Wesley Corpus

7. And as peace, hope, joy, and love are the fruits of patience, both springing from, and confirmed by it, so is also rational, genuine courage, which indeed cannot subsist without patience. The brutal courage, or rather fierceness, of a lion may probably spring from impatience; but true fortitude, the courage of a man, springs from just the contrary temper. Christian zeal is likewise confirmed and increased by patience, and so is activity in every good work; the same Spirit inciting us to be Patient in bearing ill, and doing well; making us equally willing to do and suffer the whole will of God. 8. But what is the perfect work of patience Is it anything less than the "perfect love of God," constraining us to love every soul of man, "even as Christ loved us" Is it not the whole of religion, the whole "mind which was also in Christ Jesus" Is it not "the renewal of our soul in the image of God, after the likeness of him that created us" And is not the fruit of this, the constant resignation of ourselves, body and spirit, to God; entirely giving up all we are, all we have, and all we love, as a holy sacrifice, acceptable unto God through the Son of his love It seems this is "the perfect work of patience," consequent upon the trial of our faith.