Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

III. Why God doth exercise so much patience.

1. To show himself appeaseable. God did not declare by his patience to former ⟨p. 809⟩ages, or any age, that he was appeased with them, or that they were in his favour; but that he was appeasable, that he was not an implacable Enemy, but that they might find him favourable to them, if they did seek after him. The continuance of the World by patience, and the bestowing many mercies by goodness were not a natural revelation of the manner how he would be appeased: That was made known only by the Prophets, and after the coming of Christ by the Apostles; and had indeed been intelligible in some sort to the whole World, had there been a faithfulness in Adams posterity, to transmit the tradition of the first promise to succeeding Generations. Had not the knowledge of that dyed by their carelessness, and neglect, it had been easy to tell the reason of Gods patience to be in order to the exhibition of the Seed of the woman, to bruise the Serpents head.

1. To shew himself appeaseable. God did not declare by his patience to former ⟨p. 809⟩ages, or any age, that he was appeased with them, or that they were in his favour; but that he was appeasable, that he was not an implacable Enemy, but that they might find him favourable to them, if they did seek after him. The continuance of the World by patience, and the bestowing many mercies by goodness were not a natural revelation of the manner how he would be appeased: That was made known only by the Prophets, and after the coming of Christ by the Apostles; and had indeed been intelligible in some sort to the whole World, had there been a faithfulness in Adams posterity, to transmit the tradition of the first promise to succeeding Generations. Had not the knowledge of that dyed by their carelesness, and neglect, it had been easie to tell the reason of Gods patience to be in order to the exhibition of the Seed of the woman, to bruise the Serpents head.