242 SERMONS upon Serm:XXXII i, pared to do all things, rather than fail of our duty; nor deferta good way, becaufe'tis difficult to follow it 5 but fuffer the greaten evils, and (offer long, and confiantly, even to death, and that readily and willingly.. And this is patience.. a. There is the waiting patience, to tarry Gods leifure 5 evil is prefer, and good is abfent, and to come; a trouble may arife from the abfence ofthe good we hope for, and the long delay of it, as well as from the evil that we endure 5 in the mean time there- fore, the Scriptures recommend. to us the patience of hope, r Thef. 1.3,0r waiting the good pleafure of God, tillour final deliverance be accomplifhed. Lam. 3.36. 'Tis good to hope; and quietly wait for the falvation of God. Time is certainly determined in Gods purpofe, and it will not be long ere it come about 5 and 'tis not only decreed, and de termined, but promifed 5 we mun undergo death; before we can have life 5 and we are not lords of our own lives, but guardians to keep them for God, and he will in time de- liver the foul into a frate of light, life, and glory. This waiting patience is delivered to us, under the 6militude of an husbandman, Jam 5. 7. Who wasteth for the preciortr fruit of the earth, and hash long patience for it, till he receive the early and latter rain. The husbandman cannot look for a prefent harveft, but-the feed that is can into the ground mull endure all weathers, before it can fpring up into a blade and ear 5 fo ;null we ex- ped our fealon. 3. The working patience, which is going on with our felfdenying obedience, how te- dious foever it be to the ftefh. Thus we are told, that the good ground bringeth forth fruit with patience, Luhe 8. [5.. The others are harry, muft have prefent fatisfatlion, or ere grow weary of Religion; all evils come from impatiency, they could not tarry till God gave crowns and pleafures,therefore they mifcarried by their inclinations to vain delights; fo,the heirs of promife are defcribed, to be thofe that continue withpatience in well doing, Rom. 2. 7. And to the Church of Ephefus, God faith, Revel. 2.2. I know'thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience. The bufinefs of Religion is carried on with great diligence and painfulnefs 5 'tis not an idle and fluggilh profeffton ; lufts are not eafily mortified, neither do graces produce their perfe& work, with a little perfun&ory care, no! but much labour is required. Now to abound in the work of the Lord, requireth a fervent hope to Cweeten it. 2 The qualification of that hope which produceth this patience; 'tis well grounded, and 'cis lively : Firn,'Tis a feriour And well grounded hope 5 when we fir(; gave up our felvés to Chrin, we reckoned and allowed for labours and troubles; the Lord telleth us afore-hand, Matth. 7.14.. Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leaded unto life, and few there be that _gild it. The entrance and the progrefs is difpleafing to the fiefh, or the carnal nature in us, -fo Matth. 16. 24. Then Paid f efus unto his difèiples, If any matt will come after me, let him deny him_ l f and fellow me 5 and Luke 14. If we will make war with the old ferpenr, build for Heaven, your hope is groundlefs, if you hopefor eter- nal life, and, are unwilling to undertake any difficulty for Chrins fake ; you mull reckon upon difpleafing the fteill, offending the world, if you would enter into life. 2. 'Tis lively ; 'tis not the cold and fuperficial, but the earneff and effe&ual hope; the delires of alively hope are vehement; we long for enjoyment, and would fain attain the end 5 but they are allo fubmi(iive, and we will quietly wait Gods leifure, as Paul had a delire to . depart, yet was willing to abide in the ftefh, if he might do God any fervice, Phil. 1, 23, 24. Tho the way be long, the difficulties great and many, yet we mun be content to be without our reward, till our work is finned; and without our crown, till our warfare is ended 5 and fuffer evil things, and not forfake good things, which are the way alto to obtain better; as long as God will prolong life, tho is be to endure more troubles, .we mun fubmit. 3. ,How this hope producethpatience with refreel to the objeú, and the fubje£í: Firn, with refpeft to the Objeht 5 this patience arileth from the certainty and góodneft of the things hoped for 5 'cis a lure and great reward : Firft, the certainty, 'cis not a vain hope, fuch as is built upon the promife of a deceitful man, but the word of the ever-living God, Job 13.'15. Tho be flay me, yet 1 will trill! in him. The holy obninacy of hope . comethfromthecertaintyofthepromife. ä. Thegrealnef of the things promifed,theyare rare and excellent, worth the waiting for; it promifeth Deli for labour, Rev. 14. 13. Your troublefome work will not ran long, but be over in a little time, and you (hall have joy and delight, for pain and forrow, and all the fad things of 'the prefent life, a Pet.4. 13. .Bat rejoice, inafmuch as ye are partakers of Chrifls fss feringa, that when his glory (ball be re- vealed, ye may be glad with exceeding joy. And glory for lhame, Heb. 12. 2. Looking un- to Jefas the author and flnifler of oar faith, whoa for the joy that was fee before him, endured the
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