The works of George Swinnock, M.A

and the several lives of men, so many treasons and conspiracies against his Being and Law; and so many men in the world, so many monsters of wickedness: Though he enjoin them his Precepts, they cast them behind their backs; though he would allure them by his Promises, they scorn them as Babies to fool children withal; though he would affright them with his comminations and threatenings, they laugh at the shaking of those spears, and look on all his words no better then wind. Though he endeavours by his works to reclaim them from their wickedness, sometimes loading them with his benefits, that his goodness might lead them to repentance; sometimes scourging them in measure, that they might not be condemned with the world, yet they slight his favour, are not afraid of his fury, and by their impenitency, and continuance in sin dare him to his very face. He sendeth his Ministers to tell them of their danger, he sets up Conscience within them to mind them of their duty, he hangs up others before them as spectacles of his wrath, that they might take warning, and escape destruction; and yet they laugh at Ministers ⟨p. 471⟩for their weeping over them, check Conscience for its boldness to check them, and think themselves wiser then to be frighted with the scarecrows of Gods judgements on others. They sin against •is Wisdom, his Power, his Goodness, his Faithfulness, his Patience, his Providence, his Ordinances, his Son, his Spirit, his Law, his Gospel, their own Promises and engagements, the voice and cry of his Vicegerent within them, and that day after day, and this throughout the whole earth, and yet notwithstanding all these high affronts and notorious indignities repeated and continued every moment, he beareth with them. The meekest man in the world, no not all the men in the world have patience enough for one sinner; what patience then hath God that beareth so much with a world of sinners! It is the saying of one,¹ If but any tender-hearted man should sit one hour in the Throne of God Almighty, and look down upon the earth, as God doth continually, and see what abominations are done in that hour, he would undoubtedly the next set all the world on fire. O how patient is that God that beareth with it so many years! The meekest man upon earth could not endure the frowardness of one people, and they the best people in the world;