may also bee glorified with him Let vs therefore suffer aduersitie patiently and with thankefulnes Remembring euermore these holy sayinges of patient Iob Shall wee receiue Iob 1.21 2. 10. good thinges at the handes of God and not euil meaning by good thinges prosperitie and by euil thinges aduersitie Not that aduersitie is euill of it selfe to Gods children but because Iobs wife to whom he spake Aduersity no euil thing to Gods children happely did account it so Againe when the Lorde had taken away all Iobs riches goods and children in one day hee endured the same most patiently and praysing God for it saide The Lord giueth the Lorde taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. O example of patience neuer to bee forgotten In Iob wee may see a perfect patterne of true patience Therefore is it that S. Iames saith Yee haue hearde of the patience of Iob what end the Lord made True it is we haue heard and wee haue read of the patience of Iob but wee soone Iam. 5.11 forget it and make little vse there of to our selues for then we would not be so impatient in euery aduersitie as we are Iob was patient in most great extreamities We heare and reade but do not imitate Iobs patience and euery light affliction doth make vs to breake out into impatiencie A little sicknesse a little sorrow a small losse of goods or wife or husband or childe or friend or such like O these are crosses that no mā can beare Nay if wee bee but crossed or ouerthwarted Small crosses make vs breake out into impatiencie in our ordinarie suites and dealings if they that be aboue vs in authoritie doe but frowne vpon vs if we heare that our good name bee called in question though percase we haue well deserued it euen these and a thousand such like matters or of lesse importance doe easily cause vs to breake the bonds of patience and we cannot be pacified in a small time See therefore whether it were not necessarie for Saint Peter to exhort vs to ioyne with our temperaunce patience Moreouer wee must know that it is not inough for vs to suffer patiently these crosses and aduersities which we haue worthily deserued but if we be Christians we must goe Whatsoeuer is laide vpon vs for Christs sake we must patiently beare it Reue. 14.12 a degree further to suffer patiently whatsoeuer is laide vpon vs wrongfully for Christs sake And this patience is called in the scripture the patience of Saintes because it is proper only to the childrē Saints of God to be persecuted afflicted and tormented in this life for the testimonie of Iesus I Iohn saith Saint Iohn in the Reuelation euen Reuel 1.9 your brother and compagnion in tribulation and in the kingdome and patience of Iesus Christ was in the I le called Patmos for the word of God and the testimonie of Iesus This Iohn was hee whome Iesus loued Ioh. 21.7 and yet behold hee must suffer banishment persecution and tribulation for the testimonie of Iesus though not vnto the death For it is recorded that he onely of al the Apostles dyed in his bed the rest were Martyred and put to death for the testimonie of Iesus Christ Euen as most part of the Prophets were that went before them Therfore Saint Iames saith take my brethren the Prophets for an example of suffering Iam. 5.10 aduersitie and of long patience which haue spoken in the name of the Lord. But they were all persecuted and most of them put vnto death for their labour as Christ himselfe witnesseth when hee saith vnto the Iewes Yee are witnesses vnto your selues Mat. 23.31.32.33.34 that ye are the children of them which murthered the Prophets fulfill ye also the measure of your fathers O ye Serpents the generation of Vypers How should ye escape the damnation of hell A most fearefull denunciation The ministers of Christ must looke for persecutions in this life Act. 20.23 to bloudy persecutors This then is the portion which the Saints and especially the Ministers of Gods worde are to looke for in this life This is that the holy Ghost did certifie Paule in euerye place where hee came that bonds and imprisonments should abide for him Whereof he the rest of Christs Apostles and Disciples did often times reioyce that they were counted worthy to suffer for his sake Heere againe is that saying of the holy Acts. 5.41 Ghost to bee remembred yee haue neede of patience if wee cannot bee patient in small matters when these great tryals and temptations Heb. 10.36 come vpon vs how then shall we be patient True it is that the Church children of God in this land haue had a good Gods children haue had a good breathing time in this land breathing time blessed be God for it and God in his great mercye continue it these many yeares but must we therefore thinke that we shall neuer bee called to the battell because we haue beene spared a few yeares Others in other Countries of Gods deare Saints and children haue beene afflicted persecuted when their course is ended we also may bee brought foorth for there shall neuer be an ende of persecution in this life til the day of iudgement when the bloud of all the Saints which haue beene slaine since the beginning of the world shal be auenged as it is plainly to be seene in the sixth of the Reuelation for there Iohn sayth when the Reue. 6.9.10.11 Angell had opened the fith seale hee sawe vnder the altar the soules of them that were slaine for the word of God for the testimonie that they maintained And they cryed with a loud voice saying How long Lord holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth And it was said vnto them that they shoulde rest for a little season vntill their fellow seruantes and their brethren that should be killed euen as they were fulfilled Nowe it is certein that these soules shall Gods children euermore persecuted one where or other till the day of iudgement rest and remaine in their place till the day of iudgement therefore vntill that day there shall be some or other that shal suffer for the word of God and for the testimonie of Iesus Christ Let none of God his children therfore in what Countrie or nation so euer No true Christian priuileged from persecution 1. Cor. 10. 13. they be thinke themselues priuileged from the heate of persecution Rather let euerie one praie dayly and howerly when it shall please the Lord to lay his trials vpon vs that he wil giue vs patience to beare them which thing doubtlesse he will doe for he is faithfull A singular comfort that God will lay no more vpon his children then they shal be able to beare God alwaies true of his promise and his promise is past that he will
graunt vnto me and to all the afflicted members of thy Church for thy deare Sonne Iesus Christs sake our onely Sauiour and aduocate So be it OF GODLINES CHAP. 6. WHen it pleased the holy Ghost to indite and set foorth in a booke the patience of Iob for an example vnto all posteritie hee putteth this in the front and beginning thereof that Iob was a iust and vpright man one that Iob. 1.1 feared God and eschewed euill Now wherto serueth this great commendation of Iobs godlinesse But to this end that wee shoulde know that this holy mā Iob did not of himselfe by any vertue or power of his owne nature beare with so great patience these great calamities and afflictions but because he was an vpright man in all his dealings towards the world and full of Religion and pietie towardes God For this cause as it seemeth was hee the patientest man in the Godlinesse the cause of patience world because hee was the holiest and godliest man that then liued in all the world euen God himselfe who seeth the hearts of all men bearing witnesse for so God sayth vnto Sathan hast thou not considered my Vers 8. seruant Iob how none is like him in all the earth an vpright and iust man one that feareth God and escheweth euil So that we see by how much more God would try his patience by so much the more he commendeth his godlinesse Iob therefore was patient Without godlinesse there can be no perfect patience because he was godly Here vppon the contrarie may be concluded that without pietie or godlinesse there can bee no good and perfect patience This doctrine was well knowne vnto Saint Peter therefore as soone as hee hath exhorted vs vnto patience presently hee saith ioyne vnto your patience godlynesse as if hee should say vnlesse ye bee religious 2. Pet. 1 6. and godly ye cannot be patient Godlinesse therfore is the biginner maintainer and supporter of patience Now what it is to liue godly and how a godly man is to be knowne wee may aboue Who is a godly man learne from the mouth of God For if Iob were a godly man as doubtlesse he was then to liue godly is to liue vprightly and iustly to feare GOD and eschew euill All this did Iob. This description of a godly man is the same in effect that Saint Paule sayth Tit. 2.11 The grace of GOD which bringeth saluation teacheth namely to denie all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberlie righteouslye and godly in this present world To denie all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts is with Iob to eschew euill to liue soberly is with Iob to liue vprightly in respect of our selues to liue righteously is with Iob to liue iustly in respect of our dealings with others to liue godly is with Iob to feare GOD that is to liue religiously in his feare honouring and worshiping his name according to his will So then wee plainely see what it is to liue godly namely True religion must be without superstition to be religious without superstition to bee sober in our liues and conuersation without hypocrisie and to deale truely and plainely with all men in simplicitie who so doeth this is surely a godly man The which thing that we should with all care endeauour to performe is the meaning of Saint Peter when hee sayth Ioyne vnto your patience godlinesse Pietie or godlines vpholdeth patience for the patience which The wicked haue patience perforced the wicked seeme to haue is patience perforced as we saye and is not true patience but rather impatiencie Therefore Sainte Peter sayth We must ioyne pietie or godlinesse to our patience as if hee should saye there cannot bee a patient man exceept the seede of true Religion and godlinesse bee first planted in his heart for what is the cause that wicked worldly men and women doe so fret and fume and chafe at euerye storme of aduersitie but because they are Want of Religion godlines the cause of all impatiencie not religious and godly On the other side we see that the faithfull and godly haue and doe suffer all troubles and aduersities patiently and with contented mindes What made Abraham Isaack Iacob and the Patryarkes Moyses and the rest of the Prophets Saint Steuen Saint Iames and all the rest of the Apostles together with all the rest of the Martyrs in the ten first persecutions and since to bee so patient in all their tryals and afflictions and specially at the time of their death but because they had true Religion pietie and godlynesse Godlinesse therefore surely supporteth and holdeth vs within the bonds of patience that we breake not out with the wicked into all impatiencie Therefore is it that Sainte Peter exhorteth vs to ioyne with patience godlinesse Godlinesse then aboue all things ought to bee desired for it is a surpassing treasure Godlinesse aboue all things ought to be desired 1. Tim. 6.9 that neuer perisheth Godlinesse saith Saint Paule is great gaine if a man bee content with that he hath for we brught nothing into this world and it is certein wee shall carrye nothing with vs. Againe he saith godlinesse is profitable to all things it hath the promise of this life present and of that that is to come If therefore wee will lacke nothing in this life nor in the life to come let vs learne Godlinesse hath promise of this life present and the life to come Psal 34.10 128.1.2 to liue godly The Lyons saith Dauid though they bee feared of al beasts doe lacke and suffer hunger but they that feare the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good Blessed is that man that feareth the Lord and walketh in his waies When thou eatest the labours 3. of thy hands thou shalt bee blessed and it shall goe well with thee Thy wife shall bee 4. as the fruitefull vine on the sides of thine 119.1 2. house thy children like the Oliue plants round about thy table Loe surely thus shall the man bee blessed that feareth the Lord. 112. Againe Blessed are those that are vpright in their waye and walke in the way of the Lord Blessed are they that keepe his testimonies Vers 1. and seeke him with theyr whole hearte Againe blessed is that man that feareth the Lord and delighteth in his commaundements his seede shall be blessed vpon earth 2. the generation of the righteous shall bee blessed Riches and treasures shall be in his 3. house and his righteousnesse endureth for euer Vnto the righteous ariseth light in 4. darknesse he is mercifull and lendeth and wil measure his affaires by iudgement surely 5. he shall neuer be moued he shall be had in 6. an euerlasting remembrance Therefore Salomon sayth hee that followeth Prou. 21 21 after righteousnesse and mercy shall finde lyfe righteousnesse and glorie Infinite such places there are which shew the
SAINT PETERS CHAINE Consisting of eight golden Linckes most fit to adorne the neckes of the greatest States Nobles and Ladies in this land as the chiefest Iewell of true Nobilitie and not vnfit for the meaner sort Digested into eight Chapters and published by R. M. Minister With a Praier annexed to the end of euerie Chapter 2. PETER 1 5 6 7. Ioyne vertue with your faith c. FIDES VINCIT MVNDVM CHARITAS PRO LEGE REGE ET GREGE 1. Faith 2. Vertue 3. Knowle 4. Temper 5. Patience 6. Godlines 7. Broth. kin 8. Loue. LONDON Printed by Iohn Windet dwelling at Paules Wharfe at the signe of the Crosse Keyes and are there to be solde 1596. To the Christian godly disposed Reader grace and peace be multiplied ALthough I am not ignorant curteous Reader how dangerous a thing it is accounted to write publish books nowe in these plentifull dayes of learning and knowledge also how many great schollers and learned men of our land are retained from doing that publike good as I take it to Church and commonweale according to theyr seuerall abilities because many men complaine that bookes want readers more than readers want bookes and because they feare the censure oftentimes of thē that are enemies both to God al godlines for who I praie you are the common carpers of our time Are they not for the most part either Papists or Atheists yet am I of another and I hope better opinion that these forenamed reasons or anie other of that kinde that may bee named ought not to affray or discourage anie from occupying of their talents in the feare of God as well in writing as in preaching so that thereby the one be not hindered by the other What though there be many bookes yet al bookes are not godly bookes True it is that many haue iustly complained of the multitude of vain wanton bookes but neuer did I reade or heare anie godly man complaine that there are too manye bookes tending to vertue and godlines nay let mee saie more what though there be a multitude of good learned books yet we know the most part of people are not learned and as necessarie it is if it bee not more necessarie that the ignoranter sort haue moebookes composed according to their capacities as it is for the learned to haue many learned books imprinted to the increase of their knowledge What though there be a great many that will carpe and finde faulte with our well dooing Is it not sufficient that we haue God and a good conscience witnessing with vs and comforting vs in our labors Lastly if euerie circumstance be duly weighed some conuenient time spent in writing need not be a hindrance as some pretend but rather a furtheraunce vnto preaching for can any write without studying and wil not that studying help thē in preaching Hath onely S. Austen said Proficiendo scribo scribendo proficio In profiting I write and by writing I profit Haue not as famous men as Europ hath bred these many yeres said the like that haue written much yet preached almost euery day Writing we see vnto thē was no let or hinderance vnto preaching whose example therin might make many lerned men of our daies to cōsiderwhat their callings do require Thus if we will duly examine this matter we shal see how these vsuall obiections to hinder men from dooing the most good they can in their callings are but as thicke mistes which the Sunne beames of trueth will easily scatter and disperse or like vnto bugs to afright little children withall that are afraid with the shaddowe of anie thing And now christian Reader for mine owne parte as I haue no cause to vse many wordes of perswasion vnto thee for the acceptance of these my poore labours seeing I haue not long since found more fauour that waie than I my selfe did expect or durst to desire so I will not vse many speeches more in this preface to hinder thee from reading the booke it selfe wherin if thou take the least comfort or profite I will account my selfe well recompensed for my paines The whole booke it selfe is but little and yet I haue digested it into seuerall Chapters that thou maiest reade the same with the more delight The title of this booke is somewhat glorious the Argument surely godly onely the handling of it is plaine and simple The substance whereof this Chaine was made is a mettall finer than the golde of Ophir the workeman that by the spirite of God first riuited the links of this Chaine together was such a one to vse the wordes of Saint Paule as did studie to shewe himselfe approued of God a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed It was Saint Peters 2 Tim 2.15 work therefore called S. Peters Chaine The title you may see is not forced the matter I haue indeuoured to handle according to this our Apostles owne method amplifying and inlarging the same agreeable with the tenor of the scripture The onely marke that I leuell at is this first that as sathan by his subtiltie laboureth to linke many sinnes together in one soule and to draw many soules with him in his chaine vnto hell so the godly may be as carefull to linke many vertues together in one and so euen to tie themselues to vertue and godlynesse as with a most strong Chaine which all the deuils in hel may not be able to break Againe seeing we liue in these last loose daies wherein Mat. 24.12 sinne doth abound and iniquitie hath gotten the vpperhande seeing the whole world as Saint Iohn saith is set on wickednes people drawe sinnes vnto them 1 Ioh. 9.19 as it were with cart-ropes insomuch that it seemeth the whole foundation of vertue and godlines is shaken that so in like manner the godly may haue so many props as are possible to staie them frō falling being knit and lincked together with this holy Chaine they may by little and little hale and tow forwarde one helping and supporting another towardes the hauen of rest where the tempestuous seas of sin and iniquitie leaue raging Salomon I remember Eccle. 4.12 speaketh of a threefolde corde that is not easily broken but heere is no cord but a strong cable not of three but of eight twists to draw thee forward vnto heauen This cable must not bee diuided into partes for then one twist will breake after another thou must holde by all or none Therfore is it rightly called a Chain because one lincke must hold fast the other Faith must hold Vertue Vertue must keep Knowledge Knowledge must preserue Temperance Temperance must staie Patience Patience must retain Godlines Godlines must vpholde Brotherly kindnes Brotherly kindnesse must draw on loue or Charitie with it Loue must haue recourse backe againe vnto Faith so the Chain is perfected So that in deed he that hath one of these lincks hath all he that hath not all hath none
vnto Christ saying vnto him Beholde wee haue 45. found him of whome Moyses did write in the lawe and in the Prophetes By faith Nathanael sayth vnto Iesus thou art the Sonne of God thou art the Kinge of Israell 49. because Christ said hee saw him vnder a fig-tree By faith Simon Peter and the Sonnes of Zebedee leaue their fishing and Mat. 4.18 21. nettes to follow Iesus after that hee had tolde them that he would make them fishers of men By faith Mathew the customer left all his Mat. 9.9 gaine to follow Iesus By faith Sainte Paul Saint Steuen and all the Apostles of Christ 2. Cor. 11. endured all labours and daungers imprisonment 23 mockings scourgings death it selfe Acts. 7.59 for the name of Christ and for the worke of the ministerie By faith infinite Martyrs and the Saints of God since the time of the Apostles haue done likewise By faith Zacheus made this protestation from his heart Luk. 19.8 saying Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue done anye man wrong I restore him fowerfolde to whom Christ answered This day saluation is come into thine house By faith the good Mat. 8.10 Centurion said that Christ was able to heale his seruant with his onely worde of whose faith Christ himselfe gaue this commendation that he had not found so great a faith no not in Israel By faith the poore woman of Canaan saide vnto Christ that it was lawfull for Mat. 15.28 dogges to eate vp the crummes which fall from their Masters table whose fayth also Christ highly cōmended saying vnto her Woman great is thy faith bee it vnto thee euen as thou wilt But what stand I to reckon vp more examples to this purpose let vs looke vp into the starres of heauen and if we be able to number them then may wee also bring into a The starres of heauen and the faithfull children of Abraham innumerable reckoning all the true sonnes of Abraham registred in the booke of Gods remēbrance for their strong and stedfast faith in the promises of God made vnto Adam Abraham and the rest of Gods elect since the beginning of the worlde These examples which I haue noted and manye other which of purpose I omit are surelye written for our learning that wee through patience Rom. 15.4 and comforte of the Scripture might haue hope Last of all the great and glorious titles wherby the faithfull are called in the Scripture How the faithful are named in the Scripture make not a little to the commendation of this faith whereof wee speake The faithfull are called the sonnes of God the sonnes of light liuing stones the temple of the holye Ghost the bodye of Christ the housholde of God the fellow Cittizens of 2. Cor. 6. 18 Luk. 16.8.1 Pet. 2.5.1 Cor. 6.19 Eph. 1.23 2.6 1. Pet. 2.9 the Saints a royall Priesthoode a holy nation a peculiar people Wherfore seeing we haue heard so great commendation of faith and faithfull people what maruaile is it that the Scripture euerye where doeth exhorte vs vnto faith and that Christ himselfe and all his Apostles did take so great paines to bring the world vnto the obedience of faith by the preaching of the Gospell and reioce in nothing more then to heare see how that the Churches of God where the Gospell hath beene preached did continue in their faith Therefore Saint Paule in the first to the Romanes did thanke God that their faith Rom. 18. was published throughout the world And Coloss 1.2 in the first to the Collossians hee beginneth thus To the saintes and faithfull brethren in Christ and by and by he saith We giue thankes to God since we heard of your faith 3. in Christ Iesus And againe in the seconde Chapter hee saith I reioyce to behold your Chap. 2. 5. order and stedfast faith in Christ And in the first to the Thessalonians and first he saith 1 Thess 1.2 We giue God thankes for you without ceasing remembring your effectuall faith And in the second to Timothie first he calleth 3 to remembrance the vnfayned faith which 2 Tim 1.5 dwelt first in his grandmother Lois and in his mother Eunice And to Philemon hee writeth thus I giue thanks when I heare of Phile. 1.4 5. thy loue and faith What doth all this signifie vnto vs but that this saith whereof wee speake is most excellent in the sight of God and man Hence commeth it to passe that the same Apostle doth so earnestly exhort vs vnto this 1 Cor 16 13. faith to abide in it Stand fast in the faith saith he quite you like men and be strong Againe hee saith Proue your selues whether 2.13.5 ye are in the faith Againe We walk by faith and not by sight Againe Aboue all Ephes 6 16 1 Tim. 1 5 6.11 12 take the shielde of faith wherewith ye may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Againe The ende of the commandement is loue out of a pure harte and of a good conscience of faith vnfained And vnto Timothy he saith But thou O man of God follow after righteousnes godlinesse faith loue patience meekenes and so forth Faith must fight for vs. 2. Tim. 1.13 By and by hee saith Fight the good fight of faith Againe keepe the true patterne of the wholesome wordes which thou hast hearde of mee in faith and loue in Christ Iesus Againe hee bids vs to doe good vnto all but especially to them that are of the housholde Tit. 2 2 of faith And to Titus he saith let the elder men be sound in the faith And in the Epistle Heb 4 2. Gods word profiteth not without faith 11.6 to the Hebrewes it is saide that Gods worde profiteth vs not except it bee mixt with faith And without faith it it is impossible to please God For a conclusion therefore Christ himselfe saith Bee faithfull vnto the death I wil giue thee the crown of life What tounge then can expresse the Reuel 2.10 excellencie of faith and the profite wee receiue by it Contrariwise all woe and miserie is theirs that haue not this faith for All woe is theirs that haue not faith Rom. 14.23 without faith whatsoeuer wee doe is sinne whether we pray reade sing eate drinke labour or whatsoeuer wee doe without this faith I say it is sinne Iannes Iambres are compared with the reprobates that want 1 Tim. 3.8 2 Tim. 1.20 faith Hymeneus and Alexander are noted with eternall infamie because they made shipwracke of their faith For want of faith the man in the Gospel that presumed to come to the wedding was bounde hande and foote and cast into vtter Mat. 22.12 13. darkenes there shall be weeping gnashing of teeth Finally as vnbeleefe was the cause that so many thousands died in the wildernesse and
her but pride thrusteth her downe ouer the staires or greeces shee can haue almost no place to rest in but either in the streets or in some poore labouring mens houses yea the verie beggers do scorne her companie shee runs from the countrie to Shee is suffered to run the country for want of entertaynement the court from the court to the country can hardly get any seruice if she be intertained for a while she is put away againe without a quarters warning nay sometimes on a suddaine without an houres warning so rigoriouslie is she dealt withall in many places surelie it is maruell that shee tarrieth one yeere in this countrie sauing that I suppose Temperance well vsed in no country other countries giue her so ill or worse intertainment then we Wel Saint Peter yet counselleth vs to entertaine her and to keep her when he saith ioine with your knowledge temperance Vse temperancy in your diet temperancy in eating temperaÌ„cy in your drinking temperancie in your sleeping temperancy in your Wee must vse temperance in all things gesture walking temperancy in your apparell temperancie in your delights and recreation temperancie in your wordes temperancie in your deeds temperancy in all your appetites and desires In one worde without this vertue of temperance al things wil be out of order and good temper if this Without temperance euery thing will bee out of temper good order lincke of temperance be broken Saint Peters Chaine will neuer holde Much more might bee saide but I study breuitie God grant this litle which hath bin spoken maye be aduisedly read well ruminated and better digested so shall all other vertues bee the rather accounted of to Gods glory and our saluation A praier for Temperance O Most holy and eternal God which art all holines and paritie it selfe and hatest all iniquitie vncleannes vouchsafe vnto me I earnestlie beseech thee this grace that as thou hast made mee a reasonable creature and indued me with wit and vnderstanding so I may haue a speciall regard to keepe a godlie moderation in all the actions of this life that I may neuer breake the bonds of temperance by ouermuch eating drinking sleeping playing or by any filthie and vngodlie liuing whereby I shoulde shewe my selfe in life and conuersation worse then brute beasts that haue no vnderstanding but that I may rather denie all vngodlines and worldly lusts and study to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed appearing of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who hath commaunded vs in his holy word to take heed least when he come vnto iudgement our hearts be not ouercome with surfetting and drunkennes cares of this life so to suffer this day to come vpon vs vnawares For which cause good Lord I beseech thee grant vnto me that vertue of sobriety and temperancy that I may both spend and end my dayes in such necessary dutyes as thou hast commaunded mee to the glory of thy name comfort of my conscience thorough Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Of Patience The fift Chapter IT seemeth to some desiring to see farre countries a matter of no lesse ease then pleasure to saile ouer the seas from one land to another so long as the ship is caried with a good wind and in fayre weather for then the mariners sing Sayle wee merie mariners then the marchantes play and sporte then the souldiers passengers be sleeping and snorting vnder the hatches but when the wind begins to turne when the weather begins to be foule when blustering blastes arise when the surges and waues of the sea tumble ouer the shippe when wee are wet head and eares then our hartes beginne to saile vs then our courage asswageth then What wee purpose in prosperitâ— aduersity we forget 〈…〉 vs then 〈◊〉 itselfe threatneth vs then euerie man 〈◊〉 himselfe backe againe in the place from whence he came and the desire which before we had to see strange countries is nowe cooled asswaged and abated Right so it â—alleth out in the desire which we haue to see the new Ierusalem that heauenly cuntry we begin to back our selues in Reue 21.10 the ship of vertue wee hope to saile thither vpon the seas of pleasure wee haue happily at the beginning a good gale of wind fair weather but before wee are come three leagues at sea before wee haue forgotten our frends and fellowes that we left behind vs there ariseth a mighty wind cruel tempest the wind of aduersity begin to blow the waues and surges of trials and temptations come vpon vs yea death and persecution assaileth vs then wee wish our selues at home in our owne countrie againe then our desires to that heauenly cuntry begins to wax cold few there be that keep on a straight course till they come to the hauen of rest How excellent therefore is that saying of the spirit of God in the tenth to the Hebr. Heb. 10.36 Ye haue neede of patience that after yee haue done the will of God ye might receiue the promises So we that are sayling ouer the Without patience we can neuer come to the hauen of rest feas of this world haue need of patience to endure the surging waues of trial temptations lest with the children of Israel wee desire to returne backe againe when we are in the middest of our iourney Wherefore S. Pet. hauing tried by experieÌ„ce these things 1. Pet. 16. assone as he hath exhorted vs vnto Temperance presently biddeth vs to ioyne thereunto patience knowing very well that no sooner can we begin to treade the path vnto a godly vertuous and temperate life but presently we shal be subiect to infinite trials and tribulations according to this scripture that saith As many as will liue godly in â— Tim. 1. 12 Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution and affliction therefore in good time addeth exhortation vnto patience saying Ioyne with your temperance patience vse that as a remedy what troubles soeuer come vpon you for liuing godly and vertuously Patience then is a vertue whereby wee What true patience is the vse theÌ„reof obey God in suffering aduersitie so that we do nothing contrary to the commandement of God but by faith acknowledge him to be neere vnto vs with his helpe eyther to mitigate or els to deliuer vs from that present aduersitie wee are in yea patience and good beleefe in God maketh man victorious The meanes to retayne patience is to haue a cleare conscience and a good cause for the which wee suffer for true patience as one saith is when the cause is iust and the end profitable and necessary How beit wee must also suffer with patience aswell the corrections for our faultes as also troubles wrongfully inflicted vppon vs of men This patience surely is a notable vertue Patience is best tried when we are wrongfully afflicted by men pertayning as well to