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
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
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
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
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
presently dumbe and the like befalls a wolfe if he be first seen by a man which Cardanus supposeth to come to passe by reason of the suddain fear which takes away the voice or brings a kind of hoarsnesse Even so if an unlucky chance like a wolfe first behold a man poor soul he is presently strucke dumb and loseth both hope and courage whereas if he would first behold the mischiefe he might mitigate and lessen it Seneca speaks very fitly to the purpose in such variety saith he of accidents turning and winding up and down if thou do not repute whatsoever future accidents as if they were come to passe thou givest adversity the upper hand of thee which another by foreseeing dissipates and defeatâ— It is too late after dangers to instruct the mind to Patience in dangers I never thought this would have happened I never supposed this would have come to passe And why not I beseech you What honour or dignity is there not waited upon with extreame contempt with a thousand disgraces What kingdome is there in the world which is not reserved for ruine or contempt to be trampled upon by some Lord or other as also by his base executioner Neither is the time long before this comes to passe there is but the distance of one minute of an howre many times between a kingdome transferred from one King to another know then by this that all estates are casuall and uncertain and whatsoever happens unto others may befall thee likewise It was the saying of Socrates that as mariners that saile in calm and quiet weather go provided of instruments to serve them in a tempest so those that are wise make provision in prosperity for adversity This if a man would seriously consider and behold other mens miseries whereof he hath an infinit number daily before his eies as if they had a way altogether as open to him he would long before the blow comes set a guard upon himselfe It is an ordinary saying forewarned forearmed and labours foreseen as Saint Gregory saith are undergone with more ease Saint Hierom was altogether of the same minde because this miserable life quoth he is altered and perplexed every day with interchangeable events let a just man prepare his mind as well for adversity as prosperity that whatsoever happens he may bear it with a free and resolute mind And I pray my Christian brother thinke not thy selfe called to the Schoole of Patience to be laid upon a soft couch or to be cockered with sundry delights thou art deceived my dearst thou art deceived Thou camest to this Schoole to wrastle to fight to be tried and to be exercised with many incommodities See then thou prepare thy minde to temptation But the best preparation in this respect is to treat often with God in prayer Hither in all calamities must you have your recourse heer must you breathe forth all your sighes hither must you chiefly addresse your selves to have help from heaven The Apostles pointed out even with their finger whither they would have you to hasten in all your distresses For whilst they were amidst the boisterous stormes of the sea they cried out to Christ Save us O Lord our God our power our refuge our helper in all tribulations which do exceedingly assault us Here Saint Augustine gives this interpretation There are some refuges saith he that yeeld no succour a man shall finde himselfe rather dis-inabled then strengthened by them For example Thou strest to some great man in the world to make him thy potent friend thou seemest now to have gotten a secure refuge a weak one God knowes for whereas thou hadst not any reason so much to feare or doubt thy cause now thou art as fearfull of him to whom thou fledst for refuge For many in flying to these men fall together with them to whom they have betaken themselves and so are the sooner discovered who would never have been sought for had they not shrowded themselves under their protection We have no such refuge but ours is power it selfe in flying thither we are safe and sure from all dangers This made King David saâ— with a mighty spirit We will not fear therefore though the earth be troubled and mountaiens transferred into the heart of the sea If God stand on our side albeit mountaines dash one against another and fall headlong into the sea heaven and earth go together hell it selfe gape wide open and the whole frame of the world be dissolved all this ruine cannot affright us we will not feare The Sea-urchin and the Cuttle fish when they perceive a tempest at hand mistrusting their own strength and fearing lest by the violence of the waves they should be dasht against the rocks lay fast hold of a rock till the violence of the storm be past And what is more turbulent then this life what more tempestuous One storme begets another the clouds oftentimes are even riveted in the skies In such outragious tempests both of sea and winds let us learn of these poore fishes to cleave fast to God that sure and impregnable rock that every one may answer for himselfe It is good for me to adhere to God from whom no violence of calamities no not whole armies of Divels nor all the power of hell shall draw me For thou art my foundation and my refuge Thou art my patience O Lord thou my hope O Lord from my youth Let us my God deale it thus between us I whatsoever I shall do or suffer will never shrink from thy crosse give me I most humbly beseech thee sufficient patience to bear it constantly unto the end for I am well assured thou sendestâ— us adversity to exercâ—se our patience and to enkindle thereby a greater confidence in thee Place me therefore my Lord neer to thee and let the power of any whatsoever fight against me I fear not now any crosses whatsoever no enemies can terrifie me because thou art my patience Sect. IV. PRemeditation then is a shield of Adamant against all adversitie It is no great wound that all the mischiefes in the world can give us if against these as Saint Gregory saith we be guatded by the shield of Providence A wise man is not exempted from humane casualties but from their errours for all things happen unto him as he imagined not as he would And this is the reason why nothing is said to happen to a wise man unexpected for he providently foreseeâ— in his minde whatsoever impediments may fall out Wherefore you shall often heare him say I will take that voyage if some accident do not crosse me I will gea such an office if I be not prevented such a businesse will fall out according to my desire if no obstacle interpose it selfe to morrow I will be your guest if by occasions I be noâ— diverted within these two or three dayes if I be in health I mean to exercise my selfe in wrastling the next yeare if God spare one life I