withstand the power of Impatience Note I say first of murmuring how many incontieniences doe grow to the Murmurer himselfe and then to other by his meanes and againe how great are the comforts of the contrary Murmuring troubleth the minde disquiets the heart distempereth the bodie and sometime breedes the consumption of the purse it forgetteth reason abuseth nature sheweth disloialty displeaseth a friend and doth purchase an enemie it carrieth vvit from reason Reason from Grace and Nature from her selfe yea sometime man euen from God to the Deuill while patiēce enduring those perplexities that put reason to his best power nature is not distempered reason not abused grace is embraced and God is truely honoured the league of amitie is continued the law of nature is not broken Truth is gratious and the soule is blessed where the body is not distempered nor the mind disturbed the creature is most able to giue glory to his Creator Note then the differences of these two natures Murmuring a horrible vice and patience a heauenly vertue doe but think on the fruit of murmuring and the condition and end of murmurers rages frettings wars death pouertie sicknes and sorrovv vvhile the child is sicke of the father the vvife of the husband the brother of the sister and one friend of another vvhat massacre or murther hath there grovvne but through the inuention of murmuring and the malice of murmurers looke a little if thou bee a murmurer of vvhat kind thou art and vvho thou art and so note the condition of thy nature or nature of thy condition If thou be a man and murmurest against God thou art a Deuill if thou bee a Subiect and murmure against thy King thou art a Rebell if thou bee a Sonne and murmure against thy father thou shewest a bastards nature If thou murmure against thy Brother an vnkind nature if against thy friend an vnthankfull nature if against an honest man an vnhonest nature if against a foole an vnwise nature if against a Christian a hethenish nature if against a man a dogged nature Thus thou seest by murmuring what thou shalt bee esteemed of God and man yea and in thine ovvne conscience of thy selfe either a Foole a Knaue a Heathen a Bastard a Traytor a Dogge of a Deuill and doest thou then see the villanous nature and condition of this qualitie and wilt not leaue it take heede least if thou continue in it that God vvil hate thee for it doe not send thee to the deuill with it who was the first Author and is the continual nourisher of it Againe thinke with thy selfe when another man shall find thee in thy murmuring either by thy discōtentiue countenance or soletarie delight sequestring thy selfe from men to conuerse with the Aire hovv great will be thy shame to heare the skoffings that will fall vpon thy follie Some will say thou art mad other thou art foolish another thou art dogged but noe man that thou art either wise kind or well in thy wits Againe when thou hast reuealed thy folly to the world and fretted thy selfe to the heart with the humor of an euill spirit and yet art neuer the better any way but manie way a greate deale the worse what canst thou thinke of thy selfe but fret that thou didest fret blush at thy shame grieue at thy follie and murmure at thy selfe that thou didst murmure at thy selfe or any other while repentāce which bringeth sorrow is the best fruit of such a frenzie Againe when thou shalt see the patience of another blessed and thy murmuring accursed an others patience enriched and thy impatience impouerished an others patience aduanced thy murmuring disgraced what canst thou thinke of it but a Canker eating into thy Soule worse then any Fistula in thy fleshe pray then to the heauenly Surgeon for a plaster of patience with the oyle of true repentance to cure thee of this disease which in the worlde at least by all the Arte of the Worlde is Incurable wilt thou see a murmurer truely discribed that thou maiest the better hate to bee his image Behold his Eyes like a hogge euer bent downewards as if he were looking into Hell his cheekes like an Anathomie where the fleshe from the bones doth fall with fretting his browes euer wrinckled with frownes to shew the distemper of his vnquiet Braine his lippes euer puld inward as if Enuie would speake and durst not his tongue like the sting of a Serpent which vttereth nothing but poison his voice like the hissing of an Adder which maketh musique but for hell his necke like a weake piller whereon his head stands tottering and readie to fall his breast like an impostume that is ready to burst with corruption his heart the Anuile wheron the deuill frames his fireworke his body a Trunk where Sinne hath layed vp her store his handes like clawes that catch at the world and his feete like vvinges that make hast vnto hell Now doest thou behold this ougly sight and doest not feare to bee such a monster what shall I then say vnto thee but if God haue giuen thee ouer to a reprobate sence there is no reason to be had with thee nor hope of recouery to bee had of thee but hoping a little better in thee let me goe a little further with thee The vvorde of God saith Beati pacifici blessed are the peace makers thinke then it is a vvorke of the Deuill to sovv sedition and being at vvar vvith thy selfe hovv canst thou be at peace vvith the vvorld except it bee the good vvarre betvvixt the spirite and the flesh vvhere the peace of conscience ouercomes the trouble of conceit by patience is the Soule possest vvhich is more vvorth then the vvhole vvorld and by murmuring is the soule lost vvhich gon vvhat is the gaine of the vvorld Is it not strange that all the parts and the members of the bodie can so vvell agree togither and one doe seruice to another and men the parts and members of a common-vvealth should be so at variance among themselues In the body of man if the head ake the heart is not vvell if the Eye be hurt the head is distempered the heart is diseased and all the body is the vvorse if the finger bee hurt the head vvill seeke to help it the heart hath a feeling of it the Eye vvil pittie it and the feete vvill goe for ease for it if the foote bee hurt the Head Heart and Hands will seeke for cure of it while the Eye vvill be carefull to look to the dressing of it If the body bee diseased the head vvith all the members vvill labour for the helpe of it that all parts being in their perfect state the mind or Soule may be at rest if in this priuate body of man all things bee brought vnto this good order vvhat shame is it for a common-vvealth that men should bee so out of order and vvhile all parts of the bodie are at the seruice
of the head to the great peace of the heart vvhy should not all Subiects ioyne togither in vnity of seruice to their King to the greate and blessed peace of the vvhole Kingdome God made all the parts of the bodie for the Soule and vvith the Soule to serue him and all the Subiects in a Kingdome to serue their King and with their King to serue him If the head of the bodie ake vvill not the heart bee greatly greeued and euerie part feele his part of the paine of it and shall a King in his vvill bee displeased and the hearte of his kingdome the heartes of his Subiects not haue a feeling of it Canne the Eye of the bodie bee hurt or greeued and neither the head heart nor any other member bee touched vvith the paine of it No more can the Counsell the Eye of the common vvealth bee disturbed but the King vvill find it and the Common-vvealth vvill feel it can the hand the Artificer bee hurt but the common-vvealth vvill find the lacke of it the Eye with pittie vvil behold it and the head vvith the eye the King vvith the Counsell take care for the help of it Can the labourer the foote be vvounded but the body of the State vvill feele it the head be carefull the eye searchfull and the hand bee painfull in the cure of it and the common-vvealth the body bee diseased but the King his Counsell and euerie true Subiect vvill put to his hand for the helpe of it hovv then grovves this murmuring at the vvill of God in men vvhile there is such an agreement of the parts in man but only by the vvorke of the deuill in man to bring him from God and the vvorlde to vvorke against himselfe his seruice in the vvorld and as hee taught it first our parēts to bring them out of paradise so he vvil as many as he can of their posterity to lead them into Hell But let mee tell thee it is better that a fevv murmurers perish vvith their murmuring then a vvhole kingdome perish vvith their mallice In the holy vvord I find vvritten If thine Eye offend thee pull it out if thy hand offend thee cut it off better to enter into heauen vvith one hand or one eye then vvith both into hell But all this vvhile there is nothing spokē of the head that must still bee kept on so if a great man or a meane man do offēd cut him off or cut him short that he may do no hurt for better a mēber perish thē the head or the hart should ake then either the King or the common-vvealth should bee diseased but for the King hovvsoeuer hee bee disposed hee must not bee disturbed for it is vvritten Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harme againe transgressiō is as the sin of vvitchcraft and vvhat greater transgression then Rebellion vvhich chiefly hath her breeding in murmuring If thou hast a cruell vvicked King take him for a punishment and pray for his amendment but murmure not at his povver but if thou hast a good King take him as a blessing and hauing a good King be thankful to God for him for his prosperity serue him loue him obey him hate thy selfe to haue a thought of murmuring against him or any thing cōmanded by him looke a little more into thy glasse of murmuring see if at last thou hast the least sparke of Gods grace vvhat thou beholdest God in the heauēs frowning upon thee his angels either murmuring for thee or readie to plague thee his seruants on the Earth hating thee and the deuill vvith his angells readie to distroy thee thy Soule made a Receptacle of sinne thy mind made a torment to thy Soule thy heart made a greefe to thy bodie and euerie part of thy bodie out of temper while being driuen out of the ground of all goodnesse Thou shalt bee left in the maze of al wickednesse where loosing the hope of all cōfort thou shalt liue in the hell of all miserie yet a little look further into thy selfe and into the vilenesse of thy nature if it be touched with that infection If the weather please thee not thou wilt murmure at the heauens if the world goe not with thee thou willt murmure at the vvorlde if thy friend rebuke thee thou vvllt murmure at his care of thee If thine enemy ouercome thee thou wilt murmure at his fortune If thy Father bee aged thou wilt murmure at his life If thy brother be thine elder thou wilt murmure at his Inheritance If thy neighbour grow rich thou wilt murmure at his prosperitie If a Stranger bee fauored thou wilt murmure at his grace if a Begger bee releeued thou wilt murmure at his Almes and if a godly man bee beloued thou wilt murmure at Gods blessing If thou bee a woman or a womanish man then how many things will trouble thee thou wilt murmure at fashions coulors toies tricks words gestures and a world of such idle fancies whē alwaies the other is the best nothing pleaseth but variety hee or shee hath the best face the best eye the best hand the best legge the best body or the best foote speakes best hath the best countenance sings best dances best rides best feeds fineliest goes gaiest hath apparrell the best made and weares it best thus all is best wher there is none good while that which should be best serues God best is not spokē of for indeed who serueth God best will not let his spirit be led away with these idle humors dost thou thē see the follie of this murmuring and the hurt of so great a poyson seeke the cure of it by prayer keep it from thee by patience least if it once get hold of thy heart it breed a cureles woūd in thy Soule If thou be a king keepe thy seate If a Courtier know thy place if a Scholler plie thy booke if a Souldier look to thine honor If a marchāt take thy fortune if a farmer follow thy plough if a beggar fal to prayer but murmur not oh King if thou be not an Emperor nor courtier if thou haue not grace nor Scholler if thou want preferment nor Souldier if thou loose thy day nor Marchāt if thou loose goods nor farmer if thou lose thy labor nor beggar if thou get bare alms but murmuring at Gods wil take heede that thou loose not thine owne soule more precious to thee then the whole world Is it not strange to see the insensible Creatures what a concord there is and among the Creatures of best sence so great a disagreement In musique the Treble is the highest and the base the lowest the Tenor and Counter-Tenor betvveen thē yet though euery one hath his place when they are in their full concord they make the sweetest harmony so in a Kingdome a King is the highest and the labourer the lovvest I leaue out the Beggar as an vnnecessary member but only for the exercise
Heart and Treasure thy mind and are all these benefits to be despised and this peace not to bee applauded God forbid when children with Drums strike marches of mirth and Trumpets sound dances in stead of deadly marches when men may sing women dance and children play altogether reioyce and giue praises vnto God is this peace to be murmured at fie vppon such wicked spirits that can bee possest with such hellish humors leaue therefore thy murmuring at this great blessing of peace and giue glory vnto God for the comfort of so great a grace for by it thou possessest more thē all the world without it for though by labour may wealth be gotten and by wisedome honor yet without that blessing of peace through the malice of Ambitiō thou maist soone loose all that thou enioyest pray then for the cōtinuance of so great a comfort and murmure not at the ordināce of God in so gracious a shewing of so glorious a mercy shew not the dogged nature of such a deuilish spirit to drowne thy soule in the delight of bloud Thinke on the miserie of ciuill warres or what warres soeuer subuersion of States death of Princes massacres of People teares of Widdowes cries of Children Citties burning Tyrants killing Terror spoiling and hearts dispairing when thou shalt see before thy face thy wife dishonoured thy daughter deflowred thine infant slaine and thy selfe made a slaue to villanie and if it possible might be a hell vpon earth where deuils like men or men like deuils seeke the destruction of the whole world Murmure not then at the ioyfull blessing of peace but imbrace it with such thankfulnes as may continue thy happines least vvhen thou vvouldest haue peace thou canst not because vvhen thou haddest it thou regardest it not Againe dost thou murmure at plentie pittie but thou shouldest want that is necessarie vvho hadst rather see thy brother starue then to releeue him out of thy aboundance Oh vngratious wretch so far from the feeling of Gods grace that for a priuat gain wouldst wish a general griefe like a miser that pinching his belly to spare his purse wold see the death of a vvhole Kingdome to fill vp one corner of his cofers or doest thou murmure at the plentie of another beholding thine own penury Why remēber thou broghtest nothing into the vvorld nor shalt carry any thing with thee out of it and what thou hast is but lent thee shal be taken frō thee or thou frō it cāst thou not then content thy selfe vvith thy portion and rather labour for thine own good then enuy at the welth of another or dost thou murmur at the vvealth of many and thine own pouerty looke into thy self and see if there be not more poorer then richer then thy selfe and if not yet that thou art not alone to beare the burthen of thy crosse But hadst thou rather see a bare haruest a naked tree a thin Meadow and a blasted vineyard then thy barnes full of corn thy stacks full of hay thy trees full of fruite and thy vessels full of vvine canst thou so much forget God to bee vnthankfull for his blessings and bee so vnnaturall to thine owne heart as to seeke the miserie of thine owne Soule What dogge would shew so diuellish a nature Haddest thou rather gnaw vpō a crust then haue a whole loafe sippe of a little cruse then drinke of a full cup vveare a peece of a ragge then a vvhole suite of apparrell and a penny in thy purse rather then thy chest full of gold then art thou either a foole that vnderstandest not vvhat is good for thee or a dogge that dispisest that is giuen thee or a deuill in not acknovvledgeing the goodnes of thy God tovvards thee hadst thou rather see a table without meat a stable vvithout horses a pasture vvithout Cattell a purse vvithout a pennie then good meate faire horses fat cattle and a full purse oh monster of nature vvhat dost thou then among men leaue therefore thy murmuring and let me thus farre aduise thee what thou hast spend not vainly what thou gainest get not vilely vvhat thou vvantest beare patiently and vvhat thou giuest giue frankely murmure not to part vvith thy plēty nor at the plentie of another for plentie is a blessing of God vvhich taken thankfully breeds many comforts while penury is a plague either inflicted vpon sinne or sent for a triall of vertue vvhere patience possessing the soule the bodie may bee the better seruant Murmur not therfore at the blessing of plentie either vpon thy selfe or others Againe dost thou murmure at ease oh vvhat madnes doth possesse thee hadst thou rather tire out thy body thē giue rest to thy mind and labor out thy heart thē giue cōfort to thy spirit hadst thou rather mourn thē sing cry then laugh run thē vvalke be beaten of thine enemie thē be kissed of thy friend hadst thou rather watch two nights thē sleep one vvorke ten dayes then play one and fast ten vveekes thē fare vvel one I do not beleeue thee or els beleeue thee to be mad Hadst thou rather ride a hard trotter thē an ambler sit on a Pitchforke thē a pillovv lie on a board thē a bed if thy vvil so much exceed thy vvit I shall neuer take thee for a reasonable Creature therfore murmure not at ease vvhich to nature is so cōfortable to reason so acceptable but doest thou murmur at ease in others pain in thy self others may haue the ease thou wātest thou the ease they cannot haue they may sit while thou walkest but perhaps walke whē thou sleepest they may haue health thou sicknesse yet thy conscience may be at better quiet they may fare delicately thou hardly yet thy stomacke may disgest better they may possesse more yet thou be better contented Murmure not therefore at ease either in thy selfe or other for it is a blessing sooner lost then gottē murmuring is the worke of malice which once setled in the minde ouerthrowes more then bodie when many kinds of diseases robbe the heart of all ease Again dar'st thou murmure at thy King that hee is not in all thinges to thy minde Traitor vnto God and man hovv canst thou excuse thy villany whē if thou canst cōsider his worth confesse his worthynesse thou wilt hate thine ovvne soule to cōceiue one discontentiue thought of his Maiestie or the least thought of hurt to his sacred person but base wretch that thou art to grudge at that vvhich thou canst not iudge off or to inioy that thou art not vvorthy off for if thy King vvere vnlearned it might be a sorrovve to thy heart if irreligious a torment to thy soule if of base linage it might haue bin a vvound to thyne Honor if Tiranously minded a vvoe to thy comfort if vvickedly inclined a plague to thy patience but of a Royall Lyne from the Loynes of many Kinges and frō one Kingdome to an other or
Drowned vvith all his hoast in the red Sea Josephs brethren murmured at him what became of them They became all his Seruants Saule murmured at Dauids tenne thousands What vvas his end Hee killed himselfe Iudas murmured at the Boxe of Oyle that vvas poured on Christs head What vvas his reward Hee hanged himselfe Take heede therefore murmure not at the Word nor at the will of God least thy reward bee vvith the Reprobate For if thou murmure at God the Deuill vvill meete vvith thee if thou scorne the Word of God vvickednesse vvill follow thee if thou murmure at the grace of God Hell vvill gape to receiue thee Leaue therefore thy murmuring at God his Word his Grace or his Will least vvith Lucifer thou bee throwne out of Heauen with Caine bee accursed or vvith Esau loose thy blessings on the Earth and learne vvith Abell to serue God vvith Abraham to beleeue in God vvith Dauid to loue God vvith Iob to feare God with Moyses to honour God and vvith Christ to obey God and then shall the Deuill haue no power to make thee murmure at God But let me come to particulars Doest thou murmure at this man or that man for this cause or that cause Oh vnhappie vvretch how doest thou trouble thy selfe Call thy wits a little better together and vveigh thy thoughts in an euen Ballance If thou bee vviser then another that is preferred before thee it may bee hee is more Honourable If thou bee more Noble hee may bee more vvise If thou more learned hee more valiant If thou more valiant hee more vvealthie If thou more vvealthy hee more honest If thou hast a good face hee may haue a better body if thou a good body he a better face if thou a good face and body he a better vvit if thou a better vvit he a better heart if thou an honest heart yet hee a more gracious Soule and therefore if another be aduaunced and thou displaced haue patience and murmure not for vvhat knowest thou vvhether God vvill blesse his humilitie and correct thy pride or make him swell till hee burst and make a triall of thy loue in the truth of thy patience But let me see vvith thy murmuring vvhat manner of man hee should be vvhom thou wouldest haue moulded to thy minde if thou be tall of stature then lesse then thou are dwarfes if low of stature thē tall men are Cyants if of a meane stature then that is the best proportion So that except all bee as thou art thou vvilt find fault vvith God in his Creation or Nature in her Generation or through lacke of vvit vvith Fortune in her Indiscretion in preferring such before thee as thou fondly thinkest should come behind thee when if thou haddest thine owne eyes thou shouldest see in the glasse of Truth so many imperfections in thy selfe as in the conceit of vnworthinesse might make thee rather come behind many then goe before any and rather grieue at thy selfe then murmure at an other art thou finical fantasticall and wouldst haue a man to thine owne mind what manner of man shall he be shaped like a picture countenanced like a Bride and talke like a Player oh fine foole how thou wouldest haue the signe of a man stand for a man and if thou be such a one wouldest thou haue all like thy selfe alas the world is so full of fooles alreadie that there is no need of any more of them and therefore leaue thy murmuring and fal to some beter reckoning least thy account come to worse then nothing and while thou art wise in thine owne conceit there may bee more hope of a foole then of thee doest thou murmure to see a Traueller aduanced for his vertue while thou art forgotten for thy seruice perhaps his knowledge is more worth then thy toile and he hath taken paines while thou hast liued at ease art thou a Trauailer and murmurest at the home seruant perhaps hee hath gotten more wealth at home then thou abroad and taken paines at home while thou hast had pleasure abroad and what knovvest thou vvhether the vvisedome of State or rather the vvill of God thinke it necessarie to make a Tryall of thy condition ere they revvarde thy deserts for aduancement may bee a hurt to Ambition vvhile humilitie begins her heauen in this vvorld Murmure not therefore at the good of another nor grieue at the nature of thine own Crosse for vvhen patience doth kindly carry it it is the best badge of a Christian and doest thou murmure to see one of base Linage come to honour vvhile thou liuest in disgrace Take heed that hee bee not the first and thou the last of a Noble House and rather learne to thriue by his vertue then continue thy decay by thine owne folly In summe leaue thy murmuring at the vvill of God or the vvelfare of any man or at thine owne vvoe for God hath his vvoorking in all things and if thou vvilt be one of his children thou must louingly allow of vvhat hee doth But now as to men let me a little speake to vvomen Doest thou being faire murmure at the preferment of a foule one and in thy rage call her foule dowde Alas thinke Fortune had neede to doe somewhat for her vvhen Nature is so little her friend Againe it may bee her inward vertue might be of more worth then thy forced Beautie Art thou a foule one and murmurest at the aduancement of a faire creature and in distemper of thy braine call her Picture Fie vpon thee so shalt thou be no mans meate foule vvithout and vvithin for the euill mind is more foule then the blackest face and if shee bee vertuous vvith her beauty is shee not then vvorthie of Honor Againe dost thou murmure at the vvealth of another vvhile thou art in pouertie vvhy it may bee thou knovvest not hovv she gets it perhaps thy selfe vvouldest not so haue it doest thou murmure that she is more suedto by Louers vvhy it may be she is loued for change and thou for choise doest thou murmure at her that hath more children then thou perhaps thou deseruest them not or it may be God doth not blesse thee to thy desire Rather pray therefore then murmure least a vvorse plague befall thee doest thou murmure to see a vvicked vvench put thee dovvn in preferment vvhat doest thou knovv vvhether she haue her heauen in this vvorld vvhich thou seekest not or begin her hell ere she came at it againe it may be her repentance may be gratious vvhen thy pride may be odious And therfore be she fair or foule vvise or fond vvealthie or poore godly or vvicked Murmure not at any vvhatsoeuer shee bee in vvhat state soeuer thou thy selfe be least in fretting at others fortune thou consume thy selfe vvith follie vvhile he that hateth the grudging heart plague home the Spirite of mallice but leauing vvomen as the vveaker vessels let mee come againe to men that should haue the stronger spirits to