The divine life in three treatises

CHAP. XX.

19. THE next Attribute to be spoke of, is, his Mercifulness, and his Long-suffering Patience, which we may set together. This is implied in his Goodness, and the Relation of a Father before expressed. Mercy is Gods Goodness inclining him to prevent or remove his creatures Misery. It is not only the Miserable that are the object of it, but also those that may be miserable; it being as truly Mercy to keep us out of it foreseen, as to deliver us out of it when we are in it. Hence it is that he taketh not Pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he turn and Live. And hence it is that he Afflicts not willingly, nor grieves the children of men, Lam. 3. 33. Not that his Mercy engageth him to do all that he can do for the salvation of every sinner, or absolutely to prevent or heal his misery; But it is his Attribute chiefly considered as Governor of the Rational Creature; and so his Mercy is so great to all, that he will destroy none but for their wilful sin, and shut none among us out of Heaven, but those that were guilty of contemning it. God doth not prevent the sinner with his Judgement, but with his Grace he often doth. He never punisheth before we are sinners, nor never Decreed so to do, as all will grant. He punisheth none, where his foregoing commands and warnings have had their due effect for the prevention: And therefore because the Precept is the first part of his Law, and the Threatening is but subservient to that, and the first intent of a Governor is to procure ⟨p. 145⟩Obedience, and Punishing is but upon supposition that he misseth of the first; therefore is God said not to afflict willingly; because he doth it not ex voluntate antecedente, but ex voluntate consequente, that is (for so the distinction is sound) not as a Lawgiver, and Ruler by those Laws considered before the violation; but only as a Judge of the Law-breakers. But yet Gods Mercy is no security to the abusers of his Mercy. But rather will sink them into deeper misery, as the aggravation of their sin: As God Afflicts not willingly, and yet we feel that he afflicteth: so if he do not condemn you willingly, you shall find i you are impenitent, that yet he will condemn you.