4. The fourth exhortation is, Let us imitate God’s patience in our own to others. He is unlike God that is hurried, with an unruly impetus, to punish others for wronging him. The consideration of Divine patience should make us square ourselves according to that pattern. God hath exercised a long‑suffering from the fall of Adam to this minute on innumerable subjects, and shall we be transported with desire of revenge upon a single injury? If God were not “slow to wrath,” a sinful world had been long ago torn up from the foundation. And if revenge should be exercised by all men against their enemies, what man should have been alive, since there is not a man without an enemy? If every man were like Saul, breathing out threatenings, the world would not only be an aceldema, but a desert. How distant are they from the nature of God, who are in a flame upon every slight provocation from a sense of some feeble and imaginary honor, that must bloody their sword for a trifle, and write their revenge in wounds and death! When God hath his glory every day bespattered, yet he keeps his sword in his sheath; what a woe would it be to the world, if he drew it upon every affront! This is to be like brutes, dogs, or tigers, that snarl, bite, and devour, upon every slight occasion: but to be patient is to be divine, and to show ourselves acquainted with the disposition of God. “Be you therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. v. 48):i. e. Be you perfect and good; for he had been exhorting them to bless them that cursed them, and to do good to them that hated them, and that from the example God had set them, in causing his sun to rise upon the evil as well as the good. “Be you therefore perfect.” To conclude: as patience is God’s perfection, so it is the accomplishment of the soul: and as his “slowness to anger” argues the greatness of his power over himself, so an unwillingness to revenge is a sign of a power over ourselves which is more noble than to be a monarch over others.
INDEX.
A.
Acquaintance with God. Men are unwilling to have any, [i. 158.] See [Communion]. Actions. A greater proof of principles than words, [i. 92]. All are known by God, [i. 424]. Activity. Required in spiritual worship, [i. 227], [228] Adam. The greatness of his sin, [ii. 269], [429]. See [Man], and [Fall of Man]. Additions. In matters of religion an invasion of God’s sovereignty, [ii. 432], [433]. See [Worship], and [Ceremonies]. Admiration. Ought to be exercised in spiritual worship, [i. 233]. Affections, human. In what sense ascribed to God, [i. 340–343]. Afflictions, sharp. Make Atheists fear there is a God, [i. 81]. Make us impatient (see [Impatience]). We should be patient under them (see [Patience]). Many call on God only under them, [i. 151]. Fill us with distraction in the worship of God, [i. 258]. The presence of God a comfort in them, [i. 399]; and his knowledge, [i. 488]. The wisdom of God apparent in them, [i. 547–550]. The wisdom of God a comfort in them, [i. 593]; and his power, [ii. 98], [99]; and his sovereignty, [ii. 451]. Do not impeach his goodness, [ii. 243], [244]. The goodness of God seen in them, [ii. 309–311]. His goodness a comfort in them, [ii. 342]. Acts of God’s sovereignty, [ii. 373–376]; the consideration of which would make us entertain them as we ought, [ii. 456]. Age. Many neglect the serving of God till old, [i. 113]. Air. How useful a creature, [i. 54]. Almighty. How often God is so called in Scripture, [ii. 10]. How often in Job, [ii. 36]. Angels. Good, what benefit they have by Christ, [i. 536], [ii. 263], [264]. Not instruments in the creation of man, [ii. 41]. Evil, not redeemed, [ii. 263], [264]. Angels. Not governors of the world, [ii. 328], [329]. Subject to God, [ii. 381], [382]. Apostasy. Men apostatize from God when his will crosses theirs, [i. 135]. In times of persecution, [i. 149], [150]. By reason of practical atheism, [i. 167]. Apostles, the first preachers of the gospel. Mean and worthless men, [ii. 69–71]. Spirited by Divine power for spreading of it, [ii. 72–74]. The wisdom of God seen in using such instruments, [i. 578], [579]. Applauding ourselves. See [Pride]. Atheism. Opens a door to all manner of wickedness, [i. 24]. Some spice of it in all men, [i. 25–27]. The greatest folly, [i. 24–77]. Common in our days, [i. 26], [79], [80]. Strikes at the foundation of all religion, [i. 26]. We should establish ourselves against it, [ib.] It is against the light of natural reason, [i. 2]. Against the universal consent of all nations, [i. 29], [30]. But few, if any, professed it in former ages, [i. 32–34], [80]. Would root up the foundations of all government, [i. 77]. Introduce all evil into the world, [i. 78]. Pernicious to the atheist himself, [i. 79]. The cause of public judgments, [i. 80]. Men’s lusts the cause of it, [i. 82]. Promoted by the devil most since the destruction of idolatry, [i. 84]. Uncomfortable, [i. 85]. Directions against it, [i. 87]. All sin founded in a secret atheism, [i. 93]. Atheism, practical. Natural to man, [i. 89]. Natural since the fall, [i. 90]. To all men, [ib.] Proved by arguments, [i. 99–161]. We ought to be humbled for it, both in ourselves and others, [i. 167]. How great a sin it is, [i. 169–171]. Misery will attend it, [i. 171], [172]. We should watch against it, [ib.] Directions against it, [i. 172], [173]. Atheist. Can never prove there is no God, [i. 81]. All the creatures fight against him, [ib.] In afflictions, suspects and fears there is a God, [i. 82]. How much pains he takes to blot out the notion, [ib.] Suppose it were an even lay that there were no God, yet he is very imprudent, [i. 83]. Uses not means to inform himself, [ib.] Atoms. The world not made by a casual concourse of them, [i. 50]. Attributes of God. Bear a comfortable respect to believers, [i. 513]. Authority. How distinguished from power, [ii. 364].
B.
Best we have. Ought to be given to God, [i. 242–244]. Blessings. Spiritual, God only the author of, [ii. 357]. Temporal, God uses a sovereignty in bestowing them, [ii. 412], [413]. See [Riches]. Body of man. How curiously wrought, [i. 63–67], [523]. Every human one hath different features, [i. 66]. God hath none (see [Spirit]). We must worship God with our bodies, [i. 219–222]; yet not with our bodies only. See [Soul], and [Worship]. Bodily shape. We must not conceive of God under a, [i. 197], [198]. Bodily members. Ascribed to him (see [Members].) Brain. How curious a workmanship, [i. 65].
C.
Calf, golden. The Israelites worshipped the true God under, [i. 195]. Callings. God fits and inclines men to several, [i. 531], [532]; [i. 598]. Appoints every man’s calling, [ii. 421]. Cause, a first. Of all things, [i. 50], [51]; which doth necessarily exist, and is infinitely perfect, [i. 51]. Censure. God not to be censured in his counsels, actions, or revelations, [i. 295]. Or in his ways, [i. 605], [606]. Censuring the hearts of others. Is an injury to God’s omniscience, [i. 478]. Men, is a contempt of God’s sovereignty, [ii. 441]. Ceremonial Law. Abolished to promote spiritual worship, [i. 213]. Called flesh, [ib.] Not a fit means to bring the heart into a spiritual frame, [i. 214]. Rather hindered than furthered spiritual worship, [i. 215], [216]. God never testified himself well‑pleased with it, nor intended it should always last, [i. 216–218]. The abrogation of it doth not argue any change in God, [i. 346]. The holiness of God appears in it, [ii. 131], [132]. Ceremonies. Men are prone to bring their own into God’s worship, [i. 133], [134]. See [Worship], and [Additions], &c. Chance. The world not made nor governed by it, [i. 59]. Charity. Men have bad ends in it, [i. 153]. We should exercise it, [ii. 353], [354]. The consideration of God’s sovereignty would promote it, [ii. 456]. Cheerful, in God’s worship. We should be, [i. 235]. Christ. His Godhead proved from his eternity, [i. 291–293]. From his omnipresence, [i. 392], [393]. From his immutability, [i. 346–348]. From his knowledge of God, all creatures, the hearts of men, and his prescience of their inclinations, [i. 465–469]. From his omnipotence, manifest in creation, preservation and resurrection, [ii. 80–86]. From his holiness, [ii. 190]. From his wisdom, [i. 558]. Christ. Is God man, [ii. 62]. Spiritual worship offered to God through him, [i. 241], [242]. The imperfectness of our services should make us prize his mediation, [i. 261]. The only fit Person in the Trinity to assume our nature, [i. 558–560]. Fitted to be our Mediator and Saviour by his two natures, [i. 563–565]. Should be imitated in his holiness, and often viewed by us to that end, [ii. 200–207]. The greatest gift, [ii. 266–269]. Appointed by the Father to be our Redeemer, [ii. 424–426]. Christian religion. Its excellency, [i. 167]. Of Divine extraction, [i. 580]. Most opposed in the world, [i. 111.] See [Gospel]. Church. God’s eternity a comfort to her in all her distresses and threatenings of her enemies, [i. 299], [300]. Under God’s special providence, [i. 406]. His infinite knowledge a comfort in all subtile contrivances of men against her, [i. 483], [484]. Troublers of her peace by corrupt doctrines no better than devils, [i. 498]. God’s wisdom a comfort to her in her greatest dangers, [i. 594]. Hath shown his power in her deliverance in all ages, [i. 277], [ii. 55]; and in the destruction of her enemies, [ii. 56–59]. Ought to take comfort in his power in her lowest estate, [ii. 101]. Should not fear her enemies (see [Fear]). His goodness a comfort in dangers, [ii. 344]. How great is God’s love to her, [ii. 449–515]. His sovereignty a comfort to her, [ii. 452], [453]. He will comfort her in her fears, and destroy her enemies, [ii. 472], [473]. God exercises patience towards her, [ii. 504], [505]; for her sake to the wicked also, [ii. 506]. Why her enemies are not immediately destroyed, [ii. 513]. Commands of God. See [Laws]. Comfort. The holiness of God to be relied on for, [ii. 190], [191]. Comfort us. Creatures cannot, if God be angry, [ii. 448]. Comforts. God gives great, in or after temptations, [ii. 311–313]. Communion with God. Man naturally no desire of, [i. 161]. The advantage of, [i. 172]. Can only be in our spirits, [i. 202]. We should desire it, [i. 308]. Cannot be between God and sinners, [ii. 183]. Holiness only fits us for it, [ii. 204], [205]. Conceptions. We cannot have adequate ones of God, [i. 196], [197]. We ought to labor after as high ones as we can, [ib.] They mustnot be of him in a corporeal shape, [i. 197], [198]. There will be in them a similitude of some corporeal thing in our fancy, [i. 198], [199]. We ought to refine and spiritualize them, [i. 200]. Conceptions, right. Of him, a great help to spiritual worship, [i. 272], [273]. Concurrence of God. To all the actions of his creatures, [ii. 156], [157]. Concurring to sinful actions. No blemish to God’s holiness, [ii. 157–163]. Conditions, various. Of men, a fruit of Divine wisdom, [i. 531], [532]. Conditions of the covenant. See [Covenant], [Faith], and [Repentance]. Confession of sin. Men may have bad ends in it, [i. 153]. Partial ones a practical denial of God’s omniscience, [i. 480], [481]. Conscience. Proves a Deity, [i. 69–73]. Fears and stings of it in all men upon the commission of sin, [i. 70–72]; though never so secret, [i. 71], [72]. Cannot be totally shaken off, [i. 72]. Comforts a man in well‑doing, [i. 72], [73]. Necessary for the good of the world, [i. 73]. Terrified ones wish there were no God, [i. 97]. Men naturally displeased with it, when it contradicts the desires of self, [i. 123]. Obey carnal self against the light of it, [i. 140], [141]. Accusations of it evidence God’s knowledge of all things, [i. 463]. God, and he only, can speak peace to it when troubled, [ii. 79], [386]. His laws only reach it, [ii. 390], [391], [432], [433]. Constancy in that which is good. We should labor after, and why, [i. 360], [361]. Content the soul. Nothing but an infinite good can, [i. 73], [74]. See [Satisfaction], and [Soul]. Contingents all foreknown by God. See [Knowledge of God]. Contradictions. Cannot be made true by God, [ii. 26–30]; yet this doth not overthrow God’s omnipotence, [ib.] It is an abuse of God’s power to endeavor to justify them by it, [ii. 95]. Contrary. Qualities linked together in the creatures, [i. 52], [53], [524]. Conversion. Carnal self‑love a great hindrance to it, [i. 137]. There may be a conversion from sin which is not good, [i. 150]. Men are enemies to it, [i. 160], [161]. The necessity of it, [i. 163], [164]. God only can be the Author of it, [i. 165], [166], [ii. 396]. The wisdom of God appears in it, in the subjects, seasons, and manner of it, [i. 544–547]; and his power, [ii. 72–78]; and his holiness, [ii. 139]; and his goodness, [ii. 306], [307]; and his sovereignty, [ii. 396–404]. He could convert all, [ii. 399]. Not bound to convert any, [ii. 401], [402]. The various means and occasions of it, [ii. 421]. Convictions, genuine. Would be promoted by right and strong apprehensions of God’s holiness, [ii. 191]. Corruptions. The knowledge of God a comfort under fears of them lurking in the heart, [i. 489], [490]. The power of God a comfort when they are strong and stirring, [ii. 99]. In God’s people shall be subdued, [ii. 450], [451]; the remainders of them God orders for their good, [i. 538], [544]. Covenant of God. With his people eternal, [i. 297], [298]; and unchangeable, [i. 354]. Covenant, God in. An eternal good to his people, [i. 297]. Covenant of grace. Conditions of, evidence the wisdom of God, [i. 571]. Suited to man’s lapsed state, and God’s glory, [ib.] Opposite to that which was the cause of the fall, [i. 572]. Suited to the common sentiments and customs of the world and consciences of men, [i. 572], [573]. Only likely to attain the end, [i. 573]. Evidence God’s holiness, [ii. 138]. The wisdom of God made over to believers in it, [i. 593], [594]; and power, [ii. 98]; and holiness, [ii. 190], [191]. A promise of life implied in the covenant of works, [ii. 253], [254]; why not expressed, [ii. 527]. The goodness of God manifest in making a covenant of grace after man had broken the first, [ii. 274], [275]. In the nature and tenor of it, [ii. 275–277]. In the choice gift of himself made over in it, [ii. 277], [278]. In its confirmation, [ii. 278], [279]. Its conditions easy, reasonable, necessary, [ii. 279–284]. It promises a more excellent reward than the life in paradise, [ii. 291–293]. Covetousness. See [Riches], and [World]. Creation. The wisdom of God appears in it, [i. 518–525]; and should be meditated upon, [i. 525]; motives to it, [ii. 5–9]; his power, [ii. 35–44]; his holiness, [ii. 126], [127]; his goodness, [ii. 244–258]. Goodness the end and motive of it, [ii. 228], [229]. Ascribed to Christ, [ii. 81–85]. The foundation of God’s dominion, [ii. 368–370]. Creatures. Evidence the being of God, [i. 28], [42–64]; in their production, [i. 43–51]; in their harmony, [i. 52–60]; in pursuing their several ends, [i. 60–62]; in their preservation, [i. 62], [63]. Were not, and cannot be, from eternity, [i. 45], [46], [292]. None of them can make themselves, [i. 47–49]; or the world, [i. 49], [50]. Subservient to one another, [i. 53], [378]. Regular, uniform, and constant in it, [i. 56], [57]. Are various, [i. 58], [519], [520]. Have several natures, [i. 60]. All fight against the atheist, [i. 82]. God ought to be studied in them, [i. 86]. All manifest something of God’s perfections, [ib.] Setting them up as our end (see [End]). Must not be worshipped (see [Idolatry]). Used by man to a contrary end than God appointed, [i. 148]. All are changeable, [i. 355]. Therefore an immutable God to be preferredbefore them, [i. 358]. Are nothing to God, [i. 395]. Are all known by God, [i. 422], [423]. Shall be restored to their primitive end, [i. 313], [ii. 293]. Their beautiful order and situation, [i. 520], [521]. Are fitted for their several ends, [i. 522–524]. None of them can be omnipresent, [i. 378]; or omnipotent, [ii. 18]; or infinitely perfect, [ii. 24]. God could have made more than he hath, [ii. 21], [22]. Made them all more perfect than they are, [ii. 23], [24]. Yet all are made in the best manner, [ii. 24], [25]. The power that is in them demonstrates a greater to be in God, [ii. 31]. Ordered by God as he pleases, [ii. 57]. The meanest of them can destroy us by God’s order, [ii. 107], [448]. Making different ranks of them, doth not impeach God’s goodness, [ii. 232–235]. Cursed for the sin of man, [ii. 250], [293]. What benefit they have by the redemption of man, [ii. 293], [294]. Cannot comfort us if God be angry, [ii. 448]. All subject to God, [ii. 381–387]. All obey God, [ii. 465], [466]. Curiosity in inquiries about God’s counsels and actions. A great folly, [i. 295]. It is an injuring God’s knowledge, [i. 475–477]. It is a contempt of Divine wisdom, [i. 590]. Should not be employed about what God hath not revealed, [i. 603], [604]. The consideration of God’s sovereignty would check it, [ii. 457].
D.