May 20

"In your patience possess ye your souls." — Luke 21:19.

THE exercise of patience implies the existence of trials; and the Christian's course is beset with them; but when he has obtained the end of his faith, and there is nothing more to try his patience, he will acknowledge that there was not one thorn or briar too much in the wilderness, not a billow or wave too much in the ocean of life. Note here

A DUTY. This respects the conduct we are to pursue as to ourselves — it is patience.

It admits a painful truth. That believers in their afflictions are apt to lose or forget themselves by impatience, resentment of injuries, wrath, and anger. How prone are we to display the frettful temper of Jonah, and say, "I do well to be angry;" instead of heaping coals of fire on the heads of those that offend us, to soften and melt them down!

It proposes a desirable course. Self-possession. When we are easily irritated, and our anger is kindled with every breath of provocation, we not only expose our weakness, but often show our wickedness in hasty words, unkind speeches, and unchristian deeds. Let our weapons of defence be, not wrath, hatred, and retaliation; but patience, pity, and prayer.

It shows how the object is to be obtained. By the exercise of patience; this is better than resistance. Anger may glance into the breast of a good man, but rests only in the bosom of fools. Fulgentias, after he was extremely persecuted, had an advantage to seek revenge, but would not; "For," said he, "we must suffer more for Christ than this." If we let the sun go down upon our wrath, we must expect clouds to shade the light of God's countenance. By resentment we take the law into our own hands; by patience we leave our cause in the hands of him who hath said, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord."