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latter; else the former suffering for Christ's cause, if it be not in love and obedience, 1 Cor. xiii. 3, and for Christ's sake, out of conscience to fulfil his will, is nothing; whereas he that endures patiently God's just punishment for sin for Christ's sake, endeavouring to submit his will to the will of Christ, this man suffers, that is, patiently endures affliction for Christ, though he never suffer for profession of Christ; and, if such an one were put to it, he would readily suffer for Christ's cause. And such afflictions as these, thus patiently endured, work also this excellent weight of glory, as well as the other.

By these and the like reasonings of faith, you may possess your soul in patience, as David and others have done, Psa. xlii. xliii. by casting anchor on God, and on his word, fixing their stay and hope in him. Let the issue of your reasoning be this: I will wait on God, and yet, for all the causes of distress, praise him who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Thus David quieted his heart, 1 Sam. xxx. 6, when he heard tidings that his city Ziklag was burnt, and that his wives and all that he had, together with the wives and children of all his soldiers, were carried captive; and when he saw that his soldiers began to mutiny, and heard them speak of stoning him, he encouraged himself in the Lord his God. And good Jehoshaphat, in his desperate condition, cast anchor here, saying, O our God, we know not what to do, but our eyes are on thee, 2 Chron. xx. 12. Thus by the exercise of your hope in God, the heart may be wrought unto much patience and quietness in all distresses.

A further means of grace is, observe the patience of others, as of the prophets and faithful servants of God, who are recorded in Scripture, and left as examples of suffering affliction, and of patience. We count them happy that endure, saith James; you have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy, James v. 10, 11. But especially represent to your thoughts the patience of your head and Saviour Jesus Christ, whom you pierced by your sins,