My Brethren, this Scripture (were there no other) shows 1that passion and anger debases man, we have a notable Scripture for this, that God glories in his long suffering and patience towards his Creature, in Numb. 14. 17. And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according 2as thou hast spoken. What had God spoken, or where had he spoken any thing? Mark, this Scripture hath reference to the latter end of Exod 32. there God promised that Moses should see his glory, and in Chap. 34. God made his glory pass by him, and what was it? The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundance in mercy and truth &c. Now Moses hath reference to this, Moses lays hold upon this, as if he should say, Oh Lord, was not there a time that I was pleading with thee? and diddest not thou promise to show me thy glory? and was it not the Lord long-suffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression &c? why now Lord manifest thy glory, now Lord show thy self to be a glorious God, in doing what? mark in the 19. verse, Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of 3this people: That's the glory that God should show forth, and manifest his power in it; one would rather think that the power of God should rather be manifest in the destruction of sinners; no, the power of God is manifest in Mercy as well as in misery and destruction: And we find that those that come up nearest to God, they are the 4most loving and gracious merciful hearts, yet if they do but come near to God so as possibly natural men may, to have but any magnanimity, that's a little nearer to God than a base sordid spirit, the magnanimousness of 5of any mans spirit appears in his love and forbearance and meekness, and gentleness, for so we know the Heathens could say, The greater any one is the more placable ⟨p. 174⟩is his anger, a generous mind not easily moved, and so he compares the Lyon, and Bears, and Wolves, […], the Lyon is a magnanimous Creature, therefore saith the Heathen, it's enough for to fall down before a magnanimous Lyon, but for Wolves and Bears they insult over those that falls down before them; So those that have the most magnanimous spirits have the most patient spirits, and forgiving spirits, and pardoning spirits:
My Brethren, this Scripture (were there no other) shews 1that passion and anger debases man, we have a notable Scripture for this, that God glories in his long suffering and patience towards his Creature, in Numb. 14. 17. And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according 2as thou hast spoken. What had God spoken, or where had he spoken any thing? Mark, this Scripture hath reference to the latter end of Exod 32. there God promised that Moses should see his glory, and in Chap. 34. God made his glory pass by him, and what was it? The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundance in mercy and truth &c. Now Moses hath reference to this, Moses laies hold upon this, as if he should say, Oh Lord, was not there a time that I was pleading with thee? and didest not thou promise to shew me thy glory? and was it not the Lord long-suffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression &c? why now Lord manifest thy glory, now Lord shew thy self to be a glorious God, in doing what? mark in the 19. verse, Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of 3this people: That's the glory that God should shew forth, and manifest his power in it; one would rather think that the power of God should rather be manifest in the destruction of sinners; no, the power of God is manifest in Mercie as well as in miserie and destruction: And we find that those that come up neerest to God, they are the 4most loving and gracious merciful hearts, yet if they do but come neer to God so as possibly natural men may, to have but any magnanimitie, that's a little neerer to God than a base sordid spirit, the magnanimousness of 5of any mans spirit appears in his love and forbearance and meekness, and gentleness, for so we know the Heathens could say, The greater any one is the more placable ⟨p. 174⟩is his anger, a generous mind not easily mov'd, and so he compares the Lyon, and Bears, and Wolves, 〈…〉, the Lyon is a magnanimous Creature, therefore saith the Heathen, it's enough for to fall down before a magnanimous Lyon, but for Wolves and Bears they insult over those that falls down before them; So those that have the most magnanimous spirits have the most patient spirits, and forgiving spirits, and pardoning spirits:
- 1Use.
- 2Numb. 14. 17. explained
- 3Vers. 19.
- 4Nearness to God most merciful.Neerness to God most merciful.
- 5yea, if but in amoralneernes.
