Suffering affliction and patience. (Quality: very good)

[0:00] Once again in the help of the Lord we will turn to the epistle of James chapter 5 verses 10 and 11.

[0:15] The epistle of James chapter 5 the 10th and the 11th verses. Take my brethren the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction and of patience.

[0:41] Behold we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord.

[0:57] That the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy. The epistle of James chapter 5 verses 10 and 11.

[1:13] The apostle James is exulting under the inspiration of course of the Holy Spirit. He is exulting us to be patient.

[1:27] In that 7th verse he says, Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord.

[1:38] Behold the husbandman waited for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it until he received the early and the latter rain.

[1:52] So you see dear friends, the husbandman is brought not only to be patient for the rain but to be patient on the Lord's provision in providing that rain.

[2:11] He depends how we need that patience whether it is in a way of providence or whether it is in a spiritual way.

[2:26] And then he says, But be ye also patient, establish your heart for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Then he brings us to consider the prophets.

[2:41] Those holy prophets of old that prophesied in the name of a triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

[2:53] And he says, Take my brethren, the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example. You see dear friends, we are not left without examples in the precious word of truth.

[3:11] But dear friends, how much need. You and I have need of the great grace of God to follow those examples.

[3:23] Especially of suffering and affliction and of patience. For what we know in the latter end of the epistle to the Hebrews, the dear Apostle Paul speaks of these brethren in respect unto their sufferings, affliction and of patience.

[3:59] Because he says this, Women received their dead, raised again to life, and others were tortured, and not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

[4:22] And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted and were slain with a sword.

[4:37] They wandered about in sheepskin and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted and tormented, of whom the world was not worthy.

[4:47] They wandered in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise, but God, having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

[5:14] Now, dear James, he says, Take my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example. Now, do not think that I've set this word before us this evening to belittle your sufferings and afflictions and patience.

[5:36] It is that sometimes we need to be reminded of what the Lord has put in his precious word of truth.

[5:53] And we know that there have been those times, perhaps when we've been in great trouble or affliction or suffering, in a variety of ways.

[6:08] And we perhaps haven't said this audibly, but we have said, there's nobody that has walked such a path of suffering, affliction and of patience as myself.

[6:23] But, my dear friends, look at the vast difference. I'm not going to read it again, and undoubtedly you are, some of you at least, are familiar how the dear Apostle Paul ends that wonderful chapter, the 11th, in the epistle to Hebrews, where he continues and says, wherefore, seeing we also are comforted about with so great a cloud of witnesses, and let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that with us so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

[7:08] You see, sometimes we get overcharged with our own concerns, and think there's no one had so much trouble and affliction than ourselves.

[7:23] But, dear friends, may we be brought to seek for grace that we may run, as the dear Apostle Paul tells us, let us run with patience the race that is set before us, but that's not all.

[7:43] There is something vital, there's something essential in running our race with patience. He carries on and says this, looking unto Jesus.

[7:58] Shant go wrong there, my dear friends. We may go wrong in so many other ways, but we shall never go wrong if we desire to run our little race with patience, looking unto Jesus, the author, and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, where he endured the cross, despising the shame, and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

[8:37] What an unspeakable mercy, dear friends. Oh, may we pray more and more and for grace to follow what the word says, my dear friends.

[8:48] Take my breath in the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction, and of patience.

[9:01] Now, I don't intend to dwell any longer on that tenth verse, but I think there is a connection between the tenth and the eleventh verses here.

[9:14] Then he says, behold. It's something, my dear friends, for you and I to behold. You know, there are many times in the word of God where we read this word, behold.

[9:31] And I think when we come across this word, in our private reading of the scriptures, we should hold if it is only for a very short time.

[9:47] Because the Lord is directing his dear people in every age to something which undoubtedly eventually will be made profitable and for the good of their never-dying soul that they may see more and more of that wonderful work of salvation.

[10:08] Now he says, behold. We count them happy which endure. Dear friends, you know what the Lord said while he was here upon this earth.

[10:25] I perhaps can't quote it just exactly right, but it's in the Gospel of Matthew, I believe, and also Mark. It says, all those that will endure to the end, they shall be saved.

[10:42] You see, it's nothing trifling, my dear friend. It's something to behold and it's something to attend by prayer and supplication that we may be helped by the dear Lord and by his good spirit to endure.

[11:04] We know not, dear friends, the sufferings and the privations and the persecutions and the afflictions of the body. We know not what is before us, but what we do know is this, we count them happy and which endure.

[11:27] Or that means, that means as I view it, that whatever the case is, and I'm not saying this lightly, because we know we need much grace.

[11:41] Because if there is something difficult, if there's something that is troublesome, if there's an affliction of the body and many other things that come in our life, perhaps the first thing that we are, we get irksome, my dear friends.

[12:02] And we may even pray that the dear Lord would remove those things. But you know, the thing that I want particularly to bring before you in a few moments is this.

[12:22] And we have seen the end of the Lord. Now, in those afflictions, in those tribulations and in all those sorrows that we just spoke very briefly of, of this morning, we know this, that the Lord hath a design in them for the good and the profit of our never-dying souls when the Holy Spirit sanctifies these things unto us.

[12:57] And so, so James would would would exalt us to count them happy which endear the offenders and to endear, you know, sometimes, and perhaps there are those that are before me, even this evening, and there, there are those doubts sometimes that come into our sinful minds and hearts.

[13:24] I wonder whether I shall ever endure unto the end. The temptations and the insinuations of the adversary, also, the workings of our sinful, deceitful heart, they seem sometimes to overwhelm us.

[13:48] and, and those, and those secret sins, my dear friend, those, those sins that no one else knows about but yourself. You see, the very, the very, it's tried me so often where the word says the very thought of foolishness is sin.

[14:08] And, you know, some of us, we, we, we, we have, we have a foolish nature. and, and it erupts, my dear friends, and, and you know there are those times when, when we feel shall such, one, a sinner as, as ourselves, shall we ever endure unto the end?

[14:33] Well, dear friends, we know this. It must be all of God's grace, all of his help, all of his presence, all, all, all that, that he has set before us, in his precious word, and we, and we desire in our right mind to give him all the honour, all the praise, and all the glory.

[14:56] And so he says, behold, we count them happy, which endure. Then, then he, then he brings, as it were, an, an, an example before us.

[15:08] He says, and undoubtedly, we can say this, and, and, here this evening, ye have heard, of the patience of Job.

[15:19] Well, well, we know, we know, we know how, how, how, the, the, dear, the, dear Lord, how, how he spoke to, to, to that, that, that angel concerning, and he, and he permitted, he, he permitted Job, and to come into some, various, serious, and, and, and some, some, some great situations, because we, we, we know, we know this, that, that, that, that, that, that, that there was one trouble, and followed another trouble, and they were not small troubles, and his, his family, it seems as though, they, they were, they was all taken from him, and their, and their houses, and, and, and, and, and all, and all, all that they, they possessed, now, not only that, my dear friends, but, but we, we know he was afflicted in his body, and, dear friends, those, those afflictions in the body, of course, they come very close, come close to us, but what I want to come to, to is this, you have heard of the, the patience of Job, what, what did, what did Job,

[16:37] Job say, in, in, in, in these things, well, we can read it from, in that first chapter, in Job, he says, naked came I, out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return, the, the, the Lord gave, and the Lord had taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord, in all this, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly, you know how easily, my dear friends, if, if we had, but a very little touch, of what, dear Job had to, endear, we, we, we, and if we was left to, ourselves, I, I, I believe, why, I, I can only speak of, what, what, what I may, if I was left to it, I would, I would, I would, I would, I would charge God, God foolishly, and, and, and what an awful thing that would be, but in all this,

[17:44] Job sinned not, well dear friends, it may hurt, some of us to shame, but, but dear friends, it's a wonderful thing, if, if, if, if it brings us in that way whereby, where, where, whereby we have to seek, and for repentance, and walk humbly before the dear Lord, trust, trust in, in his grace that, that we shall be forgiven, now, now he said, you have heard of the patience of Job, and you have seen the end of the Lord, now, now this is, this is that where I more, more particularly want to speak as, and able to you, this, this evening, because, because, you see, when, when, when this soul comes, comes, comes into, into that trouble, and, and they, and they need, they need that patience, well, well we, we, we know how, we know what the end of the Lord was, was concerning Job, because, in that 42nd chapter of Job, where, where we, where we read, in that, in that 10th verse, and, and the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends, also the Lord gave Job, twice as much, as he had before, he knew, you know, he was one of, the very richest men in the east, so we understand, and here, he had lost almost everything, if, if not quite, and now, and now, and now the Lord said, he gave, he gave Job, and twice, twice as much, as, as he had before, and then, you can read of course, and you know it perhaps, that, that last chapter in Job, how, how the Lord blessed him, now dear friends, what I just want to put before you, and to put before myself, is this, the Lord, had, had, had, had, in, had, in his, divine appointments, that most wondrous end, and, and, and, and although Job, of course, when he was in those trials, when, when, when he was in those losses, those crosses, when, when he, when he cried unto, unto the dear Lord,

[20:14] I know not the way that I take, but I know, that I shall come forth, as gold, and, and he said in another place, I know that my redeemer liveth, and shall stand at the last day, upon this earth, and these very eyes, they shall see him, we can see how, how, how dear, and dear Job was, was supported, and helped, but the very end, of these things, what, what was for, the good, and the profit, of, dear, of, of, dear Job, and also for, the good, of his never dying soul, you, you, you see, you, you, you, you and I, when we enter into, into, into these, these troubles, and these, and these afflictions, and these tribulations, and, and, and temptations, we cannot see the end design, of the dear Lord, the Lord knows, my dear friends, you know, they're the most beautiful word, that, very often, comes, comes, into, into my mind, in the, in the epistle to the, into the, in the epistle of Romans, where, where he says, all these things shall work, together for our good, to those that love the Lord, now, and when we are, in that trial, when we are, in that temptation, when we are, in that difficulty, we cannot see, these things, but the Lord has, his eye, upon all his dear children, and, and, and, and his, design project, can never fail, my, my dear friend, and that design project is, and for, for the blessing, of their never dying souls, and, and, and so, so the, and dear James, he says, he says, and I've seen, the end, the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy, but there's something, my dear friends, before I leave, that, that I want to put, be, be, before myself, and, and, and before you, you each, if it is, if it is the Lord's will,

[22:37] I want, I want to, to just mention, and I, I, I, I believe, we can, we can look, look at this, in, in the way, of the dear Lord Jesus, now of course, we know, that he knew, the end, of his coming, into this world, he, he knew the end, of all those reproaches, and, and, and, and, and all, that he had, had to suffer, while he was, while he was here, here below, he knew, he knew, he knew the end, of these things, and we, and we, and we know this, that, that, that, that end, as of course, that, that, what, we have read, in the, in the, in the, in the Hebrews, and where, where he, where he says, that, that, that, and that he, he, he, he, he delighted, in, in, in, in those things, or what, or,

[23:42] I'll just say it, in the, in the, in the, in the, in the, in the right context, in that, in that, in that way, whereby, where, whereby, he, he, he, he, he says, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now, sat down, at the right hand, of the throne of God, in heaven, now you see, the dear Lord, knew the end, of these things, we didn't know, we, we, we, we, we know that, that the dear Lord, took, took, took that wonderful engagement, that, that he engaged, by the Father's will, to, to come, into, into this earth, to suffer, bleed, and die, and also, my dear friends, to, to take away, the sins, of all his dear people, now, that end of the Lord,

[24:47] I, I believe, was, a great joy, unto the dear, unto the dear Lord Jesus, now, of course, you, you, you and I, as creatures of the, of this earth, without, that foresight, that the, that the dear Lord, the dear Lord had, and we, we, we cannot see the end, of that affliction, that trouble, that trial, or, or that temptation, we, we, we are pressed underneath it, and, and it may be, dear friends, as we, were, were saying this morning, and we, we sowed in tears, but also, we, we saw also, that, that soul, will reap in joy, where, where, whereby, and they, they will be shown, dear friends, I, I feel certain, of this, they, they, they, they will be shown, how, how the dear Lord, he who knew no sin, was made sin, for, for, on behalf, of all his dear people, that we might become, the righteousness, of God, in him, now, dear friends, in that trial, in that, in that dispensation, that the Lord, has seemed fit, to bring, upon, upon his dear people, and from, from time to time, and they are wrapped up, with those present things, and of course, those, those present things, as we, as we were, as we just briefly said, this morning, those, those, those present things, are but temporal, it is those things, that we cannot see, are eternal, and the, and the, and the eternal, the, the eternal decrees, and, and the, and the provision, that the dear Lord, hath made, on behalf of, all his, his dear people, he became, sinful then, and he knew, no sin, he was ever, holy, harmless, undefault, and separate, from sinners, now, now, now, that is, the end, of the Lord, in the salvation, of all his dear people, where, the dear Lord, at last, he, he, when they nailed him, on, on, on the cross, he, and, and the soldier, pierced his side, and forth, forthwith, there came out, blood, and water, the end, of these things, dear friends, as revealed, in the, in the precious scriptures, and they, they, they are, to take away, the sins of, all his dear people, and not only, to take them away, but also, he hath the power, that they could never be, resurrected again, oh dear friends, it's the wonder, of wonders, to, to my poor, poor little, understanding that, that the, that the, the dear Lord, saw the end, of these things, in, in that, he made an end, of sin, as, as Daniel had, that prophecy, and he brought in, an everlasting, righteousness, by his perfect, obedience, he saw the end, the end, of those things, and now,

[28:10] I just want to come, to the resurrection, my dear friends, that, that glorious, that glorious, resurrection, whereby, whereby the Lord, spoke unto his, dear disciples, that on the third day, he should rise, triumphant, over, sin, death, and hell, as the glorious head, of all his dear people, and if the glorious head, have been triumphant, and victorious, so are all those, mystical, members, that form, his mystical body, it was, it was, the end, of the Lord, in the salvation, of all his dear people, and that, that, that is, is shown forth, and to, to, to count them, happy, which endear, what is there, my dear friends, and to discount, us endearing, when we, when we think, of what the dear Lord, had to endure, on behalf, of, of his dear people,

[29:18] I was speaking, to, a dear friend, up the home, only a few, only a few days ago, I'm not mentioning, any names, and, and, and she, she had some trouble, in the night, and, and she said, I don't like ringing the bell, but she said, I had to ring the bell, because, I was in, such pain, and, and, and, and of course, she rung the bell, and, and of course, there was, there was someone, come, to her aid, and, and, and she, and she put, she put that, that which was pain in her, and, and she, she, she done, that, that, where she, relieved, relieved the pain, and also, and, and this, the, the nurse, who, who came to her, says, now I go, I go and make you, a cup of hot milk, and I, and she said,

[30:22] I'm, I feel, I feel that, that will soothe you, and you, you will soon, you will soon, and fall, fast asleep, and so I said, I expect you did, she said, I didn't, oh, I said, why was that, well, she said, my mind, and what was, was brought to, to the Lord Jesus Christ, when, when he said, I thirst, and what did they, what they, what did they offer him, when he said, I thirst, they offered him, bitter vinegar, and there's, there is me, and I'm worthy, guilty, lost, and undone sinner, I, I've, I've had, a, a cup of, hot, I know these things, my dear, dear friend, but it's a wonderful thing, because, she, she, she had, a wonderful view, of the sufferings, of our, of, of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, because she said, what a vast difference there was, between, a hot cup of, of milk, and, and that bitter vinegar, that, that they, they gave, they gave my Lord to drink, when he said,

[31:37] I thirst, well, that's just a little, a little introduction, my dear, dear friend, in, in, in, in, in this, where, whereby we, we can see, the end of the Lord, where he suffered, bled, and stood, and stood in our room, placed and stood, for, for, for the wrath of God, to, to, to fall upon him, whereby, whereby, whereby he, there was that, sacrifice, for sin, and that blood that was shed, to cleanse us, from all our uncleanness, dear friends, the end of that, the end, of, of the, of the Lord, was so wondrous, and so miraculous, and I do trust, my, my dear friends, that, that we may, we may know more, and more of it, but that is not all, I started to speak to you, of, of that glorious, resurrection, where, where he, where he took his, disciples, up to the Mount,

[32:40] Olivet, and, and, and, while he was there, I'd be brief, and that he was taken, out of their sight, and, and, and, and he entered, into heaven, as his dear people's, glorious head, of the church, now, dear friends, the end, of these things, the end, of these things, is, not only, I don't speak it, lightly, and I, which I could find, a better word, than saying, not only, not only did he, put away, all our sins, all our unrighteousnesses, but, but, but he, he also, my dear, my dear friend, he rose triumphant, and those mystical members, when, when he entered, into, eternal glory, and they were, all, in the, in that mystical body, and so, what a, what, what safety, and security, there, there is, and for God's dear people, because, because, in the mind of Jehovah,

[33:52] Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, they're all, in heaven, at this very moment, although, we are, although there are many, still upon the earth, now, look at the certainty, of that great work, of salvation, and, and not, and not, not only that, as you know, he sat, at the right, at the right hand, of the throne of God, there to intercede, on our behalf, our glorious, interceding, I preach, the end of the Lord, in, in that, in that, in that, in that way, whereby, he sent forth his son, his son, his son knew, the end of these things, and, and of course, in the experience, of God's dear people, they are brought, savingly, acquainted, with, with all their troubles, all their trials, and the end, and the end, of them, will, will be, the salvation, of their, never dying soul, and, and, not, and not only, not only is there, is he that interceding, high priest, but, but he takes, the case, and the cause, of all his dear people, in, in his, most gracious hand, and he presents them, in his merits, not in, not, not, not in the church's merits, because the church, the church has merits, but those merits, they flow, alone from, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he presents, those merits, unto the Father, and, and he is, an ever, interceding, high priest, and for all, the troubles, and the, and the afflictions, the temptations, and all the sad events, that we may have to, to go through, and the end, of these things, is, to show, his dear people, what he hath done, and of course,

[35:49] I feel certain, of this, there, and these, these are, the very small beginnings, what, what, what, what, if we, if we are amongst that, people that shall, ascend into heaven, and to be with him, and for, for a long eternity, the, the, these things will be, will be made known to us, in a most more, a most, a most greater, and more illustrious way, than ever we shall know them, this side of the grave, but, but we, we only can speak of, the end, end of the Lord, in the case, in the case of Job, where, whereby, he profited him, twice as much, well, of course, that poor soul, will, will be benefited, more than twice, than, than twice, than that Job, we, we, we could, we could not measure, how, how greater, he would, he would profit, in respect unto, the end of the things, of the dear Lord, well, you have seen, the end of the Lord, that he comes to this, this, this wonderful thing, which,

[37:01] I trust, that, that, that all, that all those, that, that, that are, that are, enduring, those, those things, and they are praying, for the stability, and, and they, and that they may, that they may not fail, that the Lord will uphold them, and keep them, and preserve them, from doing anything, that will incur, his justice pleasure, that they may, endure, and we shall, endure, only by, the strength, of the dear Lord, the power, of the Lord, that power, my dear friends, which is, which we can't even begin, to comprehend, will enable that soul, to, to, to come, to the end of those things, victorious, in Christ Jesus, as, as, their glorious head, but now, but now he would, he would, he would have us also, for, for, for the state, in which we, in which we are, are in, at this very moment, he, he tells us this, that the Lord, is very pitiful, oh dear friends, the wonderful pity, that the, that the, that the dear Lord, makes known, unto his dear people, that pity, and that he shows, he pities, my dear, my dear friends, our weaknesses, he, he, he pities, us, because, he, he knows, what poor things, we are, and he strengthens us, he strengthens, that, that little faith, and he strengthens, that hope, and he strengthens, that love, to, to, toward him, because, he is very pitiful, he pities, my dear friends, and, and he, and he, he comes in, he comes into, into that place, where, where, where they are, and he makes his, presence known, do you not know, something, dear friends, of a trial, or, or a certain, circumstance, that, that has, entered into your life, it may, it may be when, when, when, when you are tried, an exercise, concerning, the forgiveness of, of your, of all your sins, and all your transgressions, and you, you wonder how, the dear Lord, can, can be, so pitiful, toward you, knowing this, that if he shows his pity, and today, we shall fall, into sin, the next day, or even, even earlier than that, but the Lord, is still pitiful, unto his, his dear, he, he showed his pity, in that glorious work, of redemption, he showed, he showed his, his pity, when, when he suffered, bled, bled, and died, he, he, he showed his, his pity, when, when he made himself, known, as, as their redeemer, and he pities, my dear friends, all, all, all, all, all those things, that, that are, that are, that are trial, unto us, because, because the Lord, is very pitiful, you, you see, you see,

[40:20] I, I love, I love this word, he's not pitiful, but he's, very pitiful, and do we not know, something, of his pity, and his compassion, he had compassion, on the multitude, while he was here, for they was, as sheep, having, no shepherd, he, he pities, his, his dear people, in all their distresses, he, he pities, he pities them, in, in all, in all those circumstances, which, which you, you, you may, you may feel, will be the end, of all things, he pities them, that are the ends, of the earth, you know, how, how he says, look unto me, all ye ends, of the earth, and for I, am thy redeemer, the redeemer, of the lost, of, of, of Adam, Adam's posterity, who, who've been brought to see, their lost condition, he pities them, my dear friend, and, and, and, and he, he, he bears a part, he bears a part, in them, in that, in, in, in that way, whereby, he comes and makes himself known, as that pitiful, saviour, of our never dying souls, and, and he puts, as it were, his arms underneath, and he, and he, he, he, those promises, that, that, that are recorded, in his precious word, of truth, and not only is he, very pitiful, but, of tender, mercy, all the tender, mercy, of the Lord, he, that tender mercy, whereby, we thought, and, and that he would, cast us away, forever, but, but, but, but, but, he showed us, there's mercy to be found, in the dear Lord Jesus, and that mercy, my dear friend, and touches, the cases of, all his dear people, now, how, how thankful, we should, and we ought to be, and for, for the Lord, is very pitiful, you may feel, as I felt sometimes, that,

[42:42] I am alone, and like a sparrow, on the, the psalmist, felt, felt, that he was alone, as a sparrow, upon the hell stock, but, dear friend, and we've overlooked, this wonderful word, and that, that the Lord, hath left, and for the help, and the comfort, and the benefit, of all his dear people, the Lord, is very pitiful, and of tender, that tender mercy, dear friend, that he makes known, unto his dear people, where, where, and where he says, I know, I know, all about you, all those sins, that you, you have, you have, you have committed against, a good kind, the most gracious God, and you, and you, and you feel, and that the weight, the weight of them, will, will, will, will cast you, into eternal perdition, but there is mercy, to be found, in the dear Lord, whereby, he shows, his merciful power, unto all his dear people, and they shall, at last, sing, throughout, an endless eternity, of his pity, and of, his tender mercy, well, undoubtedly, undoubtedly, you will forget, so will I, and some of those things, that I tried, by the help of God, to put before you, this, this, this day, this afternoon, and evening, but may the, may the dear Lord, as it, as it were, and seal these, this, on our poor hearts, that the Lord, is very pitiful, and of, tender mercy, because, if we walk, in, in the value, and the preciousness, of these words, we shall walk, humbly, with our Lord, and we shall embrace him, for all, that we trust, he had done for, our never dying souls, and we shall, we shall, from time to time, look forward, whereby, we shall praise him, constantly, and continually, in a never ending, eternity, to praise, the dear Lord, for what he, what he hath made known, in his glorious attributes, whereby, whereby, he is, he is the Lord, he is very pitiful, and of tender mercy, but there,

[45:12] I must leave it, may the Lord, at his blessing, amen, amen, amen,