Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

3. The consideration of his patience, would make us resent more, the injuries done by others to God. A Patient sufferer, though a deserving sufferer, attracts the pity of men, that have a value for any virtue, though clouded with a heap of vice. How much more should we have a concern for God, who suffers so many abuses from others? And be grieved, that so admirable a patience should be slighted by men, who solely live by, and under the daily influence of it? The impression of this would make us take Gods part, as it is usual with men, to take the part of good dispositions that lie under oppression.

3. The consideration of his patience, would make us resent more, the injuries done by others to God. A Patient sufferer, though a deserving sufferer, attracts the pity of men, that have a value for any vertue, though clouded with a heap of vice. How much more should we have a concern for God, who suffers so many abuses from others? And be grieved, that so admirable a patience should be slighted by men, who solely live by, and under the daily influence of it? The impression of this would make us take Gods part, as it is usual with men, to take the part of good dispositions that lie under oppression.

4. It would make us patient under Gods hand. His slowness to Anger and his forbearance is visible, in the very strokes we feel in this Life. We have no reason to murmur against him, who gives us so little cause, and in the greatest afflictions gives us more occasion of thankfulness, than of repining. Did not slowness to the extremest Anger, moderate every affliction, it had been a Scorpion instead of a rod. We have reason to bless him, who from his long-suffering sends temporal sufferings, where eternal are justly due. Ezra 9.13. Thou hast punished us less than our iniquities do deserve. His indulgences towards us have been more than our corrections, and the length of his patience hath exceeded the sharpness of his rod, Upon the account of his long-suffering our mutinies against God have as little to excuse them, as our sins against him have to deserve his forbearance.