all in and orders all to keep home and not stir out of doors abroad composeth all so as a man possèsseth his own Soul In Phil. 4 6 7. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God c. I instance likewise for this in the difference of the two grounds in the Parâ—ble of the Sower 8 Luke 14 15. Of the Thorny ground 't is said That the word was choaked by the CARES of the world But of the good ground oppositely that it brings forth fruit with PATIENCE Patience is contrary unto cares as well as unto Vnquietness or to other inordinate affections This for Patience its privative Work II. Branch of the III. HEAD I Come secondly to POSITIVE ACTS and workings of Patience which are many To begin with the lowest and so rise to the higher § 1. Patience includes and comprehends an Act of WAITING upon God and his good pleasure Waiting is an act of Faith continued or lengthened out and where Faith would of it self be short-winded Patience eeks it out The daughter helps the Mother with an expectation of anhappy issue 5. Jam. You find waiting involved in Patience as an eminent act thereof v. 7. Be patient therefore Brethren unto the coming of the Lord behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it until he receive the early and latter rain Look how and in what manner the Husbandman waits so he sets out and exhorts a Christian Patient man should doe Mic. 7. 7. Therefore I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my Salvation my God will hear me c. VNTIL he plead my cause and execute judgement for me c. v. 9. 2. It is a waiting with quietness And that 's Patience work too Patience is not an enduring simply by force which we call patience per force but with quietness In the third of Lament the Church in her doleful condition expresseth the actings and workings of her own soul Although she speaks in the third person which is usual in the Scripture yet means her self v. 26. It is good that a man should bothhope and QUIETLY WAIT for the salvation of the Lord. This was uttered when she was under the yoak and so was a fruit of Patience v. 27. It is good for a man that he bear the yoak in his youth It is the Nature of Faith to quiet the heart in God Isaiah 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee And chap. 30. 30. In quietness and confidence shall be your strength And when Faith hath wrought Patience it quiets the heart much more Patience speaks quietness in the very sound of it And the reason is because it hath a strength accompanies it 1 Col. 11. Strengthened with all might unto all Patience and long-suffering And thence so far forth as Faith and Patience doe strengthen the heart so far we are able to bear and that with quietness Let not your hearts be troubled saith Christ John 14. Why You believe in God believe also in me Faith on them will cause trouble to fly away Which is a great part of Christs meaning when he says in patience possess your Souls that 〈◊〉 dwell quietly in your own Spirits as a man doth in his house which our Law tearms his Castle 3. Patience carries on the heart without FAINâ—ING or discouragement Isaiah 42. 4. The Meekness and Patience of Christ is there first set forth v. 2. He shall not cry nor list up his voyce to be heard in the streets Thâ—n follows v. 4. He shall not fail nor be discouraged not be broken as the Hebrew is that is in Spirit so as to cease from what God had given him to do or suffer he should goe on with his work till he had perfected it 4. Patience in all sufferings submits to God and the will of God The Apostle sedulously puts in if it be the will of God when he had occasion to mention their sufferings and he doth it twice 1 Pet. 3. 17. If it be the will of God that ye suffer And chap. 4. v. last Wherefore let him that suffers according to the will of God c. And in chap. 1. 6. If need be that is if God see it requisite to bring them on you And the Apostle would needs bring these clauses in though by way of Parenthesis so in two of these places mentioned The stronger the sufferings are the stronger is the will of God in bringing those sufferings And it is Patience in the Soul that works the heart to submission to that will Psal 39. v. 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth BECAVSE THOV DIDST IT Then when he confest his sin of Bathsheba and murdering Vriah he considered not the wrong done them in comparison of That he had done against God therein Against THEE against THEE only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight And now when a retaliation for that sin in the rebellion of his own Son Absolon came upon him and Shimei had likewise bitterly cursed and reviled him which some latter expositors have deemed to have been the occasions of that Psalm He in like manner in this his punishment layeth aside the consideration of all instruments that had brought those evils on him whoever they were whether it were these or some other and looks only unto God and submits because thou hast done it And though he confesseth that he was in a fume at first notwithstanding his fixed resolution to have been dumb as for speaking any thing that should savour of murmuring afore men Yet his flesh and corruption boyled within him as that useth to rise and work in us first so v. 2. 3. I was Dumb with silence I held my peace even from good And my sorrow was stirred or my distemper wrought the more my heart was hot within me whilst I was musing the Fire burned Then spake I with my tongue And what he spake savors of a man weary of life it self For he would needs know of God when his life should be at end thus v. 4. So impatient was he Yea but then when his grace came more deeply and throughly to be stirred and Patience to have in perfect Work he then considers Gods hand alone in it how that it was HE had stirred up the Spirits of these wicked Oneâ— against him and found thaâ— himself had to doe with Goâ— alone And then he was 〈◊〉 and silent indeed to purpose Anâ— truly his heart at that time 〈◊〉 the occasion were that of Shimeâ— and Absalom had been wroughâ— up into as blessed a frame of submission to God as ever afore 〈◊〉 after in all his life time as hiâ— words in that chapter afore mentioned doe declare 2 Samâ— 15. 25 26. And David said if shall find
PATIENCE AND IT S Perfect Work UNDER SUDDEN SORE TRYALS LONDON Printed by S. Simmons for Rob. Duncomb to be sold at his Shop in Duck-lane 1666. PATIENCE AND ITS PERFECT WORK Meditated and Written that Week the Deplorable Fire was at London and upon That Occasion Upon this Scripture Chap. 1. James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ to the twelve Tribes which are scattered abroad Greeting My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations Knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh Patience But let Patience have HEâ—… perfect work that ye may bâ— perfect and entire wanting nâ—thing If any of you lack wisdom 〈◊〉 him ask of God that giveth all men Liberally and upâ—â—â—â—… not and it shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him CHristian Patience is mâ— Subject and the Peâ—fect work of Patience 〈◊〉 4. But as an Introductâ—on thereunto I must first opeâ— some things of the words in 〈◊〉 1 2. § 1 As to the PERSONS 〈◊〉 writes to they were the Twelve Tribes scattered that had beeâ— and were bereft of their inheritance in their native Countrey and quitting that had betakâ—â— themselves to banishment muâ—titudes of them I doe not saâ— all as appeares Acts 8. 1. And at that time there was a great Persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered abroad thorowout all the Regions of Judea Samaria except the Apostles And Acts 〈…〉 We find them travell'd as far as Phaenice Cyprus Antioch who went from thence afterwards into other Countreys The other Apostle who wrote to the same Persons comforts them with this 1 Epistle 1. v. 4. That they were begotten again to a better Inheritance then that of Canaan which now they were deprived of 2. I observe that though these had been made thus sufficiently destitute and desolate already and driven from house home to seek their livelyhoods with their families in forraign countreys that yet still great and pressing troubles and miseries did follow them as one wave doth after another they were continually falling into divers and sundry tentations of all sorts God tryes us every moment as in Job we are chastned every morning and killed that is in danger of death all day long as Rom. 8. God had not yet done with these 3. He utters the strongest Paradox upon this occasion that ever was or can be uttered And begins with it v. 2. My Brethren Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations Thus bluntly and abruptly without any mollifying preface or sweetning Introduction unless that of My Brethren to make way for it The fore part Count it all joy seems to carry a morall contradiction in the face of it unto the latter part When ye fall into divers tentations And this latter seems to put an impossibility upon the former which is the duty exhorted unto Let us consider every word of each § 1. Were it simply that they are called upon to REJOYCE how uncouth is this to men in that posture and Circumstance they are suppos'd fallen into Well but yet Count it joy sayes he not only moderate keep in and smother your contrary passions which was the highest lesson that Phylosophy and the Stoicks the best of Philosophers had taught But the Gospel calls upon us Therefore c. or for and upon these Tentations to rejoyce Count it joy that 's the First 2. All joy The highest joy for so all joy must needs be supposed to be 3. And this not when they should see by experience the glorious issue and event these tentations doe produce But to Account it all joy afore hand as if they were possessed of what God promiseth shall be the assured and expected end and to be aforehand as sure of it as if they had it already 4. 'T is not when they are Assaulted with troubles but when tentations are actually broken in upon them and they lye under them 5. Nor yet when they are led into them by steps or had met with them as in their way But when they fall into them 'T is a downfall he speaks of and that suddenly at once and utterly unexpected by them 6. Not when you fall into one or Two but into Many Tentations as elsewhere the word divers here is Translated 1 Pet. 1. 7. Manifold And Many is imported in Manifold 7. And those not of one sort or kinde but Divers and so of severall sorts As in Good name reproach Revilements Divers also asto their Bodyes Souls their relations and families Friends wives children Inward outward man 8. When you fall into them as into a Pit and snare and so they falling round about you so as you have nothing to stand or leane upon but all about you falls with you and under you so as in all outward appearance ye are sunk and overwhelmed with the ruines In this case to Count. IT ALL JOY to shout as men in harvest or that have gotten great spoyles when their miseries are so great that they cannot be endured that yet their joy must be so great as more cannot be expressed This is the hardest duty that ever was required of the distressed hearts of men And yet God would not require it if it were not attainable and it is attainable by no other principles but of Christianity And argues that our Christian Religion which is the only true wisdom v. 5. hath so Spiritfull and Soveraign a vertue in it that it is able to raise Spirits up unto Thus high and glorious a pitch and perfection in this life § But they might say you have propounded this hard and strange duty to us what ground is there that may rationally and effectually perswade and bring our hearts to it what considerations that may procure us this joy and how may we be wrought up to it For God never gave any commandment but there was a full and sufficient ground and reason to enforce it He gives them two Grounds One at the 3. and 4. v. Knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience But let Patience have it's perfect Work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting Nothing This is a Ground from what in this life The other is at the 12. v. Blessed is the man that endureth tentation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of life This is the reward that follows in the life to come In the hope and expectation of which you may count it all joy that Now you are tryed for the end and issue of them is a Crown of Glory which these doe work as 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory § I Begin with the first what ground there is in this life to cause us to rejoyce in such tentations This in the. 3. and 4. verses Knowing that is deeply considering and weighing this principle of our Christian profession that
were full c. Now ye are full now ye are rich ye have Reigned as Kingâ— without us It was a Citâ— very rich and the Christianâ— in it had a fulness of outward things when he wrote this they were full and rich Buâ— as for us says he God hath 〈◊〉 forth us Apostles last as it werâ— appointed to death c. Ye are honourable but we are despised 〈◊〉 both hunger and thirst and arâ— naked and are buffited and havâ— no certain dwelling place and labour working with our hands being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it being defameâ— we intrâ—at we are made as thâ— filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things unto thiâ— day And yet he did not at all envy this their fulness in the least No he wisheth them all true prosperity would to God ye did reign v. 8. that is in true and spiritual respects he wisheth them all good rather in all inward enjoyments of God and Christ together with their outward riches c. Now what was it that had so much rooted up envy c. in him and the other his fellow Apostles It was his sufferings and wants and their being made spectacles to Angels and men as there This had wrought his and their Spirits to this In the old Testament Joshua though he proved a man of a choice Spirit yet when he was young in years and but a young beginner in Grace envy rose up in him for his good Master Moses sake Eldad and Medad Prophesie says he Num. 11. 29. But Moses said to him Enviest thou for my sake and so reproved him and thereupon expresseth his own heart thus Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them Now whence arose thiâ— blessed disposition of heart thuâ— free from envy in him In the very next chapter you meet with another instance which giveâ— a true account both of his not envying others as also in bearing the envy of others against himself sharpned with the highesâ— provocations unto ANGER which was the second It being as unkindly as unreasonable 'T was the envy of his own only Brother and Sister for this that God had chosen him to utter his mind by unto his people and reveal himself so as never to any man as Gods testimony of him is in that 12. Chap. Whereupon they had said v. 2. Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses hath he not spoken by us Thereupon follows the Account or bottom disposition of Spirit which made him bear both this and the former v. 3. Now the man Moses was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the earth And so good man he would himself have passed this â—y and have taken no notice at â—ll of this affront but that God 't is there said heard it as noting â—hat HE would not put it up so for Moses sake Now what was â—t had tamed and made Mosesâ—hus â—hus meek and calm and passive Certainly His great Afflictions And his Faith having been exercised thereby had wrought Patiâ—nce in him Heb. 11. By Faith v. 24 he chose v. 25. Rather â—o suffer afflictions c. and accordingly had lived forty years â— mean shepheard a servile life â—n exile a banished man from Pharaohs Court-Honors and pleasures of it as an underling iâ— hardship and durance And iâ— was a sudden Tryal for he fleâ— for his life at an hours warning as well as a sore and long Tryaâ— of forty years and these sufferings as great as any mans in thaâ— age made him Meek verâ— Meeâ— which word the Dutcâ— Annotators render Patient The Hebrew word hath affiniâ—â— with afflictions saith Ainswortâ— which had taught him Patiencâ— as sufferings did Christ whoâ—â— type he was These had subdueâ— anger and envy in him unto thâ—â— so high a degree And Patiencâ— had its perfect work For otherwise we find he could be angrâ— at times Exod. 11. 8. and 26. 20 and 31. 19. Lev. 10. 16. Nuâ— 16. 11. and 31. 14. and chapâ— 20. 10 11. as Ainsworth hath collected them Jesus Christ hath taught us lesson against this envy Mat. 20. 15. Shall I not doe what I will with mine own Are not all things mine And wilt thou envy that I have taken them from thee and not done so from another Shall thine eye be evil because I am good Shall a man be sick that another is in health 3. Inordinate Fears When too much trouble comes upon us we use to fear too much at the present And are apt to project a thousand things for the future as that poverty and beggary will follow many such fears lay hold upon us because we see Gods anger hath begun and we know not the worst nor when or whereâ—twill â—twill end But saith Christ Rev. 2. 10. Fear none of those things that thou shalt suffer Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life Faith and faithfulness unto God or constancy in enduring unto death he here opposeth to Fear and Faith works Patience and Patience eats out fear Fortitude and courage differs from Patience in this that a stout courage in a man of a great Spirit will indeed overcome FEAR iâ— so be he sees any hope of evading and so will rouse a mans Spirit up to resistance and defence But Patience though it sees no hope as to this life yea nothing but present death afore it it will yet strengthen the heart to bear it and make a man Faithful untâ— death and constant without prevailing fears even unto death 4. Murmuring against Godâ— Patience workes out that As iâ— Job The Devil projected hiâ— blaspheming He will blasphemâ— thee to thy face He made sure account of it and would needs turn Prophet and prophesie what Job would doe and that before God But the devil was befool'd and proved a lying Prophet Job instead of blaspheming God he blesseth God In all this Job charged not God foolishly I may say of it as in the Revelation twice 't is said of the Saints Here was the Patience of Job And it was that patient frame of Spirit that God had wrought in him which the Scripture so extolls that enabled him hereunto 5. Faith by Patience mortifies inordinate CARES Against the times of those great distresses that were to come upon the Jewish Nation and among them upon the Christian Jews in that nation afore the destruction of Jerusalem which would try every vein in their hearts Christ gives two special exhortations besides divers others Luke 21. The first In YOVR Patience that is that Patience which is truly Christian and properly Yours possess your own souls v. 19. The second Take heed to your selves least at any time your hearts be overcharged with the cares of this life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cares do as the word imports distract the Soul scatter it into wilde thoughts and wandring anxieties But Patience which Christ first exhorts to calls
making many rich As HAVING NOTHING YET POSSESSING ALL THINGS In which few words he compendiously speaketh what either out of that to the Corinthians 9. chap. I have now insisted on or that Paradox in my Text doth amount unto For those words as sorrowful in respect of divers Temptations yet alwayes rejoycing are all one with Count it all joy when ye fall into divers Tentations as in the Text. And His having nothing yet possessing all things there is adaequate and aequivalent to the Corinthianâ— supposed outward abounding alwayes and in all things But then his being poor yet making many rich Therein he exceeded and transcended what they or any the most liberal-hearted rich man that ever was in the World could boast of in any of their or his abounding in any or every good or Charitable Works in relief to others So we see it is possible and attainable that a Christian may in the want of all have an all-self-sufficiency super abounding the fulness of him in outward things who aboundeth most And all this was the fruit of his Patience and continual abiding under sufferings For he speaks this of himself whilst he is enumerating his sufferings which in that Chapter he doth at â—arge Thus perfect will Patience make you that as here the Apostle in my Text speaks you â—hall want nothing even in outward things when you have lost â—ll § If you ask me Whence hath a a Christian this self-sufficiency within himself and wherein lyes it I answer if God and Christ dwell in the heart if I have the earnest of the Spirit for my salvation Or am partaker of his holiness and that Grace which accompanies salvation and doe delight in the will and glory of God and in pleasing him and the like to these then I have a self-sufficiency within me If as in the 1 Joh. 4. 16. We have known and believed the Love that God hath to us God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelletâ— in God and God in him The we have all within our selves And is like as a man that hath 〈◊〉 provisions in and about his owâ— house so plentifully as he need not goe forth for any thing sâ— is it and will it be with us § A third Fruit is JOY I Colosâ— 11. Srengthened with all might unto ALL PATIENCE and long suffering with JORFVLNESS You have it also in the Text 〈◊〉 it all Ioy c. And Rom. 5. 8 We glory in Tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh Patience You will say to me how can this be doth not the Apostle say Heb. 12. 11. No chastning seems to be for the present joyoâ—â— but grievous And our Saviouâ— you shall weep when the world shalâ— rejoyce And many the like I Give these Answers 1. The object of your joy is not simply your afflictions No no man can delight in them alone they indeed are grievous as saith the Apostle But your joy lyes in looking unto what is the issue and event the end and reward of your Tryals by them and that is it you are to Count the matter of your joy and ALL IOY To rejoyce in the thing or the affliction it self is one thing And to rejoyce in the expectation of the event and issue is another Then Secondly If you observe it the word in the Text is favourable Says he Count it all joy that is esteem it so He doth not say you shall have all joy at present But though you have not you may count it all joy that is you may reckon it as matter of all joy as many Interpreters parâ—phrase the words and so Reason yourselves into joy in your Judgements and so esteem it all joy Appretiativè as the School speaks though the passion of joy be wanting Thirdly Jesus Christ himself when he did endure the Cross and whilst he hung upon it and likewise afore whilst within the Garden he was not in a joyous frame of Spirit at that present as to the passion of joy nay his Soul was heavy unto death that while Yet it is said Heb. 12. 1. THAT FOR THE JOY that was set before him he did endure the Cross c. And he therein is set forth as an example unto us in the same verse Let us run WITH PATIENCE the race that is set before us Looking unto Jesus c. It is well if you look to the joy set before you as that which you certainly expect to come although you want the Passion of joy in that which you expect to come Fourthly You may perhaps not rejoyce at present with great joy yet afterwards through much exercise of Patience it may grow up in you And this answer the Apostle himself gives in that Heb. 12. Distinguishing between what for the present and what for afterwards in time v. 11. Now no Chastning for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of Righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby And upon the hopes of that he bids them to lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees Yet Fifthly Some Christians have had and you may have actual joy at that present in the midst of your afflictions These Two great Tryals and great Joyes may well meet and stand together in the heart at once as in divers respects For the Apostle hath reconciled those two 1 Pet. 1. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though Now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations That speech wherein ye greatly rejoyce reacheth and riseth higher then to an accounting it matter of joy about what is to come but doth further absolutely speak of joy for the present And therefore to have the affection of inward joy it self greatly raised up and yet at that instant in the same Now as he speaks in outward respects to be in heaviness are compatible And 1 Col. 11. The Apostle speaks of such a glorious power accompanying the Saints in tryals as shall work Patience and Long-suffering with JOYFVLNESS And why else doth the Apostle also say Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and again I say rejoyce He contents not himself to have said it once as if to have them rejoyce a little but he professeth to say it again because they should rejoyce abundantly and this always and therefore in all times and in all conditions Of the coexistence of which two himself proposeth himself an example As sorrowful yet alwayes Rejoycing IIII. BRANCH Some eminent Properties or ADJVNCTS 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 himself 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 Apostle 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. 'T was 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 outragious 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 meekâ—ess of his natural Temper nor meerly as a moral virtue in him â—or which he is so extolled though these might contribute thereto But it was a Grace that was Spiritual in him the Grace â—f meekness and consequently â—f Patience which the holy Ghost had wrought in him and which he by sufferings had learned And my reason among others principally is that he was a Type of Christ therein according as Gods promise was tâ— raise up a Prophet like unto Moses Like as in other Eminencies so especially in this Grace for which as Moses is commended there so Christ in the Evangelists and therein proposeth himself as an example Learn of me for I am meek c. Now how CONSTANTLY did Moses bear 〈◊〉 along with that perverse murmuring 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 reaâ— how Moses was and could bâ— sometimes angry yea exceedinâ— wroth as the words are whereâ—â— I gave the collection out of Ainsworth 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 overcome 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 't is Durable as a Dye in grain or as the Indy colours which while the cloth remains they ENDVRE Now it is he that endures to the end Math. 24. that shall be saved You shall therefore find that unto LONG-SVFFERING Patience is added in two several places 1 Col. Strengthened unto all Patience and LONG-SVFFERING Patience there respects the weight or grievousness and heaviness of the affliction we are under And Long-suffering respects the duration and time The other is in an instance of the Apostle of himself 1 Tim. 3. 10. Thou hast known my long-suffering charity patience In 4 Jam. 7. 'T is said of the Husbandman whose case is made the perswasive unto Patience he hath LONG Patience This is a perfection indeed 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 patience 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 although his tryals have not been of all sorts A mans natural Spirit 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 Abraham 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 perfect 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 submission are yet easily disadvantaged upon smaller occasions between men and them For which some reasons might be given IIII. Section ALthough I have dispatched the subject I first intended yet I find my self obliged to proceed a little further in the opening the fifth verse in order unto a relieving against a great DISCOVRAGEMENT which I know hath or may have been in many Readers hearts whilst I have been thus discoursing these great things about the Perfect Work of Patience c. And also to leave behind me the most apposite DIRECTION how to obtain this Patience in the perfect work of it and I will not goe out of my Text for these things neither An Exposition of the 5. verse If any of you lack Wisdom let him ask of GOD that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him § THe Discouragement I know is Oh how remote are and have our hearts been from this perfect work of Patience Which yet some Saints have in so great a measure attained as those great examples given have shewn both of Saints out of the Old and New Testaments what then shall I think of my self for the present will such a Soul say or for the future what shall I doe Why truly GOD hath provided sufficiently in the Text for Answer to these Queries and Complaints of yours whereby both to relieve you against your Discouragement at your want of the exercise of these things And also to direct you to the most proper and effectual if not the only means to obtain them 1. As to this present Discouragement about your want and so great falling short of this hitherto which you are so sensible of Those first words in the Text If any of you lack Wisdom will be found greatly speaking to your relief
Regenerate and supposed in the Faith § The third thing Proposed was How it could be he should speak in this manner of Believers that they should lack this Grace of Wisdom whenas if such they must be supposed to have all true Graces in them why then should he yet say even of them If any of you Lack c. Answer This expression to say such and such a Christian Lacks such or such a Grace is not uncouth nor unusual in the Scriptures when he or they have wanted the EXERCISE of it For though Christians doe receive the Principles of all Graces as 2 Pet. 1. 3. yet they may neglect to stir up all graces or may have been disused to the exercise of some Why else and to what end doth the Apostle in the same place stir them up to add Grace to Grace as in verse 5. And in those cases a Christian may be said yea charged to lack that Grace or Graces which he wants the exercise of For so in the same Chapter ver 9. speaking of a Dozed negligent professor though true he useth this very language of him He that lacks these things as I have elswhere opened that Scripture For Idem est non esse et non uti 'T is all one for a thing not to be and not to be used when the being of a thing is wholly ordained for use and operation Now such a thing is Grace and such a thing if not used is as if it were not And the opposition that is between adding Grace to Grace v. 5. that is the exercise of one Grace after another the lacking Grace in that v. 9. evidently shews that phrase to be so understood not of the utter want of the Grace but of the exercise § The Fourth thing is The intimate Reason or occasion whereupon the Apostle doth utter himself in such a supposition If any of you lack This will appear by considering these three things First In respect that the had exhorted to so hard and difficult a Practice to Count it all Joy c. Which requireth such high principles to be drunk in about the good and benefit of Tentations in the issue and end of them which principles must also have been thorowly concocted in their hearts first who shall attain to this And Secondly There being many poor Souls as of such that were weak and some New Converts amongst them whom he wrote to who might and did then as many now-a-days that yet are sincere-hearted in the sense of their own weakness find and apprehend themselves so far off and remote from such high principles and attainments and therefore upon his thus discoursing were like to be utterly discouraged thinking with themselves judging themselves by the present frame of their infirme Spirits both that their hearts had never yet nor would ever be wrought up to this Pitch What to count it all joy think they is that it you exhort us unto Alas our hearts tremble at the very thoughts of entering into such sudden and so great tentations as you here forewarn us of And of all graces else it is this of a Patient suffering frame and strength of ◠Spirit thereto that is and hath been our want This is it WE LACK nor doe we know how to mannage our selves wisely under such Trials so as to glorifie GOD yea and not shamefully to dishonour him Nay if we should fall into such trials and sufferings we are liker utterly to fall away under them rather then to rejoyce when we fall into them Further Thirdly There might be many strong Christians as to the active part of the life of Christianity who yet might be to seek as fresh Souldiers at the first when such trials come unexpectedly and thick and threefold upon them and that they fall into them as down-fals and Precipices And in this dreadful a manner he had set them out to them as impendent on them as was opened And even such Christians being surprized might be at a loss at first in respect of that Confidence of Spirit to bear them till by Prayer and Faith recollecting themselves they should anew obtain or regain this Wisdom Even strong Christians are apt to be stounded at first as men are with a greatblow and cannot well stand or keep their ground Now unto such either of these doth the Apostle in this Language If any of you lack apply himself and therein speaks to their very hearts But especially to the first sort of weak Christians And indeed speaks their very fears and most inward thoughts and apprehensions they had or might have of themselves And so utters their misgivings of heart in their own Language Oh I lack these things says the Soul If any of you lack says the Apostle And it is no small comfort to such to hear an Apostle from the immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost to suppose that very true and sincere Christians may thus be lacking and thus surprized Thus as to the Removal of their main Discouragement which was the first thing proposed II. THE DIRECTION Let him ask of God HAving thus spoken their hearts as to the fears apprehensions of themselves in respect of their falling short of this high duty of Joy and Patience c. He now DIRECTS them to the most proper and soveraign MEANS for the obtaining of it of all other and that is faithful instant PRAYER Let him ask of God c. And herein also he speaks the hearts of all true Christians also even of the weakest whose refuge in all their wants is to cry to God for a supply of what they lack especially when they feel or are apprehensive of their lack and want in any Grace that should help them in time of need And look what effectual supply of this Grace in Tentations all the Apostles perswasions alone would not have effected That Faith venting it self in constant and fervent Prayer will bring in and obtain and their hearts will in the end be raised and wrought up unto So as they shall be able to abound in this Grace also Weak Faith when it cannot find in its heart to suffer or so much as to enter into trials can yet pray and so doth beg with desires unutterable to have this Grace to be able to suffer these trials in this joyful manner as the Apostle exhorts unto And the weak heart continuing so to pray and importune God in the end THIS shall be given him As here he promiseth I shall not enlarge on this further For when an Apostle shall single forth a MEANES And that One single One whereby to obtain any eminent Grace one needs that means ought to be with all diligence put into use and practice and so there needs no more to urge it Only observe how in this directive part he puts them not upon praying chiefly to have Tentations and trials averted or kept of nor to ask deliverance out of them though that is lawful and may be done Not