`erm. -ZCVI. The Patience öfGod. 719 the time of it ; nay, fo far was he from that, that he had plainly told his Difci- pies, that the precife time of the day of Judgment God had referved as a fecret to himfelf, which he had not imparted to any, no, not to'the Angels in Heaven, nor to the Son himfelf; Mark 13. 3z, 3 3. But of that day andhour knoweth no man, no not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray for ye know not when the time is. So that if they prefumed to make any conjeâures about the time when the day ofJudgment would be, they. 'did it without any Warrant from our Lord it was great prefumption in them to determine the time of it, when our Saviour had fo exprefly told them, that the Father had referved this as a Secret,which hehad never communicated to any, and therefore if they were miflaken about it, it was no wonder. But their miflake id this, was no prejudice to the truth of our Saviour's clear Predi&ion of a future Judgment, without any determinationof the time ofit, for that might be atfome thoufands of Years difiance, and yet be certain for all that ; and the delay of it was no fignof the uncertainty of our Saviour's Prediéiion concerning it, but only of God's great Patience and long - fuffering to Sinners, in expeétation of their re-,, pentance ; Godis not flack concerning bis promife, as fome men countflacknefs, but' is longfuffering to us-ward. And this brings me to the Third, and lafI Particular in. the Text, namely, The true Reafon of God's Pa- tience and Long- fuffering to Mankind ; He is long - fuffering to us-ward, not willing that any fhould perifh, but that all fhould come to repentance. And for this St. Peter cites St. Paul, v. r 5th of this Chapter; And account that the long-fuffering of the Lord is falvation, that is, that the great End and Defign of God s Goodnefs and long -fuffering to Sinners, is that they may repent and be faved .:. Account that the longfuffering of our Lord is falvation, even as our beloved brother Paul alfo, according to the wifdomgiven unto him, hath written unto you. Now thefe words are not exprefly found in St. Paul's Writings ; but the Senfe and Ef- fetSt of them is, viz. in Rom. a.. 4. Defpifefl thou the riches of hisgoodiefs, and for- bearance, and longfuffering, not knowing that the goodnefs of God leadeth thee tore- pentance? God hath a very gracious andmercifuldefign in his Patience to Sinners ; he is good, that he may make us fo, and that his goodnefs may lead us to repen- tance ; he defers Punilhment on purpofe, that he may give Men time to bethink themfelves, and to return to a better Mind He winks at the fins ofmen, that they may repent, -fays the Son of Sirach. The Patienceof God aims at the cure and re- covery of thofe, who are not defperately and refolutely wicked. This is the primary End and Intention of God's patience to Sinners ; and if he fail of this End through our hardnefs and'impenitency, he hath other Ends which he will infallibly attain. He will herebyglorifie the riches of his Mercy, and vindicate the righteoufnefs of hisJuftice ; the damned. in Hell :hall acknow- ledge, that the Patience of God was great Mercy and Goodnefs. to them, tho' they abufed it ; for God does not lofe the glory of his Patience, tho' we lofe the benefit of it, and he will make it fubfervient to his juftice one way or. other. Thofégreat Offenders whom he fpares, after there are no hopes of their amend- -ment, he many times makes ufe of, as Infiruments for the punifhing of others, as rods of his wrath for the difcipline of the world ; andhe often referves: thofewho are incorrigibly bad for a more remarkable ruin. But however, they are referved' to theJudgment of the great Day ; and if after God bath exercifed much Pati- ence towards Sinners in this World, he innlidts puniihment -on them in,the next, it mull be acknowledg'd to be moat juft ; for what can he-do lefs, than to.con- demn thofe who, would not be faved, and to make them miferable, who fo ob-. iiinately refuted to be happy Before I come to apply this Difcourfe concerning the Patience, and long.fuf- , fering of God to Sinners, I mutt remove anObjeélion or two. I. TheSeverity of God to fome Sinners in this Life, and to all impenitent Sin- ners in the next, feems to contradiét what hath been Paid concerning God's Pati- rehce and long-fuffering. As
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=