SERMON III.

The Excellency of PATIENCE.

JAMES i. 2, 3, 4.

My Brethren, count it all Joy when ye fall into divers Temptations ;

Knowing this, that the Tryal of your Faith worketh Patience.

But let Patience have her perfect Work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

B

Y Temptations in the Text, we are to understand the Tryals of Affliction. And what Kinds of Affliction our Apostle had more especially in view, may be learnt from confidering the Condition of those Times, in which he wrote.

The Church of Christ was no fooner planted, but its Interests were oppofed both

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by Jews and Gentiles; they were jealous of its growing Power, and used every Method, whether of Craft or Force, to ftop its Progrefs. Hence the Apostles and early Propagators of our Faith, were exercised with cruel Mockings and Scourgings; yea, moreover with Bonds and Imprisonment; and Matters were carried fo far, that there was no maintaining their Religion, but with the Hazard, at least, of Life.

These then are the Temptations which our Apoftle had principally in View.---Abundant Tryals both of Mens Conftancy and Sincerity and fuch as, bearing fo hard on human Nature, needed all the Aids as well of Religion as Reafon, to fupport Men inenduring them.

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Yet our Apoftle was fo far from being dif couraged by thefe difficult Circumstances, that he even triumphed in the Confideration; and exhorts Chriftians not merely to fuffer, but to rejoice in their Sufferings. My Brethren, faith he, count it all foy when ye fall into divers Temptations.

But what, may fome fay ;---are Afflictions then real Matter of Choice? Is Pain itself a Good? or, can we really pleafe and delight ourfelves in thofe Circumftances which Nature

itfelf abhors ?---This we dare by no means affirm, and common Senfe forbids it. But, we muft obferve however, that Things are fometimes chofen, not fo much upon their own Account, as the Reference they have to fomewhat elfe. What is Evil, whilft confidered feparately from all the Confequences attending it, may be good, when it is the Means towards procuring fome worthy End; and Pain itself is what a wife Man would chufe readily, when it leads the Way to a greater and more enduring Pleasure.

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With reference to the present Cafe of Perfecution or Affliction, for the Cause of Christ, St. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews fents it under the Notion of Difcipline: Ye have forgotten the Exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto Children; My Son, despise not thou the Chaftening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he chafteneth, and fcourgeth every So12 whom he receiveth [Heb. xii. 5, 6.]. It is in much the fame View St. James treats it, in the Words before us: My Brethren, count it all Joy, when ye fall into divers Temptations: Knowing this, that the Tryal of your Faith worketh Patience: But, let Patience have her perfect Work, that ye may be perfect

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and entire, wanting nothing. Afflictions then afford Room and Exercise for an admirable Virtue As they are the Tryals of our Faith, so do they give Occasions for our Patience : They lead us on (however rugged the Way may feem) to Glory in the Conclufion; and prepare us for those Rewards, which will amply recompenfe the Difficulties of obtaining them.

This, I affirm, is eminently true, where Men fuffer Affliction for the Caufe of Chrift, and in Support of his Religion. But, this is a Circumstance not fo much in present View. The true Chriftian Faith is established by the Laws; and those Powers are now engaged in its Defence, which were once employed for its Destruction. Yet ftill there is Calamity enough in Life, and Room left for the Exercise of Patience. The Evil of every Day is fufficient; nor can we bear up against it, but by Fortitude and Conftancy: Our very Joys are broken and interrupted; and our Diftreffes are fo frequent and fharp, that we scarce know how to fupport ourselves under them :----And yet, born that must be, which cannot be avoided by us. The Will of God must be submitted to by his Creatures, both in the ordinary Difpenfations of Providence,

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and the more eminent Exercise of its Power. Patience then will come in as a neceffary Duty in common Life. We need it almost every Day, on fome Occafion or other; and therefore should arm ourselves with fuch Principles, as may enable us to go through with Innocence. In my prefent Discourse on this Subject, I fhall,

I. Represent the great Excellency and Importance of the Virtue; and then,

II. Propofe fuch farther Reasons and Motives, as may ferve to enforce it on us.

In teprefenting the Excellency and Importance of this Virtue, I fhall confine myfelf to what the Apostle in the Text fuggests. He obferves, that Afflictions are the Tryals of our Faith: They are the Means whereby it is discovered, whether a Man entertains an inward and real Sense of what he outwardly profeffes to believe. And if it be farther enquired, How, and in What way, this End may be attained by them, the Answer is obvious viz. By the Fortitude and Conftancy with which we bear them.

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Let us confider the Cafe, with respect to those who suffer Perfecution for the Faith of

Ghrift.