A32723:3422
Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God
Several discourses upon the existence and attributes of God by that late eminent minister in Christ, Mr. Stephen Charnocke ...
London: printed for D. Newman, 1682
A DISCOURSE UPON GODS Patience. › IV. The USE.A DISCOURSE UPON GODS Patience. › IV. The ƲSE.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. The Third Use is for Exhortation.
3. The Third Ʋse is for Exhortation.
I. Meditate often on the patience of God. The Devil labours for nothing more, than to deface in us the consideration and memory of this perfection. He is an envious creature, and since it hath reached out it self to us, and not to him, he envies God the Glory of it, and man the advantage of it. But God loves to have the Volumes of it studied, and daily turned over by us. We cannot without an inexcusable wilfulness miss the thoughts of it, since it is visible in every bit of bread, and breath of Air in our selves, and all about us.
I. Meditate often on the patience of God. The Devil labours for nothing more, than to deface in us the consideration and memory of this perfection. He is an envious creature, and since it hath reached out it self to us, and not to him, he envies God the Glory of it, and man the advantage of it. But God loves to have the Volumes of it studied, and daily turn'd over by us. We cannot without an inexcusable wilfulness miss the thoughts of it, since it is visible in every bit of bread, and breath of Air in our selves, and all about us.
1. The frequent consideration of his patience, would render God highly amiable to us. 'Tis a more endearing argument, than his mere goodness; His goodness to us as creatures, endowing us with such excellent faculties, furnishing us with such a commodious World, and bestowing upon us so many attendants for our pleasure and service, and giving us a Lordship over his other works, deserves our affection, But his patience to us as sinners after we have merited the greatest wrath, shows him to be of a sweeter disposition, than creating Goodness to unoffending Creatures; and consequently speaks a greater love in him, and bespeaks a greater affection from us. His Creating goodness discovered the Majesty of his Being, and the greatness of his mind, but this the sweetness and tenderness of his Nature. In this patience he exceeds the mildness of all Creatures to us; and therefore should be enthroned in our affections above all other Creatures. The consideration of this would make us affect him for his nature, as well as for his benefits.