.ATreatije of [hrijlian Equitie. hts gre.u at~d gencralJ tudgemenr,to tudgeaU 'men,and then happie is he that finds not Ju. liJce,but ta(!o ofmercie' and who 0Jall ta!l of mcrcie then, but hcc that Chewed merc1e in thiSworldl Butlffecondly,theholyGholl memt ofGods prcfence, then is the argu– 'm em fra:ned thus;God is prcfem w11h euery ~lan,;);nd at cuery atlion,ro tefli6e and iudge oftt,and etthcr ro approoucit and reward lt:. ifit be vpright, equalland merciful!; or to correchnd punilh lt' lfit beexrrcame, and void ofcquitie: therefore letyour <quiriebu fl..•o""' ro•Omen,Both fcnfcsarc good,but we •·ill cleaue vmo theJarrer.It is then all one,as iftheholyGhofi had [aid; Vfe equitio and moderation in your dealings, and remember who is ar your elbow, Uands by and lookes on,readie to iudgcyou for lt. Surely there can beno better reafon then this,ifir beferled in a mans hearr,for arheefe or acut-purfe,ifhefaw theJudge !land at his dbow,and Jooke vpon him,he would not do euill,hc"ould !lay his hand, euen bccaufe he fecth rharrhe Iudgefeeth him, whocaA pte· fently hang him. A !lrongroafonwith men, & irkeeps euen bad men from Jeud pracllfes. Cofidet therforewhen rhcludgeofludges, the Lord ofheauen and earth, !lands byand feerh, and markes all thy attions, wh<rh«r they be towards thy brorher,as hi• is towards rhee. Thisoughr tomakerhegrearellman on~arrh,fearehow he dealea cruelly orhard· ly wirh his brother. Bur worldly men will nor be perfwadeQ ofthis, but when they are lay– ingtheirplorsto deceiue their brother, and when by iniullice and extremity, rbey pmch and wring him, they rhinke in their hearts, God feerh them nor,'nor do they euerrhinkc ofGod,burlabour that God may bee our of allrheir thoughrr. This is thecaufe ofall tin in rheworld:for thence is ir,thar mens beam are hardened, and rhartheycarenot how ex– rreamely rhey.deale with men, becaufe rhey chinkeGod feerhrhcm nor,nor will calthem roaccounr for it, anddoe with them asthcy haue donewith their brother. Hence come• all iniullice, cruelrie,exrrcmirie,fuits in Lawc a for lrifles ,rakingforfairures oflea(es'andof bonds, and raking all aduanrages. Hmce comes ir,that one man will norfpareanothcr one day, norforgiue one fault, norpatTeby any infirmiry,norpur vp rhe !calliniury,nor yecld oneinch from his righr:burifhis bro– ther offend neuerfolittle, vpon neuer foap– parenr weakenes,hee !hallheare ofiton both lides, as they fay: and ifhedeferucill,he!hall haue his de(errs to the full. Thus hearts arc .B hardened,affedions are immoderate,bowcls ofcompaffion are lhur vp, loue and pity are banilhed,atld in their roomes reigne cruelty, and iniullice, Moderation dwells in cornm, but extremity is that, wh1ch bcarerh fwayo. uer all theworld:.what isthe cau(cofallthisl Surely; 6r£l, becaufe men are vn(antt•fied, and haue norrepenred oftheir unnes, and fo they feele nor, char God is moderate &mer– cJfullro rhem. Secondly,they perfwade not themfclues,rhotGodfeerh them; therefore agaiull this blafphemoucrhoughr rhe roote ofalleuill, andcaufeofall linne, armerhy felfe wit~ this rcafonofrhe Apo!lle,and reC folue ofit, that rhis is the eternalltruth of God,and 0Jall !land for euer, The Lord u AI h•••L and feeth and ~.bferueth thee and all rhy d:>ings.Thereforeasrhouwilt cfcapehis mightie and fearefull hand, fealon thy do· mgs and dealings with moderation : and 1f thou had!I no confciencc,nor mercie in thee, yet be merciful,remembring who feeth rhee, and detle moderately and equally in the fight andprefencc of fo moderate, fo mild, and fo mercifulla God 1 fo mercifu!la rewar· der of him that deales moderately, and fo D powerfull areuenger ofhim that dcales hard• ly and exrreamely with his brother. Let vs rhenendwirhrheApofileaswe began : Ltt JOUr equi1ie•ndmDd"Atiml he /wone zo1t6 mm:~ for God u ~•b~nd. And thus much·out of God• word, of Publike and PriuareJ!quirie 1 wherein I haue norfpdken allI mighr;bu~ giuen occafion to orhers,.to.enter Into futther confidcration thereof.• . ·· · - · '· Trin.- vni Deogl~fia~ .L . r ,_ ' ).-. .,::: ,.. ' '"
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