Twenty sermons preached at Oxford before His Majesty, and elsewhere

But to draw to a conclusion: God hath set us a Certain Day, and if we pass the time, woe be to us. For though he is full of Mercy, and Patience yet Patience hurt, oftentimes harms, and provokes the Almighty to Fury. ⟨p. 15⟩God will not always strive with man, ¹but his days shall be an hundred and twenty years, if he convert in that space, and return, well, if not, he shall be swept away. And to this purpose is that parable, Luke 13.6. A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his Vineyard, and he came and sought Fruit thereon and found none, Then said he unto the dresser of his Vineyard, behold these three years I came seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: Cut it down, why combreth it the ground? There is an appointed time, then fore-ordained by God, wherein he offers us Grace. Let it alone, saith the dresser, one year more: It may be seven years, or ten, it may be but two hours (for ought thou knowest) that God may offer thee, longer, this space. No man knows the time, and its continuance, but he that hath appointed it to this purpose: Which is a point I thought not to speak of, but not I will.

But to draw to a conclusion: God hath set us a Certain Day, and if we pass the time, wo be to us. For though he is full of Mercy, and Patience yet Patience hurt, oftentimes harms, and provokes the Almighty to Fury. ⟨p. 15⟩God will not alwaies strive with man, ¹but his daies shall be an hundred and twenty years, if he convert in that space, and return, well, if not, he shall be swept away. And to this purpose is that parable, Luke 13.6. A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his Vineyard, and he came and sought Fruit thereon and found none, Then said he unto the dresser of his Vineyard, behold these three years I came seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: Cut it down, why combreth it the ground? There is an appointed time, then fore-ordained by God, wherein he offers us Grace. Let it alone, saith the dresser, one year more: It may be seven years, or ten, it may be but two hours (for ought thou knowest) that God may offer thee, longer, this space. No man knows the time, and its continuance, but he that hath appointed it to this purpose: Which is a point I thought not to speak of, but not I will.