art our Recompence and Crown. Hadft thou not gone before us, and fhewn us the way, who would have the heart to follow? Alas! how many would hang back, and be quite distanc'd, if they had not thy glorious Example in their eye? Behold, we are still cool and lukewarm, after having heard fo many miracles and precepts of thine: What would be our cafe, had we not fo clear and fhining a light to follow thee?

CHAP. XIX.

How we ought to bear Injuries; and of the Marks of a true Patience.

1.

WH

JESUS-CHRIST.

P

HAT is it thou fayft, my Son? Ceafe thy complaints, upon the confideration of my fufferings, and thofe of other Saints. Thou haft not yet refifted unto blood". What thou fuffereft, is inconfiderable, in comparison with those who have endured fo many things, been fo vehemently tempted, fo grievously afflicted, fo ma

• Heb. xii. 4.

nifoldly

nifoldly prov'd, and exercis'd. Thou oughteft therefore to call to mind the heavier burthens of others, to the end thou mayst more eafily bear thy own very light ones. And if they do not feem very light unto thee, confider whether thy own impatience be not the cause of it. But whether they be light, or heavy, endeavour to bear all patiently.

b

II. The better and the more couragioufly thou difpofeft and prepareft thy foul to luffer, the more wifely doft thou act, and the greater fhall be thy reward. Thou wilt alfo by this means lighten thy fufferings, and be enabled to bear them the better, as well through an honeft endeavour to fore-arm thy felf with refolution, as by being inur'd to suffer by cuftom and habit. And never talk after this manner: "I am દ not able to bear this ufage from fuch "or fuch a man: Nor are the things them"felves fuch as I ought to bear: For he "has done me a very great injury, and "accufes me of thofe things which never "fo much as enter'd my thoughts: Had "this been done by any other perfon, I "could have born it: There are fome things

In the original: And the more thou meriteft.

" that

"that I could away with well enough". These are idle distinctions, and vain reafonings, which confider not the virtue of Patience it felf, nor by whom it is to be hereafter crowned, but regard rather the relation and the condition of the perfon offending, and the nature and quality of the offence committed.

III. He is not a true Patient, who will bear but from whom he lifts, and but what he lifts. For the true Patient minds not who it is by whom he is exercifed, whether by his Superiour, or Equal, or Inferiour; whether by a good, and holy, or by a perverfe, and unworthy man. But from every creature indifferently and alike, how much foever, and as often foever as any adverfity happens unto him, all this in the grofs he receiveth thankfully as from the hand of GOD, and counteth it great gain; because nothing with GOD, tho' never fo flight and inconfiderable, if yet fuffered for the fake of GOD, fhall be pafs'd over unrewarded.

C

IV. Be ready armed therefore for the battel, if thou defire the glory of the conqueft. Without contending thou canst not arrive

In the original: Can poffibly pass without merit.

at

at the Crown of Patience. If thou refuse to fuffer, thou refusest to be crowned: And if thou defire to be crowned, ftrive manfully, fuffer patiently. Without labour, there is no coming at reft: And without fighting, there is no arriving at victory.

THE SOUL.

Lord, let that become poffible to me by Grace, which feemeth impoffible to me by Nature. Thou knoweft that I can bear but little, and that I am eafily overthrown even by a small puff of adverfity. Grant that any tribulation, any chaftifement for the fake and love of thy Name may be render'd joyous and welcome to me: For to fuffer, and to be afflicted for thee, is exceedingly conducive to my foul's health.

CHAP

I.

CHAP. XX.

Of the Confeffion of our Infirmity; and of the Miseries of this Life.

I

THE SOUL.

Will confefs my unrighteoufnefs against my felf: I will acknowledge unto thee, O Lord, my infirmity. It is but a little thing oftentimes, that cafts me down, and overwhelms me with forrow. I propofe to act manfully; yet upon the furprize of a flight temptation, I am reduced to a great ftrait. A very trifle fometimes is the matter of a dangerous temptation. And whilst I think my felf pretty fafe; before I am aware, I find my felf fometimes almost quite born down with a weak blast.

II. Confider therefore; O Lord, the hu mility of my confeffion; look down upon my frailty, unto thee perfectly well known. Have mercy upon me, and take me out of the mire, that I fink not, raise me up, that I be not utterly caft down. This is the thing, that galls me frequently, that stabs

a Pfal. xxxii. 5,6.

b Pfal. Ixix. 17.

me