1. If we consider the provocations to move him to implacable displeasure, and these arise either from the consideration of the persons that provoke him, or from the things by which he is provoked: there are four things that might irritate extremely, if we look upon the persons provoking. The first is their Number: worlds of men by their sins daily transgress and offend against God; if he look down from heaven, he may see what to loath in the works of all men: scarce one of a City, or two of a Tribe that have any care to please God. The second is their enmity, God is provoked by men that are his professed enemies, and therefore might conceive just fury against them, there being no reason why he should pity or spare them. Thirdly, it adds to the provocation that they are his creatures: the work of his own hands; they rebel against him that were made by him, and therefore the indignity of the offence is the greater. Fourthly, their impotency, he needs not fear them, he might blow them away at once as a little dust of the Balance: he could destroy them with frogs, and lice, and flies: and for the evils by which he is provoked, what ⟨p. 90⟩man or Angel can describe the heinousness of them? what heart of man can conceive the horror of the sins of the whole world. All the Commandments of God being broken by every man, many of their sins committed with an high hand, crying to heaven for vengeance, Treasons daily and every where, and these committed before the very face of God, no place so sacred, but wretched men dare offend there, the frame of transgression beginning from the womb, and holding on to the grave, and the offenders relapsing by breaking their vows and covenants, from time to time, and to make up all, that Traitorous man should yield himself to be wholly governed, and led forth against God by the devil the Arch-enemy of God.
1. If we consider the prouocations to moue him to implacable displeasure, and these arise either from the consideration of the persons that prouoke him, or from the things by which he is prouoked: there are foure things that might irritate extreamely, if wee looke vpon the persons prouoking. The first is their Number: worlds of men by their sinnes daily transgresse and offend against God; if he looke downe from heauen, he may see what to loath in the works of all men: scarce one of a Cittie, or two of a Tribe that haue any care to please God. The second is their enmity, God is prouoked by men that are his professed enemies, and therefore might conceiue iust furie against them, there being no reason why he should pittie or spare them. Thirdly, it adds to the prouocation that they are his creatures: the worke of his owne hands; they rebell against him that were made by him, and therfore the indignity of the offence is the greater. Fourthly, their impotencie, he needs not feare them, he might blow them away at once as a little dust of the Ballance: he could destroy them with frogges, and lice, and flies: and for the euills by which he is prouoked, what ⟨p. 90⟩man or Angell can describe the haynousnesse of them? what heart of man can conceiue the horror of the sinnes of the whole world. All the Commandements of God being broken by euery man, many of their sinnes committed with an high hand, crying to heauen for vengeance, Treasons daily and euery where, and these committed before the very face of God, no place so sacred, but wretched men dare offend there, the frame of transgression beginning from the womb, and holding on to the graue, and the offendors relapsing by breaking their vowes and couenants, from time to time, and to make vp all, that Trayterous man should yeeld himselfe to bee wholly gouerned, and led forth against God by the diuell the Arch-enimy of God.
