quod possumus It is GOD who workes in vs both the will and the deede Falluntur ergo qui Patientiam tribuunt viribus voluntatis humanae non quas habent ex diuino adiutorio sed quas ex libero arbitrio They are therefore farre deceiued who attribute Patience to the strength of man not that which hee hath by heauenly helpe but that which he hath of his owne free will But because wee haue at length spoken of Patience in our Anatomie of a Christian wee contract our selues and shortly conclude this Our Sauiour hauing forewarned his Disciples of manifold troubles abiding them armes them against all with this one Possesse your soules in Patience Here is a Preseruatiue able to keepe peace in thy heart and to banish all perturbation And it serues for all tentations for all places for all persons Are thy tentations immediately from GOD remember member All his pathes are mercy and truth to such as keepe his Couenant and his Testimonies his worke can neuer come against his word The way wherein hee walkes may seeme rough and vnpleasant to thee for a time but waite thou for the end and thou shalt see it comfortable This moued Iob to resolue Though the Lord would slay mee yet will I trust in him and by it Dauid also did strengthen himselfe in great extremitie of trouble Why art thou cast downe my Soule and why art thou disquieted within mee Waite vpon GOD I will yet giue him thankes In the beginning of the thirteenth Psalme how greatly Dauid was troubled yee may perceiue by his owne words How long wilt thou forget mee Lord for euer How long wilt thou hide thy face from mee But how comfortable an end his trouble had yee may see by the last Verse But I trust in thy mercy my heart shall reioyce in thy saluation I will sing to the Lord because hee hath dealt louingly with mee And if thy trouble come from men remember the answere Dauid gaue when Shimei cursed him and that which our Sauiour said vnto Pilate Thou couldest haue no power at all ouer mee if it were not giuen thee from aboue And so knowing it is not man but God with whom thou hast to doe Possesse thou thy Soule by thy Patience Againe in all places keepe in minde this warning of our SAVIOVR Possesse your Soules by your Patience Thou knowest not in what place Satan hath laid his snare to entrappe thee or how sodainely the occasion may arise which may driue thee to Impatience Arme thee therefore before it come and remember thy Watch-word not onely when thou goest abroad but euen at home in thine owne house Sit tibi domus tua quasi quidam Certaminis locus palaestra virtutis There is no place free from the Tempter when the calme is greatest then is a contrary winde most to be feared Suppose thou knowest not from what airth yet it is great wisdome before the blasts of perturbations breake out vpon thee to prouide patience by which thou maist possesse thy soule in peace And last it serueth for all persons and states of men It is not possible that any man of any rancke can liue a peaceable life without this grace of Patience There is a conscientious Seruant like Iacob and hee hath a churlish Master like Naball who defrauded him of his wages There is againe a simple and honest hearted Master like Mephiboseth and hee hath a trayterous Knaue to his Seruant like Ziba There is a good King like Dauid and hee hath a false Counseller like Achitophell there is againe a faithfull Counseller like Obadiah and hee hath aboue him an Idolatrous King like Achab. There These words containe 1 A Comfort 2 A Confirmation of it In the Comfort are three circumstances 1 First circumstance hee who giues the Comfort is Christ. No such loue in the world as our Lord hath shewed vs. The offer of Iuda for Beniamin The loue of Ionathan to Dauid Of Arsinor to her children Of the Pellican to her young ones Pierij hier All these are examples of rare loue but not comparable to the loue of Christ toward vs. Esay 53 4. 5 Iohn 18. 8. We cannot requite this loue yet should we remember it Psal. 119. Luke 2. 19. All the words of our Lord should be laid vp in our hearts but specially the words of his last Legacie 1 Pet. 1. Gen. 25. 6. Gen 27. 39. Ioh. 14. 27. Iohn 14. 27 Psal. 2. 8. Luke 12. 2 Second circumstance to whom is this Comfort giuen To his Disciples Vnder the name of Disciples are comprehended not the twelue onely but all beleeuers Mat. 10. 12. 13. Luke 10. 6. The consolations of God are not for euery man Esay 57 21 2 Ki◅ 9. 22 2 Cor. 10. 6. 3 Third circumstance the Comfort it selfe sufficient against all feare of euill which may trouble vs. Two things men feare Sinne and Death Prou. Wicked men feare nothing more then death till death come then are they vexed with feare of their sinne Reuel But the godly in their life feare nothing more then their sinnes Esay And therefore feares no death when it comes Compleat Comfort against both these feares giuen here Ephes. 6. No exemptions from trouble promised to Christians Chrisost. in Mat. hom 7 Macar hom 15. Neyther is it required that Christians should haue no sense of their trouble But onely that their hearts be not ouercome of trouble The inuincible heart of a Christian cannot be ouercome with inward tentations Iob. 2 Cor. 4. Farre lesse can it be ouercome with outward Psal. Greg. moral lib. 31. This inuincible heart of a Christian is not from himselfe but frō Christ dwelling into it Rom. 8. Philo de sacrificijs Abelis Cains Why the hornes the heart were not offred vnder the Law But now God will haue no Sacrifice without the heart Cyr. in Ioan. cap. 14. Phil 4. Seeing our Sauior was troubled himselfe how saies he to vs let not you hart be troubled Iohn 12. 27. Iohn 13. 21 Mar. 14. 33 The trouble of Christ far different from ours 1 In the end thereof 2 In the mesure therof The greater Christs trouble was the lesse cause of trouble haue we Christs trouble makesmartyrs triumph vnder trouble Sometime the Lord giues comfort before the trouble come Sometime he giues comfort in the midst of trouble But alwaies comfort after trouble Psal. 30. 2 Thes. 1. 7. Psalme Heb. 12. Confirmation of the former comfort wherein Cyrill in Ioan. 1 Faith in Christ is set against the fear of sinne Ephes. 6. Faith respecteth all the three persons of the blessed trinitie Hebr. 1. 3. A proofe of Christs diuinity against Arrians Aug. in Ioan. tract 67. But Atheists rather in this age are to be encountred with pretending Faith which they haue not Faith is a rare Iewell no larger then Election Cyp. lib. 2. Epis. 2. No comfort against sinne and wrath but by true
high Priest Now albeit the Leuiticall seruice of it 〈◊〉 could neyther saue Priest nor people yet so many of them as were spirituall and in vsing of the Typicall sacrifice looked by the eye of faith vnto the true sacrifice beâ—… leeuing remission of sinâ—… through the bloud oâ—… Christ these were saueâ—… by faith in Christ tâ—… come no lesse then we are saued by faith in Chrisâ—… that is come And where the Apostle saith the wayâ—… to heauen was not open during the time of the first Tabernacle it doth not import that the way to heauen was closed all that time but that it 〈◊〉 not manifested then 〈◊〉 made so clearly apparenâ—… as now it is by the comming of Christ for the Apostle vseth not the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to open that which was closed but hee vseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to make manifest and cleare a thing which is darke and obscure Now there is a great difference betweene these two to say that the way of heauen was obscured with shadowes couerings which were remoued by Christs comming and the way to â—…eauen more clearly manifested and to say that the way and dore of heauen was closed locked vp before til Christ came and opened it and therfore the Iesuites themselues are forced to translate this word as I haue alledged The way of the holiest was not yet manifested They had the same Couenant of Grace that wee haue but they had it infolded couered with figures and shadowes we haue it outfolded and clearely proponed without figure or shadow The Sunne before his rising sends out a light whereby any man that hath eyes may see the way wherein he should walke but when it riseth it brings with it a greater light whereby the way is more clearly manifested The Lord Iesus before his in carnation sent out a light which shewed the way of saluation to so many as were appointed for it and by that light they walked vnto it but much more clearely hath hee manifested it by his owne comming These words are abused when another sense is inforced vpon them When Moses testifieth of Henoch that hee walked with God and hee was no more seene for God tooke him away The Doctors of Rome must make this Commentary vpon it God took him away that is tooke him downe to an house of hell called Limbus Patrum or else they must renounce their opinion and where the Spirit of God saith that Elijah went vp by a whirlewinde into heauen these babling builders of Babell will haue it expounded this way that hee went downe to Limbus When Lazarus dyed his soule was carryed by Angels into Abrahams bosome now say they that the â—…lace called Abrahamsâ—…osome â—…osome is now in heauen â—…ut before Christs death â—… was a place in hell Limbus Patrum But I pray â—…ou what reasonable man â—…ill thinke that holy Anâ—…els carry the soules of â—…en vnto another place â—…en that wherein they â—…well themselues Origen â—…riting on that place of â—…b And naked shall I reâ—…rne saith in this manner I shall returne thither â—…here Adam and the rest â—… mine elders are gone â—…here the tabernacles of the â—…ghteous are the rest of the faithfull the consolation oâ—… the godly where Abrahams bosome is and thâ—… company of Angels the kingdome of Christ where iâ—… light life and glory and thâ—… sight of God Darest thoâ—… say these things are to bâ—… found in any house oâ—… hell Fie that they are not ashamed to maintain such false and ridiculouâ—… fables The third word here is what goes he to prepare A place Not a place oâ—… punishment but as heâ—… said before A mansion place a place of euerlasting rest and ioy Still thâ—… comfort rises by degrees O what a mercy is this â—…f a place were assigned to â—…s according to our deseruing the earth would â—…ot beare vs. It is the â—…urse of the wicked when â—…hey dye they goe downe â—… their place so was it with Iudas and when â—…entence shall be giuen â—…ut against them the â—…rth shall open swallow them but the comâ—…assion of the Lord and â—…assion of his Christ hath â—…eed vs from this miserable condition For our â—…nne we were cast out of â—…arthly Paradise and yet the Lord out of his loue hath giuen vs a place in the heauenly Paradise The Angels lost the placâ—… of their habitation there shall neuer recouer it buâ—… man is raised vp into theiâ—… roomes to sit with Chrisâ—… in the heauenly places But the last word compleates the Comfort foâ—… you I goe to prepare a plaâ—… for you It were no matter of comfort to heare oâ—… that place and of thâ—… great preparation madâ—… in it if it were not for vs for as wee shewed in thâ—… beginning our Sauiouâ—… here vnderstands not thâ—… twelue Disciples onely when hee saith I goe to prepare a place for you there is one of the twelue â—…ath no place there Iudas went to his owne place and many beside the twelue that shal haue place there â—…s afterward our Sauiour expounds himself Alway wee see it is not sufficient â—…or true consolation to haue a generall sight of eternall life but a particular application of the promises thereof is necessarily required in vs. And this is the very essentiall difference which distinguisheth true iustifying faith from all other kindâ—… of faith whatsoeuer Thâ—… Papists mistake it farrâ—… when they teach there iâ—… no more in faith then Notitia cum assensu a knowledge with assent For suppose thou knoweâ—… the promises of eternaâ—… life and assentest to them also that they are true iâ—… the generall if thou haâ—… not the assurance which iustifying Faith renders that they are thine whaâ—… comfort hast thou Thâ—… damned Diuels know confesse the Son of God they know his word â—… true both his promisesâ—… mercy and threatnings â—…f iudgement but they â—…re sure that mercy belongs not to them and iudgement cannot goe by them therfore they tremble saith S. Iames where â—…f they thought and assented not to the truth of Gods word it would not moue them at all neither would they tremble for â—…he iudgement more then they reioyce at the mercie Thus haue these reprobate Spirits an assenâ—…ing knowledge then the which no more is in the Papists faith according to their owne doctrine And thus they mistaking the nature of Faithâ—… are forced to fall into anâ—… other in conuenience thaâ—… in this life no man can bâ—… sure of saluation vnlesse it be by extraordinary reuelation Indeed for them it is necessary to affirmâ—… this for it is impossible that their Religion can giue any man assurance of saluation and therefore hath their Counselâ—… of Trent decreed in this manner Si quis dixerit hâ—…minem renatum teneri exfide ad credendum se certâ—… esse de numero praedestinatorum anathema sit If any man say that a
regenerate man is bound of faith ◅o beleeue that hee is certainely of the number of ◅hem who are predestinated to life let him be accursed This is their comfortlesse Doctrine But as hee who liues ◅eeles life sensibly and ◅an say I liue and hee who hath a Iewell in his ◅and which others see ◅ot can say confidently ◅ haue it so the regenerate man iustified by ◅aith hauing receiued the ◅pirit of Adoption called The earnest of our inheritance The witnesse of God who witnesseth to o◅ Spirits that we are the so◅ of God The seale of Go◅ by whom wee are sealed against the day of redēptio◅ can as certainly say th◅ I haue it And albeit many are deceiued concerning it to thinke with t◅ fiue foolish Virgins th◅ haue that which th◅ haue not is it therefo◅ reason to affirme that ◅ are deceiued and no◅ can be assured Considering that regenerate men haue all the◅ securities of their heauenly inheritance giuen th◅ from the Lord fi◅ Charter secondly Confirmation thirdly Sea◅ing fourthly Possession Our Charter is the word of the Lord and promises made vs in the Gospell of grace There ◅s one clause of our Charter As the Father hath appointed a Kingdome to mee ◅ol appoint it to you There ◅s another Feare not little ◅ocke it is the Fathers will ◅o giue you the Kingdome If reprobate man or Angell would quarrell as no doubt they will in the day of tentation our ◅ight to the kingdome of heauen wee should haue such principall clauses o◅ our Charter registred i◅ our hearts to produce against them that would disturbe our peace Secondly we haue th◅ Lords Confirmation pa◅ vpon our Charter O◅ this speakes the Apostle ◅ So God willing more abundantly to shew vnto t◅ heyres of promise the stabilitie of his counsell ha◅ bound himselfe by an oa◅ that by two immutable thing◅ wherein it is impossible th◅ God should lye wee might haue strong consolation T◅ Lord hath not only spoken the word but hat◅ confirmed it with an ◅ath to shew to the heires ◅f promise these are regenerate men the stabili◅e of his counsell let the aduersaries marke this Beside this the death of ◅e Testator hath inter◅ened and hath subscri◅ed the Testament with ◅is owne bloud and confirmed it in our hearts by giuing vs his owne Spirit as his witnesse his ◅arnest and his owne seale assuring vs that the promised saluation is ours And therefore S. Paul speaking to the Corinthians saith The testimonie of God hath beene confirmed in you Truth it is many in our dayes know this Charter and can speake of it who haue not the testimonie thereof confirmed in their hearts but sure his Saints elected called and iustified haue it Thirdly wee haue our Seasing giuen vs when his seruants Preachers of the Gospell as his Deputies and officers in his name seases and infefts vs in his promised Kingdome and this is done vpon earth so oft as they deliuer vnto vs in the holy Sacrament that ◅read which is his body ◅hat wine which is his ◅loud A donation reall ◅s made to vs of Christ and of all that which hee hath conquered vnto vs that which generally is proposed in the word particularly is applyed in the Sacrament to euery true penitent and beleeuing receiuer for it is not a naked signe or symboll which there is put into our hands but an effectuall exhibiting instrument of Christ Iesus and of all that by his death he hath merited vnto vs. Last of all we haue possession of it not onely as wee said hath hee carryed our nature into the heauens possessed it there but hee hath deliuered to vs the keyes of the Kingdome Faith and Prayer by the which when wee knocke hee openeth and giues vs euen in this life an entrance to it that we may after a sort view and behold the glory thereof as Moses from the top of Pisgah viewed Canaan this is a present pledge of that future redemption of the possession abiding vs hereafter when we shal◅ more fully inioy it then ◅ow we can Thus haue wee seene in a part what sure and vndoubted warrants Saints called and iustifyed haue of their saluation yet it is to be obserued that this assurance continues not with them alway in a like measure they are many a time exercised with doubtings desertions for their greater humiliation but this is sure true Religion approues no doubting farre lesse prescribes it but rather improues it and by strong arguments taken out of the word strengthens Faith and remoueth all causes of dubitation furnished by infidelitie But that I may eschew repetition he that lists may read this matter entreated at greater length on the eight to the Romanes where we haue also proued that Saints called once by grace and iustified by Faith are sure of finall perseuerance Verse 3. And though I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there ye may be also FOllowes now the third degree of the Comfort The ◅isciples yet might haue ◅aid Lord it is a great ◅omfort to heare of the ◅any Mansions which ◅re in thy Fathers house greater yet to heare that ◅hou wilt goe and prepare them for vs but this this is still the matter o◅ our feare we are clothe◅ with mortall and corruptible bodies which shortly must be turned into dust and ashes and with in them wee haue sinful◅ soules how shall we the◅ be able to inherit these Mansions To this ou◅ Sauiour answeres I wil◅ come againe and receiue you that where I am there yee may be also your ascending vp to the mansion places of my Fathers house is not a worke to be done by you or by the power of nature it is a work to be done by me I will receiue you and no power of the gr◅ue of the earth nor of hell shall be able to hold you from mee For this cause when the Apostle had prayed for the Ephesians that God would open their eyes and let them see the riches of that glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints he subioynes incontinently another prayer that God would open their eyes to see that exceeding greatnes of his power toward vs that beleeue These two are requisite for our compleat comfort first to know the greatnesse of that promised glory next to know that the great power of God will bring vs vnto it Hee will performe his promised kingdome I will come againe This is an Article of our faith acknowledged by Angels Yee men of Galile why stand yee gazing into heauen This Iesus which is taken vp from you shall so come as yee haue seene him taken vp into heauen Beleeued by Saints Vnto them that looke for him shall hee appeare without sinne the second time vnto saluation but scorned by mockers according to the prediction of
For whosoeuer hath this hope in himselfe that hee shall see God there purgeth himselfe euen as God is pure The Lord who hath prepared these Mansions for vs prepare vs also for them and make vs meet to be pertakers of that inheritance oâ—… the Saints in light for his Christs sake To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be praise honor and glory for euer Amen FINIS THE PRAISE OF PATIENCE BEING A Treatise full of sweet Consolation for the Afflicted BY Mr. WILLIAM COVVPER B. of Galloway LONDON Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at the great South-dore of Pauls and at Britaines-Bursse 1616. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Vertuous and Godly Lady Dame Elizabeth Kar Lady Broughtoun MADAME HAuing neere at one time brought out these two Treatises like â—…wo twinnes the one intreaâ—…ing of Heauenly Mansiâ—…ns the other of Patience The eldest of these two I haue committed to the patrocinie of the right Noble Lady the Countesse of Mar the second for many reasons doe I dedicate to your L. Grace hath ioyned your harts together in one holy band of mutuall loue in the truth which I trust these Treatises may serue some way to confirme no way to dissolue for they contend not one with another as did the two twinnes Iacob and Esau in the wombe of Rebecca but rather cherish one another yea without the one the other cannot consist The Heauenly Mansions cannot be obtained without Patience neyther can Patience be preserued without looking to the Heauenly Mansions The practising â—…f Patience now leades vs â—…o the full possession of the heauenly Mansions hereâ—…fter In these I am sure â—…and your greatest comfort without which all comforts â—…f the world are but deceitâ—…ll vanities It is true Nature hath â—…ought you out Honourable 〈◊〉 concerning this life the â—…ister germane of a right â—…oble Lord The Lord â—…oxbrugh the Spouse of 〈◊〉 Honourable Knight Sir Iames Bellenden but All the glory of flesh is as the flower of the field Onely the word of the Lord endureth for euer And herein is your greatest glory that by the immortall seedâ—… of the Word ye are made the daughter of the liuing Lord begotten againe to an inheritance immortall vndefiled and that fadetâ—… not away This is one poâ—… which greatly magnifies thâ—… prerogatiue of Grace abouâ—… all the priuiledges of nature that the one euanisheth thâ—… other endureth All coniunction on earth shall suffer dissolution except onely thâ—… coniunction of a soule with God in Christ. And this euen in your young yeares hath God taught you by sowre experience It is now about ten yeares since death diuorced â—…ou from your naturall husâ—…and yet in this time did â—…ot the Lord forsake you â—…hrough his grace yee haue â—…eene an Abigail to that â—…ouse whereunto your God did bring you that is a moâ—…her to it by wisedome more â—…hen common to your sexe â—…rocuring the good thereof â—…nd haue liued like that widâ—…ow ANNA seruing the Lord confessing him in his Temple a diligent hearer of his word to the good example of others who wait for the redemption of Israell Which with many moe as hitherto they haue beene euident in you to your great commendation before the world so I pray God these and all other graces of his Spirit requisit to your eternall saluation may be multiplyed vpon you for your approbation before the Lord. To whose mercy both now and euer I commend you And rests Your L in Christ Iesus W. B. of Galloway THE PRAISE of Patience My help is in the Name of the Lord. LVKE 21. 19. By your Patience possesse your soules THis Exhortation short in words but rich in matter renders to vs a two-fold instruction first it lets vs see what is it in all our spirituall warfare the aduersarie pursues and the Christian hath to defend to wit the Soule next the armour recommended to vs whereby we may best defend the soule namely Patience The Soule is the most excellent part of man vnder it saith Augustine is comprehended the whole inward man whereby this masse of clay is quickned gouerned and kept together changing her names according to her sundry offices and operations in the body wheâ— shee quickneth the body shee is called the Soule Anima when shee hath appetite or desire to any thing she is called the Wil Animus for knowledge shee is called the Minde for recordation the Memorie for iudging and discerning she is called Reason The soule was not made of the Elements as other creatures are that it being free from composition might also be free from corruption whereunto other creatures are subiect God breathed into man a liuing soule said Moses thereby declaring that hee created a spirituall immortall soule which he breathed into the body to quicken it That the estate of the soule depends not on the body experience proues for in weake and withered bodies the soule is more quicke and pregnant oftentimes then in stronger And that it is also of another nature is euident for where the body by small things is easily surcharged and so filled that it can containe no more such is the superexcellencie of the soule that no mortal thing can contain it It rauished Nyssenus with admiration when hee considered Quae sit interioris nostrae capacitatis amplitudo in quam omnia per auditum infusa influunt in qua visu recepta rerum apparentium simulachra formis certis depinguntur What is the amplitude of our inward capacitie into the which all things infused by the eare floweth and wherein the images of all things seene by the eye are contained and pictured in their owne formes But by the contrary the good estate and wellfare of the body dependeth vpon the good estate of the soule keepe it and keepe all lose it and lose all Nobilem hospitem habes ô Caro tota salus tua dependet de eius salute O Flesh a noble Guest hast thou within thee and all thy good estate depends vpon his good estate thinke not shame to dishonour thy selfe that thou maist honour him nor to disease thy selfe that thou maist ease him Neglect him not because hee is a stranger but consider diligently Quid hospitis huius praesentia tibi largiatur what great benefits thou enioyest by his presence and what losse thou shalt sustaine by his absence when hee goes from thee thine eye will see no more then the clay thine eare will heare no more then the stone thy body shall lose all the beauty it hath now yea no member thereof shall doe the own office Et si tantum tibi confert exul in terra peregrina quantuÌ„ tibi praestabit in patria And if thou hast so great benefits by it in a strange land what shall it doe to thee when it gets thee in her owne Countrey Yet such is the beastly ignorance of man that albeit hee feeles the life he hath by
in pectore Christiano Luporum feritas Canum rabies Should the fiercenesse of Wolues and fury of Dogges be in the breasts of Christians Were not such Wolues and Dogges actors of that Tragicall Murder of Paris and plotters of the Powder-Treason Thus euen their workes doe bewray them It is a shame to shrowd such beastly crueltie vnder a Christian name It is a double sinne to couer the iniury vnder the garment of God This may well proue them successors to Romane Persecuters but not to the patient sufferers of the Church Primitiue Non enim conuenit vt hoc argumento nos Christianos declaremus si quam plurimos occiderimus sed si quam plurimos seruauerimus For it is not an argument to proue our selues to bee good Christians if wee slay many but rather if we saue many If wee be otherwise minded Fieri potest vt citius in Turcas degeneremus quam Turcas in partet nostras pertrahamus It may come to passe that wee degenerate into Turkes then draw Turkes to bee of our Religion For by the shedding of bloud Fiet vt latius fortasse regnet Pontifex aut huius Cardinales non vt latius regnet Christus It may be perhaps that the Popes Kingdome and of his Cardinals may be encreased but the Kingdome of Christ by such meanes cannot be aduanced but leauing them wee returne to our selues Our Sauiour here forewarneth his Disciples of great troubles they were to sustaine for his names sake the armour hee recommends vnto vs is not the Sword the Pope may vse it because Peter did it without a warrant but the watch-word giuen by our Lord vnto vs all is Possesse your Soule by your Patience This is the weapon whereby I ouer-came and this same doe I recommend to you As the Thunder saies Plinie ouerthrowes any tree but the Lawrell so persecution and tentation ouercomes any man but not a patient man Impatience makes a man a prey to euery one that pursues him but hee who hath Patience is inuincible Euery iniury offered to a patient man returneth backe to him that did it Eodem exitu quo telum aliquod in peâ—…ram constantissimae duritiae libratum obtusum No otherway then a dart shot at a hard Rocke eyther falleth downe blunted or is beaten backe vpon him who shot it Impatientia exhedra est omnium delictorum Impatience is the receptacle and right lodging place of all sinnes Malum enim est impatientia boni For euill is but the impatience of good who would commit adultrie if hee were patient of Chastitie Patientia vero Charitatis est firmamentum Ira Discordia Simultas locum in pectore non habent in quo dominatur Charitas But Patience is the sure keeper and stablishment of Charitie Anger Discord Hatred haue no place in that heart in the which Charitie ouer-rules Though all the world were against such a man hee resteth quiet in his owne minde and possesseth his soule in Patience Where by the contrary the impatient man at euery light offence is carryed out of his owne wits and put beside himselfe and becomes like one who teareth his owne soule as Bildad spake of Iob. Hee that would see the right Image and liuely portraiture of an impatient man let him consider this Historie set downe by Saint Marke There met him a man who had an vncleane Spirit who had his abiding among the graues and no man might binde him no not with chaynes because that when hee was often bound with fetters and chaynes hee plucked the chaynes a sunder and brake the fetters in pieces neyther could any man tame him Both night and day hee cryed in the mountaines and in the graues and strucke himselfe with stones But here is the great inconsideration of men A man this way bodily possessed is pityed of all that behold him but though hee be spiritually possessed and oppressed by the enemies of his soule to raging railing blaspheming whoring and all sort of impietie who doth regard it Alwayes to returne great is the praise of Patience that it makes a man possesser and master of himselfe The reason of this is because Patience is neuer alone all the remanent Graces of the Spirit frequent the Palace of Patience there are they preserued and entertayned As vices are linked together so are Vertues they march in battle against the spirituall enemie in comely order after this manner Truth goeth before and leadeth them bearing in her badge the Lanterne of the Word to shew them the way wherein they should walke against the Prince of darknesse At the one hand of Truth stands Fore-sight as in a Watch-tower euer looking out to discouer the approaching of the enemie at the other hand stands Feare with this watch-word in her Banner Walke circumspectly In the second rancke after Truth followes Faith foot for foot for Faith followes No deâ—…eiuable Fables and Faith hath in the right hand the Sword of the Spirit and in the left A Buckler able to quench the firie darts of the Diuell Vpon the right hand of Faith standeth Charitie or Loue for Faith worketh by Loue and Loue carries in her Banner The complement of the Law on the other hand stands Holinesse for The Heart is purified by Faith and Holinesse beaâ—…eth in her Banner The Image of God In the third rancke at the backe of Holinesse stands Humilitie hauing in her badge the similitude of a man mortified and dead with Christ. Beside Humilitie at the backe of Loue standeth her sister Meeknesse bearing in her badge the similitude of a Lamb. In the fourth rancke standeth Patience Domina regina virtutum the Lady and Queene of Vertues bearing a high Standard not vnlike that of of Constantine the Great hauing in it this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with this Dictum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for in Christ and through him Patience ouercomes at the length In the fift rancke at the backe of Patience stands Experience for Patience brings forth Experience and Experience beareth in her badge an open written Booke contayning a Register of the Lords manifold former deliuerances Experience hath vpon the one hand Hope whose badge is a brazen Piller and on the other hand Fortitude in the similitude of an armed man hauing on his head the Helmet of saluation and on his body the Brest-plate of righteousnesse When Patience is sore put at and somewhat moued out of her place by vehement trouble shee leanes backe vpon the piller of Hope and Hope succours her with this Dictum Spera meliora From Hope shee lookes ouer and reades the Booke of Experience whose first Dictum is Remember the dayes of old betweene these two Patience begets Fortitude by whom the battle is againe renewed In the last roome followeth Perseuerance hauing in her Badge a Crowne holden vp on high with both her hands with this Dictum He