A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

¹In the Fifth Place, another Trial is this; When Men will dare to sin under eminent and remarkable Judgments and Afflictions that God brings upon them, then they sin presumptuously. What is this else, but when God stands visibly in your way, yet you will desperately run upon the thick Bosses of his Buckler? he hedges up your way with thorns, and yet you will break through, though it be to the tearing of your Flesh; he strikes at you by his Judgments, and oh the Madness and Presumption of vile Dust and Ashes, that they dare to strike at God again by their Sins! what is this ⟨p. 187⟩else but even to dare God to do his worst? When God treads upon us, should such vile Worms as we are, turn the Tail, and threaten to take revenge upon the Almighty? This is Presumption and Boldness, that God takes special notice of. In 2 Chron. 28, and 22. Ahaz was brought very low, says the Text; and yet, in the time of his distress he trespassed yet more against the Lord; This is that Ahaz: God sets a Mark and Brand upon him, that he may be known to all posterity for a most daring Sinner, that when God had brought him so low, when so many Enemies waged War against him, and distressed him; yet even then he provoked a greater Enemy than them all, and challengeth God against him. This is that King Ahaz. Truly may it not be said of many among us, This, and this is that person, who, when God afflicted them, instead of humbling themselves under the mighty hand of God, grew enraged at their Sufferings, and sinned yet more and more against him. Oh, it is dreadful, when those punishments that should break and melt us, prove only to harden our hearts, and to exasperate and embitter our Spirits against ⟨p. 188⟩God. What can reform us when we offend under the very smart of the Rod? Hereby therefore judge of your Sins, if so be God be gone out against you, if he hath laid his hand heavy upon you, and yet you regard it not, but still persevere in your old Sins, and still add new iniquities to them; if, instead of humility and brokenness of heart, your hearts rise up against God, and you are ready to say with that wicked King, This Evil is of the Lord, why should I wait upon the Lord any longer? conclude upon it, you are those desperate presumptuous Sinners that scorn to shrink for whatever God can lay upon them.