S ERM N XCVIII. The Long-fuffering ofGod. Eccuus. VIII. I1. Becaufe, fentence againfi an evil work is not executed fpeedily, therefore the hearts of thefns of men is fullyfet in them to do evil. IHave confdered how apt Men are to abufe the long-flittering of God, to the hardning and encouraging of themfelves in fin, and whence this comes to pats ; where I confidered the feveral falfe éonclufions which Sinners draw from the delay of Punilhment, as if there . were no God, or Providence, or difference of good and evil; or elfe as is more commonly pretended,that fin is not fo great an Evil, and that God is not fo highly offended at it, or that God is not fo fevere as he is reprefented, that the punifhment of fin is not fo certain, or however; it is at a diftance, and may be prevented by a future repentance; all which I have fpokenfully to, and endeav oured toThew the fallacy and unreafonablenefs of them. I (hall now proceed to the Third and Taft thing I propounded, which was to anfwer an Objeáion to which this Difcourle may feem liable ; and that is this. If the long-fuffering ofGod be the occafion of Men's hardnefs and impenitency, then why is God fo patient to Sinners, when they are fo prone to abufe his Goodnefs and Patience ? and how is it goodnefs in God to forbear Sinners fo long, when this forbearance of his is fo apt to minifter to them an occafion of their farther mifchiefand greater ruin ? It fhould feem according to this, that it would be much greater Mercy to the greateft part of Sinners, not to be patient toward them at all i but inflantlyupon the firft occafion and provocation, to cut them off, and fo to put a flop to their wickednefs, and to hinder them from making themfelves more miferable, by in- creating their guilt, and treafuring up wrath to themfelves againfl the day ofwrath. This is the Objection, and becaufe it Teems to be of fome weight, I !hall en= deavour to return a fatisfaétory anfwerto it in thefe following particulars. And, I. I ask the Sinner if he will ftand to this ? Art thou ferious, and wouldeft thou in good earneft have God to deal thus with thee, to take the very firft ad- vantage to deftroy thee or turn thee into Hell, and to make thee miferable beyond all hopes of recovery? Confider of it again. Doft thou think it defirable, that God fhould deal thus with thee, and let fly his Judgments upon thee fo .loon as ever thou haft finned ? If not, Why do Men trifle, and make an Objection againft the long-fufferingof God, which they would be very loth fhould be made good . upon them ? II. It is likewife to be confidered, that the long- fuffering of God towardSin- ners is not a total forbearance : it is ufually, fo mixt with Aftlic`ìions and Judg- ments of one kind or other, upon our (elves or others, as to be a fufficient warn- ing to us, if we would confider and lay it to heart, tofu no more, left aworre thing come upon us; left that Judgment which we taw infli ted upon others come home to us. And is not this great Goodnefs, to warn us when he might defiroyus, to leave room for a retreat, when he might put our cafe pail remedy ? All this time of God's Patience, he threatens Sinners to awaken them out of their feçurity, he punifhedr them gently, that we may have no ground to hope for impunity ; he makes Examples of fame in a more fevere and remarkable man- ner, that others may hear, and fear, and be afraid to commit the like fins, left the like íunifhment overtake them ; he whips fome Offenders before our Eyes, to . chew us what fin deferves, and what we alto may juflly expel, if we do the fame things; and will nothing be a warning to us but our own fufferings? Nay,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=