The divine life in three treatises

5. By the failing and unfaithfulness of our friends, the wonderful Patience of God will be observed and honoured, as it is showed both to them and us. When they forsake us in our distress (especially when we suffer for the cause of Christ) it is God that they injure more than us: And therefore if he bear with them, and forgive their weakness upon repentance, why should not we do so that are much less injured? The worlds perfidiousness should make us think, How great and wonderful is the patience of God, that beareth with, and beareth up so vile, ungrateful, treacherous men that abuse him to whom they are infinitely obliged? And it should make us consider, when men deal treacherously with us, How great is that mercy that hath born with, and pardoned greater wrongs which I my self have done to God, than these can be which men have done to me! It was the remembrance of David's sin, that had provoked God to raise up his own Son against him (of whom he had been too fond) which made him so easily bear the curses and reproach of Shimei. It will make us bear abuse from others, to remember how ill we have dealt with God, and how ill we have deserved at his hands our selves.

5. By the failing and unfaithfulness of our friends, the wonderful Patience of God will be observed and honoured, as it is shewed both to them and us. When they forsake us in our distress (especially when we suffer for the cause of Christ) it is God that they injure more than us: And therefore if he bear with them, and forgive their weakness upon repentance, why should not we do so that are much less injured? The worlds persidiousness should make us think, How great and wonderful is the patience of God, that beareth with, and beareth up so vile, ungrateful, treacherous men that abuse him to whom they are infinitely obliged? And it should make us consider, when men deal treacherously with us, How great is that mercy that hath born with, and pardoned greater wrongs which I my self have done to God, than these can be which men have done to me! It was the remembran•e of David's sin, that had provoked God to raise up his own Son against him (of whom he had been too fond) which made him so easily bear the curses and reproach of Shimei. It will make us bear abuse from others, to remember how ill we have dealt with God, and how ill we have deserved at his hands our selves.