Twenty sermons preached at Oxford before His Majesty, and elsewhere

2. It's the highest contempt and despising of the grace of God. Rom. 2.4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering? Thus is it here. God gives thee space: Thou hast it, but employest it not in what God gave it thee for. Thou deferrest the main business; and the Apostle accounts it no better then despising the proffers of Gods grace and goodness. Dost thou think God will take this at thy hands? Wilt thou despise him, and think he'll not despise thee? With the froward he will show himself froward. God will come on a sudden, if thou makest not ⟨p. 7⟩use of thine opportunity, and take all away from thee. The threatening is plainly laid down, Rev. 3.3. If thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee. It's spoken to us all, and therefore concerns us all: Whosoever hath an ear to hear let him hear. They are God's words, I have spoken to you this day, and you shall be accountable for them: let not the Devil steal this from you, hold it fast, this is your day: If thou shalt not watch, I'll come on thee suddenly as a Thief. It's the heaviest Judgment can come on unconverted persons, irregenerate souls, not to awake till God comes on them, never to bestir themselves till hell rouse them up. Thus will it be with us, unless we awake by repentance, God will come stealing on us as a thief by sudden death, and speedily cut us off.

2. It's the highest contempt and despising of the grace of God. Rom. 2.4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering? Thus is it here. God gives thee space: Thou hast it, but imployest it not in what God gave it thee for. Thou deferrest the main business; and the Apostle accounts it no better then despising the proffers of Gods grace and goodness. Dost thou think God will take this at thy hands? Wilt thou despise him, and think he'l not despise thee? With the froward he will shew himself froward. God will come on a suddain, if thou makest not ⟨p. 7⟩use of thine opportunity, and take all away from thee. The threatning is plainly laid down,