Wherefore the Lord goes farther; and by the works of his
providence, in preserving and ruling the world which he made,
discovers and reveals these properties also. For whereas by cursing the
earth, and filling all the elements oftentimes with signs of his anger and
indignation, he hath, as the apostle tells us, Rom. i.
18, “revealed from heaven his wrath against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men;” yet not proceeding immediately to destroy all
things, he hath manifested his patience and forbearance to all. This Paul,
Acts xiv. 16, 17, tells us: “He
suffered all nations to walk in their own ways; yet he left not himself
without witness, in that he did good, and gave rain from heaven and
fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness.” A large
account of his goodness and wisdom herein the psalmist gives us, Ps.
civ. throughout. By these ways he bare witness to his own
goodness and patience; and so it is said, “He endures with much
long-suffering,” etc., Rom. ix.
22. But now, here all the world is at a stand; by all this they
have but an obscure glimpse of God, and see not so much as his back parts.
Moses saw not that, until he was put into Exod. xxxiii.
22; 1 Cor. x.
4.the rock; and that rock was Christ. There are some
of the most eminent and glorious properties of God (I mean, in the
manifestation whereof he will be most glorious; otherwise his properties
are not to be compared) that there is not the least glimpse to be attained
of out of the Lord Christ, but only by and in him; and some that
comparatively we have no light of but in him; and of all the rest no
true light but by him:—