This verse hath three parts, for here the righteous are the agents, their condition troubles, and the Lord their deliverer: so many things fall out contrary unto our minds, every day, that he which wanteth patience ⟨p. 478⟩in this world, is like a man which standeth trembling in the field without his armour, because every one can strike him, and he can strike none: so the least push of pain, or loss, or disgrace, doth trouble that man more, which hath not the skill to suffer, than twenty trials can move him which is armed with patience, like a golden shield in his hand, to break the stroke of every cross, and save the heart though the body suffer: for while the heart is whole, all is well. A sound spirit (saith Solomon) will bear his infirmity: but a wounded spirit, what can sustain? Pro. 19. 14. Therefore as the lid is made to open and shut, to save the eye: so patience is set to keep the soul, and save the heart whole, to cheer the body again. Therefore if you mark, when you can go by an offence, and take a little wrong, and suffer a trouble quietly, you have a kind of peace and joy in your heart, as if you had gotten a victory; and the more your patience is, still the less your pain is. For as a light burden borne at the arms end, weigheth heavier by much, than a burden of treble weight, if it be borne upon the shoulders, which are made to bear: so, if a man set impatience to bear his cross, which is not fit to bear; it will grumble, and murmur and start, and shrink, and let the burden fall upon his head like a broken staff, which promiseth ⟨p. 479⟩to help him over the waters, and leaveth him in the ditch. But if you put it to patience, & set her to bear it which is appointed to bear, she is like the hearty Spies that came from Canaan,1 and said, It is nothing to overcome them: so patience saith, it is nothing to bear, it is nothing to fast, it is nothing to watch, it is nothing to labour, it is nothing to be envied, it is nothing to be backbited, it is nothing to be imprisoned:2 In all these things (saith Paul) we are more then Conquerors. As though all these things came not to make us mourners, but to make us Conquerors, nay more than Conquerors, because a Conqueror conquereth his enemy but once: but we conquer these as often as Christ did the tempter.
This verse hath three partes, for heere the righteous are the agents, their condition troubles, and the Lord their deliuerer: so manie things fall out contrarie vnto our mindes, euery day, that hee which wanteth patience ⟨p. 478⟩in this worlde, is like a man which standeth trembling in the field without his armor, because euerie one can strike him, and hee can strike none: so the least push of pain, or losse, or disgrace, dooth trouble that man more, which hath not the skill to suffer, than twentie tryals can moue him which is armed with patience, like a golden shield in his hand, to breake the stroke of euerie crosse, and saue the heart though the bodie suffer: for while the heart is whole, all is well. A sound spirit (saith Salomon) will beare his infirmitie: but a wounded spirit, what can sustaine? Pro. 19. 14. Therefore as the lid is made to open and shut, to saue the eie: so patience is set to keepe the soule, and saue the heart whole, to cheare the bodie againe. Therefore if you marke, when you can goe by an offence, and take a little wrong, and suffer a trouble quietly, you haue a kinde of peace and ioy in your heart, as if you had gotten a victorie; and the more your patience is, still the lesse your paine is. For as a light burthen borne at the armes end, weigheth heuier by much, than a burthen of treble weight, if it be borne vpon the shoulders, which are made to beare: so, if a man set impatience to beare his crosse, which is not fit to beare; it will grumble, and murmur and start, and shrinke, and let the burthen fall vpon his head like a broken staffe, which promiseth ⟨p. 479⟩to helpe him ouer the waters, and leaueth him in the ditch. But if you put it to patience, & set her to beare it which is appointed to beare, she is like the heartie Spies that came from Canaan,1 and sayd, It is nothing to ouercome them: so patience saith, it is nothing to beare, it is nothing to fast, it is nothing to watch, it is nothing to labour, it is nothing to be enuied, it is nothing to be backbited, it is nothing to bee imprisoned:2 In all these things (saith Paul) we are more then Conquerours. As though all these things came not to make vs mourners, but to make vs Conquerours, nay more than Conquerours, because a Conquerour conquereth his enemie but once: but we conquere these as often as Christ did the tempter.
- 1Josh. 2.Iosh. 2.
- 2Rom. 8. 37.
