Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

2. It informs us of the reason, why he lets the Enemies of his Church oppress it, and defers his promise of the deliverance of it. If he did punish them presently, his holiness and Justice would be glorified, but his power over himself in his patience would be obscured. Well may the Church be content, to have a perfection of God glorified, that is not like to receive any honour in another World by any exercise of it self. If it were not for this patience, he were uncapable to be the Governor of a sinful World; he might without it be the Governor of an innocent World, but not of a criminal one; he would be the destroyer of the World, but not the orderer and disposer of the extravagances, and sinfulness of the World. The interest of his Wisdom in drawing good out of evil, would not be served, if he were not clothed with this perfection as well as with others. If he did presently destroy the Enemies of his Church upon the first oppression, his wisdom in contriving, and his power in accomplishing deliverance against the united powers of Hell and Earth, would not be visible, no nor that power in preserving his people unconsumed in the furnace of Affliction. He had not got so great a name in the rescue of his Israel from Pharaoh, had he thundered the Tyrant into destruction upon his first Edicts against the innocent. If he were not patient to the most violent of men, he might seem to be cruel. But when he offers peace to them under their rebellions, waits that they may be members of his Church, rather than Enemies to it; he frees himself from any such imputation, even in the judgment of those that shall feel most of his wrath; 'tis this renders the equity of his Justice unquestionable, and the deliverance of his people righteous in the Judgment of those from whose fetters they are delivered. Christ Reigns in the midst of his Enemies, to show his power over himself, as well as over the heads of his Enemies, to show his power over his Rebels. And though he retards his promise, and suffers a great interval of time between the publication and performance, sometimes years, sometimes ages to pass away, and little appearance of any preparation, to show himself a God of Truth; 'Tis not that he hath forgotten his Word, or repents, that ever he passed it, or sleeps in a supine neglect of it:

2. It informs us of the reason, why he lets the Enemies of his Church oppress it, and deferrs his promise of the deliverance of it. If he did punish them presently, his holiness and Justice would be glorifyed, but his power over himself in his patience would be obscured. Well may the Church be content, to have a perfection of God glorified, that is not like to receive any honor in another World by any exercise of it self. If it were not for this patience, he were uncapable to be the Governour of a sinful World; he might without it be the Governour of an innocent World, but not of a criminal one; he would be the destroyer of the World, but not the orderer and disposer of the extravagancies, and sinfulness of the World. The interest of his Wisdom in drawing good out of evil, would not be served, if he were not clothed with this perfection as well as with others. If he did presently destroy the Enemies of his Church upon the first oppression, his wisdom in contriving, and his power in accomplishing deliverance against the united powers of Hell and Earth, would not be visible, no nor that power in preserving his people unconsumed in the furnace of Affliction. He had not got so great a name in the rescue of his Israel from Pharaoh, had he thundered the Tyrant into destruction upon his first Edicts against the innocent. If he were not patient to the most violent of men, he might seem to be cruel. But when he offers peace to them under their rebellions, waits that they may be members of his Church, rather than Enemies to it; he frees himself from any such imputation, even in the judgment of those that shall feel most of his wrath; 'tis this renders the equity of his Justice unquestionable, and the deliverance of his people righteous in the Judgment of those from whose fetters they are delivered. Christ Reigns in the midst of his Enemies, to shew his power over himself, as well as over the heads of his Enemies, to shew his power over his Rebels. And though he retards his promise, and suffers a great interval of time between the publication and performance, sometimes years, sometimes ages to pass away, and little appearance of any preparation, to shew himself a God of Truth; 'Tis not that he hath forgotten his Word, or repents, that ever he passed it, or sleeps in a supine neglect of it: