Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

Four hundred years he kept off deserved destruction from the Amorites, and deferred making good his promise to Abraham, of giving Canaan to his Posterity out of his Long-suffering to the Amorites. Gen. 15.16. In the fourth Generation they shall come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. Their measure was filling then, but not so full as to put a stop to any further patience till four hundred years after. The usual time in succeeding Generations from the denouncing of Judgments to the execution, is forty years, this some ground upon Ezek. 4.6. thou shalt bear the iniquity of the House of Judah forty days, taking each day for a year. Though Hosea lived seventy years, yet from the beginning of his prophesying Judgments against Israel to the pouring them out upon that Idolatrous People, it was forty years. Hosea as was mentioned before, prophesied against them in the days of Jeroboam the second, in whose time God did wonderfully deliver Israel. 2 Kings 14.26.27. From that time till the total destruction of the ten Tribes it was forty years, as may easily be computed from the Story, 2 Kings 15, 16, 17. chapters. by the Reign of the succeeding Kings. So forty years after the most horrid villainy that ever was committed in the face of the Sun, viz. The Crucifying the Son of God, was Jerusalem destroyed, and the inhabitants captiv'd; so long did God delay a visible punishment for such an outrage. Sometimes he prolongs sending a threatened judgment upon a mere shadow of humiliation; so he did that denounced against Ahab. He turned it over to his posterity, and adjourned it to another season. 1 Kings 21.29. He doth not issue out an Arrest ⟨p. 803⟩upon one Transgression, you often find him not commencing a suit against men, till three and four Transgressions. The first of Amos, all along that chapter, and the second chapter; for three and four, i. e. seven. A certain number for an uncertain. He gives not orders to his judgments to march, till men be obstinate, and refuse any commerce with him. He stops them, till there be no remedy.