Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

And yet on the other hand, represent not God below himself, as fond in his respects, partial in his dealings, slack and easy in his proceedings, apt to favour us, tho' neglected by us; as one ready to indulge us in our sins, and to connive and wink at our miscarriages; or one that we may trifle with, and fondly think that we can at any time procure his favour, and extinguish or evade his anger and displeasure, by some trifling applications to him, or flattering Elogies of his name upon the knee, or a copious, verbose declaiming against our sins and selves in our stated or occasional addressings of our selves to him, when pangs of Death, horrors of Conscience, or the tastes and expectations of his Wrath make us uneasy to our selves: as if by complements, and petty observances of God in lower matters, we could turn and toss a ductile nature into any aspect, shape or posture that may serve our private turns, and please our arrogant and presumptuous humours; and court God to strip himself of all the glories of his Name and Throne, and prostitute his Interest and Honour, Laws and Majesty ⟨image 157⟩unto the fond conceits of fools and sinners: for this is blasphemy and presumption to the height, both fit and sure to be punished by the Judge. Could God be Love, or lovely in the eyes of sober and discerning men, were he thus facile, so as to be influenced by the conceits and humours of sinners in their dotages? He that would not signify one thought of mercy to our revolted Parents, before he had represented himself most awful in his Judiciary Process, and that so guarded both his Laws and Throne with awful Majesty and Sanctions; and that exacted so severe a satisfaction from his Son; he surely neither will, nor can debase himself, and tempt his creatures by unfit relaxations of his Laws and Courses to think him despicable, even by such unfit deportments of himself towards them. That fool which takes Gods mercies and indulgences to be at his commands, so as to sin and pray; and that makes such easy pardons and redresses, the continual encouragements of sinful practices and hopes; that fool, I say again, that is of this persuasion and deportment, is no way likely to be cured of his luke-warm temper, Deut. xxix. 19, 20. For so easy pardons and redresses would evidently and effectually mortify the Spirit, and defeat the glorious designs of Divine Government amongst men.

And yet on the other hand, represent not God below himself, as fond in his respects, partial in his dealings, slack and easie in his proceedings, apt to favour us, tho' neglected by us; as one ready to indulge us in our sins, and to connive and wink at our miscarriages; or one that we may trifle with, and fondly think that we can at any time procure his favour, and extinguish or evade his anger and displeasure, by some trifling applications to him, or flattering Elogies of his name upon the knee, or a copious, verbose declaiming against our sins and selves in our stated or occasional addressings of our selves to him, when pangs of Death, horrours of Conscience, or the tasts and expectations of his Wrath make us uneasie to our selves: as if by complements, and petty observances of God in lower matters, we could turn and toss a ductile nature into any aspect, shape or posture that may serve our private turns, and please our arrogant and presumptuous humours; and court God to strip himself of all the glories of his Name and Throne, and prostitute his Interest and Honour, Laws and Majesty