September 12 — On the Virtue of Patience

Consider, first, patience is a virtue, by which we bear up, with courage and constancy, under a variety of evils, to which we are continually exposed in this mortal life; such as afflictions, exterior or interior, sicknesses, pains of body or mind, losses, disappointments, wants, affronts, injuries and other crosses of divers kinds, which, more or less, are incident to men in every station of life, and in every part of life, from the king to the beggar, and from our childhood to our decrepit age. Now, under all these evils, the good Christian is supported by the virtue of patience, in such manner as neither to be over much dejected or ca down by any cross accidents or sufferings; nor upon these occasions to be put out of the road of virtue, or hindered from the love and service of God: but so as still to go on with courage in his way to heaven, carrying his cross after his Redeemer, without murmuring or repining. O, my soul how lovely is this Christian patience! It has even the admirable property of turning an the evils of life mto so many great and solid goods, by making them all serviceable to eternity; and in the mean time k makes them both light and easy, and sweetens all that is bitter in them, by seasoning them with the consideration cf the holy will of G.

Consider, secondly, how much this virtue of patience is recommended to us by the great example of the Son of God, who, as he was never free from sufferings in any part of his life, so he both lived and died in the exercise of patience and by \i\s patience redeemed the world. Then all the saints and martyrs, as they had their share in drinking of his cup of sufferings, so they have all run by patience to the JigM set 6before them; looking on Jesus the author and finisher of faith, who, having joy set before him, endured the cross, Heb. xii. 1, 2. They all in life possessed their souls in their patience, Luke xxi. 19: they all in death saved their souls by patience. Patience hath a perfect work saith St. James, (i. 4,) that ye maybe perfect and entire, failing in nothing. He that is patient, saith the wise man, (Prov. xiv. 29,) is governed with much wisdom. And again, (Prov. xvi. 32,) The patient man is better than the valiant, and he that rulcth his spirit, than he that taketh cities. Patience, then, is the virtue of the martyrs, and of all the saints; patience made them martyrs and saints; patience made them truly wise; patience gave them the victory over all their enemies; in their patience they brought forth much fruit; patience made them perfect; patience brought them to that incorruptible crown, which none but those who hy patience have lawfully strove and won it. O blessed patience 1 let me be so happy as to find thee, and embrace thee; let me live and die in thy company.

Consider, thirdly, the absolute necessity patience, in order to our serving God here, and saving our souls hereafter. Par tience is necessary for yon, saith the apostle, (Heb. x. 36,) that doing the will of God you may receive the promise. For our life is a warfare upon earth; and in every part of life we must expect to meet with trials, conflicts and sufferings. Now, pet tience turns all these to our good; but where patience is wanting all goes wrong; we sin at every step; we cowardly give up the cause of God and our souls upon every slight occasion; we withdraw ourselves from the service which we were happily engaged in; we run from our colours, we fall a prey to the enemy; O, it is true that there is no going to heaven but through many tribulations, (Acts xiv. 21;) so there is no securing to ourselves that blessed kingdom, but by much patience.

Conclude to give ear again to the admonitions of the spirit of God, (Eccles ii,) Son, when thou earnest to the service of God, stand injustice, and in fear, and prepare thy sold for temptation. Humble thy heart and endure — wait on God with patience; join thyself to God, and endure — take all that shall be brought upon thee, and in thy sorrow endure, and in thy humiliation keep patience; for gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acctabU men in the furnace of humiliation. Happy they that practise these lessons.