Copyright©MonergismBooks

PatienceandItsPerfectWork,

UnderSuddenandSoreTrials

BEINGANEXPOSITIONOFJAMES1:1–5

byThomasGoodwin

TableofContents

SectionI:Introduction

SectionII:WhatisPatience&HowisitWrought

SectionIII:WhatisthePerfectWorkofPatience?

SectionIV:IfAnyofYouLackWisdom

FORa striking account of the occasion of this remarkableTreatise, seeMemoir of Dr Goodwin, by his son, ante, p. lxxiv. It was publishedanonymously in a small volume (18mo), and is one of the rarest of allGoodwin'spieces.Asanevidenceofitsextremescarcity,besidestheveryhigh price it fetches, equivalent to the cost of the entire Works ofGoodwininthisSeries, itmaybementionedthat it isusuallyspokenofbybibliographersandothersasaSermonmerely,shewingthattheyhadneverseenit.Fortheuseofthecopyfromwhichourreprintisgiven,weare indebted to the richPuritan collectionof theRev.A.B.GROSART,Kinross.

PATIENCEANDITSPERFECTWORK

SECTIONI:Introduction

James,aservantofGodandoftheLordJesusChrist,tothetwelvetribeswhicharescatteredabroad,greeting.Mybrethren,countitalljoywhenyefallintodiverstemptations;knowingthis,thatthetryingof your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfectwork, thatyemaybeperfectandentire,wantingnothing. Ifanyofyoulackwisdom,lethimaskofGod,thatgivethtoallmenliberally,andupbraidethnot;anditshallbegivenhim.—JAMES1:1–5.

CHRISTIANpatienceismysubject,andtheperfectworkofpatience,ver.4;butasanintroductionthereunto,Imustfirstopensomethingsofthewordsinver.1,2.

1.As to thepersonshewrites to, theywere 'the twelve tribesscattered,'thathadbeenandwerebereftoftheirinheritanceintheirnativecountry,andquittingthat,hadbetakenthemselvestobanishment;multitudesofthem,Idonotsayall,asappears,Acts8:1,'Andatthattimetherewasagreat persecution against the churchwhichwas at Jerusalem; and theywereallscatteredabroadthroughouttheregionsofJudeaandSamaria,except the apostles.' And, Acts 11:19, we find them travelled as far asPhenice, Cyprus, Antioch;whowent from thence afterwards into othercountries. The other Apostle whowrote to the same persons, comfortsthemwiththis—1stEpistle1:4—thattheywerebegottenagaintoabettorinheritancethanthatofCanaan,whichnowtheyweredeprivedof.

2.Iobservethatthoughthesehadbeenmadethussufficientlydestituteand desolate already, and driven from house and home to seek theirlivelihoods, with their families, in foreign countries, that yet still greatand pressing troubles andmiseries did follow them, as one wave dothafter another: they were continually falling into divers and sundrytemptationsofallsorts.God 'triesuseverymoment,'as inJob7:18;wearechastenedeverymorning,Ps.37:13;and'killed'—thatis,indangerofdeath—'alldaylong,'asRom.8.Godhadnotyetdonewiththese.

3.Heuttersthestrangestparadoxuponthisoccasionthateverwasorcanbeuttered;andbeginswithit,ver.2,'Mybrethren,countitalljoywhenye fall into divers temptations.' Thus bluntly and abruptly,without anymollifying preface or sweetening introduction, unless that of 'mybrethren,' tomakeway for it. The fore-part, 'count it all joy,' seems to

carryamoralcontradictioninthefaceofituntothelatterpart,'whenyefall intodivers tentations;' and this latter seems toput an impossibilityupontheformer,whichisthedutyexhortedunto.—Letusconsidereverywordofeach.

1.Wereitsimplythattheyarecalledupontorejoice,howuncouthisthistomen in thatpostureand circumstance theyare supposed fallen into!Well, but yet count it joy, says he: not only moderate, keep in, andsmother your contrary passions,—which was the highest lesson thatphilosophyandtheStoics,thebestofphilosophers,hadtaught,—butthegospelcallsuponus'therefore,'&c.,orforanduponthesetemptations,torejoice.'Countitjoy;'thatisthefirst.

2.Alljoy;thehighestjoy,forso'alljoy'mustneedsbesupposedtobe.

3. And this, notwhen they should see by experience the glorious issueand event these temptations do produce; but to account it all joybeforehand,asiftheywerepossessedofwhatGodpromisethshallbetheassuredand'expectedend,'Jer.29:11;andtobebeforehandassureofitasiftheyhaditalready.

4.Itisnotwhentheyareassaultedwithtroubles,butwhentemptationsareactuallybrokeninuponthem,andtheylieunderthem.

5.Noryetwhentheyareledintothembysteps,orhadmetwiththemasintheirway;butwhenthey'fallinto'them.Itisadownfallhespeaksof,andthatsuddenly,atonce,andutterlyunexpectedbythem.

6. Not when you fall into one or two, but into many temptations; as,elsewhere,theword'divers'hereistranslated,1Peter1:6,'manifold:'andmanyisimportedinmanifold.

7.Andthosenotofonesortorkind,but'divers,'andsoofseveralsorts,as in good name, reproach, revilement: divers also as to their bodies,souls; their relations and families, friends, wives, children; inward,outwardman.

8.Whenyoufall(περιπέσητε)intothem,asintoapitandsnare,andso

they falling round about you; so as you have nothing to stand or leanupon,butallaboutyoufallswithyouandunderyou,soasinalloutwardappearanceyearesunkandoverwhelmedwiththeruins.

Inthiscaseto 'count itall joy,' toshoutasmeninharvest,orthathavegottengreatspoils;whentheirmiseriesaresogreatthattheycannotbeendured,thatyettheirjoymustbesogreatasmorecannotbeexpressed;thisisthehardestdutythateverwasrequiredofthedistressedheartsofmen.AndyetGodwouldnotrequireitifitwerenotattainable;anditisattainablebynootherprinciplesbutofChristianity.AndarguesthatourChristianreligion,whichistheonlytruewisdom,ver.5,hathsospiritfulandsovereignavirtueinitthatitisabletoraisespiritsupuntothushighandgloriousapitchandperfectioninthislife.

Buttheymightsay,Youhavepropoundedthishardandstrangedutytous;whatgroundistherethatmayrationallyandeffectuallypersuadeandbringourheartstoit?Whatconsiderationsthatmayprocureusthisjoy,and how may we be wrought up to it? For God never gave anycommandmentbut therewasa fullandsufficientgroundandreasontoenforceit.

Hegivesthemtwogrounds:oneatthe3dand4thverses,'Knowingthis,that thetryingofyour faithworkethpatience.But letpatiencehaveherperfectwork,thatyemaybeperfectandentire,wantingnothing.'Thisisa ground fromwhat follows in this life. The other is at the 12th verse,'Blessed is theman that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, heshallreceivethecrownoflife.'Thisistherewardthatfollowsinthelifetocome,inthehopeandexpectationofwhichyoumaycountitalljoythatnowyouaretried;fortheendandissueofthemisacrownofglory,whichthesedowork,as2Cor.4:17, 'Forourlightaffliction,whichisbutforamoment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight ofglory.'

I begin with the first, what ground there is in this life to cause us torejoice in such temptations.This, in the3dand4thverses, 'Knowing'—that is, deeply considering andweighing this principle of our Christianprofession—'thatthetryingofyourfaithworkspatience.'Thatisoneandthe first, inwhich theApostle tacitly supposeth thismaxim, andbuilds

upon the supposition of it; it lies at the bottom, and yet is enoughimplied.Itisthis:Thattohaveourgraces,especiallytohaveourfaithandpatiencetriedanddrawnforthandexercisedinus,tothegloryofGod,isthegreatestblessednessofaChristianinthislife.

Thatthisisthebottomgroundisevident.Forwhyelseshouldheproposeand hold forth this of all other, with a 'for,' or particle, that gives thereasonofwhathehadnowsaid?Thatseeingtheirfaithandothergraces,aspatience,&c.,wouldbetriedthereby,thatthereforetheyshould'countitalljoy.'Mybrethren,ifwehadeyestoseeandtoconsiderit,wemightknow, that as to have grace that accompanies salvation is the greatestmercy can befall any one in theworld; so to have that grace tried andexercised and drawn forth to the utmost, is a thing of the greatestmoment,thegreatestspiritualprivilegethatcancometousafterthatwehave that grace. And therefore,when trials come,we are to thinkwithourselves,Nowwillmygracesbetried,nowisthatbefallenmewhichwilldo it; this ought to bematter of the greatest joy tome. For from thisgroundandreason it is that theApostlebids themcount itall joy.Andhereupon it is, fornootherdothhementionhere, this alonebeing thegreatestadvantage thataChristian is capableof in this life;and in thislifeonlyitisthatgraceisexercised.

Andthereasonofitliesinthis,thatforgracetoapproveitselftoGodinaway of the greatest well-pleasing to him, and so as to come to beapprovedofbyGod;andforaman'ssinceritytohaveGod'sapprobationand testimony,—as to Abraham, 'Now I know thou fearestme,'—this isthegreatestprivilegeasaintcanhave,andthisoughttobematterofthegreatestcomfort.Anditisourgreatestglory,accordinguntothat,2Cor.10:17,'Hethatglorieth,lethimgloryintheLord;'whichhetherespeaksin referenceuntowhat follows inver. 18, 'Fornothe that commendethhimself is approved, butwhom theLord commendeth.' Bothwhich theApostlespakeasthatwhichhecomfortedhimselfwithal,yea,andgloriedin, even the Lord's approving of him. Job also comforted himself withthis:chap.23:10,'Whenhehathtriedme,Ishallcomeforthasgold.'TheApostlesaith,'Thetrialofyourfaithismorepreciousthangold;'andhespeaketh it of the very instrument or means by which your graces aretried:theverycalciningpot,orthefire,wherebyitistried—τὸδοκίμιον,

hiswordis—eventhat ismorepreciousthangold.Thenmuchmorethegracesthataretried.AndthereforetheApostlebyhisτὸδοκίμιονintendsandmeans these very afflictions and tentations by which we are tried.Theyaretherefiner'spotandfire.Youwouldrejoiceifyouhadsomuchgoldgivenyou.Thenrejoicethatyouhavesomuchafflictiontotryyourgold.ThatyourgracesaresohighlyvaluedbyGodisthereasonwhyhetriesthem;hewouldnotbeatthepainsandcostofitelse.Andtheybeingtried,andholdingtoberightandtruegoldindeed,theyhavethereuponhisapprobationupon that trial; andhe setshis royalTower stampandmarkuponthem,secretlyinthislife,andthesamewillopenlyappeartoalltheworldatlatterday;so,in1Pet.1:6,7,'Whereinyegreatlyrejoice,thoughnowforaseason,ifneedbe,yeareinheavinessthroughmanifoldtemptations:thatthetrialofyourfaith,beingmuchmorepreciousthanofgold thatperisheth, though itbe triedwith fire,mightbe founduntopraiseandhonourandgloryat theappearingofJesusChrist.' Itwillbefounduntopraisethen;butitisuntopraisebeforeGodnow,asmuchasitwillbethen.

Hementionsfaith—'forthetrialofyourfaith'—inthefirstandchiefplace,asthatgracewhichisthemosttried;andasthatwhich,beingtried,setsalltherestonwork.Ineednotmuchinsistonit.Itisfaiththatshallbecounted for honour and glory at that day, having been tried. It is faithwhichbears,andbywhichwebear,thestressofalltentations.Itisfaithbywhichweovercome:1John5:4,5, 'Thisisthevictorywhichwehaveovertheworld,evenourfaith.Whoishethatovercomeththeworld?Hethatbelieveth,'&c.

A second andmore particular principle ormaxim,which concerns thislife, and should cause us to rejoice, is, that faith, being tried, workspatience;andthatifpatiencehaveitsperfectwork,itwillmakeusperfectChristians.'Butletpatiencehaveherperfectwork,thatyemaybeperfectandentire,wantingnothing.'

Heenlargethnofurtheruponfaith;onlygivesitthehonourthatitisthemothergrace,andofpatienceespecially,whenitselfistried.Buthehadnosoonermentionedpatiencebutherunsoutuponthat,andfallsuponthe greatest encomium and praises of it: Let patience have its perfectwork,anditwillmakeyouperfect.Nowthereisnooccasion,orroom,or

work fur patience, unless there be tentations.Andpatience, itswork isbut so far as the affliction proves to be. So then, his second argumentrunsuponthisprinciple,thatthefullworkofpatienceinoursoulsis,ofall other graces, the highest perfection of a Christian: and therefore,'countitalljoytofallintotentations;'fortherebyyouwillhavethatgracedrawnforthto the fullest length,wounduptothehighestpeg,which isnotdoneunlesstentationsbeanswerable.Andinallyourtrialsletitbuthaveitsswing,itsperfectwork,anditwillmakeyourpersonsperfect,—thatis,asperfectasinthislifeyoucanbemade.

Quest.—Butinwhatrespectdothitmakeusperfect?

Ans.—Notonlyinthissense—forthereisadoublesenseofthatspeech—eitherasifwhenwehadexercisedallothergraces,butyethavenothadoccasionforthisone,thatwhenthisshallbeadded,thatthentheyshouldheperfectChristians.Butthisisnotthemeaning,forthismaybesaidofanyothergraces:,qsifamanhathexercisedallothergraces,ifhebeginstoexerciseanyonenewgrace,itmaybesaidthereisaperfectioninthisrespect.Aswhenhe says to theCorinthians, 'As youhave abounded ineveryothergrace,soaboundinthisalso,'2Cor.8:7.Butthereisanothersense, and that is his scope here, which is not to extol a perfection incommonwithothergraces,butasingularperfection tobeattributed topatience:Letpatiencebuthaveitsperfectwork,andthatalonewillmakeyou eminently perfect. And in scope is to comfort them against thegreatesttrialsandoccurrencesoftheirlives—'tentations.'Andthereforeasingularandspecialencomiumisattributedhereinuntopatience,whichistheshieldagainstthem.

My brethren, to give the full sense of this, I will make a supposition.SupposeaChristiantohavehadtheprivilegetohavelivedintheexerciseof all graces in away of acting, or of an active life, as to have lived insweet communion with God, and to have walked in the light of God'scountenance all the day, Ps. 89:15; and withal to have had theopportunityofdoinggood,andaccordinglytohavedonemuchgoodinanactiveway,ashavingbeenabundantingoodworks,holyduties,praying,reading,holyconferences,&c.;butyetallthiswhilewithafreedomfromsuffering, so ashehathnothad the sufferingpart yet, so as therehathbeen no need for, or use of patience. Suppose another Christian, who

hathbeenobstructedandhinderedandkept fromsuchanactive lifeofdoing good with that freedom spoken of, but the dispensation of Godhath disposed him to a suffering life all his days, and confined himthereunto,andthereinhispatiencehathbeenexercisedunderallsortsoftentations;andthenwithal,supposethatpatience,withallthosegraciousdispositions of heart that are proper to it, hath had its free and fullpassagethroughhisheart,—suchasIshallhereafterdescribe,—hathhaditsoperationsallsortsofways,accordingashisafflictionshavebeen:thisalonewouldsodrawoutandexerciseallgraces,andheadthem,thatyouwouldsay,ThismanisaperfectChristian;shallIsaymoreperfectthantheother?Atleastthetextsaysthatthismakeshimaperfectman.

Or again, if you will suppose one that hath been very active in theforegone part of his life, and doneGod great service, with an enlargedheart;andthatatlast,afterhehathdonethewillofGod,furthertocrownall, God will exercise this man's patience with great sufferings, anddraweth it forthaccording to thesehis trials,—thatman isperfecteveryway,andhelackedtillthenthatwhichishisgreatestperfection,andhewasnotbeforeeverywayaccomplished.

ForproofthatpatienceistheeminentperfectionofaChristian—

1. Take the instance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. What wasChrist'sperfection?Hehadbeenperfectinallactiveobedience,completeinallgraces,yetthegloryofhisperfectionisputuponhissufferingsandhispatience,Heb.2:10,'Foritbecamehim,forwhomareallthings,andbywhomare all things, inbringingmany sonsuntoglory, tomake thecaptain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.' This of patientenduringwasthatwhichenhancedandexaltedhisobedienceso:Phil.2,'He humbled himself, and was obedient to death,' &c. This of patientenduringwasobediencelearned:Heb.5:8,'Thoughhewasason,yethelearnedobediencebywhathesuffered.'Theactivepartofobediencewasnaturaltohim,hebeing,asthenaturalSon,theHolyOneofGod;havingthelawofGodinhisheart,anditwashisdelight,hismeatanddrink,todohiswill,Ps.40:8,Heb.10;thatis,thiswasnaturaltohim.ButforhimtosufferwhowastheSon,andsotobepatientinsuffering,whowassogreat a person, thiswas to be learned, as thatwhichwas improper forsuchaperson,theSon.Andyet,asImaysay,thisperfectedthenatural

accomplishments of him; this was a lesson out of the road, utterlyuncouthandextravagant.Hemustgotoschool,therefore,to learnthis.Forsothattextimplies;thishewastolearn,asthatwhichwouldperfecthimaboveall.Andso,indeed,tothispurposeitfollowsinver.9,'Beingmadeperfect,' that is, bywhathe suffered,—as in the versebefore, andchap.2,hehadalsosaid,—andasthatwhichdidperfecthim,morethanallhisotherobedience,andrenderedhimmoreacceptabletohisFather.Now it was his patience and enduring wherein that his obedienceprincipally lay;whichaccordinglyissooftenspokenofhim,asHeb.12,'He endured the cross,' ver. 2; and 'He endured such contradiction ofsinners,' ver. 3; the sameword that here is used for patience; that theverb,thisthenoun.'Enduring'isputtoexpress'patience,'andisthewordused up and down the New Testament, and in this epistle most, toexpress patience by, as chap. 1:12, chap. 5:8, 10, 11.NowChrist did soendure.'Hewasledasasheeptotheslaughter;heopenednothismouth.'Hogscry,butsheepmakenodinwhenledtotheslaughter,orwhentheirthroatsarecut.AndthiswasChrist'sproperandsuper-perfection,whoistherefore proposed as an example of suffering and patience to us, andlikewiseofthatgloriousendandissueofit,inthesewordsofthatchap.5:11,'YehaveheardofthepatienceofJob,andyouhaveseentheendoftheLord,'namelyoftheLordChrist,whichmanyoftheseJewshewrotetohadseenwiththeireyes,oritwastransactedintheirtimes,andsointheirview;theysawhimsuffer,andnowtheyseehimcrownedwithgloryand honour,Heb. 2. Thatwas the end of our Lord, and his sufferings,whichmadehimperfect.

2.AndasitwasJesusChrist'sperfection,soitwasofthemosteminentsaints.Lookagainintothisepistle,chap.5:11,andyoufindtheprimitiveprinciple thatwas in vogue tobe, 'Behold,we count themhappywhichendure,'—itisstillthesamewordwhichisusedforpatience,aswassaid,—that is,WeChristiansgenerally esteem them thehappiestmen in theworldthataremostexercisedwithsufferings,andarmedwithpatiencetoendurethem.Theyarehappytoa'behold!'andsotoaperfection,inourcommon esteem. 'Behold, we count them happy!' It was a commoncriedup maxim amongst them in those times, and the thing itself ingreatestrequest.Then—

3.'Taketheprophetsforanexample,'sayshe,chap.5:10.Hecommendsthemalsofortheirpatience,aswellasfortheirprophecies.Andthoughhedescribesthembythischaracterandperiphrasis,'thathavespokeninthe name of the Lord,' yet that was but to set out and celebrate theexample of their sufferings and patience the more. He sets the crownupontheheadof thatgrace.Nordothhementionanyof thegood theyhaddone;nothingofthat,buttheirsufferingsonly.AndthenbynameheinstancethinJob.GodboastedofhimtoSatanforhisformeractivelifeinholiness;but youhavenomentionof thatby theApostle,nor in theNewTestament, but he cries him up for his suffering and his patienceonly, as thatwhichhadendearedhim toGodmore thanall the formerpartofhislife.

Lastly,Take the apostles.TheApostle in theRevelationputs it intohiscoatofarmsasapieceofhisnobility,andapartofhisheraldry.'IJohn,whoamyourbrother,andcompanionintribulation,andinthekingdomandpatienceofJesusChrist,'Rev.1:9.

Now, upon all these grounds, if you be true and right Christians, andknow,as theApostle'sword is,howtoputadueestimateuponwhat isyourgreatestinterestandprivilegeinthislife,—viz.,theproofandtrialofyour graces, and of this grace of patience above all, as the highestperfectionofaChristian,yea,ofChristhimself,andwhichwasthemosteminent praise of prophets and apostles,—if you value your beingrenderedmostpleasinguntoGod,thencountitalljoywhenyouthusfallinto tentations. For now you have God and Christ, the great, the chiefmasterordereranddesigneroftheseconflicts,settinghismostgraciouseye upon you, pleasing himself to behold how valiantly, wisely, andgallantlyyoubehaveandacquityourselves.Hesitsinheavenasthegreatspectatorofthesejoustsandtournaments,whicharetohimasspectacleswhich are sports to us; to which the Apostle alludes, 1 Cor. 4:9, 'For IthinkthatGodhathsetforthustheapostleslast,asitwereappointedtodeath:forwearemadeaspectacleuntotheworld,andtoangels,andtomen.'Rejoicetherefore,asgoodsoldierswould,toenterintotheselists,in the sight of their great general and emperor,whom they have giventhemselves up to please. Thus, 2 Tim. 2:4, 'No man that warrethentangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that hemay please him

whohathchosenhimtobeasoldier.'Thereforegetyourheartsfreeandloose from all those entanglements that arise from adherency to thethingsofthisworld;frominordinatepassionsthatcleaveuntothethingsofthislife,whichwillhinderandweakenyouastoapatientbearingthelosses and crosses you meet with in it: knowing also that you cannotpleasethecaptainofyoursalvation,norapproveyourselvesmoretohimthanbyapatientendurance;whichis,inthewordsbeforethatpassage,inthatplacetoTimothy,exhortedto,ver.3,'ThereforeendurehardnessasagoodsoldierofChrist.'Andinitscoherencethisfollows,'itpleasethyourgeneraltoseeit.'AndinCol.1,hefirst,inthegeneral,prays,ver.10,'that they might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing;' whichpleasing,asitconsistethinfruitfulnessingoodworks,ortheactivelifeofaChristian,—'beingfruitfulineverygoodwork,'inthesameverse,—soinbeing'strengthenedwithallmight,untoallpatienceandlong-suffering,'as thatwhich is the second,andchiefest, andmostgloriouspart thataChristianistoperform,toconsummatetheother;andwhich,therefore,requiresamoregloriouspowertoworkitthantheformer,theactivepart,did, as ver. 11 shews—'Strengthened with all might, according to hisgloriouspower,untoallpatienceandlong-suffering.'

Thusmuchfortheopeningofthewords,inordertothatIammoresetlytohandle,whichfolloweth.

SECTIONII:WhatisPatience&HowisitWrought

IHAVEthreegeneralheadstotreatof:—

I.Whatpatienceis.

II.Howpatienceiswrought.

III.Whatitisforpatiencetohaveaperfectwork.

1STGENERALHEAD

Whatthegraceofpatienceis

Takeitatlarge,—thatis,inthefullcomprehensionofit,—itisaconstantpersisting,whethertodothewillofGodwithoutfainting,ortosufferthewillofGodwithsubmission,andquietness,andcheerfulness,totheendofaman'sdays.Andthustaken,itrespectsdoingaswellassuffering.Thegoodgroundissaidtobringforthitsfruit,all itsfruit,withpatience, intheparableofthesower.Itrespects—

First, Doing the will of God: Rom. 2:7, 'To them who by patientcontinuance in well-doing'—the Greek is, 'the patience of a goodwork'—'seekforgloryandhonour,'&c.

And the reasonwhypatience is required to everygoodwork isbecausethereisadifficultythataccompanieseveryduty;andtotheputtingforthofeverygrace,thatweneedhavepatiencetoperformthedutyconstantly,andtocontinueinthepracticeofthatgrace.Thereisadifficulty,notonlyfromourowncorruption,untowhichthecommandsofGodaregrievous,but from the circumstances of times, places, persons we live in andamongst,thoughtheyshouldnotpersecute;asnotto'runintothesameexcessofriot,'tospeakordowhatweknowdothnotpleasethecompanywearein.Thus,tobechasteinSodomwastoLotatrial:tocondemntheworldbyadifferentcarriage,asinbeingstricterthanothersontheLord'sday, or in family duties, &c., to cross the stream: to be singular,Matt.5:47,andthe like.Heb.12:12, 'Liftupthehandswhichhangdown,andthefeebleknees:'whereinIobservethatindoinggoodinanykind,wearenot only lame creatures, and walk as those that halt, which breeds anawkwardnessuntoanyduty;butfurther,weareaptbyreasonthereoftoturn out of the way, as there, if rugged. Themembers we shouldwalkwithalarefeeble;ourhandsweshouldactwitharehangingdown;andsotheperformancehathadifficulty.Togoupthehillofgoodduties(thoughprivate and personal) without weariness, to keep straight paths, not to

pickandchooseourway, andnot tobaulk thewayorworkwhichGodfindsustodo,Eccles.9:10;especiallynottofainttowardstheend,whenwecometothebrowofthehill;theseallhaveawearisomenessinthem.Now, that which principally heartens and strengthens us to all this ispatience,asinver.1hehadprefaced, 'Letusrunwithpatiencetheracethatissetbeforeus;'weneedpatienceforeverystepofit,indoingaswellasinsuffering.Andintheverseimmediatelybeforethatexhortationnowopened, (it is ver. 11,) theApostleputs anddevolves an even andquietwalkinguponpatience,obtainedfirstbysuffering, inthesewords, 'Nowno chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous;nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnessunto them which are exercised thereby.' So as a quiet, resolute, andstrong performance of all the duties of righteousness is from patience,and is much the fruit of that patience we get by chastisements. Thesufferinglifehelpsandcontributesmuchtotheactivelife;forasthereisapatiencerequiredindoingGod'swill,sosufferinghiswillfitstheheartforit.

But this of patience in well-doing is not, in strict sense, that patiencewhichishereinmytexttobeunderstood.

Patienceistherefore,secondly,thesufferingthewillofGodinanykind.And this doth patience eminently respect. And that is the renownedpatiencewhichwealmosteverywheremeetwith,andwhichthetextcallsfor; such as when sudden and unexpected trials and tentations, whichtheyfallinto,fallout,asver.2.Andsoisnotmeantofthedifficultiesthataccompanyourordinaryconstantwayofpersonalwalking,inperformingthedutiesofourholyprofession.

Obj.—Butyouwillsay,Mysufferingsarenotforthegospel,astheirshereintendedwere,buttheyaremereprovidentialaccidentsthathavefallenuponme,outofcommonprovidence,andbutsuchasbefallwickedmen.They are not from outward persecution, for Christ's sake or myprofession,butfromGod'shand.

Ans.—Ishallanswerthis,here,onceforall.

1.Thewordsof this very textmay somewhat relieveusherein; for it is

'tentations' at large that are spoken of, and tentations arising fromsudden downfalls into miseries, and so of any kind. He doth notaltogether restrain it to temptations by persecution, though they aremainly intended, but it may, and ought to be, extended to otherprovidential occurrences; and the word ὑπομονὴ, used for patience,signifietharemainingunderanypressuresunbrokenandwhole,betheyofwhatkindsoever.Itrespects,indeed,afflictionsmainlyforthegospel,yetnotexclusivelytoafflictionsincommon.

2.Intheprosecutionofthisargument,theApostledothmanifestlycarryinhiseyeothertentationsorsufferingsthanfrompersecution,asappearsfromtheexamplesheallegethtopressthemtothispatience.Foramongothers, and above all others, he brings the instance of Job and his, bynameonly,aswellasoftheprophetsingeneral,whom,Christsays,theypersecuted,Matt.5:12.Thus,chap.5:11,'YehaveheardofthepatienceofJob.' His alleging the prophets is but a general: ver. 10, 'Take theprophets'—notnamingany—'foranexampleofsufferingandofpatience.'ButthatofJobsingularly,andbyname.Now,surelyhewouldnotcitehismost eminent example, to confirm his exhortation to this patience heintended,ofonewhosecasedidnotcomewithinthecompassanddintofhisexhortation.Letus,therefore,haverecoursetoJob'scaseandstory.His losseswerebutprovidential fromGod.TheSabeansandChaldeansplunderedhimofhisgoods,andslewhisservants.And'thefireofGod,'or fromGod, 'is fallen from heaven,' so hismessengers tell him, chap.1:16.Itistrueitwasthedevil,outofspite,thatmovedthemthatdidit;buttheydidit,not inawayofpersecution,butascommonenemies,aswhentheclansofonecountrybreakinuponanother.ButitwasGodandthedevilagreedittogether;yea,anditwasGodgavefirstoccasiontothedeviltomovehimtohaveleavetodoit.Soasthatwasnotforthegospel'ssake inwayof persecution.Nordid Job at all knowof that transactionbetweenGodandSatan,notallthatwhilehispatiencewasintheexerciseofit,buttookallasthehandofGod,thoughextraordinary.

Ifyounowaskadescriptionofpatience,asitthusrespectssufferingthewillofGod,wemustgiveitasitisinthewordofGodintheheight,forthatistheruleitselfthatdirectstoit,andnotlownittowhatisfoundinourhearts.Andyetthatwhichafterwardsfollows,andwillconfirmevery

tittleofit,isdrawnmostlyfromexamplesofthesaints,eitherintheOldor New Testaments, which shew that it is attainable, though withallowancetodefects,whichaccompanyallgracesinthislife.

Itisaconstant,thankful,joyfulenduring,withperseverancetotheendofaman's life, all the trials that are grievous, how great, how long, howhopelesssoeverastocomingoutofthem;mortifyingandcompescingtheinordinacy of opposite passions, as fear, grief, care, anxiety,whichwillariseuponsuchafflictions;withsubmittingtoGod'swill,forGod'sglory,and his good pleasure's sake; still blessing and sanctifying God in all,waitingonGod,andrelievingone's selfby faith inwhat is tobehad inGod,andfromGod, incommunionwithhim,andfromhis love, in thislife; in expectation also of that glorywhich is the reward after this lifeended.

Imight, in thisplace, confirmeverywordand tittleof thisdescription,eitheroutofexamplesofholymenortheruleswhichthewordgives.ButIomitthesetcollectionofsuchproofshere,becausethat,scatteredly,upanddown,intheparticularsthatfollow,thiswillbefoundperformed.

2DGENERALHEAD

Howpatienceiswrought

Brethren,whileIshewyouhowpatienceiswrought,Idowithalshewyouthewayandmeanstoobtainit;forbythesameitiswrought,bythesameitisnourishedandmaintained.AndIshallnotgooutofthetextforthis.

Therearetwoprinciplesherethatworkpatience.Thefirstisfaith:ver.3,'Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.' Andbecause, in Gal. 5:6, it is said, 'faith worketh by love,'—that is, faithworkethby lovewhatever itworketh,—thereforewemust findalso thatloveworkspatience.Andthatyouhaveinver.12too,'Blessedisthemanthatendurethtemptation:forwhenheistried,heshallreceivethecrownoflife,whichtheLordhathpromisedtothemthatlovehim.'Whydothheput in 'to them that love him,' whilst he speaks of him that endurethtentations,butbecauseitisloveenablesamantoenduretemptation?Sothatfaithinthefirstplace,andthenfaithworkingbyloveinthesecond

place,workspatienceorenduring.

Andtheconfirmationsofthesetwowillgiveproofstothelatterpartsofthat description I gave of patience; to wit, those of the soul's relievingitselfbyfaith,bywhatistobehadinGod,&c.

I.Howdothfaithworkpatience?

Ans.—First,inthegeneral,faithisthesubstanceofthingshopedfor,andindeedofallthingsthatarerevealedintheword;thatis,itmakesthemsubsistentandrealtoaman'ssoul.Faithdoesthis,astheeleventhtotheHebrews shews. And thereupon faith hath all the motives andconsiderations that thewholewordaffords,allwhich itbrings in to thesoul,andmakesthemsubsistenttoit,tosupportitintrials.Allisletinbyfaith;thatisthetunnelthatfillsthevessel.Andbythusbringinghometoaman'ssoulalltheconsiderationsthewordaffords,whichmayinduceamantopatience,itworksit.Thisisbutgeneral.

These considerations in the word are infinite, and I cannot stand toinstance;Iwillonlygivewhataremostpropertofaith.

Firstofall,Faithhathaprivative,emptyingwork.Itemptiesthesoulofallitsownworth,andrighteousness,andexcellencyinitsowneyes,andgivesathoroughsightuntothesoulofthesinfulnessofsin,ofitsspiritualsins,andcontrarietiesofall in itselfuntoholinessandfaith;andwithalfully convinceth it of its just deservedness to be utterly destroyed, andthereforemuchmoreof itsduedesertofalloranyafflictionswhatever,theybeinganyorallof themfar less thandestruction itself.And in thesightandsenseofthesefaithlaysthesoulapoor,empty,naked,wretchedcreature in all spiritual respects, both in the sight andpresence ofGodandinitsowneyes.Andthishelpsgreatlytowardsworkingpatience.Youshall observe, in that golden chain of graces, whereof each latter linkdepends upon the former,Matt. 5:3–5, how poverty of spirit is placedfirst: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit,' that is, that are emptied ofthemselves,lookuponthemselvesashavingnothing,deservingnothing,able to do nothing spiritually. And this true poverty of spirit they havefrom faith wrought; for blessedness is only pronounced of them thatbelieve,andofthefruitsoffaithinthem,accordingtothat,Rom.4:7–9.

Then,secondly, follows, 'Blessedaretheythatmourn,'namely, fortheirsins; that in thesecondplace.Andthen, thirdly, 'Blessedarethemeek,'thatis,thosewho,inthesightoftheirpovertyandsinfulness,lieatGod'sfeet,sosubduedandaffectedasGodmaydowhathewilltothemorwiththem.Thus it iswith themwhen they are thus emptied,which iswhenthey have seen their sins and deservedness to be destroyed, and arehumbled for them and mourn for them. These foregoing dispositionswork meekness, submission to God. They have nothing to say againstwhatever he shall do, but to justify God in all, and to condemnthemselves.AndallthesemakethemwillingandpatienttotakeanythingwellatthehandsofGod.Itisanexcellentspeech,toourpurpose,ofthechurch in that humbled frame of heart you find her in, Lam. 3:39,'Whereforedothalivingmancomplain,amanforthepunishmentofhissins?'Thechurchexpressethitasthemostbrutish,improperincongruity,unbecomingaman,suchastherecouldnotbeimaginedagreater.WhatIforamantocomplainandthinkmuchat thepunishmentofhissins!aman tomurmur, as theword is, againstGod! a sinfulman against theholyGod,hisrighteousjudge!Anditiscertainthatthinkingmuchisthegroundofallimpatiency;and,onthecontrary,asubmisstemperofspirituntoGodisthegroundofallpatience.Butwhydothsheputin,besides,toconvincesuchaoneofthefolly,injustice,andiniquityofit,thatheisalivingman;'Whydothalivingmancomplain?'Artthoualive?Artalivingmanstillinthisworld?Thenhastthoulittlecausetocomplain,whateverthymiserybe.Whilstthouartalive,thouartnotdestroyed.Considerhowhellanddestructionisthyportion,andtheduepunishmentofthysins;and so thouhast infinitely less than thoudeservest, and therefore thouhast no reason to complain. The church, out of her own sense andapprehensionofthis,hadsaidbefore,ver.22,'ItisoftheLord'smerciesthat we are not consumed.' She saith not, that our goods are notconsumed, or that our houses are not burnt; for indeed that was thechurch's very case when she spake this. Jerusalem was burnt, theirwomen ravished, their goods plundered, their bodies famished, as youread in the sameLamentations almost everywhere.But yet therewas aremnantofpersonswhowerenotconsumed;andthis,saidshe,isoftheLord'smercies,ofhistendermercies,outofhisbowels,asthewordthereis.Andthisbeinglessthandestruction,orbeingconsumed,isherreasonforthatexpostulationforementioned,ver.39.Asalsoofthathersogreat

submission,fromthatver.22untothe39thverse.Youfindtheverysameto this,asagroundofpatience,expressedelsewhere,after thecaptivityended:Ezra9:13,'ThouourGodhastpunisheduslessthanouriniquitiesdeserve,afterall that iscomeuponusforourevildeeds,'saythey, 'andfor our great trespasses.' Shall, then, a living man complain for thepunishmentofhissin,whenit isso infinitely far lessthanhedeserves?Thisconsiderationworkspatience,asithathreason.Ifamandeservestobehanged,drawn,andquartered,andheisbutburntinthehand,shallthismancomplain?Letthatmandownonhiskneesatthebar,andthankthe judgeorprincethathehadnothisduedesert, thegallows.Andtheconsideration of this is that also which makes a man accept thepunishmentofhisiniquity,asyouhaveitinLev.26:41, 'Ifyeacceptthepunishment,'&c.;thatis,ifyekisstherod.Andwhatmakesamancometo accept the punishment of his iniquities? Oh! the punishment ofmyiniquity is infinitely far less thanIdeserve, for, thinkshe,damnation ismyportion.Thisisthefirstthingthatworkspatience,theconsiderationofourowndeservednesstobedestroyed,andthis is fromtheemptyingworkoffaith.

Secondly,Faithbringshome to aman's soul thedominionofGod, andthe sovereignty of that dominion over a man's soul and person, to dowhathewillwiththem;andthatmayverywellhushandquietaman.InJob9:12,'Behold,hetakethaway,'(destroysacity,anation,suppose,asinchap.12:23, 'Heincreaseththenations,anddestroysthem;enlargeththenations,andstraitensthemagain,')and'whocanhinderhim?'—asinthatchap.9,—'andwhowillsayuntohim,Whatdostthou?'Asitfollows,'IfGodwillnotwithdrawhisanger,theproudhelpersstoopunderhim;'or, 'thehelpersofstrength,'as in themargin, 'theybowunderhim.'Hetookawayyourgoods,andwhocouldhinderhim?Thefireburntthiscity,notwithstandingalltheinhabitantsthatwereinterested,andabletohavequenched it;yet thestronghelpersstoodhelpless, lookingon,weeping,shakingtheirheads,andcrying,Alas!Forwhy?Whocouldhinderhim?Theyallbowedunderhim.Andagain,Job34:31,'Surelyitismeettobesaid untoGod, I have borne chastisement, Iwill not offend anymore.'For,asver.33,'Shouldit'—theevilorthegoodheispleasedtobringonthee—'beaccording to thymind?' (Heb.,Should itbe 'fromwith thee?')thatis, fromwhatis inandwiththee.Mustheaskcounselfirstofthee,

andknowwhatthymindis?'Hewillrecompenseit,'ordispenseitashepleaseth,'whetherthourefuse,orwhetherthouchoose,'—thatis,whetherthymindbefororagainstit,—'andnotI.'(ThisisthespeechofElihuinthepersonofGod,andonhisbehalf.)Thatis,Shouldestthoudisposeofall thesethings forme,andnotImyself?saysGod.Thismayandmustsilence all and every man, as well as it did Job there. For it follows,'Therefore speak,' if thou hast anything to say against this, 'what thouknowest.'Asifhehadsaid,Thisisnottobecontradicted,buttobewhollysubmittedto.

But,mybrethren, faithbringshome to theheartamessageof ahighersovereignty, even of love fromGod borne to you, and tells all you thatsincerely profess an interest inGod, that God hath shewn his absolutedominion already towards you in saving your souls. It is an absolutedominion that, asRom. 9 shews.Andwhat else is themeaning of thatspeech, 'Iwillbemerciful towhomIwillbemerciful?' It isa speechofdominion.Well,hathGodshewedhisdominion in saving thysoulwithdifference? hath he shewn it on this, the good side? Then truly thoumayestverywellgivehimleavetoexercisehisdominionoverallelsethatthouhast;thoumayestverywellbecontentheshewhisdominionuponthylumberandthyappurtenances.Hemighthaveshewnhisdominionindestroyingbothyourgoodsandsoulstoo,ashedidtheSodomiteswhenheburnttheircity.

But,thirdly,FaithbringshometheloveofGod,thesoul'sinterestinGod,with a communion and fellowship with God, which may well serve tostrengthen patience in the greatest distresses. This you see inDavid atZiklag, when the city was burnt,—I therefore instance in it,—and hisgoodsallplundered,andhiswivescarriedaway.AndDavidwasgreatlydistressed, thepeople talkingofstoninghim.Then it issaid, 'butDavidencouraged himself in the Lord his God.' His interest in him, and thecominginofhislove,asbeinghisGod,didheartenandstrengthenhimagainstall,1Sam.30:6.Likewise,inextremityoffamine,whentherewasnotbread,noroil,norwine,normeattoeat,thiswroughtthelike,Hab.3:17,18,'Althoughthefig-treeshallnotblossom,neithershallfruitbeinthe vines; the labourof theolive shall fail, and the fields shall yieldnomeat;theflockshallbecutofffromthefold,andthereshallbenomore

herdinthestalls;'—hereareallthosethingsenumeratedaswantingthatarethemeanstosupport lifeandnature,andit is thewantof foodandraimentforyouandyoursthatyoufearinthelossofyourgoods,andlossofyourlivelihoods;—'yet,'sayshe,'IwillrejoiceintheLord,IwilljoyintheGodofmysalvation.'AmanhathallinGodbeforehimstill.Andfaithbrings home all in God, or carries the heart out unto God, to fetch incomfortfromhim,inthesethegreatestextremities.Therearetwothingstheredistinct.Hefirstsayshewillrejoice intheLord,even inwhat theLord is inhimself: aGodblessed for ever,Amen!And ifGodbehappyandblessedforevermore,Icannotbemiserable,saysthatsoulthatcanrejoiceinthis,thathoweverGodenjoysaperfectblessedness;andIdosorejoice in that, that whilst God continues to be God, and theseapprehensions and disposition of heart do but continue in me, I haveenough.The second is, that he ismyGod, theGod ofmy salvation; soHabakkuk, 'Iwill joy in theGod ofmy salvation.' And then to be sure,whileheishappy,Ishallbehappyindeed.'TheLordismyportion,saithmysoul,'Lam.3,inthemidstofthosetroubles.TheLordhelpustofaith!

Mybrethren,theloveofGodbroughtinbyfaithwillhelpamantobearupunderanycondition.Youknowthatplace,Rom.8;hehadtriumphedintheloveofGod,ver.31,'IfGodbeforus,whocanbeagainstus?'Andver.35, 'WhoshallseparateusfromtheloveofChrist?shalltribulation,ordistress,orpersecution,orfamine,ornakedness,orsword?'Markhisresolution, expressed thereupon, in ver. 37, 'Nay, in all these thingswearemorethanconquerorsthroughhimthatlovedus.'Thatspeech,'Nay,inall thesethings,'&c., isatriumphantslightingofallhehadreckonedup,anditwasallanywayformidable,orthatmightbejudgedoppositetoourcomfortsinthisworld,whichhehadreckonedup;andyetspeaksatthatrateas if faithonthe loveofGodandChristscornedsuch lowandweak and poor adversaries, as not enough, or not ofmight enough forthemtotrytheirstrengthupon;andisasifhehadsaid,Aretheseallthatcomeoutagainstus,and threaten tohurtus?Butare theseall indeed?Naythen,sayshe, if thesebeall,wearesafeenough;wearemorethanconquerorsinallthese.Buthowcomesthistopass?Itisadded,'throughhim that loved us.'Not only in that he, loving us, joins his strength toourstosupportus,butitisalsomeantobjectivè,thattheloveofGodandChrist coming in fresh upon our hearts, the apprehension of that is

sufficient; and in that respecthe says, 'throughhim that lovedus.' It isobjectivèspokenofChrist's love,as it is theobjectofour faith,andnotassistenter.Wearemorethanconquerorsthroughhislovetakeninbyus,andshedabroadinourhearts;andbyreasonthathislovecomesinandsupportsusunderall,andhelpsustoconquerall.AsfaithhathallinGodto rejoice in, and so helps the soul to patience; so especially it hath itslove,inallsortsofdistresses.

Fourthly,Faithtellsusthattherewillbeagoodissueofallastotheotherworld;yea,andinthisworldalso,insuchthingsthatrelatetothatworld,Luke 21:18, 19. He had spoken before in that chapter of the greatestdistresses that could befall men,—as, if you read the verses before,appeareth,—and also of such as should fall upon the people of Godamongstthempersonally,aswellasuponthenationoftheJewsintheirfinal desolation. And besides that common calamity which befell thepeopleofGod,withtherestofthatnation,hesays,overandabove,theyshallfirst'laytheirhandsonyou,'ver.12,'andpersecuteyou,deliveringyouuptothesynagogues,andintoprisons,andshallputsomeofyoutodeath;'—itisinallthreeEvangelists;—andinver.16,'Yeshallbebetrayedbothbyparents,andbrethren,andkinsfolks,andfriends;andyeshallbehated of allmen formy name's sake.' But, says he, comfort yourselveswithwhatwill certainly be the issue: ver. 18, 'There shall not a hair ofyourheadperish.'How?Notahairofyourheadperish!Whatastrangesayingisthis,whenhehadsaidjustbeforetheyshouldbepersecutedandputtodeath!Howdothhesaythen,Notahairofyourheadshallperish?Why,because the issue shall be suchas shouldmakeamends for everyhair.Thesoulshallsay,Ihavenotlostahair.Nay,besides,thoseofyoutheycannotputtodeathshallhaveahundred-fold,andthatinthislife,as elsewhere, in spiritual blessings. And faith, eyeing these things,relieves the soul. Observe but what follows there as to our purpose inhand,forwhichIquotethisplace,inver.19,theverynextverse,'Inyourpatiencepossessyoursouls;'themeaningfromthecoherenceis,Youmaywellpossessyoursouls inpatience, forIhave toldyouthe issuewillbemostblessedandglorious.

Fifthly,Faithbringsinheavenastherewardofpatientenduring;thus,inchap.1:12ofourApostle, 'Blessedisthemanthatendurethtemptation:

forwhen he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the LordHathpromisedto themthat lovehim.'Andthis is theconclusionofhispresentdiscourseaboutpatientenduring.'Whenheistried,'thatis,whenhistrialsarefinishedandgonethroughwith;andhisfaithhathallalongwroughtpatienceinhiscourse.Itisperseveringpatience,orendurance,receivesthiscrown.Othergracesstrive,but faithandpatience, theyarecrowned.And further, in proportion it holds that as aman's trials andtemptationshavebeen,andhispatiencesuitable,suchshallthegreatnessofhisrewardbe,andaccordinglymeasuredforthuntohim.Andfaithintheintuitionofthatgloryheartenspatience,Rom.5.Faithhavingcausedusfirstto'rejoiceinthehopeofthegloryofGod,'ver.2,causethusalsoto'gloryintribulations,'ver.3,inthestrengthofourhopeinthatglory.Which hope is said further to be increased in us, through tribulationsworkingpatience,ver.4.Asthus,'patienceworksexperience,'ver.5,thatis, many a fresh experiment of our own graces and God's dealings inthose trials; and those experiences do work up a hope or assurance ofglory (as 1 John 3:2) to that degree of firmness that maketh us notashamed,not inrespectonlyof therealdisappointmentof thatgloryatdeath, but not in a man's own hope thereof in his own heart,—for inrespecttothathopeofhisthisisspoken,—becausethatoverandabove,andbesidesthoseforesaidexperiments,'theloveofGodisshedabroadinourheartsbytheHolyGhost'himself immediately, 'who isgiventous;'which shedding, &c., of God's love is no other than the earnest andprelibationofthatglory.Andthisisgivenastherewardofourpatienceandtribulations,whicharebutthelossofthingsearthly,inexchangeforwhichwereceivethishopeandbeginningofglory.Ifthouhadsthadallthebrassandpewterthatwasinthyhouse,andhathbeenmeltedbythisfire,therewithalturnedintogold;andthestonesthatpavedthyyards,orthebricksorlimethatraisedthywalls,allchangedintopreciousstones;thyglasswindows, thatweredissolved,converted intodiamonds,—thouhadstlittlecausetocomplainattheloss.NowreadIsa.54:11,12,'Othouafflicted, tossedwith tempest, andnot comforted, behold, Iwill lay thystoneswith fair colours, and lay thy foundationswith sapphires; I willmake thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thybordersofpleasantstones.'Andifthouhastgottenanyincreaseofgracebytheselosses,thenhathmuchofthisinIsaiahbeentrulyandspirituallyfulfilledinthee.Andtheserepairsareinthislife.Butbesidesthat,'Thou

hastabuildingmadewithouthands,eternal in theheavens,'2Cor.5:1,whichstandsready for thee.ThosebelievingHebrewsmightwell sufferthespoilingoftheirgoodswithjoy,whilsttheyfoundsealed,andputintotheirhearts,billsofexchangetoreceiveallagain ineternal treasures inheaven.Butthiswastheirverycase:'Yetookjoyfullythespoilingofyourgoods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and anenduringsubstance,'Heb.10:34.Andthishappylotwillcometobethine,if thou exercisest upon thy losses faith and patience. It follows in thatHeb. 10, the followingverses, 'Castnotaway thereforeyourconfidence,which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience,that,afteryehavedonethewillofGod,yemightreceivethepromise.'—Thisforfaith'sworkingpatience.

II.OurlovetoGodworkspatience.LovetoGodinusworkspatience,orfaithbylove,asIshewedoutofver.12.LovetoGodmakesuscleavetoGod, and so to follow him through all weathers and endurances. Thatgreatconvert,inwhomathisconversionfaithandloveweresoabundant,as1Tim.1:14,—hisheart,throughlovetothenameofChrist,causedhimin thehighest passion to utter, 'Whatmean you toweep andbreakmyheart?forIamnotreadytobeboundonly,butalsotodieatJerusalem,forthenameoftheLordJesus,'Acts21:13.Itwaslovetothatnamethatfiredhim;yea,his lovewaswroughtuptosuchanintensedegreeashecouldhavewishedtohavebeenaccursed fromChrist forGod'sglory intheconversionofhisbrethren,Rom.9.Iwonderhowhewouldhavedoneforpatienceunderthatcurse, if inhell.Butthat lovewhichwishedthatcursewouldhavewroughtit;andsothoughthe,orhewouldneverhavewished this. Upon the like account of love to this name, those twoapostles'rejoicedtosuffershameforhisname,'asActs5:41.LovemakestheglorifyingofGodandChrist,andthewillofGod,whichisalwaysforhisglory,dearerthanallthingstous.Yea,thatGodshouldhavehiswill,for his own glory,—'if it be the will of God,' says the Apostle,—of oursufferings,abundantlystillstheheartinall.Itistrue,Imaybepunishedinmyafflictionsformysin,andIhumblemyselfforthatButbeyondthat,itisthegoodpleasureofGodsotohaveit;andIrejoiceinthat,sayslove,thathiswillisdone,astrulythatitisdoneuponme,asthatbyme.AndgoodisthewordofGodinboth;andhallowedbehisname!InthatRom.8,where,asyouheard,'wearemorethanconquerorsinallthesethings

throughhimthatlovedus,'thatloveofhistousisaloneindeedopenlyorexpressly mentioned, yet withal it is our love to him that tacitly isinsinuatedtobeaconcurrentcausetherewith;youmusttakethatintoo.Fortheintentofthoseverywordsis,thatthesoulapprehendinghislovewho is that lover,—τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος,—as that word imports, out of areciprocated lovetohimagain,dothheartenus in theconflictuntothisconquest.Andyetthereisonesmallwordputinthatfurtherarguesthis;it is in ver. 36, 'For thy sake we are killed all the day long,'—our livesbeing in jeopardy every hour,—and 'we are counted as sheep for theslaughter.'Andthis'forthysake'youhaveinPs.44,andhequotesitoutfromthence;'Asitiswritten,'sayshe,'Forthysake,'&c.Nowthereforeitis evidently the love that is in us to him, and our cleaving to himtherewith,thatisthereheldforthasthatwhichmakesuswillingtosufferand endure, in that it is for his sake. And although the Apostle in hisdiscourserunsuponthemagnifyingGod'sloveandChrist'slovetous,asthatwhich,apprehendedand taken inbyus,dothprincipallywork thiseffect;yetthePsalmist,ontheotherside,setsouttheloveofthechurchtoGodastheconcurrentcause:ver.17,'Allthisiscomeuponus;yethavewenotforgottenthee,neitherhavewedealtfalselyinthycovenant.'And,ver.18–22,'Ourheartisnotturnedback,neitherhaveourstepsdeclinedfromthyway; though thouhastsorebrokenus in theplaceofdragons,andcovereduswiththeshadowofdeath.Ifwehaveforgottenthenameof ourGod, or stretchedout ourhands to a strange god; shall notGodsearchthisout?forheknoweththesecretsoftheheart.Yea,forthysakearewekilledallthedaylong;wearecountedassheepfortheslaughter.'If faithand loveoncebutsay, It is for thysake,OGod;Whythen,sayspatience,Icanbearit,yea,rejoice init, forhissakethat lovedme.Andlook, as the Apostle says he could do all things through Christ thatstrengthenedhim,solovecandoallthingsforChristthatlovedhim,andgavehimselfforhim.

And,toconcludethis—

Iflovetoourbrethren,whichspringsfromlovetoGod,workssogreatapatience towards them;as in thatscripture, 'Lovesuffereth long,and iskind;enviethnot,rejoicethnotinevil;bearsallthings,hopesallthings,enduresallthings,'1Cor.13;allwhichisspoken,asinthosewords,ofour

lovetoman;thoughitwasourlovetoGodthatisurgedandspokenofinallthewordsbefore,andisthespringofthisourlovetoman.Nowiflove,Isay,untomanworkssomuchpatienceinthings,perhaps,thatareyetinjurioustous,andnotonlyburdensome,fromthem,—andinamannerall those elogies of love there do run upon and speak patience; thatpatiencebeingtheproper fruitof that love;whatelsedosuffering long,bearingandenduringall things,withtherest,soundandsignify?—thenmuch more, I say, will love unto God, the cause of this love to ourbrethren,enableustodotheliketowardshimwhocandousnowrongnorhurt,but isholyandrighteous inallhisworks;andallwhosewaysandgoingsforthtousaremercyandtruth;andforwhosesakealsoitisthatwebearsowithourbrethren;andwhohathlovedandgivenhisSonforus.Itwasagreatspeechofaholysoul,inanunkindlytrialfromman:Thatmanshoulddeal thuswithme,Ishouldhavemuchadotobear it,(asDavidsaid,Ps.55:12,)butitisGod,andIcantakeanythingwellathishands.—Andthisforthesecondgeneralhead.

SECTIONIII:WhatisthePerfectWorkofPatience?

3DGENERALHEAD

Whatistheperfectwrokofpatience

INgeneral,athingthenisperfectwhenallthepartsthatbelongtoitarefinished.Asthenthecreationoftheworldissaidtobeperfectwhen,asGen. 2:1, 2, 'The heavens and the earth were finished, and the host ofthem.'Sowhenallthewholeoftheworkofpatienceinitsseveralparts,&c.,isaccomplished,thenpatiencehathitsperfectwork.

Therearefourbranchesofthisheadthatcompleteit:—

1.Itsprivativework.

2.Itspositiveacts.

3.Itspositivefruits.

4.Itsadjunctsofperfection.

Allwhichgotomakepatienceperfect.Andtheproofsthereofwillconfirmevery tittle of the fore-part and body of that description I gave ofpatience,page438.

FirstBranch.—Itsprivativework

I begin with its privative work. And that lies in this: when faith bypatiencedothmortifyturbulentpassionsthatstillarise,andareoppositesthereto.And as love,when perfect, casts out fear, 1 John 4:18, so thenpatience is perfect when it expels those contrary passions; or elselikewise,toointensethoughts,orporingsuponourmiseryandcrosses,soasourmindsarechainedandtiedtothoseobjects,andtakenofffromallother. I take thoughts in, because Christ says, Luke 24:38, 'Why dothoughtsariseinyourhearts?Whyareyoutroubled?,Forwhentroublessinkdeep,theysendthoughtsupfast;aswhenweightsarehunguponaclock or jack, they make the wheels run swiftly. And so inordinateaffectionscauseaninordinacyofthoughts,andafixingourmindstoonething; as upon what we have lost, or are like to suffer. Now perfectpatience corrects and orders the extravagancies of all these, reduceth amantopossesshisownsoul;asChrist'sphraseis,inLuke21:19,'Inyourpatience possess ye your souls,' and thereby to dwell in a man's self;whereas the violence of such affections hurry us out of ourselves, andthrowoursoulsoutofdoors,thatwearenotwithin,orourselves.

Toinstanceinsomeparticularpassions:—

1.Inordinategrief.YouknowhowJob'spatienceiscriedup,andthatbyourApostle.Forwhenhe suffered the lossof all, bothhis childrenandestate,&c., yetheexpressednogrief,no troubleat all, thatwe readof,upon the hearsay and tidings thereof; and sure if there had been any

upon those occasions, the storywouldhave told it, as it dothhis otherimpatiences, which were upon other and higher pressures of anotherkind,afterwards.Butallyoureadofhimuponoccasionofthoseoutwardlossesinchap.1isallmerepatienceandsubmissiontoGod. 'TheLord,'says he, 'gave, and the Lord hath taken away,'—and it is the Lordwhohathdoneboth,—'andblessedbethenameoftheLord'forboth.And'inallthischargednotGodfoolishly,'saysthelastverse.

2.Envyandpassionateanger.(1.)Envy,whichisapttorisewhenothershavenosuchafflictionsorlosses.Asthatsuchandsuchaone,andofmyrank,shouldescapewithhisgoods,&c.,whenthelossfallsheavyonme,saiththesadheart.Thissecretlyregrets.Goodpeoplearegreatlyapt tothis. 'Thespirit that is inus'—inussaints—'lusteth toenvy.'ButGod intheend'givesmoregrace;'thatis,whenmenarehumbled,asthereitissaid, and broken,which is usuallywhen they have been exercisedwithgreat sufferings. The different condition of the holy apostles and someotherChristians inthoseprimitivetimes,givesdemonstrationofsuchapatience in this case.Therewerenomensoeminent for sufferingsandpatience, next the Lord Christ, as the apostles were, who yet viewingotherChristians, (as taketheCorinthians,1Cor.4:8,9,)howtheywerefull, &c., 'Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kingswithoutus.'Itwasacityveryrich,andtheChristiansinithadafulnessofoutwardthingswhenhewrotethis;theywerefullandrich.Butasforus,says he, 'God hath set forth us apostles last, as it were appointed todeath,'&c.'Yearehonourable,butwearedespised;webothhunger,andthirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place;andlabour,workingwithourhands:beingreviled,webless;beingpersecuted,wesuffer it;beingdefamed,weentreat:wearemadeasthefilthoftheworld,andaretheoffscouringofallthingsuntothisday.'Andyethedidnot at all envy this their fulness in the least.No,hewisheththemall trueprosperity: 'Would toGodyedid reign,' ver.8, that is, intrueandspiritualrespects;hewisheththemallgoodrather,inallinwardenjoyments of God and Christ, together with their outward riches, &c.Nowwhatwas it thathadsomuchrootedupenvy,&c., inhimandtheotherhisfellow-apostles?Itwashissufferingsandwants,andtheirbeingmadespectacles toangelsandmen,as there.Thishadwroughthisandtheir spirits to this. In theOldTestament, Joshua, thoughhe proved a

manofachoicespirit,yetwhenhewasyounginyears,andbutayoungbeginneringrace,envyroseupinhim,forhisgoodmaster,Moses'sake.EldadandMedadprophesy,sayshe,Num.11:29;'butMosessaidtohim,Enviest thou for my sake?' and so reproved him; and thereuponexpressethhisownheartthus:'WouldGodthatalltheLord'speoplewereprophets; and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them!' Now,whence arose this blessed disposition of heart, thus free from envy inhim? In the very next chapter you meet with another instance, whichgivesatrueaccountbothofhisnotenvyingothers,asalsoinbearingtheenvyofothersagainsthimself,sharpenedwiththehighestprovocationsuntoanger,(whichwasthe2d,)itbeingasunkindlyasunreasonable.Itwas the envyof his ownonlybrother and sister, for this, thatGodhadchosenhimtoutterhismindbyuntohispeople,andrevealhimselfsoasnever to any man, as God's testimony of him is in that 12th chapter.Whereupontheyhadsaid,ver.2, 'HaththeLordindeedspokenonlybyMoses?hathhenotspokenalsobyus?'Thereuponfollowstheaccount,orbottom disposition of spirit, which made him bear both this and theformer, ver. 3, 'Now themanMoseswas verymeek, above all themenwhich were upon the face of the earth.' And so, good man, he wouldhimselfhavepassedthisby,andhavetakennonoticeatallofthisaffront;butthatGod,itistheresaid,heardit,asnotingthathewouldnotputitupsoforMoses'sake.NowwhatwasithadtamedandmadeMosesthusmeekandcalmandpassive?Certainlyhisgreatafflictions.Andhisfaith,havingbeenexercisedthereby,hadwroughtpatienceinhim:Heb.11:24,25,'Byfaithhechoserathertosufferaffliction,'&c.;andaccordinglyhadlivedfortyyearsameanshepherd,aservilelife,anexile,abanishedmanfromPharaoh's court, honours, and pleasures of it, as an underling, inhardshipanddurance.Anditwasasuddentrial,forhefledforhislifeatanhour'swarning,aswellasasoreandlongtrialoffortyyears;andthesesufferings,asgreatasanyman'sinthatage,madehimmeek,'verymeek,'which word the Dutch Annotators render 'patient.' The Hebrew wordhath affinity with afflictions, saith Ainsworth, which had taught himpatience,assufferingsdidChrist,whosetypehewas,Heb.5:8.Thesehadsubduedangerandenvyinhimuntothissohighadegree,andpatiencehad itsperfectwork.Forotherwisewe findhecouldbeangryat times,Exod. 11:8, 16:20, 32:19; Lev. 10:16; Num. 16:15, 31:14, 20:10, 11; asAinsworthhathcollectedthem.

JesusChristhathtaughtusalessonagainstthisenvy,Matt.20:15,'ShallInotdowhatIwillwithmineown?'Arenotallthingsmine?Andwiltthouenvy that Ihave taken them from thee, andnotdone so fromanother?'Shall thine eye be evil, because I am good?' Shall a man be sick thatanotherisinhealth?

3.Inordinatefears.Whentoomuchtroublecomesuponus,weusetofeartoomuchatthepresent;andareapttoprojectathousandthingsforthefuture,asthatpovertyandbeggarywillfollow.Manysuchfearslayholduponus,becauseweseeGod'sangerhathbegun,andweknownot theworst,norwhenorwhere itwill end.But, saithChrist,Rev.2:10, 'Fearnoneof those things that thoushalt suffer:be thou faithfuluntodeath,andIwillgive theeacrownof life.'Faithand faithfulnessuntoGod,orconstancy in enduring unto death, he here opposeth to fear; and faithworkspatience,andpatienceeatsout fear.Fortitudeandcouragedifferfrompatienceinthis,thatastoutcourageinamanofagreatspiritwillindeedovercome fear, if sobehe seesanyhopeof evading,andsowillrouseaman'sspirituptoresistanceanddefence.Butpatience,thoughitseesnohopeastothislife,yea,nothingbutpresentdeathbeforeit,itwillyetstrengthenthehearttobearit,andmakeamanfaithfuluntodeath,andconstant,withoutprevailingfears,evenuntodeath.

4.MurmuringagainstGod.Patienceworksoutthat.AsinJob,thedevilprojectedhisblaspheming:'Hewillblasphemetheetothyface.'Hemadesureaccountofit,andwouldneedsturnprophet,andprophesywhatJobwoulddo,andthatbeforeGod.Butthedevilwasbefooled,andprovedalyingprophet.Job,insteadofblasphemingGod,blessethGod.'InallthisJobchargednotGodfoolishly.'Imaysayofit,asintheRevelationtwiceit is said of the saints, Here was the patience of Job. And it was thatpatientframeofspiritthatGodhadwroughtinhim,whichtheScripturesoextols,thatenabledhimhereunto.

5.Faithbypatiencemortifiesinordinatecares.Againstthetimesofthosegreat distresses thatwere to comeupon the Jewishnation, and amongthemupon the Christian Jews in that nation, before the destruction ofJerusalem,whichwould try every vein in their hearts, Christ gives twospecial exhortations, besides divers others, Luke 21. The first, 'In yourpatience'—that is, that patience which is truly Christian and properly

yours—'possess your own souls,' ver. 19. The second, 'Take heed toyourselves,lestatanytimeyourheartsbeoverchargedwiththecaresofthis life'—μέριμναι. Cares do, as the word imports, distract the soul,scatteritintowildthoughtsandwanderinganxieties.Butpatience,whichChristfirstexhortsto,callsallin,andordersalltokeephome,andnottostiroutofdoorsabroad;composethall,soasamanpossessethhisownsoul. InPhil.4:6,7, 'Becareful fornothing;but ineverythingbyprayerand supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made knownuntoGod; and thepeaceofGod,'&c. I instance likewise for this in thedifferenceofthetwogroundsintheparableofthesower,Luke8:14,15.Ofthethornygrounditissaid,that'thewordwaschokedbythecaresoftheworld;' but of the goodgroundoppositely, that it 'brings forth fruitwith patience.' Patience is contrary unto cares, as well as untounquietness,ortootherinordinateaffections.

Thisforpatience,itsprivativework.

SecondBranchofthe3dGeneralHead.—Itspositiveacts

I come, secondly, to positive acts and workings of patience, which aremany.Tobeginwiththelowest,andsorisetothehigher:—

1.Patience includes and comprehends anact ofwaitinguponGod, andhisgoodpleasure.Waitingisanactoffaithcontinuedorlengthenedout;andwherefaithwouldofitselfbeshort-winded,patienceekesitout.Thedaughterhelpsthemother,withanexpectationofahappyissue.Youfindwaiting involved in patience as an eminent act thereof, James 5:7, 'Bepatient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, thehusbandmanwaiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath longpatienceforit,untilhereceivetheearlyandlatterrain.'Look,howandinwhat manner the husbandman waits, so he sets out and exhorts aChristianpatientmanshoulddo.Mic.7:7,'ThereforeIwilllookuntotheLord;IwillwaitfortheGodofmysalvation:myGodwillhearme,'&c.,'untilhepleadmycause,andexecutejudgmentforme,'&c.,ver.9.

2.Itisawaitingwithquietness.Andthatispatience'worktoo.Patience

isnotanenduringsimplyby force,whichwecallpatienceperforce,butwithquietness.InLam.3,thechurch,inherdolefulcondition,expresseththe actings and workings of her own soul; although she speaks in thethirdperson,whichisusualintheScripture,yetshemeansherself:ver.26, 'It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for thesalvationoftheLord.'Thiswasutteredwhenshewasundertheyoke,andsowasafruitofpatience.Ver.27, 'It isgoodforamanthathebeartheyoke in his youth.' It is the nature of faith to quiet the heart inGod;—Fides habet vim quietativam. Isa. 26:3, 'Thou wilt keep him in perfectpeace,whosemind is stayedon thee;becausehe trusteth in thee.'And,chap. 30:15, 'In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.' Andwhen faith hath wrought patience, it quiets the heart much more.Patience speaks quietness in the very sound of it; and the reason isbecauseithathastrengthaccompaniesit,Col.1:11,'Strengthenedwithallmight, unto all patience and long-suffering.' And thence so far forth asfaithandpatiencedostrengthentheheart,sofarweareabletobear,andthatwithquietness. 'Letnotyourheartsbetroubled,'saithChrist,John14. Why? 'You believe in God, believe also in me.' Faith on them willcausetroubletoflyaway,whichisagreatpartofChrist'smeaningwhenhe says, 'In patience possess your souls,'—that is, dwell quietly in yourownspirits,asamandothinhishouse,whichourlawtermshiscastle.

3.Patiencecarriesontheheartwithoutfaintingordiscouragement.'Forthiscausewefaintnot.'Isa.42:4;themeeknessandpatienceofChrististhere firstset forth:ver.2, 'Heshallnotcry,nor liftuphisvoice in thestreets.'Thenfollows,ver.4, 'Heshallnotfailnorbediscouraged,'—notbebroken,astheHebrewis,—thatis, inspirit,soastoceasefromwhatGodhadgivenhimtodoorsuffer;heshouldgoonwithhisworktillhehadperfectedit.

4. Patience in all sufferings submits to God, and the will of God. TheApostlesedulouslyputsin'ifitbethewillofGod,'whenhehadoccasiontomentiontheirsufferings,andhedothittwice:1Peter3:17,'IfitbethewillofGodthatyesuffer;'andchap.4:19,'WhereforelethimthatsuffersaccordingtothewillofGod,'&c.Andinchap.1:6,'Ifneedbe,'thatis,ifGodseeitrequisitetobringthemonyou.AndtheApostlewouldneedsbring theseclauses in, thoughbywayofparenthesis; so in twoof these

placesmentioned.Thestrongerthesufferingsare,thestrongeristhewillof God in bringing those sufferings. And it is patience in the soul thatworks the heart to submission to that will, Ps. 39:9, 'I was dumb, Iopenednotmymouth;because thoudidst it.'Then,whenheconfessedhissinofBathshebaandmurderingUriah,heconsiderednotthewrongdone them, in comparison of that he had done against God therein.'Against thee,against theeonly,haveIsinned,anddonethisevil in thysight,'Ps.51.Andnow,whenaretaliationforthatsin,intherebellionofhisownsonAbsalom,cameuponhim,andShimeihad likewisebitterlycursed and reviled him,—which some latter expositors have deemed tohave been the occasions of that psalm,—he in likemanner, in this hispunishment, layeth aside the consideration of all instruments that hadbroughtthoseevilsonhim,whoevertheywere,whetheritweretheseorsome other, and looks only untoGod, and submits, 'because thou hastdone it.' And though he confesseth that he was in a fume at first,notwithstandinghis fixedresolutiontohavebeendumbas forspeakinganythingthatshouldsavourofmurmuringbeforemen;yethisfleshandcorruptionboiledwithinhim,asthatusethtoriseandworkinusfirst:sover.2,3,'Iwasdumbwithsilence,Iheldmypeace,evenfromgood:andmy sorrowwas stirred,' ormy distemper wrought themore. 'My heartwashotwithinme,whilstIwasmusingthefireburned:thenspakeIwithmytongue.'Andwhathespakesavoursofamanwearyoflifeitself.ForhewouldneedsknowofGodwhenhislifeshouldbeatend;thus,ver.4,'soimpatientwashe.'Yea,butthenwhenhisgracecamemoredeeplyandthoroughly tobe stirred, andpatience tohave itsperfectwork,he thenconsidersGod'shandalone in it;how that itwashehad stirredup thespiritsofthesewickedonesagainsthim,andfoundthathimselfhadtodowithGodalone.Andthenhewasdumbandsilentindeedtopurpose.Andtruly his heart at that time, if the occasion were that of Shimei andAbsalom,hadbeenwroughtupintoasblessedaframeofsubmissiontoGodaseverbeforeorafter,inallhislifetime,ashiswordsinthatchapterbeforementioneddodeclare,2Sam.15:25,26,'AndDavidsaid,IfIshallfindfavourintheeyesoftheLord,hewillbringmeagain,andshewmebothit,'—viz.,theark,—'andhishabitation:butifhethussay,Ihavenodelightinthee;behold,hereIam,lethimdotomeasseemethgooduntohim.'HehereinperfectlygivesuphimselftoGod'sgoodpleasure.Anditisas ifhehadsaid, If itbegood inhiseyes so todeal, it shallbeso in

mine;Iwhollygivemyselfupuntowhateverhisdesignsignisuponme.Yea,hecastsawayhimselfintothesuppositionofGod'shavingnodelightinhim;whichisthemostafflictingsuppositionagodlymancanmaketohimselfofallother;soperfectlydidhiswillapplyitselftoGod'swill.HehadprofessedhiswaitingonGodjustbeforeinthatpsalm, 'Now,Lord,whatdoIwaitfor?myhopeisinthee.'Andnowheadds,'Iamdumb,'soforthepresent;and,'Iwillbedumb,'soforthefuture:Iwillneveropenmymouthaboutit.PiscatorandtheDutchAnnotatorreaditthus,inbothtenses.

5. Patience makes a man not dumb only, or not to open his mouththroughsubmission,butitmakeshimputhismouthinthedust;wherebya deeper humiliation and submission is yet expressed. It is a furtherhumiliationtolieatGod'sfeetwithhisfaceonthedust,whichisaslowasthepersoncango:thatifGodwilltreadandtrampleuponhim,thereheis;andinthatposturepresentsanddeclareshimselfreadyforthat,oranydispensationfromGod.Lam.3,thechurchdidnotonlywait,ver.25,and'waitquietly,'ver.26,andthen'sitdown'and'keepsilence,'ver.28,butdid'puthermouthinthedust,'ver.29.

Butyouwillsay,Allthiswasdonewhenthesoulhadhope,asappearsinthosewords in thatLam. 3:26, 'It is good that aman shouldhope andwaitquietly;'and,ver.29, 'Heputshismonthinthedust, ifsobetheremay be hope.' And, indeed, David, in the 39th Psalm, and likewise inthese places cited of him out of Samuel, had hope concerning thatparticularthingheyetsubmitteduntoGodin,asatthe7thverseofthatpsalmappears: 'Andnow,Lord,whatdoIwaitfor?myhopeisinthee;'and thenmentions the deliverance wherein his hope lay, in ver. 8–10.AndthuswhenShimeicursedhim,hissoulinlikemannerdidgatheruphopethemoreuponitthatGodwouldblesshim:2Sam.16:12,'ItmaybetheLordwill lookonmineaffliction,and that theLordwill requitemegoodforhiscursingthisday.'Butyet,Iconfess,hishopethere,andthechurch'sbefore,dideachriseupbuttoan'itmaybe.'

6.Butgospelpatience,sixthly,willworkaneffect,whenthereisnohope,astothethingsandconcernmentsofthislife,Davidandthechurchsaid,'Iftheremaybehope;'butpatiencewillsay,Iftherebenohope—thatis,in this life—that ever I should come out of this trouble. I differenced

patience from Christian fortitude before by this. The apostles did put,primitiveChristiansovertothedayoftherestitutionofallthings,andtherefreshingthatshouldbethen.Thus,James5:7,8,'Bepatienttherefore,brethren,untothecomingoftheLord.Behold,thehusbandmanwaitethfor the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, till hereceivetheearlyandlatterrain.Beyealsopatient;stablishyourhearts:forthecomingof theLorddrawethnigh.'As ifhehadsaid,Asforyourpressures,Icangiveyounohopeofreleaseoutofthemduringthislife;butletyourheartsfixedlymakeaccountofnootheroutwardrefreshmentbut that which shall be then by the coming of Christ, which will bespiritualinglory.Andhissimilitudeofthehusbandman'swaitingfortheharvestdeclaresthusmuch:ver.7,'Behold,thehusbandmanwaitsforthepreciousfruitoftheearth,'&c.Poorman,hedothnotreapthispreciousfruitof the earthuntil theharvest.Hepartswithprecious seed, andasuntohim, it isuntil theharvest-timeasgoodas lost.ThePsalmisthaththesamecomparison,'Theysowpreciousseed,andtheygoweeping,'asloath to part with it, 'but shall return rejoicing, bringing their sheaveswith them.'Brethren, there isaharvesta-coming,and joy sown for theuprightinheart,againstthattime.Itisnowbutsown,butmustcomeuponeday.Butalthoughthehusbandmaninallappearancelooksuponallas lost until the harvest; yet, however, he hath before then, in themeanwhile,theearlyandthelatterrain:andtheygivehopeofaharvest,whilst he sees and findsGod blessing and following his cornwith rainupon his ground. This as to the husbandman's hope, which is theApostle'ssimilitude.AndastotheChristian'shope,Iunderstandbytheearly and latter rain, according to the course of the similitude, to besignifiedthoseillapsesfromheaven,thoserefreshingbedewmentswhichthe Holy Ghost vouchsafeth all along to such an expectant's soul, asearnestsofheaven,andpledgesofGod'scertainintendingtogivehimhisexpectedharvest,accordingtotheproportionofhispatienceandwaiting.Butstillall thesehopeswhollyrespectthatother life;butastothis life,theApostlegivesnootherhopesforthem.NornomoredoththeApostleto the Hebrews, chap. 10:36, whilst he thus speaks, 'Ye have need ofpatience,'eventotheendofyourlives;foritfollows,'thatafteryouhavedone thewill ofGod, youmay inherit thepromises.' Still youwillneedpatiencetoyourverylast.Weusetospeakthesametoamanwhosecaseisremediless:Youhadneedofpatience,foryourconditionisnotliketo

bebettered.Thesehadsuffered thespoilingof theirgoodsalready,ver.33,andhad 'enduredagreat fightofafflictions,'as there.Well,but thestormisnotyetover:youhaveneedofpatiencestill,yonareneverliketohaveyourgoodsandestatesagain,andIcangiveyou,sayshe,nootherhope but that youwould patientlywait for the restitution of all things,whichistobeatthedayofjudgment;forsoitfollows,ver.37,'Foryetalittle while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.' Andtherefore'castnotawayyourconfidence,whichhathgreatrecompenceofreward,'ver.35.Sothatallthehopeinthislifeis,thatthetimewillnotbelong.

7.Aseventhactorworkofpatienceis,itcauseththesoultosanctifyGodinaman'sheart, all sortsofways. I shall still instance,as Ihavedone,more specially in Job's carriage, whose patience is so cried up by ourApostle. When his outward losses of children, &c., had their fullaccomplishment,andthesadtidingsthereofhadfilledhisearsandheart,chap. 1, bymessenger aftermessenger, till hehadnomore to lose, thetext tellsus,ver.20, 'He felldownon theground,andworshipped.'Hehadbeenfrequent inworshippingbefore,andthatuponoccasionofhischildren, that theymight not sin, so you read, ver. 5; but all those, hisforegoneworship, sacrifices,andprayers, couldnotprevailwithGod topreservethem,norhisgoodsneither.Butnowwhentheyareallgone,thefirstthinghedoesis,hefallsdownandworships.

Quest.—Whatmaythatcontaininit?

Ans.—Ishalllimitmyselfuntowhathisspeechthereupondothutter,andthe posture of hisworshipping doth signify, both plainly shewingwhatwasinhisheartthatmovedhimsotodo,andmovedwithinhiminthedoingit.

1.HeadoresGod inhissovereignty,both inhis fallingdown,asalso inthosewords,'TheLordhathgiven,andtheLordhathtaken.'HeisLord,sayshe,theLordofall.Allwashisown;andshallhenotdowhathewillwithhis own? asMatt. 20:15. I am the clay, he is thepotter.He is theLordofme,andall.Jobhadprayedforhissons,aswedidforthecity,sofarashehadtheninhisviewwhatmightthenconcernthem;butforallhisgoodprayers for them,Godtookthemawaybyaviolentdeath:and

hereinGodseemethangrywithhisprayers,aswithoursforthecity;yetJobbeginstoworshiphimafresh,andadoreshimafterall.Anditwasthefirstthingheappliedhimselfunto.Faithandpatiencewillcausetheheartto apply itself to God in all sorts of dealings, and will vent and uttergraciousdispositions somewayor other.And to adoreGod,whichwasmost suitable to this condition hewas in, is a higher act than to pray,simply considered, though it be donemostly in prayer. And as thus atfirst,soheretainedthispracticeandprincipleallalong,althoughhedidgrowveryunquietwhenhissinsandGod'swrathcameinuponhim.Yethowever impatient he otherwise were, he still afterwards continued inthismannertoadore,andfalldownbeforeGodattimes.Thus,inchap.23:11, 12, you shall see how this poorman falls down beforeGod, andsubmitstohim.Hefirstprofessethhisintegrity,atver.10,andhisfaithas to the issueofhis trials, thatallwouldbe forgood: 'Heknoweth theway that I take:whenhehath triedmo, I shall come forth as gold.Myfoothathheldhissteps,'&c.Asifhehadsaid.Butyetforallheknewmyholywalkingwithhim,hisresolutionanddesignuponme,thustotryme,wenton.Andallmyprayersbeforehandcouldnotturnhimtherefrom,asfollows ver. 13, 14, 'Buthe is of onemind, andwho can turnhim?andwhathissouldesireth,eventhathedoth:forheperformeththethingthatisappointedforme;'—whatismylotfromhim,asthiswas,Imusttakeitand submit to it;—'and many such things are with him,' many suchstrange and wonderful unusual dealings are with him, and we mustmagnifyhiminall.ItisGod'ssovereignty,yousee,whichhehereadoresand falls downbefore.And this passage youmay set upon the score ofthose eminent speeches wherein he expressed his patience, which theScripturecommendsitfor;andintheissueofhisworstfits,wefindhimstilladoringandsubmittingtoGod.

2. Secondly, he humbles himself to the dust, falls down to the ground.First,ashimselfwasacreature,poorandemptiedofall.Alas!whatamI,sayshe,orwhathaveItochallengeorassumetomyselfasmine?WhathaveI,oramI,thatIhavenotreceived?ApoornakedthingIcameintotheworldatfirst;andbutaspoorandnakedamInow,whenbereftofallmygoods;andasnakedImustreturn.Ihadnothingatfirst,andIhavebutnothingnow,andIshallcarrynothingwithmeintotheotherworld.Thusspakehe.

WhenJacobwasinhazardof,andthoughtheshouldlosehisgoods,andchildren,andall, asJobhereactually lostboth, seehowbeforehandhehumbles and debaseth himself,—as you read in Gen. 32:10,—and howgreatly,beforetheLord:'Iamlessthantheleastofthymercies.'Iamnotworthyofabitofbread,andthougavestmeallIhave.AndwhatwasIonce?He considers, as Job,his original condition,bothas tomatterofestateandchildren.IcameoverJordanbutwiththisstaff;Ihadnomore,says he, andnow I have twobands, both of cattle and children.And ifGod takeall, I ambutwhere Iwas, andwhereheonce foundme.AndtrulyJacob'sbestpolicyanddesignwastohavecompoundedthematter,and if he couldbut savehalf of either, ver.8; if hemighthavehalfhisestate,andhalfhischildren,heshouldhavebeen,consideringthehazardof all, something well appeased: but now he puts in with God for thewhole.Histhushumblingofhimselfwasbeforehehadlostanything,tothe end to preserve it, and Job's was when he had lost all; but bothexpressthesamehumility.

Andas you findhimherehumbled, as apoor creature, aspoor as everany was; so elsewhere as deeply broken for his being a sinner, andprofessing himself to be as naked and empty in respect of anyrighteousnessofhisown,orofanythinghehadtostanduponinthesightofGod.ThegreatApostledothnotmeredivesthimselfthereof,inPhil.3,thanholyJobdothinchap.9:2,'Iknowitissoofatruth:buthowshouldmanbejustwithGod?Ifhewillcontendwithhim,hecannotanswerhimoneofa thousand.'Andyetmoredeeplyandexpressly,ver.20,21, 'If Ijustifymyself,mineownmouth'—Isinninginallmyspeeches,andeveninthisnowwhilstIspeakit—'shallcondemnme:ifIsay,Iamperfect,itshall also prove me perverse.' His meaning further is, Had I never soperfect an inherentholiness, yet if I comebeforeGod tobe justified, 'Iknownotmineownsoul,'ashethereadds;thatis,Ilookatnothinginmyownsoul,Iutterlyrenounceallinit:yea,'Iwoulddespisemylife;'thatis,allthatholinessIhaveinthecourseofmylifeexercised,andhadinme,Idespiseit,Icountitdrossanddung.Thoughasfuranintegrity,inpointofsanctification,hestooduponhispointswithGodhimself.

Wefindothersaintsintheirdistressestohavebeenpatientinthesenseoftheirsins.ImightinstanceinDavid,howhehumbledhimselfinthat

greatdistresswhichwespakeof,andwhichsilencedhimso,asyouheardinthatfore-citedPsalm39.'Delivermefromallmytransgressions,'saithhe, ver8.The remembranceof those struckhimdumbbeforeGod; forthat speech immediately follows, ver. 9. So the church,Mic. 7:9, 'IwillbeartheindignationoftheLord,forIhavesinnedagainsthim.'

3. A third act comprehended in Job's worshipping God is his blessingGod,ashiswordstherewithalsoutteredshew;whichblessedframeanddispositionof spirithis faithbypatiencehadwrought inhimupon thisoccasion.Lo!hishighsufferingscausehimtoblesstheLord.'BlessedbethenameoftheLord,'sayshe.Heblessethhimthathehadgivenhimatfirst,andthathehadaffordedhimthoseblessingsofchildrenandgoodsso long. 'TheLord gave, and theLordhath taken; blessed,'&c.Andhewas thankful for that; and thought it but reasonable that if he receivedgood,heshouldalsoreceiveevil,asthepleasureofGodwas,chap.2:10.HeblessethGod,also,becausehefoundthatGodhadblessedhimwithsuch thingsandblessingsheavenly,whichcouldnotbe takenaway.HefoundtheloveofGodthesamestill.Itisasurerule,weneverblessGodbutwhenwefindthatGodblessethusfirst;aswedonot loveGod,butbecauseGodlovesusfirst.NowwhenthesoulfindsthatinafflictionsandtentationsGoddothbless it, this draws out from the soul a blessing ofGodagain.Andthendoththesoulsay,ItisnotonlythewillofmyFather,andthereforeshallInotdrinkthecuphegivesme?butitistheblessingofmyFather,andshallnotIblesshimforit?'Ineverythinggivethanks,'saith theholyApostle, 1Thess.5:18; that is,whatever theconditionbe,stillthereismatterofthanks,andsoofblessingGod.

ThirdBranchofthe3dGeneralHead.—Thefruitsofpatience

These the Apostle terms the peaceable, quiet fruits of righteousness,whichchasteningyieldeth,afteryehavebeenexercisedthereby,Heb.12,andthatisthroughpatiencegainedbythoseafflictions.

1.Thefirstfruit;itworkscontentment,aholycontentment;andthataddsaperfectiontotheotherformerworksofthisgrace,Phil.4:11,12,'Ihavelearned,inwhatsoeverstateIam,therewithtobecontent.Iknowhowtobeabased,andIknowhowtoabound:everywhereandinallthingsIaminstructedbothtobefullandtobehungry,bothtoaboundandtosuffer

need.' And he had learned it, as Christ learned his obedience, throughsufferings;andbyhishavingrunthroughsogreatavarietyofconditions.Amanmaybecontentwhenheisnotfullysatisfied.WhenGodframesa,man's estate to his will, then he is satisfied; as, Ps. 17:14, 'whose bellythoufillestwiththyhiddentreasure.'Buttobecontentisanotherthing.ItisnotwhenIhaveanestateaccordingtomywill,butmywillisbroughttomyestate;andthenIhaveasmuchcontentinthatasinthegreatestestate; for life, says Christ,—that is, the comfort of life,—lies not inabundance. It is true, such amanwould choose rather, as the Apostlespeaks, a full estate; yet patience boweth his judgment to such anapprobation of his present condition as that which is best for him, asbeingthatwhichoutofGod'sjudgmentandwisdomisallottedtohim;hesobendshiswilluntosuchacorrespondencywithGod'swillasherestscontent.

2.Asecondfruitofpatienceisself-sufficiency;thewordisso,1Tim.6:6,'Butgodlinesswithcontentmentisgreatgain.'Thewordμετʼαὐταρκείας,translated 'contentment,' is a more reaching word by far. To say'contentment,' that is too bare and scant a word; but thismore amplysignifies'self-sufficiency.'In2Cor.9:8,thesamewordistheretranslatedsufficiency,butstillintheGreekithath'self'addedto'sufficiency,'whichimportsasufficiencywithinaman'sselfthatheneedsnotgoabroadforanything; he is sufficiently supplied fromwhat is within. Thewords ofthat verseare, 'AndGod is able tomakeall graceabound towardsyou;that ye, always having all self-sufficiency in all things, may abound toeverygoodwork:'whichletusconsider.

It is true that in the word 'all grace' he includes an outward grace, ofgivingsuchanabundanceofexternalblessingsastheymight'always'and'inallthings'haveenoughforthemselves,andtospare;yea,toaboundineverygoodworktoothers.Butyetthemainofthatgracehecentresinisan inward self-sufficiency in aman's own heart, aswithoutwhich theywould never have satisfaction at home, much less a heart to scatterabroad; but a man's natural self-unsufficiency, as oppositely I call it,would make his heart clung and narrow, never contented in himself,muchlessaboundingtoothers,thoughhehadallthewholeworld.Soasindeedthat is thegracewhichtheApostleputs theweightupon; that is

thegracehepredicates.

Soastheinferenceorcorollary,astoourpurpose,fromthencemayjustlybe:thatif,ontheotherhand,atrueChristianbeinneversogreatwant,or fallen intoa conditionofextremepoverty, comparativelyeitheruntowhat himself once had,which is the case ofmany a good soul now, oruntootherswhostillabound;yetifGodgivehimthis'allgrace'ofinwardself-sufficiency, hemaybe, and is still, as content and sufficientwithinhimselfasthose inthataboundingconditionwhichtheApostlewishethuntothoseCorinthians.

Andthereason is, that theself-sufficiencyofhimthathath themostofsuchthingsliesnotinthosethings,butdependsutterlyuponthatinwardgrace spoken of, or that inward frame of Spirit, which this gracecomposethhissoulunto.

AndthisisevidentfromthatplacetoTimothyfirstcited,whereitisthattheApostleuseth thesamewordonpurpose tocomfort thesaints, thatwere inascantandbareconditionas to thisworld,as thecoherenceofver.6–8 shews. 'Godlinesswith self-sufficiency,' sayshe, 'is great gain,'evenvirtuallyasmuch,yea,infinitelymore,thangainingalltheworld,asChrist'sspeechis,which,moreover,isspokenwithaconnexiontothesewords;'forwebroughtnothingintothisworld,anditiscertainwecarrynothingout.'Andtherefore,ifwehavenothingbut'foodandraiment,letus therewith be content;' so it follows. And for so much God hathundertaken.

AndtheholyApostleverifiesthisinhimself,thathehadlearnedthustobeascontentwhenhewantedaswhenheabounded.Andinthis framewe find elsewherehismind tohavebeen in themidst of all, notwantsonly, but pressures of all sorts; which also shews that patience andendurance through sufferings had been his tutors and instructorsthereunto.Forin2Cor.6,hehavingfirstreckoneduphissufferings,ver.4,andmadeacatalogueofthem,theninhisfinalconclusions,ver.10,hesums up the frame of his spirit all in this: 'As sorrowful, yet alwaysrejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yetpossessing all things.' In which few words he compendiously speakethwhateitheroutofthattotheCorinthians,chap.9,Ihavenowinsistedon,

or that paradox in my text doth amount unto. For those words, 'assorrowful' inrespectofdivers temptations, 'yetalwaysrejoicing,'areallonewith'countitalljoywhenyefallintodiverstentations,'asinthetext.Andhis'havingnothing,yetpossessingallthings'there,isadequateandequivalenttotheCorinthians'supposedoutward'aboundingalways,andinallthings.'Butthenhis'beingpoor,yetmakingmanyrich,'thereinheexceededandtranscendedwhatthey,oranythemostliberal-heartedrichman that ever was in the world could boast of, in any of their or hisaboundinginanyoreverygoodorcharitablework,inrelieftoothers.SoweseeitispossibleandattainablethataChristianmayinthewantofallhave an all-self-sufficiency, superabounding the fulness of him inoutward things who aboundeth most. And all this was the fruit of hispatience, and continual abiding under sufferings. For he speaks this ofhimself,whilstheisenumeratinghissufferings,whichinthatchapterhedoth at large. Thus perfect will patience make you, that, as here theApostle in my text speaks, you shall want nothing, even in outwardthings,whenyouhavelostall.

If you ask me, Whence hath a Christian this self-sufficiency withinhimself,andwhereinliesit?—

Ianswer,IfGodandChristdwellintheheart;ifIhavetheearnestoftheSpirit for my salvation, or am partaker of his holiness, and that gracewhichaccompaniessalvation;anddodelightinthewillandgloryofGod,andinpleasinghim,andthe liketo these; thenIhaveaself-sufficiencywithinme.If,asin1John4:16,'wehaveknownandbelievedthelovethatGodhathtous:Godislove;andhethatdwellethinlovedwellethinGod,andGodinhim,'—thenwehaveallwithinourselves;andislikeasamanthathathallprovisions inandabouthisownhousesoplentifullyasheneedsnotgoforthforanything;soisit,andwillitbe,withus.

3. A third fruit is joy: Col. 1:11, 'Strengthened with all might, unto allpatienceandlong-sufferingwithjoyfulness.'Youhaveitalsointhetext,'count it all joy,'&c.And,Rom. 5:3, 'We glory in tribulations, knowingthattribulationworkethpatience.'

Youwillsaytome,Howcanthisbe?DothnottheApostlesay,Heb.12:11,'Nochasteningseemstobeforthepresentjoyous,butgrievous;'andour

Saviour,'Youshallweepwhentheworldshallrejoice;'andmanythelike?

Igivetheseanswers:—

First,Theobjectofyourjoyisnotsimplyyourafflictions.No,nomancandelightinthemalone;they,indeed,aregrievous,thussaiththeApostle.Butyourjoyliesinlookinguntowhatistheissueandevent,theendandrewardofyourtrialsbythem;andthatisityouaretocountthematterofyourjoy,andalljoy.Torejoiceinthething,ortheafflictionitself,isonething;andtorejoiceintheexpectationoftheeventandissue,isanother.

Then,secondly,ifyouobserveit,thewordinthetextisfavourable:sayshe,'countitalljoy;'thatis,esteemitso.Hedothnotsay,youshallhavealljoyatpresent,butthoughyouhavenot,youmaycountitalljoy,—thatis,youmayreckonitasmatterofalljoy,asmanyinterpretersparaphrasethewords,—andsoreasonyourselvesintojoyinyourjudgments,andsoesteemitalljoy,appretiative,astheschoolspeaks,thoughthepassionofjoybewanting.

Thirdly,JesusChristhimself,whenhedidendurethecross,andwhilsthehunguponit,andlikewisebefore,whilstwithinthegarden,hewasnotina joyousframeofspiritat thatpresentastothepassionof joy;nay,hissoulwasheavyuntodeaththatwhile.Yetitissaid,Heb.12:1,that'forthejoythatwassetbeforehimhedidendurethecross,'&c.;andhethereinisset forth as an example unto us, in the same verse, 'Let us run withpatiencetheracethatissetbeforeus,lookinguntoJesus,'&c.Itiswellifyou lookto the joysetbeforeyou,as thatwhichyoucertainlyexpect tocome,althoughyouwant thepassionof joy in thatwhichyouexpect tocome.

Fourthly, You may perhaps not rejoice at present with great joy, yetafterwards, throughmuch exercise of patience, itmay grow up in you.AndthisanswertheApostlehimselfgivesinthatHeb.12,distinguishingbetweenwhatfor'thepresent,'andwhatfor'afterwards,'intime:ver.11,'Nowno chastening for thepresent seemeth tobe joyous,but grievous:nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnessunto themwhichareexercised thereby.'Andupon thehopesof thathebidsthemtoliftupthehandsthathangdown,andstrengthenthefeeble

knees.

Yet, fifthly, SomeChristianshavehad, and youmayhave, actual joy atthatpresent in themidstofyourafflictions.Those two,great trialsandgreat joys,maywellmeetandstandtogether in theheartatonce,as indivers respects; for the Apostle hath reconciled these two, 1 Pet. 1:6,'Whereinyegreatlyrejoice,thoughnowforaseason,ifneedbe,yeareinheaviness through manifold temptations.' That speech, 'wherein yegreatlyrejoice,'reachethandrisethhigherthantoanaccountingitmatterofjoyaboutwhatistocome,butdothfurtherabsolutelyspeakofjoyforthepresent.Andthereforetohavetheaffectionofinwardjoyitselfgreatlyraised up, and yet at that instant, in the same 'now' as he speaks, inoutward respects tobe inheaviness, are compatible.And,Col. 1:11, theApostlespeaksofsuchagloriouspoweraccompanyingthesaintsintrialsasshallwork'patienceandlong-sufferingwithjoyfulness.'Andwhyelsedoth theApostle also say, 'Rejoice in theLord always; and again I say,Rejoice?'Hecontentsnothimselftohavesaiditonce,asiftohavethemrejoice a little, but he professeth, to say it again, because they shouldrejoiceabundantly,andthis'always,'andthereforeinalltimesandinallconditions.Oftheco-existenceofwhichtwohimselfproposethhimselfanexample:'Assorrowful,yetalwaysrejoicing.'

Fourth Branch of the 3d General Head.—Some eminentproperties or adjuncts of patience, which, added, domake itanditsworkperfect

1.Whenaman'sspirit isbrought todo these thingswithease,soasheshallnotneed tochidehisspirit intoapatient frame,nor forcehimselfintoit,butlikeasEzraissaidtobeareadyscribe,Ezra7:6,—thatis,hewasperfectathiswork,Msheartwaspreparedforitandinuredtoit,ver.10,—thuspatiencehathhadaperfectworkwhenitframesthehearttoareadinesstotheseactingsbeforementioned.ThustheApostle,Acts21:13,'Iamnotonlyreadytobebound,butIamreadytodieatJerusalem,forthenameoftheLordJesus.'Hisheartwassofullypreparedashestucknotatallatit;yea,itwasaheart-breakingtohimthathisfriendsshouldoffertodissuadehim:'Whatmeanyoutobreakmyheart?'&c.Itwashisbeinginuredtoenduranceandpatiencethathadbegottenthathabitofitinhim;hisheartwasnottoseekforit.

2.A second adjunct or propertywhich adds a perfection to all these iswhenthepracticeofitisdurable,andhathsomeconstancyinit.

As, first, not by fits only. Thatwas Jonah's fault.Oh, hewas a broken,humblemanwheninthewhale'sbelly;buthowoutrageouswhenout!InMoses,patiencehaditsperfectwork, inrespectoftheconstantexerciseof that grace, and therefore it was he had the honour to be styled themeekestmanonearth;andtrulyitwasnotthatmeeknessofhisnaturaltemper,normerelyasamoralvirtueinhim,forwhichheissoextolled,though these might contribute thereto, but it was a grace that wasspiritual in him, the grace of meekness, and consequently of patience,which theHolyGhost hadwrought in him, andwhichhe by sufferingshadlearned.Andmyreason,amongothers,principallyis,thathewasatype of Christ therein, according as God's promise was to raise up aprophetlikeuntoMoses;like,asinothereminencies,soespeciallyinthisgrace; for which, as Moses is commended there, so Christ in theEvangelists,andthereinproposethhimselfasanexample, 'Learnofme,for I ammeek,'&c.Now,howconstantlydidMosesbearall alongwiththat perverse, murmuring, and rebelling nation, both against God andhimself, with an invincible patience, and still interceded for them; andthusChristdothwithus, and forus.Andalthoughwe readhowMoseswas and couldbe sometimes angry, yea, exceedingwroth, as thewordsare, (whereofIgavethecollectionoutofAinsworth,)yet itwasoften inGod'scause,andstillbutsoastheusualandconstantframeofhisspiritwasotherwise,forwhichhehadthatrenowneddenomination,andneverwasgreatlyoutorovercomewithimpatiency,wereadof,butonce,Num.20:10,11,comparedwithPsalm106:32,33.

Secondly, Patience is then perfect when it continues to the end. As acolourissaidtobeperfectwhenitisdurable,asadyeingrain,orastheIndiacolours,which,whiletheclothremains, theyendure.Nowit ishethatendurestotheend,Matt.24,thatshallbesaved.Youshallthereforefindthatuntopatience,long-sufferingisaddedintwoseveralplaces:Col.1, 'Strengthened unto all patience and long-suffering.' Patience thererespectstheweightorgrievousnessandheavinessoftheafflictionweareunder;andlong-sufferingrespectsthedurationandtime.TheotherisinaninstanceoftheApostleofhimself,1Tim.3:10, 'Thouhastknownmy

long-suffering, charity, patience.' In James 5:7, it is said of thehusbandman,whosecaseismadethepersuasiveuntopatience,he'hathlongpatience'Thisisaperfectionindeed,tobearlong,andtotheend:'Bethoufaithfultodeath,'Rev.2:10.Tocarryagreatburdenaquarterofanhourisaneffectofsomepatience,buttocarryitaday,ormore,orforaweek,thereislong-suffering.WhyisitsaidthatwhenyouhavedonethewillofGod,youhaveneedofpatience,butbecausestill,inthelastpartofyourlife,afteranactivelifeforalongwhileranthrough,eventhenwhenyouarenear thepromise,yourpatiencemaybe thenat lastmostofallputtoit?

3.Athirdpropertyorrequisitetoperfectpatienceis,thatitbeuniversal;whichhiseitherwhenamanhathbeeneverywaytried,andhathpassedthrough all sorts of tentations, or when he hath still come off withpatience insomegoodmeasure inall thosewhereinhehathbeentried,althoughhis trialshavenotbeenofall sorts.Aman'snaturalspiritwillhelp him to be patient in some things, but in other things his heart isweak, and cannot bear. Oh! not such a cross, of any other. But it iscertain, as God tried Abraham in his Isaac, so God will the sons ofAbrahaminwhatisdearesttothem,andyetenablethemtobearit,as1Cor.10,andgothroughtherewith.Henceintheepistlesyoumeetwithalladded topatienceand long-suffering,bothwhenpatience isprayed for,asCol.1,andexhortedunto,as2Tim.4:2.Butthoughthisuniversalityistobeprayedforandexhortedunto,asthatwhichmakesitperfect;yetitiswellif,inthegreattrialsofourlives,wecomeoffwithsomepatiencesuitable, and from henceforth resolve with endurance so to do: and somuchisexpected.Anditmayseemstrangethatmanythatshouldbeableto bear great trials between God and them with much quietness andsubmission,areyeteasilydisadvantageduponsmalleroccasionsbetweenmenandthem;forwhichsomereasonsmightbegiven.

SECTIONIV:IfAnyofYouLackWisdom

ALTHOUGH I have despatched the subject I first intended, yet I findmyselfobliged toproceeda little further in theopeningver.5, inorderunto a relieving against a great discouragement,which I knowhath, ormay have been, in many readers' hearts, whilst I have been thusdiscoursing these great things about the perfect work of patience, &c.;and also to leave behindme themost apposite directionhow to obtainthispatience,intheperfectworkofit:andIwillnotgooutofmytextforthesethingsneither.

ANEXPOSITIONOFTHE5THVERSE

Ifanyofyoulackwisdom,lethimaskofGod,thatgivethtoallmenliberally,andupbraidethnot;anditshallbegivenhim.

ThediscouragementIknowis:Oh,howremoteareandhaveourheartsbeenfromthisperfectworkofpatience!whichyetsomesaintshaveinsogreatameasureattained,asthosegreatexamplesgivenhaveshewn,bothofsaintsoutoftheOldandNewTestaments.WhatthenshallIthinkofmyselfforthepresent?willsuchasoulsay;orforthefuture,whatshallIdo?

Why,truly,Godhathprovidedsufficientlyinthetextforanswertothesequeriesandcomplaintsofyours,wherebybothtorelieveyouagainstyourdiscouragementatyourwantoftheexerciseofthesethings,andalsotodirect you to the most proper and effectual, if not the only means toobtainthem.

1.Astothispresentdiscouragementaboutyourwant,andsogreatfallingshortof thishitherto,whichyouare so sensibleof, those firstwords inthe text, 'If any of you lack wisdom,' will be found greatly speaking toyourrelieftherein.

2.Astoadirectionwhatyoushoulddoforthefuturetoobtainit,thoseother words, 'Let him ask of God,' point us to the most proper andeffectualremedyandwayofsupplyinthecase.

3.Withthisgreatencouragementadded, firstdrawnfromthenatureofGod, 'Ask ofGod, that giveth to allmen liberally, and upbraideth not;'thensecondedwiththispromise,'anditshallbegivenhim.'

Ofthesethreeheadsinwhatfollows,briefly:—

I.—Tothediscouragement

The opening of these words, 'If any of you lack wisdom,' will greatlyconduce to ease your heart as to that; the effect of which is, that theApostleplainlysupposeththattruebelieversmaybothreally,andintheirown apprehensions especially, be found greatly lacking in point ofpatiencewhen trials do befall them.And this I am sure hath reason torelieveyouinwhatisliketobethegreatdiscouragementthatusuallyfallsout.

This tobe thesuppositionof theApostle ismadegoodbyopening fourthings:—

1. That by 'wisdom' here is plainly meant patience, together with theperfectworkofitwhichhehadspokenof.

2.Thathespeaksthisuntothosethatweretruebelievers;'ifanyofyou.'

3.Howitmayorcanbesaidthattruebelievers,whohaveallgraceandtheprinciplesthereofinthem,lacksuchorsuchagrace.

4. The intimate reason and occasion upon which the Apostle uttershimselfinthissupposition;'ifany,'&c.

Forthefirst;wisdomsometimesistakenlargelyforallgraceandgraciousactingswhatsoever;sometimesstrictlyforaparticulargrace.Tofindoutthedifferenceofwhich,themeasureistobetakenfromthescopeoftheplacewhereeitheroftheseismentioned.Nowwisdom,inthisplace,istobe taken strictly; that is, for that particular grace, or piece of graciouswisdom,wherebytoknowhowtobeable tomanageaman'sselfundertrials, especially great, sore, and sudden ones, patiently; which is donewhen we have taken in and digested by faith such principles as ourChristianityaffordsplentyof,asgroundsthatinstructandenablethesoul

joyfully to entertain such trials and tentations, and to endure and gothrough them with a constancy of joy. For look, as the word 'grace' istakeneitherstrictlyor largely; that is,eitherforallgrace,andyetagainforanyoreveryparticulargrace,eachofwhichiscalledgracealso:'Asyeaboundineverygrace,soyeaboundinthisgracealso;'thus,allgraceiscalled wisdom in a large sense, as usually throughout the Book ofProverbs,butwithalaparticulargraceiscalledwisdomtoo,asthethirdchapter of this epistle, ver. 13, shews. The grace ofmeekness shewn inspeech and conversation, he styles it 'meekness of wisdom,' or a 'wisemeekness,' or a meekness accompanied with and proceeding out ofwisdom. And thus Calvin andmost others understand wisdom here inthismytextofthisspecialgrace;thescopeandcoherencewiththeformerwordscarryingitthereunto.Truepatiencebeingfromsuchawisdomaswhereby the soul hath the skill and ability to manage a man's selfpatientlyundertentations,tosuchanissueasthatpatienceshouldhaveaperfectworkinus;anduntothisitisheretoberestrained;forthisgraceitishehadbeen,andstillis,discoursingof.

Andthereisaspecialandmorepeculiarreasonwhythisskillofpatienceshould be styled wisdom in a more eminent sense. For what he hadbefore uttered of rejoicing in afflictions and tentations, and exhortedunto, thatpatience shouldhave itsperfectwork; these thingsbeing thehardestlessonsinChristianity,dothereforeneedandrequirethehighestprinciples of divine wisdom, both doctrinal and practical, to be deeplyinlaidandfixedinthesoul,soastobowandframetheheartuntoarealpractice and willing performance of such dictates and conformitythereunto.Forthenit isthatknowledgeistermedwisdom;andforthatreasonitisthatourwholereligionisstyledwisdom,becauseitrestsnotinbarenotionalknowledge,whichisadifferingthingfromwisdom,butmakesmenproportionablywisetothepracticeof thethings inwhichitinstructs.Andparticularlythisskillofenduringtentations,suchashathbeen described, doth deserve this style more eminently, for it so faroutvies,andisabovethesphereofallprinciples,whetherofphilosophyor what other profession or professors of patience whatsoever, whowhilst,inasullenpatience,foralloftheirswasnobetter,theyprofessedto be wise, they became foolish; and Christianity infinitely outshootstheminwhattheymostgloriedin.

Secondly,Thathespeaksthistothemwhomhesupposethtruebelievers,anduntothemassuch,isevident;althoughatthefirstblush,aswesay,thewordswould seem to point at and speak to unregeneratemenwhowholly want all true wisdom and grace; and so the drift should be anintendeddirection toor for such to seek truegrace,which they lack, atthehandsofGod,byprayer.

But the coherence manifestly shews that he speaks to such whom hesupposethtobealreadytruebelievers.Forinthenextwordsheexhortsthesamepersonswhomhespeakstointhesewords,to'askinfaith;'andthereforesupposeththemtohavetruefaithalreadywhomhedirectsthisexhortationunto.Andotherwiseithadbeenmoreproper,yea,requisitetohaveexhortedthem,ifhehadintendeditofunregeneratemen,firsttoseek faith itself, and then out of faith and in that faith to seek for thiswisdom,orgraceof endurance.Andagainhe speaks to them thatwerebrethren;sohecalls them;and in thispassagesays, 'ifanyofyou,'andsuchwho,beingtrueprofessorsofChristianity,wereexposeduntothosesundrytentationsfrompersecutionsespecially.Anditissuchalsowhomhe exhorts to 'count it all joy,' &c., and here to ask a wisdom of Godwherebytobeabletosuffer fortheirholyprofession.Furthermore, thiswisdomlyinginpatiencehavingitsperfectworkinthem,itsupposeththepersonssuchashadsomeworkofpatienceandofothergracesbeguninthemalready.And,indeed,tohaveexhortedunregeneratemen,thatwereas yet utterly destitute of all grace, and so out of harm'sway as to anysufferings from the gospel, and to direct them tomake this the first oftheiraddressestoGod,andoftheirrequests,thattheymightbeabletoenduretentations,andthatpatienceshouldhaveaperfectworkinthem,and so to have taught them that which is the hardest lesson inChristianitybeforetheyhadlearnedthefirstlettersthereof;thishadbeenutterly improper, and a lesson at too great a distance formen in theirnatural state first to learn.—Thus much for the persons, viz., that hespeaksituntomenalreadyregenerate,andsupposedinthefaith.

The third thingproposedwas,How it couldbehe should speak in thismannerofbelievers,thattheyshouldlackthisgraceofwisdom;whenas,ifsuch,theymustbesupposedtohavealltruegracesinthem;whythenshouldheyetsay,evenofthem,'Ifanyofyoulack,'&c.?

Ans.—This expression, to say such and such a Christian 'lacks' such orsuch a grace, is notuncouthnorunusual in theScriptures,whenheortheyhavewantedtheexerciseofit.ForthoughChristiansdoreceivetheprinciplesof all graces, as2Pet. 1:3, yet theymayneglect to stirupallgraces,ormayhavebeendisusedtotheexerciseofsome.Whyelse,andtowhatend,doththeApostleinthesameplacestirthemuptoaddgraceto grace, as in ver. 5?And in those cases aChristianmay be said, yea,chargedtolackthatgraceorgraceswhichhewantstheexerciseof.Forsoin the same chapter, ver. 9, speaking of a dozed, negligent professor,though true, he useth this very language of him, 'He that lacks thesethings,'asIhaveelsewhereopenedthatScripture.Foridemestnonesse,etnonuti;—itisalloneforathingnottobe,andnottobeused,whenthebeing of a thing is wholly ordained for use and operation.Now such athingisgrace;andsuchathing,ifnotused,isasifitwerenot.Andtheopposition that is between adding grace to grace, ver. 5,—that is, theexerciseofonegraceafteranother,—andthelackinggrace,inthatver.9,evidentlyshewsthatphrasetobesounderstood,notoftheutterwantofthegrace,butoftheexercise.

The fourth thing is, the intimate reason or occasion whereupon theApostledothutterhimselfinsuchasupposition;'Ifanyofyoulack.'

Thiswillappearbyconsideringthesethreethings:—

First,Inrespectthathehadexhortedtosohardanddifficultapractice;to'countitalljoy,'&c.;whichrequirethsuchhighprinciplestobedrunkin,aboutthegoodandbenefitoftentations,intheissueandendofthem;which principles must also have been thoroughly concocted in theirheartsfirstwhoshallattaintothis.

And,secondly, therebeingmanypoorsouls,asofsuchthatwereweak,and some new converts, amongst themwhomhewrote to,whomight,and did then, asmany now-a-days, that yet are sincere-hearted, in thesenseof theirown,weakness, findandapprehend themselves so faroffand remote from such high principles and attainments, and therefore,upon his this discoursing,were like to be utterly discouraged; thinkingwiththemselves,judgingthemselvesbythepresentframeoftheirinfirmspirits,boththattheirheartshadneveryet,norwouldeverbe,wrought

uptothispitch.What,tocountitalljoy!thinkthey;isthatityouexhortus unto?Alas! our hearts tremble at the very thoughts of entering intosuchsuddenandsogreattentationsasyouhereforewarnusof.Andofallgraces else, it is this of apatient suffering frame, and strengthof spiritthereto, that is and hath been ourwant. This is itwe 'lack,' nor doweknowhowtomanageourselveswiselyundersuchtrials,soas toglorifyGod;yea,andnotshamefullytodishonourhim.Nay,ifweshouldfallintosuch trials and sufferings,we are liker utterly to fall awayunder them,ratherthantorejoicewhenwefallintothem.

Further,thirdly,theremightbemanystrongChristians,astotheactivepartofthelifeofChristianity,whoyetmightbetoseekasfreshsoldiersatthefirst,whensuchtrialscomeunexpectedly,andthickandthreefolduponthem;andthattheyfallintothemasdownfallsandprecipices.Andinthisdreadfulamannerhehadsetthemouttothem,asimpendentonthem,aswasopened.AndevensuchChristians,beingsurprised,mightbeatalossatfirst,inrespectofthatconfidenceofspirittobearthem,tillbyprayerand faithrecollecting themselves, theyshouldanewobtainorregainthiswisdom.EvenstrongChristiansareapttobestoundedatfirst,asmenarewithagreatblow,andcannotwellstandorkeeptheirground.

Nowuntosuch,eitherofthese,doththeApostleinthislanguage,'Ifanyof you lack,' applyhimself, and therein speaks to their veryhearts; butespecially to the first sortofweakChristians.And, indeed, speaks theirvery fears, and most inward thoughts and apprehensions, they had ormighthaveofthemselves;andsoutterstheirmisgivingsofheartintheirownlanguage.Oh,I lackthesethings,saysthesoul. 'Ifanyofyoulack,'says theApostle.And it isno small comfort to such tohearanapostle,fromthe immediate inspirationof theHolyGhost, tosuppose thatverytrueandsincereChristiansmaythusbelackingandthussurprised.

Thusastotheremovaloftheirmaindiscouragement,whichwasthefirstthingproposed.

II.—Thedirection

LethimaskofGod.—Havingthusspokentheirhearts,astothefearsandapprehensionsofthemselvesinrespectoftheirfallingshortofthishigh

dutyofjoyandpatience,&c.,henowdirectsthemtothemostproperandsovereignmeans for theobtainingof itof allother, and that is faithful,instantprayer:'LethimaskofGod,'&c.

Andhereinalsohespeaks theheartsofall trueChristiansalso,evenoftheweakest;whoserefugeinalltheirwantsistocrytoGodforasupplyofwhattheylack,especiallywhentheyfeel,orareapprehensiveoftheirlackandwant inanygrace that shouldhelp them in timeofneed.Andlook, what effectual supply of this grace in tentations all the Apostle'spersuasions alone would not have effected, that, faith venting itself inconstantandferventprayer,willbringinandobtain;andtheirheartswillin the end be raised and wrought up unto, so as they shall be able toaboundinthisgracealso.Weakfaith,whenitcannotfindinitshearttosuffer,or somuchas toenter into trials, canyetpray;andsodothbegwith desires unutterable to have thus grace, to be able to suffer thesetrials in this joyfulmanner the Apostle exhorts us unto. And theweakheartcontinuingsotoprayandimportuneGod, intheendthisshallbegivenhim;asherehepromiseth.Ishallnotenlargeonthisfurther.Forwhen an apostle shall single forth a means, and that one single one,wherebytoobtainanyeminentgraceoneneeds,thatmeansoughttobewithalldiligenceputintouseandpractice;andsothereneedsnomoretourgeit.

Only observehow in this directivepart heputs themnotuponprayingchiefly to have tentations and trials averted or kept off, nor to askdeliverance out of them, though that is lawful andmay be done; not awordof these in this his exhortation; but hedraws themain and greatintention of their souls unto praying for grace, how to be patient andjoyful,&c.—Thisastothedirection.

III.—Hisencouragementstopray

Hisencouragements, thatbyseekingabelievershallobtain,aredrawn,first, from that graciouswont anddisposition ofGod, that giveth to allmenliberally,&c.

1.AsbeingaGod'thatgivethtoallmen.'Andthisalsoistobelimitedlyunderstoodofallthosemenwhothusdo,have,orshallapplythemselves

untoGodby faithfuland importunateprayer.Forhehadsaid first, 'LethimaskofGod;'andthereforeGod'sgivingheremustbesupposedtobea giving to him that asketh.Again, although it be said that faithworkspatience,yet it isprayer that fetchethandbringsdown thepower fromGodintotheheart,thatworksbothfaithandpatience,andallPrayeristhemidwifebywhichfaith,themother,bringsforthpatienceintheheart.

2.Hisgraciousdispositioningivingisfurthersetout—

(1.)Thathegivethliberally.Thewordἀπλῶςbothsignifiesafree-heartedgiving,inapurewayofsimplicityofheart;asbeingneithermovedbyanyrespect inus,asofworthiness,or the like,butsinglyandsimplyoutofsuchmotivesandconsiderationsasare inhisownheart,andwhichhisown great and gracious divine nature prompts him to: freely. Wegenerallyusetosay,'outofhisfreegrace,'whichcomesalltoonewiththeimport of the word which the apostle useth here. Thereforemake thatgraceasthypleatohiminthyprayersforit,orwhateverelsethouseekestathishands.

(2.)Itsignifieslargely,abundantly,liberally,richly;asthewordisusedin2 Cor. 8:2, and so translated there. You have both in that passage ofDavid's, 2 Sam. 7:21, 'According to thine own heart'—there is freely orsimply—'hastthoudoneallthesegreatthings,'—thereisliberally.

Andupbraidethnot.—ThatisasecondpropertyordispositioninGodandhisgiving; thesensewhereof is, first, thatwhenhehathgiven liberally,neversooften,norsomuch,yetheupbraidethnot,asmenarewonttodo. Among men, he that is most liberal, yet if the same man he hathformerlygivenuntowillcomeoftentohimtoberelieved,intheendheatleast will excuse himself, or else say,Why do you come so often, thusagain and again? which is a tacit and implicit way of upbraiding, orinsinuation of foregone benefits. Surely Calvin, and Estius from him,havehit it,whoput this scope anddrift upon this clause: that nomanshouldbeafraidorsolicitoustocome,thoughneversooften,tothisfreeand generous giver, nor be discouraged within himself that he shouldneed to come so often to him, nor forbear to continue his incessantimportunities,thoughitbeneversolongatimeereheobtains.

And thus understood, it is as if he had said,God is so free, so simple-hearted and liberal in giving, as the oftener you come the welcomer,especiallywhenforgrace;yea,heherebyinvitethusofhisownfreeheartto come always, to ask and pray continually and incessantly, as thatparable, Luke 18:1, made on set purpose, shews. So then, a frequent,constant,importunatecontinuinginprayertoobtainisherebyexhortedunto.

Asecondscopeinhisaddingthisclauseis,thatthoughwefindthatGoddothindeedupbraidimpenitentmenfortheirsins,asChristthosecities,yet he never did, or everwill do, any sinners in this casewherein it isproposed,—namely, when they shall come and humble themselves fortheir sins, seeking formore grace to help in time of need against theircorruption; and thismuch rather than fromdeliverance fromor out oftroubles,—in this case he will not twit them with any of theirunworthinessthathathbeenpast;hewillpassbytheiriniquity,andnotupbraidthem.Andthisisagreatencouragementindeed;fortheguiltofsinandformeringratitudedoaboveallthingsdetermenfromcomingtoGod, lest he should remember their iniquities and upbraid them withthem.

And it shall be given him.—He follows and confirms this hope ofobtainingwiththissureandcertainpromise, 'anditshallbegivenhim.'Forwhenthesoulsofmen,beingmadethoroughlyapprehensiveoftheirownwant of a grace, are carried forth (to choose) to seek for grace, orsuch or such a gracious disposition; and that before and above alldeliverance out of the trials they are in, as was before observed theApostlehaddirected; in thiscase,God—that is, theGodofallgrace—isthemost ready giver of grace that he is of anything else. There are norequests more pleasing to him, or that suit his divine and blesseddisposition so as this doth of praying for grace, as thus stated. For thebestowingandgivingofgracethusprayedfordothtend,aboveallthingselse, to the glorifyingofhimself; and it is the aiming thereat thatmustanddothcarryoutsuchahearttomakethistobethetopandchiefofitsmostearnestpetitions.TheGodofgraceisthemostfreeofgrace.ThusChristsays,'ifyethen,beingevil,knowhowtogivegoodgiftsuntoyourchildren,howmuchmoreshallyourheavenlyFathergivetheHolySpirit

tothemthataskhim?'OurApostlehathalsotoldusthatthoughthespiritthat is in us lusteth to envy, that yet God givesmore grace—that is, acounterpoiseofgraceuntothatlust—untoallthemthathumblyseekforit;as,chap.4:5–7,'DoyethinkthattheScripturesaithinvain,Thespiritthatdwellethinuslustethtoenvy?Buthegivethmoregrace.Heresisteththeproud,butgivethgracetothehumble.'

Ishallnowgoforthofmytextbuttofetchinonething.Iobserve,whenthe Apostle particularly comes to that part of his prayer made for theColossians, that they might have all patience and long-suffering withjoyfulness,—whichexactlyagreeswithwhat is thematterexhorteduntointhistext,—heimploresthegloriouspowerofGod,inthesewords,Col.1:11, 'That ye may be strengthened with all might, according to hisgloriouspower,untoallpatienceandlong-sufferingwithjoyfulness.'AndtodrawandfixyourheartsonthisgloriouspowerofGod,andpointyourprayersthereto,isthethingwhichImeanandintend.

And indeed the consideration of this one thing will have a generalinfluenceintoallthosethreeheadshavebeentreatedofinthislastfourthsection.As, first, itmaybenogreatwonder ifmanyofushavebeensodeficientandlackinginthisgrace;foritisnotanordinarypower,suchasin ordinary walkings holily doth assist us, but a glorious power isrequisite to perfect this grace: which argues this to be so difficult anexerciseaboveanyother,andthatournaturesareinfinitelyremotefromitofourselves,whichwenotmindingnorconsidering,havenotperhapswithanswerable vehemency implored theaidof sogreat apower.And,secondly, this gives us a clear reason why prayer, of all other means,shouldbedirectedbytheApostle,andextraordinarilysetuponbyus,asthemosteffectual,yea,asanonlymeanstoobtainthis.Forseeingthatpower lies out of ourselves, in God, whichmust effect this in us, thensurelynothingcanbejudgedsoprevailingasfaithandprayer,whicharethegraces inandbywhich thesoul,goingoutof itself, inasenseof itsutter insufficiency, supplicates the grace in God's heart to exert thispowerofhisgoodpleasure,andsododrawitforthandbringitdownintotheheart.Andthen,thirdly,thisgivesusthehighestencouragement,thatwemayobtainthisperfectworkofit,howeverremotefromitthepresenttemperofourspiritsmayseemtobetous,seeingthatnolessthansucha

gloriouspower is requisite toeffect it in thestrongestChristians,andapowersogloriousisabletoworkitintheweakest.

Let uspray, therefore,with all vehemency for ourselves, as theApostledidforthoseColossians,thatthisgloriouspowermaycomeuponus,andstrengthenourinwardman—asitiselsewhere,Eph.3:16—withallmight;whichmightinusistheeffectofthatpowerinGodasthecause.

Forasthispatienceistobean'allpatience,'orelseithathnotitsperfectwork,sothismightmustbean'allmight'youmustbestrengthenedwithuntosuchapatience,oryouwillnotbeperfectatit.Thatmightyouhadin suchor sucha trialwillnot serve to strengthenyouagainst thenexttrialthatshallcome;butyoumuststillhaveanewspecialmightforeverynewtrial.Yourdependence,therefore,isgreatuponGodforthisperfectworkofpatience,andyetyourencouragementsaregreat.Forasitmustbe that, if God will please to strengthen us under any great unusualtentations,thatheshouldputforthnolessthanthis'gloriouspower:'sowehaveheardhow,inourApostle,hehathpromisedhewillgiveit,andgive it freely and liberally to them that make it their main, constant,earnest business to ask it; and therefore, his grace, if applied to, isengagedtoputthispowerforth.

Itcannotbutbeagreatsupporttoaweakheartthatfindsitselfsoremoteanddistantfromsuchaworkofpatience,andweakalsoincomparisonoffinding such an inwardmight, that it shouldhave ground and cause tothinkandtobelievethatGod'sgloriouspowerisengagedmostfreely,tobeabundantlyandreadilyputforth,ifcontinuedtobesoughtunto.Why,this, says theweakheart,will do it; namely, this gloriouspower; and IhavefoundbysometrialsalreadythatthestrongGodandaweakheartwillbetoohardforanything,yea,forthewholeworld.

Andtherefore,whenyouthinkyourpresenttrialsthatarecomeuponyoufargreaterthanyoucanbear,thinkwithalofthegloriouspowerofGodthatisathandtohelpyou.Itisagreatwordthat,'hisgloriouspower,'—agreater attribute could not have been named or found out for ourcomfort,—and is a word of virtue, force, and power, to hearten to oragainst anything whatever. It is true thy present trial may be, and is,abovethatinwardstrengthwhichservesandhathservedhithertotoact

thygracesinthyordinarywalkingswithGod,holilyandsincerely.Achildmay by its ordinary strength be able to walk up and down a room bystools(suppose)supportingit,withoutanyotherextraordinaryhelp;butifitbetogoupapairofstairs,thestrengththatenabledittotheselesserperformances will not be sufficient thereunto; he must be carried andheldup in thearmsofonewho isstrongandmighty.Andso it ishere.ThatotherpartofourChristianobedience,theactivelifeofaChristian,prayedforbytheApostleinthatplacetotheColossiansalso,wherebyhewalks fruitfully, &c., as in the seventh verse of that chapter, requiresindeedGod'spower,forbyititiswearekeptuntosalvationallalong.Butwhenitcomestopatienceandlong-suffering,andallpatience,andthatsuch a trial comes as will try all patience in you; then it is he makesmention of that glorious power, and not before. For itmust be no lessthat must go to that than God's glorious power. And the promisethereforeis,insuchacase,thattheSpiritofgloryshallrestuponus,andnot the Spirit of grace only, as 1 Peter 4:14. Relieve and comfort,therefore, yourselves with these things, and specially with this: that asyour trials abound, so this glorious power of God will abound alsotowardsyou,foryoursupport.Amen.

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