Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

I did not presently call thee to the bar, and pronounce judicial sentence upon thee according to the Law, but demeaned my self, as if I had been ignorant of thy crimes, and. had not been invested with the power of judging thee for them, Chald. I waited for thy Conversion. God's Patience is the silence of his Justice, and the first whisper of his mercy.

I did not presently call thee to the bar, and pronounce judicial sentence upon thee according to the Law, but demean'd my self, as if I had been ignorant of thy crimes, and. had not been invested with the power of judging thee for them, Chald. I waited for thy Conversion. God's Patience is the silence of his Justice, and the first whisper of his mercy.

'Tis also expressed by not laying folly to men. Job 24.12. Men groan under the oppressions of others, yet God lays not folly to them, i. e. to the oppressors, God suffers them to go on with impunity. He doth not deliver his people, because he would try them, and takes not revenge upon the unrighteous, because in Patience he doth bear with them. Patience is the Life of his Providence in this World. He chargeth not men with their crimes here, but reserves them upon impenitency for another trial. This attribute is so great a one, that it is signally called by the name of perfection. Matt. 5.45, 48. He had been speaking of Divine goodness, and Patience to evil men, and he concludes, be you perfect, &c. Implying it to be an amazing perfection in the divine nature, and worthy of imitation.

'Tis also exprest by not laying folly to men. Job 24.12. Men groan under the oppressions of others, yet God layes not folly to them, i. e. to the oppressors, God suffers them to go on with impunity. He doth not deliver his people, because he would try them, and takes not revenge upon the unrighteous, because in Patience he doth bear with them. Patience is the Life of his Providence in this World. He chargeth not men with their crimes here, but reserves them upon impenitency for another tryal. This attribute is so great a one, that it is signally called by the name of perfection.