Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

1. Let us consider the ways, how slowness to anger is abused.

1. Let us consider the wayes, how slowness to anger is abused.

1. 'Tis abused by mis-interpretations of it, when men slander his Patience, to be only a carelessness, and neglect of his providence; as Averroes argued from his slowness to anger, a total neglect of the Government of the lower World. Or when men from his long suffering charge him with impurity, as if his Patience were a consent to their crimes; and because he suffered them, without calling them to account, he were one of their partisans, and as wicked as themselves, Psal. 50.21. Because I kept silence, thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self. His silence makes them conclude him to be an abetter of, and a consort in their sins; ⟨p. 815⟩And think him more pleased with their iniquity, than their obedience. Or when they will infer from his forbearance a want of his Omniscience: Because he suffers their sins, they imagine he forgets them. Psal. 10.11. He hath said in his Heart, God hath forgotten. Thinking his patience proceeds not from the sweetness of his nature, but a weakness of his mind. How base is it instead of admiring him, to disparage him for it; and because he stands in so advantageous a posture towards us, not to own the choicest prerogatives of his Deity? This is to make a perfection so useful to us, to shadow, and extinguish those others, which are the prime flowers of his Crown.

1. 'Tis abused by mis-interpretations of it, when men slander his Patience, to be only a carelesness, and neglect of his providence; as Averroes argued from his slowness to anger, a total neglect of the Government of the lower World. Or when men from his long suffering charge him with impurity, as if his Patience were a consent to their crimes; and because he suffered them, without calling them to account, he were one of their partisans, and as wicked as themselves,