Charles Buck's Theological Dictionary

38 Patience Of God

PATIENCE OF GOD

Is his long suffering or forbearance. He is called the God of patience, not only because he is the author and object of the grace of patience, but because he is patient or long suffering in himself, and towards his creatures. It is not, indeed, to be considered as a quality, accident, passion, or affection in God as in creatures, but belongs to the very nature and essence of God, and springs from his goodness and mercy, Rom. 2:4. It is said to be exercised towards his chosen people, 2 Peter 3:9. Rom. 3:25. Isa. 30:18. 1 Tim. 1:16. and towards the ungodly, Rom. 2:4. Eccl. 8:11. The end of his forbearance to the wicked, is, that they may be without excuse; to make his power and goodness visible; and partly for the sake of his own people, Gen. 18:32. Rev. 6:11. 2 Pet. 3:9. His patience is manifested by giving warnings of judgments before he executes them, Hos. 6:5. Amos 1:1. 2 Pet. 2:5. In long delaying his judgments, Eccl. 8:11. In often mixing mercy with them. There are many instances of his patience recorded in the Scriptures; with the old world, Gen. 6:3; the inhabitants of Sodom, Gen. 18; in Pharaoh, Exod. 5; in the people of Israel in the wilderness, Acts 13:18; in the Amorites and Cannaanites, Gen. 15:15. Lev. 18:28. in the Gentile world. Acts 17:30; in fruitless professors, Luke 13:6, 9; in Antichrist, Rev. 2:21. 13:6. 18:8.

Charles Buck (1771-1815) was an English Independent minister, best known for the publication of his “Theological Dictionary”. According to the “Dictionary of National Biography”, a Particular Baptist minister named John C. Ryland (1723-1792) assisted Buck by writing many of the articles for the aforementioned publication. One may conclude, based not only Buck’s admiration for his friend Ryland, but also on the entries in his Theological Dictionary, that he stood head and shoulders with the High-Calvinists of his day.

Charles Buck on the Biblical Covenants (Complete)
Charles Buck's Theological Dictionary