A divine herbal together with a forrest of thorns In five sermons. ... By…A divine herball together with a forrest of thornes In five sermons. ... By…

2. For Patience. The Earth is called Terra, quia teritur: and this is the natural earth. For they distinguish it into 3. sorts. Terra quam terimus: terra quam gerimus: terra quam quaerimus; which is the glorious land of Promise. That earth is cut and wounded with coulters and shares; yet is patient to suffer it, and returns fruits to those that ploughed it. The good heart is thus rent with vexations, and broken with sorrows; yet offers the other cheek to the smiter, endureth all with a magnanimous patience; assured of that victory, which comes by suffering, Vincit qui patitur. Neither is this all: it returns mercy for injury, prayers for persecutions, and blesseth them that cursed it.¹ The Plowers ploughed upon my back: they made long their furrows. ²They rewarded me ⟨p. 9⟩evil for good, to the spoiling of my soul. Yet when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I humbled my soul with fasting: I was heavy, as one that mourned for his friend or brother; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. When the heart of our Saviour was thus ploughed up with a spear, it ran streams of mercy, real mercy; which his vocal tongue interpreted, Father forgive them: they know not what they do. His blood Heb. 12.³ had a voice, a merciful voice, and spake better things then the blood of Abel. That cried from the caverns of the earth for revenge; this from the Cross in the sweet tune of compassion and forgiveness. It is a strong argument of a heart rich in grace, to wrap and embrace his injurer in the arms of love; as the earth quietly receives those dead to burial, who living tore up her bowels.

2. For Patience. The Earth is called Terra, quia teritur: and this is the naturall earth. For they distinguish it into 3. sorts. Terra quam terimus: terra quam gerimus: terra quam quaerimus; which is the glorious land of Promise. That earth is cut and wounded with culters and shares; yet is patient to suffer it, and returnes fruits to those that ploughed it. The good heart is thus rent with vexations, and broken with sorrowes; yet offers the other cheeke to the smiter, endureth all with a magnanimous patience; assured of that victory, which comes by suffering, Vincit qui patitur. Neither is this all: it returns mercy for iniury, prayers for persecutions, and blesseth them that cursed it.