The works of George Swinnock, M.A

1. That he might exalt his great name; Its light straw, that upon the least spark takes fire; The discretion of a man deferreth his anger, and its his glory to pass by infirmities; Mean and low spirits are most peevish and passionate; Sickly and weak persons, are observed to be the most impatient;¹ God makes his power known, when he endureth with much long suffering, the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction; He intendeth the advancement of his praise, in the lengthening of his patience; For my names sake will I defer mine anger; for my ⟨p. 477⟩praise will I refrain for thee, that I out thee not off, Isa. 48. 2. That sinners might amend; He is patient, that men might not perish; The Lord is not slack, as some men count slackness, but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, ²but that all should come to repentance; He defers their execution, that they might sue out their pardons. The Lord waiteth (not that he might be blessed in himself, but) that he may be gracious to sinners.³ 3. That impenitent sinners might be left without excuse. If sinners that are turned out of the womb into hell, will justify God; surely those upon whom he waited twenty, or thirty, or forty, or fifty years for their conversion, will condemn themselves; if all mouths shall be stopped, then they that tasted so largely of forbearing mercy, may well be silent. O how little will they have to say for themselves upon whom grace waited so many years, knocking hard at the door of their hearts for acceptance, and they refused to open to it, or bid it come in.⁴ How justly will they suffer long in the other world, to whom God was so long-suffering to no purpose in this world, Rom. 4. 2.

1. That he might exalt his great name; Its light straw, that upon the least spark takes fire; The discretion of a man deferreth his anger, and its his glory to pass by infirmities; Mean and low spirits are most peevish and passionate; Sickly and weak persons, are observed to be the most impatient;