Sermons preached on several occasionsSermons preach'd on several occasions

1. With an humble Reverence of his Hand. This Temper is absolutely necessary and most congruous with respect to God, upon the account of his Sovereignty, Justice and Goodness declared in his Chastenings; and with respect to our Frailty, our Dependence upon him, our Obnoxiousness to his Law, and our Obligations to him, that he will please to afflict us for our good.

1. With an humble Reverence of his Hand. This Temper is absolutely necessary and most congruous with respect to God, upon the account of his Soveraignty, Justice and Goodness declar'd in his Chastenings; and with respect to our Frailty, our Dependance upon him, our Obnoxiousness to his Law, and our Obligations to him, that he will please to afflict us for our good.

This is the reason of that Expostulation, Will a Lion roar in the Forest, when he hath no Prey? Shall ¹God's Threatenings and Judgments have no Effect? Who ever hardened himself against him, and prospered? Do we provoke the Lord ⟨p. 167⟩to Jealousy, the most sensible and severe Attribute when it is incensed? Are we stronger than he? Can we encounter offended Omnipotency? Can we with an Army of Lusts oppose Myriads of mighty Angels? 'Tis not Courage, but such a prodigious degree of Folly and Fury, that one would think 'twere impossible a reasonable Creature were capable of it. Yet every Sinner unreformed by Afflictions is thus desperate: He stretches out his Hand ²against God, and strengthens himself against the Almighty; he runneth upon him, even on his Neck, upon the thick Bosses of his Bucklers. Such a furious Rebel was Ahaz, who in the time of his Distress, did trespass more against the Lord: This is that King ³Ahaz! But God hath most solemnly declared, that he will be victorious at last over the most fierce obdurate Enemies. As I live, saith