haue to his inheritance which he bea∣reth on his shoulders. So ye althoughe he doo giue vs to drinck of his wrath, yet he dooth mynister with it, such mo∣deracion and gentlenesse as is possi∣ble: for in the ende all commeth to rest vpon his owne shoulders, and so we by him are vnleaden and dischar∣ged. And therefore let vs loue him and giue him thankes, sith we haue deser∣ued to drincke of the extreme bitter∣nesse of his wrath, and yet he giueth vs the purest with the moste lenitie and gentlenesse that may be. But the dregges, which is all the rigour of his wrath, of his indignaciō, his fury, his condempnacion, his cursse eternall, & sentēce irreuocable are kept for thē to drincke which haue not beléeued the
Gospell: but in stéede of the worship, and due obedience to be done therby, they did afflict and grieue with perse∣cutions, him in his members. The which will take effecte (as S. Paule sayeth,) when our Lorde Iesus shall manifest and shewe him selfe from heauen, with his mightie holy An∣gels in flames of fyre: then will hée take vengeance of those that doe not know him, nor obey not the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ his sonne: and will giue them punishment of e∣ternal dampnation from the presence of our Lord God, and from the glorie of his potencie, when he shall come to be glorifyed in his Sainctes, and bée made admirable to all those whiche stedfastly beléeue.
Rom. 5. & 10.
1. Peter. 4. &. 17.18.
Psalm. 75. & 9.10.
Psal. 115. & 12.13.
Psal. 116, &. 12.
Psal, 119. &. Esay. 23. &. 6. Luke. 1. & 5.52. Psal. 145. &. 14. Psal. 113. &. 6.
Math. 16. &. 22.23.
Luke. 9. &. 55.56.
Esay. 9. & ••
2. Thes. ••. &. 7.8.