spake off to wit the accusing of a mans selfe The other is The confideration of the will and providence of God All whatsoever we suffer is by the will of God He from all eternity not only foresaw but also was willing that every one should fall into those miseries which he now falls into Let us therefore separate the fault from the punishment the sin from the affliction and say God who is most just though he be not the author of any sin yet of all affliction and punishments he is the principall and as Divines say the positive effective cause It is not by the will but by the permission of Almighty God that men commit sinnes which are oftentimes the causes of many miseries and punishments But after sin committed it is his will because he is just that punâ—shment should follow It is therefore from God and by his will and providence that all calamities and miseries are fallen upon us It is the pleasure of God marke advisedly what I say that we should be oppressed with those miseries wherewith we are oppressed whosoever therefore thou art thou must willingly suffer these things for this cause as Seneca admonisheth for that you may rest assured they come from the order and decree of God This most loving father breeds his children up severely We see sometimes boies play in the streets without the least feare of the rod but some honest man comes on the suddaine unlooked for and taking one of them by the eare leads him away from his fellows No man sees this done but presently concludes that man undoubtedly to be the boyes father and that he leads away his son making no account what becomes of the rest So oftentimes while we sport while we trifle while we play the wantons we are led away by our good and carefull Father he interrupts our pastimes with afflictions he pulls and â—ugs us by â—he eare he I say one well known unto us no stranger but our loving and kinde Father For this a thousand times we must inculcate whomsoever our Lord loveth he chastiseth and scourgeth every childe he takes unto him If you live without discipline you have just cause to feare that you are rather imputative then lawfull children Sect. V. THere are certaine kinds of wine in Spain which are harsh and unpleasant to be drunk in their own countrey but being transported into another become very sweet and savoury So our good God conveyeth us over the sea of â—ffliction to the end we may lay aside all sharpnesse and acerbity and acquire the sweet odour of patience All this is done by the providence of God Thus much have I said concerning the meanes to make harsh and distastfull wine sweet this further I will adde Hieronymus Cardanus a man of Cardan l. 1. 3. de subtil mihi pag. 282. much reading affirmes it is ordinarily experienced that the sweetnesse of wine is preserved by stopping the hogshead with pitch both within and without for then being filled with sweet wine not racked from the lees and sunk for the space of a moneth in the bottome of a river it is defended by the heat of the pitch coldnesse of the water so that for a whole yeare it retaines it strength and sweetnesse Even thus God dealeth with us he sinkes us into the waters of calamitie lest we should degenerate into ill manners and become vinegar Doubtlesse that King was sunk in this river who cried out Deliver me from those which hate me from the depthes of waters But so soon as he was drawne forth of these waters he congratulates his delivery after this manner He hath sent from the highest heaven and taken and assumed me out of many waters That which Ludovicus Blosius spake was so to the purpose that it seemeth worthy to be witten in great capitall letters of gold These are the words of that most holy writer God saith he washes some of his speciall friends whom his goodnesse hath determined to adorn with singular gifts and highly to transforme not softly and tenderly but douses them over head and caâ—s in the sea of bitternesse Note this O my Christian brother note this thou must not look to be washed in rose-water but to be plunged in the salt and bitter sea of tribulation This is the Bath thy sweet and loving Father hath prepared for thee from all eternity All therefore as well adversity as prosperity must be taken as from the hand of God and so thou must constantly persevere to the end How many Psalmes did King David compose with this inscription Psalmâ—â—â—â—que in finem That is to say A Psalm to be sung from the very first verse to the last We have not undertaken to sing in the School of Patience a Players â—ig or nuptiall Song but a sad funerall threne which without doubt we sing not well unlesse we sing it to the end We shall never want somewhat to suffer It is a most true saying One temptation or tribulation is no sooner gone but another comes and so we Thomas de Kempis l. 2. c. 13. num 8. lib 3. c. 20 n. 3. shall have alwayes somewhat to suffer Yea even before one conflict be ended another comes unlooked for We must therefore sing our Threnes in such manner as we may still go on singing The Song of Patience must be sung even to the end A reward is promised to those that begin but given onely to those that persevere unto the end Judas Iscariot began very well but ended much otherwise his beginning was commended but his end condemned Many are ready to begin well but few end so The vertue of a good worke by the opinion of Saint Gregory is perseverance which is onely crowned In vain is any work done if it be given over before the end of our life Saint Bernard using many speeches to inflame and incite us hereunto faith That absolutely without perseverance no Champion can get the conquest nor Conquerous the prize Perseverance is the true soule and quintessence of strength the consummation of vertue and the sister of patience Without perseverance your obedience shall obtain no reward your Almes-deeds no increase of grace nor your fortitude any commendation The Divels chiefest drift is alwayes to prevent perseverance which alone amongst all other vertues he knowes is to be crowned It is the end doubtlesse not the fight that crownes us Commend a mans prosperous voyage by sea but see him first in a safe harbour It avails but little to take the crosse upon your shoulders if you carry it not out to the end Wo be to those who have lost their sufferance Ah! on couragiously O you Christians and constantly lest the old saying be verified in us Thou hast begun better then ended and thy end hath dishonoured thy beginning Saint Paul taking his leave of those that wept at Miletum for his departure made this open profession Tribulations and imprisonments are prepared for me at Jerusalem
largely and spend the day idly Happy therefore are the poore who willingly embracing poverty entertaine it as a speciall friend to vertue To this end was that generous speech of Saint Paul uttered The things which were to me a gaine the same I deem'd for Christ a detriment No man is worthy of God but he that knowes how to contemne riches and he is truely rich who agreeth well with poverty To this purpose Diogenes said Poverty is a vertue which is learn'd of it selfe The matter is plaine should not riches be taken from us we should be undone and destroyed by them And who is he that can so warily touch these thornes and not wound his owne conscience poverty alone is not wounded by this thorny brake He abhorres not poverty who aspires to blessed immortality For as truely saith Saint Gregory Whosoever he be that fixeth his desire upon eternity can neither be deterred with poverty nor shaken with adversity Sect. IV. A Garland of Straw THE Garland of Straw signifies all kindes of scoffes derisions and contempts This is a terrible and grievous punishment to scholars at school how light soever it seemes to others Some time it happens in schools that the master commands a boy to stand in a place by himselfe with roddes in his hand This is a more grievous punishment to that boy then to be ten times beaten with roddes In Spaine they put in mockery a paper hat upon those whom they lead to execution After this manner Andronicus an Emperour Vid considerationes gâ—ernitaâ—is consid 5. 53. of the East was crown'd with a wreath of Garlicke set upon the back of a scabbed Camel and led thorow the city in a miserable triumph To be contemned derided and scoffed at a proud man deemeth one of the greatest punishments that may be inflicted This crowne of Straw seemes to some all lead beset with prickes like a bristled Hedge-hogge For we abhorre nothing more then to be disgraced branded with ignominy or forc'd to the blush in presence of others This often times seemes more grievous then death it selfe Hence it is that many guilty persons kill themselves in prison rather then they will be made an object of scorne and contempt to the world At the latter day when every one shal return from death to life that terrible arraignement in the sight and presence of all mankinde that calling to accompt and pointing out by the voice and finger of the judge that sterne eye fixed on the whole world shall more torment the damned then the very flames of hel For this cause shall men say in most desperate manner to the sleepy rockes and mountaines fall you upon us and to the hils cover us Then shall it seem to them a gentler punishment to be buried alâ—ve under the heavy weight of these mountaines then to be arraigned at the tribunall seat of Christ to receive that heavy sentence and be proclaimed by the elect the utter enemies of God Saul King of the Hebrewes a notorious example of a man infinitely wicked when he heard Samuel foretell the dissolution and final catastrophe of his kingdom fortunes the deprivation of Gods grace his owne reprobation and utter ruine of all desired only to preserve his honour But now honour me said he before the elders of my people and before Israel So much he fear'd this losse when all things else were in a desperate case that his people should cease to honour him Behold how Saul was able like the Ostrich to disgest the greatest calamities as hard iron and yet is dejected with a thing which might seeme to be of least account to weare this wreath of straw he esteemes more grievous then death it selfe What was the cause He was proud There is nothing in the School of Patience more fit to suppresse pride then this Garland of Straw This is the most efficacious meanes to pull downe arrogancy he that is crowned with this Garland is forced though much against his will to qualifie his lofty spirit But above all things this is most to be admired we desire to be reputed submissive humble and yet hate nothing more then humility contempt of our selves free us from ignominy and in a manner all things else seeme tolerable with this men are wont to be most dejected they especially that are proud and not fully subjected We vainely perswade and flatter our selves that all things besides this garland of straw are tolerable A very fond perswasion which Cassianus refuâ—eth thus We would saith he have chastity Cass collat 4. c. 1◠〈◊〉 of body without chastizing our flesh acquire purity of heart without labour and watching enjoy carnall case quietnes and yet abound in spirituall vertues possesse the gift of patience yet never would beprovoked by scorns reproches practise the humility of Christ without the losse of worldly honour and serve him with humane praise and estimation In a word we desire to keep our head from the straw garland and to be humble without humility In this case we must not flatter our pride this garland of straw is fittest for that head which most abhorres it to that alone this diadem is most suitable Elegantly learnedly saith Seneca Sen. do Provid c. 4. post initium How can I be assured of thy coÌ„stancie against ignominy infamy and popular hatred if I see thee all thy life soothed and applauded and followed with acertain inexpugnable and headlong troop of flatterers This one word Repete rehearse the same again vexeth more the Reader then any other correction how rigorous soever But this is an apparant signe of secret pride which liketh nothing worse then to be blamed or shamed by blushing whereupon some men singular as well for learning as contempt of themselves when their ruin was to read at dinner or supper purposely pronounced some words amisse that they might be forced to blush at their owne dissembled ignorance When Martin Delrio a man of an ancient house and by the many notable books he wrote famous for his learning had divers years professed divinity at Liege he was by command sent to Tornay where according to the rules of his Order he might retire himself from publick reading and noise of the world and quietly spend some time in holy meditations Heer he laying aside both Philosophy and Divinity underwent yea even ambitiously sought after all the most abject offices amongst religious novices Sometimes with a poore thred bare cloake he attended the Cater to the market and carried to the Colledge the provision he bought thorow the streets in view of all the people taking upon him the office of a poore Porter This man neither feared nor refused the garland of straw nay he thought himselfe honoured by wearing it This above all the rest much astonished the religious of his order to see a man so grave and learned after he had spent so many years in the socity of Jesus been reader a long time in
of Ezechiel When distresses comes upon them they shall require peace and it shall not bee granted Trouble shall come upon trouble and report upon report Calamities shall beget calamities we shall never be quiet We shall be in a sacke Iob if ever any knew this sacke or heape of miseries was well acquainted with it I quoth he sometimes that rich man was suddainly brought to nothing he restrained my necke he broke me and set me before him as a signe He hath environed me with his launces he hath wounded my loines he hath not spared me and hath powred out my bowels upon the earth He hath cut me with wound upon wound Assuredly that most patient man was in a sacke but he manifestly shewed how great a proficient hee was in the Schoole of Patience certainly he was now to bee counted rather a master then a scholar Whosoever he be that is oppressed with this heape of calamities and groanes to see himselfe shut up in this sacke let him deeply consider in his minde these two things First that there is a place in the Schoole of Patience a kind of hell and that thither God sendeth his servants to be inclosed in a sacke This is no new thing but a signe of Gods favour and a cause of more ample reward But this hell is not eternall nor this sacke to bee worre at all houres or in all ages It is God who bringeth to hell and bringeth backe againe The other is That the absolute will of God is we should repose our greatest hope and confidence in him especially when our state is most desperate The inscription of the one and fortie Psal is Intellectus filiis Core or Canticum erudieâ—s understanding for the children of Core or a canticle instructing for it teacheth us most couragiously to trust in God when the least hope appeareth And therefore David heere many times inculcateth this Spera in Deo Hope in God Why pinest thou away with vaine griefe Why art thou vexed with feare of events Why fearest thou every passe of contrary winde Hope in God thou man of slender faith hope in God This is a hope that can never deceive nor be deceived Philo the Hebrew with others of his nation was accused by Appion to Caius Caligula the Emperour that he had not exhibited divine honour to Cesar And after when he was banished from the couâ—t he said to his fallowes now we may be of a good courage though Caius frowneth upon us for divine helpe must needs be present where humane is wanting But if divine helpe seem also to be long a coming we must opportunely with king Iosaphat pray in this manner when we know not what else to doe this is our onely refuge to lift up our eies to thee O God So that we should never turne the eies of our minde from God But herein imitate a watchfull spaniell that waiteth upon his master sometimes scrapeth or fawneth or with open mouth beggeth till meate be given him so when we are shut up in this sacke and oppressed with sundry miseries let us implore his aid and helpe till hee grant our suite Are all humane helps wanting Divine assistance as Philo saith must of necessity be present The time will come when we shall at once behold all the former passages of our life We shall then confesse as heretofore Themistocles did that we had perished if wee had not perished doubtlesse many by suffering a slight temporall shipwracke are preserved from that which is everlasting Wherefore let us be of good courage and thinke it even sweet to be in this sacke for Christs sake Before it be long every one will happily sing Thou hast converted my mourning into joy thou hast rent in sunder my sacke and environ'd me with comfort CHAP. VI. What faults are most to be eschewed in the Schoole of Patience A Certaine man objected to Bion the Philosopher that he could not reclaime that youth which he most desired to reforme Bions answer was My good friend let not this seeme strange that youth is like a soft greene Cheese a man can not draw him with a hooke By which saying he wisely gave him to understand that those youthes which are delicate and given to their pleasure are least fit for their bookes Old cheese indeed hath many faults but that which is new and tender many more whereunto you may very well compare some Scholars which like a soft greene Cheese are stored with ill properties made of nothing else but jugling and trickes as if they had no other art but cousening and deceipt Though Argus were their master he would never finde out their slights and devices It were infinit to reckon up all the ill conditions of Scholars but I will give you an abstract of them as neare as I can There are eight faults especially which Scholars in schooles are subject to And in a manner as many doe the disobedient scholars ordinarily commit in the Schoole of Patience They are these 1. Not to get their lessons without booke 2. To prattle and chat 3. To have no regard to their writing 4. To play the trewants 5. To brawle or strike their fellowes 6. To be drawing pictures with their pens sleeping or loytering whilst their lecture is read to them 7. To counterfet themselves sicke 8. To lye or murmur when they are corrected These are eight capitall faults never borne with nor ever to be tolerated in the Schoole of Patience We will now briefely explicate these eight notorious faults that we may better beware of them Sect. I. THE first fault in schooles is to forget their lesson or only make a shew of knowing it The usuall words of the master are Repeat boy recite your lesson But the sloathfull scholar mutters softly to himselfe I know it not or beginnes stammeringly and stickes at every third word lookes by stealth into his book pronounces most of the words false and omits some And in truth all this is nothing else but grosse ignorance Thomas a Kempis that most religious writer bringeth Christ speaking in this manner I am accustomed by two wayes to visit my elect by temptation and consolation I read unto them every day two lectures by the one rebuking their vices by the other exhorting them to the increase of vertue Thus Christ is wont to read to his scholars but when are these lessons to be repeated In the evening especially when they are to examine their consciences Here the master commandeth Repeate Repeate how hast thou bettered or improved thy selfe What vertue hast thou learned this day What imperfection hast thou reform'd what vice hast thou endeavoured to roote out Repeat review and call to minde It belongs not only to religious persons but to all whatsoever to call diligently to minde what every day they have done or said or thought of This likewise did Anneus Seneca Publius Sexius and others out of the light and dictamen of reason This holy Vide trisâ—egisium mâ—â—m â— 3.
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
scholar why he came so late to heare Prayers because Sir said the boy I stay'd for my breakefast The master presently replied got now and stay for a rodde There is nothing more ready with boyes then to excuse their faultes I was sicke such an one would not suffer me I could not and a thousand such devices Jonas the Prophet was commanded by his preachinâ— to perswade the citie of Ninive to râ—pentance but he counterfetting himselfe sick made as if he had not been commanded turned his journey another way and by sea fledde from Ninive In a word was willing to doe all thâ—ngs so he might be excused from preâ—ching A disobedient scholar and too apt to believe hee wanted no will but ability But the the seas beganne to â—ore the windes to rage and a great whale was sent from out the depthes which taught Ionas what he was able to doe and what through distrust of his owne ability he had refus'd to doe Not to be willing my Jonas and not to be able are farre different Assuredly our want of confidence in doing many things makes us unable we love and defend our owne imperfections which we rather study to excuse then forsake How often shall you heare this idle excuse I cannot why presse you me I cannot the state of my body is not strong enough to fast my stomacke cannot away with emptinesse I am not able to endure these labours I cannot abstaine from things to which I have beene accustomed what I have hitherto used I cannot leave why are are you so earnest with me it is to no end I say I cannot These words were long since banished from the Schoole of Patience give care to a Scholar who cryeth out couragiously I am able to doe all things How I pray you In him that strengtheneth me The two brothers sonnes to Zebedeus questioned by our Lord whether they could drinke his bitter Cup boldly answered we can we contrariwise when we are put to the triall of our patience utter these poore and pusillanimous words we cannot we cannot And this is the reason why we seldome lay a sure foundation for patience For we being partiall credit out selves in matters belonging to our owne case when any thing seemes difficult without any shame we impudently cry out we cannot Fâ—e for shame try thy selfe recollect thy forces beginne endeavour doe what thou canst There is nothing more disgracefull in the Schoole of Patience what dâ—ffiâ—ulties soever occurre then to brâ—ng this excuse I cannot Saint Paul answâ—râ—â—h resolutely I can doâ— all The Apostles we can One that truely loveâ—h Goâ— never uttereth such words as these I will not I cannot Lâ—ve if it be true is able to doe all things otherwise it is not true as it pretendeth Sect. VIII THE eight fault in Schooles is to lye or murmur when they are rebuked These are capitall faults in schools deserve no lesse punishment then the rod. Impatience is as great a fault in the School of Patience as a lye in the School of Grammar or Syntax For as a lye denies what should be affirmed and affirmes what should be denyed making blacke white so impatience makes a small trouble great and a great one insupportable And this is the original cause of impatience namely when a man thinkes himselfe overcharged with burdens insupportable and vexed being innocent undeservedly So iniquity belyeth it selfe How much better were it for every one that is afflicted to reason thus with himselfe What sayst thou impatient man is it for this that thou hast entred thy name in the Schoole of Patience to proclaime thy selfe innocent when thou sufferest any thing Away with these complaints there is nothing thou sufferest but what thou hast deserved an hundred a thousand yea ten thousand times How wilt thou be able to endure the fire it selfe when thou canst not abide a few poore sparkles or embers Friend God does thee no injury take that which falls to thy lot suffer what God injoynes thee to suffer Aâ—â— thou that guiltlesse that innocent childe whom the good father chastizeth without desert Alas good soule thou smoothly but simply flatterest thy selfe foolish credulity perswades thee thou art a sheep whereas indeede thou art a wolfe Hence proceed these pittifull complaints why falls every storme upon my head what sinnes have I committed what have I done I will tell thee if thou wilt but heare me with patience It is reported by one Anthony that Peter a holy man afterward martyred was accused before his Superiour for that certaine profane people were seene and heard to prattle in his chamber For which cause Peter was commanded to accuse himselfe publikely in the presence of all the monastery and exactly to performe the penance which others should enjoyne him This he did but to say the truth much against his will for he knew he had not herein offended and that upon false suspicions this was forged against him Wherefore after he had retired himselfe into his chamber with teares in his eyes he presented himselfe before a Crucifix and to ease his minde with complaints said Lord what have I done that being innocent I should so severely be punished Christ graciously pittying his innocence forth-with replyed And I also Peter what have I done that being innocent I should sâ—ffer so cruell a death Peter presently was ashamed and confessed himselfe guilty in comparison of such an innocent Sect. IX WHAT say'st thou then who art so ready to complaine why dost so often inculcate what have I done Tell me I pray thee what had Christ done what had Peter Paul the Apostles done what so many hundred thousand Martyrs what the holiest men of all ages burdened with so many impious slanders wilt thou not yet give over these complaints what have I done How much rather maist thou say with that penitent thiefe crucified with out Lord and we indeed justly for we receive worthy of our doings Let us be of the same minde Are we punished let us not so much call to minde what we suffer as what we have done If we will rightly judge of all things let us principally perswade our selves that there are none of us without faults For want of which consideration we fall into these extremities I have not sinned I have done nothing against a good conscience Nay we will not acknowledge our selves sinners we thinke muâ—h to be admonished corrected or chastized though in that very instant we sinne adding arrogancy excuse and contumacy to our former misdeeds For very well saith Fabius to excuse a fault committed is to comâ—it another Every good man is glad to be admonished wicked men are impatient of rebukes And who is there that can professe himselfe in all respects innocent oftentimes we are punished for a matter wherein we are innocent to make satisfaction for some thing else wherein we were guilty The brothers of Ioseph vice-roy of Egypt were innocent when they were recalled from their journey to be cast in
captive who is fettered with the gives of luxury pride envy and avarice Those the divell needs never to hunt after they are his owne in sure custody But so soone as any of them endeavour to break prison and get away they shall finde satan and all the force of hell oppose them many wicked and malitious men will pursue and persecute them who therefore can ascribe this to their ill fortune that they have many persecutours and enemies seeing it is most certaine that all that desire to live piously in Jesus Christ must of necessity suffer persecution Pharoaâ— the king of Egypt with an oath threatned the Jewes I will persecute quoth he and apprehend you This certainly he would never have said at such time as they were bemired durtied and wearied but when he saw them ready to flie and scape away In like manner doe our enemies deale with us whilest we ly wallowing in the mud of sinne they seldome or never make warre against us but when we seek to save our selves by slight then they either actually invade us or at least seek to terrifie us by hostile incursions For which cause the wise man forewarning us saith sonne when thou comest to the service of God stand in justice and fear and prepare thy soule against temptation Sect. III. WOuldest thou go to the Schoole of Patience Provide and make ready thy selfe not for repose and ease not to sit downe and take thy pleasure but for a great conflict much temptation Art thou ignorant that whosoever goes to the fencing riding or wrastling schoole or to learne the art military must not look to sit still upon a soft cushion with a booke before him but you shall have the fencer give this man a blue eie the horse throw the other the riding master or he that tilts against him set him beside the sadle one unfortunately breakes his thigh with leaping another with wrastling puts his arme out of joint this man hath his head rudely broken another a tooth strucken out with the pummell of a sword another an eie put out with the point of a speare a man must here endure all kinds of wounds and incommodities Let us I pray you looke for no other or better intreatie in the Schoole of Patience we must not thinke here to sit still and take our ease and as in those Schooles I spoke of before of riding fencing and art military the masters themselves entertaine their scholars with blows and wounds so in the Schoole of Patience all paine and anguish all evill and punishment is from God himselfe the rectour thereof Prepare therefore thy soule for temptation From God proceede not only mild cheerfull faire and fortunate but likewise the unlucky darke duskish and dismall dayes which Ecclesiastes plainly affirming saith for as God hath made the one so also he hath the other that a man may find no just cause of complaints against him It was purposely the will of God to set a foule day against a faire adversity against prosperity and to temper and qualifie the force and acrimony of the one with the mixture of the other that it might be more wholsome and medicinable to mens humours and diseases wherefore be mindfull of adversity in prosperity and of prosperity in adversity Thinke of poverty in time of plenty and in the middest of thy riches of the poore mans necessity from morning unto evening time shall be changed and all these are sowne in the eies of God Let us therefore most attentively consider that all adversity is sent us from God that most just and supreme Judge Let us not impute the cause of our miseries to that which is not for they neither come from the east nor from the west nor from the desert mountaines because God is judge He humbleth this man and that he exalteth because there is a cup in the hand of the Lord of meer wine full of mixture And he hath powred it out of this into that but yet the dregges thereof are not emptied all the sinners of the earth shall drinke Behold O you Christians and engrave deeply in your hearts these documents This man God comforts that he afflicts The cup of all miseries and afflictions is in his hand this cup of the Lord is full of pure wine as it comes from the grape but withall it hath its mixture for not one sort but divers kinds of wine are powred into this cup. Excellent wine when it is mingled not with water but with wine more excellent then it selfe becomes infinitly strong So the revengefull justice of God aboundeth with multiplicity and variety of punishments as with severall kinds of wines Many men have suffered both great and manifold miseries to these doubtlesse pure wine is given but mingled as I said before Let them be of good courage all this notwithstanding is gentle and tollerable For by this meanes God inclines sometimes to this man sometimes to that one while he offers his cup to John another while to Peter and sometimes to James this honourable Cup passeth to all every one must taste thereof more or lesse as it hath seemed good to our Lord from all eternity this speech is used to every one either drinke or get thee gone But this may be a great comfort that no man especially in this world is compelled to drink up the dregs The dregs thereof are not emptied The greatest punishments and revenges of justice are reserved till the last day of judgement Then all the sinners of the earth shall drink Whatsoever tribulation we suffer now is but momentary and light it may seem but a sport and jest in comparison of the bitter dregs which the fury and indignation of God shall give eternally to the wicked to drink and never drink up Let us now O Christians joyfully drink up these cups though somewhat bitter seeing we are excused from drinking up the dregs The cup which most of us so much feare is filled with our Lords wine he it is that offers it the cup we refuse is in the hand of our Lord God is the authour of all punishment and calamity Sect. IV. ANd to go to the foundation of this verity let us heare what may be objected against it some there are that aske this question If God be the authour of all evill and punishment he is so likewise of sin My enemy by lying and flandering hath extreamly injured and damnified me he hath contrary to all law and justice entred in and made havock of my estate he hath most wickedly slandered and defamed me he would if it were possible swallow me at one bit And I pray you iâ— God the author of all this He is good sir the author of all this not that God commanded him to lye or calumniate God saith Ecclesiasticus hath commanded no man to do impiously and he hath given no man time to sin But I urge further What if I should say that God commanded him to do these injuries should
pleased him from all eternity so hath it succeeded so shall it hence forward succeed Not so much as one jot or one tittle hath passed nor shall passe in time to come till all be performed according to this Idea of God The sacred will of God shall stand most steadfast and inviolable And tell me I pray thee what availed it thee then to vex grieve and perplex thy selfe in vain and to trouble others so much What wilt thou get now by tossing or turmoiling Let me perswade thee not to stumble again at the same stone put on a mind of resignation submit thy selfe freely and entirely to the will of God mount up into this Chariot of Gods providence feare nothing it is impossible to miscarry without Gods will and permission the least thought the least finger the poorest more in the world is not able to stir against thee And as well for what is past as for what is to come let my perswasion take place Consider I beseech thee what small interest thy will or power hath in any of them So little that thou canst seldome foresee what will happen hereafter Tell me what kinde of Summer shall we have next yeare If a dry and barren one dearth plague and famine will ensue What then will it avail thee to foresee or grieve at this The like may be said of all things else In very deed thou canst neither obtaine what is good nor foresee or shunne what is evill unlesse it be the will of God refigne therefore thy will to his It is in vaine to vex and trouble thy selfe to strive or strugle it is lost labour to plot or build unlesse the will of God concurre thereunto Thou shalt not prevaile thou shalt not profit unlesse thou will that which God willes Be sure therefore to performe this submit thy selfe in all things to the will and pleasure of God And I most earnestly crave this one thing that thou wouldest every day serioufly weigh and consider in thy minde as most certain That God from all eternity hath prepared for thee this crosse and determined to lay it upon thee together with all the circumstances of place time and persons and that he hath according to his infinite wisedome and goodnesse squared and proportioned it agreeable to thy forces It remains now only that thou shouldest be willing to make benefite thereby and this assuredly will be very great if thou wilt but resigne and accommodate thy will to Gods will Wherefore upon every such occasion discourse thus This doubtlesse comes from God and therefore is for the best This injury this disease this poverty this trouble or misery is directly from God and therefore can import no evill unto me unlesse my will dissent from Gods will But take heed thou never utter such kinde of words as these Were it but this or that crosse it would never grieve me A poore and idle complaint This crosse or that crosse how terrible soever unto thee embrace and for this cause onely that it is the will of God to exercise thee with this and that and with no other See therefore thy will be one and the same with Gods or if thou wilt follow thy owne be sure to perish Sect. VII AS for that pernicious Serpents Why as why doth God oftentimes shew himselfe so benigne to those that are estranged from him and for the most part so severe to his servants c. We must exactly know this that it is the most just and upright wâ—ll of God by adversity questionlesse many thousands of men are corrected reformed but scarcely any one by prosperity Felicity is the step-mother of vertue she flatters her favourites that she may have the more advantage to hurt them There are some that seeme happy to themselves but t is only in their owne opinion which being false ad â— little to their felicity but much to their misery For to be ignorant of a mans owne misery is the height of infelicity Pompey the great deemed himselfe happy But if we seriously consider the matter he was never so indeed no noâ— even then when he was in a flourishing estate esteemed most happy His end made proofe thereof being forced to yeeld up his head and life to the executioners sword Policrates King of the Samites was thought in his time the very darling of Fortune he had never any adversitie in his life heavens sea and land all favoured him All his enterprises had a facile and happy successe whatsoever he hoped for he reaped the fruit thereof it was no more but wish and have his will and power were all one Fortune but once frowned upon Policrates when he had a short pang of griefe and forsooth to appease the Goddesse Nemesis lest he of all men should be said to be altogether exempt from misfortunes he threw a ring of great value and much esteemed by him into the sea Neverthelesse this he soon after recovered it being found in the belly of a Fish which had devoured it Notwithstanding at length he ended all his felicity upon a high crosse whereon he was put to death For by Orontes one of the Noble men belonging to King Darius he was fastened upon a crosse on the top of mount Mycalis where he was made a miserable but an eminent spectacle of false and deceitfull felicity But these saist thou are prophane stories Behold then Aman tottering aloft in the aire neer allied to Policrates enshrined in a monument not much unlike and altogether as high Aman had long abounded in wealth was most hâ—ppy in a wife and a flourishing off spring friends he had many and King Ahashuerus himselfe the principall Aman had all the world at will But what I pray you The Epilogue of all this so great felicity was knit up on a gibbet This was the fabrick which Aman had built for himselfe whether he would or no So the corn falls with too much ranknesse So the boughes of trees over-burdened with fruit are broken So the greatest calm at sea foreshews the fiercest storm The same may be said of mens lives and manners Mens mindes with wealth ease and daintie fare run riot The Moon ever waneth when she is come once to the full and the further from the Sun the fuller she iâ— the more you feed and pamper your horse the lesse tractable will he be to his rider So man for the most part the more he is in prosperity the further he is from his God Hence was it that God in times past complained of his people I satiated them and they became adulterers They were pampered and fattened and foully transgressed my words Where felicity reignes there vertue commonly is exiled Saint Ambrose Bishop of Millan as Paulinus recounteth visited a certaine rich man upon the way as he travelled who when he had entertained and refreshed him as well with pleasant discourse as good cheere he made a long relation of his owne course of life alledging that he had never had