God's call to England, for thankfulness after gracious deliverances

3. Such sinning, implies a daring provocation of God to destroy us. To despise God sparing and delivering, is to dare him to smite and destroy us. Not to care for deliverance, is as much as to say, we do not fear destruction, Isa. 5.19. Let him hasten his work that we may see it. This impudent expression either respects Gods power, q. d. let him do his worst, we fear not, as men that had over-grown Divine Justice, and become too big and too strong for the Almighty's arm; or it may be spoken in respect of the Truths and threatenings declared by the Prophets challenging God to the accomplishment o• them. But will God suffer himself to b• dared by worms? can you daunt his unalterable courage? can you hold the Almighty's hands, or lay bonds on his judgments, that they shall not destroy you Will God suffer his creatures to insult ove• him? are we out of his reach, that we fea• no ruin? can we match him with equal forces? sure we are nothing to him. How then can he endure a challenge from us ⟨p. 39⟩How can he suffer our sins after mercies? By these sins we are like those, Job 15.25, 26. Who stretch out their hands against God, and strengthen themselves against the Almighty, &c. But who ever contended with him, and prospered? It will be dreadful to fall into the hands of a living God. And this will certainly be the portion of those that affront him with such daring provocations.

3. Such sinning, implies a daring provocation of God to destroy us. To despise God sparing and delivering, is to dare him to smite and destroy us. Not to care for deliverance, is as much as to say, we do not fear destruction, Isa. 5.19. Let him hasten his work that we may see it. This impudent expression either respects Gods power, q. d. let him do his worst, we fear not, as men that had over-grown Divine Justice, and become too big and too strong for the Almighties arm; or it may be spoken in respect of the Truths and threatnings declared by the Prophets challenging God to the accomplishment o them. But will God suffer himself to b dared by worms? can you daunt his unalterable courage? can you hold the Almighties hands, or lay bonds on his judgments, that they shall not destroy you Will God suffer his creatures to insult ove him? are we out of his reach, that we fea no ruine? can we match him with equa forces? sure we are nothing to him. How then can he indure a challenge from us