1 
 
Excellency ,Neceffity, j 
 
 AND 
 
 ;&.- USEFULNESS 7tt**™\ 
 
 PATIENCE- 
 
 .AS ALSO 
 
 I The Patience of JOB, 
 
 %Scrui%tc and ■Jsi^feJ-M a 
 
 The End of the LORD. 
 
 OR, 
 
 The Glorious Succefs of Graci- 
 ous SUFFERING. 
 
 la TwoTrcatifes, very fcafonable for our 
 prefcr.t Time. 
 
 j — 
 
 lUm Bell j Mr. 
 
 By WillUm Bell, Mr. of Arts,Late Preacher 
 
 of the Word at Hjton in Lxncfiirc. 
 W hereunto is added a Preface by Mr. 
 Richard Baxter. 
 
 \ for Nevil Simmons, at r 
 

 »"j» ^p -"" p* ^» - ; P 3$ s& ??» c> o «a» r» 
 
 I ' V C? ' ' ^? ^P Sj? * f ' 
 
 i^ ^cJ>cUcjj • Jk^j cv>^ vj*y i^p «6^» 
 
 To the READER. 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
 Reader , 
 
 "H/iw w^^7 Reafons to thinly that this 
 Treatife will find a common efiimation 
 and acceptance with Men who mini 
 . the lntereft of their Soids y and ufe to 
 lool^ Heaven-ward for a Remedy of their 
 Troubles : Efpeciallj from I . The common 
 Ncccffitj of the Subject. 2. The Suitable and 
 skilful manner of handling it. 
 
 I . No Afan hoveth Sufferings : Tet no 
 wan can efcape them : And they that cannot 
 attain their firfi defires ( */ efcaping them ) 
 do Naturally next defire ajl'viation, abbrtvi* 
 ation,and due Remedies, if this 8oukj)fKz- 
 medies fhould be as common as the A il iies, 
 every Family , every Per [on would have one, 
 far y l. Whi'ft minis Mortal. AndzM 
 Saints are imperfett and fa full of fin. i*A" I 
 whilfi they live in fitch a World as this, he that 
 looketh to be free from - Sufferings y may as 
 Wifely loobjo have day without Night , and 
 
 A z Sm* 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 Stmnxr without Wimer y undtobe free from 
 the incommodities of the Ai> he bresthrth in y 
 or the mutations or motions of the Wind. 
 
 Job 5. 6,7 
 Though forrow fpring not from the \\\ 
 
 cf€ Earth > • 
 Nor Troubles from the I 
 
 Birth; 
 Yet Man is Born to num : • 
 
 As dying fparks froiri trem -nes 
 
 arife. 
 
 fab 14. J, 2. 
 Ah J Few, ana full of forrow , arc the 
 
 days 
 Of Man from Woman fprung , his Life 
 
 decays, 
 Li^e that frail flower which with the Suns 
 
 uprife, 
 Her bud unfolds , and with the Evening 
 
 dies. 
 He like an empty fhadow glides away, 
 And all his Life is but a Winters day. 
 
 Sandys. 
 
 Since fin became Natural to usjhat isjhe an- 
 ta/^unnatural, accidental corruption of ear 
 Nature,Suffering and Mortality are Natural 
 
 too. 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 in : we have eaten, 
 
 •ecta have the for- 
 
 have the un- 
 
 td contra*' j to God y 
 
 'Vc haze found 
 
 oh: n '■•. i e fart our fin 
 
 Veil! i Redemption 
 
 done with n: y 
 fin w with m : Till nc have 
 
 ing God j God will not have done 
 r m : While vre difpleafe him, he vcill 
 difpleafe us. As Qn dweiUth clflinately in our 
 Souls, for rows fltA our Fie (I) and 
 
 Bones. Asxve lye down, and rife, atiawalk^ 
 X we flj.nl lye down, and rife, an i w.f\ 
 in f lefs ftnviditj ve preparing tu 
 
 ' r eater furrow : ) And as the roots of fin 
 remain in the moft Mortified, fo dothefpr: 
 renewed : s and G 
 
 every faculty is the feat of Cn , and every 
 'A f ember the 1 very 
 
 faenhy is the fi at of furrow } 
 frofr s Foot, is ftill prepared to i: 
 
 pain. And as I 
 
 ' over loved, or 
 . 
 
 as- As 
 
 A 3 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 of God, and through htm, ~ r \A to him, 
 are all things which are good -, Co of us, and 
 through us, and ro v s arc al ' things that are ' 
 evil. If wc can make God's Creatures which 
 are goody to ferve our Lufis in difplcafmg 
 God ; He can make them to ferve andpleafe 
 his wife and righteous will, iff Aflitting and 
 diffeafing us. And as the Continuity of Snow 
 ani Ice increase the aid, many ftickso*- coals 
 do marnific the heat or fame of Fire } fo Tin- 
 ners and Sufferers do by their numbers and 
 cbnverfe inc^eafe their woe. Though our So- 
 cieties ta neceffary to our good, they are like 
 iUr Natures, corrupted and made the Seat of 
 magnified Evils. And a& the Members of 
 $e Body fuffer not alone , but the conjunti 
 -parts muft have the vain of their -proximity, fo 
 ev n the more innocent ( much more yet (in- 
 ner s ) mufi bear their part in the farrow? of 
 the Societies , in which they live. Cod indeed 
 inflituted Societies for our benefit, butflrfh 
 and fin have made them froport ion ably the 
 multipliers of ow troubles, when we thinly of 
 the helpful good in other' wefiy^woe to him 
 that is alone ; And neceffuy driveth us into 
 Families, Cities, and Common-wealths ; 
 but prefently fin filleth our Chambers with the 
 fmoak of Croffcs, Contentions, or Confufwn , 
 iindturnethou? dwellings into Houfesof Cor~ 
 
 reftiqn B 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 reclion^and our publicVjSocitties into Bedlams 
 or tunmltuous crowds c or into Ordered coirr 
 binations of Foxes and malicious Foes, and 
 then we cry out , Woe is me that I fojourn 
 in Mefloec^ and that I Inhabit in the Tents 
 of Kedar^ my Soul hath too long dwelt 
 among the haters of Peace; I am for jieace> 
 but they for War, PfaL 120.5,6. The fins 
 of Societies and multitudes are great Sins : 
 And the fit firings of Societies and Mul- 
 titudes are great Sufferings. And though 
 it would be fome eafe , Socios habu- 
 ifTc doloris, io have Companions in our 
 forrows y when they are free themfehes^ or fit 
 to help us ; jet it u but an increafe of our Ca~ 
 lamity to fuffer among a multitude of Sufer+ 
 ers : Their groans will pierce our hearts the 
 deeper 5 and Love will make all their fuffer- 
 ings to be ours : And their own Calamity wiH 
 difpofe them to afflict us more, and indifpofe 
 them to relieve us. It is feme benefit to lye fick^ 
 among our Friends, that are themfelves well y 
 and ready to help us : It doth us fome good to 
 fee that they htve eafe while we have pain . 
 But to Ije fick^in a fjoitfc where the Plague 
 hath confined every one to his own Couch, and 
 to have our Houfes to be worfe than Hofpital** 
 a>id none left well to help the reft, this is no 
 eafe to any } but a dcvilifi) difpoftion , thai 
 A 4 w$u 
 
To thw 'Reader. 
 
 would not be tmfcr able alone. Alas ! we are 
 mm of us Ignorant alone, erroneous alone, 
 hard • heart;: d alone r unbelieving a/one^ felf- 
 conceited, fclf-willed, felf-fedong atom,. 
 proud alone, peeviilt, paffionatc, and dip 
 contented alone ; we are all fuch in forte de- 
 gree , and fame \ yea,multiiudes, yea, almoB. 
 all in fogrett and odious a degree, as tendeth 
 greatly to the temptation and vexation of the 
 reft : Seneca coiddftiy, Qjid ulcus leviter 
 tangam ? Omnes mali fumus. Why (hould 
 I lightly touch the Ulcer f We are jII 
 naught. In plain truth , thofe that cemplain 
 mo ft, and' fly f aft eft from others as noyfome 
 Sinners, have not alwayes the leaft danger eus 
 or. leaft noyfome fores. And even thofe that 
 come about at as our Friends or Surgeons, or 
 Phyfitians to help m, and thinks them [elves to 
 he almoft well, do often more deeply Infett us 
 with their contagion, or at heft annoy us with 
 he ftinh^ of their Putrif action. 
 
 . And as it is, not the Body of Afan alone , 
 but principally the Soul which is the feat of 
 ftn\fo is it not Civil Societies alone, but Reli 
 ^iousChurch-Societies alfojhat are efpecial- 
 ly the feats of Sorrow. Alas ! the Ignorance, 
 the Error, the Obftinacy that frequently are 
 fublifhedin fuch Societies. Alas ! how many 
 of them are but the Congregating of the proud, 
 » ' the 
 
To the Reader, 
 rfeffelfiflvfe' cruel,*** perverfe, the worlds 
 ly, the unbelieving, the fcnfual, the con- 
 temners of God: As if the j could not offend 
 him enough done, unlefs theypyned m multi- 
 tudes to provoke > :im * *'^ Ajfembled against 
 him. as Coi»ab andbis Company did agairSl 
 Mo t .'iron, when thej cry*, tut, I 
 
 All the Cctogrcgation was H< :v ? W 
 wonder then if our A0C1 *>f 
 
 Confusion a»i CmfUimngr, jtodiftwr . 
 great, ft r A la ~ 
 
 mentation. ■ ^ndijmtt 
 
 Qfa cur Family or 
 
 Civil S* ]vith 
 
 proud fell " a ' Wife 
 
 while few arc wife 1 , ivfoi//? moft 
 
 4^ bad, */z<* all in the ri J}/**** 
 
 of our mind or way, r and the R omilh fc 
 0/ Univerfaluy, froceedeHrbui 
 vrte.ur I 'iCtory and pn 
 
 and Peace, dtuLOxdcr are ± 
 home, and M lice, *»4 f 
 Gov rx* ^Jfar^ 
 
 Km 
 
 Humility, *mJ I 
 ciples, ana \ 
 of I 
 
 V reach up Temperance, and S{ - 
 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 Godlinefs wnttbe propagated by them thse 
 jiacc ir. What wonder if we have too many 
 Churches^ and too few ? And i'afl or again (t 
 Pafhr^ and Churches againft dowdies, ma- 
 king a Religion,* War among hs^ if the cries , 
 or rhe BUod of Soulx, and the Confufwns and 
 Desolations which we have feen, do tell hs the 
 difference between Ecclefiafiical War and 
 Peace. And if it he the ma*kj)f the /ufi 7 to 
 be forrowful for the Sol'cinn Aflemblies, 
 and to bear their .reproach as a heavy burden, 
 Eph. 3.18, And if any Congregation chufe 
 the Br jar for their King, and put their truft 
 in its (liadow, it is no wonder if it rent the?n y 
 or if fire corr.e cut from the Bramble and de- 
 vour them. Judg. y. \ 5. 
 
 And it is not Godlincfs that will exempt 
 us from the need of Patience. Our Godlenefs 
 goeth not before cur fin, and therefore doth 
 not prevent: our Suffering, but only Sancti- 
 fic it to our Spiritual good t And Sanfttficd 
 Sufferings are not imaginary , but real Suf~ 
 ferings , and our Patience if part of the fruit 
 of their S anil: fie M ion. And Holy Perfons 
 are Holy but in part, and therefore havefiill 
 both the Efficient caufe of for rows in them* 
 felveSy and the Difeafes which call for thefe 
 impleafant Remedies. And Chrift will give 
 Phyjick^ to his Children in his Family when 
 
 he 
 
To *he Reader. 
 
 hetroubleth not ftrancers with it who are out 
 
 of doors. If ow Understandings only were 
 
 Di-eafedAxu*. u(Sion only might do the curt. 
 
 Bw wbilfi our W : . ! _> are t l rK principal feat of 
 
 fins <tnd fo much ¥ ride , and Scniuality , 
 
 and I i n c fs remain - 
 
 eth at c t •.."■'on #?#/? w^ 
 
 Itiftrutti n profitable, an I mufi open the doer 
 
 fbdt Cowifelmay come in s I 12,13, 
 
 14,15. Blefled is the Man i in thou 
 
 Ghaftifeft, OLord, andteacheft him out 
 
 of thy Law, that thou ma I him reft 
 
 from the days of A '• ; till ihePit 
 
 be digged for the Wicked ; For the Lord 
 
 will not caft off hispeopl r will he 
 
 for fake his Inhcri t Judgment 
 
 (hall return Unto F c • ufnefs, and ail tha 
 
 upright in hca a- it. T/s/Book 
 
 will not fervc without fferRod, with fitch as 
 
 we. O fdfe j4fjU£lion\ O dangerous Profpe- 
 
 ritj ! How few are riot fonnwhat better for 
 
 the >ne, and hew few are not not wxh worfe 
 
 for the other f If ever we be w i fe it is when 
 
 jlfflillion nndeceiveth us , and the [entences 
 
 of Death aoth pronounce the gre$i ?* r arnes of 
 
 God, and Glory, and Eternity fo load m 
 
 our Ears, that we hear not then; that talk of 
 
 Vanity and PIcafure, Pre ;onour, 
 
 or Reputation, freccrpe no Names tons, but 
 
 in- 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 injivnijicant founds. And furely the i 
 Seed : who are Bom afto fit 
 
 have their Tr^afures*, their Hearts, 
 their Converfatrtms in Haven, foall i 
 bjf them that are B 
 have their Tre 
 
 Convcr n Earth, as low* 
 
 between the c 
 
 I petit nutft continue, and a; 
 Gknsnite* aretbefifft Born of rind- 
 
 as long as the W 6 rl A will h 
 not of the World, but are caiu it, 
 
 tiKci do renounce it y and are not conformed 
 to it, John 15. 1 8, 19. 23, Rom. 12, 2. 
 If Chrift was of the Wo rl 
 dom of it; If th 
 
 with unrighteous Cruelty, but with de r erved 
 Honour. And if the \ J or id dftd God be re- 
 conciled, and the Love of the World is fiot 
 EtitiiMyto Qod, an i - er, aid the 
 
 World maj both be Loved, the 
 er sex peel Profperity y and need not loo* 
 Sufcrinr days. But if all this 
 ( John g. 25. c' rs 4. 4> 
 
 I John 2. 1 5. ] Then mnfl we !»o\tobe c 
 ftencd of the Loi 
 
 condemned w<? eh the , 1 Co-\ 11. 
 
 32. and miifl tl&l : :hc world 
 
 hate us,l John 3. 13. For : d know* 
 
 e:h 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 us not, becaufe it k Chriftf, 
 
 n j. i. If the Love of the world be 
 
 n i ■ .,.-, £*f'f& V from ffe* 
 
 , £e /iir* that Gcd 
 
 will not chcrifii it in fas ■ leave it an- 
 
 oared though a fm t endernefs of cur 
 
 .fuality , 
 a id Malice rs of Satan s 
 
 Church , fk/? *r* a lits, afc^ 
 
 Tongues,**?^ Hands to be engaged andatttd 
 by them again ft the Kingdom And Sew nut* of 
 the Lord. Can we dwt fl in the fire and net 
 be burnt? Are thcGcdlj through their re* 
 maining paffions and infirmities fo great af- 
 fiitiions of one another , and have the neerefi 
 friends their troubling ft*iltj, unfuitable- 
 nefs And crofsnefs to each ether f and fjjalt 
 We look fur greater peace from the ungcaly i 
 or that the Children of the Father of Lies, 
 and Mure crs jkould be mere kind or jufi t. 
 than the Children of Gcd ( Or that tie 
 Wolves fljMild be more r* ere if *l to the Sheep, 
 and r/,ore comfortable companions, than they 
 are to one another t I conclude therefore, that 
 while Man is Af an, while Saints are Saints, 
 and jet imperfect, while tbt Wtrld is the 
 Wotldy malmcHs , impadtnt , ahd blind , 
 and while jj wen ufl continue in it; no Soul, 
 7.0 Family ^ no Chwrth^ ne State^ tie f arti- 
 cular 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 eular Relations y no Husband, no Wife y no 
 Parents , no Children, no Afafters, no Ser- 
 vants, no P after, no People, no Prince? no 
 Subjett, [hall be frte from fujferings } but 
 efpeciall) thofe, whofe endiefs Sufferings muft 
 be now prevented. 
 
 But if they cannot be avoided, can they 
 not be made light, and wholefome, and our 
 benefit? Yes undoubtedly they may, and will 
 be , if weal; ufe not our Adverftty, when we 
 have abufed our Projperity. And Patience** 
 one of the alleviating means. True Mortifi- 
 cation makes nothing of the tempting plea- 
 fure ; and Patience makes nothing of the 
 lok, or pain. A railing tongue may give us 
 the mo ft provoking language j and a reproach- 
 ful Pen may ingenioufly, and voluminoufly 
 fiander us : but thej cannot move the mind te 
 Jin, nor abate our love, rwr deprive us of our 
 peace arjoj y Mchile Patience well performs its 
 work^ Lies, and Calumnies m^y reach oar 
 Ears, but they can go no farther, while Pa- 
 tience is the Door-keeper of the Heart. Oh 
 how many a boilim, and uncharitable a 
 thought ? howjnany a furious foolifh Paffion ! 
 how many a rap and raving Word, will >ftcd- 
 faft cordial Patience prevent I How many a 
 SohI would it k?ep>ix fweet delightful peace , 
 that ts now infrequent trouble and diftraibi* 
 
 on f 
 
To the Reader. . 
 
 -tn ? Tloxo mam complaint: and mummies 
 wwld it prevent ? Her mtpuct wiftt- 
 
 a>le Families would it cjhizt mid .cowfefc? 
 ffad you but Patience half .inferrable to jour 
 ft of Chrifiiamry y$ jftr 
 
 fehei the r&rjrron which your pr f 
 r C i\\, nepvefromvonj uyn>y or foarp 
 
 viryttnkindnels* ay. a crofs look? 
 ntradi&uw <ff yastr conceits and 
 - felves the labour of 
 mto man \ yea, and of t 
 and Complaints toGcd: and of 
 
 -ngkts \x 
 your mm* 
 '! this? DojcMtbitrkjiMt Mini 
 wits, and God bimfctj, mnft chaifh 
 jph i filf-tarmenting froward mo*4 ? 
 
 WiU yon frvfbane Gods Name, by entiling 
 Holinefs, toaH the moans, and tears, and 
 jrarcrt, which meer impatience pcureth out ? 
 Have Atinifters, and Frimos no better 
 rcorh^ than to rochjhe Cradle fcr Children 
 cf thirty, fat}. fifty, or fixty years of a^e. thtf 
 Are (till crying end complaining longer than 
 they have fome^ne to I nil thtm into ouittnefs^ 
 with fnch flattering werds as we nfe to Babes? 
 The whole Art of Satan txcrtifed by the 
 inftruments Picvifhnefs, Contentions, Be- 
 lying, Reviling, Deriding , Defaming, 
 
 Accu- 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 AccufingFai foningi Condem- 
 
 ning , Putting , cannot de- 
 
 prive a Soy! Ifyedwith con ft ant 
 
 Patience , x of tu ic> or Peace, or Joy. 
 Becaufe that by Patience we poiTefs our 
 Souls, we are A-f afters of onrfehes, andbf 
 our comforts :, the pojfejficn of which is loft to 
 the Impatient, *Luke 21. 19. Rom. 13. to. 
 Heb.6. 12. Tir. 2.2 Rem. 1 5.4, 5. And 
 the whole art of the wife ft . arid ^ ; * ft A Uni- 
 fier or friend, cannot preferve tl ft and 
 Comfort of an impatient pievifti Soul, one year, 
 one month fcarce to an end, the} kid 
 fpeakjtothing but words of Ojl and b to 
 them, though youftroke them, and flat* 
 and ferve them, and employ the height of all 
 ivrrr parts and faculties to pkafc them. They 
 Will contract difquietnefsfrom all that ye" can 
 •do, and make their own expectations of 
 c than you are%able to do, to fetch in the 
 daily food andfewel of their quarrel fo*ne dif- 
 contents : And as Seneca . faith of them that * 
 have Sores and V leers, If they do but think 
 that you do bin touch them, they are hurt, If 
 they do but imagin that you flight them, or 
 neglecft them, or pay them not the refpeSb 
 which they thin\jou owe them, you are the men 
 that breaktheir peace. An Afpen leaf may as 
 Well be unmoved in a windy day, as ihefe per- 
 
 fins 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 ' fins have peace in fab a world as this. Their 
 peace and quietnets is */-/&* mercy of every 
 one that will but freaky to them, or lookupori 
 them Nay, it is paft t be power of their friends 
 to keep it. We can carry Infants ; but if you 
 mufi be carry ed at forty jeurs of age y yon may 
 lie in the dirt , when you have weary ed thoji 
 that carry you. In a word, How much Jin 3 
 of heart, and tongue, and action-, how much 
 trouble o^mind, of Families, of Church, of 
 State, would fiedfafl Patience prevent ? 
 Howblamelefsyhow cjtiet would it make our 
 minds and lives ? How eajle and nothing 
 Would it mak$ our filterings from men ? How 
 light would it make every Crofs ? And how 
 Would it confound and weary our afflittions, 
 when they fee that thej cannot make us mife- 
 rable, nor abate our joy es f 
 
 2. But all this, and much more is laid 
 open in this Treatife,fo clearly, andyrt brief- 
 ly, fo fully , fo methodically, with fuch ex- 
 ceeding pertinent Texts of Scripture, toillu~ 
 fir ate and confirm whatever is Jpoken, that I 
 mil not detain the Reader from it, with any 
 more Preface ; but only ttU him, that as Nc- 
 ceflity maketh the Subject fui table to almofl , 
 <tH) and will continue it fo, till the end of the 
 world,and make Books of Patience alway t fea- 
 fonable, to all men, bnt ejpecially to weak Be- 
 a Ucrcrs 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 Uvers ; fo the manner of handling it, bath f§\ 
 much to invite, and delight the Reader, and 
 nothing to weary jr offendhim,that I take it for 
 my pratfe that lath employed in fraifmg, and 
 recommending fo prtiife-toorthy a Workj^ and 
 flail fray for the time, when the Author ma) 
 Preach, as well as Write* 
 
 The Scrvent of the Churches 
 Peace, and Patience, 
 
 Feb. 1. 1669. 
 
 Rich. *B*xtcr. 
 
 % \ 
 
To the Chriftian Reader^ efpecially the Sons 
 and Danrhters of AJUttiOM 
 
 Chriftian Reader , 
 
 IF thou be a Difciple of Chrift, and 
 haft Learned to take up his Crofs 
 daily, how welcom will this fhort 
 and pithy Difcourfe of Patience, 
 md the Reverend Author be ! The Reve- 
 rend Author^ who hath Suffered, and learn- 
 ed, Praftifed, and Preached Patience, if 
 lot by Tongue, yet by Pen , Jer. 36. 4^5, 
 6. The Difcourfe, wherein the Nature , 
 Excellency, and Ufefulncfs of this fuflfer- 
 ing Grace is fo lively decypKered, fo high- 
 ly commended, fo rarely exemplified, fo 
 wifely dirctted, fo earneftly promoted, 
 that in reading,thy heart will be filled with 
 comfort, and thy mouth with blefling ( as 
 David's was) faying, Bleffed be the Lord 
 God of Ifrael, who fern thee to meet me this 
 day, and blejfed be thine advice, and bUffcd 
 be thou who baft taught me Patience , i Sarru 
 25. jz 3 33. It was the blefling of affliftcd 
 fofeph (the Churches Treafurcr againft the 
 time of fore Famine ) that he was fruitful 
 in the L*nd of his jfjfltflion , G en . 4 1 . 5 2 . 
 4 2 The 
 
To the Reader. 
 The Prtphet Ez-ekifl had Vifions hi God 
 in the Land of his Captivity, £^^1.3. and 
 the Apoftle }chn in thclfle of his banifti- 
 mcnt,Rev. 1 .9,10,1 1 . Inftru&ions & Com- 
 forts fitted to the condition, time, & place 
 have exceeding weight, and worth, bring- 
 ing clearer light, more lively comfort, and 
 vigorous ftrength. A wordfyoken indue fed- 
 fon y howgood is it ? Prov. 15.23. Like >fy* 
 fits of Gold in Ptttnres of Silver, Prov. 25. 
 1 1 . Highly precious, as enriching, and de- 
 lighting. Such is this word of Patience , 
 which hath been kept from thine ear, but 
 God hath brought to thine eye. Blefs God 
 for this Fruit of fuffering. Read and learn, 
 learn and practice, grow in Patience, and 
 the Exercifeof it, fo ihalt thou profit by 
 the ftudy and labour of this Scribe ( mer- 
 cifully inftru&ed unto the Kingdom of 
 God) and (halt reap, and rejoyce with 
 him, in the day of gracious recompences , 
 which is the Prayer, and will be the com- 
 fort of him, who, through Grace, heartily 
 dfcfires the Increafe of thy Faiih,Hope,and 
 Patience, i n order to thy prefent Comfort, 
 and future Crown. 
 
 John Angi&r. 
 AwH$k 17* 1668. 
 
 4 2 TO 
 
TO THE 
 
 Chriftian. Reader. 
 
 THoh k tfi here ("Courteous Reader ) a 
 Difcourfe concerning Chriftian Pati- 
 ence^ which is in the number of thofe Graces, 
 whereof every true Chriftian hath daily , and 
 special tife^ whilft he is in this world. In Hea - 
 ven, when we (l)all be perfectly blefied, with- 
 out any fear either of fin or forrow } there will 
 be no need of it. But this life, is a life of 
 mifery. Man is born to trouble, as the 
 fparks flie upwards, ^5-7- E facially ^ 
 it feemeth aood unto our wife and gracious 
 God, to exercife his precious ones , under the 
 Crofs, whilfi they are here. They are his 
 choice Veffds, and therefore he wil refine 
 them in thcFurnaceof affliction,//;* 48. 10. 
 that they may be purged from their drop. Ma- 
 ny arc the troubles of the K ^, Pfai 
 34. 19. Wemuft tnrough much tabulate 
 on enter into the Kingdom oFGod, y\. 
 14. 22. Yea, and all that will live godly in 
 Chrift Jefus, muft fuffcr persecution, 
 2. Tim. 3. 12. Now trite Christian Patience 
 wakes iu ready and willing tofabmit axdgizi 
 * 3 »p 
 
To {he Chriftian Reader. 
 
 vigour .filves to God, in reference to fuck a 
 diffenfation ( however ungrateful it be to 
 flejh and blood ) to be wholy at his diffofe : 
 Here I am < faith David J let him do to 
 me asfecmeth good unto him, 2 Sam. 15 
 26. Andfo in the Prophet, which was exaEt 
 I) fulfilled in Chrift, 1 gave my back to the 
 Smiters, &c. Ifa'. 50. 6. with Mat. 26.27 
 It alfo helps w to profit by the Rod. ItftiHs 
 that cjuarrelloufnefs of ffir it , that hinders th 
 kindly working of afflictions, that they bring 
 not forth the peaceable fruit of Rightcouf- 
 ncfr, unco them that are exercifed by 
 them, Heb. 12. 1 1. Patience mak^s us con* 
 tent to have our Sores parched to the bottome y 
 to have them opened with the Tents of our 
 wife and he (I Chjrurgcon, to have the dead 
 flejh con fumed with his Corro fives, and to let his 
 fmarting Plaifiers lj on, tiHthej be throughly 
 healed. Ifweneedaftrong Purgation, or to 
 be continued in a Courfe of Thyjick^ long, how- 
 ever it may put us to pairi, and makf us very 
 ftck^for a time, yet Patience makes us wi&ing 
 to abide it ; it being the way of God, the befi 
 of Phyfitians, to cure m of our Sfiritud Ma- 
 ladies. Flejh and blood would have corrupt*- 
 on favour ed y and tenderly dealt with, defires 
 cafe, pleafu e } fulnefs y plenty, and what is 
 fomenting unto fenfe. But Patience > that is 
 
To the Cbriftian Reader. 
 
 of a right ft amp, is willing to be rid of fin 
 what ever it cofts, though we fmart for it y 
 and be croffed in tbat which we naturally mo ft 
 affect. Wuen God cafts us into the Furnace of 
 affliction, fit fh and blood xwuld be quicty cut, 
 but Patience makes us willing to abide therein, 
 till ox- drofs be purged from us. And there is 
 no ^nd of affliction, that it isftartled at, or 
 Jhr, ; ; back^for ', be the affliction in the Bodj, 
 or n the Name, or in the Eft ate, or in the 
 Friends ; npj let the affliction be in the Soul y 
 that i other afflictions the keeneft and 
 
 fharpeft % , let toe affliction come from God im- 
 mediately *r lei men be the Inftruments of it. 
 It tan brookjhe unleindncffes of Fritnds, the 
 litredand opposition of Foes: the disfavour, 
 and frowninv countenances of great ones, the 
 contempt andfeorningoftheabjeit, which jet 
 was bitter unto Job, that mirrour of Pati- 
 ence. Job 30. 1,2, 3,4, 5, 6 > #*• ItfatU 
 calmly through all Seas , let the winds be 
 never fo loud , though the waters thereof 
 loare and be troubled, though the Moun- 
 tains (hake with the (welling thereof Pfal. 
 46. 3. and in the mid (I of the great c ft concuf- 
 ftons y and moft terrible Earthquakes, remains 
 unfhaken, pofi ffias fweet cjuietnejs within, 
 when there are We great eft ft irrs abroad. It 
 u jo fax from being turned bsxi^ by the Cfqfs % 
 
 u 4 
 
Tothe Chriftian Reader. 
 
 that it therebj gathers ftrcvgth : and the more 
 it is exercifed, the more it grows. Tribula- 
 tion, faith Paul, workcth Patience, Rom. 
 5. 3. andfo Jamcs/iiffe, doth the trying of 
 our Faith, fain. \. 3,4. And the mare the 
 temptations are, & of the longefl contenuance, 
 the workjff Patience is therebj the more per- 
 fected. It is the great glory of this noble 
 Grace, that the more is laid upon it, the more 
 it can bear ; and as afflictions are lengthned 
 forth, fo it ft ill fir etchtth forth it felf, for to 
 endure. And therefor e, no wonder, though it 
 make the Perfons renowned^ that excelled in 
 it* Job's afflictions were great, and extraor- 
 dinary 5 and the rare and matchlefs Patience 
 ( if we fpeakjf the Patience ef ameer man ) 
 that he exercifed under them, will make him 
 famous to the World, and whilft that ftands 
 on record ( as it matt do for ever ) which is 
 written of him, You have heard of Pati- 
 ence of Job, his rare and incomparable Pa- 
 tience. This was that, which Crowned the 
 Martyr s of old, and of latter times , with ex- 
 ceeding great glory : and dtd win that credit to 
 the Truth, for which they fujfered, that thereby 
 their moft malicious Adverfaries were exceed- 
 ingly confounded) Strangers to the Truth, and 
 Ways of God, brought over to be in love with 
 that Religion, that bred up thefmcere imbra- 
 
 cers 
 
To the Chriftian Reader, 
 
 cersof it, unto fitch invincible Patience, a$ 
 under thegreateft kind of Offerings they mani. 
 jefted^ the owners of the truth of alt fares 1 
 both weak and fcrcng, were thereby marvel- 
 faufly confirmed and flrengthned , and the 
 months of the moft obftmate Enemies flopped, 
 by the wonder jid t*tk*U. { thofe meekjamhs 
 of Chrift, that )ie dtn titmfelves with ft 
 much chearfulnefs to bt*r , and that with- 
 out murmuring , the mofi exquifke Tor- 
 tures that Hell could invent. 
 
 It is recorded, as] or the Credit of that 
 Faith which they profejfed, fo for the ever- 
 lofting Renown of thofe moft Noble Worthies, 
 who were killed by the 3eaft y to whom was it 
 ^iven ro make v\ at with the its, and 
 over-come them, and who in expectation of 
 a glorious Iffue out of all theiY Sutfirtngs, did 
 Exercife incredible Fm;> And Patience $ 
 Here is the Patience an Fa i of the 
 Saints. Itisaglofs, which ( IthttdO the 
 Text will bear, the great Suffering they 
 D icr-went, was, as the mattei about 
 which their Patience and Faith was Exer- 
 cifed, fo that whereby thofe Gtaces were 
 exceedingly commended : *As on the con- 
 trary, Murmuring , Complaining, ZJncjui- 
 etnefs, and Impatience , under the Crofs f 
 fains the Glory of Men s Sufferings, Itt the 
 
 Caufe 
 
To the Chriftian Reader. 
 
 Canfefor which they Suffer be never fo glori- 
 ous } to fa) nothing, how it robs them of that 
 Comfort and reward of their Sufferings, that 
 otherwife, they might enjoy. 
 
 But this Patience that brings fuch glory to 
 God, and comfort to the Sufferers, ts not a 
 Flower that grows in every Garden , much 
 lefs is it to be found in the Heathy WUdernefs, 
 or barren Defart. ft is that, which the Hea- 
 then Pbilofophers Were ftrangers to, a/though 
 by the glimmering Light of Nature, they dtf- 
 courfed fuch things about Patience, as may be 
 the fhame of many Chrifiians : But they be- 
 ing deftitute, both of the Light of God's word, 
 and the Light of Faith , it could neither be 
 Tauaht, nor Learned, in any of theer Mo- 
 ral Schools. It is that , which no Natural 
 Man hath any foare of, however accompUflxd 
 with the rarefi parts, and mojt excellent en- 
 dowments, both Natural and Acquired, that 
 Nature can poffibly reach to • not any formal 
 Profejfor, or glorying Hypocrite, whatever 
 common gifts of the Spirit he huh attained 
 fin*). No, the true proper Scat of this rare, 
 and moft excellent Grace, is onely the Gra* 
 cious, and Sanctified Soul - 7 that kaving been 
 powerfully awakened by the Law Miniftrj , 
 been in light ned, and throughly convinced of 
 itsf\nfnlnefs, of the ]uftdtjert of Hell, and 
 
 ftfcr- 
 
To the Chriftian Reader. 
 
 everlafting Torments, doth readily acknow- 
 ledge, that whatever falls fhort of this , is 
 Mercy •, and therefore fees, there is no caufc 
 to murmur , though it meet with a deluge of 
 jiffHHions in this World, though deep call 
 * unto deep at the noife of Go^'s water- 
 fpouts, though all his Waves and Billows 
 go over it, Pfal. +1-7- And net omlj fo , 
 but having alfo embraced the Lord Jefus, 
 in the free offer and tender of him in the Gof 
 pi, in the Arms of it's Fairh • and now 
 apprehending God ehrtug h him, to be a recon- 
 ciled Father, and all the exceeding great 
 and precious promifes, z Pet. 1. 4. made 
 in God's bleffed Beo^for thefupfort and com- 
 fort of the Elelh^ to belong to it *nd I jing 
 claim to them aft as it's own ; and having for 
 it's ftay, in the midft of thoft Waves and 
 Billows, with which it maybe toffed, whilfi 
 it is on the Sea of this World , Caft Anchor 
 in Heaven upon Chrift, that fure and immo- 
 vable Rock^ , bj a true , firm , and lively 
 Hope, which Hope it hath, as an Anchor 
 of the Soul,, both fure andftedfaft, Heb. 
 6.19. it can now lift up the Head, and qui- 
 etly endure the great eft fiorm, tn affurcd ex- 
 pettation, thatitfoall $'re long arrive at a 
 fafe Harbour ; and being thus fur nijhed with 
 the fhoocs of Patience, or the preparation of 
 
 the 
 
To the Chriftian Reader. 
 
 the Gofpel of Feact, it can go through Br jars 
 and Thornj, yca y trample upon the (harpeft 
 Hocks , or rougheft and hardeft ftone; that are 
 in it's way. 
 
 And this is the Patience , that is Treated 
 en- y by my Reverend and Godly Brother , in 
 the enfuing Dtfcottrfe ; Wherein thou haft , 
 ( good Reader J the Nature of this ft £a> 
 cedent a Grace plainly opened , the Necefftty 
 and Vfefalnefs thereof in fevtral weighty Ca- 
 fes Jhewed, and the PraHtce of it fohdly and 
 foundlj urged. But the profitable and whole- 
 fome pains \ taken in the handling of this point , 
 by the Author ( needing no commendation of 
 mine ) will fujjiciently commend it felf to 
 thy conscience, if thou wilt take the pains to 
 perufe it } and art willing to fubmit thy felf to 
 be guided by God's Word. And therefore 
 receive it with thanhfiilnefs y perufe it with di- 
 ligence ^ and practice it with chearfulnefs* 
 That this and all other Difcourfes of this Na- 
 ture j may be bleffed by the God of aH Grace , 
 to the helping us all ,to be followers of them, 
 who througn Faith and Patience Inherit the 
 Promifes, fleb.6. 12. // the hearty dejire 
 and Prayer of 
 
 The unfeigned welUwifher of thy beft 
 good, }ohn Harrifai^Lztc Rector of 
 Afhton under line m Ltmcafhire. 
 
 A 
 
A Table of the Method. 
 
 Coherence 
 Senfe <> of the Text (hewed* 
 
 Parts *> 
 
 Doftrine Propounded, 
 
 Profecuted. 
 Profecuted, ana fo 
 
 i. Amplified, by way of 
 Explication, 
 Confirmation, 
 Vindication. 
 2. Apply ed, by way of 
 Inftru&ton, 
 Reprehenfion, 
 Exhor ratios . 
 
 -- ■ ■ - i ■ -i 
 
 Another of the Matter. 
 
 A. 
 A Ar$n held his peace, wheo yet on£ 
 ^* would wonder, his heart did hold. 
 Abfence excludes not all Prefence, Efift. 
 Admiration the Overplus of Expectation* 
 Adverfity an llniverfity. 
 
 Afflift- 
 
The t* able. 
 
 Affliction i more than ordinary dazzles 
 fomemen. Firings upon the Stage. Is 
 limited. How Treated, How to gain 
 good conceit of it. 
 B 
 
 Bible, another not to be lookt for* 
 
 Bonner i his Bragg, and Rage. 
 C 
 
 Ccnfurers Ccfured; 
 
 Chriftnottobecroft. 
 
 Covenant* an incomparable Cupboard, 
 a notable Prayer-Topick. 
 
 Counfel ill, an ill office* efpecially from 
 fome hands* and at feme times. 
 
 Cowardife catching. 
 D 
 
 Dead not utterly Silenc'd. Ep. 
 E 
 
 End of the Lord, what. It ended not in Job. 
 What a Famous End. 
 
 Enduring, what account to be mad of. 
 
 Endurers Lovers. 
 
 f. 
 
 Faith a refigning, appropriating, owned* 
 Grace, quickning Graces 
 
 fear of being Affli&cd is an evil Counfcf- 
 ler. Dos ill become God s People , c- 
 fpccially fome of them. It is that, Ene- 
 mies Would have it at. And falls far 
 
 .ftort 
 
The Tabic* 
 
 {hort ®f being, as we fhould be, Glad , 
 Means and helps againft ir. 
 Fear of God a fear freeing fear.Thc effects 
 of it. Promifcs to it. Means & helps of it. 
 
 G. 
 Giants in Grace, it v i Grace to be. 
 God takes not his Children at the worft. 
 Is the doer of what we fuflfcr. So gives 
 to us, as he refcrves a property to him- 
 felf. A God of Patience^ Truth, Mercy, 
 he is. A Portion that can never be fpeni. 
 H. 
 Honour God will his Honourcrs. 
 fiumility ends Honourably. 
 Hope, Motives to it, and means of it 
 
 h 
 Impatience unfits [for being anything, or 
 
 any where* 
 Infirmity pardoncd,and fincerity accepted. 
 
 Job Af&i&cd. Reftored. 
 
 Joy, and all Joy we fhould count it,whcn 
 
 we fall into divers Temptations. This 
 
 we arc both Precepted and Prefidented 
 
 into, L. 
 
 Lifeoppofedforaetimesto Adverfity, oft 
 
 to Death. 
 Love has broad (boulders. No Love loft. 
 
 M. 
 Matters and Servants both oblig'd to 
 
 pleafc 
 
The Tabic, 
 plcafe the Mafter in Heaven. 
 N. 
 fteceffaries there are Spiritual , and thefc 
 are the efpccial. 
 P. 
 Patience what it is. What fpeaks it Fa- 
 mous. What it do's. What Company 
 it keeps. What Recompcnce it receives. 
 Care to be had of it. 
 
 Quietnefsi what it refers to. 
 
 What to be Judged by, 
 S. 
 
 Scorning comes away by Men in three fad 
 things. 
 
 Shamers fham'd. Covering with fliame , 
 whatitfignifies. 
 
 Suffering, all is not Patience. Bare Suffer- 
 ing will not ferve. Suffering for Chrift 
 is an high Service , but withal an high 
 Favour. The beft Sufferers are not fin- 
 lefs. Chriftian Sufferers are a comfort 
 and credit to their Friends. 
 W. 
 
 Worldlings are Blindlings. 
 
 Writing deceive diftance. Efift. 
 
 THE 
 
(I) 
 
 THE 
 
 Excellency, Necefsity, 
 and Ufefulnefs of 
 
 PATIENCE- 
 
 Hebrews x, xxxvi. 
 
 n ftf/7* taxtf # <^ */ Patience. 
 
 O Ages have been fo calm to fcri- 
 ous'Chriftians as not to call for 
 fuffering Graces \ amo.ngft which 
 Patience is not the lcaft, nor (hull 
 I fay more for flitting |he Text 
 nto the Times : As : Text in I 
 
 nc Context, part it is of fuch a Chapter as 
 onfiftsof two general parts, a Doftrine and 
 ie life ; the Dottnne.is in the eighteen lcid- 
 Vi ' ing 
 
% The Excellency > Neceffity^ 
 
 ing Verfes, and concerns Sacrifice , Chrift' 
 Sacrifice, the Efficacy of it , and the Excel 
 lency of it above the Legal Sacrifices : Th 
 life is in all the reft of the Verfes, and ai 
 life of Exhortation it is, unto feveral things 
 and amongft other, unto Chrifiian Conftancy 
 This Exhortation is.propounded in the z\d v 
 Let ms hold fa ft. - 3 Re.peated,and with advan 
 tage id the I^-Cujl nci awajjour Confidence -\ 
 andllcfumed, under another Exprcffion, t< 
 wit, of Patience, here in the Text r when 
 Patience, is at once, both Tacitelic £nhortec 
 to, and Apertly Argued for, even~Trom the 
 ufefulnefs of it , Tc have need of 'Patience 
 This for Coherence. 
 Then as to Senfe, 
 
 For ] A Cafual Particle this is, rendrinj 
 a Reafon of theRepeated Exhortation, in the 
 fore-going Verfe ! 
 
 Te ] What manner of Perfons are fpoker 
 of, or to, appears by the 34. v. where the A- 
 poftlefayes, they knew in themfelves, that; 
 they had in Heaven a better and an enduring 
 Subftance ] Sure, they were Holy, that were 
 fo furc of being Happy ! 
 
 Have need^ One upon the place takes good 
 notice that it is not faid, It would do well, or, 
 it were convenient to have it. But ye havt 
 need'] a man has need of meat, a Warfaring 
 
 man I 
 
it/id Vfefulnefs of VAtience. $ 
 
 man of Weapons , and a good man of 
 Patience. 
 
 Patience'] tiwfHw the Greek word is^ 
 and is Compounded of two fuch words, as 
 help us well to underftand Patience, one is 
 a Prepofition, to, which fignifies Under ^ 
 and "fuppofes a Chriftian under the Yoke, 
 |undcr a Burden, to be fome way or other 
 put to't; The other is a Verb, *«'*•> whicft 
 is to Abide, to (land one's ground: Pati- 
 ence is a flicking to't, when we are put 
 X) it. But of Patience, what it is, more 
 argelyby and by. Thus for Coherence 
 md Senfc. % 
 
 In the next place, as to Parts, The Text 
 loes readily relieve a Trichotoraie, 
 Here is, 
 
 i . The Perfons, in the Pronoun, Te. J 
 
 2. The Concernment of the Perfons f 
 Have need. ] 
 
 3. The Matter of concernment. Cjf 
 ^atience. ] 
 
 From thefe three Parts I fhall commend 
 you onely one Dodrinal Prepofition , 
 yhich is plainly this, That 
 
 B a Patient* 
 
4 The Excellency, Neceflity, 
 
 Patience is needful for God's People. 
 
 Or, The Saints have need of Pati- 
 ence. 
 
 In profecution of this Prepofition I (hall 
 fet my felf, 
 
 i. ToAmplifie, 
 
 And 2. To Apply it. 
 
 The Amplification will confift, 
 
 i . Of Explication , and fo I fhall en- 
 deavour to fhew, 
 
 i. What Patience is. 
 
 And 2. How it is needful. 
 
 For the firft, what Patience is, 
 Now becaufe the Negative may prepare 
 the way for the Affirmative, give mc leave 
 iirffto fpeak fomcthing of, what Patience 
 Is not ^ 
 
 i. Stupidity, that's not Patience. Con- 
 fhctHdotollit fenfnmy Carnal People, what 
 are they us'd to, they have no feeling of,, 
 like Porters , who being accuftom'd to 
 Burdens, make nothing of them. When 
 you look the 5. of Jam. 16. you'l fee that 
 Patience, and fuffering Affiidion go hand 
 in hand : Notfimply being affli&ed, but 
 fuffering Affliction. 
 1 2. Pertinacy is not Patience, Lord> fays 
 
 the 
 
aud V[efulne[s of Patience. 5 
 the Prophet in the 26 of Efay ir. 7% 
 hand is lifted up, but they will not fee'] Yea, 
 there are, that fing, and drink, and Rant 
 Care away, Efay 5. n, 12. are thefe Pa- 
 tient ? 
 
 5. Nor is vain-glory Patience , when 
 Diooenes ftood naked, embracing an heap 
 of lnow, one of the Spedators,wifer than 
 the reft, asked if he would do fo, if he 
 had none to behold him? The Preacher, 
 in the 7 Eeclef 8. Oppofes the Patient in 
 fpifity to the Proud in fpirit. 
 
 4. Neither is ail filcnce Patience, it is 
 faid of Nabal, in the 1 Saw. 25. 37. That 
 when his Wife told him,what he had done, 
 and what danger incurred, his heart dyed 
 within him, and he became as aflone. We 
 do not read of any Out-curfes at that 
 time, and yet he was generally noted for 
 furioufnefs ; he is fitch a Son of Belial, that 
 a wan cannot fpeah^to him, fayes one of the 
 Young men to his Miftrcfc, at the 17. 
 Vcrfe. 
 
 5. Nor is all foft fpcech Patience, Cain y 
 that was wroth, and very wroth, as you 
 find in the 4 Gen. s. yet m the 8. Talked 
 rvnh his Brother Abel, in a Brotherly way , 
 fayes one, as he had wont to do. Diftmh- 
 lunsodium } fiycsTremeiim. Indeed what 
 
 B 3 talk 
 
£ The Excellency, Nece$ty\ 
 talk Cain had, is not particularized ; but 
 its evident, fuch as drew Abel into the 
 Field, and I cannot think he would accept 
 a Challenge. 
 
 6. Neitherisali looking fad any more 
 than fpeaking foft, Patience •, Seeft thou, , 
 fayes the Lord to Elijah, how Ahab hum- 
 bleth himfelf? i King. 21.29. And yet 
 there was none like Ahab that fpld himfelf 
 to work wickednefs, v. 25. There may 
 be (hews where not fincerity of Humiliate 
 on. Yea, and ttere may be Worldly for- 
 row, when not Godly. All true Grief I 
 does not argue Grace, and fo not in Parti- 
 cular, this Grace of Patience. Was Ahab 
 grieved at the Sin he had committed ? Or, 
 was he not troubled at the Vengeance 
 threatned ? Hinc HU lachrjm*. 
 
 7. Nor is all forbearance of private Re- 
 venge Patience ; many a man holds his 
 hrnds becaufe it is not a time to ftrike ; it 
 is not meeknefs , gentlenefs , that binds 
 fometo the good behaviour, but Policy, 
 Subtifty. They are but watching their 
 Opportunity. Hear Efau, in the 27 of 
 Gen. 4 r . The dayes of mourning for wj Fa- 
 ther are at hand, then wiR I flay my Brother 
 Jacob. NondHmTemfw erat. He hopes 
 to fee a day ? And truly it was an odd 
 
 time, 
 
*nd Vfefufaefs cf Patience. 7 
 -tfime, that he tells of, whofo thinks at it, 
 rill not eafily judge, whether he was a 
 vorfer Son or Brother, 
 
 8. Nor is allforgivenefs, any more than 
 orbearance, Patience ; I may forgive him, 
 ly fome, but I (hall not forget him, now 
 vhat a forgiving, I pray, i5 this / It is 
 lot like the Lords, who is the God of Pa- 
 iencc, Rom. 15. 5. no, no, in the 31 of 
 er. 34. where he fpeaks of forgiving, he 
 'peaks alfo of forgetting. / mil forgive their 
 r mqtiitj , and I will remember their Jin m 
 note. The God of Truth forgives indeed 
 md in Truth ; but alas , fome mens for- 
 giving is no more but lip-labour, they 
 'peak far from their heart, if it be feven 
 years to come they can think on't, and be- 
 :ome even with a man, though yet coming 
 :ven is nothing, getting above were fome- 
 :hing. I mean, not to be over-come of 
 rvil, but to overcome evil with good. I 
 night have been larger in the Negative, 
 )ut would not be long from the Affinit- 
 ive. And therefore having fhew'd, in fome 
 neafure, what Patience is not, I go on to 
 hew, 
 
 What it is. 
 And I know not how to do this better , 
 ban by turning Patience toward the Ob- 
 B 4 jetfs 
 
% The Excellency, NeceJJity^ 
 
 icfts that it efpecially refpetf eth, and they 
 arc God, and Man. 
 
 i. God, according to that, in the 37. 
 PfaL 7. Reft in the Lord, and wait patient- 
 ly for him. From this Scripture I fhall take 
 occafion to expatiate, and fnew that God 
 does Excrcife his People's Patience divers 
 wayes, and accordingly they approve their 
 Patience. 
 
 And firft, He Exercifes their Patience 
 both as concerning 
 
 His Providences, 
 
 And Promifcs. 
 
 Providences, both as concerning 
 
 The Wicked, 
 
 AndThemfelves. 
 
 And firft, Themfelves. 
 
 As whenheaffitftcth them; fee the 12. 
 Rom.\2. Patient in Tribulation. Thorough 
 Tribulation, and much of ic we muft enter 
 into the Kingdom of God, ALU 14. 22. 
 The Kingdom of God is like to fome great 
 Hcufe, thai; hath a rough dgep way lead- 
 ing to it \ Chvifti.viiis Cjiutji CrucianUrS. Thefe 
 Tribulations come to the People of God 
 upon feveral Accounts, as Chaftifement, 
 Tryal, manifeftation of the Glory of God. 
 But upon what account foeyer they come, 
 our part is Patience,' which approves it 
 ielF/ 4 1. In 
 
 
and Vfefulxefs of Pstiencf. 9 
 
 1. In not charging God foolifhly, as wc 
 may Tee by Job , of whofe Patience wc 
 have heard, Job 1. ult. with J Ames 5. \u 
 Patience filences from Exception againft 
 the wifdom of God , Truth, Goodnefs , 
 &c. 
 
 2. In refigning our felves freely to His 
 difpofe, as we karn of the fame 'job again, 
 who, in the 2. to. fpeaks of Receiving 
 evil. It is the Lord, faid another, Let htm 
 do what feemeth him good. Yea, this is the 
 Voice of Patience. 
 
 Thus concerning themfelves. 
 
 2. God Exercifts his People's Patience 
 with refped unto the Wicked. 
 
 As when he forbeareth them 3 refume 
 the 37 Pfal. 7. Reft in the Lord, and wait 
 patiently for him. Fret not thy felf becaufe 
 of him, who profpereth in his way j be- 
 caufe of the man who bringeth wicked de- 
 vices to pafs.Wicked men's Impunity, yea, 
 Profperity is often fecn, and this is fuch a 
 fight, as good men have had much ado 
 with; hear the Pfalmift, in the 73. z y 3. 
 Jlsfor /wr, fayes he , my feet were almoti 
 gene. 
 
 Yea, but in fuch a cafe, in fuch an oc. 
 currence We fhould poffefs our Souls in Pa- 
 tience, and we (hall approve our felves fa 
 to do. 1. By 
 
JO The Excellency Neteffitj, 
 
 I. By avoiding fuch fins, as are very 
 incident to fuch ajundure; as, 
 
 !. Fretting our felves, when we render' 
 our Condition uncomfortable; and our. 
 ewn Adverfity is the more Adverfity be-- 
 caufe of Wicked men's Profperity. Is 
 this Patience ? Is this to be content with 
 Gods doing ? Revife that 37 PfaLj. 
 
 2. Envying them, when again we ren- 
 der our Condition uncomfortable } and our 
 own Profperity is the lefs Profperity, be- 
 caufe of the wicked : Is this Patience ? Is 
 this to acquiefe in God's Dealings? Re- 
 turn to that 37 PfaL and compare the 7% 
 with the 1 . verfe. 
 
 2. By plying fuch Duties, that are oft 
 much negleftedin fuch a time. As, 
 I . Re fling in the Lord . 
 When we look beyond the wicked at 
 God, and fee enough in him to keep us 
 from Queruloufnefs, Holineft enough, fo 
 as He's far from taking pleafure in wick- 
 ednefs, though for a while he fuffer the 
 wicked to take their pleafures : 
 
 Power enough, fo as though they pearch 
 never fo high, yet he can, when he will , 
 take them an hole lower : Wifdom Enough, 
 fo as he knows well, when to aflftift them, 
 and when the Hiding of their feet will be 
 
 thoughf 
 
and Vfefulnefs of Patience. 1 I 
 
 thought as breaking of their Neck. Look 
 again at the 37 Pfal. 7. 
 
 2. Waiting for him, when we notonely, 
 as before, look at the Lord, but alio look 
 for the Lord, asthofe, that were perl wa- 
 ded, that how ever it is, or may be with 
 the wicked and the Righteous for a time f 
 yet it fhail be ill with the one, and well 
 with the other. Once more mind that 37* 
 Pfal. 7. 
 
 I have done with Providences. 
 
 2. GodExcrcifeshis People's Patience 
 as concerning his Promifes. 
 
 For though it be very true, that he is the 
 jimtn , and they are Yea and Amen \ He 
 cannot Lye, and they cajinot fail. Yet it 
 isalfotrue, that God oft makes waiting- 
 men of his Servants ; yea, and fometimes 
 puts them upon long waiting too; Mine 
 Ejes fail for thy Word , faying, what v;Ut 
 thoH comfort me f the Pfalmifts vyords in the 
 1 19. Pfal. 82. But if the Lord ihor.ld put 
 us to wait never fo long, yet we fliould 
 patiently wait, and this we fhall, If firftj 
 We limit not the Holy One of 7/rvif/, but 
 are content he take his own rime. Impati- 
 
 C s prcfumptuous, fees God a day, and 
 if he comes not within that time, gives 
 over looking for him • as -,vc may fee by 
 
 him, 
 
iz The Excellency Neceffity, 
 
 +iim, who faid,inthc2 King. 6. nit. lVL-0{ 
 flwuld I wait for the Lord any longer ? 
 
 2. If we icfTen not our Reipccftsto the 
 Yromifes, but embrace them, though we 
 ice them afar off. So they did who tho- 
 rough Faith and Patience inherit the Pro- 
 mi fes, Hcb.ii. 13. Cum 6. 12. Let this 
 fufficc to have fpoken of God, I goon to 
 Man, 
 
 Who is another Objecft, that Patience 
 refpedcth, as appears by the 1 Thef.$.i+. 
 Be patient toward aK Men. 
 
 Now, Man Exercifes a good Mans Pa- j 
 tience, and accordingly the good man ap- 1 
 provps his Patience divers waves. By 
 
 1. Unproficicnce. 
 
 2. Infirmities. 
 
 3. Injuries. 
 
 4. Pcrfecutions. 
 
 1. By Unproficicnce, and thus Mini- 
 fters, amongft others, have their Patience 
 much Excrcifcd : fee the 1 Tim. 2. 24,25. 
 The Servant of the Lordrmtfr be Patient-, in 
 iveeknefs y infiruBina jhofe that oppofe them* 
 [elves. Some Pcrfons arc far from receiv- 
 ing Inrtruction, yea, but for all that the 
 Inftructcr fhouid be fir from Impatience.^ 
 And fo he fhail tlicw himfelf to be by con- 
 tinuing to Inftruct Jeremy in a Pet was 
 
 ready 
 
and vfefuhefs of Patience. j g 
 •cady^o throw all by, 20. 9. 
 
 2. By Infirmities. 
 
 And thus ftrong Chriftians have their 
 Patience Exercifed by Weak, fee the 1$. 
 Rom. I- where we read of the one bearing 
 >he Infirmities of the Another. Children a^e 
 weak, yea, more they are a]Burden; Luit 
 yet who cafts fuch a burden down ; and fo 
 weak Chriftians are not to be caft off; mi, 
 but as we labour the ftrengthning of we^k 
 Children, fo we fhould the Edification of 
 weak Chriftians, though not in their weak- 
 nefs; and here is our Patience. Confider 
 the firft and fecond Veries there. 
 
 3 . By Injuries. 
 
 Now^ injure us a man may either by do- 
 ing undue things, or not doing due. 
 
 And both wayes he Exerciies Patience. , 
 And firft; when he does not what is due. 
 According to that, in the 18.Afcr.29 Have 
 Tattence with me, and I will pay thee ^//.Len- 
 ding is next to giving , ana yet what ill 
 Debtors fome are, the Proverb fpeaks, 
 which fayes, of fuch we niuft take rough 
 Oats. Indeed all are not fo, fume would 
 pay, if they nad it, and are as much trou- 
 bled as youtfiatypu arc without it; But 
 too many there be, that cue not how much 
 cf other men's Gods they get into their 
 
 hands 
 
;i 4 The Excellency, NeceJJity, 
 
 hands, of whom you can get neitffbr goo< 
 moneys , nor good words. Thefe hav* 
 no fhame,But yet you muft have Patience. 
 which confifts much in the forbearing o: 
 Unmerciful threats and Executions ; Some 
 Creditors are heard to fay, they 'I. makcj 
 Dice of their Debtors Bones, but this is 
 Hot the voyce of Patience. The Antithefisj 
 is notable, in the i Tim. 3. 3. Not greed) 
 of filthy lucre , but Patient. 
 
 2. When he does what is undue; aswc 
 may perceive by the 1 Pet. 2.20. where it j 
 is faid to Servants,' If vohenje do well, and s 
 fnfferfor it, ye take it patiently ^ this is accep- 
 table with God. What undeferved words 
 and blows fome Servants have from fome 
 Matters, is of notorious cognifance. Alas ! 
 fome Mafters are Servants, are Slaves to 
 their Paffions, Corruptions-, fome Mafters 
 are feldom their own men, are rather Beafts 
 than Men, fo as the Servants of fuch had 
 need of Patience, which will exp*efs it felf 
 well, 
 
 In rcmembring that Mafters are Mafters 
 for all their frowardnefs ; fee that 1 Pet. 2. , 
 20. cum 18. Patient Servants fuffer not 
 themfelves to be flowted or buffeted out of 
 their Subje&ion , and into Anfwering 
 again. 
 
 4. And 
 
4ttd yfifulefs if tMitnce. x f 
 
 4. Afldlaftiy, By Perfections; wh<n 
 Religion is at :he bottom of ill ufage. All, 
 faycs the Apoiile, in the 2 Tim. 3. 12. that 
 will live godly in Chrtft .fefus 7 jhall fujfct Per- 
 fecution's an J compare this with the 2 1. ef 
 \ Luke 17 1 19. ;Te Jball be bated vf all men for 
 my Names fake -— In jour Paience, pojfefs ye 
 four Souls. An ordinary way Perfection 
 is and has been of ExcrciGng Patience, and 
 a broad way .too $ I mean, There are fe ve- 
 ra 1 forts of Perfecutions 3 as, 
 
 i. Falfc Perfecution. Godlinefs fhould 
 neither be lightly nor fourly lookt on j it is 
 well known from the 1 John 3 . 1 z. what a 
 a Perfecutor Cain was,and one thing,which 
 the Lord does, amongft other things, call 
 him to account for, is that four look of his, 
 Gen. 4 6. 
 
 2. Tongue-Perfecution : for though 
 fome fay , words are but wind , and no 
 great matter ; Yet He, who is the Truth, 
 iinakcs a great matter of them, in the 5. of 
 
 Mat. 11,12. So Perfecuted thej the Prophets 
 which were btf$rejon. Doe's he fay, fo Re- 
 viled they? So they fpakc evil and falfly 
 of? Hcfayes, So Perfecuted thej. 
 
 3. Hand-lWfecution : When violent 
 hands are laid cither upon the Perfon or 
 Subftance of good men. Cain flew his 
 
 Brother, 
 
fS The Excellency^ tfecefltfy 
 i Brother, faycs St. John, in that i .3. 12. and 
 f wherefore flew he him? Becaufe his owe 
 Works were evil, and his Brothers High 
 • teous. This was Arch-Perfecution indeed,! 
 that proceeded unto Blood, one calls Cain 
 the Devils Patriarch, and Abel the Church- 
 es Proto-Martyr; 
 
 I might havefpoken of Foot-Perfecutisj 
 on, when Men trudge up and down to fet 
 good People in forrow * 7 SaplAikc, whoaf.j 
 terwards, becoming a Paul , reports what 
 a Perfecutor he had been ; Atts 9. 1 . Cum] 
 26. 11. Hcad-Perfecution, when men take ! 
 or give counfel agaifift the Righteous, Pfal. \ 
 ^3. 3,4, 5. Butlhaftento (hew how Pa- j 
 tience is (hewed in fuch a cafe : Why$ 
 
 ii When we are not overcome of evil. 
 One difcontent over-comes another, when 
 he reafons him into his own Opinion ; To 
 fay as he fays : and then do a good man's 
 Enemies over-come him, when being Re- 
 viled he Revileth again ., returns one foul 
 word or fhrewd turn for another. Victory 
 lyes quite another way than the deceitful 
 heart does think ; many, if they give men 
 as whole as they bring, yet the laft word, 
 and the like conceit, they Ave gotten the 
 day, whereas indeed, that while they lofe 
 it, and arc fo far from over-corning another 
 
 as. 
 
anl vfefulnefs of Tatieiicel 1 7 
 
 s they overcome I . Pa- 
 
 ince, as is plain -ndent 
 
 rti tprn rd JefusC 
 
 ad of revil 
 % commit our pelves unto him that jadgitff 
 ighcciijlj, 1 Per. 2. 
 
 z iVI en ._;oocf. 
 
 m us runu ~ft!e, 
 
 oe Race that is fet -' — Consider 
 
 im th. wt s-icd and 
 
 tint in ■ T , 2. 3. A 
 
 rfon 
 g. 
 
 ' /ord, 1 rri we 
 
 . 
 2. /.' irid I will here as 
 
 fore«ttft] ; in the Affirnl theNe- 
 
 • 1 (hew 
 Hnv it is not needful. And 1 . Needful 
 is not in the fenfe of Onelinefs, as if 
 e were All, that were needful for 
 iod's People. They hive need alfo 
 
 1. Of Wifdome. Beheld, fayes our 
 aviour, / fend you *fonb as ficep in the 
 lidft of Wolves , beje tberefo e wife as Scr- 
 snts, Mat. 10, 16. A man that is amongft 
 is Enemies, had need to look about him, 
 C and 
 
i& The Excellency, Necefftty, 
 
 and efpecially amongft fubtil ones that 
 are both cruel and crafty, 
 
 2. Faith, which may overcome the 
 World. We know who fayes, Above all 
 take the Shield of Faith, Eph. 6. 16. Faith 
 is a Victorious Grace, and the Church is; 
 truly Militant. 
 
 3. Humility. iPet.$. 5. One thing; 
 commonly objected by carnal People a- 
 gainft God's People is Pride, that they 
 take too much upon them > over-value 
 themfelves, under- value others. But by 
 feeing Cloathed with Humility, they fhall 
 cut off occafion from them that feek oc- ; 
 cafioii. 
 
 4. Love, Jude'sEp* 21. v. .Both the! 
 Love, wherewith God is Loved, for they 
 n ay come to be try 'd, what they/1 do and 
 fuffer for him. Now, Love is ftrong as 
 Death, would be loath to leave , Cant. 8. 
 6. And the Love wherewith he doth Love, 
 for no fponer is a good man caft down, but 
 the World is ready to fay, he's caft off, 
 TfaLji. 11. and again, the Senfe of 
 God's Love would fet us above the worlds 
 hatred, even as we call it day , the Sun 
 being up, though never a Star appear, 
 PfaL icp, 28. 
 
 Sundry other Graces I might have men- 
 tioned, 
 
and Vfefulnefs of Patience. 19 
 
 tioned, but this for the firft branch of the 
 Negative. 
 
 2. As Patience is not needful in the fenfc 
 of Onelinefs, fonorof 
 
 jib fence, as if God's People had it not 
 at all ; like as we fay of poor People that 
 they need Moneys, Cloaths, &'c. when 
 they have not thefe things. No, no, Of 
 his f nine fs have we all Received, and Grace 
 for Grace, John r. 16. A Child that is 
 New-born, has all the parts of a Man, fo 
 is it with one that is born again: and fo 
 you read of youT Patience as well as your 
 1 Souls in Luke 21. 19. This be fpoken upon 
 the Negative part. 
 
 I go on to the Affirmative, 
 How Patience is needful, why ! 
 
 1 . In regard of the Exercife of it, ac- 
 cordingly as you read, James 1.4. Of 
 the Workjf Patience. A Souldicr, that has 
 
 1 Armour, yet had need to take it to him , 
 put it on, ufe it. There's need that Pati- 
 ence be at Work. Being is one thing, and 
 Working another. Talents muft be Tra- 
 ded with. 
 
 2. In regard of Occafions, occafions 
 for it, which are many, and very many : 
 For, befides what has been faid of Who 
 and What there is to Exercife Patience : 
 
 C 2 Con- 
 
^o The Excellency ^ Neceffity, 
 
 Cortfider, whether we can either do, or 
 differ well with 01 tit ; and 
 
 i. Do well. The Apoftle, in Rom. 2. 
 7. fpeaks of Patient continuance in well- 
 doing. It is not enough to begin in the Spi* 
 rit, but continue we muft, and how can 
 we do this without Patience? The rather 
 if we confider, what's done againft well- 
 doing, it is not with the Chriftian Race , 
 as with another } another has ufually room 
 and fair play, men would be afhamedto 
 (land in the Runners way, to lay hands on 
 him, or the like ; yea, but in this too 
 many are neither afhamed nor afraid, Qand 
 they might be both.] 
 
 To do, as the Devil did by Paul, once 
 and again hinder nothing, but if foul ttfrns, 
 or foul words will hinder ; fo as the Apo- 
 ftle might well fay, Heb. 12. 1. Let ns 
 run with Patience. Thus for well-doing. 
 
 2. Patience is requifite to welMuffering. 
 Hear St. Peter, in 1. 2.20. If when je 
 do welly andfiifferforit y je take it Patiently y 
 this is acceptable with God. God takes ac- 
 ceptably our taking Patience, not barely 
 taking, but Patiently taking : Some take 
 carelefsly, fome difcontentedly —few 
 Patiently, and fo few Acceptably. I have 
 done with Explication. 
 
 The 
 
and Vfefulnefs of Patience. 2 1 
 
 The fecond part of the Amplification 
 will be 
 
 Confirmation, and willconfift of Similiar 
 Scriptures, and Scriptural Reafons. And 
 
 i. Scriptures, for that Patience is need- 
 ful for God's people, is a frequent inti 
 tion of the Spirit of God, in the Word of 
 God! See Luke 21. 16, 19. TV fijall be ha- 
 ted of all men for my Names fake— In your 
 Patience poffefs je your Souls. A Scripture 
 this is, which do's at once fpeak theufe, 
 and advantage of Patience. By the help 
 of Patiencence a good man may enjoy 
 himfelf, when, poflibly, he has little! clfe 
 to enjoy ! Alfo, fee Jam. 1.4. Let Patience 
 have her perfect work^, that ye ma) beperfeEb 
 and entire panting nothing. What an im- 
 perfect man is an Impatient man? As al- 
 fo fee Col. I. 9, 1 1. We do not ceafe to pray 
 for you— That )* might be ffrengthned with 
 all might according to his glorious power , unto 
 all Patience. Mark, my Brethren ! Pati- 
 ence, and all Patience, and ftrengthned 
 thereunto ! Patience is no weaknefs in us, 
 nor can we have too much of Patience ! A- 
 gain, See Heb. 12. 1. Let us run with Pa- 
 tience the %ace that is f:t be r ore us. The 
 Rice, which is of the Lord's fetting re- 
 quires Patience ; Indeed the Race, that 
 C j the 
 
21 The Excellency^ Necejfity, 
 the World, Flcih, Devil lets before us, has 
 noTu and (hubs'. The Race of ln- 
 
 rempci nee IL deannefs :,- a man's own 
 naughty hear, and other naughty parts 
 do like well enough ! And yet again, fee 
 Rom. 12.12. Be Patient in Tribulation. To 
 gether with 2 Tim. 2. 24. The Servant of 
 the Lord muft not ftrive, but — be Patient. 
 1 might have added Tit. 2. 1,2. Speakjbon 
 the things which bceome found Doctrine, that 
 the Aged menbe found — in Patience. One 
 point of found Docfirine is foundnefs in 
 Patience. Ye have heard of the Patience 
 of 'fob, Jam, 5. 11. Of the Meekoefs of 
 Mofes j Numb. 12.3. David tells us, 
 That he was dumb, and opened not his mouth, 
 Pfal. 39.9. And I rpight tell you of the 
 fame David, how that upon occafion, he 
 made that an Argument for, which was 
 even anexercifeof Patience in 2 Sam.16. 
 1 1 . A4y Son, fai$ he, which came forth of 
 mj bowels feeketh my life : how much more 
 may this Benjamite do it ? Yea, I might tell 
 you of Head, as weii as Members, that 
 asafheep before her (Jiearcrs is dumb, fo he 
 opened not his month, 1 fa. 53.7. Indeed he 
 was not dumb as a Shepherd before the 
 fheep, there was his diligence; but as a 
 Shetp before the Shearer, there was his 
 
 Pari- 
 
and Vfefulxefs of Patience. 23 
 
 Patience. I ceafe from Scriptures, and 
 proceed to Reafons. The Dodrine is Rea- 
 I fonable from divers Topicks. As, 
 
 1. From the Adjuncfl : for Confider. 
 
 1. The Rcfemblednefs of Patience; 
 this argues the nccdfulners of it. A Soldi- 
 er had need of compleat Armor : and while 
 all parts ha J need to Le well guarded, fure, 
 the Feet arfd Ltggs a:e not to be negleft- 
 cd : who goes to War bare footed ? bare- 
 legg'd f Well, .the Church of Gjod in this 
 World is truly-Militant, as I have faid; 
 and accordingly there's whoJe Armour for 
 them. In that famous place, Eph. 6. 15. 
 — and one piece there among ft ^ is the prepara- 
 tion of theGofpelof Peace. Now this piece 
 of Harnefsa Godly-learned 
 
 Man conceives to be Pati- Dr. Gonge. 
 ence, called Preparation; 
 becaufe a Chriflian is prepared to go on, 
 what ever comes. Even as a man, that's 
 well fhodd, is well fitted fcr treading upon 
 Stones, Thorns, I am not un- 
 knowing, that others underftand the place 
 and phrafe otherwife; as alfo the Learn- 
 ed Man hirnfelf rakes notice, and takes 
 pains in flflfwering of then. 
 
 2. That it's Pi ayed for. This again ar- 
 |ues th. Pa;ienc\ Holy 
 
 4 Men- 
 
24 TA* Excellency, NeceJJity, 
 Men of God could tell well, couid thdj 
 not? how ro go to God for the P oplj 
 now whofoever had heard the A; A ,e| 
 at Prayer, might have heatd him , 
 to this very thing. We ceafe not, faisheJ 
 to pray for you, and to defire, that yemight\ 
 be filled . Ig of his Will — ■ i 
 
 Strengthn o his glo- t 
 
 rioHs Pvwer, unto nee, Co!. i . 9,1 tl\ 
 
 No do; e»t ufe for, whw 
 
 the good man \\ ifhhi them fo much of! 
 
 3. The Congratulatednefs of it ! Wt 
 glory, fais the fame Apoftle in another 
 place, 2 Thef 1.4. *7*jwi, *Vz fta Churches 
 of God for jour Patience — ■ in aR your Per- 
 secutions and Tribulations, that ye endure. 
 Holy Men of God were glad to iec their 1 
 Prayers, what they much defircd, zs you. 
 heard, they accordingly delighted in even 
 to glorying. 
 
 4. The PreiTednefs of it. As Patience 
 a frequent errand of the Spirit in the word, 
 as has been fhewed ; fo alfo a Fervent, wit- 
 nefs both Words and Things. 
 
 And that Words ; for what a Word is 
 that? in iTim.6. 11. Thon, O Man of 
 God, foll&w after Patience. The Greeks 
 word do's fignifie Eagerly to purfue, and 
 is the fame by which Perfecution is ex- 
 
 preftj 
 
 
and vfefnlnefs of Patience. 25 
 
 preft; a Pcrfecutor follows after with a 
 witnefs. 
 
 2. As for things, Why! Whereas Ex- 
 amples are great Incentives, what Patterns 
 of Patience are there fet before us ? Take 
 wy Brethren the Prophets, faith St. James, 
 \< chip. 5. verf 10. ard, Ye have heard of 
 the Patience of c 'ob, verf. II. When a 
 Schoolmaiter would quicken-uf) a Scho- 
 lar, he te!!s him of another ; and I befr 
 you, How are we provoked unto Pati- 
 ence ? ar.d A!'» Patience, by all that Meek- 
 nefs, which the antienc ServantSof God 
 are fo farnoufed for ? Truth is, we are at 
 once Provoked, and Prevented. * And, 
 
 1. Prevented. For whereas we are wont 
 to fey, I cannot put this up, lean never bear 
 it)-- No ? How d:d others I Did they not 
 bear? Did not they put upf And is not 
 \the fame Laid overall, Rich unto all that 
 call upon hi,n f Rom 10. 1 2. Did not we 
 forfakc our own Mercy, we might do 
 worthily in Ephrata as wcil as others have 
 done. • 
 
 2. Provoked ! For, Why? Can you 
 fay whv we fhould not be Followers of 
 them, who throu \h Faith, and Patience, in- 
 herit the Promifes ? Heb. 6. 1 2. It's good 
 folio* cm, that have led to Heaven-; 
 
 and 
 
a 6 The Excellency, Neceffity, 
 and it were, as appears there by the Co- 
 herence, Sloathfulnefs to doothcrwife; 
 yea fay, if it were not fillinefs, as well as 
 Sloathfulnefc. 
 
 Fourthly, and Laftly, Confidcr the Pro-i 
 feffednefsof Patience, Thou haft fully ,fays 
 Paul to Timothy , in the 2. 3.10. manner 
 of Life, long fujfering , Charity, Patience .\ 
 The Apoftle, as is evident by what ante-! 
 ceds, had good occafion of giving account 
 of himfelf, and one part of the Charact- 
 er, as you hear is*Patiencc a very necelTa-i 
 ry part, for he fpeaks twice to it, Long-\ 
 fuffering^ Patience. This, which at ano- ! 
 rher time, he gloried in others for, he now 
 modeftly owns himfclf to, yea, appeals] 
 to Timothy for Truth and Proof of. Sure, 
 Patience is needful for God's People, 
 u-hen they were fo careful fome to clear 
 up theirs. You have the firft Argument; 
 a fecond follows from the Effect, for con- 
 fidcr the Feats and Fruits of Patience, and 
 fo you'l alfo conclude it's needfulnefs. 
 
 1. We had need, had we not? robe 
 our own men ; now call to mind the wor s 
 of our Lord , Luke 2 1 . I ;. In your Patience 
 poffefs ye your Souls. Patience keeps us in 
 poffeflion of our fclvcs. As by Faith we 
 enjoy God, and by Love our Neighbour; 
 
 fo 
 
4»d V fefuhifi pf Patience. 1 7 
 
 by Patience our felves. And what an 
 
 vantage this is, I (hall !ct you fee in a 
 
 lafsof Contraries, from Prov. 25. ult. 
 
 e that path no Rule over bis own Spirit^ is 
 
 .£ a Cii) that is broken down , and Without 
 
 LlI/ 7 fuch a City is jn no capacity to rc- 
 
 anuffiult, bur the Enemy comes in at 
 
 afure, and d-cb his plea fare ; and fuch 
 
 man keeps open Houfe for Temptation, 
 
 r fin. I remember what one fayes of 
 
 ch an one, that he is fit for no condition, 
 
 l neither to be poor nor rich , fick nor 
 
 '.ell, fit neither to be at home nor &- 
 
 |-oad. 
 
 2. We had need, had we not ? To be 
 rtpcrr men; Now, what fayes the Apo- 
 le ? Rom. 5. 3, 4. Tribulation worketb 
 atitnee , and Patitnot Experience, l.c 
 
 iy fo called, 
 nd do\> not wn icr with Phyfi 
 
 fcffocion, but obeys the one, and ufes the 
 ther, he con 1 .. ygood Proof 
 
 leskilfalnckcf I'i.. id Severe 
 
 • Pol ion, an. both 
 
 g others, and he!; 
 . 
 
 rqighc 
 
 Cor- 
 
2 8 The Excellency y. Necefjity, 
 
 dials he has for his afflidled ones, wha i 
 Corruptions are in our own hearts, &t 
 which might be no fmall profit both in oil 
 own Cafes, and our Brethren's, fci 
 2 Cer. 1.4. 
 
 Thirdly, and Laftly, We had need 
 had we not? To be Accomplifht men; 
 Nov/, hear St. James^ in the 1. 4. Lb 
 Patience have her perfett work^, that ye ma j 
 be perfect and entire , wanting nothing* At 
 impatient Man is, as I have faid, an hip 
 perfect Man ; Patience do's much towards^ 
 the accomplishing of us, and whether wcp 
 be generally or fpecially confidered 5 andfy 
 
 1. Generally, for we are to run thefc 
 Race that is fet before us with Patience $ 
 Heb. 12. 1. 
 
 I have already (hewed, that we can nei 
 ther do well, nor fuffer well without 
 it. 
 
 2. Specially, I mean, in fuch and fuctt 
 a ftation and Relation ; For, 
 
 1. How will publick Perfons do with- 
 out Patience ? You know what's faid of a 
 Mintfter, in 2 Tim. 2. 24. The Sefrii 
 vant of the Lord mnft not ftrive , but be Pa^ 
 tient\ who finds not by experience, that 
 People will hear of any thing rather than 
 their fins? And from any, rather than 
 
 their 
 
and Vfefulnefs of Patience. ' 29 
 
 :ir N'inifters? Luther faid well, Pradi- 
 >e efi deritare -.- To Preach is to get the 
 will of the World. Yea, but Patience 
 3 goeddigefterof difcourt^fies, of dif- 
 uragements. ^iS 4»x* it is the Con- 
 dive faculty cf the £oui, asonefayes 
 ell. And, my Brethren, while Godly 
 inifters, have fuch need of Patience: 
 iow, I pray, would Faithful Magistrates 
 > without it? For, do not Men hate 
 mthat rebuketh in the Gate? Amos 5. 
 p. Unrighteoufnefs has fo many follow- 
 s and Friends , Oh , the Opprejfors, Be- 
 -anders —there are in the World, that Ju- 
 ice is fure of Enemies not a few , both 
 y eter and f tide do fpeak of dignities being 
 vil fpoken of, 2 Pet. 2. 10. Jnde$.v. 
 \ea y fayes the one, they are not afraid to 
 peak, evil, the Sword of the Mouth will 
 dventure upon the mouth of the Sword. 
 ~ftus for Publick Perfons. 
 
 2*. Patience is alfo very neceffary for 
 ?rivate, whether 
 
 1 . They be Servants, for many Matters, 
 is I have been fpeaking, are ill to deal 
 vith, fo very ill to pleafe, as a Servant 
 
 annot pleafe them with well doing, 1 Pet. 
 2. 20. Or, 
 
 2. Sons, for many Fathers are provo- 
 king 
 
30 The Excellency, Ncceflitfr 
 
 king enough; as the inebriation is ftrong, 
 in Eph. 6.4. Nitimnr in vetitum. Alas f 
 ungodly Fathers, that c*ul« like their 
 Children better if they were not fo well 
 given. Unthrifty Fathers . that fpend 
 what Children get, and Drink what they 
 fhould Eat. O, 
 
 3, Wives, for many Husbands are bit.! 
 ter enough, Col. 3. 19. bitter in looks ^j 
 Language, Carriage, being hardly fo 
 much as bitter-fwetts. Or, 
 
 Laftly, to fay no more, Strangers, for 
 sts no ftrange thing for Strangers to be ( 
 ftrangly ufed ; we fpeak very properly, j 
 when we fay of ftrangers , That they arc' \ 
 far from their Ftiends. Cocks on their 
 own Dung. hill commonly play Cocks of | 
 the Game, See Gen. 19. 9. Let this fuf- 
 fice for Confirmation. 
 
 I proceed to a third, which will be thq 
 laft branch of the Amplification ; to wit, 
 
 Vindication, or freeing of the Do&rineH 
 from fuch Exceptions, as fome would take 
 to it; for, when I fay, Patience is Need- 
 ful for Gods People, they are ready to 
 fay, 
 
 1. Why, but Patience would Expofe \ 
 and they have no need of that, are they 
 not already injured and oppreflfrd enough? 
 
and vfefulnefs of Patience. 3 1 
 I Anfwer. 
 
 1. That fome arc indeed To bafe, as to 
 jabufe the Mecknefs of good men, even 
 as it is ordinary ' to go over at a low 
 place. But, 
 
 2. Their Redeemer is ftrong, the Lord 
 ofHoftsishis name. See Pf;!y6.g. God 
 zrofcto judgment y f fsvt all the Meek^of 
 the Earth, otlah. Mofcs wis* very meek 
 jman ^ Aaron and Mir am fpake againft 
 him, ana behold, they were fodainly call'd 
 to account, Nuwb. 12. 2.— and where A- 
 pron and Miram were Convcnted, how 
 fhould others think to be Conniv'd at ? 
 
 Again, Gain fayers fay. 
 
 But, Zeal, fure, rather than Patience 
 were needful for God's People, being a 
 people, that cannot but befcnfiblc, what 
 Abominations are* fiirring in all Genera- 
 tions. 
 
 I Anfwer. They have need of both- 
 and both did meet in Afofes, whom I be- 
 fore mentioned } for, he, that was fucha 
 L»mbinhis own Caufe, did intheCaufe 
 cf God approve himfelf a Lyon: witnefs 
 thebufmefsof the Calf, in Exod. 32.26. 
 Mofes, fais the Text, flood in the gate of 
 the Camp 7 andfud. Who is on the Lords fldtf 
 let him tome wtto me. 
 
 3. And 
 
32 The Excellency, Neceffity^ 
 
 3. AndLaftly! They farther fay. Pa- | 
 rfence would but make mens word true, j 
 thatfay, Such, asgo by the name of God's ' 
 people, are the Cowardlicft people in the { 
 world. 
 1 Anfwer. 
 
 1. That fome Men's tongues are no" 
 /lander. Yea, it is welt known, who faid, 
 Wo HntojoHvehen all men jhali fpeak^weli of 
 jou Luke 6.26. 
 
 2. Not he, whom the World, but the] 
 Word commendeth, is approved , now 
 what fais the Preacher? in Ecclef. 7.8. 
 The Patient in Spi it, is better than toe frond 
 in Spirit, Tl : Pa ient man is rhe be::~r 
 man, whatever 3 Car iks ! 
 
 Hirthcrto by way of jfmftificatior?. I go I 
 onto 
 
 application, and the Dodmne will be 
 divenlie of life. And, 
 
 1 • By way of 
 
 Jnftrnttion, and Information. £Thefe 
 two I put together, becaufe, as you'l per- 
 ceive, 1 fhall bring them forth under one 
 and the fame Particle of Tranfition. ] 
 
 If this be thus, That Patience is Need- 
 ful for God's people. Then we learn, 
 
 1. What a variety there is amongft Ne- 
 ccfTaries ! We ufe to tell of Neceflaries, 
 
 and 
 
*nd Vfefafoefs of Frticnce. 3 $ 
 
 andNeceflaries, and we do well; forfo 
 doth the Apoitie^ in James 2. 15, 16. If 
 a "Brother or Sifter be naked and dtftitnte of 
 daily F$od, and one of yon fay unto thlm, be 
 foti warmed and filled^ notwithftandwg yon 
 give them not tifofe things which are needful 
 to the Body , what doth it profit? It caonut 
 be denyed, but that we have need of Food 
 and Raiment } yea, but we have alfo need 
 of Patience. The things needful to the 
 Body are neither the onely, nor efpecially 
 needful things. 
 
 The Soul excels the Body far enough y 
 and therefore Soul-necefiaries are the chief 
 neceiTaries. v My Brethren, to hear world- 
 lings talk, and fee how they walk, a man 
 would think there were no necflaries, but 
 what the vile Body had need of j but,alas, 
 that's all the wit the World has. 
 
 2. We Learn , Of what Importance 
 Patience is ; for who but judges fo of o- 
 ther neceflaricsi* It is on? of hi> Impoftures, 
 who deceiveth the whole World, to per- 
 fwadc us, if he could, that no great reck- 
 oning is to be made of Patience, for ei- 
 ther there will be no ufe for it, or no ad- 
 vantage by it. And firft, fayes he, likely 
 no Ufe; for what ? Do's not God love his 
 People ? And will nor Love look to them, 
 D that 
 
5 4 The Excellency, Necejjity^ 
 
 that no evil {hall befall them ? Such a 
 Temptation, as this, David feems to have 
 Lvcn over-taken with, in PfuL 30. 6 5 
 7. / faid in mj Profpiritj^ I (hatl never be 
 moved ^ Lord, by tnj Favou thou haft made 
 my lionnuin toft*nd ftrong. 
 
 It is indeed true, that God's favour to 1 
 tns People is wonderful , paffing the love : 
 either of Men or Women. But it is alfo 
 true, that whom the Lord Loveth, hecha- 
 fteneth , and thorough much tribulation. 
 we muft enter into his Kingdom,//^. 12. J 
 6. God had one Son without Sin, but 
 what Son without forrow. 
 
 2. Siyes the Tempter, iuppofe life, 
 yet vvhat Advantage could Patience be of? 
 The burden will be found upon your back, 
 bear it as you will or can. 
 
 Grant that, yet the Proverb's well 
 known, What Remedy bat Patience} Such) 
 a confeffed Remedy Patience is } neither 
 ihalll fpare to fay, that while a Patient 
 Man has but one burthen upon his back; 
 an impatient man has two, both his afflict- 
 ion and his fin : Yea, and impatience helps 
 on the Affiidion, even as a Man that wran* 
 gles with his Load, gets a gailed back by 
 the fhift. And again , Impatience is fo 
 far from ridding of one Affli&ion, as it 
 
 pro- 
 
and Vfefulntfs of Patience. 5 j 
 
 procures more and greater. Limed Birds 
 the more they itir, the more they are en- 
 tangled. 
 
 Laitiy, we learn, what due matter of 
 Labour, Prayer, and Praife Patience is, 
 forfo, you know, are other neceflaries. 
 And firft, of Labour, durum telnm Ntcef- 
 fits.* , Need makss the Naked to fpin ; 
 thefe hands have miniftred unto my Ne- 
 ccfiities, faid Paul, jicts 20. 34. Ncccf. 
 fitj has no Law. Thus it is with us concer- 
 ning outward NecefTanes, rather than 
 want, Labour and mean Labour (hall not 
 be wanting. On then, what pains fhould 
 betook about Spirituals? How diligent 
 ought we to be in the ufc of means for ad- 
 vance of Patience? Needful Patience? 
 Thus for Labour. 
 
 2. As for Prayer, our Lord hath taught 
 us, in A4kt.6. 11. To beg oar dxilj Bread, 
 and accordingly we do not content -our 
 felvcs, [ and we do well ] for the obtain- 
 ing of Food and Raiment,to pu|I our hand 
 out of our Bofome, put our hand to the 
 Plough, but we alio lift up our hands with 
 our hearts, and laboyr to draw down a 
 Bleffing upon our Labours, and indeed the 
 Bleffing of the Lord, it makech Rich, as 
 Silomo.i Emphatically exprefleth ir, in 
 D z Prcv. 
 
3 6 The Excellency, Neceflity, 
 
 Prov. 10. 12. % Benedict wDomwiif [adit A- 
 bit. Now, what? Do we go to Gw cr 
 the things needful to the Bouy ? and (hall 
 We Rotcry? andcrv mightily *Ms r 
 
 matters } Greater Neceffariestf And, in 
 particular, this needful Patiem ? Sec 
 Jl4at.6. 3 3. Shal' we not go to th* God 
 of Patient/* Sohi'Tule is, in Fern. 15. 
 5. and pray and weepover thatpoorpit- 
 tance of Patience, which as yet we have 
 gained? and fay, Lord, thou that flip- 
 plyeft my other needs, giving mc IVk it to 
 eat, and Raiment to put on, (Uppl \ oh, 
 fupply me with this Grace of Patience. 
 Thus for Praver. 
 Third!y,& Laftly,as for Praife. Why,my 
 Brethren, we give God thanks for other 
 Neccflaries, and do judge it a fin & (hame 
 for any not fo to do. Yea, let but a Man 
 like unto our felves, who without God 
 could do nothing for us,heip us in our need, 
 fit us in our need,and oh,how thankful can 
 we be ! The needfulnefs then of Patience 
 muft needs be a great # Obligation to thank* 
 fulnefs, that the Lord has been gracioufly 
 pleafed in any meafcire to approve himfelf 
 unto us, and in us the God of Patience. 
 Yea, and now when I fhall fhew you , 
 How thankful fome have been in the be- 
 half 
 
and Vfefuhefs of Patience. 37 
 
 half of others, it will be very confequen- 
 tial, what thanks every good man is bound 
 to render for himfelf. See 1 Thef. i. 
 2, 3 . We give thanks to Ged alwajes for joh 
 all -•• remembring without ceajingjOHYVPork^ 
 *f Faith, and Labour of Love 3 and Pati- 
 ence of Hope Hitherto the firftUfe. 
 
 The ! doctrine is profitable as to inftruft, 
 fo alf>> to 
 
 Reb:tksj for if this be thus , That Pati- 
 ence i> needful for God's People y then 
 What blame is juftly the Portion, 
 
 1. Of Carnal People? Upon two ac- 
 counts ; rhe one is A'perfing, and the other 
 is Abufing of God's People's Patience - 7 
 and, 
 
 1. A r pcrfin5 of it; For who upbraids 
 others v/ith necefTaries in other kinds? 
 Yea, they fay, it's a well ftored Houfe r 
 and yet thefe men ha?e no good word for 
 a weiUftored Heart , 'and with reference 
 .particularly unto Patience; this in their 
 mouths is no berter than Cowardifc, da- 
 ftardlineft , dulnefs. As upon the one 
 hand they call evil good, and fo Rage i> 
 accounted Courage,Contentiourners Man- 
 linefs -, fo upon the other, and for bctbxvoe 
 bethem y Efay 5. 20. They call good cvil^ 
 end fo, the poor in Spirit are thought but 
 D 3 poor 
 
jS The Excellency, NeceJJity, 
 poor Spirited. Yea, butasSr. feter (aid, 
 in Alii 2. 14, T 5. Thefe are not drunken, as 
 ye fttpptfej fo may I fay, thefe arc not 
 daftardly, Cowardly, asycfuppofc; no, 
 no, but they are a People > whom the 
 God of Patience hath had a blefled work 
 on, they once were fuch Fui iofo's , def- 
 pcrados, as you now are ; but God hath 
 altered them, tamed them; and two 
 things let me tell you, 
 
 1. That fuch as thefc have Chrifts good 
 Word, though they have not yours, and 
 he is Judge, not you. £lejfed are the Foot 
 in Spirit , fayes tie, Mat. 5.3. How can 
 you think toanfwer the Judge at his com- 
 ing, you that are quite of another Judg- 
 ment? 
 
 2, It cannot but be dangerous to Re- 
 proach God's Workman-fhip. fie is the 
 God of Patience ; an4 is he of it, and will 
 he net be for it ? Solomon, in Prov. 14. 3 1. 
 makes an hainous matter of it , To Re- 
 proach the Poor mam Maker ; I may apply 
 it with advantage to the Poor in Spirit. 
 As you are pitiful Creatures that cannot 
 endure the new Creature, fo as Imperill'd. 
 The Creator will reckon with you I war- 
 rant you. 
 
 2. Carnal People arc culpable upon ano- 
 ther 
 
and Vfefulnefs of Patience 39 
 
 ther account, and that is 
 
 Abufmg of God's People's Patience. 
 The Scarr-Crow not furring, the Birds arc 
 bold, after a while, to alight on it. and 
 defile it} and fo the men of the World 
 cbferving God's People to be a Bearing 
 People take courage to lay toad on them , 
 to fay , and do their pleafure to thtm; 
 God's arifing, of which you read, in Pfal. 
 76. 9. Tofavetbc tnctk., inrplieS as much : 
 A bafe part this is, for who would not 
 count him an unworthy man, that pro- 
 vok'd one, who were bound to the good 
 behaviour? 1 Tbcf 5. '4. and as it is a 
 bafe part, fo a^b an unfafe ; for God, as 
 nave heard, willarife to fave the mcel^ 
 Meek Afofa had God for his Champion, 
 Numb. 12. 3. Their Redeemer isffrong, 
 too ftrong # for their OpprefTors. Thus foi 
 carnal People. 
 
 2. Patience being fo needful as it is,the 
 People of Go J are to be blamed, whoever 
 among them are neglectful of what's fo 
 needful; yea, fordo they fo by QtbcjrnjE 
 celTaries? Things needful to the Body, 
 they have a care both to ufc them, as they 
 have occafion, and as they have opportu- 
 nity to incrcafe them ; and 
 
 ;. To ufc them, they need n^ bidding 
 D + to 
 
40 The Excellency f NeceJJity^ 
 
 to take Meat , when they are hungry, or 
 Drink, when they are thirfty ; and yet 
 how often do goop men, when they are 
 provoked, forget to have Patience. Job 9 
 for the main, w'as a pattern of Pa iente, 
 fames^, ii. and yet tomcrimes he bro':e 
 out /idly, witnefs the 3. of fob 2, 3 Let 
 the daypenfl), vcherein I was bom, and the 
 Nigh' y in which it was f^td there is a A an- 
 Child Conceived. Yea,what is that he faitfy 
 in the 8. verfe ? Let them curfe it that curfe 
 the day , in the bitcerntfs of his paffion he 
 nuronelycurfeth it himfelf, but calleth to 
 others to curfe it : good men are hke li£ ht 
 Gold,muft have their grains of Allowance, 
 or not pafs. In many things we offend 
 all, aodasto this particular of breaking 
 out, who has not fallen with fob ? Bur, 
 my Brethren, do we rife with fob ? I could 
 in feveral places fhewyou his Retractions, 
 oh! whexe are ours? See to fob 5. &42. 
 6. This for Ufing. Then, 
 
 2. As to Increafing. The Proverb is, 
 Sto e is no foar ; and we Plough and Sow, 
 though we have never fomuch Corn and 
 Bread under our hands. VVe feek Wool 
 and Hax, be the Wardrobe never fo full. 
 But are we fuch Promoters of Patience, 
 Needful Patience i Do we labour a Spiri- 
 tual 
 
*nd Vfefuhefs of Pdtiefiee. 41 
 
 tuaT Augmentation ? Labour and Pray,and 
 Weep to be ftrenahned unto all Patience ? 
 This, you may well think , would well 
 pleale the God of Patience, well agree 
 I with the word of his Patience, and well 
 fuit with the hour of Temptation, Rev. *>. 
 10. But oh, alas, do's no: rather \our 
 hea- 1 and mind finite n of 
 
 ftiis i Come, let us firiite upon our Thi 
 and fay, wh it have \ C' ? \ \ ■ haV^l 
 faid f 1 h ay of R, proof. # 
 
 The'DoA ie is of ufe, as to Inftruil 
 and R ! >uke, fo alfo to 
 
 Exhort, For if this be fo, that Do^- 
 rine is needful for God's People; How 
 then fhould the People of God be uealt 
 with, and as thofe that had a fenfe of Me. 
 ceflaries, to have a care of Patfence ? Yea, 
 how fhould they be exhorted thereto, not 
 "oncly fo generally confidered , but. alfo 
 moreefpecially, a refpeft had, (and not 
 Jeaftly,) to Order, and Age; according- 
 ly as I (hall (hew anon from the Scriptures 
 to make the fpecification and Application, 
 and 
 
 1. More Generally confidered, accor- 
 ding to that, in Hcb. 12- 1. Let tu run 
 Vfith Patience the Race that ifet before ns. 
 
 Fox carrying on this Exhortation the 
 
 more, 
 
4* The Excellency, Neceffity, ' 
 more, aslcoula defire, to Edification, I 
 (hall fpeak fomething in a moving way, 
 and fomething in a Directing. 
 
 Moving, i. And becaufe the Motives 
 will be many, L'ljg Laboured be Orderly, 
 and reduce all I (hall fay, unto two heads, 
 to wit, 
 
 Patience, and Impatience; for there is 
 fo much to be laid for the one, and againft 
 the other, as ferves much to advance the 
 care of patience. For, 
 
 i. As to 
 
 Impatience; I have many things to tell 
 you of it, as, 
 
 i. How proud and prcfumptuous it is, 
 as is plain by theoppofition, in Ecclef.j. 
 £• The Patient in Spirit is better than the 
 Proud m Spirit. Impatience, turned God- 
 wards, fees up an Anti-Providence, as if 
 we know better than he , how matters 
 fhould be ordered, and is not this Super- 
 lative Pride ? Turned Min-wards, fets up 
 felf, as if there were none like us, and that 
 we might well think to fare better than any 
 elfe \ and is not this notorious Pride I 
 
 Z. How fo'olifti and vain it is, even as 
 we ufe to teU of a proud Fool, for an Impati- 
 ent man, beftdes that he forgets his dt- 
 ftance, whereas another could fay, 1 was 
 
 dyrnh. 
 
a*d V\tfuht\i of Patietce. 45 
 
 r ny mouthy becaufe thon 
 39. 9. w naicrets he by it ? 
 Do'b he ger deliverance by Impatience? 
 Nay, Patience were the way todejive- 
 rance- hear # St. Peter, in 1 Pet. 5. 6. 
 finable jour j lives under the mighty hand of 
 Cod, that he may exalt yon in due time. You 
 havener forgoiten, what was faid of the 
 Limed Bird. 
 
 Thirdly, ar.d Laftly, How feeble and 
 unfit for buHncfs it is, for, as you have 
 heard, It is tn Patience, that we pojfefj our 
 Souls, Luke 2 1. 19- Impatience puts out 
 a mans eves, flops his ears, confounds his 
 Counfels, makes him for the time little 
 better than a mad man, if ir even fteal not 
 away the man , and lay a Beaft in the 
 room : IrafHrorbrevi-seft. You have the 
 Motives with the tirft reference. 
 % Having heard what is to be faid againft 
 Impat : cnce, hear me now for 
 
 Patience -, and here I have two Motives 
 toprefentyou with, 
 
 God's Honour. 
 
 Your own Good. 
 
 1. As you tender God's Honour, have 
 a care of Patience, for it is Patience that 
 do's honourably acknowledge Him, as, 
 
 j. With refpeft to his Sovcraignty and 
 
 Autho- 
 
44 The Excellency, Neceffity> 
 Authority. As you may fee by that Pati- 
 ent fpeech of Eli, in I Sam. 3.18. It is the 
 Lord. Impatience is proud, as I have (hew- 
 ed, but Patience knows her diftance. 
 
 2. His Wifdorae,as wefetby the fame 
 Eli, Let him do y what feemeth him good. Not 
 what I think beft, but what the only-wife 
 God (ces beft, is the voice of Patience. 
 
 3. His Goodnefs^as Eli again (hews us, 
 Let him d* what feemeth him good. As who 
 fhould fay, he will do all tilings well. 
 
 Laftly. His Truth, as we may farther 
 perceive by tie fame words, Let him do— 
 Is it not as if he had faid, 1 dare trull: him 
 touching what he'l do; He'l do nothing 
 but well, I know. 
 
 1. As you regard your own good, have 
 a care of Patience, for that Patience is for 
 your Credit. 
 
 1. By it you fhall obtain a *good report^ 
 even as you have heard of the Patience of 
 Job, Jams 5. 11. This put a Perfume into 
 his name, which do's hold to this day. 
 And what is that vou read in 2A/.1.4, 
 We owr felvet glo'jinyon in the Churches of 
 God for jour Patience. Mark, We our felves. 
 Such as are of note, fhall take notice of 
 you, and to have the good word of the 
 eminently-good, how good is it? and fo 
 
 good 
 
dni Vfefulncfs of Patience. 45 
 
 ood a word too ? Wegloninjou. An high 
 train of Commendation ! Yea, and this 
 Jfo amongft thofe, that know what's 
 vhat, We glorj in jou^ in the Churches of 
 jod. 
 
 2. In the Exercife of Patience you fhall 
 Tiew Prudence- and is not this a Credit? 
 STea, for on the contrary, to play the fool 
 .5 wifgraceful.lt is the Patient man that, as 
 you have heard, is his own maa Lnkezi* 
 19. that knows hisdiftancc, 1 Sam. 3. 18. 
 that puts himfclf into the way of deliver- 
 ance, j Pet. 5.6. and fundry othet points 
 of Wifdome I might mention. 
 
 3. Patience maqifefts ftrength, which 
 is alfo a credit : for to tell of a weak man 
 is a diminution. The Apoftle,as you know, 
 fpeaks of being ftrengthncd unto all Pati- 
 ence, Col. 1. il« Patience is not a weak 
 nefs in us, as I have formerly faid. Por- 
 ters, that bear great burdens, are Robuft 
 men. 
 
 Laftly, To Patience belongs not only 
 ftrength, but Conqueft ; and Conquerors 
 want no honours. A Patient man, 
 
 I, Overcomes himlclf, fee Prov. 16, 
 32. and what a gallant vitfory this is, is 
 fifible in the bafe flavery, that loading 
 iufts have men in, and the Devil at the 
 
 back 
 
q6 The ExcelLency, Neceflity^ 
 back of thofelufts, Eph 4. *6 y 27. 
 
 2. Bids fair towards the conquering oi 
 Enemies: witnefs the Apoftic^ Phrafe, in 
 JRom.2i.ult* Overcome evil with good, he 
 had faid, Avenge not your fclves, butrtkj 
 ther give place unto wrath. He now fais, 
 ; Be not overcome, but overcome— The 
 Patient — beneficent yet the day with- 
 out linking a blow, behold a dry Vi&ory* 
 Again, As Patience is for your Cre- 
 dit. So, 
 
 2. For your Com for t s For, 
 
 1. We are doing our Duty the whiles, 
 and are we not blefTed in our deed ? Yes, 
 in, as well as after, Jam. 1.25 PfaL 1 9. 1 1. 
 
 2. We are in the way oPthe Promifc t 
 and that's a Comfortable way, fure ! See 
 Mat* 5- 3« Blejfed Are the foor in Spirit, 
 for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Alio ?, 
 5. Blejfed are the Meeh^ for thej/fhaU inhe-\ 
 ritthe Earth. If Earth, if Heaven, if cither, 
 if both be any comfort to hear of, the Pa*! 
 tient man may be comforted. 
 
 3* We are writing after excellent and 
 encouraging Copies ; and they were fet 
 for that* Be not flothful, fais the Apoftle, 
 in Hcb. 6. J2. but followers of them, who 
 thrctteh Faith and Patience inherit the Pro* 
 mips. As I have already faid, It's good 
 
 follow- 
 
d#d Vfefulnefs of Patience. 47 
 
 following them, that have lead to Hcavco. 
 
 Laftly, We avoid and prevent a great 
 deal of Sin, and that's a comfort, efpeci- 
 ally the F'ollutingrxfs of fin confidered. I 
 have (hewed, what a Mother fid Impati- 
 ence is, and therefore happy are they that 
 can be Patient, yea, that they may not 
 be fo peccant. The Pfalmift, in PfaL 19. 
 13. andhcwasagodlj \vifeman 7 took .great 
 content in being innocent. 
 
 Again, As Patience is for your Credir, 
 and Comfort : So, 
 
 3. For your Protit. For, 
 
 1. It is a Reward. 
 
 You remember the Proverb, I fpake of, 
 What Remedy lax Patience? and have not 
 forgotten the words of our Saviour, Injonr 
 
 Patience foffefs ye jcur Souls. Pojfefs 
 
 Aifli&ions arc hard meat, but Patience a 
 good digeftor. Affliction a foie Burden, 
 but Patience a good Porter. One calls Pa- 
 tience a Paring-knife, which cuts the crofs 
 lefs, andlefs, till it comes to nothing a!- 
 moft. Compares it to Bread and Salt, 
 which we cannot make one good Meale 
 without. 
 
 2. As it is, fo it has a Reward • and 
 1 both here, and hereafter ^ and, 
 
 1. Here, according to th?r, which I 
 
 have 
 
4$ The Excellency, Necejjtty^ 
 hiive already fpokcn of, in Mat. 5. $. 
 Blfffsd are the meek^, for the j ft all Inherit the 
 Earth* Carnal People think, that if a 
 Man be a Wild Man, he fhall within a 
 while, have nothing left him*, yea, but 
 fuch may hope to be Inheritors, which 
 is an honourable fort of Havers. There 
 is no lots by Patience ; no, the Lord will 
 took to that. Hear meek David, in 2 Sam. 
 1 6. 1 2. It may be, the Lord mil tooh^on mine 
 jijfUttion , and requite me good for his Cur- 
 fng this day ; even as our Children expeft, 
 when others wrong them, that we make 
 them amends. 
 
 2. Hereafter, refume that 5. of Mat. 
 now at the 3. v. Bleffed are the Poor in 
 Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 
 An exemplification of this is in Heb. 6. 12. 
 JBe ye followers of them, who through Faith 
 and Tatieme Inherit the Promifes. Some are 
 now in pofleflion of that j>y and glory 9 
 which others may expeft You know , 
 my Brethren , how we receive and wel- 
 come a Friend, that comes to us out of a 
 tedious Journey, or tempeftuous Voyage ; 
 we take him to be a good Friend, and call 
 for the beft things in the Houfe; Judge - 
 then, how our dear Lord and Father will 
 Entertain a Child, that comes out of great 
 
 tribute- 
 
and Vfefulnefs of Patient*. 49 
 
 tribulation. I have done fpeaking in a 
 Moving way, -and goon to fpeak in a 
 
 Directing j for I prefume, that you are 
 by this time ready to ask me , wherein 
 confifts our care of Patience ? 
 
 I Anfwer. In looking to the foundnefs, 
 alfo the free courfe and Increale of it. And, 
 
 1. Soundnefs, That we be, asisrequi- 
 red in Tit. 2. 2. Sound in Patience ; Sin- 
 cere, not Hypocritical ; and now for bet- 
 ter difceming the Truth of Patience; I 
 I offer thefe Characters and Tryals. 
 
 1. Patience fuppofes a ftate of Grace, 
 for a Fruit of the Spirit it is, and men 
 do not gather Grapes of Thorns, nor Figs 
 of Thirties, Gal. 5.22. Either make the 
 Tree good , or the Fruit cannot be good. 
 No Saint, no Patient man, another may be 
 dull, maybeftill — but a Saint is patient, 
 
 2. Patience, as it comes from God, fo 
 it moves towards God. Dominusefi^ faid 
 Patient £/*, It is the Lord y in 1 Sam. .3. 
 18. And fo it was God's Hand that ftopt 
 Davids mouth, in Pfal. 39. 9. A Natural 
 Man may for one fincere end or another be 
 ftill in the evil day, but it's the Lord the 
 thought of him , fear of him, that binds 
 a good man to the good abearing. 
 
 3. As Patience looks at the Lord, foitr 
 E limits 
 
•jo The Excellency j Ntceffity^ 
 
 limits him not ; Let him do y faith Eli, what 
 feemeth himgood, i Sam. 3*18. The Pati- 
 ent lay all at Gods feet, put all info this 
 Hands, proclaim a Freedom to him , as 
 being perfwaded of his Wifdom, that he 
 knows what's beft; and of his Truth and 
 Goodnefs, that he will do that. Patience 
 dare troft God, and therefore refts in God. 
 
 4. As Patience looks upward , fo alfo 
 inward;aot onely has a care of ahe Tongue, 
 but efpecially of the Heart ; and fo you 
 read, in that often-cited, Luke 21 . 19. Of 
 fofiejfmg the Soul in Patience v a Natural 
 man may for finifter ends, as i have been 
 faying, bite in his pain or prefure, as 
 forae have done fometimes , but as one 
 fays well, He is in a Fever all the while as 
 hot within, as cold without. 
 
 5. Patience meekens us towards the 
 Instruments of our affli&ions, as we may 
 perceive by patient David$ in 2 Sam 16. 
 XO. So let him cnrfe y faith he, becaufe the 
 Lord hath /aid, enrfe David. An Impati- 
 ent man runs like the Dog, after the ftone 
 that hit him, but the Patient confiders 
 the hand, that hurl'd it , and fo is mode- 
 ratcd,though he has no caufe to excufe evil 
 men, who think not of doing God Ser- 
 rice, but it \% in their hearts to accommo- 
 date 
 
*nd Vfefulnefs of Pttieme. 5 1 
 
 date their Lufts, Cruelty^ovetoufnefs, •— 
 Efaj 10.7. Yet when heconfiders,they arc 
 the Rods of God's Anger, and the firft in 
 their hand is his Indignation, fo asthe Af- 
 fliction comes not onely from them, he i% 
 afraid of charging them too deep. 
 
 Sixthly , and Laftly. Patience tarries 
 Gods leifure for deliverance, according to 
 that in Pfai 37.7. Reft in the Lord, and 
 wait Patiently for him 7 as the believing, fo 
 the enduring make not haft. Thefe Pati- 
 ents and Worthies, in the little Book of 
 Martyrs, Htb. n. Accepted not delive- 
 rance, upon Perfccutors terms. 
 
 2. Another point of our care is feeing 
 to the free courfc, and increafe of it. And 
 thus we (hall approve our felves careful , 
 if we watch againft the hinderances, and 
 unto the helps of Patience j and, 
 
 1. Againft Hinderances y which are, 
 
 x. Pride, witnefs the Antithefis, in 
 Ecclef. 7.8. The Learned Annotators take 
 notice, that the proper Oppofition had 
 been between Patient in Spirit, and hafty 
 in Spirit; but the Preacher inftcad of ha- 
 fty , fajes Proud, to fhew us , fay they* 
 tha^Patience is rooted in Humility. My 
 Brethren, if you would up, and t on with 
 Patience, down with Pride. Mortifie this 
 Lull: carcfullv. E z 2. Co- 
 
3 ^ The Excellency i 'Ntcc/fity, * 
 
 2. Covetouf»>efs , as you may gather 
 from I ^im. 3.3. Not greedy of filthy lucre , 
 but Patient. When the poor Dtbcor be- 
 fought, faying , Have Patisnce with . e , 
 4nd ] will pay thee all. the greedy Creditor 
 cafkhimtnto Pnfonttllhe fhouldyay tht C 
 Mat. 18. 29, 30. Oh then 4 L> -or- 
 dinate defne, get your thi /< 
 Worlds goods fl s ;ked, c as 
 that is your good, vvh ucid v ) 
 fo that i- the good . good 
 with. Doun with Avarice, aa .cu would 
 up with Patience. 
 
 3. Nicenefs, dilicatenefs: Paul, that 
 appals to Timothy, Touching hi* Patience, 
 2 Tim 3. 10. Profoffes a great deal of 
 feh : - denial, in jitts 20. 24. None of thefe 
 things, move me, faith he, neither count I my 
 Life dear unto my [elf . A nice delicate man, 
 like him in the Book of Martyrs, that 
 faid, He could not Burn. Any of thefe things 
 would have troubled his Patience- Oh 
 then let there not a niceling be found a- 
 mongus; one, that Idolizes Eaft, Weft, 
 fleeping in a whole skin -- You cannot 
 think, upon occafion to pofTefs your foul 
 in Patience, if delicatenefs poflefs yojj. I 
 might have fpoken of mere impediments, 
 but I haften to Help. And, 5 
 
 1. As 
 
and Vfefuhefs of Patience. 5 3 
 
 i. Af4 great help to Patience, I would 
 rdviic Coj'.' People to be very Prayerful .• 
 aft - of che ApoftJe, in Col. 1. 
 
 9- 1 I. We do -not ceafe to Pray for yon, that 
 ye mt r 'it be ftrengtmed unto all Patience. 
 i^ci gie^c Pover, and God, He 
 ■ Patience. Go to God there- 
 fore, :Hat Patience may have her perfect 
 
 -. ] . Appftlc went to him for others, 
 
 iu for your felves. 
 
 ifc :o be Praifeful as well as 
 
 erful. Take the Apoftle again for an 
 -\ in 1 ~hef 1.2,3. We give thank* 
 to 7od always for yon — remembring without 
 ceajtng your xvo<-^ of pauh , . and lobour of 
 Love, and Patience of hope. G^atiarum 
 aElio ad plus dandam invitatio. Than.^fgi- 
 ving is an artificial Begging-a man that fais 
 to his Friend, I thank your laft kindnefs, 
 makes fair way for that not to be the laft. 
 Accordingly did we thankfully acknow- 
 ledge what God has already done for us in 
 point of Patience, elfe at fuch a time when. 
 men fo provok'd us, wc had not put 
 it up : And at fuch a time when the 
 Lord fo afflidfcd us, wc had broke ou: 
 more than we did; we might hope, that 
 the God of. all Grace, would give us 
 more of this. Col 4.6. 
 
 E 3 3. M Y 
 
54 The Excellency ^ Neceffitj> 
 
 3. My Advife is, that, we fcarch the 
 the Scriptures: for do we not read, in 
 JLom*i$ 4. of the Patience of the Scrip- 
 tures ? attive 7 fais Par&m upon the place ; 
 becaufc the Docffcrine of the Scripture? 
 fervesmuch for the Patienting of us. The 
 Praecepts, Precedents, Promifes, with 0- 
 ther things there recorded, confidered. 
 
 4. Let u$ walk with God, for Mofes 
 jendured, as feeing him, who is invifible f 
 ffeb. 11.27. Will a Child cry that has 
 his Father with him ? No, though he go 
 through the dark : Will a Souldier grum- 
 ble to go upon hot fervice that has his Cap- 
 tain with him? 
 
 5. Look unto Jefus, Confider him, that 
 endured, Heb. 22. t — Yea for, 
 
 1. Who are we in Comparifon of him ? 
 Well may we fuffcr, and Patiently, when 
 He wasfo bearing, Mat. 10.24,25. 
 
 2. What are our fufferings, in compa- 
 rifon of his? Why! Not Chipps to His 
 Crofs ! He Endured, fais the Apoftle, fuch 
 Contradidlion, Heb. 12. 3. Such indeed, 
 as was never heard of, his own Harmlefs- 
 nefs andHolinefs, and hisConrradiOers 
 Vilenefs, and Wickednefs being thought 
 at. 
 
 6. Be cloathed with Humility ; for you 
 
 remem- 
 
dnd Vfefulnefs ef Patience. 55 
 
 remember from Ecclcf. 7.8. what an ene- 
 my to Patience Pride is. An Humble man 
 feeks not great things for himfelf , yea fees 
 and fais himfelf lefs than the leaft of Mer- 
 cies: aud therefore if he be brought low, 
 why, he that was before come down in his 
 own apprehention, will better abide to 
 come down by change of Condition, Gen. 
 32. 10. ^n Humble man thinks not great 
 things of himfelf, yea he knows, and ac- 
 knowledges many things amifs in him, and 
 therefore if he be berated, and reviled, 
 why, he that was wont to Avile himfelf, 
 will matter Reviling lefs, and fay withip 
 himfelf, What would thefe men fay, if 
 they knew as mnch as I do ? 1 Cor. 15.9, 
 cum£pfe. 3. 8. 
 
 7. Live Soberly. Add, fais St. Peter, in 
 2 Pet. 1.6. to Temperance Patience. Yea, 
 Temperance makes fair way for Patience ; 
 whereas on the other hand, Drunk one 
 way, and Drunk two ; the wet Drunkeu- 
 nefs,and the dry do'ufually meet. A man 
 that's overfeenwith Drink, how apt is he 
 to be overfecn with Paffion? Who hath 
 Contentions / faith Solomon, in Prov. 29. 
 2y> 30 They that tarry [long at the Wtne* 
 Bacchus ad armavolat, ftroug drink is ra- 
 ging. As then you would be Patient, be 
 Temperate. E 4 ?. Fol- 
 
$6 The Excellency f Neceffity^ 
 
 8. Follow Love: for Charity fuffers 
 long, i Cor. 13.4. bears all things, ver. 7. 
 Love has broad fhoulders. Would you 
 then aboud in Patience ? abound in Love. 
 
 9. And Laftly, Conilder the end of the 
 Lord, Jam. 5. 11. cum 10. fob's Patient 
 fufferings had a bleffed Iffue. The Lord 
 bleffed the Uter end of fob more than his be- 
 ginning. U the Root was bitter, yet the 
 Fruit was fweet. Let then the Considera- 
 tion of the Fruit, ingratiate the Root. You 
 fhall never have caufe to Repent your Pa- 
 tience. Thus the general Exhortation is 
 difpatched ; now remains, 
 
 The Special. 
 Which will concern, 
 Either Order, 
 Or Age. And, 
 1. Order. 
 And fo either 
 Men of High, 
 Or Low Degree. And, 
 1. Of High, according to that, in 
 2 Tim. 2. 24. The Servant of the Lord, the 
 Man of God, that is, as appears by Co- 
 herence, mnftnotftrive, but be 'Patient. 
 
 I fhall according to this Specification di- 
 reft my Speech in this Se&ion, unto 
 Minifiers y and labour to prevail with 
 
 them 
 
*nd vfefttlnefs of Patience. 57 
 
 them, To have a Law of Patience, ufing 
 
 the 
 
 Afotives. One is the Occafion they may 
 have for it The other is the Impreffion it 
 may have. And* 
 
 1. TKeoavs'^* they may have: andv 
 fpecially thele things confidered. 
 
 1. The Unprohringnefs they may dif- 
 cern. Before I touch this point, and but 
 touched, this being the intended place for 
 handling of it. It do's trouble a School- 
 mafter not a liftle, when his Scholar bene- 
 fits not; but one day comes, and another 
 goes, and he rather go's backward than 
 forward: and fo the Matters of Aflemblies, 
 Oh! how they have laid to heart the fuc- 
 cefsfulnefs of their Labours! I [aid, fais 
 Ifaiah,ir\ Ifa*. 49.4. I have laboured in vain^ 
 I have fpent mj ftrength fornou^ht^ and in 
 vain. I have — I have The Insemi- 
 nation favours of Atfedlion. It is report- 
 ed of Melantthon that he thought at firft, 
 it was not poflible, people fhould with- 
 ftand the evidence of the Gofpel: but af- 
 ter he had been a Preacher a while, he 
 complained that old Adam was too hard 
 for young Mtlantthon. vca, bor^i young 
 Timothys, and aged Panls have caufe e* 
 nough of complaint. But yet within com- 
 pafs of Patience. Fcfr, 1. P.:;;l 
 
5 8 The Excellency, Neccffity, 
 
 j. PmI Plants, and ApolUf Waters, but 
 it is God that givcth the increafe, i Cor. 3- 
 6f The Blei'fiug is in hi* hand, not ours; 
 and who lhall fay to him, WLiatdoeft 
 thou ? cannot we be content to follow our 
 <J[vork, and leave His ro Hun f 
 
 2. Though Jfrael be not gathered, yet 
 
 fhall a Faithful Munftcr be glorious ■ 
 
 J/i.49. 5. We are to God a fwectSivor 
 of Ghrift in them, that are faved, and in 
 them that perUh* fais the Apoftle in 2 Cor. 
 2. 15. God will reward his Minilters not 
 according to I flue, but Indutby. 
 
 Again, What occaiion Mmifters may 
 have for Patience: appears, as by the Un- 
 prohtingnefs they may diilcrr, So, 
 
 2. By the Unkindnefs they may meet 
 with. It do's trouble Parents not a little, 
 when Children, that they put into their 
 Bofome, creep out at their Sleeve: and 
 Judge you my Brethren, with what a 
 grieved heart Panl fpake what he did, in 
 2 Cor. 12. 15. The more abundantly I love 
 you, the lefs I am loved: and that, in 
 Gal. 4. 15. Where is the bleffcdnefs yoti 
 fpiktof? who that had heard, what the 
 people fometimes faid, We may blcfs the 
 time that ever Paul came amongft us; 
 would ever have thought, that good man, 
 
 that 
 
affd vfefufocft *f Fttitnte. 79 
 
 that fweet Minifter fiiould have lived to 
 have feen the day in which he (hould have 
 been occa^oncd • to Interrogate, Whtrg 
 is the bleffednefs joh /pake off Alas, their 
 Language, and Carriage was much altered 
 from what it had been : and that, which 
 befel !o Eminent an Inftrument, who cao 
 promife himfelf exemption fromf yea, 
 who that's wife, will not rather bethink 
 him what there is to qualifie, and pacifie 
 in fuch a cafe as that. That a prudent Nurfe 
 looks not for her Wages at the Child's 
 hand, but the Parents, Indeed the little 
 pne do's now and then gratifie her with a 
 kifs, withafmile: but oftner requites her 
 with a cry, a wrangle ; yea but (he well 
 confiders, that Father and Mother will 
 do all things fair. And fo a good Miniftcr's 
 Judgment is with the Lord, and his Work 
 with his God, 7/^.49.4. God knows, 
 and God will acknowledge, and God will 
 gracioufly rccompence. 
 
 2. That a Prudent Nurfe do's confidcr 
 the Child's prefent Diftcmper, and in- 
 stead of wrangling when it wrangles, la- 
 bours the reftoring of it. Ohjfaislbc, this 
 Child was not wont to be fo very trouble- 
 fome, fomewhat certainly ailcth it/I 
 would I knew what were good for it. It's 
 
 not 
 
6o The Excellency, Neaffity, 
 
 not to fay,, how people may be cliftejnper 
 ed, and their diftemper # alter them; But 
 who is not aware, how that fhe Apoftle 
 applies himfctf unto fuch with Patience^ 
 yea with tendernefs, calling them C - 
 dren, little Cl.ildren, his little Children, 
 and profefling his Care and Pains ftill 
 them? in Gal. 4. 19. cum 15. 
 
 Again, What occafion Minifters may 
 have for Patience is too toomamfeft. * 
 
 3* By the Perfecutions may befal them. 
 For, 
 
 1. An Arch-enemy to a painful power- 
 ful Miniftry Satan is, as St. Paul found by 
 experience, witnefs his report in the Cafe. 
 in I Thef. 2. 18. We wmld have co-mc to jcu r 
 even IPaul^once again y butS at *n hindered us. 
 had it been fome idle drunken felloV that 
 had been going about fome naught J bu- 
 finefs, the Devil wbuld have been far from 
 hindering him,but how fhouldthe Prince of 
 darknefs skill of a burning fhining candle? 
 
 2. Satan, that is fo malicious himfelf, 
 workethinthe Children of difobedience, 
 Efh.2.2. and the Lufts of their Father 
 they will do, }ohn 8. 44. Prince of Dark- 
 nefs, and Children of Darknefs f Old Ser- 
 pent, and Old Man do fearfully corre- 
 fpond i fo as what Trouble the Evil-one, 
 
 and 
 
and Vfefulaefs tf Patience. 6t 
 
 id Evil-men can do, men of God may 
 , and the rather, if we confider, in the 
 Third place, Tha good Minifters op- 
 pose themfelves to the power of Satan , 
 practice of ungodly men, yea, andfo 
 tneir CommifTion runs, in Afts 16. 17, 
 18. Now , I pray, how will the one like 
 it to have his Kingdom batter'd about his 
 cars t and the other to have HelUfire flaftit 
 in their Faces ? 
 
 While a godly Minifter thinks of thefe 
 things he had need to ruminate upon fuch 
 PatientingConfiderations, as thcfe. 
 
 1. That this is but Old-Ordinary, So 
 Perfected they the Pxophets , Mat. 5. 12. 
 Perfecuted Minifters fare as did their Pre- 
 deceflbrs ; their betters fped no better , fo 
 as they may well have Patience. 
 
 2. That both the roaring Lyon and the 
 Whelps are in a Chain, and can do but 
 what God will fuffer them; And Cod is 
 Faithful^ who mil not fnffer his Servants tc 
 fnfer above what thej are able y 1 Cor.10.13. 
 c«wRev. 2. 10. 
 
 Thirdly, and Laftly. That as their Suf- 
 fering may be great, fo their Reward will 
 not be little, Mat. 5. 12. So as they may 
 well cry out, with the Martyr, Holdout 
 Faith and Patience. Thus far the firft Mo- 
 tive ; 
 
6% The Excellency, Neaffity^ 
 
 hvc; the great occafion Minifters may 
 have for Patience. Now follows the 
 2. And it is the 
 
 Great Impreflion it may have ; or. 
 What Patience may do j and both upon 
 themfelves, 
 
 And others* 
 > Themfelves firft. 
 
 For Patience will keep them to their 
 work, according to that, in 2 Tim. 2 24, 
 25 . The Servant of the Lord muft notfirive, 
 but be Patient, in meekgfes, inftrufting thofe 
 that offofe themfelves. A Patient, Meek 
 School-Matter takes pains with an unto- 
 ward Scholar, whereas one that is furious, 
 throws Book out of Hand , and Boy out 
 of School. 
 
 2. As for others ; why ? 
 i« It may ftop their mouths, who other- 
 wife would foon fay, They may Preach 
 Patience with (hame enough , for they 
 (hew none. It were wifdome to cut off 
 occafion, zCot. u. 12. Yea, but Mini- 
 fters give it, wherf they fay, and do not, 
 for Paftors (hould be patterns, 1 Pet. 
 
 2. It guides their Hands, I mean, di- 
 reds their practice ; yea, both direds and 
 obliges j for God hath fct up Minifters to 
 
 be i 
 
And Vfefulnefs of P*t tenet. 6$ 
 be Enfamplcs to the Flock, as I was fay- 
 ing from that i Pet. 5.3. It is not enough 
 to hear a good Minifter, but People (hould 
 tlfo heed him - 7 it is not enough to remem- 
 ber a good Sermon, but they fhouldalfo 
 look after the Exemplification , which is 
 indeed the Repetition. Mark them which 
 walk fo as ye have as for an Enfample,faies 
 the Apcftle, in Phil. 3. 17. 
 
 Laftly , It may engage their Hearts ; the 
 Sick man is bound to love the Phyfitian^ 
 that had Patience, when himfelf was frow- 
 ard enough j the Scholar his Mailer , that 
 continued to teach him for allhisunpro- 
 ficience. In like manner thofe Minifters 
 indear themfelvcs much, that in all things 
 approve themfelves as the Minifters of 
 God in much Patience, 2 Car. 6. 4. 
 
 Having dealt with men of High degree, 
 I come now to fpeak to men of Low, and 
 asamongft n;r> of High, I did offer the 
 Example of the Apoitle, (ingle out the 
 Servant of the Lord j fo (hall I now clofe 
 with Men's 
 
 Servants, treading that while St. Peters 
 fleps, in 1 Pet. 2. 18, 19,20. Servants, 
 fayeshc, be [ubjett to jour A4*fttrs with all 
 fear, not only to the good and gentle , but alfo 
 to the froward; for this u thankworthy, if 
 
6\ The Excellency, Ntceffity, 
 
 d man fdr Confcttice toward God indnyC 
 grief j f uff ering wrongfully: for what °Jory 
 is it , if when ye be b tiff etted for your faults* 
 je take it patiently ? But if when ye do well, 
 and faff er for it, ye take it Patiently, this is 
 Acceptable with God. Forperfwading Ser- 
 vants to have a care of Patience , I fhalj 
 ufe two 
 
 Motives i 
 
 One is the Occafion they may have for 
 it. 
 
 The other, the Obligation they are in 
 to it. 
 
 And firft, The Occafion Servants may 
 have for Patience ; yea, for 
 
 i. All Matters are not alike, fome in- 
 deed, as you have heard, but of the fore- 
 cited Scriptures, J Pet. 2. 1 8. are good and 
 gentle] fo as their Servants may fay, An 
 Patrem an D mimm* we cannot eafily tell, 
 whether we have a Matter or a Father.Such 
 an one was Abraham, in whofe thoughts , 
 it would feem, it was, if he had no Child 
 of his own, to make his Servant his Heir^ 
 Gen. 15. 3. Yea, but other there are, that, 
 as the fame Teter fpeaks, are froward, ill 
 topleafe, ilteo deal with, as I fo merly* 
 faid. Matters , that are Women rather 
 than Men for Chiding, and Jews rather 
 to than 
 
d*d Vf$f*lnefs of P attend. 6 5 
 than Chriftians for Burdening ; They care 
 not how little a Servant has, and how 
 much he does. 
 
 2. Sorrit Matters are not dnely froward, 
 but Injurious, wrong doers, fb as a Ser- 
 vant may do well, and yet fuffer for it, as 
 the Apoftle puts the cafe, in that I Pet. 2. 
 20. My Brethren , be fides the mockj and 
 taunts that Drunken debauched Mafiers have 
 for their Religious profejfing Servants; fay- 
 ing y as Pharaoh fometimes Ye are idle. Ye 
 are idle, therefore je faj, let us go, and do 
 Sacrifice to to the Lord, Exod. 5.17. I fay,' 
 befides the wrong fome Matters do their 
 Servants, as concerning the general Cal- 
 ling, they are* injurious enough in order 
 to the particular. Thus many Apprenti- 
 ces fuffer oft for their Apprchenfivenefs 
 and Aftivenefs ; their ill-minded Matters 
 fearing they fhould become Matters of 
 their Trade, and fo in time hinder them, 
 do in the mean time hinder fuch Servants, 
 and are angry, when they cannot hide the 
 Myftery from them. Alas , Parents not 
 feldom make the Wolf Shepherd, Here 
 is the Patience both of Parent and Child. 
 This for Occafion ; I go on to fpeak of 
 Obligation, and 
 
 t . Let Servants themfelves Judge? whe* 
 F thef 
 
6k The Excellency, Necejjit^ 
 
 ther fccrfons of low degree (houlcj not 
 have Patience , when Men of High, as 
 they have heard , are to bear* The Ser- 
 vant of the Lord muft not ftrivejMnd fhall 
 a man's Servant ? Shall this put up'no- 
 thing ? and that muft fo much ? 2 Tim. 
 2.24. 
 
 2. I may tell Servants, that as Low as 
 they are, yet they are not hid. Profcfling 
 Servants as well as Matters have many 
 eyes upon them, fo as thev, as poor as 
 they ftand there , may adorn, or other- 
 wise the Doftrine of God our Saviour, 
 Tit. 2. 10, 
 
 3. Let Servants confider, what their 
 Calling calls to. Why! This Patience , 
 as appears by that often referred to, 1 Pet. 
 2> 20. cum 2l. Jf when je do well, and fhf- 
 fer/or it, je takf it Patiently , this is ac- 
 ceptable with God , for even hereunto were 
 je Called : what Servant but will grant, he 
 fhould follow his Calling? Yea, Servants, 
 but there's two Callings, as I have been 
 hinting; You are called to be Saints, as 
 well as to be Servants ; and your Calling 
 to be Saints was , as Occafion required , 
 to be Sufferers, and Patient Sufferers. 
 
 4. I would mind Chriftian Servants of 
 the Lord Chrift, for fo alfo do's St. Peter^ 
 
 in 
 
*nd Vfcfulncft of Patience. €j 
 
 in that 21 verfe — Chrift, fayes he* ffi- 
 fered for hs, leaving an Example , that jc 
 jhould follow hisftepjy who y when he Was re- 
 viled, reviled not again.— Servants^whom 
 would you make your Samplar , if. not 
 your Saviour.* Yea, what do you fay to 
 the Legacy, that your dying Saviour left 
 you/ 
 
 Laftly, I would tell Servants, before I 
 part with them, that the Mafter in Hea- 
 ven will reckon with injurious Earthly 
 Matters, Col. 3. uk\ cnm\ j\ YoU'may 
 well be Patient, for God is Juft, Rom. 12. 
 J 9. A Man, whofc Caufe a Great Man has 
 undertaken, fays, I need riot to tr~*' ' - 
 
 he that doth wroog, (haH receive for the 
 wrong, that he hath done ; and there is no 
 reffetfof Perfons with Gqd, Eph. 6.9. Let 
 thisfuffice touching. Order j I pafs onto 
 
 The Apoftle, in Tit. 2. 1, 2. Com* 
 meads certain points of found Doftrine , 
 and this among other, That the Aged men 
 be Sonnd in Patience^ and this is [hat point, 
 which now I would commend, and in this 
 Method. 
 
 F 2 1, I 
 
6 The Excellency, Neceffity, 
 
 i. I (hall (hew , what life the Aged 
 may have for Patience ; and, 
 
 *2< What Engagement there is to it: 
 and by thefe two 
 
 Motives would hope to perfwade the 
 Ag£d into a Care of Patience ; and 
 
 i. By the life they have for it. 
 Indeed great Ufe,and by reafon of Them- 
 felves and Others, 
 
 Themfelves firft , will find Patience 
 work. Yea, for length of dayes brings 
 with it. Old'day fcs are evil dayes, Ecct. 
 ii.i. It cannot be denyed indeed, but 
 that at that time of day it is better with 
 fome than others. Mofes was an Hundred 
 and Twenty years Old, when he dyed) hit 
 Eye was not dirr^ nor his Natnral force aba- 
 ted, Deut. 34; > I0 )h this Generation of 
 ours, Perfons are gotten into their Graves 
 berime, and few without the tedious Pre- 
 face of great decays, and divers Ihfirriii- 
 ties. I mean, it's Ordinary to hear the 
 Aged fay, they cannot do as they have 
 done; and rotetl of Aches, pains — Now, 
 here is their Patience, to be content with 
 their Condition, and though they groan , 
 yet not to grumble. 
 
 '2. While themfelves find Patience 
 work, 
 
 Others 
 
d*£%rfefulwfs of Patience. 78 
 
 Others Contribute, 
 
 And both In necr Relation, and Out. 
 And 
 
 1. In, and both Living and Dying. And 
 
 1. Living, that Prohibition in Prov. 23. 
 22. Defpife not thj Mother when jhe is Old, 
 Carries a racile Accufation along with it} 
 how apt Children are to mifcarry towards 
 age flftts! Here now is the Patience 
 of the Aged, To digeft unkindnefles, and 
 not be overcome of evil. 
 
 2. Relations both living and dying ex- 
 era, blks Patience; for the long- 
 li a a;e engag'd in many Funerals: 
 fomehaveiiv'd to bury all their Children, 
 tad they, that, no doubt rejoyced, when a 
 Man was born into the world, how would 
 they lament his carrying out? Job. 1.20. 
 Here again, is the Patience of the Aged : 
 Not to charge God foolifhly, but fubmit 
 their Wills to his, and confider that the 
 Taker had been the Giver. 
 
 Thus forthefein neer Relation. 
 
 2. As for thofc Out. 
 
 Why, we know, what Job fais, Job 30. 
 l — They, that are jo primer than /, have me 
 in diri/ion.*[hz waggifh boys of Bethel 
 mock'd the old Prophet, faying, Bald- 
 head y bald-head. At this day how many 
 F 3 make 
 
make themfelves merry with thofe very 
 things in the Aged, which in time will be- 
 come their own, or they muft die for it ? 
 Here now is the Patience of the Antient : 
 Not to fuffer themfelves to be difcompo- 
 (edby Negleds, or Contempts, but quiet- 
 ly wait till Providence, that is undrefling 
 them, do bring them to bed. 
 
 This for the ufe the Aged have for Pa- 
 tience. Now follow, in the 
 
 2. Place, The Obligations there are to 
 it, as 
 
 i. The Expectation, that is upon the 
 Aged, according to that, in Job 32.7. / 
 /aid, daysjboaldfpeak^y and the multitude of 
 years teach Wifdome. It is expe&ed, and 
 juftly too, that they, that live long, lhew 
 fomethirtg Vorthy of their time. Oh, they, 
 that have liv'd longamongft Bibles, Ser- 
 mons, Minifters, Profeflbrs; what man- 
 ner of Perfons fhould they b^? and this 
 were indeed to Live, and not barely to 
 Be. 
 
 2. The Inclination that is in them; 
 They had need, had they not ? to look 
 to Patience, that are prone to Pettifhnefs, 
 I* is with old Folks, as withhold Fewel, 
 foon on Fire. The Infirmities of Old-age 
 are many, and this Morofity amougft the 
 
 reft. 
 
*nd Vfefulnefs tf Pttieme. - 7 r 
 
 reft. Wcufetofay, Ach, Pain — make* 
 them Angry ; and fo it will indeed, wher c 
 . no more than Nature is,where4here is opt 
 Grace to Matter Nature, and Grace in Ex- 
 ercife. Oh ! then how fhould old Difci- 
 ples look to Patience ? and to all Patiencei 
 Tit. 2. 2. 
 
 3. And Laftly, The Diffblutiotn, that 
 isfoneer them. Scnex quafi femincx, We 
 fay ., Old Folks have one foot in the 
 Grave. Young may die foon, Old can- 
 not live long. Yea I may fay, Old-age is 
 a young Death. There's much of Death 
 about Age, the Palate is almoft dead as to 
 Tailing, Stomach as to Digefting, Eye to 
 Seeing, Foot to Walking. Now this ap- 
 proacheth, gradual pretence of Death ob- 
 liges to Patience upon two accounts. The 
 1 . Is this, 
 
 The Aged have not long to Bear, and 
 therefore may well Bear, Jam. 5. 8. It's 
 but a while, a little while that an Antient 
 Prophet fhall be called Bald-head : that 
 Aged Jab (hall b* 4*rid*d 1*y Bcardlefc 
 Boys: that anQJdk'Profdfor fhall be ter- 
 med an Old DifTemblcr, and the like. The 
 
 2. is this, 
 
 The Reward is at hand : I mean the 
 
 great Reward in Heaven . I was faying be- 
 
 F 4 fore, 
 
fz The Excellency, Neceflity^ 
 fore, an Old Man has one foot in the grave, 
 and what fais the voice from Heaven ? 
 BUffed are the dead that die in the Lardy 
 %ev. 14. 13. A good Old Man then isup- 
 ' on the Threfhold of Heaven ; well may 
 1 he run with Patience, who is almoft with- 
 in reach of the Prize. 
 
 Confider what I fay, and the Lord give 
 us'uaderftanding in all things. 
 
 Now unto the King Eternal, Immortal, 
 Invifible, the Only-wife God be Ho- 
 nour, and Glory for ever and ever* 
 Amen. 
 
 Fl^ClS. 
 
THE 
 
 PATIENCE 
 
 O F 
 
 J O B. 
 
 AND 
 
 The End of the LORD: 
 
 The Glorious fuccefs of Graci- 
 ous Suffering Opened and Applied. 
 
 By WiUitm Bell, Maftcr of Art, and fome- 
 times Preacher of the Word at Hj- 
 ton in Ltncajhirt. 
 
 - i i " ■ - ■ ■ ■ . i .... i ■ ■— »^ 
 
 Pfal. 37. 7. Reft in the Lord, and wait 
 Patiently for Him — 
 
 Rom, 5.3,4,^ We glory in Tribulations — 
 knowing, that Tribulation worketh Patience, 
 and Patience Experience , and Experience 
 Hope, and Hope maketh not ajhamed 
 
 Dum Spiro, Spero, 
 Imo dum Expiro. 
 
 Lottdin, Printed fotJ&vil Simmons, at the Fi itffff 
 Arms in Sr. Paul** Church-yard, 1 674. 
 
:$$#$*#$$$#^^3^ 
 
 AdLibr. cxOvid. dcTrift. 
 
 Pdrve y nei; invideofac mejiberjbis in Hrbem\ 
 Hti miki, quod domination licet ire tuo ; 
 
 fade, fed incnltus^ qmhm dectt exults effe, 
 Jkf&lix hxbitnm ttmforis hujm hub*. 
 
To his heretofore Hear- 
 ers, Grace and Peace from 
 
 God our Father, and the 
 
 Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Dearly Beloved , 
 
 O V Remember, tlytt at my de- 
 parture Heft withy oh a Trearife 
 of Patience ; and now I fend you 
 another of the fame : But as Pa- 
 tience has many Confiderables belonging to it, 
 fo thefe two Treatifes do concern two of 
 them : the former the Needfulnefs } this latter 
 the Succefsfulnefs of Patience \ both are y I 
 fuppofe, words in feafon, and may be heard, 
 where I cannot , the onefervd to frame hs 
 like unto our Condition , and this other is of 
 Hfe to keep us in fuch a frame : The great 
 Landlord of the World, who determines the 
 bounds of our Habitation, h.'th feen it good 
 to fet you and me at a great difiance \ Not 
 yet ', but that he hath alfo Injhutted us, How 
 to be pre fern in fome ftnfe, when abfent in 
 
 other : 
 
The Epiftle Dedicatory. 
 
 ether : How much I have you in my Heart y \ 
 be that knows all, kgoweth ; and hereof Icer-\ 
 tifie yon under my hand, now thefecond time « ! 
 Even the dead are not utterly filenced^ ; Abel 
 yet fpeaketb , and % jhen well may we[ whifh 
 are alive and remain, carry on a Chriftian In- 
 ter cdarfe With 4>ur Christian Friends. The 
 benefit of Writings great, and not leaftly in 
 this re gar d y That di fiance is deceived by it. 
 What I have written, I have written out of 
 my dear Love to jou y and tender care of you, 
 do defire it may be readund ruminated by you 
 (halt eamefilj pray, it may be bleffed to you. 
 jindyouwiU> I doubt not , fpeal^ a good word 
 at the Throne of Grace for him, who is bound 
 to wifii well to your better Part, 
 
 While he is 
 WILLIAM BELL, 
 
 Sinderland, in the Parifli 
 of Ajhten-Vnderline, 
 June 24. 68. 
 
 JAMES 
 
and Vfefuhefs of Patience. 
 
 JAMES. 5. ii* 
 
 — Ye have heard of the Patience of 
 Of Job 9 and have fee* the End of 
 the Lord: — 
 
 Hcfe words arc part of 
 fuch a Chapter as is in- 
 deed much mixt, but yet 
 may, as I conceive, be 
 thus diftinguifhed, That 
 it is, 
 DiFHgiendis % 
 Vel Faciendis : 
 Againft fomc Sins, 
 Or for fome Duties : 
 Sins, in the fix leading verfes; and in 
 the nth, Covetous Hoarding, Hard-deal, 
 ing, Wantonnefs, Cruelncfs, Ra(h and 
 Cuftomary Swearing. 
 
 Duties, in all the reft of the verfes ; a- 
 mongft which, one is, Be ing Patient, which 
 Commence:!) at vcr. 7. and continueth to 
 verf.12. This 
 
\ The ExctUtncy, Nec$JJ$ty y 
 
 This Duty is Propounded, and Profccu. 
 ted. 
 
 Propounded, and by occafion of the ill- 
 ufege, there had been hinted in the Parti- 
 cle Therefore. Be Patient therefore Bre- 
 thren. So, in v. 7. 
 
 Profecuted, in the reft of that.verfe, and 
 of the Paragraph, and efpecially by two 
 Arguments, or Inducements. 
 
 Oncrefpcfting Lord, 
 
 Another Servants. 
 
 1. Lord, For that Come he will, yea 
 his Coming draweth Nigh ^ and at his 
 Coming he will both Right the Wronged, 
 and Condemn the Grudging. This to ver. 
 10. 
 
 2. Servants, of whomHfcreisj \\ 
 
 i. A General Mention, arid.in^rder ci- 
 ther to what jvas Wrought by them, m 
 ver. 10. Or thought of them, in the front 
 of pur 1 1 th. Take my Brethren the Prophet s f 
 who have fpohen in the Nam of the Lord, 
 for an Example ofJUfftring <Afflit}ion y and 
 if Patience \ Behold we count tfyem happj % 
 which endure. 
 
 2. A Particular Nomination , one of 
 God's Servants being inftanced in, who 
 was famous both for the Exercife, and 
 IfTue of Patience, in the words of the 
 
 Text, 
 
And Vfefulnefs of Pttientt. j 
 Text, and clofe of the verfe, Ye have heard 
 pf the Patience of Job, and have feen the End 
 of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and 
 offender Afercy. This for CohaercHCC* 
 
 Then, 2. AsforSenfe. 
 
 Te have heard, Ye, that have heard the 
 Word Preached } the Congregations, 
 like -as aifo Chriftian Communications, 
 have Rung 
 
 Of the Patience $f fob. Not but that he 
 alfo had his out-burfts fometimes, but, as 
 Partus fais, Navos non imputavit Dair 7 
 God takes not his Children at the worth 
 
 And have feen, in the Scripture of truth^ 
 for this is written for our Comfort, that 
 vve might have hope, fee 7^42. 10,— 
 
 The &id of the Lord. J&ive, to wit, 
 the End which the Lord made with him ; 
 the happy Iflue which Job's patient fuffer- 
 ing had : unto which agreeth, that which 
 is fubjoyned in the fubfequent words, 
 that, The. Lerd is very pitiful t and of tender 
 Adercj* Thus far of Coherence, and Senfe. 
 
 As for Parts, in the next place ; a par- 
 ticular Notriinatiui the Tc£t is, as I have 
 already hinted, and in this Nomination is, 
 
 1. ThePerfon that is Narr.td ; Job. 
 
 2. The things, that he is named for, 
 and they are two. 
 
 1. fiis 
 
4 the Exceltenty, Necefjitv^ 
 
 I. His famous differing j Te have beard 
 if the Patience of fob. 
 
 2f. His Famous Succefs; And havefeeti 
 the End of the Lord. 
 
 Thcfc Parts, in a fourth place, have 
 prcfented us with divers Doctrinal Pro- 
 pofitions j but I (hall not ftay fo much as 
 to name, fave that one, which I aim at, 
 and arifeth thus: 
 
 Youobferve, my Brethren, that hono- 
 rable mention is here made of fob's patient 
 Suffering j Te have heard, Sais St. Jamei 
 likewife of his happy fuccefs, Te bavefeen, 
 faishe. Now^ when you confider theA- 
 poftles defign in this mention, That he! 
 do's this for the Comfort, and lyicourag. 
 inent of them, to whom he writes; the Ob- 
 fervation, Dodbinal Obfervation thence, 
 you perceive to be this, That 
 . Famous Patience may Jhope a famous 
 End. 
 
 I fay. Famous Patience may hope a fa- 
 mous End. Or, Where the Patience of 
 job is heard, There the End of the Lord 
 will be feen. 
 
 The Profocution of this [Proposition, I 
 purpofe, through God's Affiftance, in 
 this wife; 
 
 i. I fhall fet my felf to Amplifie it. 
 
 2. Te 
 
M&VfefulnefsofV&tiinte. f 
 
 2. To Apply it. 
 The Amplification will confift of 
 
 Explication, 
 
 Confirmation, 
 
 Vindication. 
 Explication firft, and fo I fhall fhew, 
 
 1. What Patience is. 
 
 2. What fpeaks Patience famous. 
 
 3. What the End is that Patience may 
 hope. 
 
 4. What a famous End is. And 
 Laftly, How famous Patience may 
 
 hope a famous End. 
 
 For the Firft of thefe, 
 
 What Patience is; 
 
 In fhort, It is a contented Endurance of 
 Painful Evils. 
 
 Or you may take it in this Exprefliod, 
 
 A quiet fuffering of Affliction. 
 
 I know I might have given a larger de- 
 fcription, but fhall hope to bring into this 
 fhorter, what may belong to a longer. I 
 fay, 
 
 Patience is a quiet fuffering of Afflicti- 
 ons. 
 
 Verfatnr circa adverfa. The bufincfs of 
 Patience lies about adverfe things ; being 
 like unto thofe in iChron. 4. 23. Thar 
 dwelt amongft Hedecs. Not yet, that all 
 G Suf- 
 
6 The Excellency, NeceJJitj^ 
 
 fering is Patience } But, a Quiet is. * 
 
 Mow for the better uruierfbnding of 
 this Quietnefs, confider two things : 
 I. What it refers to. 
 z. What it is to be judged by. And 
 jl What it refers to. This Quietnefs 
 refers both to the 
 
 Outward, and 
 Inward Man. 
 
 1. Inward, And fo there's a' Quiet 
 mind, a Patient man is quiet in his mipd j 
 fo was David, for all his Enemies, accor- 
 dingly as he reports himfelf, in Pfal. 62. 1. 
 cum l. when the Original islook'd, Truly, 
 fais he, my Soul isjilent unto Ged. Patience 
 iets the heart at reit, prevents grudging, 
 I ke as I fhall fay by and by, grumbling ; a 
 Patient Spirit is the Eccho of Providence, 
 fais Amen to God s dealings, brings in only 
 this Presentment, Omnia bene 7 He hath 
 done all things well. 
 
 2. This Quietnefs, as it refers to the 
 Inward, fo alfo the Outward Man, and 
 fo there's a bridled Tongue, as earft a quiet 
 mind. Here David again, in Pfal. 39.9. 
 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, becaufe 
 thou didfi it. And what is that, which is 
 faidof David's Lord, in Iaf. 53. 7. He 
 wasopprejfed* and he was affiiUed y jet he o~ 
 
 fened 
 
andvfefulnefs of Patience . 7 
 
 pened not his month : He is bfbught as 4 
 Lamb to the fUnghter, and as a Sheep before 
 her Shearers is dumb, fo he opened not his 
 month.Scc alio Lam. 3. 26,- 30. where you 
 have a large account of the peaceable car- 
 riage of a Patient Perfon, — he ftteth a^ 
 lone, and keepeth filertce — he putteth his 
 ^moitth in the duft — and fo forth. Patience 
 'takes courfe, that when Gods hand is up- 
 on a mans back, the mans hand be upon 
 his mouth • Patience is againft grumbling^ 
 as well as grudging,as I have been faying. 
 And thus for what this Quietnefsrefers to. 
 2. T would be confidered, what it is 
 to be Judged by, and fo I muft tell yen j 
 efpecially by the caufe of it ; as appears by 
 4 the fore-cited Pfal. 39. 9. where you heard 
 David fay, / was dnmb, I opened not my 
 month, becaufethott did ft it. a good caufe 
 this was, a found ground ; this was well- 
 grounded filencc, rightly and juftly caufed 
 quietnefs.Indeed all ftilnefs is not quietnefs 
 properlyjfo called \ Nabd was ftill, or ra- 
 therftupid, in 1 Sam. 25.17. Hebecam as 
 a Stone. That's the quiet man, that is of 
 God'squieting, whom 
 
 1. The Providence of God quiets, as it 
 
 did David, as even now you heard, out 
 
 of Pfal. 39. 9. where the Confideration 
 
 G z of 
 
$ 7% Excellency NeceQity, 
 
 of God's doing (truck him dumb j I wa$ 
 dumb, fais he, becaufe thou didfi it. Pa- 
 tience runs not with the Dog after the 
 Stone, that hits, but looks at the hand, 
 that hurls, and this fets Quietnefs. 
 
 2. When the Soveraignty of God 
 quiets; It is the Lord, faid £/*, let him do 
 what feemeth him good y i Sam. 3*1?.- Pa~^| 
 tience knows her diftance, and this fets 
 Quietnefs : Even as a wife Son, or Ser. 
 vant will put up that at the hands of Fa- 
 ther or Mafter, that he would not from 
 another. 
 
 3 . Whom the Wifdom of God quiets, 
 Jt is the Lord, let him do what feemetk 
 him good , faid Eli. Mark, what feemetb 
 him. Patience is aware, That He, who, 
 is mighty in work^ f is alfo great in Conn* 
 feh and this fets Quietnefs : even as we 
 ufe to acquiefs in what a wife man do's, 
 we fay, let him be doing, he knows what 
 he do's. 
 
 4. Whom the Faithfulnefs of God 
 
 2uits, Let him do what feemeth him good. 
 00k you, Eli tells of good being done, 
 and fo fais, Let him do* As who (hould 
 fay, I dare truft him, I queftion not, but 
 he will do all things well. Patience be- 
 lieves, That God is one whom (he may 
 
 Con- 
 
% dnd Vfefuhefs of Pttience* 9 
 
 confide in, and this fcts quietncfs: Even 
 as a Phyfnian , a Surgeon, that wc mif- 
 doubt not, binds, bloods, and we never 
 fay, wrong it is. 
 
 Laftly, whom the Love of God quiets, 
 Jefus faid unto Peter, put up thy Sword in- 
 to the (heath ; the Cup which my Father hath 
 given me, fhall I not drinkjti John 18. II. 
 Attend Sirs , My Father. Patience per- 
 ceives Love, and this fets quietnefs \ even 
 as our Children will be perfwaded by Fa- 
 ther or Mother to take the bittereft Potion 
 againft the Worms, and the like. And 
 thus I have difpatched the firft point of 
 Explication ; what Patience is a quiet fuf- 
 fering of Afflictions , and proceed to 
 the 
 
 2. What fpcaks Patience famous : why ! 
 
 i. The Noifednefsof it, when Patience 
 is heard of; as here in the Text, Te have 
 heard, fays St. James , of the Patience of 
 Job. Thou haft fully known, fays St. Paid 
 to Timothy, my long-fuffering ~ Pauenee , 
 in 2 Tim. 3. 10. The Prophets, in this our 
 5. of ?<*»** at the 10. art upon Record for 
 (offering of Affliftiov, atidfor Patience, and 
 in Heb. 6. 12. is fpoken of fome , who 
 through Faith and Patience inherit the Pro* 
 mifts. The Theffalomam likewife are Rc- 
 G 3 corded 
 
to The Excellency^ Necejfity, % 
 
 corded for the like, in 2 Tbef. 1.4. Trttc 
 it is indeed, That it's no looking for ano- 
 ther Bible at the end of the World, fo as 
 it cannot be expedted, that the Patientefl 
 Sufferers, which are, or fhalh be, (hould 
 be famoufed juft as }ob was, ]ob and fomc 
 others, whofe Names are enrolled in the 
 Word of Life; But yet, they need not 
 to be un-obferved, or un mentioned for all 
 that ; the People of God in all Generati- 
 ons have their Eyes in their Heads , and 
 their Tongues in their Mouths, and do 
 know, it is their Duty both to take notice 
 one of another, and give due Honour to 
 one another, Heb.. 10.24. Rom. 12. 10. 
 Befides, the Promife is extant, in 1 Saw. 
 2. 30. Honorantes Honorabojhzt God will 
 fee to the Honour of his Honourers, and 
 fuch the Patient inSpirit are. 
 
 2* Another thing which fpeaks Patience 
 famous, is the Ingagednefs of it; when 
 it is imploy'd about very fad things, and 
 very many of them : according to that, in 
 Job 1. ult. In all this Job finned not , nor 
 charged God Foolishly. All this , is all that 
 Calamity and Mifery, that befell him, 
 which was great, and very great; The 
 Plundering and Confuming 6f his Sub- 
 ftance, Slaying of his Seivants, Death* 
 
 and 
 
mdvfefulnefs of Patience. jr-gt 
 
 and violent Death of his Children, alJ 
 hisChiWren-, and all at once, fpoken <>f 
 afore in the Chapter • here, here was the 
 Patience of 'fob, That in this, in all this he 
 finned not, nor Charged God Foolifolj. Like 
 as alfo we read of Aaron, for which he is 
 famous, in Levit. 10. 3. That he held his 
 Pence, when yet one would wonder, that 
 his heart did hold ; a very fad Spectacle he 
 had before his eves, two dead Sons, dead 
 by a fpecial hand of God , and yet we 
 hear not one fy liable* of Impatience in j)js 
 mouth ; Afofes lays the matter before Jiirn^ 
 and^he hears, fees, fmarts, but fubjnirs: 
 Here was Patience, and :notab'e Patience, 
 was there not f Who but praifeth the Por- 
 ter, that goeth ftilly away with a very 
 heavy burden ? 
 
 3 . Another thin?, jthat fpeaks Patience 
 famous, istheEftablifhednefsof it ) when 
 Temptations, Opportunities, Advanta- 
 ges, Aggravations — do not difcompofc 
 a man, but not withftandingthem hepof- 
 fefies his Soul in Patience, fob met with 
 a Temptation, even from his own bofom, 
 for his Wife faid unto him, in fob 2, 9. 
 Doftthon ft ill retain thine Integrity? Car ft 
 God, ariddje \ yea, but what faid he yn- 
 to her ? Sec the 1 o, v. Thou fpcakeft 41 one 
 G 4 of 
 
%fc The Excellency, Neceffitf, 
 
 €J tkefoolifh Women fpeaketh ; What? Shall 
 me* receive good at the hand of God, andjhall 
 Witt ot receive evil t And it 's added , In all 
 this did not Job fn with his lips. No , nei- 
 ther did he fin againft God,nor againft her; 
 mother, fo/ though he reproves her (harp- 
 ♦y, ' yet Orderly, neither calling her a fool- 
 ifh \Voman down-right, and point blank, 
 nor falling foul upon the whole Sex for 
 her fake. Not God, for fo far he is from 
 Curfing, as (he counfelled ; as he adds to 
 his Reprehenfion a Refutation, Shall we 
 receive good, and fhall we not receive evil ? 
 Even as we Parents expeft from our Chil- 
 dren, that they take contentedly the bet- 
 ter with the worfe. fofeph did not want , 
 as his Brethren alfo were aware, Oppor- 
 tunity of Revenging himfelf on them, fox, 
 Father was dea~d ; Gen. 50. 15. Yet he 
 fatd unto them, v. 21. Fear je not, IwiH 
 TtopirifeyotiandyoHr little Ones. David had 
 Saul a't an Advantage, and the fingers of 
 his Followers itched to have, been doing 
 with him, but, fays the Text , He ftajed 
 his Servants i See 1 S*;». 24. 3. — 7. 
 
 The fame David, when he had occafion 
 to mention an Injury with the Aggrava- 
 tion, how that his Death was endeavour- 
 ed by a near Relation, was yet fo far from 
 
 breaking 
 
4*Avfefitl*efs of Vttiente. 13 
 
 breaking torch into futioys Paffion, as he 
 doth thereby, in the cafe of another, argue 
 fpr Patience ; Behold, fays he, in 2 Sam. 
 16. 1 1 . mj6on, which came forth of mj Bow- 
 clsyfeeketh mj Life , how much more now may 
 this Benjamiteifot'*? 
 
 Fourthly, and Laftly. 'Another thing , 
 that fpeaks Patience famous, is the enlar- 
 gednefs of itj when it is much Patience, 
 1 as the Apoftle fpeaks, in 2 Cor. 6.4. All 
 Patience, as in CoL 1 • 1 1 . When Patience 
 has her perfect work , as the Expreflios 
 is, in James j. 4. Now this refpefteth 
 cfpecially, 
 
 1. Degree, when a Perfon is very quiet 
 in Affliftion £ fo far from fuffering Impati- 
 ence to creep on him, as he takes it iH of 
 them tfotfpeak not well of what God has 
 done; What? faid Job, erfi. in Job 2. 10. 
 ShaU wt receive good at the band of God, wd 
 fhallwc not receive evil? What/ Queiii- 
 ftions have their quicknefs. 
 
 2. Duration; when a Perfon is fo Pa- 
 tient, as he is Long-fufiefing, Cryes out, 
 with the Martyr, Holdout Faith and Tati- 
 tnce , could defire, that his Submiflion 
 might be no (horter than the Affliction ; the 
 Lord faid Jinto Satan^ haft thon confidt^L 
 mj Servant Job> that ih (re is none like htm 
 
 in 
 
14 The Excellency, Necefjity, 
 in the Earthy a perfeft, and]an Hpri?ht Mart, 
 one^ that feareth God y and efchueth evil y and 
 fiilt he holdeth his Integrity. Stiil Let 
 this fuffice for the fccond point of Expli- 
 cation. 
 
 The 3. cometh on, and it is, 
 What the End is, that Patience may 
 fiope. 
 
 End y is of a various acceptation in the 
 Scriptures, for 
 
 1. Itisputfometimes for Extent, and 
 in regard either of Dimenfion , how far 
 any thing reacheth, as in Exod. 26. 28. 
 The middle bar in the midfl of the boards Jhall 
 reach from end to end. Or of dura;tioh,hovv 
 long any thing Ufteth, as in Lam.$. 18. — 
 Our dayes are fulfilled , for our end is come. 
 
 2, Sometimes for Intent , fee 1 Tim. 1. 
 5. The end of the Commandment is Charity. 
 fcMtot,' I e . &/**>*#*; fays Pifcator, upon the 
 place, the fcope and drift of it; and this 
 Expofition he conceived to be confirmed 
 from Collatioti of the two following verfes. 
 Thirdly, . and Laftly, To fay no more of 
 this' variety , ' End is put as for Extent, 
 and Intent, fo aifo Event, as in Mat. 
 
 2,6. 58. ■ Peter went in , and fate 
 
 tt#fo the Servants to fee the End Q^iid tan • 
 dem de Chrifto ftitHrum ejfe 7 fays one, to 
 
 wit, 
 
and V(e fulness of Patience, i j 
 wit, what would betide Chrift; and in 
 ffeb. 6.8. ■ — Whofe end is to be burned 2 
 Like as alfo in the Text, and to in the Do- 
 ctrine from it } End, here is the Iffue, that 
 Patient fuffering had. 
 
 ithis End is^rmed in the Text, * 
 
 The End of the Lord •, but in what fenfe 
 Interpreters are not agreed. 
 
 Fori. Some do underftand it Pafhvely^ 
 of the End made with the Ldd, the Lord 
 Chrift, who firfrSuffered, and then entrcd 
 into his Glory ; and this way many of tb| 
 Ancients go, giving their reafon , becaufc 
 elfe the chief Pattern of Patience were 
 left our. But, 
 
 2. Others, as the moft of Modern Di- 
 vines, do conceive it Actively of the End 
 the Lord made with Job, v^ho is here na- 
 med, and whofe fuffering is here fookca 
 of, and the happy lffue whereof it was 
 very apt to annex, as being fuitable to the 
 purpofe of the Apoftle and the Hiftory 
 concerning the man, and anfwering well 
 to the words next after the Text [[which 
 J took notice of berime] that, the Lord 
 is very pitiful, and of tender Aiercj^ and 
 with tfrtfe later chufel to go, and have 
 accordingly, as you know, fo fenfed tke 
 words already. Nor Hull I fay more to 
 this 3. but go on to the Fourth 
 
X 6 The Excellency, Necefjuy, 
 
 Fourth point of Pxplication. 
 What a famous end is. 
 Now, this refers either to the Life, that 
 now is, or that, which is to come : and 
 
 1. The Life, that now is, and either [ 
 in Outward, or in Spintu#regards ; tnd 
 I. In Outward. 
 
 As, When the Lord makes his People 
 as Remarkable for Felicity, as before they 
 were for Mifery ; and of this, 
 
 3. Patience has the Promife, fee i Pet^ 
 J. 6. Humble your fe/ves under the mighty 
 band of God, that he may Exalt yon indue 
 time : Is it faid,deliver t It is faid, Exalt. 
 
 2. The Patient have had Experience , 
 fob, by Name, of whom we read, inthc 
 laft Chap. 1 2. v. That the Lord blejfed the 
 Utter end of Job wore than his beginning : 
 which is proved after by a particular enu- 
 meration, or Inventory of his Goods and 
 Chattels; for, fays the Text, He had 
 fourteen thoufand Sheep , and fix thou fond 
 Camels, and a thoufand Yoke of Oxen^ and 
 a thoufand fhee-jiffes^ whereas in the I. 
 Chap. 3 . v. we hear but of half fo much, 
 that before he had of each. God not one- 
 ly Reftored, but doubled Job's wealth: 
 And this famous Reftauration is Amplified 
 afterwards, both by the numerous Iffue 
 
 Job 
 
and Vfefulnefs of Patience. 1 7 
 Job had to leave his great wealth to, the 
 23 verfe tells us, he had [even Sons> and 
 three Daughters , juft fo rtiany as he had 
 before, 'Job 1.2. And fo he had twice as 
 great an Eftate for his Children, as before 
 time; As alfo by the long time he had of 
 enjoying his wealth , the 16. verfe fays, 
 After this Job Lived an hundred an fort) 
 Tears • After a tedious Adverfity he had 
 a very long Profpcrity. Thus for out- 
 ward. 
 
 2. As for Spiritual Refpcfts, he (ays 
 well that fais, If God at anytime deny 
 any of his Suffering Servants Temporals , 
 as indeed all Patient Perfons meet not with 
 Job's Opulency afterwards ; Yet if he 
 deals bountifully with them in Spirituals , 
 they have no caufe to complain j now, we 
 know what Sr. Paul faith, in Rom* 5. 3, 
 4, 5 . — We glory in Tribulations, knowing, 
 that Tribulation worketb Patience , and Pa- 
 tience Experience, and Experience Hope, and 
 
 Hope maketh not ajhamed And St.James y 
 
 in James I. 4. Let Patience have herperfcH 
 worl^, that ye maj be perfett and entire \yoant~ 
 ing nothing. O tafte and fee that the Lord 
 is good, and makes a gracious end with 
 us, when he leaves us better, in our bet- 
 ter part, than we were before • 
 
 When 
 
1 3 The Excellency, Nectffity^ 
 
 When i. We are more increafed, for^ 
 ufw promptos faciti Exercife is a great Ad- 
 vantage , ufe Leggs and have them's a 
 Proverb, and we find it Verified in David, 
 who, by bearing much,did,through God's 
 Blefiing, become very well able to bear , 
 wicnefs that meek fpeech of his, of which 
 you have heard,in 2 Sam.l6.n.Behold,my 
 Son, which came forth of my Bowels, feekz 
 ith my Life , how much more now may this • 
 Ejenjamite do it ? Look you here, he can 
 make that an Argument for, which at that 
 time was an exercife of his Patience, The 
 Old Cart that's us'd to the way, goes ftilly 
 away, whereas the new one fills all the 
 Countrey with noife. 
 
 2. When we are more encouraged 5 for, 
 cgain, Experience is a great Advantage j • 
 ft is wont to breed Confidence ; an Ex- 
 perienced Souldier ufes to be couragious j 
 and, I pray , was not our Job fo ? hear 
 him, in Job 13. 15. Thongh he flay me, jet 
 willleruflin him. 
 
 Hitherto of a famous End , with re- ' 
 fpeft unto the Life , that now is. 
 
 2* As for the Life , which is to come; 
 Why ! what, I pray, (hall be thought a 
 Famous End ; if not a Glorious ? and 
 fuch an End Patience may hope - 7 accord- 
 ing 
 
Andvfefulnefs of Patktcel % 9 
 ingtothat, imThef.j. 4,5,6,7.— We 
 our [elves Glory in you , in the Churches of 
 'Cod y for your Patience and Faith in all your 
 ecutions and Tribulations that ye enaure^ 
 h is a manifeft token of the RighteoHs 
 • tnt of God , thatje may be counted 
 v of the Kingdom of God y for which ye 
 
 r : Seeing it is a Riohteous thing 
 vpi . >d to recommence Tribulation to them 
 that trouble you , and to you who are troubled. 
 Reft with, us, when the Lord Jefus fhall be 
 rlvealed from JJeaven with his Mighty An- 
 gels. The day is a drawing on, that both 
 Patience and her Perfecutors (hall be Re- 
 compenced, and fo as (hall be much for 
 the Honour of Patience \ two points of 
 Honour are told of, Vindication, and Co- 
 ronation ; 
 
 Vindication, The Lord Jefus, when he 
 fhall be revealed from Heaven with his 
 mighty Angels, will take Patience's part , 
 for he will take a courfe with her Adverfa- 
 ries ; then the troublers of Ifrael (hall be 
 troubled, verfe6. You know what Jofhtu 
 faid to jtchan, in Joflu 7. 2 5. Why haft thou 
 troubled us ? the Lord pall trouble thee this 
 day. Me thinks, I hear the Lord Jefus u- 
 fing this kind of Language to his People's 
 Enemies. In this world the wicked have 
 " J all 
 
|6 The Excellency, Necifftty^ 
 
 all the talk, and fpeak words of brafs 5 Ah! 
 the lad Delemma's, Thrn y or Bhrn^ Sin, 
 or Suffer: but the time will come, when 
 Jefus Chrift will reckon with t hem, and 
 Kecompenfe them, both their words and 
 their deeds : when you look the Epiftle of 
 fude,v. 15. you'l fee, That not one of their 
 hard fpeeches, but fhall be brought into 
 Judgment. Now fay, I befeeeh you^ 
 What an honor this will be to Patience, 
 That the Lord Jefas will fo plead her 
 Caufe, and reveng her Wrongs. In the 
 Courts of Men it's great credit to a man ^ 
 that was a bearing man, when the Judge 
 fpeaks on his fide, and fais to the man 
 that did him wrong , You have troubled 
 him, but now Tie trouble you, and take 
 a courfe with you : and yet, Brethren^ 
 This falls far enough fhort of Jefus Chrift's 
 vindicating the Patient in the Prefence of 
 Men and Angels : Nor, is Vindication all 
 the Honor, that Patience (hall have in 
 that day j there is, 
 
 2. Coronation : The Apoftle fpeaks of 
 of a Kingdom, the Kingdom of God, and 
 fuffenng for it, See verf. 5. and, what 
 fays St. fames, in fames 1. 12. Bleffed is 
 the Man[that endnreth — -for when he is 
 tr)ed y he jhS receive the Crown of Life, 
 
 which 
 
and Vfefutnefs of Patienie. 1 i 
 
 which the Lord hath Promised. 
 
 si Crown is of Earthly things themoft 
 Glorious, an Emblem of Royal Majefty ; 
 K ings have their Crowns, and hereby the 
 Heavenly glory , to which the fnffering 
 Servants of God are advanced, is y as you 
 fee, denoted. A Crown is Round,having 
 neither beginning, nor ending, femblably 
 their glory in Heaven is indeterminable , 
 i Pet. 5. 4. A Crown encompafTeth the 
 Head, and fo they fhall be filled with Glo- 
 ry, Dan. 12. 2, 3. cum 2 Cor. 4. 17. 
 
 Life is oppofed fometimes to Adverfity. 
 Thus jhall ye fay to him^ that Liveth , the 
 Original has no more , in 1 Sam. 25^6. 
 The Verfion adds, In Profperity ; and, well 
 to the fenfe. Non eft vivere nifi Falere, he 
 properly Lives, that's lively , that's mer- 
 ry, and fo forth : And thus will it be wit^ 
 Chriftian Sufferers, when gotten to Hea- 
 ven once; they'l know no forrow, no, 
 They enter into their Mafters foy , Mat. 25. 
 
 21. 
 
 2. Life is oft opprefled unto Death, / 
 jhallnot djt y but Live, fays the Pfalmift, in 
 Pfal. 118. 17. Accordingly will it be with 
 the Suffering Servants of God; it is an 
 Eternal, as well as Exceeding weight of 
 Glory, that is before them, 2 Or. 4.17. 
 H Indeed 
 
it The Exct lien cy y Nccejfity^ 
 Indeed Salomon fays, of an Eirthiy Crown* 
 in Prov- 27. 24. Doth the Crown endnre to 
 every Generation ? The Interrogative is 
 Negative, &c. Now, Kings. have ouij- 
 liv'd their Crowns; yea, but the Coele- 
 ftial Crown knows no dc jay : it will be fo 
 fct upon, the He-a, as alfo fetled. You 
 fee fomething, my Brertiret^of the Crown 
 of Life, and ch;:r while ol the Promife, 
 that is Innented tr.ruugh Fairh and Pati- 
 ence. Here's even a famous End, is there 
 nor? . Fona pej-ciofc to this Section , I 
 ilia] 1 onely fay,. If a Child or Friend comes 
 tv us out of a i\v\ m bv Sea or Land , we 
 take him to ithe Fire, put dry Cloaths on 
 him, call for Strong- waters ^ and. what 
 not? judge you then, how the Heavenly 
 Father will entertain his Sons and D#ugh« 
 
 ¥rs, that come out of great Tribulation ; 
 here will be, <jucftionIefs, a great and 
 gracious welcoming of fuch. Read over 
 at your leifure the 7*/?. of Revel. 13, 14,. 
 15,16,17. verfes. This may fuffice for 
 the Fourth point of Explication. You 
 have heard, what Patience is, what fpeaks 
 it famous, wha: the End is it may expeft, 
 and what a famous End is. And now, in 
 a fifth place, it remains to fpeak of the 
 Fifth point of Explication, to wit, 
 
 How 
 
 
and Vfefulnefs of P&tiencz> j 3 
 
 How Famous Patience may expert a 
 Famous End, 
 And 1, Ilhall (hew, Hownotj Why! 
 Not upon the Account of iMerir, oh ! no j 
 the Apoftle hath caft: the account quite o- 
 therwife, in Rom. 8. 18. I reckon^ fays he, 
 that the [offerings of this prefent time are not 
 Worthy to he com fared with the Glorj^ which 
 JJ)a/l be revealed in hs. The words are 
 weighty, I reckon nor, I think; upon i 
 due valuation and eftimation he judgeth 
 That 
 
 The Sufferings^ an indefinite ExoreflSon, 
 no fort of Sufferings, no, not of Martyrs 
 are excepted. 
 
 Of this prefent time. Suppofe , the Suf- 
 ferings did lalt as long as Life. 
 
 Are not worthy to he compared with 
 
 The word alludes to weighing of things 
 in a pair of Balances, as if he had faid. 
 Take me Sufferings, and put them in one 
 Scale ; and Glory, and put it in the other, 
 and weigh them together, and Sufferings , 
 any, all* even Job's^ will be found too 
 light. Indeed we read , in 2 Cor. 4. ij. 
 That light affliction works Glory for us. 
 
 But, fay 1, Nonmeriti modo, not fo , 
 
 as to merit it • and this is clear, very cleat 
 
 in that Scripture, Nam qnx proportion Fof, 
 
 H z as 
 
$4 The Excellency, Ncceffity. 
 Jas a Learned In: erpfeter interrogated what < 
 proportion is there between light A 
 on,and a Weight of Glory? Bct\* eeri Mfli 
 ion, which is but for a moment, ana an 
 Eternal weight of Glory? Haply, tome 
 will fay, But, what fay you to enduring 
 and diftreflcs for Chnft's fake ? I 'grant, 
 that indeed thefeare High Services; but 
 I fhall alfo (hew, that they arc High Fa- 
 vours; and how can gift Merit? Yea^ 
 do's not Gift caft into Debt? See, See, 
 Phil. '.29. Vntojoutt is given in the be- 
 half of Chrift , not onelj to believe on him, 
 b Ht alfo to fafer for his fake: rake notice, 
 Given, 1 (hall not doubt to fay to the great- 
 eft and glorioufeft Sufferers, what have ye 
 that ye did not receive f And Receiving 
 lhuts out boafting. Thus far Negatively. 
 
 I proceed to fpeak Affirmatively, and 
 fo do fay, 
 
 In a fecond place, That famous Patience 
 may hope a famous End in a way of Mer- 
 cy. 
 
 Not upon the account of Merit, but of 
 Mercy; as is evident here in the context, 
 Te have heard, favsthe Apoftle, of the Pa- 
 tience of Job, and have feen the End of the 
 Lord', and then adds, That the Lord is 
 wry pitiful, and of tender Mercy: where 
 
 it's 
 
unci V(efulnt\$ of V&ticnce. 2 5 
 
 it 's clear, That the Reafon why Job had fo 
 good an Iffue of his Afflictions, was God's 
 Mercy, and not his own Merit. God pi- 
 tied his Miferies, and God pardon'd his 
 Infirmities ; The Man, that in the Text, 
 is of fuch note for Patience , I told you 
 berime, was not without his Out-burfts , 
 even as we fee fomctimes a fpot in a fair 
 face. Look Job, in Job 3. 1.— and you'I 
 difcern much frailty and Infirmity in him , 
 for there he breaks cut into Curfing, Cur- 
 ling of the day of his Nativity ; divides 
 the Curfe upo:i tne feveral parts of the 
 day, and invites others to Curfe too. Here 
 was need of Mercy, was there not ? Like 
 as now alfoin thefe Suffering times, who 
 is there, even the meekeft Mofes , that 
 can fay, my Heart is clean from all fecret 
 repinings, either at others Prosperity, or 
 my own Adverfity, my Tongue is free 
 from all ExprelTions of Difcontent ? In 
 one word, it's well for the mod Patient 
 Man , that there is a moft Merciful God. 
 There is not further touching the firft 
 branch of the Amplification, Explication; 
 next is Confirmation, which will have two 
 fides. Similar Scriptures, and Scriptural 
 Reafons. i 
 
 Scriptures firft , and fo I fhall (hew ■ 
 H 3 how 
 
2$ The Excellency ^ Necejjity, 
 how obvious and evident a Truth up and 
 down the bleifcd Book of God this is, 
 that famous Patience may hope a famous 
 End. Sec pfd. 149. 4. He will beautifie. 
 the meekjvih Salvation. Do's the Pfalmtfi 
 fry, the Lord will fcvethem? He fays , 
 The Lord will beautifie them with Salvation -, 
 not ooelv deliver, but dignihe." Alfo 1 Pet. 
 5 6 . Humble your [elves under the mighty 
 hand jf God, that he may exalt you in dne 
 time. Exalt. Metaphoraab adificiis^ fays 
 one, the Exprefiion is with alluiion unto 
 Building, where an Houfe is brought up 
 fome Stories higher. As alfo Pfal. 37. 7, 
 8,9. Reft in the Lord, and wait Patiently 
 for him — Ceafe from Anger , and forfahe 
 Wrath y fret not thy felf in any wife to do 
 evil, for evil doers Jhall be cut off, but thofe 
 that wait upon the Lord, they Jball Inherit 
 the Earth, inheriting is an honourable 
 fort of Having, nor is the Inheritance li- 
 mited to any fmall pittance. Again, Lam. 
 3.25 — 32. The Lord is good unto them that 
 wait for him -~ it is good that a man Jhould 
 both hope, and quietly wait for the Salvation 
 of the Lord, for the Lord will not caft off for 
 ever, hut though he caufe grief, yet will he 
 have compaffion according to the multitude of 
 his Mercies-, and that's a multitude with 
 
 a 
 
andvje/uwejs of rauence. 27 
 
 a Witnefs. Yen again, Heb. 10. 36. Te 
 have need of Tatience^ that after ye have 
 dine the will of God , ye might receive the 
 Promife , Compared with James 1. 12. 
 Bleffed is the man that endureth Temptation, 
 for, when he is trjed , he foall receive the 
 Crown of Li r e, which the, Lord hath Tromi- 
 fed — \Vhat a precious Promife this is,you 
 have aire, ci heard, David made account 
 he fbouid be no !ofcr by Patience, who, 
 in 2 Sam. 16.9— 13. when jibi(hai Taid 
 unto h:m , Why frinld this dead Dog carfe 
 my Lord the King ? Let mego> I pray thee , 
 and take of his head. Anfwered, W 
 have I to do with yen , ye Sons of Zeru 1 
 Let him Cirfe, becaufe the L [aid 
 
 unto him, Curfe David -- it may bejhe Lord 
 will look^on mine Abaction', and that the 
 Lord will rtcuite me good for his Curfinq this 
 day: even as cur Children expedt, : 
 whofoevcr raafces than the fault, f .ve make 
 rhem the mends. And, you know, wc 
 ufefoto do, whentha/y itay rot to ii ; 
 it out, but meekly come, and tell us. We 
 
 Glory, fays St. Paul, in Tribulation- 
 
 knowing, that Tribulation worketh Paticnccc 
 and Patience Experience > and Experience, 
 Hope, and Hope mak^th not a (turned : in 
 Rem. 5. 3,4., 5. Nor ihali I au j any m 
 
 k r P 
 
28 The Excellency, Necejfity 
 Scriptures, but pals on to the other fide of 
 the Confirmation, which is the Scriptural 
 Reafons, 
 
 And thefe I fhall derive from the two 
 principal terms in the Qo&rittal propor- 
 tion, Patience. andE \ 
 
 For by that rime thcfe two be confide- 
 red,it vyil! eafijy be conqluded,that famous 
 Patience may hope a Famous End. And 
 
 i. Let us confider Patience, both what 
 it do's. 
 
 And what Company it keeps. 
 
 Then, End, both as effe&ed , and Ex- 
 emplified. 
 
 For the firft Term in the Propofition , 
 Patience, and 
 
 i. What it do's. 
 
 Why ! Give Glory to God it do's ; yea, 
 Patience do's, and then what do's famous 
 Patience ? Now, the word is gone out of 
 the mouth of the Lord for the Honouring 
 of his Honourers , as you have heard, in 
 I Sam. 2. 30. Them that Honour me I mil 
 Honour. What Honour God has at the 
 hands of Patience I might largely (hew, 
 and out of what has been afore-faid, when 
 I told you, what caufeth Patience, makes 
 a man quiet in an Afflidled time and ftate, 
 but I will give onely a brief touch. 
 
 1. Pa- 
 
and Vfefuhefs of Patience. 29 
 
 1. Patience gives God the glory of his 
 Providence acknowledges him the doer 
 of what his People fuffer, that whatever, 
 or whoever be the Tiftrument, his is the 
 blow. Job, of whofe Patience ye have 
 heard, as my Text fays, is heard to fay , 
 in Job r. he Lord hath take.* *waj. 
 Indeed he-had been (old b) one Meffcn^c**, 
 in the 15.^. T^r the Sftbaans had taken 
 hisOxcn^ and by another, in ne ij.v. 
 That the Ghal laeans hqd carried awaj his 
 Camels ; but he tc!!s not of them of whom 
 he had been to; I do's not fay The Lord 
 hath given , and Men have taken, but 
 looks through the Creatures at the Crea- 
 tor, without whon ^qinbedone, 
 either againft us, ci ior us. 
 
 2. Patience gives God the Glory asof 
 his Agency, foof his 
 
 Authority; acknowledges, not onely, 
 that he is the doer of what we fuffer, but 
 alfo, that he was free to do it; The Lord, 
 faid Job j erft, hath taken away, Dominus, 
 The Lord, our Lord he is, and the Lord of 
 what is ours, and may not he do what he 
 will with his own i Yea, he, who fo gives 
 unto us, as he referves a property to him- 
 felf. Hear him, inHof. 2.8 ,ft. / gave 
 her Corn. Andprefently, f will take awaj 
 
30 The Excellency, Nect\jity 9 
 
 my Corn ~ This Patience knows and con- 
 siders. 
 
 3. Patience gives God the Glory of his 
 Prudence, acknowledge*, that he knows 
 beft, what is for him to do, and for us to 
 fuffer. Let him do what feemcth him good , 
 faid Eh , in 1 Sam. 3.18. Not, wnar I 
 think, butwhatheknovvs.hr. 
 
 4. Patience gives God the Glory of his 
 Faithfulnefs, acknowledges , That he is 
 one, whom fhe may trull; Let him da y 
 faid Eh, erft, Speaking as one,That uuril, 
 and did refer the matter to him. 
 
 Laftly, Patience gives God the Glory 
 of his Pitifulnefs, acknowledges, that 
 with him there is Mercy, and tender Mer- 
 cy. David, Patient David (pake, as you 
 heard, of the Lords looking upon his Af- 
 fliction, and requiting him good for Shi- 
 mei's Curfing him, 2 Sam 16.12. I have 
 done with what Patience do's , and pro- 
 ceed, in a fecond place, To 
 
 What Company it keeps. For, from 
 hence likewife it will beconcludible, That 
 Famous Patience may hope a Famous 
 End. And 
 
 i. Patience keeps Humility Company, 
 as appears by the Aatithefis, in Ecclef 7. 8. 
 The Patient in Spirit is better than the Pro&d 
 
 in 
 
and vfefnlnefs tf Ptfiene. 3 j 
 in Svtrit. Patience is rooted in Humility j 
 the humblu that a Man is, and willinget 
 he is to endure what God lnflids : Now, 
 how, I pray , Ends Humility ? Why / 
 Honourably. Even as lower Ebb,and high- 
 er Tyde ; lower Founoation, higher Roof; 
 hear Solomon, in Prov. 13. 33- Before Ho- 
 nour is Humility. And Peter ■, in 1 Pet. 5.6. 
 Codreffteth the Proud, and giveth Grace ta 
 the Humble . as the moft High is a moft 
 profefied Enemy to the haughty, fo a faft 
 Friend to the Lowly ; The Richefi: Wines 
 are laid in the loweft Cellars, the Valleys 
 are fat and full , while the Hills but bare 
 and barren. 
 
 2. As Patience keeps Humilitv,fo Know- 
 ledge Company; We glory in Tribulations -* 
 knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience % 
 and Patience Experience -•- and ^0 forth. 
 Knowing, The Patient arc Prudent, ac- 
 quainted with, and applicative of God's 
 ways and dealings, do know and confider ? 
 that Affliction cometh not forth of the 
 duft ? but their Suffering is his doing • that 
 he means rhem good by all the evils, do 
 over-take them : That his People have 
 afore time gathered Grapes of Thorns,and 
 Figgsof Thirties. In fliort, a good under- 
 ftanding have all they. Now, what good, 
 
 may 
 
3 2 The Excellency, Nccefjity, 
 
 may be hoped to come of this, that F- .. 
 mife, in Pfal. 9 r. 14, r 5. will fhew 
 I vpittfet him on High, becaufe he hath kjft 
 tnj Nam:, I will deliver htm, 
 him : Do you not hear ? Deliver* Htm , 
 astheonely wife God hatn nopleafureiq 
 Fools, fo fuch as know his Name, (hall 
 fee his Salvation, yea, with Salvation will 
 *ebeautifie them. 
 
 3. Patience, as it keeps Humility, and 
 Knowledge Company, \o likewife Faith j 
 J had f aimed, fays David , mlefs I had be- 
 lieved, in Pfal. 27. 13. Mofes endured, of 
 feeing him who is invifible , Heb. 11.27. 
 Faith peeps under the Vizard, and fays, 
 Pater eH, it is my Father, that fpeaks thus 
 loud j purs the Head within Heaven, and 
 fays, The fufferings of this prefent time 
 are not worthy to be compared with the 
 Glory, that (hall be revealed. Feeds upon 
 the Promifes, and fays, fair weather's 
 next. Improves Providences, Experien- 
 ces, Obfervations, and fays, where is he, 
 that brought them up out of the Sea ? with 
 much more that might be faid of the feats 
 of Faith, which ferve for the Patienting 
 of us. Now, what is the End of Faith ? 
 Why ! Hear the Prophet Naham, in Na. 
 1. 7. The Lord is good- and he knoweth 
 
 them 
 
&nd vfefulnefs of Patience. J 5 
 
 them that truft in him. The Pfalmift, ill Pfd. 
 147. 1 1 The Lord taketh pleafiire in thofe y 
 that hope in his Mercy. The Apoftle, in 
 Hcb. 6. 12. Through Faith and Patience 
 the] Inherit the Prcmif\ And yet again, 
 the Apoftle, in zThef. 1. 10. where he 
 makes up all. He fiat come to be glorified 
 in his Saints, and to be admired in all them 
 that believe. One (ays well, Admiration is 
 the over-plus of Expedition. 
 
 Fourthly, and Laftly, Patience, as it 
 keeps Humility, Knowlege, faith, fd 
 alfo Love Company ; witnefs St. ]ames y 
 i n fame* 1.12. Bleffed is the Man that en- 
 dureth Temptation, for when he is tryed y hi 
 fhall receive the Crown of Life , which the 
 Lord hath promifed to them that Love him. 
 Here Endurers are termed Lovers. They 
 fay well, that fay, Love has broad fhoul- 
 ders; he that loves much , will fuffer 
 j much: A Loving Child, what will not he 
 bear, either for his Father, or from him? 
 We tell of running through the Fire for a 
 Friend, how containing then is the Love 
 of Chrift f Now, 1 muft tell you , that 
 here there's no Love loft; yea, let our 
 Saviour himfclf tell you, in John 14. 2 5. 
 If a Man love me - - My Father will Love 
 htm. The Lord takes his People's Love 
 
 kindly. 
 
54 Tie Excellency -, Neceflity-> 
 kindly, yea, and they Hiall know as much, 
 and to the fenfe wherein I amfpeaking, 
 as you'l fay, when you fee Pfal. 91. 14. 
 JBecanfe he hath fet his love uvon me^ there~ 
 fore will 1 deliver him j 1 will fet him on high y 
 becaufehehathkyown my Nzme. Will the 
 Lord fet fuch a one free? he will fet him 
 en high ! 
 
 This for the firft head of Reafons, Pa- 
 tience, You have heard my Beloved, how 
 concludible the Doftrine is, That famous 
 Patience may hope a famous End ; upon 
 Confideration both of what Patience do's, 
 and what Company it keeps : I go one to 
 the other Head of Reafons. 
 
 The End, two ways Confidered : ei- 
 ther 
 
 As Effected ; 
 Or Exemplified : And 
 1. AsEffe&ed; for who is the Effeft- 
 or ? is it not the Lord ? it's called here in 
 the Text, The End ef the Lord: and we 
 may well conceive, That the Lord will 
 irake fuch an JEnd as this with his fuffer- 
 ing Servants ; when we confider, 
 
 I. That he is the God of Patience; for 
 
 he is ftiled in Rom 154. yea, of ail 
 
 patience, as may be gathered from Col. 
 
 \*9.cHm 11. He it is that do's give us 
 
 Pari- 
 
And Vfefulnefs of P attend. 3 j 
 Patience, and tofucha pitch: The God 
 of all Grace he is, and, will not he own, 
 yea, and Crown his own Work in us ? 
 Yes, yes, He that gives Grace, will alfo 
 give Glory, pfel. 49, \ 1. Heb. 6. 12. 
 
 2. The God of Tii.ih: his Charafter 
 in Tit. 1. 2. is Mentire NefcJHf s God, 
 that cannot lye. Now, I pray, how fair 
 has he fpoken Patience up and down the 
 Scriptures f Take one place for all, Mom. 
 2 . 7 Who will render to t zerj man according 
 to his deeds \ to them, vcho bj Patient conti- 
 nuance in well doing [cek^fo, glory, and honor, 
 and immortality , Eternal Life. Eeternal 
 Life is a Life of Eternal Glory; and this, 
 *s Patient Continuers are here faid to 
 fcek; fo they are promifed, they (hall 
 find ; and it cannot condft with the faith- 
 fulness ofGod, in vain euher to imprefs 
 luch a feeking upon iheir Spirits, or to 
 put fgch a word among the Promifes. The 
 Devil inded, whoisaLvar, and the Fa- 
 ther of it, leads his Vaflalsinto a Foofs 
 Paradife ^ but fo do's not the Lord : the 
 God of Truth do's not fo by his Servants. 
 
 LoLly, A God of Mercy,; our fob, as I 
 have been faying, was not without his 
 failings; like as there is not the meekeft 
 Mofe s amongft us, that can fay, mj heart 
 
 u 
 
j 6 The Excellency, Neceffity^ 
 is clean : But, though there be Infirmities 
 in us, there is Mercy with God, and Ten- 
 der Mercy, as the Context tells us ; and, 
 What happinefs, what honor may not be 
 hoped at Mercy, and fuch Mercies hand ? 
 
 I have no farther to fay to the End in 
 the firft Capacity, I mean, confidered as 
 Effccftcd. 
 
 I proceed to fpeak to it in the Second, 
 to wit ; 
 
 As Exemplified; for thus again it is a 
 Fountain of Reafoning. Well may it be 
 concluded, That famous Patience may 
 have a famous End, when it is confider- 
 ed, That ere now fuch an End has been 
 the Portion of fuch Patience. Exemplifica- 
 tion is wont to raife Expectation, efpeci- 
 aliy in neer and dear Relation : when one 
 of your Parents gives fomerhing to one 
 Child, the reft, you know, will be look- 
 ing forfomewhat too; As for the Exem- 
 plification, that 1 am in hand with, that 
 it may much more raife Expe&ation, 
 will appear upon fundry Accounts ; as 
 
 i. Upon the account of the Author; 
 for the Lord that made fuch an end with 
 
 fit, 
 
 j . Is able to make fuch an End with o- 
 thers : fee Ifa. 26. 4. In the Lord Jehovah 
 
 is 
 
4 nd Vfefulnefs of Pttiencel 3 7 
 
 is everlafiing ftrength.. His hand is not 
 fhortned , his Treafure not exhaufted ; 
 the Fountain of living waters he is, a 
 Fountain that cannot be drawn dry: the 
 Portion of Jacob he is, a Portion that can 
 never be fpent. 
 
 2. Nor do s his Gompafiion, any more 
 than his Power, fail, fee Lam. 3.22. and 
 hear the Apoftle, in T{om. 14. 12. The fame 
 Lord over all is Richnnto all', as he conti- 
 nues Rich in Score } fo he continues Rich 
 in Mercy, Mercy to deliver, to honor one 
 Job after another. 
 
 2. Upon the Acconnt of the Objeft, for 
 our fobj whom the Lord made fuch a gra- 
 cious End with. 
 
 1. Is is not the Only Man, whofe nota- 
 ble Patience has had remarkable fuccefsj 
 it is fatdof Abraham^ mHcb.6. 15. That 
 after be had patiently endured, he obtained 
 the Promife : and in the fame chap. ver. 12. 
 of others, that through Faith and Patience, 
 inherit the Promifes. Patience is a beaten 
 way to Glory. 
 
 2. A Mm he was, fubjeft to like pafli. 
 ons, as we are ; worthy Obfervation is the 
 Anticipation in cafe of Prater, and Preva- 
 lence of it, which our Apoftle ufeth in c. 
 5. v. 6. Ettas, fais he, was Sfljutirtft left 
 1 any 
 
JS The Excellency, Neceffity, 
 any fhould have faid, Elias was a lingular 
 Perfon, who can look for his Experience ? 
 So now in the Gale of Patience, and the 
 happy fuccefs thereof, fome, haply, would 
 fay, Job was one of a thoufand, who 
 can expedi fuch an end, as he had? To 
 whom I would fay, Job was, as Ellas wzs, 
 a man fubjeft to like pafiions with us ; he 
 had, as hath been lhewcd, his peccant 
 pangs, and pafiions ; at, d therefore,though 
 wearetoftrive againft, and coniourno- 
 ver failings in an afflided time and ftate, 
 accordingly as we find Job to have had his 
 Penitential Recollections, and Retra&i- 
 ons, in ^40.4,5. Ycr are we not oy 
 reafon thereof, to doubt, and difpond, as 
 the Lord would not gracioufly iflfue our 
 troubles. That's notable), and comfor- 
 table place, and pafTage , Cant: 5. 1. 
 I have eaten my Honey-comb with my Honey : 
 the Honey, though not fevered from the 
 Wax, was not reje&ed : Behold, Infir- 
 mities pardoned, and Sincerity accepted. 
 Again, 
 
 In the third and laft place, this Exem- 
 plification may raife Expe&ation, as up- 
 on the account of Aut! or, and Objeft, as 
 you have heard, fo alfo of EnJ and 
 life. 
 
 Fcr 
 
and Vfefulnefs of Vdtience. $9 
 
 For it is very fure, That what was done 
 to fob, was not done only for Job : no, 
 for then how is it, that our Apoftle makes 
 mention of his Sticcefs, when he makes 
 motion for others Patience ? See, and con- 
 fider the Stb verfe of this Chapter to the 
 nth. I remember, whatisfaid of Abra- 
 ham , in point of Faith, Eom. 4. 23 > 24. It 
 was not written for hisfakf done , but alfo for 
 us. So may I fay of Job, in matter of Pa- 
 tience. 
 
 The End of the Lord ended not in him ; 
 but this, like as whatfoever things were 
 written aforetime, was written for our 
 learning, that we through Patience, and 
 Comfort of the vScriptures , might have 
 hope: Longipu projpexit Deus y God both 
 in his Works, aucl in his Word has a far- 
 ther Reach. 
 
 3. The Vindication which is the third 
 Branch of the Amplification, comcth on, 
 he freeing of the Do&rir.e from feme Ex- 
 :eption that fome would tak£ to it ; for 
 when I fay, Famous Patience may hope 
 
 famous End; they fay, Thcfeare vain 
 lopes, whether Obfer vers , or Suffeiers 
 )e confidercd. 
 
 1 . Obfervers,for who is not aware ? 
 
 I« In the Cafe of Job 7 what it is, that 
 I 2 hath 
 
/^o The Excellency, Necefjity, 
 
 hath pad into a Proverb? Why,his Poverty* 
 As poor as Job, This is the Proverb, that 
 liveth now he is dead: His After Riches are 
 not of fuch Ordinary mention and comme- 
 moration among men ; in like manner, 
 fay they, we may make account, that af- 
 ter all our enduring the world will but 
 take hold of our low eftate, how we were 
 deprived, impoverished, and the like, and 
 what credit can there come by this f 
 
 Whereto I Anfwer. 
 
 i. That the Providence of God. hath 
 not put o$}ob only with fuch a Proverbial 
 Record, there is a Scriptural to boot, as 
 my Text witnefTeth ; Te have heard of the 
 Patience of fob, and have feen the End of the 
 Lord. So as where ever, to the end of the 
 world, the Word (hall be Preached, this 
 fhali be fpoken of for a Memorial of him. 
 
 2. As for other Endurers, though as I 
 have heretofore faid, it's no looking for 
 another Bible, wherein to be account gi- 
 ven of, as Job is, yet they need not to be 
 unobferved, and unmentioned for all that ; 
 for the people of God [ the men of the 
 men of the world are ,not the only men ] 
 have in all generations both their eyes and 
 mouths open. Again, 
 
 2. They urge the Cafe of the Martyrs, 
 
 who 
 
*ndL Vfefvlxefs of Patience. 41 
 
 who were indeed notable for Patience.-Oh! 
 how they kiffed Stakes, embraced Flames, 
 were as willing to die, as to dine ! and yet, 
 fay they, omeng fomc do ftand in the rank 
 and roll of Malefactors, not of Martyrs. 
 
 Whereto I Anfwer, Perfecutors are no 
 Competent Judges } he that kills a Dog, 
 will, no doubt, fay, he went mad firftj 
 and it is well known, what the Jews faid 
 to our Saviour in John 10. 33. For a good 
 xvork^ we ftone thee not, but for BUffhemj. 
 Such as dire to take way Life, will not 
 fear to take away Good name ; But Wif- 
 dome is jttftified of her Children. Thus for 
 Obfervers. Then, 
 2. As for Sufferers. 
 
 Why, When I fay, Famcns Patience 
 may hope a Famous End. The Gainfjyers 
 come in and fay. Thefe are vain hopes, 
 atjleaft upon this account, that the very 
 beft Sufferers are far from being Sinlefs, e« 
 ven Job himfelf did pirifully break out; 
 and therefore inftea J of Hope, what caufe 
 is there rather of Fear? 
 
 True, If the Lord ihould becxtreamto 
 mark iniquity • but, what fais our Apoftle, 
 in the words next after the Text ? The 
 Lord is very pitiful^ and of tender mercy. Job 
 had to do with a Merciful God, and there- 
 I 3 fore 
 
42 The Excellency, Necejjity^ 
 fore hid fuch a comfortable, and honou- 
 rable End; Vahominumvita — fays one, 
 woe to the beft alive, (hould he be Aridi- 
 ty dealt with- And now, my Brethren, 
 you have, what I have to fay by way of 
 Amplification. 
 
 The Application of the Doftrine fol- 
 lowed. 
 
 It will be greatly of life to us, 
 
 i. By way of Information and Inftru- 
 ftion i for if this be fo , That Famous 
 Paticme may hope a Famous End, then 
 we Learn, 
 
 i. What a juft Account, that is, which 
 fome make of Enduring ; Behold, vre count 
 them happj which Endure : Indeed , they 
 may well, for we ufe to fay, AIVs well y , 
 that ends well, and fo Patience will. Truth 
 is, There's a Bleflednefs of Patience,even 
 at Prefent, for oh / what a bleflednefs is 
 it? 
 
 i . To efcape all that evil, that Patience 
 dos ? Impatience is as peccant, as it can 
 hold, ah ! what grudging and grumbling 
 there is , where it is ! what fretting and 
 fuming, what foolifh charging of God, 
 what thinking of one s felf above that , 
 which is meet to think! See PfaL 37. u 
 Cum 7. Job 1. ult> Eccl. 7. 8. 
 
 2. To 
 
and Vfefulnefs of Patience. 4} 
 
 2. To Ad; all chat good, that Patience 
 do's. An Impatient Minis amort Imper- 
 fect Mm , tir to be neither at home nor 
 abroad \ neither (icfc, nor whole ; neither 
 Rich, nor Poor ^ neither Matter, nor Ser- 
 vant; neither one thing, nor another. It 
 is in Pacience, that we poifcfs our Souls, 
 Luken.19. In Pa:ience that we purfue 
 our Callings, 2 Tim. 2.24. Cum 25. la 
 Patience, that we fo much Glonfie God, 
 as you have heard. But betides the blef- 
 fednefs of Patience at Prefent, what is 
 there, I pray, in futurity? It's comfor- 
 table to confiden, how Patience carries on ; 
 But then to think, how it comes off, is 
 fwect, and very fweet : The End of the 
 Lord abundantly makes amends for all 
 the Poverty, all the Reproach , all rhe 
 Pain, all the Grief, the fuffering Servants 
 of Go i have undergone ; whofo had feen 
 the latter end of Job, would have thought, 
 he had feen a bleffed fight - 7 what an Eftatc 
 he had, what a Family; what coming 
 there was to him, what Congratulating 
 of him} how long he lived in Profperiry 
 ind Opulency ; and ye: , what was all 
 this to Heaven's welcom after all? 
 
 2. If this be fo, That Famous Patience 
 nay hope a Famous End, then we learn, 
 I 4 what 
 
44 The Excellency^ NeceJJity, 
 what wholfom Advice it is to lcc Patience 
 have her perfect work. See James 1.4. 
 It's no interrupting Patience, Patience and 
 Providence muft go hand in hand. That 
 was curfed Advice which Job's Wife gave 
 him, in Jcb 2. 9. Cnrfe God, and dje. And 
 the good Man took it as ill, Tboafpeakeft, 
 faid he, in v. 10. as one of the foolijh Wo- 
 men fpeaketh. Grow in Grace we ihould, 
 and particularly in Patience } we can skill 
 well to grow in goods, to grow Rich,grow 
 great, grow into favour ; and growing in 
 Grace is a far greater matter , growing; 
 more meek, more fubmitting — we (hall 
 have no caufe to repent, of Patience : You 
 know, how it is with the Husband-man , 
 that has long Patience,at Harveft he would 
 not wifh, it had been any lefs ; then it 
 do's not trouble him to have been out in 
 the wet or cold, then he would not defire 
 any thing undone, unfuffered ; and fo is 
 it with the Enduring Servants of God } as 
 Abigail faid to David, fo fay I to one of 
 them. "This (hall be no grief unto thee. 
 
 3. If this be fo, then we learn, what 
 a Friends turn they do us, that pray over 
 our Patience \ fee Col.i. 9,10,1 1. Not one- 
 ly do they wifh us well, that in the evil 
 day wifh us deliverance j who, when we 
 
 arc 
 
and Vfefotoefs of Paticnc. 4 j 
 
 are down, down upon the Bed of Sick- 
 ncfs, or down i'th' World, do pray, and 
 fay, Let there be a lifting up; but they 
 alfo, yea, they efpecially, that are, with 
 the Martyr, for the holding out of Faith 
 and Patience. 
 
 4. If this be fo, then we learn, how 
 very gracious the Lord is in the notable 
 Patienting of his Servants } yea, for this 
 is a double Bleffing, a Bleffing at prefenr, 
 and a Bleffing in the Iffue. You that are 
 ftrengthned unto all Patience, are Blcffed 
 now, and the End will alfo bring Bleffed- 
 pefs with it. Well might the Apoftle, as 
 he doth, in Phil. 1. 29. reckon Suffering, 
 as well as Believing among the gifts of 
 God; Tojouit is given, fays he, notoriety 
 to believe --- but alfo to fufer. A fair gift 
 of God it is. When ever he raifesup a 
 Man to be another Job in his Generation , 
 he raifes him indeed. It is laid of the Gi- 
 ants, in Gen. 6. 4. That they were Men of 
 Renown \ what a Renown is it then to be, 
 zsfob was, a Giant in Grace? A Giant 
 in Patience ? A Porter is famous , accor- 
 dingly as he goes readily away with an 
 heavy burden- and fo thefe Spiritual Por- 
 ters, it is no fmall honour to them, when 
 they endure a great Fight of Afflictions, 
 
 do 
 
^6 The Excellency, Neceffxty, 
 
 do t^Jce joyfully the fpoyling of their 
 goods, the blurring of their Names, &c 
 Yea, and when we atfo think of the lat- 
 ter end of Job } how God will blefs t\ 
 what Glory (hall be revcaiel in him, then 
 we muft needs Cry, Grace, Grace unto it. 
 The Truth is, God is nrtoJre Liberal a great 
 deal to his People, than many imagine j 
 when his Servants do abound and fiourifh, 
 then his bounty is judged to do fotoo; 
 but how few do think :o y when they fee 
 thera Afflicted? Or, if they be aware of 
 hisGoodnefs to them in their Supportati- 
 on, yet they are very few , that confider 
 this according to the praefa^e and fo •_ bo- 
 ding of it, what al! this Patience of theirs 
 fjgnifies, the glorious End and liiue, that 
 is towards. 
 
 5. If this befo, then we learn, what 
 true and due matter of Comfort job like 
 Sufferers arc to their Chriftian Friends; 
 I may confidently fay , That where fuch 
 Patience is, there Glorying may be. If 
 the Apoftle could tell upon what account 
 to boift. Hear him, in 2 Thef 1. 4. We 
 our felves glorj in yon, in the Churches of 
 God for jour Patience in all jour Perfections 
 and Tribulations, that ye endure. Mark, 
 We our felves] md t in the Churches of God ] 
 
 do 
 
 
Md vfefufatfs of TAtience. 47 
 do Glory injoit. ] Thefe Endurers are Per- 
 fons for thofe, that know what is what, 
 and among thofe, that likewife know, to 
 make their boaft of. Carnal People, that 
 make an Idol of flceping in a whole skin , 
 and a Humbling block of pain and fmart , 
 are ready both to cenfure and fhame with 
 fuch : But the People of God , who are 
 not a Senfual People, do difcern a Spirit 
 of Glory refting upon them all the while ; 
 fee how much they are honoured atpre- 
 fent, and fore fee what great Honour is 
 remaining for them : How that by that 
 time both Ends be brought together, the 
 Mention and Memory of them will be 
 BlefTed. 
 
 Sixthly, and Laftly. If this dc fa, then 
 we learn, what caufe there is for the Ser- 
 vants of God to count it a Joy, and all 
 Joy, when they fall into divers Temptati- 
 ons, yea, for this a ftep to Preferment; 
 See fames 1.3. 1 was fpeaking in the pre- 
 cedent Section, How we are to carry it 
 towards our Enduring Brethren ; now I 
 am faying, what our fclf behaviour is ; As 
 we were to Glory in them, fo we are to 
 Rejoyce over our felvcs. Worldlings, 
 who indeed are blind, look no farther than 
 the Crofles and LofTcs, that Lefall us, and 
 
 there* 
 
48 The Excellency, Neceffity, 
 
 therefore go away fluking their Heads f 
 and fharpnmg their Tongues, as I (hall 
 fpeak more anon, not confidering that 
 God has a way of bringing his People to 
 Fame, by bringing tnem into Affliction, a 
 way of lifting them up by calling chem 
 down. Yea, but this is thar, which we 
 aretoconfider, and this is aConlideration, 
 that might Mmifter to us much Confola- 
 tion} for who would not be content to fit 
 bare to have a Grown feton ? Temptati- 
 ois may be divers, and they may be nu- 
 merous as well as various , and grievous 
 as well as both ; ^oV% were fo, but we fee 
 what was the IfTue, a blefled End the Lord 
 made with him: Who then is a wife Man 
 amongft us, that upon occafion he may be 
 fo far from quarrelling with Affliction, as 
 to rejoyce at the thought of Succefs ? What 
 he may hope, if he can ftoop, what he 
 may carry away : A Prudent Patient Chri- 
 ftian is a Bird, that may fing i'th deep of 
 Winter. 
 
 2. For Reproof j 
 
 If this be fo, that famous Patience may 
 hppe a famous End, then what blame is 
 juftly the Portion of them, that are far 
 from encouraging this hope? Far from 
 ftrengthning the hands of God's fuffering 
 
 Scr- 
 
and Vfefulnefs of Patience. 49 
 Servants in the day of their greateft En- 
 durings t Now, thefe are efpecially of 
 
 Three forts } and 
 
 Thefirft and w or ft are 
 
 Scornful Infulters, fuch as make a mock 
 of fuch Hope, like them , in Pfal. zz. 8. 
 He tr ufted in the Lord^ that he would deli- 
 ver him j and thofc, in PfaL 14. 0. Ye 
 have foamed the Counfel of tie Poor 7 becanfe 
 the Lord is his Refnge. As the Seat of the 
 Scornful is feldom empty, fo it is wont to 
 be thronged in the Evil day, Then efpeci- 
 ally Evil Men appear in their Colours? 
 Oh ! fay they , now we fee what comes 
 of their Dayes and Duties, what becomes 
 of their Prayers and Profefiions ; we fee, 
 how God delivers them, what he do's for 
 them. Such Perfons as thefe, would, if 
 they could , flout the People of God out 
 of their Confidence , the Devil is much 
 beholding to them, and they deferve Let- 
 ters of thanks from Hell , yea, there is 
 one thing, that I may not fail to tell them, 
 That as we ufe to fay Proverbially of 
 fcorning, they may fear it's coming away 
 by them i and in three fad things, Fear, 
 Shame, Harm; and 
 
 1. Fear, They would not allow the af. 
 Aided to hope and what if it (hall be their 
 
 own 
 
jo The Excellency, Neceffity, 
 own Portion to fear ? arc they not rightly 
 ferv'd? fee the fore-cited PfaL 14. 6,cnm 
 5. where it's faidof them that fharaed the 
 Counfel of the poor, That they were in fear., 
 and in great fear : yea, fais the Pfalmifi y 
 PfaL 53-5- where no fear was. A juft re- 
 compence of reward, and indeed a Con- 
 gruous, as well as a Righteous. 
 
 2. Shame; according to that, in Mic. 
 7. 9, 1 C He will bring me forth to the Light, 
 faith the Church : Then fie, that is mine E* 
 nemj, fha&fee it, and fiame JhaH cover her, 
 which faid unto me, where is the Lord thy 
 Cod? Behold here the fhamer fhani'd, and 
 even covered with fhame; to be ftiair/d 
 at all is fad ; much more, fure, to have 
 fhameto cover one! An Important ex* 
 predion it is, it fpeaks abundance, even 
 as our Cloathing encompafles our bodies ; 
 it fpeaks Evidence, even as when we go 
 abroad, our Cloathing is feen. When 
 once the Churche's deliverance comes, 
 then her Enemies know not, which way 
 to go, how either to look or fpeak. 
 
 Laftly, Harm, Refumc Mkh. 7. and 
 read out the iorfeverfe, Mine eyes fiall be- 
 hold her, her, that faid, Where is the Lord 
 thy God ? now fhall (he be troden down 
 as the mire of the Streets. She, that fome 
 
 times 
 
ana vftfufaefs of Tatience. 5 1 
 
 fate in the feat of the Scornful; what? 
 be brought down? (he fhallbc 
 wn, troden cown as the myrc 
 This is a coming down with 
 . with a Vengeance ! When 
 _ord has done with his Friends, thea 
 - his Enemies: The End of the Lord 
 his fuffering Servants is the beginning 
 e ethers forrows. This be fpoken of 
 ]] lnfulters. 
 A fecond fort of Per fens to whom the 
 Dotfrine d^als blame, is, Carnal Coun- 
 feliei 
 
 Who, Inftead of fpeaking a word in 
 feafon, do fpeak as one of the foolifh ones 
 fpeakcth, as?*& told his Wife, (he did, 
 ?(?&2.9, 10. Dead fhe is, yet lives in too 
 many, who, alas, are no promoters of Pa- 
 tience ; they arc not for their Relations 
 fuffering, but rather finning, finning to 
 fhift off fuffering : like as 1 read, that fomc 
 of the Martyrs , had their Wives and 
 Children, as they were going towards the 
 Stake, Crying, and Calling after them, 
 ITurn, Turn, Undonot your fejves andus. 
 So as the Relator doubts not to fa v, They 
 had not only the Flame, but Temptation 
 to encounter with. HlCounfd. is an ill 
 Office from any hard, but hew ill is it 
 
 cfpe- 
 
4>2 The Excellency, Nectffity^ 
 
 efpccially from fome? Should a Wife, 
 Child, Friend, give a man a Cup of Poy* 
 fon > every one would condemn them t 
 who then fhall plead for thofe, that give 
 their Friends Empoyfoned Counfel? Ill* 
 Counfel is an ill office at any time, but 
 how ill is it cfpecially at fuch a time, as 
 the World, and the Flefh, and the Devil 
 may be prefumed to be bufie. I (hall fay 
 no more to the fecond Part. 
 
 3. The Do&rine reproves Miftaking 
 Cenfurers.' 
 
 And this fort of miferable Comforters 
 Job had to do with, and complains of, 
 <;• hb 27. 5. God forbid, fais he, that I 
 fbouidJuJlifiejoH till I die , I will not remove 
 mine Integrity from me. That Barbarians^ 
 as in j4tts 28. 4. ftiould count them wick- 
 ed, whom they fee afflided, is no great 
 wonder; for Worldlings are Blindlings, as 
 I have been faying. But when good men 
 have not a good word foragood man in the 
 evil day,this is fad, and very fad; and,pray, 
 what faid Eliphaz. unto Job in fuch a time 
 and ftate ? in fib 4. 6. Is not this thy Vp- 
 rightnefs f as who (hould fay, Is it not 
 now feen, what an Hypocrite thou art? 
 now Gods hand hath found thee out, and 
 laid thee otir, what need we any farther 
 
 Wit- 
 
Mi VjcfHlMjs of Ptttenct. $ j 
 
 Witnefles ? Thus amongft both good and 
 bad,, fuffering Saints oft undergo hard cen- 
 furcs. 4foy, inftead of being encouraged, 
 inftead of having their Patience acknow- 
 ledged, and their Confidence ftrengthned, 
 are grievoufiy Cenfuied: And now how 
 Cenfurable fuch Cenfurcrs as thefe, are, 
 would appear upon many accounts, but I 
 (hall fhcw only upon one ; They that 
 would lay on a heavy Roof, had need of 
 ftrong Walls, and a firm Foundation : 
 butfo have not thefe Cenfurcrs, who li- 
 iually build the Charge of unfoundnefs 
 upon the unfound grounds. 
 
 I Of more than ordinary Afflifh'on. 
 /This dazzled the Barbarians crft, Acts ~8. 
 4. When they [aw, fais the Text, the Vene- 
 mous Beafi hang upon Panl's hand 7 they [aid 
 among themfelve; y no doubt, this man is d 
 Murderer. And this you know, was alfo 
 fobs great difadvantage amongft his 
 Friends. Whereas 1c is well known, what 
 the Preacher faith, Prov. 9. 2. At thing: 
 come alike to all. 
 
 2. Of particular Failings in tV. dole of 
 Affliction, another of fob's difadvantage 
 for he Brake out pitifully, as I have fa 
 and (hew'd from cfo. 3. 2. whereas we can 
 hear the Preacher again faying, in a.?. 2d. 
 K Ti 
 
54 ^ Excellency i Neceffity y 
 There is not a jufl man upon Earth, that 
 doeth good and finmth not ; Omni dititim 
 Sanutinon eft S anil urn , Men arc not to 
 be judged by every ftep, but by their way. 
 See PfaL 139. ult. Two Ules of the Do- 
 ftrine are difpatched, a Third, andLaft, 
 and it will be large, cometh on, an 
 
 life of Exhortation. 
 
 For if this be thus, That Famous Pati- 
 ence may hope a Famous End, Then how 
 (hould the People of God be dealt with, 
 Firft, to fear none of thofe things, which 
 they (hall fuffer ? Not to be troubled, when 
 their Patience is to be Exercifed ? For, 
 who, in other kinds fears to become Fa- 
 mous ? Is afraid to enter the path of Ho* 
 nour? Seei^s;. 2. 10. For carrying on 
 this Exhortation the more, as I could de 
 fire, unto Edification, I {hall fet my felf 
 to fpeak partly in a moving way, and 
 
 Partly in a directing. 
 
 Moving firft. 
 
 And here confider, 
 
 1. That fear is an evil Counfeller, ac- 
 cording to that, in Nehem. 6. 13. W-here 
 Fearing, and Sinning go hand iji hand. 
 Therefore was he hired \ihat Ifhould be afraid, 
 and do fo y and fin. Abraham, Ifaac, Da- 
 vid at C ath y Peter in the High-Priefts Hall, 
 
 what 
 
 j 
 
tndVfefulnrfi of Ntietth. jf 
 what fpcdacles were they -all, I pray, of 
 Infirmity ? And who can but mourn over 
 thofe poor Saints f in u4fts26. 11. Of 
 whom he that had been their Perfecutor, 
 foys, / compelled them to blxffirme. Yea,. 
 yea , many a good man has, e're now, 
 been frighted out of his Duty,, and into 
 Iniquity, fo dangerous a thing it is to over- 
 fear dangers. 
 
 2. This ftaril! becometh God's Peop!e, 
 and moreefpccially fame of them; See 
 Ifa. 8. II, 12. The Lord [pake thut tome — 
 andinfimctedme, that 1 fiiould notwall^in 
 the tvajof this People, faying , fojje not, a 
 Confederacy to all them, to whom this People 
 fbaUfay a Confederacy, neither fear ye their 
 fear, nor he afrai U Look you, this bafe 
 Cowardly fear is called Their fear , not 
 Yours, but Theirs; it's a fhame for fuch 
 as fear God, tobe fo fearful. Men that 
 have good Friends are wont to be in good 
 heart; wellj and you have the beft. This 
 David makes much of, in Pfal. 25. 4. 
 Though I tPalk^j fays he, through the Valky 
 of the fh.'.dnv of Death , I wUlfedrftp ew, 
 for thou art with me; a Child pamng through 
 the dark, ycc cryes not, having his Fa- 
 ther by the (unci. 
 And, as thus it ilKbecomes the People 
 K 2 of 
 
5 6 The Excellency, Nece£tty y 
 
 of God in general to be fo fearful : 
 
 Soefpecially, as I begin to fay, fomc 
 of them \ Nunquam talis ? faid Nebemiah, 
 in Nchcm. 6. 1 1. Should fuch a man as I 
 fiee t And who is there , that being as lam % 
 would — and fo forth. If Leaders in 
 Church or Common-wealth hide their 
 Heads, as it is a difcouragement to others, 
 fo a difcouragement to themfelvcs; it's 
 the commendation of the Ark-bearers , 
 that they firftfet foot in Jordan, Jofh. 3. 
 14* 
 
 3 . This fear is that, which the Enemies 
 tof the Church would have it at. Shema- 
 jab, irt Nchcm. 6. 1 3. was hired to fay toj 
 Nebemiah, what he did, That he jhould b$\ 
 afraid. Wicked Men for the terrifying of) 
 good men will not fpare to beat CoftJ 
 Bonner in the beginning of that PerfecutiJ. 
 oiibrugg'd what he would do with aFag-j 
 gat; yea, he faid, as he would have had 
 r. As the boldnefs of Chriftian vSufferers 
 is 1 wonder to the Adverfary , Attsq* 15. 
 Yea, a vexation , as did appear by thcl 
 fame Bonner, who obferving trie Couragc| 
 a-id C >ntidence of the Martyrs, is faid to 1 
 hive Curfed them, faying, he thought 
 the j delighted in Burning. So the Coward- 
 Inefs uf Prufeflbrs would be a great re- 
 joy cing 
 
*nd Vfefulnefs of Tdtience. 5 7 
 
 joy cing to Perfecutors, they would glory* 
 in your Flcfti, as I may fay; and, furc 
 you would not gratific your Enemy,wou!d 
 you.' N<y, 
 
 4. Crofs your deareft Friend, what fays 
 Jefus Chrift? in Luke 32.4. 1 fay unto jm^ 
 my Friends y be not afraid : do you not bear, 
 how he befpeaks you ? I fay. Be not afraid - y 
 and how Indearingly , 1 fajuntoyoH y my 
 Friends, be not — It is not for hib Friencs 
 to be fearful, no, though the Times were 
 never fo fearful ^ no, for he would not 
 have it fo: I tell you, Jefus Chrift would 
 not have it fo, and fhuold not he have it 
 after his will g We uft to fay to other 
 Friends, it (hall be as you will -, and fhall 
 not Chrift then have his will? Truly, if 
 I ufed no other inducement. The words of 
 Chrift might be f undent ; / fay unto you , 
 myFriejids* be not afraid. Butconfider, 
 
 5. Being afraid how unlike it do's look 
 tobeinyglad; and yet this is that, into 
 which we are both Praeccpced, and Praefi- 
 dented; and 
 
 1. Precepted. 
 
 Mj Brethren, fays St. lames, in James 
 
 J . 2. Connt it all Joy, when ye fall into di^ 
 
 VcrsTerr.fta'ions. CrofTcs oft come thick 
 
 and three-fold, Trooping and treading one 
 
 K 3 iH 
 
5? The Excellency , Neceflity, 
 •in the heels of another, fo did ^'s,while 
 one fad MefTenger was fpeaking , another 
 came, and faid like wife, See }ob 1. 16,17, 
 18. We may come to fall into divers Tempta- 
 tions ; and if we fhould , yet ftrive we 
 fhould to bear up for all that, and labour 
 to Pojfefs our Soult, not only in Patience, but 
 in Comfort ; yea y ^oy^ and all toy. If it be 
 faid, This is high and hard; Let it-bere- 
 membred, How that our Saviour faid, in 
 Mat. 6. 47. What do Jon more than ethers I 
 Thofe,' that are more than others, it is for 
 them to do more than others ; Singular 
 Perfons fn'ould do fingular things : To fet 
 the World awondring, how we can be 
 fo merry in mifery, were to play the Chri- 
 ftian to purpofe. 
 
 2. As we are Precepted, fo alfo 
 Prefidented into this being Glad; Ye 
 took, joy j My r , fays the Apoftle of tf\e good 
 I*eop : e , in Heb. 10. 34. the fmlirtg of 
 jonr Goods. What the World taifcs hea* 
 vily, they took joyfully; moft ufe to.part 
 with their Goods, as with their Bloods, 
 but fo did not they : Shall not we now be 
 followers of them ? And the rather,while 
 we confider, what thefe things arc writ- 
 ten for. Why ! Not otatly the Farnoufing 
 Of them, but alfp the Enfireing of us ; See 
 
 James 
 
and Vfefulncfs of Patience. 59 
 
 fames 5.10. One faid of the Martyrs, go, 
 and warm you by their Fires; Oh! for 
 fuc 1 an Holy ^Emulation as this ! 
 
 Sixthly, an J Laitly. Confider, how 
 1 ling Cowardife is j The Officers , in 
 Dcut. 20 ' re to fpeak to the People, 
 an I fay, What Man is there, that is fear '• 
 ful and faint hearted ? Let him go and return 
 ditto his tfoufejefi his Brethren s heart faint 
 as welt as his heart. It would be a lad thing, 
 m Beloved, to weaken where we (hould 
 ftrengrhen, where we (hould help, to hin- 
 der, we are to be our Brother's Keeper, 
 but if we be his betrayer, how then ? We 
 arc much concerned scarry it wj^I in the 
 Evil day- yea, left through us any (hould 
 mifcarry: fome held , that an Army of 
 Huts led by a Lyon would be more Valo- 
 rous , than an Army of Lyons led by a 
 Hart. Thus far 1 have fpoken in a moving 
 way, and go on to fpeak in a directing} 
 The Directions will concern the Means, 
 
 That we are to ufe againft: the fear of 
 Afflictions, and they are many, as, 
 
 1. The fear of God, according to that, 
 in I fa. 8. 12, 13. — Fear not their fear , 
 neither be afraid, fantlifie the Lord of H^ft* 
 himfelfy and Ut htm be jour fear, and let him 
 Ipejonr dread : A good rcceit, you fee , 
 K 4. againi^ 
 
6o The Excellency^ Neceffitf, 
 gainft other fear is the fear of God \ yea, 
 * or are you not aware, how he is defcribcci 
 here} as The Lord of Hafts ; all the Crea- 
 tures are at his beck and check, that's ever 
 the ftronger fide, which he takes, fo good 
 it is in fearful times to betake us unto him, 
 and co have a care , that we offend not 
 him,but walk worthy of him unto all pica- 
 fjng: See alio Prov. 14. 26. In the fear of 
 the Lord is ftrong confidence , and his ChiU 
 dren fhallhave a place of Refuge. Look you, 
 Confidence , and ftrong Confidence is in the 
 fear of the Lord, a fear-freeing fear this 
 fear is ; yea , it makes Confident , and 
 ftrongly Confident, ,and fo it may well. 
 
 I. \\^en the Effeds of it are confide- 
 red, for, 
 
 1 . By the fear of the Lord Men depart 
 from Evilj Prov, 16. 6. And, Oh! it is 
 Evil, that in the Evil day is fo evil for us. 
 We ufe to fay of Hunger,that it will break 
 done Walls, and we may fay fo of fin} fip 
 demqlifhes Caftle$,breaks through Guards 
 beats up Quarters, lets in Enemies. 
 
 2. By the fe^r of the Lord Men do 
 good, this inclines us to our Duties; O, 
 fays the Lord, in Dtut. 5.29. that there 
 ytere fuch an Heart in them, that thej would 
 fear mf, and keep all my Commandments — 
 
 Now. 
 
 
and Vfefalwfs vf Patient. 6i 
 Now, keep thefe, and the Angels are char- 
 ged to keep us; Pfal. 91. 11. 
 
 2. When the Adjunds of it are confi- 
 dered , for fe^r has the Prcmife , that it 
 has, 
 
 A Promife, firft, €>f Direcftion ; What 
 Man is he , that feareth the Lord ? Him 
 fhallbe teach in the way that he fall ckufe : 
 When others are at their wits c nd, he may 
 hope to know what to do, 
 
 2. Of Protection ; The Angel of 'the Lord 
 encampeth round about them, that fear ln*n $ 
 * Pfal. 34. 7. Loe here, a Guard of Al>§< is f 
 Evallage Numeri y here is , hys Pifcaror 9 
 >^#g^, for Angels, and a furroundiog 
 Guard too. 
 
 Laftly, to fay no more, of ProviGon, 
 See Pfal. 1 1 1 . 5. He hath given Meat unt? 
 them that fear him. He will ever be mindful 
 , of his Covenant. 
 
 Who, who now, but would be in the 
 fear of the Lord ? Nourifh and promote 
 this fear .* 
 
 And if you ask me, How (hall we do 
 this ? 
 
 I commend three Efpecial Helps, 
 Hearing. 
 Meditation. 
 Prayer. And, 
 
 1. Hearing j 
 
$2 The Excelkncy, Neccffity, 
 
 i. Hearing ; Wait upon God in ihc 
 Miniftry of the Word, according to that, 
 in Dent. 4. f O The Lord [aid unto me, ga- 
 ther me the People- toother, and I wUl make 
 them hear my Words , that they may learn to 
 fear me • Alfo PfaL f4.11. C me ye Chil- 
 dren, hearken unto me, I will teach joh the 
 fear of the Lord* Tne Congregation is a 
 School of Virtue, where the Word is 
 taught ; there this *ear is taught alfo. Oa ] 
 Then fly as a Ciowd, and as Doves unto 
 your Windows, be fwift to hear \ let not 
 a drop of Rain, ablaftof Wind "keep you* 
 away, butrtir up yourfelves, and ftrive 
 againft difficulties and discouragements. 
 
 2. Meditation , for there are divers 
 things, that being well confide&ed, ferve 
 to promote the fear of God, and with re- 
 ference to the PerfoR either feared, or fear- 
 ing i and, 
 
 I. Feared, and here I might fpeak of 
 very many things, (hallonelyof two, 
 The Right, He has to £ being 
 
 The Content, He takes in ^feared. 
 And, Firft, The Right hehas^o it, See 
 Jer. 10.7. Who would not fear thee, O King 
 of Nations ? For to thee doth it appertain \ 
 Fear is one of God's dues, that it is; as it 
 appertains unto him to be Loved,believed, 
 
 fa 
 
dxd vfeftifocfs *f Patience. 6$ 
 Obeyed,So alfo to be feared j and,we, that 
 pay men their dues, and fay, God forbid, 
 but that every man fnoi-Id have his own j 
 (hould not, fure,Rob God ! I might have 
 thronged this Section with (hewing more 
 particularly, that it appertains unto God 
 -to be feared upon ihe account of his 
 Grcatnefs, Goodacfs, and Omniprefence, 
 Omnifcience, Holmefs, and other his At- 
 tributes : but I pafs from the Right that 
 He has; to the Content that he takes: 
 mw this is vvitnefTed divers ways • 
 
 i- By requiring it, and fo ofr, and fo 
 earneftly as he do's } See 2 Rings 6. 3 > ,36. 
 
 The Lord made a Covmant, anddoarg- 
 
 edthem,fajing, Tcfiallr.ot fear ether Gods y 
 but the Lord, who brought jcu Hp out of the 
 Land of t>£gjpt — him fhalljoufear— al- 
 fo, aforeciteo Scripture, If 4. 8. 23 . Santti- 
 fie the Lord of Hofis himfelf, and let him be 
 jour Fear^and let him be jour Dread. Heark- 
 en , Sirs. [_ Him. 3 [_ Him. ] 
 
 2. By Enquiring after it, Vbi timor met ? 
 in Aial. 1.6. If I be a Mafter, where is my 
 fear i faith ihe Lord of Hofis— Men rr,a- 
 ny times neglccft their <5wn Commands, 
 never look after the things they gave in 
 Charge to Children, Servants, — The 
 Lord do's not fo. 
 
 3. By 
 
$4 ^ Excellency, Neceffity, 
 
 3. By pleading for it y Fear ye not me} 
 Salt lo the Lord^ wi>Hje not tremble at my pre- 
 face, which have placed the Sand for the 
 bound of the Sea? Do I rule that unruly Crea- 
 ture , and will not you be ruled by me ? Jer. 
 5.22. 
 
 4. By Applauding of it, Haft thou con ji- 
 dred my fervant job ? Said the Lord to Sa. 
 tan; in me I. 8. That there is none like 
 him in the Earth, a perfeft and an upright 
 Man y one that fear eth God: fuch as tneiCj 
 he fays, Shall be bis : and in the day, w\q§ 
 he makes up his Jewels Mai. 3. 16. 17. 
 
 Laftly* |By recommencing of it , Sec 
 Mai. 2. 5. ^ covenant was with him of 
 Life } and Peace, and 1 gave them to him for 
 the fear w^ctewith he feared before me. In- 
 4eed when we have done all we can, we 
 are unprofitable Servants , yea, but yet 
 the fervice of God is not unprofitable 9 
 you can be no loofer by fearing God, no, 
 never fear that. 
 
 Hitherto qf things to be confidered with 
 refpeft to the Perfon feared. Now come 
 on the things receding the Perfon fear- 
 ing. 
 
 Of thefe we have an hint , in Jer. 
 10. 7. Who would not fear thee O King of 
 Nations? For to thee doth it appertain. 
 
 Qui: 
 
A#d Vfefnlnefs of Patience. 6$ 
 Quis non ? Who could not7 
 
 i . Who, that were in his right mind f 
 2. Who, that had a mind to do right i 
 And, 
 
 i. Who, that were in his right mind t 
 For it mnfi needs be folly, and defperacie , Tq 
 negled the King of Nations t that's his Cha- 
 racter here. If a man fhould fay of an 
 Earthly King, a King but of one, or a 
 few Nations, I fear him not, I matter him 
 
 not wife men would be afraid to hear 
 
 fuch a word fpoken \ and yet what is any 
 Earthy King, or even all of them in com- 
 parifon of the King of Nations? of the 
 King of rflngs f of the only Potentate ? 
 for fo he is termed, in i Tim. 6. 1 5. Who 
 then is a wife man , that he may commune 
 with his own hearty and fa) ', who am /, that 
 Ifhould not fear God ? did I know my di- 
 ftance, I could not but know my # duty; 
 what am I by all Nations ? or what arc all 
 Nations unto him ? 
 
 2. Who, that had a mind to do Right? 
 for, it appertains to God to be feared. 
 This is here fubjoyned. 7^°^, that do 
 not fear God, do him palpable wrong, 
 keep his Right, as I have been fpeaking, 
 from him. Who then is a wife man 9 that he 
 may commune w%th his own heartland faj ? 
 
 I 
 
66 The Excellency, Necefltiy, 
 
 I could not for iliame do a man like unto 
 my felf open wrong, and (hall 1 then offer 
 this to God ? I durft not but give untoCz- 
 far the things thai are C<t[ars y and (hall I 
 venture to with-hold from God 1{ the things 
 that are Gods ? What ? deal unrighteoufly 
 with the Righteous God ? yea, and the 
 Gracious, who aflerts my property? Se- 
 cures what appertains unto me ? 
 
 Two of the Means for promoting of 
 the fear of God are difpatched^ Hearing^ 
 and Meditation. 
 
 The Third followeth, and it is, 
 Prayer; according to that jp Pfal. 86. 
 
 I I Vnite my heart to fear thy Name : go we, 
 fay and pray likewife; and in the lifting 
 up of fuch a Prayer, as this, that we may 
 fo-pray,as to wreftle the while,let's be fure 
 to have Recourfe to the Covenant,which is 
 indeed a notable Topick, or Fountain of 
 Reafoning .- hear how it runs , in Jer. 
 32.40. I will make an evedafiing Covenant 
 with them j that I will not turn atvaj from 
 them to do them good • but I mil put mj fear 
 in their hearts^ that they (J) all not depart from 
 me. Look you, Here's a Promife to biild 
 your prayer upon • you may fay. Lord, 
 wc are asking the very thing, that thou 
 haft fpoftn of giving! What ufe you may 
 
 'and 
 
and vfefulvefs of Patience. 6 J 
 and fhould make or a Promife, D.vid will 
 (hew you in 2 Sam. 7. 27. when he fayat, 
 tTfcws O £0?^ 0/" //*/?/, GW 0/ Jfraclj haft 
 revealed to thy Servant, faying, J 'will butid 
 thee an Hcttfe, therefore hath thj Servant 
 found in his heart to pray this Prayer to 
 thee. My Bictnren, God has fpok<n as 
 exprefly of our hearts, as he did of David's 
 houfe} hchasfaid I will — 3 in the cafe 
 -of the one, as well as of the other: hear 
 him over again, 1 will put my fear in their 
 hearts : let's p'ay David new cake Gcd at 
 his word, put the Promife in ftiit. And if 
 you fay, bur, will he take this well f for 
 Great Men would not? they would look 
 upon it*as as an Impuration, that we fuf- 
 pe&ed cither their Memory, or their Fide- 
 lity, fhould we tell them of their Word ? 
 Why ? may be fo, but it is otherwife 
 with the great Gcd • He will be fought to 
 for the performance of his Promife, as the 
 place is rxprefs, Fze^. 56. 36, 37. — / 
 the Lord have fpoken it. and I mil do it. Thus 
 faith 4^e Lord God % , y I will yet for this 9e en- 
 quired of by the houfe of Ifrael, to do it for 
 them. Where CyctJ is an Emphatical par- 
 ticle. This for the firftReceit againft the 
 fear of Afflictions, it is the Fear of God: a 
 Second to which I proceed, is 
 
 Faith 
 
63 The Excellency, Necejjtty^ 
 
 Faith in God; Thus the Pfalmifi re- 
 folvcs to Phyfick himfelf, in Pfal. 56. 5, 
 What time, faishe, lam afraid, Jwilltrufi 
 inthee. Hear our Saviour alfo, in John 14, 
 I. Let not jour heart be troubled, je believt 
 in Cod, believe alp) in Ale. A Learned Man 
 tells of Summer Graces, and Winter Gra- 
 ces, amongft the Winter-Graces, Faith 
 is* When Affliction is on foot, Faith 
 fhould be fet to work : a good fence againft 
 fear is Faith; and fo we may well conceive* 
 when we confider, what manner of Grace 
 this Grace of Faith is ; ss, 
 
 x. It is a Refining Grace; fee -2 Tim. 
 I- 12. / know, whom I have believed, and 
 lam per/waded, that he is able to beep that 
 which I have committed unto himi Believers 
 make God their Committee, they put 
 thcmfelves into his hands, and what need 
 they to be afraid, that are fo lodged ? 
 
 2. An Appropriating Grace, whenje- 
 fus faid to Thomat, in John 20. 27. Be mi 
 Faithlefs, but Believing, what anfwered 
 Tbbmas ? why, in verf 28. M] Ifjrd,and 
 my God. This is the Voice of Faith, My, 
 My. And what needs he be afraid^ that is 
 fo intereffed i 
 
 3 . You'l fay, pofTibly,Faith is < r cry Infi- 
 nuating, and Claiming, as we fee, but is 
 
 it 
 
*na Vfefuincfs pf Psttencu 7 1 
 
 it alledged accordingly ? Oh, yes ! I mu# 
 tell you, 
 
 It is an owned Grace, The Lord is good \ 
 fays the Prophet Nahum, mNah. 1.7. a 
 jhrong hold in the day of trouble, and he k*ovr- 
 eth themth'at trujl in him. In troublous 
 times men have recourfe unto ft- ong holds, 
 and being asked, who they are; do an- 
 fwer, Friends, Friends, and if they be fo 
 lookt on, then they are let in. Well, as 
 Faith is a Friend , fo you need not to doubt 
 but it will find Friends j the Friend of 
 Friends will be her Frieud, will vouchfafe 
 his Ownage ; the Caftle Gates are thrown 
 open to Believers. 
 
 Fourthly, and Laftly. Faith is a Grace- 
 quickning Grace, inzThef. 1. it. Ton 
 redd of the wsk^of Faith. Faith lays about 
 it, is no drone, as one faith. 
 
 1. It quickens up Hoimefs, is a puri- 
 fymg Grace, Sec A&s 15. 9. Purifying 
 their hearts by faith. Faith, like a good 
 Hufwife, affedts cleanlinefs , fiffcrs no 
 fluttifli Corners,and (o unftings / 
 for fin is the fting of Death, and Afjti&ioni 
 are little deaths , 2 Cor. I. 12. cum 1 Cor, 
 15.5,6. The more we do fear fin, andlefs 
 wc need to fear Afflittion; a ftmg-l 
 Bee may buz about us, but ca^aot hurt 
 L 
 
70 ?&e Excellency^ Meceytty, 
 
 us: A Man that has whole fhoulders, do's 
 ftoutly bear his burden, yea, Innocence 
 breeds Confidence, white-&c Sinneis in 
 Zion.zxc afraid. 
 
 2. Faith quickens up Hope, For Faith 
 is the [lib fiance of things hoped for , Heb . 1 1 . 
 i . Spes qiiafipes, Hope is the Soul (land- 
 ing ou tiptoe , by it we are fo far from 
 cver-fcaring AfBidion as we over-look it, 
 and at a diftance difcern deliverance, the 
 End of the Lord, which the Text tells of. 
 Spero, ero, is the Chriftian Motto. 
 
 3. Faith quickens up Courage; O Ne- 
 buchadnezzar, faid thofe Worthies, in 
 Dan. 3. 16, 17. we are not careful to An* 
 fwer thee in this matter ; if it befo y our God 
 ("here's the voyce of Faith] whom we 
 ferve, is able to deliver us from^ the burning 
 fiery Furnace^ and he will deliver us out of 
 thine Hand y O King — and fo forth. The 
 King fpar Fire at each word, but his words 
 were but wind, wind, that (hak/d no 
 Com, fo couragious they were in the Ex- 
 ercifeof their Faith. 
 
 Fourthly, and Laftly. Faith quickens 
 up Love, and other filial obfei vances ; the 
 Child, that takes you for his Father, what 
 will not he take at your hand ? And what 
 faid o\)i' Saviour., in lohn 18. z r. TheCttf 
 
 which 
 
and Vfefulnefs of V attend. 7 1 
 which mj Father hath given me^ JhritfWbl 
 drinks it ? 
 
 You have , my Beloved , the ^cofei 
 Receit againft Fear, fear of Affflijfcttfrj 
 fear of God was the firft^ Faith in Gofl 
 the Second. 
 
 A Third yet remianeth, and it is a right 
 ^ftimate of Affii&ions-, according to that*, 
 in Kom.%. $.-- We Glory in Tribulation?, 
 C and Glorying is far frorn fearingj know* 
 ing ~ arid fo on - Oh ! Then for a rtght 
 Undemanding ! Our Comfort is laM up 
 inajuft account 
 
 But you'fay,How fhalUve irake fuchan 
 Account ? How (hall we ever gain To food 
 a Conceit of Afflictions, as tot to fear 
 them ? I anfwerj lome things you muft 
 take heed of, 
 
 And Tome things yfca muft give teed 
 to • ■ * 
 
 1 • Take heed of feme things,- as, 
 
 1. The Seemmgnefrof AtHictions a that 
 that mifcarry vou not; for, what favs the 
 Apoftle? in Heb. 12. 1 r. No chajlefm^ 
 feemeth to be joyous. And compare this place 
 with 2 Cor. 6.IO. st'forrowful , yet uhmj 
 rejoycing; it is fomctimes with things, as 
 it is with Perfons, They are better than 
 they fcemj many a Man looks fowrly, 
 L 2 that 
 
74 The Excellency, Neceffity^ 
 
 thteyet fpcaks fwectly ; or fpeaks rough- 
 ly, and yet deals gently ; as a Judge, the 
 Man that he means to favc , yet oft gives 
 loud words. to : When *-go$d Man tor a 
 good Conference goes into bonds, there's 
 the noife of Locks and Bolts , the ratling 
 of Chains, and the likev f° as now, if he 
 ftiould judge by the hearing of the Ear, 
 what a Judgment would he pafs upon Af 
 flj<tion f 
 
 2. You muft take heed , as that the 
 fecmingnefs, fothe 
 
 Prefentnefs of Affii&ions do not mif- 
 carry you; for^ what fays the Apoftle, 
 in the fore-cited }ieb. 12. u. NoChaficn- 
 ingfor thetrefem feernithtobej^jQus^ it is 
 with Afflictions, as with fome Pi&urcs, 
 which look belt at a diftance: Eademcji 
 ratito DifcifUtu & Medtcin*,* fays one, 
 Affiidfon and Phyfick arealike, the End 
 makesTimcnds. Who then is a wife Ma* 
 among us, fo to fee, as to fore-fee ? To 
 confidcr the Tree together with the Fruit I 
 That's a good Scholar, that forms a Verb 
 through all Moods, the Potential as well 
 as the Indicative; and Tenfes, Future as 
 well asprefent. 
 
 Laftly, Take heed you muft , that you 
 be not mifcarried by the Opinion , which 
 
 fome 
 
d nd Vfefulxefs of Patience. 7 5 
 
 Tome have of Affiitfion, and more partku- 
 larly of that which do's befall God's Peo- 
 ple- 
 
 1. And more Generally y mould we 
 judge of Affli<ftion , as the World do 5, 
 we could nor judge well of the Evil day; 
 no, for they make an Idol of cafe, as I 
 have been faying, love to fleepin a whole 
 Skin, cannot burn, ashefaid, They that 
 mind Earthly things, what mind will they 
 have of, or concerning Lofies , CrolTes ? 
 When their Goods are gone, they fay, 
 with Micah, mfadg. 18.24. What have 
 I more? and what is this, that je fay unto 
 me , what aileth thee? They wonder at 
 any, that wonder at them becaufe of alj 
 - their out-cry cs in fuch a cafe. See Pfal. 
 17, 14. Thil. 3. 19. 
 
 2. And more particularly , as for the 
 Opinion, which fomc have of Gods Peo- 
 ple's Afflictions, this is nothing for us to 
 go by neither. They talk., fay s David, to 
 the'frief of him, whom thw haft wounded f 
 Pfal. 69 26. Boy's play is wicked Mcn'$ 
 ' Earneft: More Sacks to the Mill. Nothing, 
 at fuch a time will fervethem, but that 
 the good Man's an Hypocrite, and God's 
 Hand hath found him out , and laid him 
 out : Yea, it were well , if through In- 
 L 3 firmity 
 
74 The Excellency, Neceffity, \ 
 
 "firmity and mifprifion a good Man were 
 
 t fometimes wounded in the Houfc of 
 his Friends. You remember Job 4. 6. 
 
 Thus far of things to be taken heed of. 
 
 Now follow thole, that are to be heed 
 given to, and they are efpecially, 
 
 1. The Judgment of the Spirit. 
 
 2. The Judgment of Experience. 
 And 1. Of the Spirit of God in the 
 
 Word of God, for a Spirit of Truth he is v 
 and the Scripture of Truth it is : now,thcre 
 we hear, 
 
 1 . Of the Profitablenefs of Afflidions, 
 Tec Neb. 12. 10. The Tree that looks but 
 bare in Winter, yet at Summer will be la- 
 den with Fruit. Yea, 
 
 2. We hear there of theneedfulnefsof 
 Afflictions, fee 1 Pet. 1. 6. Children at 
 fometimes have as much need of a Rod, 
 as of Bread, of Phyfickas of Food.Crof- 
 fes and LoflTes ferve to prick the Bladder 
 of Pride, to flack the Thirfl: of Covetouf- 
 nefs, to wean us from the World, to in- 
 eager us after Heaven, with much more 
 t hat might be faid. This for the J udgment 
 ©f the Spirit. 
 
 2. As for the Judgment of Experience - 7 
 why i if we would Judge aright of Af- 
 flictions, let's alfo give heed to this. 
 
 We 
 
*hd Vfefnlaefs of Pattern*. 7 J 
 
 We ufe to fay , firft try, then truft; 
 now we find, what Reported after proof, 
 'the Saints do make in the Cafe. It is good 
 for me, fays the Pfalmift, that I have been 
 jifflitled^ that 1 might learn thy Statutes. In 
 Pfal. 1 19. 71. And again, at the 67. verfe 
 Before I was Ajflitled I went aftr*), but now 
 have I kept thy Word. Look you, he found 
 Adverlity an Univerfity ; The Houfe^ 
 of Corre&ionanHoufe of Direftion, as 
 one faid once , Perievam nifi periiffem , I 
 had been undone if I nod not been— E- 
 phraim, infer, u. 18,19. Tells of being 
 Cbajfifcd, Inflrucled, Turned. % Medicinal 
 Receics, that come to us with a Prohatum 
 eft, are thought to come with Authority;. 
 Nor would I marc g the firft 
 
 Branch of this laft Ufe, this life of Exhor- 
 tation ; but now, in a Second Place, be- 
 take me to a Second. 
 
 If this be thus, That Famous Patience 
 may hope a Famous End, Then how 
 fnould the People of God id Afrhciion be 
 dealt with, and as they have refpeft to 
 their Credit and Comfort, to have Rc- 
 fpc<ft to Patience ? According to that, in 
 James z. cum 4. My Brethren count it all 
 Toy , when je fall into divers Temptations *-- 
 Bmlet Patience have her Pcrfctt Wo,\ This 
 L + word 
 
7 $ The Excellency Meceffity, 
 Wordot Exhortation I ih^ll manage, as 
 I did the former \ one while by way of 
 Motive, and another while by way of Di- 
 rective. 
 
 Motive firft. And oh ! how would I 
 pcrfwade us into a care of Patience f In 
 regard, 
 
 i. That it is not bare Suffering, that 
 willfervc; Pharaoh, you know, wanted 
 •o blows y Egypt's Plagues were many 
 and great, yet tie wanted Renown, Who 
 thinks or fpeaks ever the better of him for 
 all his Sufferings ? Ye have heard indeed 
 of Pharaoh, and fo of Jol?, but not fo of 
 the one, as of the other } no, no, Pharaoh 
 ftan Js in the Blefled Book of God like a 
 Malefactor, upon the Pillory with his 
 Accufation over his Head, Pharaoh's heart 
 is hardened, he refufeth to let lfraeljw, Ex. 
 7. 14. Asa Bull, he grew mad with bait- 
 ing. 
 
 2. Some have fhewed great care of o- 
 thers Patience, and therefore what care 
 fhould each have of his own? We y fays 
 theApoftle, in Col. 1; 9, io, ceafe not to 
 Pray for you , and to dejire , that ye might 
 V?al\ worthy of the Lord unto all f leafing — 
 Strengthned whb all might according to his 
 glorious Power HM04& Patience. [We defire"] 
 
and V[efnlnef$ of ?*t\ene. 7? 
 We Pray We ceafe not to Pray and to Dejire. 
 he Was careful of them with all char cate, 
 * and (hall not his zca! provoke us? mc 
 thinks, wcihould fay within ourfeives, 
 my Chrittian Friends, Minifter, and others 
 have a great conflict for mc, aud ihall I 
 neglect my fclf/ 
 
 3. There want not thofc, that watch 
 for our halting; Affii&ions, efpecially 
 great ones bring us upon the ftagc : We 
 arc made a fpeftaclc, fais the Apoftlc, 
 1 Cor. 4. 9. &**w> the Creek^ word is a 
 fpeftacle unto the world : and as many 
 eyes are upon us, fo many an c^il eye ; 
 evil Angels, what they look for, we may 
 fee by that, which Satan fpeaks of, in ?/(; 
 I • 1 1. he will curfe thee to thy face. r r * 
 for evil men, we hear what Dazld fj«> of 
 his Enemies, Pfui 4.1. $>1-Thfy fyeakjvil 
 of me And if he come to fee mt 
 
 his heart gather eth Iniquity to it felf. Si»ch 
 come but to catch, and as was laid of f/4 
 xibal. Ant inveniet^ ant facier \ f > r 
 arcprepared iofpeak evil, and rh 
 it is our wifdome, fure, to cut < \ 
 on from them, that fcek occaficn, 
 to, that amidds all our prcflurcSi 
 fy liable of Impatience fall from us, 
 
 4. Jhcmorc wc *rc ia Patience 
 
78 The ExceUemy, Ntceffitj, 
 the more we are in worthy-walking, and 
 God-plcafmg} as is plain when you re- 
 fume Col. 1.9, i.o, ii- where as the learn- 
 cd Davenant obfcrveth, Ouod in genere 
 fofuit 7 fer fines ex flic at , the Apoftle 
 brancheth oat his general m^o particulars, 
 We do not ceafe y firs he, to pray far you, and 
 to de/ire that ye might walkjvorthj of the Lord 
 unto alt fleafing. Here he fpeaksgcncrally^ 
 and it* any fay, how fhallwe dofo? he 
 ftiews, while he fais, more particular, Be* 
 ing fruitful in every good wor^ and encrea- 
 Jing in *the knovpladge of God y firencrthned 
 with alhnight according to his glorious fewer 
 unto all Patience. Look you, aB Patience, 
 and all Pleafing, go hand in hand. All Pa* 
 tience 7 and walking worth j of the Lord. It 
 concerns Servants to carrie anfwerablie to 
 their dependance; if a Noble Mans Ser- 
 vant fhould do ignoble things, every one 
 would fee into the abfurdity well; and 
 our Lord is the Lord of Lords, and great- 
 er he is, and greater our care fhould be 
 that we carryaccordingly, in every con- 
 dition, and in an afflicted one : now, how 
 (hall we this, if we humble notour felves 
 under the mighty hand of God. ? And 
 which is the other thing, what T o you fay 
 to plcafing oF turn ? and 4U Pleajing f a 
 
 wife 
 
and Vfefulnefs of Patieitce. J9 
 wife Servant ftudies to give his Maftcr 
 content j andtruly, that's a mean Mafter 
 that a Servant do's not matter the plr^fing 
 of: yea, andl-pray, whatfais th( VI fter 
 in Heaven concerning Earhl s ? 
 
 why, as you read in Tit. 2. 9. Serv- ts 
 trc to flerfe them well in allt ^ings . M u v y 
 I, what, them? and not H;in? yea, and 
 how, think you, would he take a qegTc&, 
 an affront of himfclf, that has gw i 
 
 order, that they (hail be obfervcu < ie- 
 thinks* Servants (hould fay, I that am to 
 pleafe my Mafter, ihall 1 difpleafe my 
 Lord ? and Mafters, the Lord ^ ould have 
 us pleas'd, and (hould not we then pleafe 
 the Lord ? 
 
 5. AndLaftly, We are wont to be care- 
 ful of things aeedful : oh, what a fenfe we 
 have of Neceflarics / Food and Rayment 
 are not negle&ed, we need no exhorting 
 to Plow and Sow, and carry into Barnes; 
 yea, weufe to hy 3 ]Storeisno Sore: weil, 
 and what's that, we hear the Apoftle fay 
 of Patience f Hcb. 10. 36 Ye have need 
 of Patience. Do's he fay, it u*>uld do well, 
 6r it were convenient, that ye had it; he 
 fais, Te have need of i: : a man has need of 
 Meat and Drink, a Warfaring man need 
 of Weapons, and fo an Affiled man of 
 
 Pa. 
 
%t The Excellency, Necejfity, 
 Patience. My Beloved, there are, as I 
 told you in the other Trcatife, Spiritual, 
 as vvel! as other Neceflaries ; yea, and the 
 Spiritual are the efpecial : the Soul do's 
 excel the body far enough, and therefore 
 that whjch is needful for it, is needful in- 
 dexed. I confefs, that to hear Worldlings 
 how they talk, and fee how they walk, 
 a man would almoit-thfnk, there wereno 
 Neceflaries, but the things needful for the 
 Body. Indeed that's all the wit the world 
 has ; but, who is a wife man amongft us, 
 that Ik may commune with his own heart, 
 and fay, What lack I, what have I need 
 of,- bcfides meat and drink? have I not a 
 poor Soul, as well as a vile Body? and 
 how have I laboured for the meat that'pe- 
 rifheth ? and (hall I be penny-wife, and 
 poundfoolifh ? this be far from me. I 
 have tione \k ith Motives , and go on to 
 fpeak in a fecond place, of Directions ; 
 for, you will ask me, 
 
 What Means and Helqs are there of Pa- 
 tience, in ufing whereof we may fhew* 
 our fe.ves careful of it ? 
 
 1 AhfCver, very many, and thefe efpc- 
 cially : 
 
 i. Going to the God of Patience, af- 
 ter tHcEsampk of the Apoftle, Col i.p, 
 
and vfefulnefs of Patiente. 8 J 
 
 lOy 1 1 . Wi ceafe not to fray for yon , and 
 to dcjircy that )e might wall^worthj? of the 
 Lord, ftren^thncd with all might according 
 to his Glorious Power , um o all Patience : as 
 he is the God of all Grace, 2 Pet. 5. io* 
 Sq [xirticularly of this, this Grace of Pa- 
 tience } when we would have water, we 
 go, you know, to the Well, a Fount-ain 
 of Living waters He is, and a Buckei 
 Prayer is; Oh! then, direct your Pray- 
 er, and look Up. Now,, aired it indeed 
 you fhflll, if you Learn of the Apoftle, 
 
 1. To be affectionate, he fp<xkeerft t 
 in Col. 1.9. Of Prying, and Dt 'firings 
 yet affc&ed, if you would be furmlhed 
 with Patience, fee into the need you have 
 f of it, that Patience is in the number of 
 Neceflaries; Perfons, that beg their 
 Bread, begtf indeed, for they know they 
 cannot be without it, Meat mull be 
 had. 
 
 2. To belnceflant, We ceafe net, fays 
 he, to pr*j) nor rouft you. There rraift 
 
 • be asking, feeking, knocking; poor Peo- 
 ple are not wont to be foar of their La. 
 bouf , they will give you asking enough ; 
 and fo you muft ply the Throne of Grace ; 
 Patience ks worth all your Piayers, Tears. 
 Laftly. To be appofite, fpeaking pro- 
 perly 
 
Sz A The txcelkncjy Neceffity, 
 perly in this your bcfpeaking of Patience j 
 which contlftscfpecially of two things. 
 
 i. In calling upon God under fuitable 
 Names and Notions; fo the Apoftlc did , 
 as you find, in Row. 15.5. Now, the God 
 of Patknccj fays he, grant jojuo be Itk* 
 minded one towards another, wk Strong 
 were not Patient towards the weak, nor 
 the weak towards the ftrong ; there was 
 not that bearing amongft therp, there 
 fhoula have been, and now , that there 
 might be, he goes to God about it, and 
 astheGod of Patience he goes to him: 
 go we, and do^ikewife. 
 
 2 . In calling forth thofe Attributes,that 
 fuit to our purpofe and bufmefs \ The A po- 
 ftle, in that often-mentioned Col. 1. 9, ia, 
 11. making requeft for Patience, makes 
 mention of the Power of God, We ceafe 
 n*t to pray for joh - that je wight walk^ wor- 
 thy of the Lord - Being flrengthned with all 
 miqht, accordui^to his glorious Power unto 
 all Patience. Patience- is not a weaknefs 
 in us, no, it argues Alight ; and all Pati 
 ence> all Might, even as he had need to be 
 g very ftrong Man, that goes readily with 
 a very great burden : .And therefore it is 
 very proper to fpeak of Power, when we 
 fpcakfor Patience; where is thy «Zeal and 
 ' • thy 
 
dtoiyjefuMcjsoj rauetce. 85 
 
 thy ftrength ? Oh! ftrengthen us with 
 Might in the Inner Man - 
 Thus of the firft means. 
 A Second Help of Patience is , as erfi 
 Going to the God of Patience } lo no^ 
 Converting with the word of his Patience j 
 mine advice is, that ye fcarch the Scrip- 
 tures, yea, for you hear of the Patienceof 
 the Scriptures , in Rom. 15. 4. Jciive^ fays 
 Partus upon the place, in au Active Senfe^ 
 becaufe the Scriptures are of great life for 
 thcPaticnringof us j and indeed they tc- 
 ftifie, 
 
 1. The pleafure of God^ how he vrould 
 that we (hould carry in a time and ftate of 
 Affliction, See Luke 21. 19. In jour Tafi- 
 ence pojfifs je your Souls-, when one of our 
 Children cry cs, and kecpsafrir, and ana- 
 ther comes and tells him, my Father, my 
 Mother hids you be quiet, fends you word 
 to be quiet, this is wont to be a quieting 
 of it ; and fo has the Heavenly Father done 
 by us in the Scriptures. 
 
 2. The purpofc of God, How that he 
 means us good by the Evils that befall us ; 
 fee He b . 12,10. He fo:- our prc.fi t ] They 
 verilj fcr a few dajes chajiened us after their 
 ■ wn pletfhrt, but He , for our Profit ' that 
 we r?;ivht be jpArfHkers of hi: Hoiimfs : We 
 
 have 
 
Tie Excellency > Neceffitj^ 
 
 ?* a word of Bearing for our own good, 
 *u upon this account we fuffcr one to 
 pull out a Tooth, another to open a Vein, 
 and the like; well, and this is the Cafe , 
 for though no chaftning for the prefent 
 feemeth to be joyous but grievous, never- 
 thelefs afterward it yieldeth the peaceable 
 Fruit of Righteoufnefs unto them, which 
 are Exercifed thereby. I might have faid 
 more of the Patience of the Scriptures , 
 but (hall pafs to a 
 
 3. Means or Help, of Patience ; and it 
 is, as to go to the God of Patience, and to 
 converfe with the word gf his Patience; fo 
 alfo to perpend the patterns of Patience: 
 according to that in James 5.10. Take mj 
 
 Brethren the Prophets for an Example 
 
 ff u f er '*& Afflittion^ and of Patience. 
 Praeepta docem, Exempla movent : whil'ft 
 Precapts are Teaching, Prcfidents are En- 
 ticing; betides, the obviating of an objecti- 
 on about irtipoffibility, I cannot Burn, I 
 cannot Bear— But, did not others Bear, 
 did not others Burn ? and is not the fame 
 Lord over all, rich unto all, that call upon 
 him ? They lay a Foundation of an holy 
 ^Emulation ; Tonr Zeal, fais the Apoftle, 
 hath provoked wrj many, 2 Cor. 9-2* And 
 now that I'm fpcaking of the Patterns of 
 
 Patience, 
 
atodVftfutnkfs of tttienfa 85 
 
 Patience, I may by no mea - '^fttft the 
 Pattern cf Patterns, Exer/>fUmf:wra Ex* 
 cmplur/7, the Lord }efusCbnft 7 v. j,as St. 
 Peter tells us, i*Pet. 2. 21. fuffcrsforus, 
 leaving us an Example,' that we fhould 
 followhisfteps, who, as in v 23. when he 
 was reviled, reviled not again. The great 
 Dblftor of the Chair, Chrfft upon the 
 Crofs reads us a powerful Lecture of Pa- 
 tience; for, where the Head was Crown- 
 ed with Thorns, .why fhould the Members 
 e'xpeft onely Rqfc-buds ? Yea, and how 
 do's his Suffering for us indear his Lecture 
 to us? Whom could we defire to be our 
 Samplar, if not our Saviour ? Ledure 
 do I fay? Yep, I; may fay Legacy, for 
 he is faid , whth he fuffcred, To leave Us 
 an Example : I,t is inquired ordinarily^what 
 was left you? What did your Father, or 
 fuch a Friend at his Death leave you? 
 And, it will be our Wifdpm, my Bre- 
 thren, ttfCoitimune with our own hearts, 
 and fay, wh»at did the Lor<4 Jefus leave us ? 
 What did bleeding Chrift leave us? Did 
 not he leave us an Example of Patience ? 
 And (hall not we follow his fteps ? Other 
 Legacies I may tell you are lookt after, if 
 a Friend leave us, either one thing or ano- 
 ther, wc'l notlofe it, and what? Shall 
 M Chrift'g 
 
%6 The BxcelleHcy^ Neceflity, 
 Chrift's Legacy be negleded ? 
 
 Two words of Exhortation you have 
 «heard> and now I proceed to^a- 
 
 3 . Which will alfo be the laft ; 
 
 If this be thus, that Famous Patience 
 may hope a Famous End, then houohouk 
 the Notably-Dlflidted and enduring Scr- 
 vonts of God be dealt with to Live ic 
 Hope .' Nor to caft away their Confidence, 
 but to Live in Hope f According to that. 
 in PfaL 37 7. Reft in the Lor d 7 and wait 
 Vkticmtj for h 
 
 Hereunto they are Moved, 
 
 And herein directed, as followeth ; 
 
 Moved tirft. 
 
 I would perfwade them Living in Af 
 "<fiidUon yet to Live in Hope, andupor 
 '■confideration both of Hope, 
 And of Affliftionj 
 
 And firft/of Hope, for, oh / the Bene 
 licialnefsof it. 
 
 j . Hope is an Helmet, fee iThcf 5. 8. 
 One askt Dtigenes, what he fhould give 
 him for a blow at his Head ? Why, fays 
 he, an Helmet \ an Helmet faves the Head. 
 md Hope fecures the Soul : in time of Af 
 fii&ion the evil one and evil Men will be 
 having a blow at us, but Hope puts the 
 blow by/ 
 
 2. Hope 
 
4nd Vfefuifiefs of Patience. 87 
 
 2. Hope is an Anchor, teeHeb.6.igi 
 \n Anchor ftays the Ship, and Hope fer- 
 ries rhe Soul; when a good Man may be 
 evolved in common deftru&ion, yet he 
 nay be freed frpn? common diuraClion. 
 
 3. Hope is facHtidus comes^ very merry 
 Company; in Heb. 3.6. You read of the 
 Rejojcingof Hope^ Hopetelisus pleafant 
 Stories of the better things God hath pro- 
 vided for us, even as an Heir in the time 
 of his Minority comforts him fell" with this, 
 that Non-Age will not laft always. Thus 
 ot Hope. 
 
 2. As for Afflidion. 
 This unto God's Children is no fo for- 
 lorn a Condition, as Satan, the World, 
 and a naughty Heart i* woirt to fugged, 
 efpecially being confidercti, How it is Li- 
 mited, and Treated ; 
 
 1. Limited, forAiilictiQfl is fo far from 
 lading always, as we read of it's awf */*/*. 
 ing but a while, a very little while, E ft v I o. 
 25. Ten days] Three days] a Night 3 
 an Hour] 'a Moment], a firuil Mo- 
 rn en r. ] 
 
 2. Treated; Yon Parents do no:: 
 your backs upon your Children , whin 
 ti e / arc in Sicknefs, or other diltrefs, buc 
 they rather have then fo mi-ch more of 
 
 M 2 your 
 
~:hi Excellency, Neteffity, 
 • if Company and help yi and it is fweet 
 hnk of the Heavenly Father's Car- 
 
 j e in fuch a cafe ; what is that he faith 
 of Ephraim ? Since I [pake again fi him I 
 do earn eft ly remember him y jcr. 3 1 . 20. He 
 things of his Afflided Ones, pities rhem, 
 puts them on to pray, as we ufe to fay to 
 a Bck Child, what would rny Chi I'd have ? 
 And has refpevft unto their Prayers. Mob 
 Bfftma fandi tempora, Tiroes of Affliction 
 are Opportunities for Supplication ; fo 
 David thought, and therefore faid, in PfaL 
 86. 7. In the day of ny Trouble I mil call 
 upon thee, for thou wilt Anfwer me. And 
 thus far, my Beloved, you have been 
 
 Moved. Now, 
 
 In a Second place, you are 
 
 Directed , what Means and Helps to 
 ufe, that fo you may, as you are Exhor- 
 ted , Live in Hope, while Living in Af- 
 fliction. 
 
 And 1 . Let the Word of Chrift dwell 
 in you Richly, according to that, in Rorn^ 
 15. 4, Whatfoever things were written afore* 
 firne^ were written for our Learning , that 
 we , through Patience and Comfort of the 
 Scriptures might have Hope. The Scrip- 
 are of Excellent ufe, not onely for 
 leaching , but alfo Patenting and 
 
 com- 
 
and V[efulnef< of T&tience. 8§r 
 Comforting of us, and lb the Helping of 
 our Hope. Oh ! ther, as you wouic not 
 caft away your Confidence, confute .he 
 lively Oracles : Hear, Read, Meditate, 
 play JobjD'inc^ Sup over a piece of Scrip* 
 ture^ / have efteemed, fays he, the words 
 of his mouth more than my necejfarj Food* 
 
 2. Keep Faith on foot, for, as ) ou 
 heard, and from Heb. 1 1 . i . Faith qtticket.j 
 up Hope. The .Affliftcd Servants cf G.d 
 find in the Word exceeding great and pre- 
 cious Promifes, and what fayi Faith to 
 t h : fc <* Why! That there's no qucftiod 
 to be made of them , and therefore well 
 niay Hope expecfx the Performance of 
 them. See John 3. 3 3. enm I John 5. 1 c. 
 When you and I have a great Man's word 
 for any thing, efpecially if we judge him 
 a Man cf his word, we ufe to be in good 
 hope. 
 
 3. Pray over your Hope, according to 
 that, in Rom. 15. 13. Now , the Cod of 
 Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace in Bdiev- 
 ingj that ye may abound in Hope. The Apo- 
 ftle goes to God {or the People, and fo 
 fhould we our felvcs; yea, to whom, I 
 pray, if not to the God of Hope, fhould 
 we go for Hope ? So the Apoftle calls him : 
 Yea, and are you not aware, that he c 
 
 on 
 
po The Excellency } Neceffity, 
 
 on him tarice of Hopr* 
 
 Such encoir rfi we have to open 
 
 cur Mouths in the C to apeti ihcm 
 
 wide. Oh! go to God, end fay, Lord , 
 ov ; fears arc great, and our Kopc^ final! M 
 but thou arc i:. &i Hope. 
 
 4. Confidcr well \ """.ti 
 God's Attributes, 
 
 And A«s ; 
 
 1. What in One he is that you fhould 
 Hope in. Thai tht great lod is no: like 
 grer. ivhofe breath g eth forth,and 
 in thatday their /night periih. SeeP/*/. 
 146. 4. vHt j N ..... be is Immortal; 
 like as he a To is Immutable, Almighty, 
 moft Merciful, and fo forth. 
 
 2. What great matters he has done. 
 How that he has made Heaven and Earth, 
 the Sea, and all chat rhercrn is — re fume 
 the 146 Pfilm, and compare the 5. and 6\ 
 verfes. He Commanded , and they were 
 Created, and cannot then this great Com- 
 mander Command deliverance at his Plea- 
 fure f 
 
 5. Keep your Evidences fair, for this 
 is another great Help to Hope, as- we may 
 gather from the Pfalmiftjn that 145 P(k/m f 
 6. vvhere he fpeaks of a Man's Hope bting 
 in the Lord his God. 
 
 Laftly. 
 
and vfcfulnefs of F&tience. 9 1 
 
 Laftly.WarchagauiitDrfLuiragemcnr^ 
 anfwer them vuth as ftroirg Rcfoluri 1 ; 
 according to that, in Efiiy 8. 1?. I vcJl 
 wait Hpon the Lcrd , that buleth \ 
 from the Hotife of jao I 
 him. [I will] [I with] 
 thien, I cominenu ypu 1 
 Word of his Grace, whi< 
 you up, and to give yot a ) 
 among all them, whic 1 arc Saoftiiied. 
 Hatttlnjah. 
 
 FI^(1S. 
 
1"\/p 1 
 
<3> 
 
* 
 

v 
 
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