Stephen Charnock

The goodness in redemption extends itself to the lower creation. It takes in not only man, but the whole of creation, except the fallen angels…The fall of man brought misery not only upon himself, but a vanity upon the creature; the earth groaned under a curse for his sake… debased to serve the lusts of a traitor; his enmity, luxury, sensuality.
But when all the fruits of redemption shall be completed, the goodness of God shall pour itself upon the creatures, “deliver them from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the goodness of God”…freed from the vanity under which they are enslaved (Rom 8:21)… Nature shall put on triumphant vestments… Thus does the divine goodness spread its arms over the whole creation.
–Stephen Charnock, “Existence and Attributes of God.”

Since God can only rejoice in goodness, the creatures must have that goodness restored to them which they had at the first creation… The goodness of the creatures is the glory and joy of God. We may infer from this, what a base and vile thing sin is, which lays the foundation of the world’s change. Sin brings it to a decrepit age. Sin overturned the whole work of God… Let us look upon sin with no other notion than as the object of God’s hatred, the cause of his grief in the creatures, and the spring of the pain and ruin of the world.
God as immutable is contrasted with all creatures as perishable and changeable. He is unchangeable in his essence, nature, and perfections.
—Stephen Charnock, “The Existence and Attributes of God.”

The Lord God is merciful, gracious and long-suffering (Ex. 34:6)… Patience differs from mercy. Mercy regards the creature as miserable, patience respects the creature as criminal; mercy pities him in his misery, and patience bears with the sin which engendered that misery….His patience is manifested to our first parents… to the Gentiles… to the Israelites… He speaks before He strikes.
—Stephen Charnock “The Existence and Attributes of God.”

If God be of an eternal duration, then Christ is God. Eternity is the property of God, yet ascribed to Christ. (Col 1:17)… He is the same today, yesterday, and forever (Heb 13:8) The gospel is not preached by the command of a new and temporary God, but of that God who was before all ages.
–Stephen Charnock “Existence and Attributes of God.”

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