The devils banquet described in four sermons [brace], 1. The banquet propounded, begun, 2.…The deuills banket described in foure sermons [brace], 1. The banket propounded, begunne, 2.…

If we take the words spoken in the Person of God, they manifest his complaint against Israel. ¹When God complains, sin is grievous. We never read God breaking forth into this compassionate form of speech, but Iniquity is grown proud of her height. She nestles among the Cedars, and Towers like Babel: when he that can thunder it down with fire, doth (as it were) rain showers of complaint for it. It argues no less goodness in the Father, then wickedness in the Children, when he doth plain, that can plague; and breath out the air of pity, before he send the storm of Judgement. So you may see a long provoked Father, that after many chidings lost to his deaf Son; after some gentle chastisements ⟨p. 229⟩inflicted, and intended to his calling home; he finds his errors growing wilder, his affections madder, his heart more senseless, his courses more sensual; he stands even deploring his wretchedness, that could not amend his wickedness: and whiles Justice and Mercy strive for the mastery, as loath that his lenity should wrong his Integrity, or yet that he should be as an executioner to him, whom he had begotten to be an executor to himself; he breaks out into complaint. With no less pity, nay, with far greater mercy, doth God proceed to execute his Judgements; unwilling to strike home for his mercy; yet willing not to double his blow (but to lay it on sure at once) for our sins, and his own Justice- Or as some compassionate Judge, that must censure (by the law of his Country) an Heretic, strives first with arguments of reason to convert him, that arguments of iron and steel may not be used against him: and finding his refractory disposition, culpable of his own doom, by wilfully not being capable of good counsel, proceeds not without plaints and tears to his sentence: So doth the most just God of Heaven, with the most unjust Sons of men; pleading by reasons of gentle and gracious forbearance, and offering the sweet conditions of happy peace, and (as it were) wailing our refusal, before he shoot his arrows and consume us, or make his sword drunk with our bloods.

If wee take the words spoken in the Person of God, they manifest his complaint against Israell. ¹When God complaines, sinne is grieuous. Wee neuer read God breaking forth into this compassionate forme of speech, but Iniquitie is growne proud of her height. She nestles among the Cedars, and Towers like Babell: when hee that can thunder it downe with fire, doth (as it were) raine showers of complaint for it. It argues no lesse goodnesse in the Father, then wickednesse in the Children, when hee doth plaine, that can plague; and breath out the ayre of pitie, before he send the storme of Iudgement. So you may see a long prouoked Father, that after many chidings lost to his deafe Sonne; after some gentle chastisements