Elanathan Parr (1577-1622) on the Longsuffering of God

Parr:

Vers. 22. Indured with long-suffering the Vessels of wrath.

In these words is contained the Act we speak of, first is enduring; amplified two ways: First by the manner, which long-suffering. Second, by the object, The Vessels of Wrath.

Long-suffering is a dilation of revenge, though we be provoked. Though the Greek word be here translated long-suffering, yet properly God cannot suffer; for all things are active in God’ and whatsoever suffers or is patient, fails either in the essence, faculty or Energy. The word here used, is hard to be translated into our Tongue, we borrow from the Latins to express it in one word, by Longanimity. Between the Longanimity and Patience, Chrysostom observes this : difference: Longanimity is toward them of whom we can; Patience toward them of whom we cannot be revenged [Chrys. hom. 2 in Epist. ad Colos.]. So also Augustine, Patience is said of God, not that he suffers any evil, but because he expects sinners to conversion [Aug. l. de pars].

Doct.
God is patient towards sinners, even Reprobates Joel 2:13, Roms 2:4, 2 Pet 3:9. He endured Cain a long time, suffered him to live to build cities, to beget children. So he suffered Saul, Judas, &c.

Use 1.
Be thou patient after the example of thy Heavenly Father; whose child how art thou, if thou suffers not, but repays injuries? Socrates an Heathen Philosopher, would willingly neither suffer, nor do any wrong; but if he must choose one, he would rather choose to suffer than to do But what speak we of Heathen, when we have God himself patient toward the Reprobates?

Say not, I will recompense evil. God himself yet bears with a number of hell-hounds, Reprobates. Christ is not yet revenged, nor the blood of the Satins. Will thou be moved at a cross word, and thirst after Revenge? It may be sweet to the flesh, but it is hateful to God. If thou has put up wrong once or twice, thou thinks thyself worthy to be chronicled, as a rare example of Patience. How many thousand times has thou provoked God, and yet he forebears thee? Do thou likewise reward thy neighbor. Remember the Parable of the merciless debtor [Matt. 18.]. Give the pardon thou asks; Forgive, that thou may be forgiven. When thou cannot so bridle thy affections, that being provoked, and in thy power to revenge; and yet for conscience toward God thou forebears think thou has profited; that argues true Nobleness [Posse &c nolle nobile.]

Use 2.
For God to bear with his children which provoke him, is much; but to suffer his enemies, who seek not his favor, and are the worse because they are forborne, to suffer a drunkard, whoremonger, &c., to live long, and have a great means, and to hold his hands, must argue an infinite perfection.

Alas, what had become of the best of us if there were not such longanimity [Makrothumia]in God? We had not lived to read of these tings. God might have taken us away in our sins; if he had called us out of this world some ten or twenty years ago, before we had repented, how should we have done? If he had used Martial Law to Manasses, Paul, Mary Magdalen, they had not shined now to the comfort of sinners: He suffered the ill-manners (the word is significant [etropophoresen. Acts 13:18]) of the Israelites in the Wilderness. Consider thou which reads, how long he suffered thee: let it move thee to repentance, and to praise his patience.

Use 3.
Here is comfort to poor sinners: God is patient toward Reprobates, much more will he be toward the Elect. He which long forbears Tyrants, Drunkards, Enemies, will he be hasty and inexorable towards his children? If he spare them which never grieve for their sins, never regard his Word; will he not much more spare them which repent that they have offended him, which tremble at his word, and seek his favor? If the Reprobate fare so well, much more will he abound to us, in all riches of grace and consolation.

Elnathan Parr, The Works of that faithfull and painful Preacher, Mr Elnathan Parr (London: Printed by Ed Griffin and Wil. Hunt, 1651), 109-110.

Elnathan Parr (1577-1622) on the Longsuffering of God

Parr:

Vers. 22. Indured with long-suffering the Vessels of wrath.

In these words is contained the Act we speak of, first is enduring; amplified two ways: First by the manner, which long-suffering. Second, by the object, The Vessels of Wrath.

Long-suffering is a dilation of revenge, though we be provoked. Though the Greek word be here translated long-suffering, yet properly God cannot suffer; for all things are active in God’ and whatsoever suffers or is patient, fails either in the essence, faculty or Energy. The word here used, is hard to be translated into our Tongue, we borrow from the Latins to express it in one word, by Longanimity. Between the Longanimity and Patience, Chrysostom observes this : difference: Longanimity is toward them of whom we can; Patience toward them of whom we cannot be revenged [Chrys. hom. 2 in Epist. ad Colos.]. So also Augustine, Patience is said of God, not that he suffers any evil, but because he expects sinners to conversion [Aug. l. de pars].

Doct.
God is patient towards sinners, even Reprobates Joel 2:13, Roms 2:4, 2 Pet 3:9. He endured Cain a long time, suffered him to live to build cities, to beget children. So he suffered Saul, Judas, &c.

Use 1.
Be thou patient after the example of thy Heavenly Father; whose child how art thou, if thou suffers not, but repays injuries? Socrates an Heathen Philosopher, would willingly neither suffer, nor do any wrong; but if he must choose one, he would rather choose to suffer than to do But what speak we of Heathen, when we have God himself patient toward the Reprobates?

Say not, I will recompense evil. God himself yet bears with a number of hell-hounds, Reprobates. Christ is not yet revenged, nor the blood of the Satins. Will thou be moved at a cross word, and thirst after Revenge? It may be sweet to the flesh, but it is hateful to God. If thou has put up wrong once or twice, thou thinks thyself worthy to be chronicled, as a rare example of Patience. How many thousand times has thou provoked God, and yet he forebears thee? Do thou likewise reward thy neighbor. Remember the Parable of the merciless debtor [Matt. 18.]. Give the pardon thou asks; Forgive, that thou may be forgiven. When thou cannot so bridle thy affections, that being provoked, and in thy power to revenge; and yet for conscience toward God thou forebears think thou has profited; that argues true Nobleness [Posse &c nolle nobile.]

Use 2.
For God to bear with his children which provoke him, is much; but to suffer his enemies, who seek not his favor, and are the worse because they are forborne, to suffer a drunkard, whoremonger, &c., to live long, and have a great means, and to hold his hands, must argue an infinite perfection.

Alas, what had become of the best of us if there were not such longanimity [Makrothumia]in God? We had not lived to read of these tings. God might have taken us away in our sins; if he had called us out of this world some ten or twenty years ago, before we had repented, how should we have done? If he had used Martial Law to Manasses, Paul, Mary Magdalen, they had not shined now to the comfort of sinners: He suffered the ill-manners (the word is significant [etropophoresen. Acts 13:18]) of the Israelites in the Wilderness. Consider thou which reads, how long he suffered thee: let it move thee to repentance, and to praise his patience.

Use 3.
Here is comfort to poor sinners: God is patient toward Reprobates, much more will he be toward the Elect. He which long forbears Tyrants, Drunkards, Enemies, will he be hasty and inexorable towards his children? If he spare them which never grieve for their sins, never regard his Word; will he not much more spare them which repent that they have offended him, which tremble at his word, and seek his favor? If the Reprobate fare so well, much more will he abound to us, in all riches of grace and consolation.

Elnathan Parr, The Works of that faithfull and painful Preacher, Mr Elnathan Parr (London: Printed by Ed Griffin and Wil. Hunt, 1651), 109-110.

Robert Candlish on the Long-Suffering of God, in Relation to the Death of Christ

Candlish:

1) If it be asked, secondly, Has the death of Christ any relation at all to mankind at large, whether elect or not?–we reply, that the condition of those at least to whom the knowledge of it comes, as regards their present obligation and ultimate responsibility, is most materially affected by the event or fact in question, or rather, by the publication of it. Assuredly the guilt and condemnation of those who have had the gospel among them, and have rejected it, cannot be put upon a level with the criminality of such as have never heard the joyful sound; and, in so far as God, in his providence, gives any information to the heathen, respecting his long-suffering patience and love, as connected with a mediatorial provision of grace, they are left the more without excuse.

The third inquiry, having reference to the precise bearing of Christ’s death upon the world at large, including the unbelieving portion of it, is the very question which we declined, and must still decline, to answer, or, at least, to answer categorically, or so as to exhaust the inquiry; it being our opinion that Holy 8cripture has not given materials for any very explicit deliverance upon that point. At the same time, there are some particulars, under this head, which may be ascertained.

Thus:-
I. In point of fact, the death of Christ, or hie work of obedience and atonement, has procured’ for the world at large, and for every individual–the impenitent and unbelieving as well as the chosen, and called, and faithful–certain definite, tangible, and  ascertainable benefits (if we may use such words to designate their reality and their specific character), among which, in particular, may be noted these two: first, A season of forbearance-a respite of judgment–a period of grace (Rom. iii. 25);” and that, too, in subserviency, and with direct reference, to the plan of saving mercy (ibid., and Rom. ii. 4; and 2 Pet. iii. 15); and, secondly, A system of means and influences fitted to lead men to God, and sufficient to leave them without excuse. (Acts xiv. 15-17, and xvii. 2241; Rom. I. 18, and ii. 15.) This, since the promulgation of the gospel, includes all the ordinances of God’s Word and worship, with the accompanying common operation of the Spirit in them [See Appendix C.].

Bullinger on the Longsuffering of God

To the former errors and sins of Jezebel he adds another sin nothing light, to wit, the abuse, yea, and the contempt of God’s long-suffering. God does not by and by and out of hand destroy such as be in error, yea, or in most grievous sins. But sinners are wont for the most part to abuse that long-sufferance of God, unto the occasion and pretense of sinning more impudently, saying: “If God abhorred these offences so greatly, he would have destroyed us long ere this: But now he nourishes us gently, and therefore does not so greatly mislike it.” But this is an abuse of God’s long-suffering. For the Lord says at this present, “I have given Jezebel a time to repent her, and to leave her fornication, & to turn to the Lord: Howbeit she has not converted, which thing the Lord takes in most evil part, that his grace should be despised and set to nought. Wherefore S. Paul to the Romans, “Does thou contemn the riches of God’s goodness, long-suffering and mildness? knowing not that the goodness of God provokes thee to repentance.” &c. Then if the lord has not suddenly oppressed us in our sins: let us not thereof take unto us a liberty to sin, but let us rather amend, S. Peter says, “The Lord is patient toward us, whilst he will destroy none, but receive all to repentance,” 2 Pet 3. Certain Jezebel herself, when after the death of her husband Ahab, and the mortal fall of her son Ahaziah she did not amend (nor with the 12 years of her son Johoram, wherein he is read to have reigned) did repent her: felt the wrath of God so much more grievous, for that it was long or it came.

Henry Bullinger, A Hundred Sermons Vpon the Apocalipse of Iesu Christ (London: Printed by Iohn Daye, dwellying ouer Aldersgate, 1573), 43[B]. [Note: I have modernized the spelling and the personal names, and inserted some commas for better reading.]

George Swinnock on the Longsuffering of God to Impenitent Sinners (With Reference to 2 Peter 3:9)