Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

God of Patience and Consolation may well be joined, since Patience is the first step of comfort to the poor creature. If it did not administer some comfortable hopes to Adam, in the interval between his fall, and God's coming to examine him; I am sure it was the first discovery of any comfort to the creature, after the sweeping the destroying deluge out of the World; Gen. 9.21. After the savour of Noah's Sacrifice, representing the great Sacrifice which was to be in the World, had ascended up to God, the return from him is a publication of his forbearing to punish any more in such a manner: And though he found man no better than he was before, and the imaginations of mens hearts as evil as before the deluge, that he would not again smite every living thing, as he had done. This was the first expression of comfort to Noah, after his exit from the Ark; And declares nothing else but the continuance of Patience to the New World, above what he had shown to the Old.

God of Patience and Consolation may well be joyned, since Patience is the first step of comfort to the poor creature. If it did not administer some comfortable hopes to Adam, in the interval between his fall, and God's coming to examine him; I am sure it was the first discovery of any comfort to the creature, after the sweeping the destroying deluge out of the World; Gen. 9.21. After the savour of Noah's Sacrifice, representing the great Sacrifice which was to be in the World, had ascended up to God, the return from him is a publication of his forbearing to punish any more in such a manner: And though he found man no better than he was before, and the imaginations of mens hearts as evil as before the deluge, that he would not again smite every living thing, as he had done. This was the first expression of comfort to Noah, after his exit from the Ark; And declares nothing else but the continuance of Patience to the New World, above what he had shewn to the Old.

1. 'Tis a comfort, in that 'tis an argument of his Grace to his people. If he hath so rich a Patience to exercise towards his enemies, he hath a greater treasure to bestow upon his friends. Patience is the first attribute, which steps in for our Salvation, and therefore called Salvation.