Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

2. His slowness to anger is manifest to the Gentiles. What they were, we need no other witness than the Apostle Paul, who sums up many of their crimes. Rom. 1.29.30, 31, 32. He doth preface the Catalogue with a comprehensive expression, being filled with all unrighteousness; And concludes it with a dreadful aggravation; They not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. They were so soaked and naturalized in wickedness, that they had no delight and found no sweetness in any thing else, but what was in it self abominable; All of them were plunged in Idolatry and Superstition: none of them but either set up their great men, or creatures beneficial to the World, and some the damned Spirits in his stead, and paid an adoration to insensible Creatures or Devils, which was due to God. Some were so depraved in their lives and actions, that it seemed to be the interest of the rest of the World, that they should have been extinguished for the instruction of their contemporaries and posterity. The best of them had turned all Religion into a fable, coined a World of rites, some unnatural in themselves, and most of them unbecoming a rational creature to offer, and a Deity to accept; Yet he did not presently arm himself against them with Fire and Sword, nor stopped the course of their Generations, nor tare out all those relics of natural light, which were left in their minds. He did not do what he might have done, but he winked at the times of that ignorance, Act. 17.30. their ignorant Idolatry: for that it refers to, ver. 29. They thought the God-head was like to Gold or Silver, or stone graven by Art, and mens device; [Greek or Hebrew] overlooking them; He demeaned himself so, as if he did not take notice of them. He winked as if he did not see them, and would not deal so severely with them: the eye of his Justice seemed to wink, in not calling them to an account for their sin.

2. His slowness to anger is manifest to the Gentiles. What they were, we need no other witness than the Apostle Paul, who summs up many of their crimes. Rom. 1.29.30, 31, 32. He doth preface the Catalogue with a comprehensive expression, being filled with all unrighteousness; And concludes it with a dreadful aggravation; They not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. They were so soakt and naturaliz'd in wickedness, that they had no delight and found no sweetness in any thing else, but what was in it self abominable; All of them were plung'd in Idolatry and Superstition: none of them but either set up their great men, or creatures beneficial to the World, and some the damned Spirits in his stead, and paid an adoration to insensible Creatures or Devils, which was due to God. Some were so deprav'd in their lives and actions, that it seem'd to be the interest of the rest of the World, that they should have been extinguisht for the instruction of their contemporaries and posterity. The best of them had turned all Religion into a fable, coyn'd a World of rites, some unnatural in themselves, and most of them unbecoming a rational creature to offer, and a Deity to accept; Yet he did not presently arm himself against them with Fire and Sword, nor stopt the course of their Generations, nor tare out all those reliques of natural light, which were left in their minds. He did not do what he might have done, but he winkt at the times of that ignorance,