Vera.. an evidence offorgivenefs: 159 yoke him, that fo he may at length everllftingly ditroy them a1 ? It is confeffed that this is the Confiquent, the event of it,with the moll, through their perverfe wickednefs, with their love of fin and pleafure. But is this the defign of God ? his only defign ? hath he no other purpofe but meerly to forbeJr them a while in their folly, and then to avenge himfclf upon them ? Is this his intendment not only towards thole who arc obffinate in their Darknets, Ignorance and RLb.11ion againtl him, whofe damnatim is juf and jleepeth not ; but all' to- wards thofe whom he flits up by his G;ace to "Lek after a Remedy and Deliverance from the fiate of fin and death ? God forbid ; yea, fuch an apprehcnfion would be contrary to all thofe notions of the inftniteWifdom and Goodnefof God which are ingrafted upon our hearts by nature, and which all his works manifefi and declare. Whatever therefore it be, this cannot be the defign ofGod, in his patience towa'dt the Iv ;rid. It cannot be, but that he mutt long lince have cut off the whole race ofmankind, if he had no other thoughts and purpofes to- wards them. 5. If this Patience ofGod hath anyother Intention towards any, any other effe upon fi)me,upon any,that is to be reckoned theprincipal End ofit, and for the fake whereof it is evidently extended untoTome others, confiquentially unto all. For thofë concerning whomGod bath anefpecial deign in his patience,be- ing to be brought forth in the world after the ordinary way of mankind, and that in all Ages during the continuance of the world from the beginning unto the end thereof, the pati:nce which is extended unto them muff altoof net flity reach unto all, in that variety wherein God is pleafed to exercife it. The whole world therefore is continued under the patience of God, and the fruits of it, for the fake of f me that are in it. 6. Let us therefore fee what is the End of this Patience, and what it teachethus. Now it can have no t.nd poffible but only that before rcjeaed, unlefs there be f rgivenefi of fins with God. Unlefs God be ready and willing to forgive thefns of them that come to him according unto his appointment, his patience is mealy fubfervient unto a defign of wrath, anger, feverity and a ReJolution to deftroy, Now this is an abomination once to
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