Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

That we may be raised, to bless God for it, let us consider,

1. The multitude of our provocations. Though some have blacker guilt than others, and deeper stains, yet let none wipe his mouth, but rather imagine himself to have but little reason to bless it. Are not all our offences as many, as their have been minutes in our lives? All the moments of our continuance in the World, have been moments of his Patience, and our ingratitude. Adam was punished for one sin, Moses excluded Canaan for a passionate unbelieving word. Ananias and Sapphira lost their lives for one sin against the Holy Ghost. One sin sullied the beauty of the World. defaced the works of God, had cracked Heaven and Earth in pieces, had not infinite satisfaction been proposed to the provoked Justice by the Redeemer; And not one sin committed, but is of the same venomous ⟨p. 824⟩nature; How many of those contradictions against himself hath he born with? Had we been only unprofitable to him, his forbearance of us had been miraculous; But how much doth it exceed a miracle, and lift it self above the meanness of a conjunction with such an Epithet, since we have been provoking? Had there been no more than our impudent or careless rushings into his presence in Worship. Had they been only sins of Omission, and sins of Ignorance, it had been enough to have put a stand to any further operations of this perfection towards us. But add to those, sins of Commission, sins against knowledge, sins against spiritual motions, sins against repeated resolutions, and pressing admonitions, the neglects of all the opportunities of Repentance; put them all together, and we can as little recount them, as the sands on the sea shore. But what do I only speak of particular men? view the whole World, and if our own iniquities render it an amazing Patience; what a mighty supply will be made to it in all the numerous and weighty provocations, under which he hath continued the World for so many revolutions of Years and Ages? Have not all those pressed into his presence with a loud cry, and demanded a sentence from Justice? yet hath not the Judge been overcome by the importunity of our sins?