Reformation the great duty of an afflicted people. Setting forth the sin and danger…

5. And herein they withstand his glory, and seek his dishonour. When men are affected with the tokens of his displeasure, and are brought to confess and forsake those sins which have procured it, and in this way address him for his pardon and favour, they do therein give glory to God: this is to throw down their arms, and resign themselves to him, and he reckons ⟨p. 40⟩himself to be honoured by their so doing. But when they do wilfully maintain their sins, and will not kindly accept of the punishment of them, they do hereby cast reproach upon him. They do withstand the glory of his holiness, whiles they pretend to be his people, to have his name called upon them, and yet they will live after the manner of the heathen; and for all that, presume that he who is a God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and cannot endure sin, should own them to be his, and favour them, and patronize their abominations, like them, Jer. 7. 9. Steal, Murder, commit Adultery &c. and come in to this house, and say we are delivered to do all these abominations. And if this be not to dishonour him, what can be? Moreover they slight his Power, in that they are not afraid to irritate him to exert it, briars and thorns thus set themselves in battle against the devouring fire; and they cast contempt upon his Justice, as if he would connive at such sins, and would not visit them for these things. They open the mouths of Adversaries against him, who here upon take Occasion to Blaspheme his great name; and they slight his Authority over them, whiles they withdraw their necks from under his yoke, and deny him the due Obedience: and surely all this carries in it an horrible contrariety to him.

5. And herein they withstand his glory, and seek his dishonour. When men are affected with the tokens of his displeasue, and are brought to confess and forsake those sins which have procured it, and in this way address him for his pardon and favour, they do therein give glory to God: this is to throw down their arms, and resign themselves to him, and he reckons ⟨p. 40⟩himself to be honoured by their so doing. But when they do wilfully maintain their sins, and will not kindly accept of the punishment of them, they do hereby cast reproach upon him. They do withstand the glory of his holiness, whiles they pretend to be his people, to have his name called upon them, and yet they will live after the manner of the heathen; and for all that, presume that he who is a God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and cannot endure sin, should own them to be his, and favour them, and patronize their abominations, like them,