Thé Compeeai Chrifiiátié And Chili for an example too: Andyore art predeflìnated for this very end, to be like the Image of the Son,tobe madeconformable unto Chrift ; Wherein ? h all imi- Rom.Lz9 table and neceffary graces. I fay, in all thofe graces that ace neceffary, by venue of a Ïule,and that are imitable, wherein wemay or can follow him. Amongft the reft this is one, his Patience. See the Patienceof Chrift. In his carriage toward his Father, how he bore the difpleafure of his Father : In his carriage toward men, when hemight have commanded Fire from Heaven, yet you fee how hebore with them, and rebuked his Difciples, You know not ofwhat Spirit you are, He was lead as a Lamb,dumb be Lake S. forethe Shearers ; and he opened not his mouth. Again, you have the examplesofthe fervants of God. 7ale my Brethren ( faith Saint fames ) the prophets who havefpaken in the Name ofthe Losd,foran enfample James 5 a' of [4ering Afiilion, andofPatience. The Prophets furtèred long, and endured the Frowns of the world, and the Rage of Princes, they endured a thoufand Mife- ries, and all to difcharge theirduty. But amongft all the fervants of God, you have heard of the Patienceof Job, and what end the Lordmade with him. Every man yer, f, ¡, can fpeak of the Patience of job, but this was written for our enfample, to teach us to be patient as he was e Wharfoever things were written afore-time, werewritten Rom.rf4. for our Learnings, tbat we through Patience, and Comfort ofShe Scripture, might have hope. Again fecondly, as it is neceffary for a Chri(tian to (}rive for the perfe&ion of Reaf, z. Patience in the degrees of it, beea:afe of the Conformity that (hould be between hire, and thofe examples of God, of Chrift, and of the Saints, between God the Father, andBelievers his Children ; between Chri(t the Head, and Believers his Members; between the Saints of God, Children of the fameFather, and Servants of the fame Matter, that Ihould honour him in the fame grace of Patience. So there is a necefiity likewife of ir, in refpe& of the tryals whereunto a Chriftirn may be put :You hadneed toftrive that you may be perfea in Patience, besaufe you know not what tryals ye (hall be put to, what times ye are referved to. Every man mutt expe& troubles and affii&ions, they arecalled Tribulations, and youknow what Tribalism was, the Iron Bill that was full of pikes round about, fo that wherefoever is was caft, is did flick; an Engine uted in War : Tribulations are unavoidable, they will fall and flick, yet cannot efcape them on any fide, by anyturning to the right hand, or to the left. it is thewill ofGod,that through many Tribulationt,we 'hared enter Alta r4.at. into the KingdomofHeaven: Andwhofoever will live Godly in Chrifl Nees, moil 'Tim ;as. fufer perfecution. Now ( beloved) is this fo, that this is a Statute in Heaven, decreed, and ordain- ed by God, and will not be reverfed, like the Laws of the cdlledes and Perfans, chat every man muff pafs to Heaven through Tribulation, andAfi &ionupon Earth ; chen it concerns every one to be armed, to get fuch a meafure of Patience as may fupport him in fuch affli&ions. Ye know not what aflli&ions ye may have, what particular tryals God may put ye to In what a miferabie cafe then is a man, if he ur to feek of his Armour; when he is in the middeftof the pikes ; if he be then to ;et Patience, when he is in the middeft of tryals, when he is difturbed and diflra &. :d with vexationof Spirit ? What foolifh diforderly Ipeeches proceed from men in Pfal,73a9 the time of affii /ion? We may fee is in David, ft fooli9, was t and ignorant, and in his point a beaft before thee. Whatfoolifh, fenfual, beatify Ipeeches, unreafonable sbfurd palfages proceed from men in chafe times of trouble, if they have not got to .hemfelves before hand this grace, and are not fitted toa Chriftian carriagein time by Patience. Thus you fee the necef ity ofpatience ro the perfe&ion of a Chriftian, and thenecef- icyof the perfe&ion of patience to the Ornament of a Chriftian. Now we come to make ufe of both chefe together. Firft, it fervech for the jut} vfe r' reproof of Chriftians that are careful for other parts, and a&s of Religion, and are Foe reproof not fo ferioufly mindful of this duty of patience as they (hould be, but are fo far from ftriving for patience, that they (rem rather to ftrive for impatience, chat make theircroffes more heavy, and their afili&ions more bitter than they would be. Indeed we make Gods Cup ( that of it [elf is grievous enough to Nature and to Senfe ) 53
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=