This Patience of thy God is amplified by considering,1
1. How odious sin is to him; the evil of sin never obtained a good look from God; Thou art of purer eyes then to behold iniquity. He seeth all sins with an eye of observation, but he seeth no sin with an eye of approbation. Tis not out of any love to sin that he is so long-suffering towards sinners, for sin is the object of his anger and dislike; He is angry with sinners every day. Sin is the object of his wrath, which is anger boiled up to its greatest heat; The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men. Nay its the object of his hatred, which is the highest degree of detestation; Hatred is abhorrency heightened to an implacability. Bare anger might be appeased, wrath might be pacified, but hatred is irreconcilable; The foolish shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all workers of iniquity. ⟨p. 468⟩Six things doth the Lord hate, yea seven are an abomination to him. There is an antipathy in his nature against the smallest sin, as sin is contrary to his being, law, and honour; though he be so perfect a God, that no sin can be hurtful to him, yet he is so pure a God, that every sin is hateful to him. Therefore the Scripture speaking of God, after the manner of men, represents it as offensive to every of his senses. It grates his ears, and thence he complains of the cry of Sodom; It provoketh his eyes, and hence it is said, Evil cannot stand in thy sight, neither canst thou behold the workers of iniquity; It oppresseth his feeling, wherefore he •s said to be pressed with •in, as a Cart is pressed with sheaves; It displeaseth his smell, and so he calleth sinners rotten car••sses, open sepulchres, that send forth noisome savours. He proclaims to the world the offensiveness of sin to his sacred Majesty by the names he gives it in his royal Law, wherein •e forbids it; He calls it dung, mire, vomit, filth, superfluity of naughtiness, filthiness, a menstruous cloth, a plague, an issue, an ulcer; And yet though sin be thus infinitely loathsome and odious to him, he bears with men that are all over infected with it in the highest degree.
22. The condition of sinners. His patience is much heightened by considering who they are that distaste and provoke him with their sins; they are his creatures, the work of his hands.
This Patience of thy God is amplified by considering,1
1. How odious sin is to him; the evil of sin never obtained a good look from God; Thou art of purer eyes then to behold iniquity. He seeth all sins with an eye of observation, but he seeth no sin with an eye of approbation. Tis not out of any love to sin that he is so long-suffering towards sinners, for sin is the object of his anger and dislike; He is angry with sinners every day. Sin is the object of his wrath, which is anger boyled up to its greatest heat; The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighttousness and ungodliness of men. Nay its the object of his hatred, which is the highest degree of detestation; Hatred is abhorrency heightned to an implacability. Bare anger might be appeased, wrath might be pacified, but hatred is irreconcileable; The foolish shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all workers of iniquity. ⟨p. 468⟩Six things doth the Lord hate, yea seven are an abomination to him. There is an antipathy in his nature against the smallest sin, as sin is contrary to his being, law, and honour; though he be so perfect a God, that no sin can be hurtful to him, yet he is so pure a God, that every sin is hateful to him. Therefore the Scripture speaking of God, after the manner of men, represents it as offensive to every of his senses. It grates his ears, and thence he complains of the cry of Sodom; It provoketh his eyes, and hence it is said, Evil cannot stand in thy sight, neither canst thou behold the workers of iniquity; It oppresseth his feeling, wherefore he •s said to be pressed with •in, as a Cart is pressed with sheaves; It displeaseth his smell, and so he calleth sinners rotten car••sses, open sepulchres, that send forth noisom savours. He proclaimes to the world the offensiveness of sin to his sacred Majesty by the names he gives it in his royal Law, wherein •e forbids it; He calls it dung, mire, vomit, filth, superfluity of naughtiness, filthiness, a menstruous cloth, a plague, an issue, an ulcer; And yet though sin be thus infinitely loathsom and odious to him, he bears with men that are all over infected with it in the highest degree.
22. The condition of sinners. His patience is much heightned by considering who they are that distaste and provoke him with their sins; they are his creatures, the work of his hands.
- 1Patience amplified towards sinners, 1 In that God hates sin.
- 2The co• dition of sinners.
