Obs. II. He that would abide faithful in difficult seasons, must fortify his soul with an unconquerable patience—(1.) Then pray for it. (2.) Give it its due exercise in the approaches of troubles, that it be not pressed and overwhelmed by thoughts. contrary unto it. (8.) Take care to keep faith vigorous and active; it will grow on no other root but. that of faith. (4.) Especially exercise faith unto a view of eternal things; which will engage the aid of hope, and administer the food that patience lives upon. Wherefore in this case, (5.)° Remember, [1.] That the want of it lays the soul open unto the power and efficacy of all sorts of temptations, for this is the only armour of proof against the assaults of Satan and the world in a sufferimg season. [2.] It is that alone which will assuage the pain of sufferings, ease the burden of them, rebate their edge, and make them easy to be borne. All other things will fall before the sharpness of them, or give relief that shall end in ruin. [3.] It is this alone/whereby God is glorified in our sufferings, and honour given to Jesus Christ in the gospel.
3. The next thing in the words is the season of the necessity of the continuance of the exercise of this grace and obedi- 4, 1. gt ence;—until we have done the will of God. There is no anus cod eed dismission from the discharge of this duty until we have 7%%7#"7*s- done the whole will of God. The will of God is twofold: (1.) The
will of his purpose and good pleasure, the eternal act of his coun- sel, which is accompanied with infinite wisdom, concerning all things that shall come to pass. (2.) The will of his command, presenting unto us our duty, or what it is that he requireth of us, Respect may be, and I judge is had, unto the will of God in both these senses in this place. For respect is had unto the will of God dis- posing the state of the church and all believers therein into troubles, sufferings, and temptations, 1 Pet. ii, 17. He could, if it had seemed good unto him, have placed the church in such a conditicn
580 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. X.
in the world as that it should have been free from all outward troubles and distresses; but it is his will that it should be other- wise, and it is for the ends of his own glory, as also the good of the church in that state wherein they are to continue in this world. This, therefore, is that which we are to acquiesce in, as unto all the sufferings we may be exposed unto in this world: It is the will of God that it should be so. And he seldom leaves us destitute, with- out a prospect into those holy reasons and ends of it for which it is necessary that it should be so.
But whereas this principally respects sufferings, it will be said, ‘How can we do this will of God, when nothing is required of us but patiently to endure what we do undergo?’ I answer, (1.) Though sufferings be principally intended in this place, yet they are not so only. The whole state and condition of our lives in this world de- pends en this will of God: the time of our doing and suffering, of living and dying, with all our circumstances, is resolved into his will concerning them. And it is weariness of the effects of this will of God that is in the most the cause of their departure from their profession. Wherefore this sense is not to be excluded. See Acts xiii. 36. But, (2.) The will of God is that whereby our whole duty is presented unto us, as unto our faith, obedience, and worship; as’ our Lord Christ “ came to do the will of him that sent him,” aecord- ing to the commandment he received of him. The whole of our duty is resolved into the will of God,—that is, the will of his com- mand; and so, to “do the will of God” in this sense, is to abide con- stant in all the duties of faith and obedience, worship and profession, which he requireth of us. And there is no release in this matter. whilst we are in this world. Wherefore says the apostle, ‘ You have need of patience, during the whole course of obedience presented unto you, as that without which you cannot pass through it, so as thereon to inherit the promises.’
4, What is meant here by “the promise” is evident from-the context. All the promises of grace and mercy in the covenant they had already received; God had not only given them the promises of all these things, but he had given them the good things themselves that were promised, as to the degrees and measures of their enjoyment in this world. And as unto the promise of eternal life and glory, they had received that also, and did mix it with faith; but the thing promised itself they had not received. This different notion of the promises the apostle declares Heb. xi., as we shall see, God willing.
Obs. III. The glory of heaven is an abundant recompence for all we shall undergo in our way towards it.