Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

2. His Patience is manifest, if you consider the multitudes of these provocations. Every man hath sin enough in a day to make him stand amazed at Divine Patience, and to call it as well as the Apostle did, all long suffering. 1 Tim. 1.16. How few duties of a perfectly right stamp are performed? What unworthy considerations mix themselves like dross, with our purest and sincerest Gold? How more numerous are the respects of the Worshippers of him to themselves, than unto him? How many services are paid him, not out of love to him, but because he should do us no hurt, and some service; When we do not so much design to please him, as to please our selves by expectations of a reward from him? What Master would endure a servant that endeavoured to please him, only because he should not kill him? Is that former charge of God upon the Old World yet out of date, That the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of man was only evil, and that continually? Gen. 6.5. Was not the New World as chargeable with it as the Old? Certainly it was; Gen. 8.21. And is of as much force this very minute, as it was then; How many are the sins against knowledge, as well as those of ignorance; Presumptuous sins as well as those of infirmity? How numerous those of Omission and Commission?^* 'Tis above the reach of any man's understanding to conceive all the Blasphemies, Oaths, Thefts, Adulteries, Murders, Oppressions, contempt of Religion, the open Idolatries of Turks and Heathens, the more spiritual and refined Idolatries of others. Add to those the ingratitude of those that profess his name, their pride, earthliness, carelessness, sluggishness to divine duties; and in every one of those a multitude of provocations; The whole man being engaged in every sin, the understanding contriving it, the will embracing it, the affections complying with it, and all the members of the body instruments in the acting the unrighteousness of it; Every one of these faculties bestowed upon men by him, are armed against him in every act: and in every employment of them there is a distinct provocation, though centred in one sinful end and object. What are the offences, all the men of the World receive from their fellow creatures, to the injuries God receives from men, but as a small dust of earth to the whole mass of Earth and Heaven too?