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
we be able â—o endure taunts and reproaches whose eares are oftended with the drawing of a stoole or a forme how shall we endure hunger or thirst whose stomack turnes with a little milke when it is burnt A small thing displeaseth a minde ill affected insomuch that some are apt to take exception against othâ—râ— salutations countenance silenâ—e laughter questions and the like The siâ—ke or sore are never touch'd but they complaine Our impatience stayes not here it complaines of weather and tempests yea of God himselfe One while we quaâ—rell with immoderate raine at another time are vext with extremity of cold with too much heat in summer or sharpnesse of wiâ—ter We consider not that all â—his is done by the ordinance of God Certainly we too much prize our poore deserts as though the heavens should change their course for us These things are not thus disposed for oâ—r prejudice nâ—y contrarywise they are done for our greater benefit In vaine therefore doe we expostulate with weather if it be not dâ—y in vaine weâ—â—â—me the earth if our corne prosper not in vaine wee storme against brute beasts if they refusâ— to â—e subject unto us and as vainely and no lesse foolishly do we charge others when we ourselves are faulty Hâ—w often doe men broâ—ke forth into these furious speeches That knave that arrand theefe that man the veâ—â—est villaine that lives hath combined and wrought this mischiefe against me it is that varlot that hath brought me to destruction O ignorant and senselesse men The truth is every one is author of his own calamiâ—y every man fashions his own fortune let every one therefore impute his fault to himselfe and not to others Epictetus answereth such men Epictet Enchir cap. 10. after this sort Ignorant men are wont to accuse others as cause of their calamity those that beginne to know themselves accuse themselves and finally those that are prudent accuse neither themselves nor others Sect. VI. THe sixt fault to draw pictures to sleepe trifle and gaze out of the windowes It is usuall with boyes to love beyond measure dice cobnuts pictures and such kinde of light trifles and even with teares to defend them It is a great inconvenience in the Schoole of Patience to be so exceedingly besotted wiâ—h fraile and transitory things Hence comes all their griefe and mourning Most truly said Saint Gregory a thing can never bee Greg. l 1. moral cap. 3. med lost without griefe unlesse it be possessed without love Iob had lost all his wealth his tenne children also yea it might even be said he had lost himselfe he was so full of painâ—s and overrunne wiâ—h ulcers neverthelesse out living as it were his owne funeralls he cheerfully sung As it hath pleased our Lord so â—s it done the name of our Lord be blessed He willingly saith Saint Gregory abandoned Greg. l. 1 moral cap. 3. med his wealth which he possessed without taking contentment therein Excellently well of Iob also said St. Augustine A just man in being stript Aug. hom 10 sâ—rm 105. de temp mihi pag. 294. of all his earthly goods escapeth rich in patience with these riches holy Iob was stored His house was dispoiled of all all that made him seeme so rich a little before was gone at a blow on a suddain he sate as a poor begger on the dunghill what may be imagined more miserable then his calamity What more happy then his inward happinesse He had lost all the riches which God had given him but God himself who gave him all he possessed O man corrupt and sound foul fair wounded and whole sitting upon the dunghill and raigning in heaven If we love let us imitate and that we may imitate let us labour He helpeth our endeavours who hath commanded us to endeavour But hâ—w came it to passe that this man had his heart so strongly guarded whence proceeded this so great patâ—ence He lest without griefe that which he possessed without loue He was sensible of some griefe but that he easily endured he was inclined to love his own but with moderation he possessed his wife children and riches as if he should not alwaies enjoy them or as if he should not become more miserable by being deprived of them To possesse the creatures of this world and not through too much love to be possessed by them is a worke and labour indeed Therefore the royall psalmist denounceth set not your heart upon them All the goods that mortall men possesse are mortall Whatsoever thou art intituled to as Lord remaines with thee but it is not thine he that is unstable and fraile of himselfe can have nothing firme and permanent We must of necessity both die our selves and lose them and this if we rightly consider may be our comfort to lose that with patience which must be lost perforâ—e What is the best remedy then for these kind of losses not to love too much the things which we must lose set not thy hart upon them Let the soule that seeketh after God advance it selfe above all humane thinges let it not lose it selfe in any thing without it selfe let her know her selfe to bee too noble by creation to cast her love away upon perishing delights Ah! we are vaine and runne after that which is faire and pleasing to the eye we are in love with gawdes and puppets and when wee are deprived of these trifles we wrangle and with flouds of teares bewaile our losse we lose with excessive griefe what with so great love we possest Let us therfore lesse regard these transitory thinges and our griefe will be lesse in losing them We must daily curbe and restraine our affection and as king Tarquinius walking in his garden strooke off the tops of poppies with his staffe daily resist and suppresse as soone as they put up their heads these strong and violent affections The way to moderate thy griefes is to qualifie thine exorbitant desires Sect. VII THe seaventh fault to counterfet sicknesse It is an usuall tricke amongst scholars to faine themselves sick that they may not be enforc'd to studie St. Augustine was much displeased with his châ—lâ—hood and deplored it in this manner so little a boy and so great a sinner I play'd at ball in my childhood and thereby hindred my progres in learning I sinned by neglecting the precepts of my parents and masters Aulus Persius when he was a boy if at any time he could not say his lesson which his master set him he annointed his eyes and pretended they were sore which he thus confesseth Saepe oculos memini taÌ„gebam pâ—rvuâ— olivo Pers Sat. 3. v. 42 Grandia si nollem morâ—turi verba Catonis Discere When dying Catoes mighty words I would not get by heart I often fain'd mine eyes besmear'd With oile did pricke and smart Boyes finde many excuses to absent themselves from schoole which indeed proceeds out of their owne negligence Upon a time a certaine master asked his
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
calamity have mounted to heaven Of this the ancient fathers have discoursed excellently with great prudence but above all Saint Augustine who inculcating this often into the eares of his auditours treateth most divinely thereof in many places Sect. VII AND lest any man should repine against this chastizing hand of God Saint Augustine saith That which thou sufferest for which thou lamentest is no punishment but a medicine not for thy condemnation but reformation Refuse not stripes unlesse thou settest light by thine inheritance thinke rather what place thou hast in thy fathers testament then how much his scourges paine thee whom God loveth he chastizeth and every child he receiveth he scourgeth He receives them after chastizement yet thou sayest he repells and rejects them we may see like practise of parents who now and then leave their gracelesse children to take their owne courses those of whom they have some hope they scourge and correct but whom they see altogether past hope and correction they cast off to live at their owne liberty Now what sonne soever the father permits to take his pleasure he purposeth to disinherit but the heire and hope of his house he chastizeth and punisheth Let not therefore such a sonne shew himselfe so vaine and childish as to say my father loves my brother better whom he hath left at his owne liberty I can no sooner trangresse his commandments but I am punished Rather rejoyce in afflictions because for thee he reserves the inheritance our Lord will never reject them whom he hath chosen for himselfe well may he for a time chastise them but he will never damne them eternally Choose which thou wilt a temporall chastisement or everlasting torment temporall felicity or to live and raigne eternally what is that which God threatens Everlasting punishment what doth hee promise Everlasting rest and happinesse The punishment which God inflicts on good men is temporall the scope and liberty hee gives to evill men is temporall if God therefore scourge evevery child he receiveth without doubt he never receiveth him whom hee scourgeth not If thou refuse to be scourged why desirest thou to be received He scourgeth every sonne who spared not so much as his only begotten sonne Be contented therefore to bee under the hand of thy Father and if thou beest a good sonne refuse not a fathers discipline for whom canst thou properly call a son to whom the father gives not discipline Let him not spare to punish thee so hee take not from thee his mercy let him chastise thy way wardnesse so he deprive thee not of thine inheritance If thou well remember thy fathers promises feare rather to be disinherited then punished shall a sinfull sonne scorne the whip seeing Gods only sonne scourged who never did nor could commit a sinne Every one therefore must of necessity bee scourged for his sinnes from whom notwithstanding if he be a Christianâ— the mercy of God is not estranged Assuredly if thou once become so hardned in iniquity that thou shunnest the rod and hand of him who should correct thee if thou scorn the discipline of God and withdraw thy self from his fatherly chastisement if thou wilt not endure his stripes because he punisheth thy sins it is not he that rejecteth thee but thou thy self abandonest thine inheritance for hadst thou willingly suffered thy self to be scourged thou hadst not been disinherited My mercy saith he I will not take from him neither hurt him in my truth For from him the mercy of the deliverer shall not be taken away that the truth of the punisher may not hurt him Therefore my Christian brother both opportunely and importunely it ought to be often inculcated Trouble not thy self for whatsoever miseries or perplexities thou fallest into be not dejected in minde nor discontented or apt to murmure let St. Augustine admonish thee that the scourge is a soveraigne receit and medicine against sin the scourge of God teacheth good men patience Gods punishment is but for a time he condemns not for ever No reason can be given more probable saith St. Augustine why good men for the most part suffer in this world then that it is expedient and commodious for them Wherefore absolutely I conclude Quae nocent docent CHAP. VI. Every crosse and affliction by whomsoever it be imposed comes from God THe blessed Apostle St. Andrew was an extraordinary docible Scholar in the School of Patience Never scholar went to school with so excessive desire of learning as he when he hastened to the crosse to suffer O good crosse said he long desired dearly beloved incessantly sought after and now at last according to my hearts desire happily prepared with joy and contentment I come to thee take me from amongst men and render me to my master that by thee he may receive me who dying upon thee redeemed me Saint Gregory marvels to see Saint Peter and Saint Andrew so prompt and ready to follow Christ so zealous and servent to suffer death for Christ How many afflictions saith he do we suffer With how many threats are we terrified And yet we scorn and neglect to follow him when he cals us from the love of this world we are neither by precepts diverted nor stripes reclaimed O most stupid and indocible scholars Ignorant and unperfect even in the A. B. C. of our School It is an â—xiâ—me of Aristotle He that will learn must of necessity beleeve In the School of Patience this Lesson is in a manner the first A scholar ought to beleeve None learn with delight readily or profitably unlesse they beleeve promptly What must we then beleeve Mary that all afflictions all miseries all whatsoever crosses and persecutions inflicted by this or that man upon you or any one come from God This is that we now purpose to declare to wit that God is the Author of all punishment of all affliction and evill Let no man by the way be scandalized at this speech I affirm God to be the Authour of all evill but of no sin and this we will now more largely treat of because upon this foundation the whole discipline of patience is grounded Sect. I. PEter like a stout Champion of his Lord to defend him at mount Olivet drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high Priests servant But our Lord presently said to him Put up thy sword into the scabbard The Cup which my Father hath given me wilt thou not suffer me to drink it What sayest thou here my Lord Why lâ—yest thou the fault upon thy Father This thy Cup the bitterest by far that ever was drunk did not thy Disciple Judas did not Annas and Caiphas did not Herod and Pilate mingle it These five Apothecaries made a decotion of wormwood aloes and gall the bitterest that ever was tasted this Cup was of their tempering What then might Peter say what is this my Lord that I hear from thine own mouth The Cup which my Father hath given me Mark my
the definition of patience this it is Patience is a voluntary suffering without any complaint for what things soever happen or bâ—fall a man otherwise then he expected But we forsooth being men singular in our own conceits want not a cloake and faire pretext for our impatience and complaints these are the words of such delicate persons Alas those things which oppresse us are too troublesome too difficult and too hard to be indured O you Christians it is not the huge weight of your crosse but the weaknesse of you that beare it which causeth impatience He that builds a house when he covers it doth it not with intent to keep the roofe-free from rain haile or snow but that it may without damage endure and beare out haile snow and rain He that builds a ship seeks not to secure it from waves and stormes but to prevent all chinkes and make it tite against leaking He that fears the sharpnesse of the weather in respect of his health goes not about to hinder or withstand the nipping northern winds or hinder them from blowing upon him but keeps his head as warme as he can and his feet free from cold and moisture The same should be observed in our manners and course of life but we practise the quite contrary For our greatest care is to keep our selves from sicknesse poverty and contempt whereas we should be most carefull to be patient in sicknesse poverty and contempt Assuredly it is a signe of no great perfâ—ction in Christian pietie for a man onely to desire health riches and honours what great matter I pray you is there in these things But to be able prudently to beare sicknesse want and contempt is vertue indeed and true magnanimity and greatnesse We need use no Art to avoid miseries but the best use of Art is in suffering them patiently Wherein I am of Bions opinion This Philosopher as Laertius reports was wont to say That it was a great yea even the greatest misery of all not to be able to endure misery To whiâ—h purpose the ancient Poet speaketh in this manner It is no misery to suffer misery but to be ignorant how to suffer it is a misery And surely he that knowes not how to doe this knowes not how to live No man takes contentment in this life but he that hath learned to beare the miseries therof For example The stone and gout are said to be the greatest and the most intollerable torments in the world paines which even make men mad yet there have been eminent persons who have patiently borne these paines how great soever Carneades came to visit Agesilaus when he lay grievously sicke of the gout and fearing lest he might by discoursing exasperate him spake as compendiously as he could and took his leave But Agesilaus said unto him Stay I pray you Carneades and withall pointed with his finger first to his feet and then to his breast Nothing quoth he from these parts comes hither By which speech he made known that his heart was sound merry and able to endure paine though his feet were as he saw miserably swolne and afflicted with the gout A Prince of the Empire visited Charles the fifth Emperour of famous memory and finding him much tormented with the gout used such words as he thought might most mitigate his pains and above other questions was most importunate in asking Why his Majesty applied no remedies having so many excellent Physitions about him To whom the Emperour answered In a disease of this nature Patience is the best remedy It is this that keepes the tongue hands and thoughts yea and the minde it selfe in their duties Sect. II. THere are many speeches and documents of Patience whereof some few we will set downe in this place out of Tertullian a writer albeit he were of Africk very learned 1. Patience in bearing injuries IT is the admonition of our Lord If a man strike thee on one check turne also the other thy patience will asswage the wickednesse of thy adversary Thou givest him a greater blow by bearing it patiently then by revenging it for he shall receive sufficient punâ—shment from him for whose sake thou endurest it When bitternesse shall break forth by way of railing or detraction observe what is said and if it be against thee be glad of it 2. Patience in forbearing to revenge THE chiefest provocation to impatience is the desire of revenge which is set a worke either to preserve a mans reputation or to satisfie his malice But glory and reputation is no other then a vaine opinion and malice alwaies hatefull in the sight of our Lord especially in this case when being provoked by the malice of another he assumes superiority to himselâ—e in taking revenge For what difference is there between him that offereth and him that revengeth an injury but only this that the one is an offender in the first place and the other after Both of them are guilty of sinne before our Lord who forbids us all wickednesse and condemns it for absolutely we are commanded not to render evâ—ll for evill What honour shall we offer up to our Lord if we arrogate to our selves our owne revenge How can we believe him to be a judge if not a revenger He that acteth his owne revenge taketh awâ—y Gods honour who ought to be the only judge What have I to do then with revenging mine owne injury seeing I can use no moderation therein through impatience of mygrief And if I have patience I shall find my self not grieved if not greived I shall never desire to be revenged nothing undertaken with impatience can bee performed without violence whatsoever is performed with violence prooveth either sinfull ruinous or headlong And to conclude briefly all sin whatsoever it be is to be ascribed to impatience 3. Patience in the losse of goods PAtience in losses is an exercise in giving He will never sticke to give who feares not to lose otherwise how should a man who hath two coats bee content to give one of them to cloath the naked unlesse he be such an one as can find in his heart to offer his cloak to one that hath before taken his coate How shall we be able to procure our selves friends from our wicked Mâ—mâ—mon if we be so far in love with it that we cannot endure to lose it we shall even lose our selves in the losse thereof It is the property of Gentiles to be impatient in all their losses and to prefer their money before their soules but we to shew how different we are from them ought not to lay down our soule for our money but our money for our soul either by giving it willingly or losing it patiently Let me lose the whole world so I may gaine Patience For whom but the patient alone did our Lord call happy 4. Patience in enduring other afflictions IT becomes us to rejoyce and give thanks to Almighty God when he vouchsafeth to chastise us I saith he
I will here in as briefe a manner as I can confirme it seeing it is so necessary for the instruction of patience but will not make any repetition of that which hath beene said before No will either of men or Angels could ever be termed good or well directed unlesse it were correspondent and conformed to the will of God And the more fully and sincerely it is resigned the more perfect and better it is And consequently the lesse absolute and resigned the will is the more unstable and unperfect The will of God alone is the square and rule of all wills both in heaven and earth There is no will praise-worthy which is not conformed to the will of God That most blessed King David often commendeth those that are of an upright heart Shew saith he thy mercy to them that know thee and thy justice to those that are upright of heart This Saint Augustine a most learned interpreter explicateth in this manner They sayth he are upright of heart who in this life follow the will of God It is the will of God thou shouldest sometimes be sicke sometimes well If when thou art in health the will of God be sweet and pleasing unto thee and if sicke harsh and distastefull thou art not upright of heart why because thou wilt not square and direct thy will to the will of God but rather seekest to pervert and wrest the will of God to thine His will is straight thine crooked Thou must rectifie thy will according to his not wrest his to thine and thus doing thou shalt have an upright heart Doe al things succeed according to thy hearts desire Blesse God who comforts thee Sufferest thou in this world Blesse God who corrects and tries thee And by this means thou shalt be upright of heart saying I will blesse God in all times for he only is thought to have an upright heart who wills alwaies that which God wills This one document in this respect goes beyond all other precepts this is the summe and principall effect of all admonitions the abstract and epitome of holy Scripture the compendium of all vertues the chiefest solace in whatsoever griefes the highest pitch of divine love the only thing that intitles the disciples of the crosse to Paradise and advanceth men to the seats of Angels This one lesson namely for man to conforme his will to Gods will is all in all and before all to be learned of all men For whosoever hath learned this alone in the Schoole of Patience may in a manner give up schoole and of a scholar become a master and teacher of others This certainly King David might by good right chalenge to himself before all others being a man so well acquainted with the will of God of which divine knowledge he gave many most remarkable proofes but then chiefly when flying from his son Absolon he willed the Priests to return with the arke and said If I shall find favour in the eies of my Lord he will bring me backe and shew it me againe and his tabernacle but if he shall say to me thou pleasest me not I am ready prepared let him do what seemeth good to himself Behold here King David who even in a flight so full of danger and difficulty put to his utmost plunges when his whole kingdome seemed to lie at stake was undaunted and so much himself that attending resolutely to the will of God alone yea and to the least signe thereof he willed only that which God willed Is it the will of God I should return It is my will also Would he not have me return I will not go backe Let my Lord do what seemes good in his own sight I am prepared Sect. II. O Christians if we could but once sufficiently apprehend this if we would but deepely imprint it in our minds the whole matter were absolutely effected calamity perhaps might touch us but from thence forward should never hurt us nor affliction oppresse us nor mortall man be able to annoy us we should stand invincible impregnable fortified only with the will of God our goods perhaps our money our health our fame might go to wracke But we should stand Cities and Kingdoms might fall to ruine But we should stand Atlas and all the world with him might fall to destruction But we should stand The heavens themselves might be dissolved But we should stand immoveable as long as this conformity of our will with Gods should stand in us This most evidently appeared in Christ at mount Olivet the day before his passion For after he had wholly resigned his will to his Fathers he forthwith made towards his enemies as an innocent lambe goes towards the butcher to be slaughtered before he made this prayer he was all appaled pusillanimous and troubled at the approach of so horrible a death but after when he had absolutely conformed his will to the will of his Father Arise quoth he come let us go and throw our selves into the armes of our enemy and receive his kisses This prompt resignation and conformity with the will of God makes a man undertake all he is thereby so strong and mighty he performs all so stout and couragious he vanquishes all enemies so invincible and inexpugnable he gets the upper hand and overcomes whatsoever hee encounters And therefore the more devoted and ready a man is to accomplish the will of God the more powerfull and able he is to do or suffer whatsoever he undertakes There is no calamity no griefe can draw other words from him then these As it hath pleased our Lord so is it come to passe so let it come to passe for from him is my patience which Saint Augustine excellently well expresseth saying what patience could ever hold out so many scandalls were it not for hope of that which as yet we see not but expect with patience My pains and griefes now approach my rest and quietnesse are likewise at hand my tribulation now assailes me and the time will come ere long I shall be clearly purged from it would you have gold bright and pure before it comes out of the gold-smiths forge content your self you shall shortly see it shine in a jewel or golden carcanet let it a Gods name passe the forge that when it is purified it may come to light In the forge there is fuell gold and fire which the gold-smith blows the coles burn in the forge the gold is purged the one is turned to ashes the other tried and refined This world is a forge or furnace wicked men are fuell just men the gold tribulation the fire and God the Gold-smith Wherefore as the Gold-smith pleaseth to dispose of me I am content my part is to suffer and his to purifie let the fuell burn till it even melt and seem to consume me when it is burnt to ashes I shall be purged and refined and why because my soul shall be subjected unto God Behold an intire and perfect concordance of the