Chap. 18 The Fourth Corollary. Admire the Patience of God, in seeing so much sin in the world, and y
CHAP. XVIII.
The Fourth Corollary.
Admire the Patience of God in seeing so much sin in the world, and yet bear it.
Fourthly, If this be so, that sin is so much against God, does so much wrong God, hence then we have all cause to stand and admire at the infinite patience of the great God that shall behold so much sin in the world from such poor wretched vile creatures, and yet shall bear it: 'Tis true, those that do not know how sin does make against God, strikes at him, and wrongs him; they are not so much taken with the patience of God, and with the long suffering of God:
But now that man or woman that comes to know how sin wrongs God, and comes to understand this, such a one cannot but to amazement stand and wonder at God's infinite patience; that such a great God who seeth himself so struck at, fought against, opposed, and wronged by such wretched creatures, that yet he does forbear crushing them too pieces presently.
I beseech you brethren consider, do but take along with you what I have said about sin, how it is against God, and then consider, how all sins that are committed, God is present at it, stands and looks upon it. Do but think sometimes with yourselves, when you are among a great concourse of people, among a company of profane wretched people, as in markets, fairs, taverns, inns, and ale-houses, how is God's name blasphemed there? What daring of the blessed
God? what scorning and contemning of his word and sacraments and ordinances?
Well, and now carry along that thought, how God is wronged in all these, struck at in all this, and what an infinite God this is; and then
think how God stands by them, heareth every Oath, seeth every filthy act of uncleanness, seeth every drunkard, and yet when the least word of his mouth were enough to sink them to the bottomless-pit; yet God is patient the first, second, and third time; yea, a hundred times.
Perhaps thou hast been a blasphemer twenty years; forty years a swearer: and when thou comest in company, Oh the wicked Oaths that come from thee! and hideous uncleanness, and abominable wickedness! and yet God stands by, and looks upon the Swearer, and is patient all the while. Certainly brethren, there is no man in all the world that is wronged as God is, and yet man is not able to bear wrong from his equal if he have power in his hand to prevent it. What! Shall he wrong me?
I will make him know what it is to wrong me. You cannot bear any wrong from your fellow creature; Oh consider what wrong God has born from you and others, stand and admire at the infinite patience and long-suffering of the Lord! Truly brethren, when any mans conscience comes to be enlightened and awakened, then the greatest wonder in the world to such a conscience is the patience and long-suffering of God. Oh! that God should be so patient and long-suffering unto me all this time of my life that I am out of Hell.
He stands and wonders that he is out of Hell, and wonders at others, that others should not be affected with the patience of God.
Certainly brethren, that wrong is done unto God by sin.
If any one man that had all the patience of all the men and women in the world, put into his heart; all the patience and meekness that ever was in all the Saints, since the beginning of the world, if it were all distilled into the heart of one man or woman, and suppose that this man or woman were but wronged as God is, it were impossible but that that man or woman should break forth with revenge against those wrongs done to him or her; it were impossible for such an one to bear, so far as he can see himself able (I mean) to