Fourthly, The exemplary or ideal cause of patience, is God and Christ. From 1them we have a most exact and complete rule of patience, Mat. 5. 48. Be ye therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father is. To be perfect is there to be patient, for he had before instanced in the patience of God, that even to the unjust he causeth the Sun to arise; and from this inferreth, Be ye therefore perfect: To be patient, and that to enemies, may be called perfection, because this alone is taught in Christianity. To love our friends is acknowledged a duty by all Nations, but to love enemies is only professed by Christians. Well then may we be patient under all the persecutions, reproaches and vexations the enemies of God bring upon us: For is not God patient towards them, and yet they are more his enemies then thine? He that could immediately be avenged on them; he that could command legions of Devils to drag them to hell presently, yet with much patience suffereth them. God is so patient, that as Tertullian, Ipsa sibi detrahit, (••de pat.) His patience detracteth from him, he seemeth to be a loser by it. For people sin the more obstinately and wilfully, because they meet with impunity. Because vengeance is not speedily executed, therefore the heart of the wicked is encouraged to evil, Eccles. 8. 11. It is true indeed, if we speak properly we cannot attribute the Greek word [Greek or Hebrew] to God, as if that were an attribute in him. The Scripture useth other words [Greek or Hebrew] and [Greek or Hebrew], but never [Greek or Hebrew], because God being most absolutely blessed and happy in himself, he cannot be under any misery: So as to be said [Greek or Hebrew], to be patient under it: neither can God be said to pati, to suffer, in a passive sense, yet his goodness, his forbearance, these are called patience. And from the patience of God we may be encouraged to a conformity thereunto. Should God be as impatient of thee, should he as little endure thy failings, as thou canst his dispensations, thou hadst been with Dives, calling for a drop of water long before this time, and not able to partake of it. Christ also is a wonderful exemplar cause of patience, for him to lay aside the manifestation of his glory, to be born of a Virgin, to be exposed to such an ignominious death:
Fourthly, The exemplary or ideal cause of patience, is God and Christ. From 1them we have a most exact and compleat rule of patience, Mat. 5. 48. Be ye therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father is. To be perfect is there to be patient, for he had before instanced in the patience of God, that even to the unjust he causeth the Sunne to arise; and from this inferreth, Be ye therefore perfect: To be patient, and that to enemies, may be called perfection, because this alone is taught in Christianity. To love our friends is acknowledged a duty by all Nations, but to love enemies is only professed by Christians. Well then may we be patient under all the persecutions, reproaches and vexations the enemies of God bring upon us: For is not God patient towards them, and yet they are more his enemies then thine? He that could immediately be avenged on them; he that could command legions of Devils to drag them to hell presently, yet with much patience suffereth them. God is so patient, that as Tertullian, Ipsa sibi detrahit, (••de pat.) His patience detracteth from him, he seemeth to be a loser by it. For people sinne the more obstinately and wilfully, because they meet with impunity. Because vengeance is not speedily executed, therefore the heart of the wicked is encouraged to evil, Eccles. 8. 11. It is true indeed, if we speak properly we cannot attribute the Greek word 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 to God, as if that were an attribute in him. The Scripture useth other words 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 and 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, but never 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, because God being most absolutely blessed and happy in himself, he cannot be under any misery: So as to be said 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, to be patient under it: neither can God be said to pati, to suffer, in a passive sense, yet his goodness, his forbearance, these are called patience. And from the patience of God we may be encouraged to a conformity thereunto. Should God be as impatient of thee, should he as little endure thy failings, as thou canst his dispensations, thou hadst been with Dives, calling for a drop of water long before this time, and not able to partake of it. Christ also is a wonderfull examplar cause of patience, for him to lay aside the manifestation of his glory, to be born of a Virgin, to be exposed to such an ignominious death:
- 14. God and Christ are the exemplary cause.
