712 The Patience of God. Vol. Ì. once, (the very argument St. Peter is here upon) he hath this Pottage, Mat thoufand, or ten thoufandyears, are but as an indivifible point to an infinite duration. And therefore when the Judgment is to be eternal, the delay of it, though it were for a Thoufand Years, is an Objection of no force, agàinfl either the cer- tainty, or the terror of it; for to Eternity, all time is equally fhort ; and it matters not when the punifhment of Sinners begins, if it (hall never have an end. z. Íiut becaufe the diftance between the Declaration of a future Judgment, and thecoining of it, tho' it be nothing to God, yet it feemed long to them ; there- fore he gives fach an account of it, as doch not in the leaft impeach the Truth and Faithfulnefs ofGod, but is a clear argument and demonflration of his Good- nefs. Admitting what they Paid to be true, that God delays Judgment for a great while, yet this gives no ground to conclude that Judgment will never be; but it (hews the great Goodnefs of God to Sinners, that he gives them fo long` a fpace of repentance that fo they may prevent the terror of that day whenever it comes, and efcape that dreadful ruin which will certainly overtake, fooner or later, all impenitent Sinners The Lord is not flack concerning his promife ; that is, as to the Declaration which he bath madeof a future Judgment, ai fome Men acount flacknefs ; That is, as if the delay of Judgment were an argument it would never come. This is a falle inference from the delay of punifhment, and an ill interpretation of the Goodnefs of God to Sinners, who bears long with them, and delays Judgment, on purpofe to give Men time to repent, and by repentance to prevent their own Eternal Ruin ; Godis not flack concerning his pro- mife, as fame Men count fiacknefs but is longfuffering to us-ward, not willing that any Jhould erifh, but that all fhould come to repentance. In the handling of thefe words, I Ihall do thefe three things, Firff, I Thall confider the Patience and long-fuffering of God, as it is art Attribute and Perfe cion of the Divine Nature ; God is longfuffering . to us- ware!. Secondly, I fhall thew, that the Patience, of God, and the delay ofJudgment; is no juft ground why Sinners fhould hope for Impunity, as the Scoffers, here fore.. told by the Apoftle, argued, That becaufe our Lord delayeth his coming to Judg- ment fo long, therefore he would never come God is not flack concerning. hispro-, mife, as force Men count flacknefs. Thirdly, I will confider the true Reafon of God's Patience and Long -fuffering towards Mankind, which the Apoftle here gives ; He is longfuffering to us-ward, not willing that any fhould perifh but that all /hould come to repentance. Firfl, I will confider the Patience and long- fuffering of God towards Mankind, as it is an Attribute and Perfeu`tion of the Divine Nature ; God is long-fuffering to us-ward. In the handling of this, I shall do there three things. I. I fhall thew what is meant by the Patience and Long-fuffering of God. II. That this is a Perfe&ion of the Divine Nature. III. I shall give fome proofand demonftration of the great Patience and Long= Offering of God to Mankind. I. What is meant by the Patience and Long-fuffering of' God. The Hebrew word fgnifies one that keeps his anger long, or that is longbefore he is angry. In the New Teftament it is fometimes exprefs'd by the Word 'wotsov), which lignifies God's forbearance and patient waiting for our repen- tance fometimes by the word civo , which lignifies God's holding in his wrath, and reftraining himfelf from punifhing ; and fometimes by ,uaxepOupja, which lignifies the extent of his patience, his long -fuffering and forbearing for a long time the punifhment due to Sinners. So that the Patience of God is his Goodnefs to Sinners, in deferring or mode- rating the punifhment due to them for their Sins ; the deferring of deferved pa- nilhment in whole or in part, which if it be extended to a long time, it is pro- perly his long-fuffering; and the moderating, as well as the deferring of the pu- nifhment due to Sin, is an Initance likewife of God's Patience ; and not only the deferring
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