old man so approved for his patience found himself nothing agrieved nor any way repined against God for the sad distaster of his blindnesse but persisted notwithstanding immoveable in his fear and reverence giving him humble thanks all the dayes of his life This is a pattern we should endeavour all we can to imitate When we are despised laughed to scorn and made odious when we are cast headlong into many miseries let us render thanks to God Whereby moved through his infinite goodnesse he will either as it hath been often experienced asswage the rage of our enemies or largely recompence by some other means this evill how great soever it be This is the opinion of Saint Paul who exhorts us to give thanks in all things which Saint Hierome considering saith The Jews and idolaters know how to render thanks for benefits but the Christians alone for calamities and afflictions Wherfore let us still say according to the Apostle in all dangers and miseries Blessed be God This is the duty of a Christian Of which subject thâ— third book of the Imitation of Christ in the fiftieth chapter discourseth so notably that I think it were expedient for all that are afflicted grieved or by any means whatsoever molested to read every day this chapter or at least some part of it Out of which we bring this for our purpose I render thanks to thee my Lord God for that thou hast not spared to afflict me with adversity but hast scourged me with sharp stripes inflicting punishment and distressing me both inwardly and outwardly Thy discipline is upon me and thy rod it self will comfort me A Prelate of great note recounts that a certain man very remarkable for learning required of a certain religious Virgin a compendious way to lead a holy life which she comprehended in ten documents whereof this was the fift That how great soever were the affliction a man suffered he should render thanks think himself unworthy of it and desire to have a greater and even doubled which she doubtlesse her self daily practised And what I pray should hinder us from imitating a thing so well worthy imitation What we have said may well be demonstrated by example A poor miserable man hath coughed all night counted every stroke of the clock without taking any sleep or rest till even his very heart strings are broken It were a brave bold resolution for this man to say Giue me my Lord God a more vehement cough to vex me more for my sins have deserved it A man tormented with the head-ach griping of the stomack the stone the gout and yet having these words still in his mouth Double good Lord my pain so thou double my patience Which or where is this man and we will commend him Let me see a man openly jeered and laught to scorn by three or foure mock-king companions and yet say O my Christ how many times hast thou been laught to scorn for me Set more upon me to deride and affront me for I have surely deserved it Is it possible to find any one pray in this manner Some certainly there are but concealed who secretly solace themselves with patience There are likewise some who will pray after this manner My deare God! it is not one affliction alone I suffer I am molested with many but I beseech thee my Lord send me greater augment my miseries for I am well assured thou wilt withall increase my patience For the present I yeeld thee humble thankes for these I suffer and thinke my selfe unworthy to suffer for thee my God Have we ever prayed thus in our lives or shall we pray so hereafter O Christians many times after we have said these or the like prayers we flatter our selves with a supposed kinde of sanctity But alas how farre are we as yet from true patience we play the men nay the gyants in our owne conceits whilst we exercise these devotions but no man here can rightly judge none rightly commend but God himselfe the onely searcher of hearts who amongst all other musicall instruments chiefly commendeth two the Taber and the Organs Tynipanuâ— contributati spiritus Organum laudis gratiarum actionis The Taber of an afflicted spirit and the Organ of praise and thanksgiving The mournfull stroke of the Taber is Ah! ah how painful how grievous is this But forsake me not O my God O most milde and patient Jesu give me patience This Taber doubtlesse is excellently plaid upon and goes beyond the rarest musicke The Organ of praise quavers most sweetly That blessed Saint James surnamed Intercisus being in his martyrdome cut in pieces was a most skilfull Organist For every joynt they cut in sunder hee was heard to say Deo gratias He had here in Job for his Master who as often as any new disaster was reported gave to God a new Deo gratias One brings him word that his Oxen and Asses were driven away by the Sabeans Job answered Blessed be the name of the Lord. Another gives him to understand his flockes of sheep were consumed with fire from heaven again Job answered Blessed be the name of the Lord. A third man tells him the Chaldeans had set upon his Camels and driven them away Job still perseveres Blessed be the name of the Lord. Finally one brings him the dolefull news of his childrens destruction all slain and buried under the ruines of his house Job answers as before Blessed be the name of the Lord as it hath pleased the Lord so is it done Behold an Organ of praise behold a most rare and skilfull Organist whom God himselfe commends saying Hast thou not observed my servant Job that there is none like him on earth Sect. IV. IT was the manner of the Persians saith Sâ—obeus when the King commanded any man were he never so innocent to be called and openly scourged that the party so punished should render most ample thankes to the King that he vouchsafed so graciously to remember him Is it such a matter to be thus in the memory of a King Have we even stripes in such reverence when they are laid on at the Kings command why submit we not our selves in like manner to our most mighty and most mercifull God Why fall we not prostrate and adore with humble thankes those stripes which are no lesse then the price of heaven This surely all the holiest men have done before us Saint Laurence lying on his couch of burning coales was broyled by degrees with a slack and lingring fire which being done he rendred thanks Well mayest thou so most glorious Martyr for thou wast a viand provided for the table of the high and mighty King of heaven Saint Theodore in the time of Maximian the Emperour when his sides were torn and pierced thorow being almost breathlesse did notwithstanding tune his Organ and sang I will blesse the Lord for ever Many Saints treated no better then dogs have notwithstanding like faithfull loving Spaniels the more they
years together I pulled not out and found her worthy of me nor have I otherwise treated my dearest friends and I found them worthy of me And wouldst thou be singular and exempted from the number of the afflicted If thou escape without chastisement thou art likely to have no share amongst my children After this manner do I exercise and try my children and by chastising honour them More enriched and honoured was Joseph in exile then in his fathers house Ezechiel amongst captives was comforted with heavenly miracles The three Hebrew children were never more refreshed then in the burning furnace nothing could have hâ—ppened to them more honourable then to enjoy in the midst of the flames the amiable societie of an Angell Whosoever therefore desires to be numbred amongst the children of God let him declare himselfe so and with a generous spirit and undaunted courage say I am afflâ—cted but endure it patiently I am tortured and tormented for Christs sake but bear it willingly I am overwhelmed with calumnies and false accusations but beare them for the love of God cheerfully God be praised I am bound and burned but for the hope of heavenly joyes endure it couragiously It is that I desire I would rather have fire burn then overcome me I had rather my God should call me in this world to wage war then to live in delights I know well the Oxe designed to the slaughter is left at his own liberty in the pleasant pastures while another pressed with the heavie yoke is suffered to live Chastising my Lord will punish me and not deliver me to death Thus it becomes a Christian Champion to think and speak Sect. III. ANd that we may the better apprehend what hath been said let us discourse in this manner The supream element of fire is so noble and strong by nature that whatsoever viler substance it layeth hold of be it cloath lether wood yea even flints themselves it burns and consumes them into ashes as if it should say Such is my innate generosity that I will not admit into my bosome these base materials that are not worthy of me but give me the noblest metals Gold or Silver and I hurt them not they are welcome to my bosome them I purifie and refine for they are worthy of me And hath the fire such a preeminence amongst other things created that it imbraceth nothing but that which is most worthy of it what shall we then think of God Malachias struck with admiration saith Who shall be able to think of the day of his advent and who shall stand to seâ— him For he is as it were a purging fire and as the herb of Fullers and he shall sit purifying Neither will he refine gold and silver and bring it to the former luster slightly and superfiâ—ially but accurately for he will try them till he find them worthy of himselfe God proceeds after this manner for three ends for whom he afflâ—cteth he either chastiseth and punisheth correcteth and amendeth or finally rewardeth and crowneth First what marvell is it if God daily punish and correct us we daily offend him for the just man falls seven times a day God dealeth herein as doth a carefull and industrious man who that he may not come in debt payes all with ready money so God mercifully expiateth daily our offences with daily miseries And this is a great favour for whilst we are judged we are corrected by our Lord that we may not be condemned with this world King David said well Before I was humbled I sinned Sin and punishment are never fâ—r asunder The other end for which God afflicts us is to teach and correct us It â—s a great happinesse for a man to know himself his own imperfections We commodiously attain to this knowledge by adversity which S. Gregory manifestly declareth By being saith he outwardly stricken we are inwardly by sorrow and affliction put in minde of our sins and by thâ—s which outwardly we suffer we become inwardly more penitent for that we have committed A little stone flew Golias a vast Giant in a single combat because he thought himselfe invincible Peter very stout and resolute in promises said he was ready to go to prison and to death it selfe for his Lord. Come on then Peter and watch but for one short hour and a halfe Ah! what a watchman his Captain had no sooner turned his back but the Souldier fell asleep a vigilant chiefe Sentinell In stead of watching he falls a sleep then forsakes his standing and flies hurls away his weapons and denies his Captain at the voyce of a silly maid But by this means S. Peter learned to know himselfe Saint Augustine affirmeth that Aug. in psa 60. all our profit growes from temptation without which no man truly knows himselfe Who would ever have thought that fire had been in the flint had it not been discovered by the dash of the steel God even by afflicting crownes at last Saint Gregory Greg pâ—â—sat in Iob. c. 5. med l. 20. moral c. 20. post med observing this saith When the innocent person is securged his patience mereaseth his merit The soule of the elect now seemeth to wither that heerafter it may grow green and flourish with everlasting joy Now is the day of their affliction because heerafter the dayes of their rejoycing shall follow This also doth God pronounce by the mouth of S. James Blessed is that man who suffers temptation because after he is tried he shall receive the crown of life Neither is our affliction a preparative onely for future rewards but even the affliction it selfe is sometimes a reward Justus Lipsius the lustre of this our age and as it was said of Pliny the matchlesse Prince of learning though he were most addicted to the Muses yet he far preferred piety before them many years together he weekly made his confession He had a very neat Library furnished with choyce bookes for all whatsoever that served for rare and polite literature which he could procure for love or money out of all parts of the world he had stored up there In a word it was a treasure beyond all Maggazines of gold gathered together in one house There was nothing upon earth that Lipsius loved more ardently then this learned delight a man would have said his heart had been wholly enshrined in this Library But O my God O most disasterous mischance that which with so great care and diligence he had gathered together in so many years all that with a sudden fire was in one moment burned to ashes Out alas I verily think Lipsius had rather have lost himselfe then this which came so neer him But this is Gods usuall custome these are the rewards wherewith he recompenceth vertue in this world and should be taken for great favours Thus God dealeth with his best friends either depriving them of that which they most dearly affect or not granting what they most earnestly request Sometimes you shall
chastise those who I love O most happy is that servant whom our Lord goeth about serviously to correct and with whom he vouchsafeth to be angry happy whom he deceives not with faire entreaties and too gentle admonitions patience is beautifull and comely in all sexes and ages The patient man fulfilles the law of Christ We ought not therefore to continue so much as one day without Patience Patience never commits evill Love sustaines endures all things for this cause alone for that it is patient Upon all occasions therefore we are bound to inure our selves to Patience 5. The habit and garment of Patience Patience hath a mild and serene countenance a smooth brow not contracted with frownes or knit with wrinkles of anger or griefe she hath cheerefull and large eie-browes and eies submissive looking downeward not basely dejected with discontent oâ— misfortune a mouth in comely manner sealed up with silence a couâ—oue in her cheekes such as may testifie security and innocence a frequent bending of her head towards her adversary and a threatning kind of smile as for her apparell that which is about her breast is white and close to her body as one not puft up with pride perturbation or discontent For upon her throne sits a mild and genlâ— spirit not encompassed with stormes clouds or whirlewinds but cleare and neate simple open and without guile which spirit appeared thrice to Elias For where God is there likewise is Patience his dearly beloved daughter 6. The praises or attributes of Patience GOD Is a sufficient umpire for Patience If thou lay open an injury before hâ—m he is a revenger If thou acquaint him with thy losse and damage he will restore it If thou manifest thy griefe and sicknesse he will be thy Physition nay if thou beest even dead he will revive thee How great are the priviledges of Patience to which God himself becomes a debtour And with good reason For she upholds and maintaines all his decrees and concurres with his commandments She strengthneth faith establisheth peace assisteth charity instructeth humility expecteth repentance assigneth time for confession governeth the flesh preserveth the spirit restraineth the tongue withholdeth the hand repells temptations drives away scandalls accomplisheth martyrdomes comforts the poâ—re qualifies the rich wracks not the infirme consumes not the strong delights the faithfull invites the meeke commends the servant to the master and the master to God adorneth the wife and approveth the husband is beloved of children praised of yong men and honoured of old Let us therefore love the patience of God the patience of Christ let us repay that which he hath laid out for us let us offer the patience of our spirit the patience of our flesh wee who beleeve in the resurection of the flesh and the spirit Thus Tertullian of Patience Sect. III. THeodoretus recounts that the divell threatned most cruelly to beat James the anchorite who being wholly armed with Patience answered with a cheerefull looke and mild countenance such as Patience is wont to put on beate me and spare me not if God permit thee most willingly will I receive blows knowing they come from our Lord not from thee if thou beest not permitted thou shalt have no power to strâ—ke me nor so much as to touch me though thou fret and chafe never so much how mad so ever thou beest Let every one of us freely say the like to all those whom he takes for his enemies If God hath given you power go on beat me teare me with your teeth heape all the injuries you can upon me in vaine were it for me to resist you but if you have no power gape you never so much whet your teeth never so much you shall not bite nor so much as touch me That most blessed Bishop Gregory the great did not only write singular documents of Patience but also by example confirmed his doctrine both taught and practised it For to Mauritius the Emperour by whom he was diversly injured he returned this answer in writing for so much as daily I offend my God I verily hope that these incessant afflictions which I continually suffer will stand another day betweene me and his terrible judgement and I beleeve most excellent Prince you goe as fat beyond me in pleasing that great Lord as you are rigorous in correcting me who am so ill a servant of his O my God! What patience what a submission was this He said most truly indeed Patience is a remedy for all griefs What Saint was ever crowned without Patience It is a saying amongst Grammarians There is no generall rule without some exception yet this rule of Patience is without exception Therefore St. Paul prescribed it so strictly Be patient quoth he to all with all humility patience Patience is to be exercised without exception in all things in all places at all times and to all kinde of persons for without patience there can be no perfect vertue Contrariwise impatience is the mother of all vice from whence as it were from a fountain are derived many streams of hainous sins and offences The impatient man never condescendeth unto any the patient never resisteth or impugneth The naturall properties of impatience may be found in the Devill himself Impatience is the parent of absurd and sottish madnesse For what can be more foolish what a greater signe of madnesse then for a man willingly to double his owne evill and reject the reward promised to him that is Patient An impatient man for the losse of a farthing throwes a whole purse of money away take but one care of corne from him and he will fire the whole sheafe Such a one lived in the court of the Emperour Rodolphus the second a noble man of his privy chamber who bringing a chrystall glasse full of water in the morning to wash the Emperours face by chance let fall the cover unawares and with it dashed the whole glasse it selfe against the ground saying let the divell take the horse too since he hath the saddle thus hee cast away fowre hundred crownes at one blow for at so much the chrystall glasse was valued Thus a light losse is many times doubled with a far greater thus small inconveniences are through impatience augmented with great â—amages It is the saying of Salomon He that is impatient shall sustain damage The more repugnance a man hath in suffering the more grievously he feeles that which he suffers like wild beasts which whilest they strive and struggle pull the snare the closer like poore birds more entangled with lime-twiggs whilest for feare they flutter and seeke to get out There is no yoke so strait but hurts him lesse that is willingly led then it doth another who strives against it Therefore a wise man endeavours to be patient in all things a foole knowes neither how to doe nor suffer very well saith Salomon he that is patient is governed with much wâ—sdome the impatient man shall worke folly Therefore Saint
there is no object in the world more remarkable or worthier of admiration then a man couragious in misery and firmly resolved to sustain all adversity And behold this is an acceptable time behold now is the day of salvation The first lesson in the School of Patience is to know that without much suffering no man profiteth CHAP. II. The reason why the Schollers in this School are so sharply and roughly intreated MANY things are preserved by motion which otherwise would perish Corn corrupts unlesse it be stir'd and often turned Many times by lying still it sprowts or becomes musty A garment lying long as a close prisoner in a chest becomes a banquet for moâ—thes Irâ—n if it be never used is eaten and consumed with rust Vines without pâ—uâ—ing and cuâ—â—iâ—g degenerate and grow wilde Grapes are soon rotten unlesse they be pressed A hundred suâ—h things may be observed and that which daily experiments confirme cannot be denied Neverthelesse we râ—pâ—ne and wonder why God should exercise men with so many severall calamities we have shewed in the precedent Chapter that it is fitting and necessary this should be so Now we will make it apparent that nothing can be more for the behoofe and benefit of man Sect. I. A Thousand reasons may be alledged why God doth not vouchsafe to give his servants a Paradise on earth but rather sends them thither from the crosse Heer I appeal to the ordinary custome of men If a man conceives no hatred against a lewd house for being beaten there or tumbled down a pair of stairs much lesse will he detest that house if he be kindly entertained So if we should be well intreated in this world scarcely any would seek after the joyes of heaven Not one man amongst a thousand but would say I am well contented with those which I already have why should I seek after uncertainties Many men besotted with their pleasures and riches would neglect heaven and like brutish Oxen lye down in the pasture they go in Therefore it was requisite that all things heer should be mingled with gall lest the hony of this world should be preferred before the sweetnesse of heaven Why I pray you was Aegypt so cruell and malicious towards the Hebrews for their governours as we read were most tyrannicall their taskes doubled their scourges and afflictions insufferable and besides all their male children were threatned to be killed what was Gods designe herein Nothing else but to beget in his people an extream hatred and loathing of Aegypt and consequently of Idolatry in generall To this end were the exhortations of Moses moving them to desire the land of Promise To this end was Pharaoh suffered to tyrannize that the Hebrewes conceiving hatred against so cruell a Lord might seek another more peaceable countrey Excellently well saith Saint Gregory By Gods mercifull will it comes Greg l. 23. c. 13. post med to passe that his elect lead a troublesome life in this their pilgrimage This life is the way by which we travell towards our countrey and therefore by his secret judgement we are often afflicted heer lest we should fall in love with the way in stead of the countrey A traveller especially such an one as is easily disposed to loyter is soon perswaded to stay and solace himself under shady trees and in pleasant medows seeks new and new delayes one while sitting down in this place and another while in that till he hath trifled and idly spent the whole day Therefore Saint Gregory saith that our Lord maketh in this world the way which leads to heaven rough and sharp to his elect lest any of them entertained with ease and delights of this life as with a pleasant way should rather desire to hold on still his journey then speedily to finish it and lest too much delighted with the way he should forget what is to be desired in his countrey And as it doth much inkindle the love of God to have but once tasted how sweet our Lord is even so to have somewhat felt the bitternesse of transitory things doth not a little thrust us forward to the hatred of them Behold the power of adversity and affliction it presents us the wormwood of this world to taste it strewes the earth with thorns to force our feet to mend their pace Elegantly saith Saint Augustine O the infelicity of humane creatures the world Aug. to 10. Serm 3 de Temp. circa med is bitter and yet beloved think what it would be if it were sweet and savoury it is turbulent and yet most earnestly desired what would it be if it were calm and quiet How eagerly wouldst thou pluck the flowers since thou canst not hold thy hands from the thorns Saint Chrysostome was of the same minde If we invironed on all sides with so many miseries desire to prolong this present life what would we do without them when would we desire or seek after future felicity We are so madly blinded with selfe-love that in stead of health we dote on Physicke in stead of the journies end fall in love with the journey and the cratures in stead of the Creator Hence comes it that God is in a manner forced to give us bitter potions lest we rather covet to drink vinegar and wormwood then celestiall nectar and prefer earth before heaven Sect. II. That golden Orator Saint Chrysostome of whom I spake proveth excellently well that it is a thing very profitable to be afflicted Touching which point this is seriously to be considered that humane understanding conceiveth not so much as the least shadow of divine Majesty our imagination when we think of God reaches no further then to Kings and Emperours Alas how base how childish are even our sublimest cogitations Hence it proceedeth that we fâ—ll into so many errours It is the saying of the wise man God hath tryed them and hath found them worthy of himselfe So immense is the Majesty of God that no man may be esteemed worthy thereof before he be throughly exercised with sundry calamities like a stout and couragious Champion who cannot challenge the prize before he hath sought the combat To good purpose was that which Nicetas Choniates said He is onely miserable who in affliction is too much contristated and thereby rendreth himselfe unworthy of God Isaac being now almost blinde with age sought by touching to finde out his son Come hither said he my son that I may feel thee and may prove whether thou beest my son Esau or no. In like manner God dealeth with us I must touch thee my childe saith he my hands are hot indeed they burn but if thou be my childe thou wilt suffer me to touch thee he that refuseth to be touched by me is none of mine and is unworthy of me I suffered my only Son to be crucified and I found him worthy of me Even in the same sort I dealt with his Virgin-mother transfixed her heart with a sword of griefe which for many
it is that many heer want the reward of their vertue and in stead thereof are oppressed with penury afflicted with diseases and invironed with whole troops of miseries Neither have the wicked their paiment in this life for they saile with a prosperous and favourable gale of wind whereas they deserve to be tossed with the most tempestuous waves that may be Well then may the hope of the vertuous daily increase and the bad have most just cause to fear that he whom they so much hate shall be their judge at last Certainly there are none how good or bad soever but shall have their hire Seeing therefore none are so wâ—cked but that sometimes even forgetting their wickednesse they do or say well for which how little soever it be they shall receive a temporall reward notwithstanding they shall have their eternall punishment at length though deferred for a time The highest is a patient debtor Wherefore by this means our faith may be strengthened and by these temporall punishments and rewards gather an assured beliefe of eternall The third reason is to illuminate the understanding The master in the School ought principally to labour that children by little and little may learn to grow wise cast off their childishnesse and come to know their own ignorance This is that which God himselfe endeavoureth in the School of Patience That vexation may give understanding In very deed we never sufficiently apprehend how miserable and frâ—il we are till our own miseries teach us Moreover we are too much besotted with selfe-love and easily thereby perswaded that we are unable to endure many things And yet the testimony of experience it selfe setteth before our eyes and teacheth us whether we will or no how much we can if our will be not wanting endure for Christs sake Many sick persons suffer that which when they were well they thought they could never have endured yea and by suffering this learn how poor slender our patience is in time of health It is an easie matter to be patient when we have nothing to trouble us King David blaming himselfe said In my prosperity I said I will not be moved for ever Thou hast turned away thy face from me and I was troubled Peter if he had not fallen so miserably would never have beleeved himselfe to be so weak and pufillanimous In the place of the last Supper he boasting said Although I were to dye with thee yet would I not deny thee though all should be scandalized yet would not I. But shortly after he saw his own weaknesse For this cause the wise man adviseth My son in thy life time try thy soule and if it be wicked give it no power What knowledge hath he of himselfe that is not tempted To know himselfe he must try himselfe No man knowes what thou art able to do no not thy selfe unlesse some difficulty give thee oceasion thereof How far the alarm will awake a mans courage is then known when the alarm is given The sent of pepper is not smelt till it bee pounded It is never known how well the Lute or Harp are tuned till they be touched How patient the blessed mother of our Lord was appeared in the stable at Bethlehem by her flighâ— into Egypt and under the crosse at Jerusalem These most holy anchorites Stephen and Benjamin shewed their patience by suffering most grievous diseases Stephen by stretching forth his putrified limbs to the Chyrurgian to be cut off while he the patient not to lose time wove palm branches with his hands and with so undaunted a courage and countenance suffered himselfe to be cut as if it had not been his arm but anothers body And when others even with looking on were sensible of his pain he said unto them O my children what soever God doth is to a good end Let us combat let us suffer whilst we are as Champions within the lists It is better to suffer a short pain then to be involved in everlasting torments Benjamin who Pallad cap. 30 de Steph. for the space of fourscore years lived a most perfect life and was reported to heale diseases was notwithstanding himselfe miserably afflicted with the dropsie Of this man Dioscorus the Bishop spake when visiting him with Evagrius and Palladius in his Idem Pallad c 18. Heraclid in sâ—o paradiso c 2. in finâ— company he said Come I beseech you let us behold another Job who not onely conceals his pains and griefes with patience but also rendereth thanks for that he is visited with sicknesse To whom Benjamin himselfe replied Pray O my brethren that my inward man may not be sicke of a dropsie My body benefited me little when it was in health nor hurts me now it is sick Sect. IV. THe fifth cause is for that affliction is the greatest signe of profit and a speciall incitement thereunto Schoolmasters require most pains and industry at their hands who are most hopefull The wise Roman excellently discoursed Sen de Provid c. 4. of this Those therfore saith he whom God liketh and loveth he animateâ—h correcteth exerciseth but those whom he seemeth to cherish and spare he reserveth untouâ—hed for future miseries You are deceived if you thinke any mâ—n exempted there are none so happy but shall have their share in afflictions whosoever he be that seems dismissed is but deferred Why doth God afflict the best men with corporall infirmities and other adversities Why are the hardiest men in the camp put upon the greatest danger The Captain sends his most selected men to lye by night in ambush for the enemy to discover the passage or make way through the watch Not one of them sent forth saith the Captain hath dealt ill with me but rather he hath disposed well The same let every one say who is commanded to suffer that which abject spirits would faint and shrink at It hath pleased God to do us this favour to manifest what man is able to suffer God therfore taketh the same course with good men which masters do with scholars they expect that those who are most hopefull should labour most Did the Lacedemonians think you hate their children whose abilities they made by stripes a publick triall of their parents themselves animated them to endure the blowes couragiously and even when they were mangled and half dead multiplied wounds upon wounds What wonder is it that God handles generous spirâ—ts so roughly Vertue is never taught by soft and gentle means Are we scourged and tormented by calamities we must not think it cruelty but a combat which the oftner we undergo the sooner we shall become valiant Whom our Lord loveth he chastiseth To this purpose Saint Augustine saith excellently well Good Aug. in Psa 93. men live in labour and travell because they are scourged as children Evill men rejoyce and exult because they are condemned as strangers Fear not therefore to be scourged but rather fear to be disinherited Pharaoh King of Egypt made a