But, dear friends, if one is not pious, pure in heart, and prepared for temptation as a servant of God, when this temptation assails and terrifies him; if he is not found in a pure conscience, genuine love of God and his neighbor, in a pious life, firm faith, sober vigilance, and armed against every assault; but is an impotent follower, a niggard, a sleeper, or hypocrite, then, O friends, God will forsake him; for David says: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Ps. 66:18. “The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.” Prov. 15:29. Yea, it is true; for God heareth not sinners (mark, those who continue in sin); but if any man fear God, and doeth his will (doeth, it says), him he heareth. John 9:31.
Hence I conclude and counsel with wise Jesus Sirach: “My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation;” he says, prepare thy soul for temptation. Sir. 2:1. Again, also with Christ: Strive to enter in at the strait gate. Yea, take heed that thy fear of God be not hypocrisy; lest God discover thy secrets, and cast thee down thereby in the midst of the congregation, because thou camest not in truth to the Lord, and thy heart was full of deceit and falseness. Sir. 1:28. Behold, such cannot overcome; but only those who are in favor with their God, as is mentioned in Judith 5.
Now, there is further to be noticed the patience of which the pious have need in many tribulations. Heb. 10:36. Also, what great advantage, profit, gain, and acquisition are, and will be, obtained by tribulation and patience, follows here in part. Meditate on it.
In the first place, the encouraging words of Judith: Thus Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and all whom God loved, remained steadfast and had to overcome much affliction (he says: much affliction). But the others, who would not receive affliction in fear of God, but blasphemed and murmured with impatience against God, were destroyed by the destroyer and by serpents. Let us therefore not be impatient in this affliction, but confess that it is a punishment from God, much less than our sins deserve, and believe that we are chastised as his servants, for correction, and not for destruction. Judith 8. O how wisely does Solomon speak of it: He that is patient is prudent, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. Prov. 19:11. Again: He that is patient is wise; but he that is impatient reveals his folly. 14:29. And again: A patient man is better than a strong man; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. 16:32. Mark how lovely, praiseworthy and advantageous godly patience is, as Jeremiah testifies: It is a precious thing to be patient, and to wait for the help of the Lord; Yea, that a man that is forsaken, be patient when something befalleth him; and puts his mouth in the dust, and wait for the help of the Lord, and give his cheek to the smiter, and suffer much reproach, for the Lord will not cast off forever. Lam. 3:26.
Again, Sirach says: An humble man will wait for the time which will bring him comfort. For though his cause be oppressed for a time, yet shall the pious praise his wisdom. Sir. 1:23,24. Of this we have examples in Job and in “the end of the Lord.” Jas. 5:11. Also in Tobit, for God permitted affliction to come upon him—why? That posterity might have an example of patience in him, as also in holy Job. An angel said to this Tobit (when he complained that he could not see the light of heaven); Have patience, God shall soon help thee, which also came to pass. Tob. 5:12. Paul does truly say that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope. But, friends, mark well, where no promise nor godly tribulation is, there is certainly no need of patience; but where the aforesaid are, O there is need of patience. Heb. 10:36. For we know, says Paul, that tribulation worketh patience, and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed. Again, also, Christ’s own words concerning patience: “Ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. But there shall not a hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls”. Luke 21:17–19.
Again, Paul advises us to all patience in all our distress, and to approve ourselves therein as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in stripes, in imprisonments, (yea, in imprisonments), in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report, yea, as deceivers and yet true. Mark, in how many things a patient minister of God is tried, that is, in these and similar things (2 Cor. 6:4),—mark, a minister of God, and whereby he is shown to be such. Again, James would have us count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations; knowing this (he says), that your faith, if it be genuine, worketh patience. But patience must be constant unto the end. Jas. 1:2.
Behold, thus we must with patience (with patience, says Paul), run the race that is set before us, looking unto the Captain of our faith, the young man who will set the crown of reward upon our heads, on Mount Sion. Heb. 12:1; 2 Esd. 2:43.
Behold, all this is obtained as the profit and reward of patience, as in the case of Christ, and of all holy martyrs; and it must all be seen by faith, and waited for with patience, as James advises, saying: “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of our Lord, and like the husbandman, let us also wait for our harvest and joyful time of reaping. Jas. 5:7. O then the liberal sowers, who have sowed to the Spirit shall reap without ceasing. Gal. 6:9.
Dear friends, let us now, as at the right time, also at the right time, sow liberally to the Spirit and in hope, with joy and not wearying; for in due time it will fill our garner with sheaves as large as in 1 Pet. 1:16.[304] For God will not forget our work and labor, as has already been said.
To sum it all up in a few words: “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life; which God hath, promised to them that love him.” Jas. 1:12. Now, this promise, inheritance, reward, and crown meets the wants of every one; but only few relish the notable conditions upon which these is promised, namely, obedience to the word of God, complete renunciation of ourselves, and the cheerful, voluntary bearing of our cross. For Paul says: “Unto us it is given, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” Philip. 1:29.