already that many miseries are kept in store for thee no man purchaseth this estate at lower rates Thou hast voluntarily put on such gyves and fetters as death onely must shake off Imagine thou hast undertaken a chargeable warfare the stormes of a family a daily punishment and all the afflictions this world may afford For these kinde of people shall have the tribulation of the flesh And why strive we in vaine Every course of life all states are full of bitternesse every where some thing occurres that is sharpe and irkesome By the law of God it was decreed let every oblation which is offered to our Lord be done without leaven not any leaven or hony shall be â—ffâ—red in the sacrifice of our Lord whatsoever sacrifice thou shalt offer thou shalt season with salt Honey and leaven are utterly excluded from divine Sacrifices For we must not onely abstaine from sinne but likewise from those pleasures which lead thereunto Both are rejected as well the hory of pleasure as the leaven of impiety whatsoever we consecrate to God must be seasoned with salt Nothing is acceptable to him as saith Saint Hierome if it have not in it some bitternesse God himselfe for the most part seasons all things with much salt and steepes all in bitternesse King David perceiving this said Thou hâ—st laid tribulation upon my backe who is there that feeles not this sharpenesse And added further thou hast brought us into the snare It is God that bindes and tâ—es us to a certaine course of life some with fetters others with bracelets this man with collars that with chaines some with cords and others with iron some with thonges of leather and others with gold but no lesse is he bound with gold then others with iron we are bound and fetter'd in what course of life soever we live He of all others in the School of Patience is deemed the skilfullest who can with most facility carry his fetters and with Christian patience ease himselfe and lighten his burden These are gyves which we must beare as we may since we can not breake them It is a benefit to many to be bound thus otherwise having their hands and heeles at liberty they would become exorbitant and dissolute Let us therefore utterly condemne that errour whereby every one is perswaded his crosse is heaviest Rather let him certainely perswade himselfe that he never hath nor shall suffer so much but there may be found others who have suffered much more But out of that former errour often springs another For we do not onely thinke our afflictions the greatest but likâ—wise seck though all in vaine to abandon them From hence it comes that the Husbandman hates the plough and spade the Mason his trowell the Smith his file the Scriveneâ— his pen the Schoolar his booke the husband brookes not his wife the servant his master nor the scholar his tutor every one scornes his owne occupation and falls out with the course of life he should live by The slouthfull man for feare of cold will not hold the plough Here Saint Paul cryes alowd to all men Let every man remaine in that vocation to which he is called How I pray you By labouring and suffering couragiously For which cause also S. Paul earnestly entreating said I therefore bound in our Lord beseech you to walke worthy the calling to which you are called with all humility and mildnesse with patience Miserable wretches why strive we why attempt we in vaine to breake these fetters all we can do will but make them faster Let our feet therefore weare these fetters till our heads be crowned perhaps that day is now neare at hand in which we shall sing to our deliverer Thou hast broken in pieces my bonds to thee will I sacrifice the sacrifice of praise Sect. II. Knotty Clubs BY Knotty Clubs are expres'd such calamities as are coÌ„mon to many to wit Tyranny Heresie War Pestilence Barrennesse Famine Oppressions Slaughters Inundations Diseases shipwrackes Ruines losse by Fire Earthquakes Gapings of the Earth and other publicke calamities Those ordinary disasters which we suffer are very profitable They all come from the hand of God the author of all good things the head and fountaine who ministreth these as bitter potions bitter indeed to the taste but wholsome in operation Three principal reasons may be given why these calamities are sent unto us for either God exerciseth the good chastiseth sinners or punisheth the wicked and all this for our good We see daily good men have their severall afflictions or else are involved in the same together with wicked men This we often see and admire because we fully comprehend not the cause therof nor observe the end The cause and motive is the love of God towards us the end not prejudiciall but beneficiall unto us for this exercise is many waies profitable If thou desirest to become a skillfull Mariner thou must be taught by tempests if an expert souldier by dangers if a stout man indeed afflictions must harden thee For the learning and experience of a man is known by patience And to this end are men exercised Another end there is in these calamities and afflictions which are sent us either to chastize us after we have sinned or to curbe and withhold us from sinning This hand is like that of a mercifull father which often scourgeth those that offend but the hand of a rigorous executioner punisheth slowly and but once Gods punishments specially belong to those that are evill but they are not evill as they curbe and restraine us from wickednesse Thus all punishment is good in respect of justice and impunity evill which causeth the impious to persever in their wickednesse Moreover publike slaughters and ruines by warres famine plague and other calamities are justly sent by Almighty God nor have we any cause to thinke them new or strange or more grievous then in former ages In times past there have beene as great yea and more deplorable Even in this of ours since the yeare of our Lord 1618. for these twelve last past warre hath like a depopulating fire cruelly wasted all Europe without doubt some hundred thousands have perished in this time by plague famine and slaughter Yet this is not so much to be admir'd in the only City of Jerusalem in times past the number of those which dyed or were slaine during the siege were ten hundred thousand ninety seven thousand taken And in all that time throughout the severall places of Judea there were of Jewes slaine twelve hundred and forty thousand besides many that perished by famine banishment and other miseries Bâ—hold the catastrophe of one only nation yâ—t what a small portion of the world and handfull of men was that compared with all Europe What shall we say now of other places That second Punicke warre alone consumed in lesse then seventeene yeares in Italy Spaine and Sicily fifteen hundred thousand men The civill warres of Cesar and Pompey devoured about
The Prophet Daniel foretelling great calamities to the Jewes said They shall fall by the sword by fire and by captivity and by the rapine of the times What I beseech you was the cause of so great mischiefe That they might be forged and chosen and whitened against the time prefixed because as yet there will bee another time This lie therefore of calamity refines and makes us most pure from all filth and uncleannesse and thereby we are chosen and whitened And so indeed taught by our owne harme It is well that God humbles us That most blessed King David saith I am environed round about with griefe whilest the thorne is fastened The briars and thornes of sin had so wounded his soule that hee thought himselfe even like an hedgehogge bristled with pricks and thorns on every side Insomuch that his mind was so afflicted with griefe that neither his royall dignity abundance of riches nor all the comfort or pleasure these could afford him was able to asswage it So grievously David tooke it to the heart That he had offended God so much hâ—r 〈◊〉 he conceived out of the foulnesse and deformity of sin that he rather chose to weare the sharpest sackcloth then the sofrest ermines punished himselfe with sasting mingled his wine and washed his bed with teares and interrupted his prayers with frequent sighes and groanes O that we could behold the foule contagion of sinne with such eies as David did God of his infinite mercy vouchsafe us an exact ballance by which we may waigh and examine the waight of sinne Doubtlesse all temporall miseries and afflictions which are transitory would appeare very light yea and of no waight at all We would deeme all the adversities that happen in this life as light as a feather compared with this huge mountain the sharpest lye this world could afford would be welcome to cure the festered sores and leprosies of our soules It will go well with us if God vouchsafe to humble us Sect. III. AT Hierusalem there was the probatick pool where beasts to be sactificed were washed This pool had five portalls where lay alwayes an infinite number of men full of ulcers and incurable diseases who expected that charitable relief from heaven which at certain times an Angel brought by moving the water whereby he that first descended into the same was healed Behold a goodly type lively figure of this world For what is it else but an hospitall full of innumerable diseased persons for whose cure there caâ—e the Angel of great Covenant and stirred the waters Certainly it is much to be wondered at there being in Hierusalem so many clear chrystalline and sweet flowing waters why Almighty God in this muddy foul and troubled pond polluted with the butchery of so many beasts hair and bloud of so many slaughters would place the benefit of health Had it not been a more illustrious miracle to have cured in the river of Jordan or in sweet rose water then in this foul and noisome pond Ah! Christians how far different are the judgements of God from those of men God was pleased to wash the soul not in the waters of Jericho or Damascus not in water sweetned with nard or roses but in the waters which he himself hath moved and stirred with his bloudy Crosse in the salt sea of miseries the vast ocean of calamities This is our washing place these our bathes thus we are cleansed God in times past to expiate those that were unclean prescribed to the Jews waters mingled either with ashes or bloud no river is so soveraigne for the washing and purifying of the soul of man fountains of bloud spring unto us out of the wounds of Christ crucified our daily sins minister to us a sharp lie to these fountains therefore we have our recourse here we expiate and wash away our filth and corruption here we rise again and recover strength But as yet I will not depart from this probatick pool of Hierusalem When therefore our Saviour entered into one of the portalls whereof we have spoken he found a great number of sick persons but of all these cured but onely one Some will say How sparing was our Lord of his benefits Seeing he might have healed them all with the least word of his mouth Why then I beseech you did he restore but one of them to his health Perhaps he would do according to the use of the pool which never healed but one at a time But we ask this question Why God being infinitely mercifull and potent who pleased to bestow this vertue of healing upon that pond would not cure all those sick and sore persons For as the Sun every day with his cheerfull rayes is beneficiall to innumerable creatures without any hurt or dammage to himself so the Creatour of the Sun should suffer no losse by bestowing health and happinesse upon many sick and miserable men at once My answer is that the Sun with his pleasant beams fails not to illuminate and sweetly comfort all creatures but when the clouds interpose themselves No cloud so thick and gloomy as that of sin by which the Sun of mercy is shadowed over and excluded Hieremie bewailing this evill said Thou hast opposed a cloud against thy self so that thy prayer can have no passage The multitude of our sins often times is the cause that we cannot altogether acquit our selves of all our miseries and afflictions The reason why Christ cured but one at this water in Hierusalem was perhaps because he saw none of the rest worthy of that benefit But admit they were all free from sin and of upright course of life why should then but one be restored to his health We answer again That so it was expedient for them it was good for them thus to be humbled All things are not convenient for all persons Many thousands of men are sick and by that means make towards heaven who if they were in health and lived commodiously would take the ready way to hell A most true saying it is Quae nocent docent It is good for me and thee O Christian yea and for innumerable more that God doth humble us It is well knowne to the schoolemaster himselfe what is most expedient for each of his scholars How oft hath extream calamity been the beginning of salvation how oft hath losse been the occasion of greatest gaine And therefore oftentimes we may say with Themistocles we had perished if we had not been undone We account the silk worms happy for that they have a silken house and a labour so neer to rest But if we better consider the matter we shall finde their house as we call it to be their sepulchre where those miserable worms amidst their own work die and bury themselves so often times our disordinate appetite findes that distastfull and prejudiciall which it supposed to be pleasant and profitable Nay more take this for a certain rule that when the appetite so hotly pursueth any thing which
for the most part with foule and unsavoury water The Shambles expose flesh to be sold but not without bones Fair trees many times bear small sowre worm-eaten hard and soon rotten Apples The stateliest Câ—ties are not without some poore and homely cottages The beautifullest houses must have their vaules sinkes and sewers for their filth and excrements and let buildâ—â—g be never so curious and artificâ—all they are not exempâ—ed from all discommodities Look up to the sky and you shall fearcely sâ—e it one whole day without a cloud the clearer the sky the sooner for the most part come the cruellâ—st tempests the windes are never constant the milde Westerne gales oftentimes give place to the dull South or stormy North. Oyle is not without a foamy mother nor Wheat without darnell How much filth liâ—s hid in the fairest and comeliest men and women and how many changes are they subject to in one day Man doubtlesse never continueth stable in one state and what wonder fith God found wickednesse even in his Angels In all places we finde adversaries every where enemies there is no absolute happinesse to be looked for Would we have the Sun shine upon us every day all things passe with a gentle current at our beck and command this we may madly dream of but never waking enjoy all the workes of nature contradict it and point us out an enemy in every corner The same likewise may be observed in morall things Sect. III. THere is scarce any book free from errors and faults escaped either by the Authour or Printer Where shall you finde honour without burden or if no burden no true honour Where can you shew me a company of men exempted from all misfortunes or any man so upright and holy that hath not in him some thing to be reprehended Who is he that dines or sups without some vinegar Let me eate a full meale and satiate my selfe straight after my stomack upbraids me and makes me wish I had eaten lesse Let me check my appetite and forbear then hunger afflâ—cts me Thus Ash-wednesday succeds shrovetide and feasting fasting Next to the Temple of Honour is that of Labour the way lies from the one to the other hony is mixed with gall and every commodity with discommodity I have heard that Pleasure and Pain once fell at ods and chose Jupiter for their Judge the one would not yeeld in any respect to the other but Jupiter declaring his sentence so composed the matter between them that from thenceforth they should never be at difference but live together linked with indissoluble bands and what marvell Semper odoriferis proxima spina rosis The sharpest thorn grows next the sweetest rose Which way soever thou turnest thy eyes thou shalt see hony mixed with gâ—ll there is nothing in this world pure and sincere without dregs this is incident to all earthly creatures by a certain naturall propension to weare away and consume The Iron hath an in-bred cankering and rust wood rottennesse and little gnawing worms Thus all creatures townes and kingdomes have within them their causes of destruction Look upon all things high and low great and small made by the hand or invented by the wit of man in all ages past or to come they fall to ruine and decay And as rivers run headlong and with an uncessant course into the sea so man and all things created for man passe by this channell as it were of death and slaughter to their dâ—terminate end which is death for which pestilence war and slaughâ—er serve as instruments Lips l. 1. de const c. 15. and means Why then are we so impatient would we trumph before the victory be choicâ—ly â—ed at our masters 〈◊〉 before we hâ—vâ— labouâ—ed for 〈◊〉 were not the â—nsolencie of that servant intollâ—rable who at his return from labour should finde fault that the table were not yet covered noâ— the meat served up Why lay the cloath my friend bring up meat such is thy masters pleasure prepare thy selfe first to serve him after this thou maist both eate and drink There is a time to sow there will also come a time to reap the one must necessaâ—ily precede the other They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Going they went and wept casting their seeds bâ—t comming they shall come with exultation carrying their sheaves Saint Chrysostome speaketh to the purpose As all manner of grain saith he stands in need of showres to make it grow so we of tears And as it is requisite that the earth should be ploughed and cut so the faithfull soâ—l lest it bring forth Chrysost tom 1 in Ps 125. mihi pag. 981. ill â—oin had need in stead of the plow to have temptations and afflictions to mollifie her hardnâ—sse and bring under her pride We ought first to labour â—nd then seâ—k quietnesse and reposâ— of miâ—d Doest thou aspire to heaven and yet entertain thy body with quiet and ease Gâ—ve eare to the same Saint Chrysostome who not without good cause reprehendeth our sâ—â—th in this manner What doest thou O man what sayâ—st thou thinkest thou to scale the skies and attain unto the kingdome of heaven and yet askest without blushing or hiding thy selfe for very shame even in the bowelâ— of the earth whether any difficulty will occurre in the way or any tough or disastronâ— accident befall thee Do what thou wilt thou shalt never come to heaven befâ—re thou art soundly hew'd and polish'd Very truly said that most religions man The kingdome of heaven is the kingdome of those that are tempted afflicted contemned and by sundry means polish'd and hew'd How darest thou poore cowardly wretch appear amongst so many stout and renowmed Commanders God would have thee know how pretious the good is we seeke after Vita Alvaressi cap. 40. S. 1. for attaining whereof we undergo so many labours and pains The Hebrews being to passe into the land of promise presented Sehon King of Hâ—shbon with these requests That they might passe through his countrey along the beaten high way neither declining to the right nor left hand That he should sell them meat for money that they might eate That he should give them water for money that so they might drink The King condescended not so that they were to open a way by force We desire likewise to go to heaven without trouble or warfare many mens resolution is not to hurt any one so they may not be wronged themselves but all in vain heaven admits no such effeminate cowards who endevour nothing more then To suffer nothing Therefore let us imitate that laudable saying of the Ancients Nulâ—a dies sine linea No day without a line and say Nulla dies sine nubecula No day without some cloudy accident Let no day passe over our heads without doing or suffering somewhat stoutly and couragiously for Christs sake for through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of heaven Through many yea through very many
it is that many heer want the reward of their vertue and in stead thereof are oppressed with penury afflicted with diseases and invironed with whole troops of miseries Neither have the wicked their paiment in this life for they saile with a prosperous and favourable gale of wind whereas they deserve to be tossed with the most tempestuous waves that may be Well then may the hope of the vertuous daily increase and the bad have most just cause to fear that he whom they so much hate shall be their judge at last Certainly there are none how good or bad soever but shall have their hire Seeing therefore none are so wâ—cked but that sometimes even forgetting their wickednesse they do or say well for which how little soever it be they shall receive a temporall reward notwithstanding they shall have their eternall punishment at length though deferred for a time The highest is a patient debtor Wherefore by this means our faith may be strengthened and by these temporall punishments and rewards gather an assured beliefe of eternall The third reason is to illuminate the understanding The master in the School ought principally to labour that children by little and little may learn to grow wise cast off their childishnesse and come to know their own ignorance This is that which God himselfe endeavoureth in the School of Patience That vexation may give understanding In very deed we never sufficiently apprehend how miserable and frâ—il we are till our own miseries teach us Moreover we are too much besotted with selfe-love and easily thereby perswaded that we are unable to endure many things And yet the testimony of experience it selfe setteth before our eyes and teacheth us whether we will or no how much we can if our will be not wanting endure for Christs sake Many sick persons suffer that which when they were well they thought they could never have endured yea and by suffering this learn how poor slender our patience is in time of health It is an easie matter to be patient when we have nothing to trouble us King David blaming himselfe said In my prosperity I said I will not be moved for ever Thou hast turned away thy face from me and I was troubled Peter if he had not fallen so miserably would never have beleeved himselfe to be so weak and pufillanimous In the place of the last Supper he boasting said Although I were to dye with thee yet would I not deny thee though all should be scandalized yet would not I. But shortly after he saw his own weaknesse For this cause the wise man adviseth My son in thy life time try thy soule and if it be wicked give it no power What knowledge hath he of himselfe that is not tempted To know himselfe he must try himselfe No man knowes what thou art able to do no not thy selfe unlesse some difficulty give thee oceasion thereof How far the alarm will awake a mans courage is then known when the alarm is given The sent of pepper is not smelt till it bee pounded It is never known how well the Lute or Harp are tuned till they be touched How patient the blessed mother of our Lord was appeared in the stable at Bethlehem by her flighâ— into Egypt and under the crosse at Jerusalem These most holy anchorites Stephen and Benjamin shewed their patience by suffering most grievous diseases Stephen by stretching forth his putrified limbs to the Chyrurgian to be cut off while he the patient not to lose time wove palm branches with his hands and with so undaunted a courage and countenance suffered himselfe to be cut as if it had not been his arm but anothers body And when others even with looking on were sensible of his pain he said unto them O my children what soever God doth is to a good end Let us combat let us suffer whilst we are as Champions within the lists It is better to suffer a short pain then to be involved in everlasting torments Benjamin who Pallad cap. 30 de Steph. for the space of fourscore years lived a most perfect life and was reported to heale diseases was notwithstanding himselfe miserably afflicted with the dropsie Of this man Dioscorus the Bishop spake when visiting him with Evagrius and Palladius in his Idem Pallad c 18. Heraclid in sâ—o paradiso c 2. in finâ— company he said Come I beseech you let us behold another Job who not onely conceals his pains and griefes with patience but also rendereth thanks for that he is visited with sicknesse To whom Benjamin himselfe replied Pray O my brethren that my inward man may not be sicke of a dropsie My body benefited me little when it was in health nor hurts me now it is sick Sect. IV. THe fifth cause is for that affliction is the greatest signe of profit and a speciall incitement thereunto Schoolmasters require most pains and industry at their hands who are most hopefull The wise Roman excellently discoursed Sen de Provid c. 4. of this Those therfore saith he whom God liketh and loveth he animateâ—h correcteth exerciseth but those whom he seemeth to cherish and spare he reserveth untouâ—hed for future miseries You are deceived if you thinke any mâ—n exempted there are none so happy but shall have their share in afflictions whosoever he be that seems dismissed is but deferred Why doth God afflict the best men with corporall infirmities and other adversities Why are the hardiest men in the camp put upon the greatest danger The Captain sends his most selected men to lye by night in ambush for the enemy to discover the passage or make way through the watch Not one of them sent forth saith the Captain hath dealt ill with me but rather he hath disposed well The same let every one say who is commanded to suffer that which abject spirits would faint and shrink at It hath pleased God to do us this favour to manifest what man is able to suffer God therfore taketh the same course with good men which masters do with scholars they expect that those who are most hopefull should labour most Did the Lacedemonians think you hate their children whose abilities they made by stripes a publick triall of their parents themselves animated them to endure the blowes couragiously and even when they were mangled and half dead multiplied wounds upon wounds What wonder is it that God handles generous spirâ—ts so roughly Vertue is never taught by soft and gentle means Are we scourged and tormented by calamities we must not think it cruelty but a combat which the oftner we undergo the sooner we shall become valiant Whom our Lord loveth he chastiseth To this purpose Saint Augustine saith excellently well Good Aug. in Psa 93. men live in labour and travell because they are scourged as children Evill men rejoyce and exult because they are condemned as strangers Fear not therefore to be scourged but rather fear to be disinherited Pharaoh King of Egypt made a
about with goat skins on their backes and leather thonges in their hands scourging whensoever they mene the women of their owne accord were wont to meete them and offer the palmes of their hands to be strucken supposing thereby they should Alex ab Alex l. 4. â—â—ier gâ—â—â—al â—â—tio have facility in child birth This the Romans used to doe in the moneth of February But we are daily afflicted sometimes one sometimes another yea even the most innocent and just are not exempted In this case it behooves us to endure all with patience sith somtimes we cannot withstand them though wee would But these scourges taken patiently dispose us to a happy death It is a matter of great consequence when a man knowes he hath been ill spoken of to beare it with equanimity And therefore Saint Bernard who was most ready to endure like scourges said Bern in epist In my judgement there is no fitter medicine for the woundes of my soule then reproches and contumelies There is no reason then why I should be displeased thereat who am a wretched man worthy of all despite and reproach Senc de bâ—aâ— vite cap. 55. What Seneca said to the Romans let every man say to his detractours Rage and â—oare as much as you will exercise your mischievous tongues by calumniating good men you shall sooner breake your teeth then bite them The fourth comfort is that the detractions and calumnies of wicked persons nothing hinder the examination of any mans cause at the tribunal of God but rather further it That was a worthy speech of St. Hierome Amongst Christians saith hee that man is miserable who effereth injury not he who suffereth it As Christ our Saviour declareth Blessed are you when men speake evill of you and persecute you and speake all the worst they can against you belying you for my sake rejoyce and exult for your reward is very great in heaven Saint Peter following this word of our Lord If you be reproched saith he for the name of Christ you shall be blessed This is that whereby you are made like to Christ and become Angels That wise woman of Thecua indevouring to extoll and magnifie with the greatest praise the King of Hebrews said My Lord the King is like the Angell of God neither benediction nor malediction can move him Saint Gregory doth very well instruct and arme every one against these tongue-scourges When we are praysed saith he or dispraised we should alwaies have recourse to our owne conscience and if we find not therein the good that is spoken of us with great sorrow and solicitude let us procure to have it on the other side if we find not therein the evill which men object we ought very much to rejoyce For what is it for men to commend us if our owne conscience accuse us or how little should our griefe be though all men accuse us while our owne conscience tells us we are innocent But some will say it grieves me more then may be imagined to be so rashly slandered and belied unjustly Let it grieve thee a Gods name But what then to grieve for Christ the kingdome of Heaven should be a Christians chiefest comfort Art thou greeved to heare these things spoken of thee let it rather trouble thee if they be true if thy owne conscience accuse thee for then thy conversation makes thee an obloquy to the world But let him whom his own conscience defends and assures him that whatsoever aspersions malevolent people cast upon him are vaine and false let him I say not bee contristated whatsoever it be which others spâ—ake against him For why should they grieve him when they hurt him not But sâ—y they should hurt him God without doubt will recompence ten fold this damage how great so ever it be He that hath offended indeed and given just occasion of speech let him accuse himselfe if he be ill reported of but the just man shall be withâ—ut fear as couragious as a Lyon Baltasâ—r King of Babylon sitting amongst thousands of his noble men at a royall banquet saw a hand writing upon the wall over against him wherewith he was so terrified that he waxed pale and beganne to tremble in every joynt of him What cause I beseech you was there of so great feare He saw a hand What hand A mans Did the King so much feare a mans hand if he had seene the threatning pawes of a Lyon Beare or Dragon there had been just cause of feare But why should the right hand of one poore man terrifie so migh yâ—a Monarch at whose only beâ—ke an hundred wings of horsemen would have flowne to have succour'd him was there any sword or weapon brandisht by this terrible hand none but only a writing pen should a stout man I will not say a King be appaled at the wagging of a pen If Joabs triple Lance or the fiery two-edg'd sword of a Cherubim had menaced him there had beene some cause of feare But perhaps it was the writing that terrified him this he understood not and therfore called others to expound it Why then feared he one single hand one pen one writing which he understood not Behold how often the like happens among us There comes a mischievous detractour and with his tongue writes as it were upon the wall these or the like words Let none give credit to this man he is not the man he seemes to be and these vices are usuall with him he hath a faire outside but inwardly he is not the man you take him for This kinde of writing sometimes so terrifies us that we take it for one of the greatest punishments that may be and to desire and yet not to be able to revenge this wrong seemes more grievous then death it selfe But why O Christians doe these detracting words so much trouble you upon so light a wrong turne you all your patience into fury This is the property of the Scorpion provoke him not by touching he never darts forth his poysnous sting but if you once touch him instantly he stings you with his taile Thus many are silent if you doe not vex them but touch them once and they spit fire that blastes and consumes all it lights upon In this case the wisest course is to turne a deafe eare to all detractions you may take example from the holiest men David the best of Kings was wickedly standered by many but I said he as if I had beene deafe gave no eare to them And albeit secret tale-carriers sometimes creepe to you and say this he talkes of you in publike as if you were deafe give no eare to it To goe about to confute all these injurious speechâ—s were to take paines to disturbe your selfe For commonly the more a man strives to supresse these reports the more they are divulged Epictetus very wisely admonishing us Epict. Ench. cap 48. saith if any one shall tell thee that a certaine man speaketh ill of thee
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.
tendeth not directly towards God it is no other then a foul sin covered under a fair pretext And therefore Christ for the most part gives us with a bountifull hand those things which are most profitable for us inviting all freely to the School of Patience but not so to the glory of this world If any one saith he will come after me let him deny himself and take up his crosse and follow me not to a pleasant garden but to the horrid and noisome mount Calvary Sect. IV. WHen the Saviour of the world would manifest a little glimpse of his glory upon mount Thabor he admiâ—ted onely three of his Apostles to be spectatours And why did he not invite many hundreds that were inhabitants of Hierusalem Or at least why did he not take with him all his Apostles The counsells of God are far different from those of men To behold Christ crucified hanging all bloudy on the Crosse came an infinite multitude of people but to see him glorified on mount Thabor three of his dearest Disciples were only admitted Doubtlesse this was to teach us that they are innumerable who profit themselves by crosses and afflictions but few or none by earthly glory and prosperity And therefore St. Bonaventure said he had rather ascend with Christ to the mount Golgotha then to mount Thabor Thus assuredly Quae nocent docent In times past at Rome the yeer of our Lord 167. Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus commanded all the souldiers in publike triumph to be crowned with laurell which all obeyed except one Christian who would not wear his wreath on his head but on his arm and being asked why he alone differed from the â—â—shion of the rest answered It was not fit that a Christian should be crowned in this life Tertullian in defence of this so generous an answer wrote a book intituled The Souldiers Crown whereby he declares with great eloquence how prudent an act this was of that souldier The truth is a Christian should not be crowned but with thorns for so was our head Christ Jesus Alas How unsutable â—re tender and delicate members with a thornie wounded and bloudy head Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo considering advisedly these words of Saint James the Apostle Behold we beatifie them that have suffered You have heard the sufferance of Job and seen the end of our Lord. Lest men saith he should patiently suffer temporall afflictions to the end they may receive that which we read was restored to Job Who besides his sores and ulcers cured had doubly restored him what he had lost To shew therefore that after the suffering of temporall afflictions we should not hope for like reward he doth not say You have heard the sufferance and end of Job but You have heard the sufferance of Job and seen the end of our Lord. As if he had said Sustain temporall afflictions as Job did but for this expect not temporall benefits which were given him with increase but rather hope for eternall such as our Lord received We therefore for our sufferings must aime at a reward to be given us where there is no more to be suffered Many are exalted to be cast downe by a greater falls Contrariwise God suffers divers persons to fall the lower that he may thereby advance them higher The more torment here the more reward there Oftentimes in holy Scripture a wel-minded man is compared to a Palm-tree Heare the speech of the heavenly Gardiner himselfe who saith I will ascend up to the top of the Palm-tree and gather the fruit thereof What need is there my God to ascend are not thy armes otherwise long enough to gather the fruit It is as easie for thee to gather fruit on the top of the tree as upon the lower boughes But observe I beseech you the wisedome of the divine counsell A Gardiner standing upon his feet gathers the lower fruit by pulling the boughes gently unto him but when he meanes to pull the higher fruit he climbs up and treads upon the tree â—nd so sometimes breakes a bough before he gather the fruit A man as we said before is compared to a tree his fruits are holy and pious actions high ripe and perfect workes of vertue as singular humility remarkable patience transcendent charity the heavenly Gardiner to get these fruits ascends up into the tree treads upon it and breaks the boughs hence it commeth to passe that one man is deprived of part of his wealth another of his honour a third of his friend another of his pleasure Behold how the Gardiner by treading upon us gathers riper fruits whereby invited and stirred up to worke with more fervour we dispatch sooner and every day become more solicitous in divine affaires Thus oftentimes Qua nocent docent Sect. V. SOmetimes God is pleased to blesse us abundantly with store of all things but to no other end then that as they encrease and become more deare unto us we may be more sensibly grieved for the losse thereof S. Bonaventure saith that Paradise even for this cause was planted by God that our first parents being excluded from thence might suffer the more griefe and by that meanes the more bitterly bewaile and detest their sinne which was cause of their banishment It was therefore his pleasure that Adam should sensibly perceive what happinesse he had lost by his sin and consequently seeke to recover the like or greater blisse by repentance that having lost Paradise he might more earnestly aspire to heaven Thus a thousand severall times even at this day God deals with us For example he gives to some parents a son of an excellent disposition comely docible and ingenious who with those of his age ascends by learning to the second or third Fourme On the sudden death crops this rose this youth of so great hopes dies in the very flower of his age Alas what a grief is this to the parents They are ashamed openly to utter what they conceive secretly in their hearts Why did God give us such a son when he meant presently to take him from us againe Had we not affliction enough before was it requisite to adde this sorrow to our former griefes Yes indeed was it so parents and for that cause was your son borne that his untimely death might increase your griefe and consequently the reward of your patience Did not God at the intercession of Elizeus grant a son to his Hostesse and shortly after take him from her again by death Cauterizing seems to make a new wound whereas indeed it cureâ— the old Affliction seems to be a malady when oftentimes it is a cure for the malady And are you yet ignorant that Qua nocent docent But I am a man say you my heart is not made of iron brasse or steele I am not able to endure such griefes Say not so I beseech you the School-master best knowes what every Scholar is able to undergo he commands one to learne but five verses another ten some
chastise those who I love O most happy is that servant whom our Lord goeth about serviously to correct and with whom he vouchsafeth to be angry happy whom he deceives not with faire entreaties and too gentle admonitions patience is beautifull and comely in all sexes and ages The patient man fulfilles the law of Christ We ought not therefore to continue so much as one day without Patience Patience never commits evill Love sustaines endures all things for this cause alone for that it is patient Upon all occasions therefore we are bound to inure our selves to Patience 5. The habit and garment of Patience Patience hath a mild and serene countenance a smooth brow not contracted with frownes or knit with wrinkles of anger or griefe she hath cheerefull and large eie-browes and eies submissive looking downeward not basely dejected with discontent oâ— misfortune a mouth in comely manner sealed up with silence a couâ—oue in her cheekes such as may testifie security and innocence a frequent bending of her head towards her adversary and a threatning kind of smile as for her apparell that which is about her breast is white and close to her body as one not puft up with pride perturbation or discontent For upon her throne sits a mild and genlâ— spirit not encompassed with stormes clouds or whirlewinds but cleare and neate simple open and without guile which spirit appeared thrice to Elias For where God is there likewise is Patience his dearly beloved daughter 6. The praises or attributes of Patience GOD Is a sufficient umpire for Patience If thou lay open an injury before hâ—m he is a revenger If thou acquaint him with thy losse and damage he will restore it If thou manifest thy griefe and sicknesse he will be thy Physition nay if thou beest even dead he will revive thee How great are the priviledges of Patience to which God himself becomes a debtour And with good reason For she upholds and maintaines all his decrees and concurres with his commandments She strengthneth faith establisheth peace assisteth charity instructeth humility expecteth repentance assigneth time for confession governeth the flesh preserveth the spirit restraineth the tongue withholdeth the hand repells temptations drives away scandalls accomplisheth martyrdomes comforts the poâ—re qualifies the rich wracks not the infirme consumes not the strong delights the faithfull invites the meeke commends the servant to the master and the master to God adorneth the wife and approveth the husband is beloved of children praised of yong men and honoured of old Let us therefore love the patience of God the patience of Christ let us repay that which he hath laid out for us let us offer the patience of our spirit the patience of our flesh wee who beleeve in the resurection of the flesh and the spirit Thus Tertullian of Patience Sect. III. THeodoretus recounts that the divell threatned most cruelly to beat James the anchorite who being wholly armed with Patience answered with a cheerefull looke and mild countenance such as Patience is wont to put on beate me and spare me not if God permit thee most willingly will I receive blows knowing they come from our Lord not from thee if thou beest not permitted thou shalt have no power to strâ—ke me nor so much as to touch me though thou fret and chafe never so much how mad so ever thou beest Let every one of us freely say the like to all those whom he takes for his enemies If God hath given you power go on beat me teare me with your teeth heape all the injuries you can upon me in vaine were it for me to resist you but if you have no power gape you never so much whet your teeth never so much you shall not bite nor so much as touch me That most blessed Bishop Gregory the great did not only write singular documents of Patience but also by example confirmed his doctrine both taught and practised it For to Mauritius the Emperour by whom he was diversly injured he returned this answer in writing for so much as daily I offend my God I verily hope that these incessant afflictions which I continually suffer will stand another day betweene me and his terrible judgement and I beleeve most excellent Prince you goe as fat beyond me in pleasing that great Lord as you are rigorous in correcting me who am so ill a servant of his O my God! What patience what a submission was this He said most truly indeed Patience is a remedy for all griefs What Saint was ever crowned without Patience It is a saying amongst Grammarians There is no generall rule without some exception yet this rule of Patience is without exception Therefore St. Paul prescribed it so strictly Be patient quoth he to all with all humility patience Patience is to be exercised without exception in all things in all places at all times and to all kinde of persons for without patience there can be no perfect vertue Contrariwise impatience is the mother of all vice from whence as it were from a fountain are derived many streams of hainous sins and offences The impatient man never condescendeth unto any the patient never resisteth or impugneth The naturall properties of impatience may be found in the Devill himself Impatience is the parent of absurd and sottish madnesse For what can be more foolish what a greater signe of madnesse then for a man willingly to double his owne evill and reject the reward promised to him that is Patient An impatient man for the losse of a farthing throwes a whole purse of money away take but one care of corne from him and he will fire the whole sheafe Such a one lived in the court of the Emperour Rodolphus the second a noble man of his privy chamber who bringing a chrystall glasse full of water in the morning to wash the Emperours face by chance let fall the cover unawares and with it dashed the whole glasse it selfe against the ground saying let the divell take the horse too since he hath the saddle thus hee cast away fowre hundred crownes at one blow for at so much the chrystall glasse was valued Thus a light losse is many times doubled with a far greater thus small inconveniences are through impatience augmented with great â—amages It is the saying of Salomon He that is impatient shall sustain damage The more repugnance a man hath in suffering the more grievously he feeles that which he suffers like wild beasts which whilest they strive and struggle pull the snare the closer like poore birds more entangled with lime-twiggs whilest for feare they flutter and seeke to get out There is no yoke so strait but hurts him lesse that is willingly led then it doth another who strives against it Therefore a wise man endeavours to be patient in all things a foole knowes neither how to doe nor suffer very well saith Salomon he that is patient is governed with much wâ—sdome the impatient man shall worke folly Therefore Saint