each P E lt s ó ly 259 there could be little confolation gathered from the former.. And.thereforè though God may teach men his goodnefs and forbearance, by fending them rain and fruitful feafons, yet withal at the faine time upon all occafions revealing bis wrath from heaven againfl the ungodlinfs of men, Rom. i. 18. It is impoffible that they fhould do any thing, but miferably fluc- tuate and tremble at the event of thefe difpenfations, and yet thisis the' beft that into can have out of Chrift, the utmoft they can attain un- to, with the prefent polfefion of good things adminiftred in this pati- ence, men might and did for a feafon take up their thoughts, .. and fa- tiate themfelves ; but yet they were not in the .leaft delivered from the (a) bondage they were in by reafon of death, and the darknefs attending it. The law reveals no patience or forbearance in God, it fpeaks, as to the ilfue of tranfgrefion, nothing but fword and fire, had not God interpofed by an a& of fovereignty. But now, as was faid, with that revelation of forbearance which we have in Chrift, there is alfo a dif- covery of the fatisfa &ion of his juftice and wrath againit fin, fo that we need not fear any a&ings from them, to interfere with the works of his patience, which are fo fweet unto us. Hence God is faid to be in Cbrifl reconciling the world to himfelf, 2 Cor. v. 19. manifefting him- felf in him, as one that bath now no more to do, for manifeftation of all his attributes, that is, for the glorifying of himfelf, but only to forbear, reconcile, and pardon fin in him. (2. In the nature of it ; what is there in that forbearance, which out of Chrift is revealed? meetly a not immediate punifhing upon the (b) of- fence; and withal giving and continuing temporal mercies; fuch,things, as men are prone to abufe, and may perifh with their bafums full of them, to eternity. That which lies hid in Chrift, and is revealed from him, is full of love, fweetnefs, tendernefs, kindnefs, grace. It is the Lords waiting to he gracious to fhnners, waiting for an advantage to Phew love and kindnefs for the molt eminent endearing of a foul unto himfelf, Ifa. xxx. 18. Therefore will the Lord wait, that be may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may bave mercy upon you. Neither is there any revelation of God, that the foul finds mare fweetnefs in, than this. When it is experimentally convinced, that God from time to time hall paffed by many innume- rable iniquities; he is afloniflied to think that God lhould do fo, and admires that he did not take the advantage of his provocations, to call him out of his prefence; he finds that with infinite wifdom in all long-fuffering he bath managed all his difpenfations towards him,- to recover him from the power of the Devil, to rebuke and chaften his fpirit for fin, to endear him unto himfelf; there is, I fay, nothing of greater fweetnefs to the foul than this, and therefore the apoftle fays, Rom. iii. 25. that all is through the forbearance of God, God makes way for compleat forgivenets of fins,. through this his forbear- ance; which the other doth not. (3. They differ in their ends arid aims. What is the aim and defign of God in the difpenfation of that forbearance, which is manifefted, and may be difcovered out of Chrilt, the apoftle tells us, Rom. ix. 22. What if God willing to fbëw his wrath, and to make his pother known, endured with much longfulfering the veffels of wrath fitted far Animutd nageln, bldaduld, Hanes cömdqu' corporís; Quz our, abibis in lota pallida, rigida, oudulat Nec ut lines dab's jotti. Nad. Imp. (6) Rom. ii. 4, 5, 9, ax: deffru£liori ?
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