Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

Again Justice is so far from being wronged by Patience, that it rather is made more illustrious, and hath the fuller scope to exercise it self; 'Tis the more righted for being deferred, and will have stronger grounds than before for its activity. The equity of it will be more apparent to every reason, the objections more fully answered against it when the way of dealing with sinners by patience hath been slighted. When this dam of long suffering is removed, the floods of fiery justice will rush down with more force and violence; Justice will be fully recompensed for the delay, when after Patience is abused, it can spread it self over the offender with a more unquestionable Authority, it will have more arguments to hit the sinner in the teeth with, and silence him. There will be a sharper edge for every stroke, the sinner must not only pay for the score of his former sins, but the score of abused patience; so that justice hath no reason to commence a suit against God's slowness to anger. What it shall want by the fullness of mercy upon the truly penitent, it will gain by the contempt of patience on the impenitent abusers. When men by such a carriage are ripened for the stroke of justice, justice may strike without any regret in it self, or pull-back from mercy. The contempt of long suffering will silence the pleas of the one, and spirit the severity of the other. To conclude, since God hath glorified his justice on Christ, as a surety for sinners, his patience is so far from interfering with the rights of his justice, that it promotes it; 'Tis dispensed to this end, that God might pardon with honour, both upon the score of purchased mercy, and contented justice; that by a penitent sinners return his mercy might be acknowledged free, and the satisfaction of his Justice by Christ be glorified in believing: for he is long suffering from an unwillingness, that any should perish, but that all should come to Repentance. 2 Pet. 3.9. i. e. All to whom the promise is made, for to such the Apostle speaks, and calls it long suffering to us ward; And Repentance being an acknowledgement of the demerit of sin, and a breaking off unrighteousness, gives a particular glory to the freeness of mercy, and the equity of Justice.

Again Justice is so far from being wrong'd by Patience, that it rather is made more illustrious, and hath the fuller scope to exercise it self; 'Tis the more righted for being deferred, and will have stronger grounds than before for its activity. The equity of it will be more apparent to every reason, the objections more fully answered against it when the way of dealing with sinners by patience hath been slighted. When this dam of long suffering is remov'd, the floods of fiery justice will rush down with more force and violence; Justice will be fully recompenc'd for the delay, when after Patience is abused, it can spread it self over the offender with a more unquestionable Authority, it will have more arguments to hit the sinner in the teeth with, and silence him. There will be a sharper edge for every stroke, the sinner must not only pay for the score of his former sins, but the score of abus'd patience; so that justice hath no reason to commence a suit against God's slowness to anger. What it shall want by the fulness of mercy upon the truly penitent, it will gain by the contempt of patience on the impenitent abusers. When men by such a carriage are ripen'd for the stroke of justice, justice may strike without any regret in it self, or pull-back from mercy. The contempt of long suffering will silence the pleas of the one, and spirit the severity of the other. To conclude, since God hath glorified his justice on Christ, as a surety for sinners, his patience is so far from interfering with the rights of his justice, that it promotes it; 'Tis dispensed to this end, that God might pardon with honour, both upon the score of purchased mercy, and contented justice; that by a penitent sinners return his mercy might be acknowledg'd free, and the satisfaction of his Justice by Christ be glorified in believing: for he is long suffering from an unwillingness, that any should perish, but that all should come to Repentance.