-
A godly man is a patient man,1 Iam. 5. 11. Ye have heard of the patience of Iob. Patience is a star which shines in a dark night: There is a twofold patience.
-
Patience in waiting.
-
Patience in bearing.
-
Patience in waiting: A godly man, if he hath not his desire presently, he will wait till the mercy be ripe, Psa. 130. 6. My soul waiteth for the Lord. Good reason God should have the Timing of our mercies, Isa. 60. 22. I the Lord will hasten it in his time. Deliverance may tarry beyond our time, but it will not tarry beyond Gods time.
Why should not we wait patiently upon God. 1. We are servants; it becomes servants to be in a waiting posture. 2. We wait upon every thing else; we wait upon the fire till it burns; we wait upon the seed till it grows, Iam. 5. 7. Why cannot we wait upon God? 3. God hath waited upon (Isa. 30. 18) us: Did not he wait for our repentance? How often did he come year after year before he found fruit? Did God wait upon us, and cannot we wait upon him? A godly man is content to stay Gods leisure, though the Vision tarry, he will wait for (Hab. 2. 3·) it.
-
Patience in bearing: This patience is twofold. 1. Either in regard of man; when we bear injuries without revenging. Or 2. In regard of God; when we bear his hand without repining: A good man will not only do Gods will, but bear his will, Mica. 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord. This patient bearing of Gods will is not
-
A Stoical Apathy: Patience is not insensibleness under Gods hand; we ought to be sensible.
-
It is not patience upon force; to bear a thing because we cannot help it; which (as Erasmus saith) is rather necessity than patience. But, patience is a cheerful submission of our will to God, Act. 21. 4. The will of the Lord be done. A godly man doth acquiesce in what God doth, as being not only good, but best for him: The great quarrel between God and us is, whose will shall stand: Now the Regenerate will, falls in with the will of God: […]here are four things opposite to this patient […]ame of soul.
-
Disquiet of spirit: When the soul is discomposed, and pulled off the hinges, insomuch that it is unfit for holy duties; when the strings of a Lute are snarled, the Lute is not fit to make Musick; so when a Christians spirit is perplexed and disturbed, he cannot make melody in his heart to the Lord.
-
Discontent; which is a sullen dogged humour: When a man is not angry at his sins, but at his condition, this is different from patience: Discontent is the daughter of pride.
-
Prejudice, which is a dislike of God and his ways, and a falling off from Religion: Sinners have hard thoughts of God, and if he doth but touch them in a tender part, they will presently be gone from him, and throw off his Livery.
-
Self-vindication, when instead of being humbled under Gods hand, a man justifies himself, as if he had not deserved what he suffers: A proud sinner stands upon his own defence, and is ready to accuse God of unrighteousness, which is as if we should tax the Sun with darkness; this is far from patience: A godly man subscribes to Gods wisdome, and submits to his will; he saith not only good is the Word of the Lord, Isa. 3[…]8. but good is the Rod of the Lord.
Use. (Vse) As we would demonstrate our selves godly, let us be eminent in this grace of patience, Eccles. 7. 8. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit: There are some Graces which we shall have no need of in heaven; we shall have no need of Faith when we have full Vision, nor patience when we have perfect joy; but in a dark sorrowful night, there is need of these stars to (Heb. 10. 36) shine: Let us show our patience in bearing Gods will; patience in bearing Gods will is two-fold.
-
When God removes any comfort from us.
-
When God imposeth any evil upon us.
-
We must be patient when God removes any comfort from us: Doth God take away any of our Relations? Ezek. 24. 16. I will take away the desire of thine eyes with a stroak; yet it is our duty patiently to acquiesce in the Will of God: The loss of a dear Relation, is like the pulling away a Limb from the2body. —Homo toties moritur, quoties amittit suos.—
But grace will make our hearts calm and sedate, and work us to an holy patience under such a severe dispensation. I shall lay down eight considerations, which may be as spiritual Physick to kill the worm of impatience under the loss of Relations.