The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

An other benefit that constant love will bring is, that they shall be very patient; abundance of love breeds abundance of patience, for love hopes all things and suffer all things. And love is not provoked, but where there is little love, their is little bearing and little hoping, and there they be quickly provoked; upon every light and small defect or fault, they grow to chasing and brawls, and then who ever was troubled with such a husband or such a wife? Nay they might rather say who ever had such an unloving and unkind heart as I? for if there were that love that should be, and in that measure that there is that love, they would bear with patience and meekness such infirmities, and would not be so quickly provoked nay not by greater matters. As the mother that in good earnest and without dissembling loves her little child though it cry all night and be unquiet and break her sleep and disquiet her very much; yet she will not fling it out of doors, nor lay it at further end of the house, furthest from her, but she useth it kindly and will do what she can to still it, and when it cries she will sing, and in the morning they be as good friends as ever before, and she feeds it, and tends it never a whit the less for all the nights trouble. One that were not acquainted, and knew not the love of the mother would wonder; why? did it not disquiet your rest all night, and can you be so merry with it now? Yes she can, for she loved it, and she hath forgotten all that in the morning. And so indeed, could the husband and wife love one an other with such a pure and christian love, they would bear much, and endure much, and yet love never a whit the less. For love is all ways a breastplate against impatience.

An other benefit that constant loue will bring is, that they shall be verie patient; abundance of loue breeds aboundance of patience, for loue hopes all thinges and suffer all thinges. And loue is not prouoked, but where there is little loue, their is little bearing and little hoping, and there they be quickly prouoked; vpon euerie light and small defect or fault, they grow to chasing and brawles, and then who euer was troubled with such a husband or such a wife? Nay they might rather say who euer had such an vnloving and vnkind heart as I? for if there were that loue that should be, and in that measure that there is that loue, they would beare with patience and meakenesse such infirmities, and would not be so quickely prouoked nay not by greater matters. As the mother that in good earnest and without dissembling loues her little childe though it crie all night and be vnquiet and breake her sleepe and disquiet her verie much; yet shee will not fling it out of doores, nor lay it at further end of the house, furthest from her, but shee vseth it kindly and will doe what shee can to still it, and when it cries shee will sing, and in the morning they be as good friends as euer before, and shee feeds it, and tends it neuer a whit the lesse for all the nights trouble. One that were not acquainted, and knew not the loue of the mother would wonder; why? did it not disquiet your rest all night, and can you be so merrie with it now? Yes shee can, for shee loued it, and shee hath forgotten all that in the morning. And so indeed, could the husband and wife loue one an other with such a pure and christian loue, they would beare much, and endure much, and yet loue neuer a whit the lesse. For loue is all waies a brestplate against impatience.