Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

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.

They could not but naturally know themselves sinners, and worthy of death, they might be easy reflections upon themselves, collect that they were not in that comely and harmonious posture now, as they were, when God first wrought them with his own finger, and placed them as his Lieutenants in the World; they knew they did grievously offend him, this they were taught by the sprinklings of his judgments among them sometimes. And since he did not utterly root up mankind, his sparing patience was a prologue of some further favours, or pardoning Grace to be displayed to the World by some methods of God yet unknown to them. Though the Earth was something impaired by the curse after the fall, yet the main pillars of it stood; the strate of the natural motions of the Creature was not changed, the Heavens remained in the same posture, wherein they were Created, the Sun and Moon and other heavenly bodies continued their usefulness and refreshing influences to man. The Heavens did still declare the Glory of God, day unto day did utter speech, their line is gone throughout all the Earth, and their words to the end of the World.