Patience and its perfect work under sudden & sore tryals

IIII. BRANCH.

Some eminent Properties, or AD∣JƲNCTS of Patience, which added, do make it, and its work, Perfect.

§. WHen a mans Spirit is brought to doe these things with ease: so as he shall

not need to chide his Spirit into a Patient frame, nor force him∣self into it. But like as Ezra is said to be a ready Scribe, Ezra 7. 6. that is, he was perfect at his work; his heart was prepared for it, and inured to it, v. 10. Thus Patience hath had a perfect Work, when it frames the heart to a Readiness to those actings forementioned. Thus the A∣postle, Acts 21. 17. I am not only [ready] to be bound, but I am [ready] to dye at Jerusalem, for the Name of the Lord Jesus. His heart was so fully prepared, as he stuck not at all at it; yea, it was an heart-breaking to him, that his friends should offer to disswade him. What mean you to break my heart? &c. 'Twas his being inured to endurance, and Patience, that had begotten that Habit of it in him: his heart was not to seek for it.

§. A second Adjunct or Property which adds a perfection to all these, is when the practice of it is DVRABLE, and hath some constancy in it.

As first, Not by fits only. That was Jonahs fault. Oh he was a Broken humble man when in the Whales belly: but how outra∣gious, when out! In Moses, Patience had its perfect work, in respect of the constant exercise of that Grace: And therefore it was he had the honour to be stiled the meekest man on Earth: And truly it was not that meek∣••ess of his natural Temper; nor meerly as a moral virtue in him, ••or which he is so extolled: though these might contribute thereto: But it was a Grace that was Spiritual in him, the Grace ••f meekness, and consequently ••f Patience, which the holy

Ghost had wrought in him, and which he by sufferings had learn∣ed. And my reason among o∣thers, principally is, that he was a Type of Christ therein, ac∣cording as Gods promise was t•• raise up a Prophet like unto Mo∣ses; Like, as in other Eminencies, so especially in this Grace; for which as Moses is commended there, so Christ in the Evange∣lists; and therein proposeth him∣self as an example, Learn of me for I am meek, &c. Now how CONSTANTLY did Moses, bear 〈◊〉〈◊〉 along with that perverse, mur¦muring, and rebelling Nation both against God and himself with an invincible Patience and still interceded for them and thus Christ doth with us, and for us. And although we rea•• how Moses was, and could b•• sometimes angry, yea, exceedin•• wroth, as the words are, (where•••• I gave the collection out of Ains∣worth)

yet it was often in Gods cause; and still but so as the usual and constant frame of his Spirit was otherwise, for which he had that renowned denomination; and never was greatly out, or o∣vercome with impatiency (we read of) but once, Num. 20. 10, 11. compared with Psal. 106. 32, 33.

Secondly, Patience is then perfect, when it continues to the end. As a Colour is said to be perfect, when 'tis Durable, as a Dye in grain; or as the Indy co∣lours, which while the cloth re∣mains, they ENDƲRE. Now it is he that endures to the end, Math. 24. that shall be saved. You shall therefore find that un∣to LONG-SƲFFERING, Patience is added in two several places, 1 Col. Strengthened unto all Pa∣tience and LONG-SƲFFERING. Patience there respects the weight or grievousness and hea∣viness of the affliction, we are

under: And Long-suffering re∣spects the duration, and time. The other is in an instance of the Apostle of himself, 1 Tim. 3. 10. Thou hast known my long-suffer∣ing, charity, patience. In 4 Jam. 7. 'Tis said of the Husbandman (whose case is made the perswa∣sive unto Patience) he hath [LONG] Patience. This is a perfection in∣deed to bear long, and to the end. Be thou Faithful to death, Revel. 2. 10. To carry a great burden a quarter of an hour is an effect of some patience; but to carry it a day, or more, or for a week, there is long-suffering? Why is it said, that When you have done the will of God, you have need of Patience: but because, still, in the last part of your life, after an active life for a long while ran through, even then when you are near the promise, your pati∣ence may be then at last, most of all put to it.

§.

A third Property or requisite to perfect Patience, is, that it be universal; which is either, when a man hath been every way tryed, and hath past thorow all sorts of Tentations: Or when he hath still come off with Patience in some good measure, in all those, wherein he hath been tryed, al∣though his tryals have not been of all sorts. A mans natural Spi∣rit will help him to be patient in some things, but in other things his heart is weak, and cannot bear; Oh not such such a Cross, of any other. But it is certain, As GOD tried Abra∣ham in his Isaac, so GOD will the Sons of Abraham, in what is dearest to them: and yet enable them to bear it, (as I Cor. 10.) and goe thorow therewith. Hence in the Epistles you meet with [ALL] added to Patience,

and long-suffering, both when Patience is prayed for, as 1 Col. and exhorted unto, as 2 Tim. 4. 2. But though this universality is to be prayed for, and exhorted unto, as that which makes it per∣fect; yet it is well, if in the great trials of our Lives, we come off with some Patience sutable; and from henceforth resolve with endurance so to do; and so much is expected: And it may seem strange, that many that should be able to bear great trials between GOD and them, with much quietness and sub∣mission, are yet easily disadvan∣taged, upon smaller occasions between men and them: For which some reasons might be given.