The Incomparableness of God, Treatise · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. God incomparable in his Mercy and Patience.
7. GOD is incomparable in his Mercy: Mercy is an Attribute of God, whereby he pittieth and relieveth his Creature in miſery. It's an Attribute which relateth to the Creature onelyonly; God knoweth himſelf, and loveth himſelf, and glorifieth himſelf; but he is not merciful to himſelf: It is an Attribute that relateth to the Creature in miſery. Juſtice ſeeks a worthy Object, Grace is exerciſed towards an unworthy Object, but Mercy looks out for a needy, an indigent Object. God is bountiful and gracious to Elect Angels, becauſe they could not deſerve that perfection and happineſs which they enjoy; but he is not merciful to them, for they were never miſerable. Fallen Man is the proper Object of Mercy, as being not only undeſerving of the leaſt good, but as alſo having plunged himſelf into all evil. Mercy is an Attribute, whereby he pittieth his Creature in miſery: Hence he is ſaid in Scripture (after the manner of Men) to have tender Mercies, Pſal. 25.6. And bowels of Mercy, Luke 1.58. And to be afflicted in the Afflictions of his People, Iſa. 63.9. And to have his Soul grieved for the miſeries of Iſrael, Judges 10.15, 16. As tender Parents, are extremely troubled for the Afflictions of their Children, Pſal. 103.12, 13. So his Bowels are turned within him, his Repentings are kindled together, Hoſ. 11.8, 9. Mercy doth not onelyonly pity, but alſo relieve the afflicted; it hath an Hand to ſupply, as well as an Heart to pity thoſe that are in Diſtreſs, Iſaiah 34.18. Gen. 19.16.
The Attribute of Mercy is that which God glorieth in, and boaſteth of, Exod. 33.19. Pſal. 103.8. Noble and Heroick Spirits are ever gentle and merciful: The baſeſt Minds are moſt cruel, and fartheſt from Mercy. God ſaith, Fury is not in him, Iſaiah 27.4. Judgment is his ſtrange Work, Iſaiah 28.21. He doth not afflict willingly, Lament. 3.33. But delighteth in the Proſperity of his Servants, Pſalm 35.27. It's not his Nature to diſturb and deſtroy Men, it's their Sin that forceth Thunderbolts into his Hands, Iſaiah 44.22. His delight is in Mercy, Micah 7.18. The bleſſed God hath multitude of Mercies, Pſal. 51.1. To anſwer the multitude of the Creatures Miſeries, Abundant mercy, 1 Pet. 1.3. He is ſaid to be rich in mercy, Epheſ. 2.4. Exceeding abundant rich in mercy, Epheſ. 2.7. His Mercy, as Oyl, ſwims on the top of all his Attributes, is his delight, Jer. 32.41. I will rejoyce over them, to do them good. His Mercy, as Gold, being moſt excellent, over-layeth all his Works, Pſal. 145.7. His tender mercy is over all his Works. His Mercy is to all admiration: O how excellent is thy loving kindneſs, Pſal. 36.7. O how great is thy goodneſs, Pſal. 31.19. His Mercy is beyond all Apprehenſion; Thy Mercy reacheth to the Heavens, Pſal. 108.4. 1 Cor. 2.9. He is ſtiled the Father of Mercies, 2 Cor. 1.3. Not the Father of Juſtice or Fury.
Mercy is the Joy and Pleaſure of God: Hence he is ſaid to have a Mercy-Seat, and to have a Throne of Grace, Heb. 9.5. Sitting is a poſture of Eaſe and Reſt, but he riſeth to execute Juſtice, Pſal. 68.1. He doth reſt in his Love, Epheſ. 3.17. Mercy is the Glory and Honour of God. When Moſes deſired to ſee the Glory of God, Exod. 33.18. The Lord proclaims, The Lord God gracious, merciful, Exod. 34.6, 7. When God promiſeth to do great things for his People, That he will give them Health, abundance of Peace, cleanſe them from all their Filthineſs, and pardon all their Iniquities, Jer. 33.7, 8, 9. He gives us the fruit of it, verſe 9. And it ſhall be to me for a Name of Joy, a Praiſe and Glory before all Nations. His Mercy is his Riches, his Treaſure; Hence he is ſaid to be Rich in mercy, Eph. 2.4.
God is merciful in all he doth, univerſally merciful: All his wayes are Mercy and Truth, Pſal. 25.10. The whole World is a Volume written within and without with Characters of Mercy. He is merciful to all Men; Pſal. 145.9. Sheweth mercy to thouſands, Exod. 20.6. Exod. 34.7. Math. 5.45, 46. He is merciful at all times. His mercy endureth for ever, Pſal. 118.1. Pſal. 136.1, 2, 3. He is merciful in all reſpects; He giveth all ſorts of Mercies, 1 Tim. 6.13. Eph. 1.3. 2 Pet. 1.3, 4.
Men are merciful, Prov. 11.17. Pſal. 37.26. So are Angels in a ſenſe; but none of them comparable to God: The tender Mercies of the Wicked, yea of the righteous Men, yea of Angels, are Cruelties to the Mercies of God. Have they ſuch Pity, ſuch Bowels for miſerable Creatures as God hath? Have they ſuch Power, ſuch Ability, to relieve afflicted Ones as God hath? Can they afford preſerving, protecting Mercy, as God, Job 10.12. Pardoning and forgiving Mercy, Micah 7.18. Purifying and renewing Mercy, Epheſ. 2.4. Saving and eternal Mercy, Tit. 3.5, 6. O how infinitely ſhort do they come of him. He is ſo incomparable in Mercy, that Mercy is ſaid to belong onelyonly to him: Ʋnto thee, O Lord, belongeth Mercy, Pſal. 62.10. Unto thee, and none but thee. He is ſo merciful, that when his Bowels conflict with juſtice on the behalf of Sinners, and get the upper hand, he rejoyceth in the Victory; Mercy rejoyceth againſt Judgment, James 2.14. He is ſo merciful, that he diſpenſeth with his own Inſtitutions, for the ſake of it, Hoſ. 6.6. Math. 9.13. with Math. 12.7. Once more, he is ſo merciful, that he is upbraided with it, as if he were too fond of that Attribute, and loved it over-much, Jonah 4.2. Was not this my ſaying in my own Country? for I knew that thou waſt merciful. Thou didſt ſend me to Preach Deſtruction and Deſolation to Nineveh, but when I received the Meſſage, I knew all would be prevented by mercy, and that to Preach ſuch a Threatning, was but to diſgrace and diſhonor my ſelf, as a falſe Prophet, before the men of Nineveh; for I thought then, what is now come to paſs, that notwithſtanding the peremptorineſs of the Meſſage, Mercy would interpoſe, and prove me falſe.
8. God is incomparable in his Patience: Patience is that Attribute in God, whereby he beareth with Sinners, and forbears or defers their Puniſhment; or that, whereby he expecteth and waiteth long for their Converſion. He is a God ſlow to anger, Pſal. 103.8. He waiteth on Men to do them good, Iſa. 30.18. He is long-ſuffering, 2 Pet. 3.7, 9. Nay, He endureth with much long-ſuffering the Veſſels of Wrath, Rom. 9.22. He is the God of Patience, Rom. 15.5.
The Patience of God is the more admirable, if we conſider,
1. How perfectly he hateth Sin, Pſal. 5.4. Hab. 1.13. Prov. 6.16. And how offenſive it is to him, it grieveth him, Eph. 4.30. It preſſeth him as Sheaves preſs a Cart, Amos 2.13. He is broken with their whoriſh Hearts, Ezek. 6.9. Though he be infinitely perfect, that no Sin can be hurtful to him; yet he is ſo infinitely pure, that all Sin is hateful to him.
2. What an affront Sin is to him; A contempt of his Authority, therefore call'd a deſpiſing him, 1 Sam. 2.30. An ecclipſing his Honour, therefore call'd a diſhonouring him, Rom. 2.23. A contention with him for Maſtery, therefore call'd a fighting againſt him, Acts 5.39. Job 15.25. A violation of his Commands, therefore call'd a tranſgreſſion of the Law, 1 John 3.4. It affronts his Wiſdome, therefore call'd folly, 2 Sam. 24.10. His Juſtice, therefore call'd unrighteouſneſs, 1 John 1.6, 7. His Patience, therefore call'd a deſpiſing his long-ſuffering, Rom. 2.4. His Mercy, therefore call'd a turning his Grace into wantonneſs, Jude ver. 4. His Truth, therefore call'd a Lye, Iſa. 44.20. It muſt be infinite Patience, to bear with that which is the Object of infinite hatred.
3. Who they are who thus dare and provoke him? They are his Creatures, Pſal. 100.2. whom he hath infinitely obliged, Lament. 3.22, 23. And laden with innumerable Bleſſings, Pſal. 116.12. And loved unconceiveably, John 3.16. And ſeeks daily to over-come with his kindneſs, Pſal. 130.5. Hoſ. 11.1. Yet theſe turn Rebels and Traytors, deviſe and endeavour his Ruine, and ioyn with Satan, his Arch-enemy, in order thereunto, Eph. 2.2, 3. Job 15.25, 26.
4. That he knoweth all Mens Sins, the number of them, the nature of them, all the aggravations they admit of: He knoweth their Thoughts, Words, Actions, Pſal. 139. I know all their Wickedneſs, and all their Sins, Amos 5.12. Ezek. 11.5.
5. That he hath Power in his Hands to avenge himſelf, when he pleaſeth; He can look, ſpeak, think, his Creature into Hell-fire: Here is the Miracle, He that is great in Power, is ſlow to Anger, Nah. 1.3.
6. That he is the more provoked, becauſe of his Patience: The Revenues of Heaven are at preſent impaired by it; Good Men hereby queſtion and quarrel with his Providence, Pſal. 73.2, 3, 4. Jer. 12.1, 2, 3. Bad Men hereby are encouraged to continue in Sin, and to judge Him an Abettor of their Prophaneneſs, Eccleſ. 8.11. Pſal. 50.21.
7. That he beareth notwithſtanding all this, Year after Year, many Years, forty Years with the Jews, Pſal. 95.10. With the old World 120 Years, Gen. 6.3. With the Amorites 400 Years, Gen. 15.13, 14.
8. That he doth not onelyonly forbear them, but alſo do them good: He continueth Life, and Health, and Food, and Rayment, and Friends and Relations; nay, the Goſpel and Salvation, and ſeaſons of Grace, and tenders of his Love and Favor, and of everlaſting Life, Acts 17.17, 18, 27, 28. Luke 19.41. Job 21.14, 15, 16. 2 Cor. 5.19, 20.
Men are Patient: Moſes was the meekeſt man on Earth, Numb. 12.12. But could he bear as God? No. When the Iſraelites provoked him, he was impatient, Pſal. 106.33. They provoked his Spirit, that he ſpake unadviſedly with his Lips. The Apoſtles were good men, yet upon a little affront, they call for Fire from Heaven, Luke 9.54. If God ſhould be as impatient towards the moſt patient Men, as they are towards others, woe would be to them that ever they were born.
But though Men come ſhort; yet, are not Angels as patient as God? Surely No, Angels cannot bear like God with ſuch a froward peeviſh piece as man is: The Lord told Moſes, That he would not go up in the midſt of them, leaſt he ſhould conſume them for their Sins; but he would ſend an Angel before them, to drive out the Canaanites, Exod. 33.2. Yet verſe 4. When the People heard theſe evil Tydings, they mourned; and no Man did put on his Ornaments. What evil Tydings? 1. They ſhould have an Angel for their Guide and Guard, that was both ſtronger and wiſer then any Men. 2. An Angel that ſhould drive out their Enemies, (God undertaketh for that) and bring them into the beſt Country under Heaven. 3. God gives them the reaſon why he declines their immediate Conduct, leaſt their ſtubbornneſs ſhould provoke him to deſtroy them; yet they weep and mourn at theſe tydings. Alas, they knew if God could not bear with their Provocations, much leſs could Angels; and therefore if Angels be their Guides, they muſt periſh. If they could tire out infinite forbearance, and drain an Ocean; they muſt needs quickly tire out finite Patience, and drain a little Stream: How ſoon would limited forbearance, and a drop of patience be ſpent. God is ſo incomparable in his patience, that he is called The God of all Patience; not onelyonly becauſe he hath all manner of patience in him, but becauſe he hath ingroſt it all to himſelf.