Treatise of Divinity, Book 2 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
GOd is Patient, Nahum. 1. 3. Esay 30. 18.Psalm 103. 8. Job 2. 17. Gods patience is that whereby he beares the reproach of sinners and defers their punishment; or it is the most bountifull will of God*Patientia est, qua ita iram suam moderatu… Deus erga creaturas, ut vel poenas differat, vel iram un… … mento non effundat. Wendelinus., whereby he doth long beare with sinne which he hateth, sparing sinners, not minding their destruction, but that he might bring them to repentance.
This is aggravated
1 In that sinne is an insinite injury offered to him, therefore in the Lords Prayer it is called a Trespas…e.
2 He is is infinitely affected*God is sensible of the wrong offered to him, and provoked to wrath thereby. 2 Pet. 3. 13. he not onelyonly restraines his anger, but gives them time to repent. with this; hence in the Scripture he is said to be grieved with our sinnes, to be wearied, as a cart full of sheaves;A lea…ned Divine saith, if but any tender hearted man should sit one hou…e in the Throne of God Almighty and looke down upon the earth as God doth continually, and see what abominations are done in that houre, he would undoubtedly in the next set all the world on fire. Mr. Bol…n. he is said to hate sinne, for although he be such a perfect God that none of our sinnes can hurt him, yet because he is a holy and just God, he can not but infinitely distaste sinners.
3 He can be revenged immediately if he please; men many times are patient perforce, they would be revenged, but they know not how to compasse it. He apprehends at the same time what he hath done for us, and withall our unthankfulnesse, unkindnesse, and yet he endured Cain, S…ul, Judas a long time.
4 He beholds the universality of sinne, all men injure him, the heathens are given to Idolatry, blasphemy among Christians, the prophaner sort are full of oathes, adulteries, the better negligent, lazy, cold.
5 God not onelyonly not punisheth, but still continues his benefits; the old drunkard is still alive.
6 He sets up a Ministry to invite us to come in, and we have that many yeeres; Forty yeeres long was I grieved with this generation.
7 In Christ patience was visible,Matth. 26. 39. there was living patience.
8 He afflicts lightly and mercifully to win us; he makes thee sicke and poore, to see if it will make thee leave thy sinning.
7 God is Long-suffering, This is in eff…ct the same with Patience.Exod. 34. 6.
It is that whereby he expecteth and waiteth a long time for repentance; or it is the most bountifull will of God not suffering his displeasure suddenly to rise against his creatures offending,Num. 14. 18. to be avenged of them,Nehem. 9. 17. but he doth warne them before hand,2 Pet. 3. 9. 15, 20. lightly correct and seeke to turne them unto him. Christ endured Judas till the last.
Long-suffering is a dilation of revenge though we be provoked.Longan…mity is toward them of whom we can, patience toward them of whom we can not be revenged. It is a further degree of patience, patience lengthened out further, Rom. 9. 22.
God endures to wonderment, above measure, beyond all expectation.
Reas. 1 That men might not despaire, 1 Tim. 6. 16. 2 For his glory. 3 From his love▪ a husband will forbeare his wife. 4 To leave men without excuse, Gen. 6. 3. & 15. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 20. God cannot properly suffer, for all things are active in him.
It denounceth a woe to all those who despise and abuse the riches of Gods patience to us,Consectaries from Gods patience and long suffering. the Apostle cals it treasuring up wrath, that is, as a man laies up something every day till at last he get a great summe, so thou addest still to thy damnation; God will so much more severely damne thee, by how much he hath dealt more kindly with thee.
We should glorifie God for sparing us so long, and waiting for our repentance;Posse & noll… nobile. we should be like him, slow to anger, patient, not easily provoked, Rom. 15. 4. Magistrates, Ministers, and all must be like God, wait for repentance, Eccles. 8. 11.
It reproves them that hence take liberty to sinne, (patience abused turns into fury) and are the worse for Gods forbearance, Matth. 24. 48. Luke 12. 45.
Christian patience is that grace of God whereby a man is enabled through conscience of his duty to God,What patience is. to beare what evils God shall lay on him,It is a grace of the sanctifying Spirit of God whereby the soule doth freely submit to the will of God in bearing its owne burden without inordinate sorrow or fretting discontent. and to waite for the promises not yet performed, that is the fruit of faith and hope.
As by faith we enjoy God, and by love we enjoy our neighbour, so by patience we enjoy our selves, saith a Father.
We had need of patience that our faith may be lively, and our hope continue to the end. Without patience we can not worship God, believe in him, love him, pray, hold out, deny our selves, suffer losses, beare reproaches. God will exercise us with many trials, defer the bestowing of good things, therefore we have need of patience.
There is a threefold patience, 1 In working, to be able to goe through the difficulties which clog holy duties. 2 In waiting,P…tience is 1. Commanded Luke 21. 19. Jam 5. 7. 2 It is commended to us by speciall examp…e…. 1 Of Christ, Heb. 12. 2. Rev. 1. 9. 2 Of all the Saints, 1 Pet, 2. 20, 21. James 5. 10. to waite Gods time in fulfilling the promises, Hab. 2. 3. 3 In suffering, when we quietly submit to the will of God In bearing our own burden, 10 Levit. 3.
A Christian in these suffering times may write this as his Motto,Periissem nisi periissem. Sit miser, qui miser esse potest. Let him be miserable that can be miserable, 2 Cor. 4. 8, 9. & 6. 10.
8 God is Holy, the Holy one, Job 6. 10. He is called the holy one of Israel,There is a twofold holinesse; 1 Originall, absolute, and essentiall, in God, which is the incommunicable eminency of the divine Majesty, exalted above all, and divided from all other eminences whatsoever. For that which a man taketh to be, and makes an account of as his God, (whether it be such indeed or by him fancied onelyonly) he ascribes unto it, in so doing, a condition of eminency above and distinct from all other eminencies whatsoever, that is of Holinesse, Psal. 49. 18. Esay 17. 7. Habak. 1. 12. 2 Derived or relative in the things which are his, properly called Sacra holy things. Mede on Matth. 6. 9. Esay 41. 20. & 43. 14. that is, Israels most eminently and incommunicable one, or his God. The holy one of Jacob Esay 49. 23. Holy is his name, Luke 1. 49. I the Lord am holy, and be you holy as I am holy, Psalm 99.
Holinesse in the generall nature of it is the morall goodnesse of a thing.
Holinesse in man is that vertue whereby he giveth and yeeldeth himselfe to God, in doing all for and to Him, in regard of which, the actions he doth are acceptable to God.
Gods holinesse is that excellency of his nature, by which he gives himselfe (as I may say) unto himselfe, doing all for himselfe, and in all, and by all, and above all, aiming at his owne pleasure and glory; or it is the purity of his nature, and his abhorring of evill, Exod. 34. 30. Revel. 15. 4. He is holy without iniquity, Psalm 5. 5, 6. & 145. 17. 1 Sam. 2. 2. Hab. 1. 13. Zeph. 3. 5. the Lord is said to sweare by his Holinesse, Psalm 89. 35. Amos 4. 2. that is, by himselfe.
Holinesse is in God, essentially and originally, 1 Sam. 2. 2. he is the Authour of all holinesse; all the holinesse in Saints or Angels comes from God, and is a quality in the creature. He is holy of himselfe, men and Angels are sanctified by him; his holinesse is a substance, in men it is an accident. The essence of many Angels continues, though their holinesse be lost; most men never had holinesse, and the man would remaine, though his holinesse were lost.
2 Holinesse is in him without measure, in the highest degree, mans may be limited, it is in him immutable and infinite like himselfe, and cannot be lessened or augmented.
3 He is holy formally and subjectively, holinesse is a conformity to the will of God; how holy then must he needs be when his nature and will are all one?
4 Objectively he is the object of all holnesse,Our holinesse is terminated in him. for there is no holinesse but what hath him for the object.
5 Exemplarly,Exod. 28. 36. Be ye holy as I am holy, so Christ bids us learn of him for he was meeke and humble.
God is holy in Heaven, holy in earth, holy in hell it selfe, holy in glorifying Angels, holy in justifying men, holy in punishing divels, holy in his Nature, Word, Workes, Glorious in holinesse, Exod. 15.
Reasons of Gods holinesse.Why God must be holy. God hath manifested his holinesse, 1. In his word, his precepts.
1 This is the foundation of all his other excellencies; for if he were not thus taken up with himselfe, he could not be perfect in wisdome, power, justice, mercy, neither could he carry himselfe to the creature as were fit, if he did not first carry himselfe to himselfe as were fit. If a King doe not duly regard himselfe in his royall authority,2 By instituting the Sabbath to be kept holy. Esay 58. 3. he can never duly governe his subjects.
2 Else he could not be perfectly happy; whatsoever thing lookes to somewhat without it selfe, to make it be well and contented, and enjoy it selfe,3 By causing a holy Tabernacle and Temple to be erected wherein were all holy things. that is but imperfectly happy, because not happy without another. That alone is capable of perfect blessednesse which hath all things in and of it selfe, without respect to any other thing, by which it enjoyes it selfe.4 By instituting holy Priests. 5 By inflicting his judgements on those which prophane holy things, 2 Sam. 6. 7. & 1 Sam. 6. 19, 20.
God is holy in these particulars:
1 In his will; whatsoever God wils is holy, whether it be his secret will and purpose, or his revealed will and word.
2 In all his workes, Ephes. 1. He hath predestinated us to be holy, this is the end of all his graces to make us like himselfe;Gods Word will make holy persons and families. this is likewise the end of his Ordinances, his Word and Sacraments are to make us holy, so his workes of justice, Christs death.
3 In his Lawes and Commandements, Psalm 19. His Commandements are just and right, and require holinesse of heart, not suffering the least sinfull motion, Thou shalt not covet.
Holinesse is the beauty of all Gods Attributes, without which his Wisdome would be but subtilty,Mr. Scudder. his Justice cruelty, his Soveraignty tyrannie, his mercy foolish pitty.
This distinguisheth him from all Heathen gods which were wicked,Holinesse is (as it were) the Character of Christ Jesus, the Image of God, the beauty, the strength the riches, the life, the soule of the soule, and of the whole man. It is a very beame of the Divine light, called therefore by the Apostle the divine nature. holinesse distinguisheth between Angels and divels, Heaven and Hell.
Amongst the Turkes, Jewes, Indians, Persians, and the Papists themselves at this day, the most zealous and holiest as they conceive them in their Religion, are most esteemed and honoured, and onelyonly in the greater part of the Protestant Churches, the most knowing and tenacious of the Evangelicall truth, and the most strict and godly in their lives are hated, nicknamed, disgraced, and vilified. Sir Simonds D'Ewes primitive practice for preserving truth, Sect. 17.
1 This condemnes the Pope,Consectaries from Gods …olinesse. who proudly arrogates the Title of the most*Qua de re lepida sabula accidisse narratur in Concilio Tridentino, de quodam Episcopo, quem offendit ille papae titulus propterea, Nam si Deus inqui…bat tantum sanctus, quomodo ejus vicarius dici potest sanctissimus? Adiit magnumspericulum ea de causa. Drusius in 15 num. c. 64. holy, and holinesse it selfe; the high Priest was to be holy, Numb. 16. 7. but he will be termed most holy.
2 Hypocrites, civill honest men, and prophane men, who scoffe at purity and holinesse which is Gods excellency; it was the Devils device to bring that slander on early holinesse, A young Saint, an old Divell.
Angelieus juvenis, senibus satanisat in anhis.
Erasmus (in his pietas puerilis) saith, that proverbe was devised by the devill himselfe; it is contrary to that of Salomon, Prov. 22. 6. It was a great commendation of Origen that he learned the Scripture of a child. Eusebius. The like Paul saith of Timothy, 2 Tim 3. 15.
3 Confutes merits, the Angels are impure in his sight.
4 We should be holy like God, not in degree, but in resemblance, 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16. we should be holy in our affections, actions. Holinesse should be prized and admired, the Seraphi…s sing one to another Holy, holy, holy, Esay 6. 3. They choose this out of all Gods Attributes to praise him for.We should esspecially think of the holinesse of God when we worship him. 17 John 11: 22, Psalm 3. because then we draw nigh to God. We should pray to God with pure hearts, worship him holily, John 4. 24. Zach. 14 20, 21. that is, men should be holy in those ordinary naturall actions of eating and drinking.
5 This ministers comfort to the Saints, and assures them that they shall finde favour with him; and is for terrour to the unholy which are altogether carried to themselves, led by themselves, and set up themselves and these things below. They love that which God lo…thes; God must necessarily hate sinne,Levit. 10. 3. because it is so contrary to him. That he doth so, it appears,If we may judge of the privation by the habits perfection, how great an evill must sinne be, when God is so great a good. 1. In his depriving man of an infinite good, Infinite glory and happinesse. 2. In inflicting on him infinite torments.
6 We should labour after holinesse, 1. to goe quite out of our selves, and all creatures, and goe wholy as it were unto God, making him the ground, measure and end of all our actions, striving above all things to know him, esteeme him, and set all our powers upon him. This is the felicity of the creature,foreign quasi foreign say the E…ymologists, Holy is as much as not earthly. to be holy as God is holy; this is the felicity of the Saints in Heaven, they care for nothing but God, are wholy and altogether carried to him and filled with him. He is all in all unto them, as he is all in all unto himselfe. In being thus carried to him, they are united to him and enjoy him and are blessed.Holinesse is a separation both from sinne and the world. The will of God is the rule of holinesse, as his nature is the patterne of it. See Acts 13. 22.
9 God is kind, This Attribute of kindnesse is the same with goodnesse before spoken of viz. communicative goodnesse.Exod 34. 7. Keeping kindnesse for thousands, so it should be rendered; he spake of Gods mercy in the sixth verse, see Ephes. 3. 7. Titus 3. 4. it is called great kindnesse, Neh. 9. 17. Marvellous kindnesse, Psalm 31. 21. Mercifull kindnesse, Psalm 119. 2. Everlasting kindnesse, Isa. 54. 8. Excellent loving kindesse, Psalm 36. 7. Multitude of loving kindnesse, Isa. 63. 74. We should shew loving kindnesse unto Christ, and one unto another, 2 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Cor. 13. 4.
Some mention two other vertues
1 Gods jealousie, by which he will have all due glory given to him, and suffers not the least part of it to be communicated to the creature. This care of his honour and fame is manifest by the grievous punishments inflicted on those who have dared to arrogate part of the Divine glory to themselves,Esay 48. 11. & 42. 8. Exod. 20. 5. as on the builders, of Babell, Gen. 11. 4. the Bethshemites, 1 Sam. 6. 19 Nebuchadne…ar, Dan. 4. 29, 30. and Herod, Acts 21. 22, 23.
2 His humility, by which God descends to our capacity, and graciously provides for our weaknesse,Psalm 113. 5, 6. examples of which are both Gods familiar conversing and conference with Moses and Abraham interceding for Sodome, with David and others, and especially the incarnation of Christ.Gen. 18. 1 Sam. 30. 8.