be utterly banished from the Schoole of Patience it is a serious charge from our master that it should not be so much as named amongst you Saint Augustine gives a most exact answer to these serpents saying why do thunderbolts strike sometimes the mountaine and spare the theefe Because perhaps God expects as yet the theefs conversion and therefore strikes the mountaine that fears not to convert that man who is capable of feare thou doest now and then the like striking the ground when thou givest correction that thy child may be frighted thereat But thou answerest me behold he punisheth sometimes the innocent and pardons the guilty what wonder a good man alwaies and in all places is ready for a good end but how canst thou possibly know what punishment is reserved for that wicked person unlesse he repent him How much rather would they who at the day of Judgement shall heare these dreadfull words go yee cursed into everlasting fire be consumed with thunder and lightning It behoves thee to be innocent For what matter is it whether a man die by shipwracke or by a feaver we can neither say the one is an il death nor the other a good But whether he die by one or other enquire of what course of life the man is that dies whither he shall go after death not by what accident he came to his death Howsoever it be live thou in fear and see thou be good by what death soever it pleaseth God to take thee hence let him find thee provided Whatsoever therefore as the same Saint Augustine saith happens in this world contrary to our will know it happens not without the will of God by his providence by his ordinance and expresse order albeit we neither understand it nor the end for which it is done yet let us ascribe so much to his providence that it is not done without cause For when we presume to dispute the works of God as why did hâ— this why that and he should not have done thus he hath done amisse in so doing where I beseech you is your praise of God you have lost your Alleluja Consider all things in such sort that you may please God praise him that made them When you enter into a Smiths forge you would not doubtlesse presume to find fault with his bellows his hammers or anvill presumest thou not to question a rude smith in his forge wilt thou be so bold with God in his workmanship of this world It is the property of an unskilfull man to reprehend all he sees you shall have another more skilfull then he albeit better acquainted with the artificer and consequently might be more familiar yet knowing him to be a man that understands his trade will say Questionlesse he had some reason to place his bellows rather here then in another place the workman himself knows why although I do not That we may be therefore willing to imbrace the will of so dear and loving a Father the same Saint Augustine encourageth us and layeth before our eyes the hereditary delights of eternity saying Thy God thy Redeemer he that for thy good hath brought thee under and chastised thee as a father instructs thee To what end Mary to settle upon thee an inheritance to which thou art noâ— to succeed by dispossessing thy Father but by possessing thy Father himselfe for an inheritance This is the hope for which thou art instructed and doest thou murmur Whither wilt thou go from his Spirit Admit he should leave thee at thine own liberty and not chastise thee Say he should suffer thee to blaspheme at thy pleasure shalt thou not at lâ—st feel the smart of his judgement Is it not much better thy Father should afflict and receive thee then spare and forsake thee Dost rejoyce Acknowledge thy fathers cherishing Art thou in tribulation Acknowledge thy Fathers correction And remember this that whether he cherish or correct he instructs him for whom he prepares a kingdom Moreover Almighty God as witnesseth the same Saint Augustine ordereth and disposeth so of the sins of all men that all those things which were objects of delight to them in their sin may be instruments for our Lord in his punishment For God said Be darknesse made and it was made yet did he dispose of it when it was made He likewise permits sins albeit he commit none and orders and disposes of them afterward and by this means executes his will efficaciously in all things But now I request all to mark attentively for I purpose to make a brief recapitulation of whatsoever I have said before Sect. VI. BEfore the creation of the world there was nothing but a meer vacuity yea there was nothing else besides the most mighty and most mercifull God who alone was most sufficient to himself and without all things created most blessed and happy having in himself from all eternity and to this very instant the Idea of all things so perfect that not one jot point oâ— tittle as I may say was wanting either in his will or understanding According to this Idea of his will and understanding he created all things in perfection all good doubtlesse very good All which he ceaseth not to govern preserve and dispose every moment in a most singular order That end which God from all eternity hath prescribed to himself in all things he acquires from time to time And which most declares his infinite power and goodnesse he as carefully directs the least things as the greatest he as provident every moment directs every man in particular as all men in generall yea he so tenderly and lovingly diverts even the least things belonging to each man that there is none of them but are designed for an excellent end were it not that the will of man doth prejudice it self dissenting from the supreme will of God No one be he man or Angel can ever alter or hinder what God hath registred from all eternity what he hath determined to do or permit He hath numbred and considered the very hairs of all creatures the sands of the sea the leaves of the trees even the least birds the Sparrows the Wrens the motes of the air all even all the cogitations both of men and Angels What then canst thou complain of as if God regarded not thy calamities as if he did not providently enough govern thee and thy affairs or give too much liberty to thine enemies or amongst such a multitude of men and matters neglect thee alone Foolish man Wilt thou still be muttering these things to thy self Know that God disposeth all things in number weight and measure even thy affairs even the least thing thou takest in hand Call to mind I beseech thee consider thy life past and note whatsoever thou wouldest have had in the whole course thereof to have happened otherwise Observe withall that even this thing was by God brought most exactly to his own Idea that is to say to what hath
that famous Preacher of the order of Saint Francis who was then a boy taught at the same Schoole in Houdan Salomon discoursing of the disposition of children saith Foolishnesse is gathered together in the heart of children and the rod of discipline will drive it away Christ the wisest Schoolmaster of all who perfectly understands our dispositions to reclaim us from all childish wantonnesse spares not the rod for he scourgeth every childe that he receiveth yea as the wise man saith he maketh scourges daily and familiar unto him But this is the benefit which children have by being scourged for foolishnesse gathered together in their heart is driven away by the rod of discipline And so they learn Prudence and Modesty or Humility as we shall now declare Sect. I. AND first adversitie and chastisement teacheth us Prudence The Prophet Ezechiel saw a wonderfull beast which had foure severall faces a Mans an Oxes a Lyons and an Eagles And when this appeared to him the second time he saw in stead of the Oxe the Angelicall face of a Cherubim What was the meaning of this What relation hath an Oxe to an Angel or Cherubim Thou will say perhaps it was not the same creature that appeared but some other Not so but the very same witnesse Ezechiel himselfe It was saith he the very same beast which I had seen neer to the river Chobar By what meanes therefore was the face of an Oxe turned into the face of an Angel In the Hebrew tongue Cherubim is as much to say as Master or a multitude of knowledge and science Behold the very meaning We have now laid open the whole mystery An Oxe with the Ancients was the symbole of labour which this creature of his own nature is most apt to endure for he is put to Waines Ploughes and Carts he is fit to till the ground to draw yea even to thresh and tread out the corn insomuch that he is the expresse embleme of a laborious man And to such an Oxe as this the Spirit of God assigneth the face of a Cherubim whereby he decipheteth a master and a man of long experience The reason is given by the wise man The man that is expert in many things will have his thought upon many matters and he that hath learned many things will manifestly discover understanding Here doubtlesse the wise man commendeth experience which is gotten by many afflictions he of himselfe is the best interpreter He who is not tempted saith he what knowes he By this it manifestly appeares that affliction is the mother not onely of eternall joy but likewise of Christian Prudence Affliction putteth a taper into the hands of Wisedome The wise man confirming this by his owne example saith I have seen many things by erring c. Sometimes I have hazarded even to death for the cause of these to wit in seeking after wisedome Behold how the Cherubins face abolisheth the Oxes how experience drawn from miseries is attended by Prudence By that which a man suffereth he begins to know both himselfe and others yea and God himselfe whilest he considereth the vanity of transitory things the variety of humane dispositions the inconstancie and mutability of fortune the innumerable frauds and deceits and the infinite miseries and calamities of this life And by this meanes he learns by little and little to eschew evill and make choyce of good Whosoever he be that is not like wooll combed with an iron combe what knowes he else but to spend his time idly and follow delights Even at this day that saying of Seneca is most true we are best of Sâ—â— epist 95. all instructed by miseries Felicity corrupts us Iob propounding a most serious question asketh where is wisdome found and where is the place of intelligence And he maketh this answer to himselfe Man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of those that lead their lives sweetly Assuredly that active wisdome which pointeth out directly how much transitory how much eternall things are to be esteemed is not to bee found in houses which are blessed with wealth and abundance where the custome is to live in daily feasting and banqueting heere riches and abundance carelesnesse folly and madnesse goddesses nearely allyed are alwaies familiar and near at hand For what I beseech you may be imagined more foolish then to rejoyce at the gaine of vile and transitory things and to lose eternall S. Gregory affirming the same saith they are to be accounted so much the more stupid and foolish as things are of greater value which they lose of lesse which they enjoy That which the Roman wise man said of vertue the same also may be affirmed of this prudence or wisdome whereof we speake It is a certaine thing high royall invincible infatigable it is without saciety without repentance immortall You shall find her in the Church at the tribunall in the court and sometimes standing before the wals of the city all besmeared with dust and died in her owne bloud with her hands all blistred hard and brawny with labour The Hebrew wise man warmed with a better spirit saith the rod and correction giveth wisdome Sect. II. TOBY with the gall of a fish was recovered of his blindnesse The gally bitternesse of calamity is the noblest and surest medicine to recover that dimme and decayed sight which sees not how miserable all this our life is how short and full of errours how replenished with griefes alwaies the next door to death and ready to fall in a moment which sees not with what labour and sollicitude an eternall and better life must bee sought after to heale I say and take away this dimnesse of the eies there is no medicine of more force none more wholesome then affliction For a man that is sick or in misery descendeth at last into himselfe and makes these objections Behold the deceits of the world this is all the reward it gives thee this is all the see thou must look for this is that thou so earnestly soughtest after content thy selfe now with what thou hast gotten it was a potion of thine owne making drinke as thou hast brewed And seest thou not perceivest thou not at length what a stench what a bitternesse this foule pleasure leaves behinde it Seest thou not how soon it had cloyed wearied thee ouâ— how after the first flash it decaied and died and how often times when pleasure is at the highest it is suddainly extinguished wilt thou even now at last be warned by experience Thou hâ—st hitherto thought thy selfe an Achilles or some invincible champion such an one as might bid defiance even to the face of adversity thou provest thy selfe so indeed thou fallest before thou art scarcely touched Art thou that magnanimous that patient that stout and constant undertaker who with Peter sworest to goe to prison and to death and art thou thus with a poore puffe of winde overthrowne Hath the enemy even blasted thee with a
twenty others he will have get by heart a whole side of a leafe and some he appoints to learne without book a long oration To him every ones ability of wit and memory is knowne God is faithfull and trusty who will not suffer you to be tempted above your power but together with temptation gives you profit Oftentimes you shall heare men say How can this man possibly endure such grievous paines Verily I could not It is the grace of God that enables him which if thou hadst thou wouldest endure as much as he whom thou admirest Saint Chrysostome saith excellently Chrys tom â— hom 6. 7. initio mihi pag. 362. well There is no crowne to be looked for without afflictions For where tribulation is likewise is consolation and where consolation grace And contrarywise whom God afflicts not he seldome or never visits with comforts For the soule saith Saint Chrysostome Et hom 67. pag. 358. is purged when for Gods sake it suffers tribulation which suppresseth all pride banisheth flouth disposes a man to patience discovers the basenesse of earthly things and instructeth him in wisdome And therefore it is most true Quae nocent docent Consider Salomon who as long as he was well imployed about serious affaires was accounted worthy of that vision but comming acquainted with delights he was plung'd even into the abyss of impiety What shall we say of his father when was he so admirable and glorious Was it not in the time of his temptations Finally that golden Oratour speaking of himselfe and his friends saies what need we recount ancient examples For if any man do but consider the state of our affaires at this day hee shall easily perceive what is gained by tribulation for now through too much peace and ease we are growne slicke and carelesse neglecting our charge and thereby have filled the Church with innumerable mischiefes but when we were driven into banishment we were more modest civill studious and more ready and fervent both in making and hearing sermons For tribulation is to the soule as fire to gold which purgeth it from al drosse refines and purifies it This is that which conducts to a kingdome the other to hell and everlasting damnation The way hither is large and spatious the other narrow and strait Therfore Christ himselfe said as if he had conferred on us a singular benefit In the world you shall have pressures and greevances If then thou beest his true disciple walke in the rough and narrow way without repining since there is no living here without paines tribulations and miseries Thou art not better then Saint Peter and S. Paul who never found ease but lived in continuall hunger thirst and nakednesse If thou wouldest with them attaine to the same happinesse why walkest thou a contrary way If that citty whereof they were thought worthy be the place thou desirest to arrive at forsake not the way that leads thither It is not ease but tribulation that must bring thee to everlasting rest and happinesse The Isralites were no longer humbly modest then while they were afflicted their insolency and prosperity Crysost hom 64. mihi pag. 351. sprung up together The Jewes saith Saint Chrysostome whilest they had their hands in bricke and morter were humble and daily called upon their God they had no sooner possest themselves of liberty but they fell to murmuring provoked the wrath of God and involved themselves in infinite calamities Let not therefore adversity dismay us which is no other then a wholesome correction Let this then bee inculcated a hundred times over Sustaine my Christian brother whatsoever falls to thee in particular be it never so long and tedious be it never so greevous and miserable how prejudiciall so ever it be sustaine it Quae nocent docent Sect. VI. ALmighty God abundantly declared how he would have his servants treated in this world For if he suffered his only begotten sonne to be scourged he will much lesse spare his servants who are but his adoptive children Alasse how can we excuse our selves We are dissolute and disobedient children prone to filching and stealing rude and exorbitant in the Schoole of Patience and therefore must take in good part these our fathers strips least we smart for it eternally let every one of us now say I am prepared for stripes my grief is alwaies in my sight I for the name of my Lord Jesu am ready not only to be bound but even to suffer death in Jerusalem If therefore the blowes which fall upon the lion himselfe strike a terrour into the whelps how shall we seeing this generous lion of the tribe of Juda scourged be exemâ—â—ed from stripes Assuredly they are most profitable unto us For after the Father hath corrected his child he strâ—kes up the rod in the window that the very sight thereof may terrifie him and from that time make him fearefull of committing the like fault But I am innocent faist thou and am scourged without cause Turne I beseech thee thine eies from thy selfe and behold our most innocent Jesus For if thou wouldest with thy Lord bee crowned thou must with him be scourged though thou beest innocent Aug tom â— ps 37. mihi pag. 13â— All this is for our greater good Thou must of necessity saith S. Augustine be chastized here refusests thou the scourge Looke for no inheritance Every child must needs be scourged yea so impartiall is God in this behalfe to all that he spared not even him who was blamelesse and without all sinne or blemish If children then be whipped what lesse can wicked slaves and servants expect We see the resty or dull horse is quickned with a spurre the dust with a wand beaten our of garments and the wall-nut tree after many cudgells better stored with nuts so we with blows of tribulation become wiser and fructifie with more increase Qâ—a nocent docent Let a Christian then rejoyce in adversity which serves for probation if he be just or reformation if a sinner let him feare whom God vouchsafes not to correct in this world for doubtlesse in the next hee purposeth to punish him It concernes us therefore to give eare to a good master though the things he teacheth be difficult It behooyes us to be thankfull to so loving a Physition be his receits and potions never so bitter The midlest remedies are not alwaies the best some by falling into a river in the depth of winter have recovered their health others by stripes have been cured of a quartan and a suddaine feare diverting the patients mind as if he were not at leasure to waite for his ague hath prevented his fit And how mary should have been prest for souldien had not sicknesse excused them Some have been detained at sea by a cruell tempest who at home had taken their death by the fall of their owne house and some by suffering shipwracke have escaped the hands of pirats So they are innumerable who from under oppression
I say amisse That most holy King David sayes even as much for when the wicked Shimier reproached him with words nay even cast stones at him and some of the Kings train were of mind to have cut off his head the King gave expresse charge to all his followers in â—his manner Let him alone that he may curse for our Lord hath commanded him to curse David and who is he that dare say Why hath he so done Did therfore Shimei commit no sin in doing this yea doubtlesse a most heynous one observe a while and the truth will easily appeare When David the wisest of Kings saw this wretch Shimei all alone and unarmed and yet heard him calumniate him resolutely and without feare he presently was of opinion that the first beginning or fundamentall cause of that injury proceeded not from Shemei but from God who had ordained the slanderous and malicious speech of so wicked a man to chastise and punish him By what means therefore did God command him this Be advised and understand the matter as it is There are two things to be considered in sin The first is the naturall motion of the body or will or of them both jointly together the other is the transgression it selfe of the law For example One brother slanders another a citizen kills a citizen a souldier sets an house of fire a thiefe steals a thousand crownes In these acts the motion of the tongue the deadly stroke the setting fire to the house the taking away of the money are done by Gods help and assistance for they are all naturall actions which cannot be done without Gods help And this is the first thing which ought to be considered in every sin which without doubt is by this meanes furthered by God himselfe But the other is the very nature it selfe of sin as when this naturall action is imployed contrary to reason against conscience and the law of God this God neither willeth nor commandeth neverthelesse he directeth the perverse will of this man or that sin and transgression of his lawes to the punishment admonition correction or increasing the patience of another man Therefore of doing the thing God is the authour and when it is ill done he is a provident director So God assisted Shimei to utter his words to cast durt and stones for these were no other then naturall motions but for so much as Shimei shewed a malicious will against his Prince thereunto God concurred not but neverthelesse directed it to a very good end that by these calumnies the sins of David might be punished his patience and humility exercised And this may be seen and obserued in all sins and in all injuries whatsoever The evill of sin God tolerates and the evill of punishment he orders and directs to a good end to increase patience and to punish sin Thus he permits famine war plagues deluges burning thefts injuries injustices and enormous crimes and withall so disposeth them that even by these evills he manifesteth to the world more and more his goodnesse his justice his power and his glory After this manner God is the Authour of all evils as they are punishments of which Doctrine we produce truth it self for a witnesse God being highly offended with the Jews said I will gather evills upon them and glut my arrows with them Lo I will bring upon them evills out of which they shall not be able to escape Behold God even loads with evills God wounds us with his arrows And we childishly are angry with his arrows and darts we never mark what arm it is that shoots and darts them So the Painter when his picture is not to his minde quarrels with his pencill the Serivener with his pen the Carpenter with his ax the Potter with his clay so we accuse those that malice and slander us as authours of our evills but we are infinitely deceived it is not the pencill but the Painter the pen but the Scrivener who are the authours of the writing or picture Job was in this respect of a better opinion when he said The hand of our Lord had touched him It was neither the Caldeans nor the Sabeans nor any other enemy whatsoever but the hand of God that hath overthrown me Sect. V. HAve we any doubt of this It is the testimony of the wise man Good things and evill life and death poverty and honesty come from God This the Prophet Micheas clearly confirms where he saith That evill is descended from the Lord into the gate of Hierusalem And that he might make them more cautelous whom he admonished Behold quoth he I purpose evill upon this family The like affirmeth the Prophet Amos And where finally shall there be evill which our Lord hath not done And that we may exactly acknowledge all these evills of punishment and innumerable kindes of affliction to come from the Divine will of God let us call to remembrance he woften he hath by little contemptible creatures discomfited his enemies in far more glorious manner then he could with great puissant armies Thus Almighty God is wont to suppresse humane pride thus he sends poor abject worms mice bats flies lice and such like sordid creatures to vanquish not the scum or dregs of the people but to triumph over Kings Princes Emperours Thus he draws forth as it were whole armies of gnats flies frogs wasps and locusts and with these troops overthrows whole nations and countreys The Book of Wisdom declareth Thou hast sent wasps fore-runners of thine hoste that by little and little they might destroy them The Book of Kings witnesseth 〈◊〉 â—uch And the towns and fields 〈…〉 forth in the midst of that countâ—â—â— and there came forth mice and there was confusion of great death in the city Genebrard relateth of a King who for poisoning of his nephews committed to his charge was together with his wife devoured by mice Conies undermined a city in Spain and moles a city in Macedonia as Plinie witnesseth When Sapor King of the Persians a man greedily thirsting after the bloud of Christians belieged the city of Nisibis James Nisibita their Bishop brought down upon them by his prayers not an army of souldiers but of flies and gnats from heaven These little creatures more powerfully then the vast army of Xerâ—es impugned the enemy for when the horses and elephants felt themselves continually stung and vexed by those little vermins in their ears snowâ—â— and nostrils they became mad aâ—d furious brake their bridles and ran headlong away insomuch that the King knowing not what to do nor â—â—ither to turn him left all and withdraw himself from the enterprise The lâ—ke successe had Charles king of Sicilie and Puilip king of France when they tooke Gerunda a City in Spain where the outrage impiety of the souldiers spared neither Churches nor Sepulchres c. But when they broke up the tombe of St. Narcissus a huge swarm of flies issued out of it and made such a slaughter amongst
VII BVt why say you doth God make use of evill men for this purpose why doth he not rather send upon them warres and flaughters or at least do this by good instruments Why arâ— thou so curious to aske this question It is doubtlesse well known to God why he makes use of such though we be ignorant thereof The master of a great family sometimes corrects his son himselfe sometimes commits it to a Tutour or School-master The like doth the master in a School who either whips a shrewd boy himselfe or delivers him over to another to be corrected Why may not God do the same Why may not he at his pleasure either scourge us with his owne hand or by anothers There is no injury done in thâ—s But peradventure the servant is incensed against thee and hath a minde to hurt and displeasure thee What matter is it Minde not that but the intention of him that commands it Thy father himselfe is present who appoints it and will not suffer thee to receive so much as one stripe more then he hath ordained After this manner a Magistrate commands a guilty person to be put to death the executioner perhaps hates this man beyond measure and had rather pull him in pieces with burning pincers then take his life at one blow But seeing Magistrates commands must be executed he takes no lesse pleasure in cutting off his head What hurt I pray had this man by the executioners hatred No more then if he had entirely loved him He took his head off as the Magistrate commanded and further it was not in his power to touch him Even thus our enemies how extreamly soever they hate us can no further annoy us then God freely permits them Most excellently in this point Saint Augustine encourageth us Feare not quoth he thine enemy his act goes no further then he is permitted by the power he hath received Feare him who doth all as he will himself and yet doth nothing unjustly for every act of his is just and reasonable Let sinners rage all that they will and as much as is permitted them our Lord confirmes and strengthens the just Whatsoever befalls a just man note this I beseech you note it most â—ttentâ—vely whatsoever happens to a just man let him ascribe it to the will of God not to the power of his enemy What then hath the wicked man to boast of but that our Father hath made him my scourge he entertaines him indeed as his slave and hireling but me he breeds up to inherit his patrimony Neither ought we so much to observe what liberty he gives to the unjust as what rewards he reserves for the just God deales with us in this as men do They sometimes in their anger catch up whatsoever switch or rod comes first to their hands and therwith bear their childe but this rod afterward they throw into the fire and reserve their childe for the inheritance So God exerciseth us by evill men and instructs us by their persecution By the malice of the evill man the good man is scourged by the servant the sonne is reformed For the goodnesse of just men is prejudiciall to the evil and contrariwise the iniquity of evâ—ll men is profitable to the good But if thine owne frail and perverse will begin to encroch upon thee saying O that God would kâ—ll and confound that enemy of mine that he might not persâ—cute me O that there were some possible meanes for me not to suffer so much under him Now if thou persist and please thy selfe in this will notwithstanding thou seest it manifestly agâ—iâ—st the will of God thy heart is not upright as it should be And who are they that are just and upright of heart Surely such as are found in that state and temper wherein Joâ— was who said The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away as it hath pleased the Lord so is it done the name of our Lord be blessed Behold an upright heart These sayings of Saint Augustine Aug to 8. in Psa 61 propius sinem in Psa 36. Psalmi secundâ— parte conc 1. mihi pag. 116. Ps 73. pag. 329. Ps 95. p. 433. p. 430. are a hundred a thousand three thousand times to be inculcated yet hardly will men be induced sufficiently to imitate or make use of them So God by this man beats and chastiseth that man and afterwards throwes the rods into the fire So when he determined by the King of Babylon to chastise the Jewes All those nations quoth he for the space of seventy yeares shall serve the King of Babylon and when those seventy yeares shall be expired I will visit the King of Babylon himselfe whom like a twig I will throw into the fire Therefore all that eate thee O my Christian shall be devoured and all thine enemies shall be led into captivity and they that waste thee shall bee wasted and all they that rob and despoil thee God wil waste and consume But he will have care of thy wounds and heale thee as he did Job who by his enemies and extream poverty was the more enriched Be thou onely confident and with longanimity expect for thou shalt as assuredly be holpen and relieved as thine enemies unlesse they repent shall be punished and tormented Sect. VIII BUt I produce now one infinitely more holy then Job the Son of God the Saviour of the world who suffered idolaters to lay his Crosse upon him and to crucâ—fie him The people of the Jews the most selected of all nations upon whom he had heaped so many benefits whom he had loved as his onely begotten sons with this infamous burden requited their benefactour neither did he refuse it The Romans crucified the Creatour of the world upon that bloudy tree nor did he ever resist them When he was nailed upon the Crosse all men that were present yea even the theef himself that was crucified with him railed against him yet he did never reply or answer them What said I Nay he never replied or returned so much as one spâ—tefull word Yea so far was he from this that he earnestly prayed and besought pardon for them This with good reason is so much esteemed by the Churâ—h that she celebrateth the yeerly memory of Christs Passion with these words especially Look I beseech thee O Lord upon this thy family for which our Lord Jesus Christ vouchsafed to be delivered into the hands of guilty persons c. Let no man call himself a member of this head unlesse he indeavour to imitate him Saint Gregory speaketh Greg. part 3. pastoral 13. admonit siâ— to the purpose Why saith he should it be thought so hard a matter for man to suffer stripes at Gods hands for evill deeds sith God suffers so many evills for his good deeds In the mean time we persist in our absurd errour casting out these or the like fond speeches This man is an eye sore to me so odious to my stomack
any crosse or adversity that all things had succeded not onely answerable but even beyond his expectation before he desired them yea more then he could desire so that he never knew what belonged to calamity Saint Ambrose was much astonished at this and forthwith as if some sudden occasion had called him away took his leave of that fortunate man and his house both at an instant The reason he gave to his followers of this his speedy departure was this That he feared the rest of his entertainment would be but bad in a house so extreamly happy and with a man who all his life time had never tasted adversity Wherefore he thought it expedient to flye thence in all haste lest they together with such an host should be involved in the same ruine Saint Ambrose had not gone far from thence before the house with a sudden and unexpected downfall overwhelmed and buried all the inhabitants How much better is it then to dwell with them who are in this world tossed and turmoiled with stormes to acquire thereby rest and happinesse where ruine and destruction are not to be feared Here we lead a life continually infested with temptations alwayes exposed to great and mafold dangers and till we depart out of this world are never secure but this whether it be known or unknown to those who dream of having their felicity here exempts them not from being altogether as miserable There can be no true felicity subject to errour and perill He is onely happy who resigning himselfe wholly to the will of God sits aloft in the chariot of divine providence Sir Thomas Moore a most illustrious example of patience submitted entirely his will to the will of God after this manner At his return from an Embassage wherein he was imployed beyond seas and attending the King far â—â—om his own house in the moneth â—â— August word was brought him from his wife by his son-in-lawes letters that part of his house and all his barns full of corn were by the negligence or some neighbour burned to the ground Sir Thomas wrote back thus to his wife in a most Angelicall manner Much health and safety Lady Aloysia I understand that our and some of our neighbours barns are burned the losse doubtlesse of so plentifull a provision of corn but that it is the will of God were much to be lamented But seeing it hath so pleased God we ought surely to take this punishment as from his hand not onely patiently but even willingly Whatsoever we have lost we have received from our Lord. And seeing it hath pleased him to take it from us again our Lords will be done Let us not murmur or repine at this accident but 〈◊〉 hâ—c Christianâ— lector nâ—â—â— noâ—â— take it in good part and render great thankes to God as well in adversity as prosperity And if we consider the matter as we should this losse is a greater benefit from God then whatsoever gain for how much it importeth to our salvation it is better known to God then our selves I beseech you therefore not to be dismaied but take with you all your family to the Church give most humble thanks to God as well for that he hath given us and now taken from us as for that which he hath left us God can with great facility when he pleaseth encrease that which remaineth and if it seem good to him to take more from us as it shall please our Lord so let it be done Moreover let enquiry be made what damage our neigbours have sustained and wish them not to be contristated therewith for I will never suffer any neighbour of mine to be endammaged by any losse or mischance that may happen to my domesticall estate tho I should forgo all my house-hold furniture even to the value of a spoon I pray thee my dear Aloysia rejoyce with all my children and family in our Lord. All these commodities and we our selves are in the hands of God let us depend wholly on his will â—â— losse shall ever prejudice us Farewell from the Court at Woodstocke this 13. of Sept. An. 1529. O my God! what a sincere resignation was this to thy will what a letter was this of a true upright hearted man Here we may see a father of a family a great proficient in the School of Patience here was a man here was a man indeed who was able through an entire conformity to the will of God so sweetly to beare a losse of such importance Behold here an Ostrich that could devoure and digest iron His barns were fited but not his minde This patience preserved and firmly fortified And see how the infinit liberality of God repaired this losse as he did the calamities of Job with manifold increase In the moneth of September this sorrowfull news was brought to Saint Thomas More and in October next ensuing he was declared high Chancelour of England and not only that dignity was conferred upon him but a new addition also was made to his revenues whereby he might both reedifie his old barns and build new if he pleased This is the usuall manner of God He bringeth men downe even as low as hell and reduceth them again To this Lord Chancelour of England I annex a Prince of Spain Francis Borgias the third Generall of the Society of Jesus This Borgias tooke his journey towards Septimanca where the Society had a noviceship and being benighted in the way a cold piercing winde a huge driving snow and the darkenesse of the night intercepted his passage At last through snow and darknesse very late in the night he came to the place yet was he not here free from the sharpnesse of the weather for when he was now at the Colledge gates all the Colledgiates being in bed and fast in their first sleep he knocked again and again and many times and no man made answer insomuch that they seemed all rather dead then asleep and which was another inconvenience the house it selfe was far distant from the gates all this whâ—le the wind blew bitterly and pierced this weary travailer hunger afflicted him snow covered this good father and made him all white afâ—er long attendance at last thâ— novices awaked and opened the gates when he was let in so far was he from reprehending or blaming them or shewing an austere countenance or giving sharpe words that he seemed rather full of cheerfullnesse and to take comfort therein the brothers of the society on the other side stood all abashed at their sleepines and negligence humbly begging pardon of the good father that they had suffered him in so bitter a cold night to stand so long at the gates but Borgias albeit he were almost starved to death answered with a clear and smiling countenance you have no reason my dear children to grieve aâ— what hapned to me for my meditation whilest I stood so attending was this That even as a great Prince would be delighted to see a bear a
diseases poverty and other injuries An excellent discourse And surely vertue without an adversary withereth away Even the grave and wise opinion of Quintus Metellus delivered in the Senate sheweth this Metellus after the taking of Carthage said in open Senate that he knew not whether the victory had broght more good or evil to the people of Rome for as it had profited by restoring peace so it would be no small prejudice by removing Hanniball For by his passage into Italy the vertue Valer. li. 1. c. 2. post initium and valour of the people of Rome was awakened and being freed of so sharp an adversary it was to be feared they would fall asleep again he thought it therefore as great a mischief to have the edge of their ancient valour rebated as if their houses were burnt their fields wasted and treasure exhausted This then may be the Oracle of Oracles That Vertue without an adversary decayes and pines away without a crosse Patience falls asleep All hail therefore thou most pretious crosse that rub'st off the rust of vices that settest before us the mirrour wherein we may learn to know our selves that bringest us upon the stage to act the part of patience thou that crownest us not with navall obsidionall civicke murall or castrensall but with heavenly crownes thou that dost furnish us with all manner of vertue and never leavest us till thou bringest us unto God Transfix me therefore O my deare Lord burn me cut me pull me in pieces in this world so thou spare me for all eternity And when heerafter we shall be presented with this bitter cup and asked whether we be able to drink it grant we may couragiously answer we can through thy divine help and assistance not our own for the servant is not greater then his Lord and Master While Joab that warlike Captain takes up his lodging under a tent covered with skins Urias is ashamed to lye at his own house in a bed of Down It would be a thing infinitely odious to see delicate members decked with roses and bracelets perfumed with civet balsamum under a head imbrewed with bloud and pierced with thornes We ought therefore to be most assured that Almighty God for a thousand reasons may exercise and even hardly handle his scholars in this schoole with all manner of cares griefes and afflictions These are like the strokes which instruct fashion shâ—pe and square us for immortall beatitude This is our way to life everlasting Wherefore as saith S. Augustine Aug. to 10. de verb. Dom. Ser. 23. c. 3. let not stripes dismay us that the joy of resurrection may comfort us CHAP. III. Why some Scholars are more afflicted in this School then others IT is an old complaint of Scholars in Schools and of inhabitants in Cities that some are châ—stised and preseâ—â— more then others some favourably others roughâ—y used the Crowes pardoned and Doves punished This seemeth not to go well since Citizens should live indifferently after one sort yet for the most part the contumacious disobedient and rebellious are more friendly intreated and bounteously rewarded then good and vertuous persons Many and those very holy men have complained heerof Why saith Jeremy the Prophet doth the way of the impious prosper Why is it well with all that transgresse and do wickedly Job making the like complaint saith Why then do the impious live Why are they advanced and strengthened with riches And the Prophet Habacuc much after the same manner Why saith he lookest not thou upon them that do unjust things and holdest thy peace when the impious devoureth him that is more just then himselfe Into the same complaints likewise fell the most holy King David saying My feet were almost moved my steps almost slipped because I have had zeal upon the wicked seeing the peace of sinners And I said Then have I justified my heart without cause In vain do we esteem of vertue if wickednesse be more powerfull and vice honoured with ampler rewards then vertue Whosoever thou art look round about the world and thou shalt see them dye here and there upon whose life and health the safety of very many depended and those suffered to live and prosper for whom it had been better they had never been born thou shalt see strong and healthfull men â—ob and spoil and harmlesse creatures miserably afflicted with diseases Many wicked men advanced to prime dignities and the honester sort grievously oppressed with poverty who can ever sufficiently wonder at this Nay who is there that would not be moved with with indignation to see vice flourish every where and vertue commended but not advanced Even Saint Augustine Aug. lib. 10. de Civ cap. 2. himselfe saith We know not by what judgement of God this good man is poore or that evill man rich Sect. I. IT seemeth very difficult for humane reason to apprehend why wicked men prosper so much in their way and why on the other side innocent Abel is slain before others in the family of Adam obedient Joseph in the house of Jacob thrown into a pit sold to strangers and cast in prison Zealous Elias oppressed with hunger and driven into banishment devout Daniel condemned to the Lions patient Job scourged by the Divel righteous S. John Baptist at Herods command dragged to prison S. Peter so servent in the love of his master hurried to execution and crucified under Nero. Peruse holy Scriptures from the first of Genesis to the last of the Apocalypse and thou shalt scarcely finde any thing more frequent then the calamities of just men Look back O you mortals upon all precedent ages read sacred and prophane histories and you shall finde all filled with good mens tears At Athens Socrates the wise Phocion the good Aristides the just Mithridrates the victorious suffer undeservedly Aristides banishment the other death At Rome Marcus Cato that exemplary wise man tâ—at lively mirrour of vertue is pulled haled thrust spit upon turned out of his Pretorship carried to prison and there like Socrates put to death Rutilius and Camillus are compelled to live in banishment Pompey and Cicero put to death by their own servants The ends of good Seâ— l. de tranquil c. â—5 pâ—st â—nit men are oftentimes very miserable Will any man then be vertuous since vertue is so ill rewarded Saint John Baptist groans in chains whilst Herod licentiously revells and dances Poore Lazarus dies for hunger whilst his executioner the rich glutton cloathed in purple for many dayes together sumptuously feasteth Many are the troubles of just men What doth God all this while Is he or doth he seeme to be asleep He that numbreth all the hairs of our head takes account even of the Sparrows and least birds of the aire keeps a reckoning of every lease upon the trees without whose consent not so much as one of them falls to the ground can he I say behold so many injuries and tolerâ—te them with patience How doth
his grievously lamenting for some disaster where shewing him all the houses under him in that great Citie he spake in Lipsius l. â— Const c. 20. c. this manner Do but consider how great mourning and lamentation there is hath been and hereafter will be in thâ—se houses and thereby comfort your selfe and lay aside all frivolous complaints The same must we doe and present these infinite miseries to the eyes of all those who bewaile our age as the most deplorable Be of good comfort that which we repute a losse is a preservation With these milde afflâ—ctions our good God purgeth as it were and expiates our offences After we have past through fire and water he will bring us to a place of rest and happinesse you are sure of the one and may expect another Sect. III. A Cloake I Call that affliction a cloake which is shaped by 〈◊〉 himselfe or else comming from some other cause is augmented by his own vain perswafions Certainly every thing appeares according to the shape and forme which a man gives it It is incredible how powerfull the imagination or conceipt is in this kinde sometimes through conceipt we fall sicke yea are kil'd outright Now and then it happens that two men are loaden euen with the very same crosse yet the one having a more generous spirit thinkes his as light as a feather the other surcharg'd with abject and melancholy thoughts calls his a crosse of lead Here the same thing by severall conceipts is diversified Oftentimes the heavinesse and waight of the crosse corresponds to the opinion of him that carries it our evils increase or decrease according to our severall humours It is burden enough for a man to perswade himselfe he beares a burden The imagination swaies as much in diseases as in other evills which we suffer There are some that liken the imagination to raine whereby thousands of little Frogs are produced others compâ—re it to thunder which makes Ewes cast their Lambes and hony become sower The imagination is like to multiplying glasses which make a company of twenty souldiers seeme a little army There is nothing in the world so great but may seeme lesse if the pregnant imagination be qualified Fearefull cogitations suspicions envies and a thousand such conceits which miserably perplex our mindes are nothing else but fond toyes produc'd by our imagination It is like a dream of one halfe awake which presents sometimes a thousand ridiculous fantasies and at other times as many hidious Bug-beares and Hobgoblins It is a common saying that imagination makes the case The like may I say Imagination either makes or aggravates a crosse Even as he that passeth over a narrow bridge or climbs up to a high place beginnes not to fall till he imagines he is falling so certainely he often becomes miserable indeed who imagineth himself to be miserable Looke what shape we give or what cloake we cast over things the same they appear which J. Climacus confirmeth by this ensuing story UpoÌ„ a time saith he as we were sitting at table in our Colledge the Superior rounded me in the eare saying Father wil you have me shew you a man very old and yet most prudent and religious I answered there was nothing I more desired to see and therefore earnestly besought him to doe me that favour whereupon the Superiour called unto him from the next table a Priest of fourescore years of age who had care of the Wardrobe and spent eight and forty yeares in the Colledge commended by all for his vertue This old man came readily and stood expecting at the table for dinner was but newly begun what his Superior would be pleased to command him But he making as if he had not seene him neither willed this old man to depart nor appointed him what he should doe but did purposely prolong dinner more then ordinary This most patieÌ„t old man stood without his dinner there almost 2 hours not moving a foote All which Climacus admired with silence but was ashamed so much as once to cast an eye upon that venerable gâ—â—y head After this manner stood this old man a spectacle worthy of heaven till dinner was ended And when all arose from table he was commanded to depart Expâ—ctaâ—â— expâ—ctavi Domiâ—num intendio mihi Psa 30. 1. and recite the beginning of the three and thirtieth Psalme Climacus astonished at this spectacle and moved with a religious curiosity calling aside this old man who had stood there so long Father said he what I beseech you did you thinke when you stood at the table so long a time without your dinner the old man mildely replyed I imagined this to be rather the command of God then of man wherefore Climac grad 4. p. 7 ab vâ—iâ—â—â— quarti grad perswading my selfe that I stood not at the table but before God I presented my prayers to him and by this meanes admitted not so much as the least evill conceit against my Superiour Behold an excellent point of art to be practis'd in the School of Patience Certainely every thing appeares unto us according to the figure or cloak we cast upon it such I meane as we frame in our imagination If we invest it with a blacke mourning robe the aspects therof will be dolefull unto us If it be glos'd over with a light and pleasant colour it will encourage us to imbrace it with an undaunted resolution But sometimes let him who would not grieve too much behold the thing it selfe naked and undisguis'd and that which before threatned death and horrour will now invite him to laughter the like happens to us which to little children for if they see one disguised though they know him very well and daily use to play with him yet they are affrighted at the sight We must not onely take from men but even from things themselves their disguise and shew them truly as they are Look I beseech you somewhat more narrowly into the matter what it is for a man to be sicke or poore when it is not through his owne fault what to have lost the favour of men Consider advisedly what it is to have injuries offered unjustly think what it is for a vertuous man to be contemned and vilified and you will say that all these are but terrible vizards onely to affright babes Most men figure sicknesse in their imagination as the greatest evill and poverty as the extreamest dishonour in this life and conceive injuries contempt disgraces losse of favour vexation of envious persons so grievous that by all means possible they are to be avoided Thus of Ants we make huge Elephants of Dogges Tigers and Panthers of Hares formidable troops and squadrons of hideous monsters By this means we dye an hundred deaths before we are so much as in danger of sicknesse And we imagine our selves poorer then Irus or Codrus before poverty hath set so much as one foot within our doores By this meanes we often cry out we have
purpose to build In fine on this alwayes he reflects that something may interpose it selfe between him and his purposes Zeno the Philosopher arm'd wiâ—h this resolution when he heard his whole estate was drowned in the sea answered Fortune I applaud thee now thou bidst me fall more close to my Philosophy It was most wisely and learnedly said of Epictetus Never attempt any thing before thou hast considered as well things precedent as subsequent otherwise thou shalt set upon it rashly and unadvisedly as one that hath not duly considered the sequell thereof and so when afterward any difficulty or troubles occurre thou wilt basely give it over Thou desirest thou saist to win the Olympian prize Consider then all circumstances as well present as future and having so done if thou findest any advantage undertake the enterprise Thou must be precisely carefull of thy diet eate no more then will suffice nature abstain from dainy fare exercise thy body forcibly at certain hours accustome it to heat and cold in any case drink no water nor wine but springly to be short thou must put thy selfe into the hands of some Fencer to be thy Physition for a time And after all this make account to be cut and mangled in the conflict to hazard the straining of a hand or putting a leg out of joynt besides thou must be almost choked with dust soundly basted and bruised sometimes overcome and foyled in the end After all these things considered undertake the combat if thou wilt but if thou carry not thy selfe with this circumspection take heed thou play not as boyes use to do sometimes the Wrastler sometimes the Fencer one while a Souldier another while a Tragedian finally every thing they see or wonder at After this manner thou mayst be to day a Wrastler to morrow a Fencer the next day a Philosopher then an Oratour and indeed nothing in conclusion but like an Ape thou imitatest whatsoever thou seest pleased now with one thing now with another yet still out of love with that to which thou art accustomed And all this because thou undertakest nothing considerately nothing clearly sifted or examined but rashly out of the impulsion of a vain and weak desire Thou must watch thou must labour certain vain affections of thine must be vanquished thou must forsake and leave thy kindred and acquaintance suffer thy selfe to be contemned and derided by every boy thou meetest to Epist l. 3. dissert cap. 15. distinctu lâ—ciâ— be put to the worst in point of Magistracie honour judgement and all things else After all these considerations come and spare not if by these means thou desirest to vindicate to thy selfe tranquility liberty and constanty of minde Diogenes being asked What he had learned in Philosophy answered readily To foresee adversitie and when it comes to beare it patiently Diogenes had good reason to say so and Anaxagoras made good proofe of it being apprehended at Athens received two messages both heavie and doleful The one declared That death was denounced against him to which Anaxagoras answered thus Nature hath long since decreed the same both against me and those that condemne me The other gave him to understand That his children were dead His answer was I was alwayes sure my children were not immortall These were deadly wounding darts yet could not wound Anaxagoras because they were foreseen This is Christian Philosophy That Christ sending his Apostles into the theatre of the world said Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves If they have persecuted me you also will they persecute They will betray you in their counsells and scourge you in their Synagogues you shall be carried before Kings and Presidents for my sake The houre noâ— comes that every one that shall kill you will thinke he doth God good service but this I have said to you that when the houre shall come you may remember that I told you of it This the Master hath fore-told that the Disciples might consider of it before hand as one that is to take a journey thinkes of those things which are wont to happen to a man in that case to wit foul and tempestuous weather rough and broken wayes poore beggerly and sharking Innes rude and troublesome companions scarcitie of money uncertain weather winde rain wearinesse and many such inconveniences which doubtlesse would not seem to the traveller so insupportable if he could truly say I fore-saw all these things Contrariwise the words of those that lament for want of providence are I never expected this chance who would have thought this I hoped for much better you shall never heare a wise man make these complaints I have heard a goodly story of an Abbot whose custome was before he received any novice into his house to carry him to the top of a tower and bid him view as farre as he could with his eyes and thinke that if there were as many crosses as could stand between him and the utmost of his prospect yet would they not be so many as he must expect to beare Know this my son quoth he and look for it before hand Thou shalt evermore have thy will crossed in all things When thou wouldest pray thou shalt labour when labour pray when thou hast a minde to sleep thou shalt be inforced to watch when thou desirest to watch thou shalt be commanded to go to bed when thou hast a desire to speake thou shalt be enioyned silence when to be silent thou shalt be commanded to speak I must deal plainly with thee thou art often like to heare thy selfe â—ll spoken of innumerable faults will be laid to thy charge besides the daily affliction of thy body When thou shalt think thy selfe to have done well to have sung thy part skilfully thou shalt sooner be dispraised and controlled then commended and applauded Accusations many times and those not alwayes true shall be brought against thee No appeale not so much as to the Court of Chancery will be admitted all the amends and right thou wilt get will be thy patience It may be thou shalt endure all this fifty or sixtie yeares perhaps all thy life But in case thou meanest not to mortifie thy will nor to endevour daily to overcome thy selfe get thee gone my son get thee gone thou wilt finde no entertainement there nor in any other the like place whatsoever A most sincere speech surely and a wise And can any admonition be more properly inculcated to the scholars of this sacred schoole then this Foresee the infinite adversity you are like to endure Doe you thinke your selves able or at least willing to bear it If so well if not get yee gone packe yee hence this Schoole is no place for effeminate persons droans sluggards or loyterers men that seek their ease and shun labour come not here or if you do you shall quickly be excluded here are no such slothfull creatures Labour and Patience are chief commanders Sect. V. LET every one foresee the
looke Thus a man adviseth and exhorteth himselfe in time of affliction See I beseech you how the gall of affliction cleareth the eies that are dim how it openeth those that are shut Hieremie the Prophet plainly confirmes this in these expresse words He hath sent fire from above into my bones and hath instructed me Hereupon it was a most true saying of Saint Gregory that punishment opens those eies which sinne had closed I am a man seeing mine owne poverty in the rod of thy indignation Thou hast chastized me and I am instructed like an untamed young man because thou art my Lord God Many times we are wretched and miserable and which goeth beyond all misery are ignorant of our owne misery and deem those our enemies who esteeme us such In this respect we do like unto them who will never acknowledge their house to be on fire as long as they can keepe it close and smoother it within the wals but so soone as it flames out at the windows and makes havocke of the house then they call for helpe of their neighbours when the matter may no longer be concealed and the fire it selfe begins to speake So we never wax wise by adversity till we seriously resent it It is only vexation that gives understanding For as the wise man saith he that vexeth the eie fetcheth teares and he that vexeth and pricketh the heart makes it sensible Let a man be disparaged with some suddaine contumely affronted with some unexpected injury transfixed with some unlooked for calamity then the time is come to make triall of him Then will it appeare how mild this man is being strâ—ken with suddain calamity how patâ—ent how modest and how mindfull of true humility And albeit he trip and stumble a little yet will he if he be wise forthwith recollect himselfe gather sence and understanding out of that vexation discover patience exercise mildnesse and make shew of modesty For the scourge and doctrine saith the wise man are at all times wisdome All the writings in a manner of Anneus Seneca breath a kind of divinity worthy to be written in gold and cedar notwithstanding the principall amongst them which seemeth to chalenge unto it selfe a preeminence above the rest is that which is he wrot to his mother Helvâ—a he being then in banishment So we may see this Roman wise man was indued with more wisdome when hee had lesse fruition of those things which should solace and comfort him So the scholars daily profit in the Schoole of Patience become more prudent and are instructed by the stripes of adversity So the fisher after the sting of the scorpion learnes wisdome by his own harmes Some relate that a certaine Fisherman too greedy of his prey laid hands with more haste then good speed upon his net whence being stung by a lurking Scorpion he said From this time forward I will never run so head-long on my net this sting shall teach me wisedome hereafter Thus must we reason with our selves And when the wound of our calamity being healed we finde we have offended by impatience let us turn straight to our selves and say See thou mad outragious Bull how thou hast behaved thy selfe in this affliction how disdainfully and impatiently with such fury as if thou wouldst have torn the Moon from her spheare Is this thy Christian patience Aspirest thou to heaven by this means Fearest thou every little prick of a needle every flea-biting See thou shew thy selfe another manner of man hereafter be mindfull of patience Sect. III. GOd gave the Law to Moses amidst thunder and lightning the heavens bellowed and spit fire What was the meaning of this Mary to signifie that we are never more attentive to the lawes of God then when the thunderbolts of calamity fly about our eares when the hail-stormes of many slaughters affright us then we stand attentive and vigilant then we promise largely that we will do and performe all we can possible Do therefore now thou art well what thou promisedst in time of sicknesse For if God be so terrible in giving the law to be observed how much more rigorous will he be in taking account of those that have not kept it Here thou maist question with thy selfe after this manner How often I pray you do we meditate on the eteâ—nall joyes and delights of heaven how often do we attentively consider the torments of hell Alas but seldome and for fashion sake onely Seeing therefore we scarcely at any time bend our cogitation upon these serious and wholsome subjects Almighty God commiserating our negligence and propounding these things to be meditated by us in the School of Patience saith Fix thy minde O man and thinke advisedly that if so small a disease put thee to such pain what will the torments of the damned do for all eternity if one poore worm-eaten tooth afflict thee day and night even to madnesse how will the worm of conscience tyrannize over those desperate bond-slaves If the stone the chollick or gout torture a man so grievously upon a soft bed how will eternall fire torment him with the flame which shall never be extinguished Consider ah consider whatsoever thou sufferest now is but the flight pricking of a pin whatsoever torments thee now is but a trifle But who of us is able to inhabite with devouring fire with ardours everlasting Sometimes we are of this opinion and stick not to say I can no longer endure this fellow I have endured him as long as possibly I can what man can brook him any longer And how O man wilt thou brooke the company of Divels and damned ghosts with all the torments they endure which are farre greater then can be imagined If God punish so severly in a place of pardon and mercy how will he chastise where there is no hope of mercy Whensoever therefore thou burnest or art sick think say to thy selfe Behold a paterne of hell but a painted one See a little taste of hell but the mildest that may be It is another manner of fire which buries and burnes the wicked there then that thou sufferest this is sweet and pleasant in comparison of that eternall Learn therefore wisedome and knowledge whilst thou mayest The wise man wishing this saith Who will set up stripes in my cogitation To feele these onely avails but little for who is he there that doth not unlesse we also bend our cogitations seriously upon it and with indifferencie compare our shorter torments with those that are perpetuall and so at last we shall be driven to confesse that our paines in respect of those are but dreames and shadows But as God in the Schoole of Patience offers us a taste of hellish teares so gives he us some rellish here before hand of eternall joyes in heaven For a well minded man when he sees himselfe embroiled amidst so many troubles and miseries so many griefes and dolours will say with Saint Paul fetching a deep sigh We are oppressed
will either dye or go away with the victory I will take no rest till I bring this about Such paternes we may daily see of constancie How comes it therefore to passe that our constancie in the Schoole of Patience slacketh and fainteth so suddenly so easily You shall finde some will say I can endure this no longer Say rather I will indure it no longer For surely you could if you would But as horses â—ire in a long journey so if miseries and afflictions continue long our patience is jaded yea which is more shamefull sometimes we yeeld to afflictions before they come â—eer us desist and fall off from our enterprises daily we alter our judgement and resolve of quite contrary courses spending our lives in nought but diversity of purposes For which cause Seneca prudently Seneca de â—tio Sapiâ—â—â— cap. 1. v. 20. adviseth us Look to this quoth he above all things that thou be constant in thy resolutions It importeth more to sticâ— to thy purposes then to purpose that which is honest But 〈◊〉 men make but a sport of their life oâ— Judgements are not onely erroneous but also light and variable we waveâ— to and fro resolving one while one thing another while another rejecting what we desired and desiring again what we rejected between liking and disliking we keep level-coil No man propounds to himselfe what he would have or if he do he fleets from it before it be effected and so far is he from onely changing it that â—e doth but leave it and take it again entertaining that which before he had condemned and forsaken Persist then in what thou hast begun and persevere with patience Knowest thou the saying of Ecclesiasticus A fool is changeable as the Moon Such a Lunatick is grievously diseased Sect. II. GOD loves constancie in every good man And I beseech you let us but think where and what we are In this life we passe our novice-ship for we are novices and this world the middle region between heaven and hell is the place assigned to doe it in As we now behave our selves uprightly and constantly or otherwise so shall we have alotted us an eternall habitation either in heaven or hell God here takes a triall of our constancie and deferres our reward that he may render it afterward with interest With good reason doth Saint Augustine wonder why God who was so intimate with Jacob the Patriarch would conceal from him so long that his son Joseph was yet alive The good old man pined away with grief deeming his son Joseph torn in pieces and devoured by wilde beasts Yet did not God so much as with one word mitigate his grief What meant he by this Surely to try the constancie of Jacob. And therefore he doubled his grief when he bereft him also of his dearly beloved son Benjamin With how many experiments I pray did God try the constancie of Joseph He was at the age of seventeen sold by his brothers ten yeers he past in service where daily his wanton Mistris sollicited his chastity but so constantly did he withstand her adulterous desires that neither threats tears nor intreaties could vanquish hâ—m he persisted unmoveable in his purposed chastity Afterward this most modest young man was cast into prison amongst malefactours where he spent one yeer with the Kings Butler and Baker After their delivery he lived yet two yeers longer in that prison with marvellous constancie patience and integrity For referring himself with all innocencie to Almighty God he neither sought to defend nor clear himself by declaring how the whole matter had passed but constantly endured the necessity of his imprisonment comforting himself with this one onely hope that Almighty God whose most vigilant provicence he had often notably expetienced was without all doubt infinitely more able to release him when his blessed pleasure was then they to hold him in prison which evidently appeared afterward for having layen three yeers in prison he was brought forth and presented to King Pharao who made him Vice-Roy over all Aegypt He was then thirty yeers of age after which time in that eminent degree next to the Kings own person he governed Aegypt fourscore yeers For such is the usuall manner of God far to exceed mens merits with his rewards and infinitely to surpasse their labours with recompences Behold the ample honour and dignity of constant patience Whosoever therefore thou art persevere faithfull even to death and thou shalt receive the crown of life Let us contemplate and consider the whole frame of Nature What avails it a man to learn superficially any Art or Science if he attain not to such perfection that he may shew himself a skilfull Artist therein Why strivest thou to run a race if thou stayest before thou commest to the end Why frequentest thou the School of Patience if thou meanest not to be constant in learning He trifles away his time here who wastes many dâ—yes weeks or moneths under the government of patience and at last breaks forth into impatience saying I have been scholar long enough I wax weary of these stale and triviall school-points hence forward I will be mine own man and resume my liberty Let all such scholars get them from this School they lose their time they â—either know nor profit any thing though they learn never so much In vain they begin who persevere not till the end They want constancy And what avails it thee to begin if thou wilt not persevere All Gods works are perfect King Salomon merited most commendation not for that he began to build the Temple but because he covered it with a roof and finished it Salomon built the Temple and accomplished the work Christ the most patient Master in this School makes small account of those scholars who are infinitely industrious at the beginning observe the laws and institutions for a time give some hope of their proficience but by degrees fall off neglect the School give themselves wholly over to sloth and at last know no more then old impatience which they brought with them at the first Avant you loiterers pack hence unconstant creatures He gains not here any repute of learning who hath not carried himself with such applause that justly he may be said Cursâ—m consummâ—sse Consummatum est is the lesson with which this School is first opened and finally closed he that learns not this hath played the trewant in the School of Patience The Angel in the Apocalyps warneth us to hold what we have that no man may take our crown from us This Saint Basil declareth in an elegant Oration where he extolls the constancie of the forty Martyrs who in the time of Licinius the Emperour at Sebaste a Citie of Armenia were compelled to stand naked without doors in a frozen pit and in the sharp and rough winter season there to be starved to death These words and mutuall encouragements were heard amongst them all Let us fight like Champions and run this
race we have undertaken at the end thereof we shall be crowned This voice was ratified by celestiall visions For one of the souldiers that guarded them saw Angels sent from heaven with nine and thirty crowns to bestow upon as many of those Christian Champions which caused him to marvell and say within himself Here are forty persons but where is the fortieth crown Whilst he was thus revolving this in his minde one of that blessed number too indulgent to his own life and not able to endure the torments stepped into a warm bath adjoyning Alas nice and tender Martyr What doest thou Shunnest thou to death Nay thou runnest into it in this place where thou seekest to avoid it For soon after the poor wretch not able to abide the sudden change from cold to heat gave up the ghost O miserable thrice miserable wretch Seeking to shun Sylla he fell into Charybdis Short and momentary were the pains he feared whilst he incurred eternall and all this because he lost his constancie But the rest even to the last gaspe continued constant well worthy of their crown which they obtaned by their full perseverance to the end Sect. III. ANd why should not we persevere in the School of Patience It is even a minute of time that shuts up all our miseries a short period ends all our griefs eternall joy insueâ— after our momentary sorrows We expect that life saith Tobie which God is ready to give those who never change their faith from him So run saith St. Paul that you may win the prize Some questioned the Cynick Philosopher in this manner Tell us Diogenes quoth they why being now so old do you still dwell in your tub why renounce you not this rigid course of Philosophie Ridiculous men answered he Would you have me to stack and trifle in the end of my râ—ce and suffer another to snatch the prize from me Nay I will rather mend my pace and run faster And why are not we of the same minde What greater folly then to faint when we come neer to the mark It It is almost within our reach and dâ— we faulter in our course O passi graviora Dabit Deus his quoque finem Virg. Aen. But much more wisely then Diogenes did St. Francis of Assisium as it is told of him who comming neer to the last conflict of death after he had many yeers before died most religiously to himself Let us begin O my brothers quoth he to serve our Lord God for hitherto we haue profited little Therefore constantly O you Christians constantly let us go forward in whatsoever we have happily begun and cheerfully end this momentary remnant of our journey whereunto especially two things may greatly further us First Let us accuse our selves In whatsoever we suffer let us confesse our selves guilty Let every one answer thus for himself I have well deserved to suffer this most justly am I afflicted Thou art just my Lord and thy judgement upright Very truly said Saint Augustine The judgements of God are many times secret but never unjust It is an evident signe of small patience and a faint and languishing constancie to beleeve our selves to be innocent and undeservedly punished Certainly the brothers of Joseph the Aegyptian Vice Roy were not spies as they were taken to be thâ—y had faithfully paid for the wheat laid to their charge neither were they guilty of stealing the cup. Neverthelesse they stood not upon their innocencie but said We well deserve to suffer all this because we have sinned against our brother for this reason comes all this tribulation upon us Let us I beseech you imitate them and say With good reason do we suffer this although we be guiltlesse and innocent of this foul imputation that is cast upon us by this suspicion and false accusation proceeding either from malice or errour Yet it is not without cause that we suffer having deserved even this and a thousand times more for that we are guilty of But I say you am most innocent in this matter I am accused of Admit it be so What then Will you therefore professe your self innocent Call to mind I beseech you that some thirty or forty yeares agoe you committed a grievous sin for which as yet you have never been punished Loâ— now your creditour presents himselfe and demands satisfaction And albeit you be not guilty of this crime which for the present is laid to your charge yet have you long since committed that former fault and as yet never satisfied for it for this cause therefore comes this tribulation upon thee drink then as thou hast long since brewed Sect. IV. IRene the Empresse as Paul the Deacon recounts being by hir owne servant expelled her Empire used this manner of speech I said the render to Almighty God most humble thanks that he advanced me being but a Orphan and unworthy to the Empire and whereas he now permits me to be deposed I attribute it to my sins howsoever both in good and ill fortune blessed be the name of our Lord A heavenly speech This is to carry the same countenance in cleare and cloudy weather and like the Heliotropium or sun-flower still to have a mans eie fixed upon this glorious sun And this also advanced him to Paradise even before the Apostles themselves who all his life before had been a desperate theef for that from the chair of the crosse he preached and published his own wickednesse And we indeed suffer justly whereas the other theefe by his shamelesse suit for liberty did as it were deny his owne guiltinesse When the enemy was at the very gates of Bethulia and a pitifull houling of all sorts of people heard throughout the whol city Judith that most chast widdow stepped out amiddest the thickest of them to raise their hopes and wipe away their teares Let us not quoth she be our owne revengers but repute these punishments even small scourges from our Lord in regard of our sins whereby we may rather think he corrects us as servants for our reformation then that hee sends them for our utter destruction and confusion When therefore we are afflicted or punished let us not impute the fault to others but our selves and confesse our punishment much milder then we have deserved at Gods hands who according to his custome never equallâ— the punishment with the fault Hence was it that Job so prudently wished that God would vouchsafe to speake with thee that thou mightest understand how much lesse is exacted of thee then thy in quity deserveth Thou art forgetfull of thy manifold sins but so is not God Qâ— paâ—iens est redâ—itâ—r Who requires lesse then thou owest Whosoever therefore is in misery let him daily say I have sinned and doubtlesse am justly punished I have well deserved to suffer this I am put to lesse then my iniquity deserves this is too gentle a correction I have deservest infinitly more And this is that first helpe of constancy which I