and all
for fear of present death. But our estate is far more tragical and
miserable, much more to be deplored, and far greater cause have we to
lament; the devil and the world persecute us, all good fortune hath
forsaken us, we are left to the rage of beggary, cold, hunger, thirst,
nastiness, sickness, irksomeness, to continue all torment, labour and pain,
to derision and contempt, bitter enemies all, and far worse than any death;
death alone we desire, death we seek, yet cannot have it, and what shall we
do? _Quod male fers, assuesce; feres bene_ --accustom thyself to it, and it
will be tolerable at last. Yea, but I may not, I cannot, _In me consumpsit
vires fortuna nocendo_, I am in the extremity of human adversity; and as a
shadow leaves the body when the sun is gone, I am now left and lost, and
quite forsaken of the world. _Qui jacet in terra, non habet unde cadat_;
comfort thyself with this yet, thou art at the worst, and before it be long
it will either overcome thee or thou it. If it be violent, it cannot
endure, _aut solvetur, aut solvet_: let the devil himself and all the
plagues of Egypt come upon thee at once, _Ne tu cede malis, sed contra
audentior ito_, be of good courage; misery is virtue's whetstone.

[3791] "--serpens, sitis, ardor, arenae,
Dulcia virtuti,"

as Cato told his soldiers marching in the deserts of Libya, "Thirst, heat,
sands, serpents, were pleasant to a valiant man;" honourable enterprises
are accompanied with dangers and damages, as experience evinceth: they will
make the rest of thy life relish the better. But put case they continue;
thou art not so poor as thou wast born, and as some hold, much better to be
pitied than envied. But be it so thou hast lost all, poor thou art,
dejected, in pain of body, grief of mind, thine enemies insult over thee,
thou art as bad as Job; yet tell me (saith Chrysostom) "was Job or the
devil the greater conqueror? surely Job; the [3792]devil had his goods, he
sat on the muck-hill and kept his good name; he lost his children, health,
friends, but he kept his innocency; he lost his money, but he kept his
confidence in God, which was better than any treasure." Do thou then as Job
did, triumph as Job did, [3793]and be not molested as every fool is. _Sed
qua ratione potero_? How shall this be done? Chrysostom answers, _facile si
coelum cogitaveris_, with great facility, if thou shalt but meditate on
heaven. [3794]Hannah wept sore, and troubled in mind,