Such a thought is foolish; it considereth not the virtue of patience, nor by whom it will be crowned; but rather weigheth too exactly the persons, and the injuries offered to itself.
3. He is not truly patient, who is willing to suffer only so much as he thinks good, and from whom he pleases.
But the truly patient man minds not by whom he is exercised, whether by his superiors, by one of his equals, or by an inferior; whether by a good and holy man, or by one that is perverse and unworthy.
But indifferently from every creature, how much, or how often, soever anything adverse befall him, he takes it all thankfully as from God, and esteems it great gain:
For with God it is impossible that any thing, however small, if only it be suffered for God's sake, should pass without its reward.
4. Be thou therefore prepared for the fight, if thou wilt have the victory.
Without a combat thou canst not attain unto the crown of patience.
If thou art unwilling to suffer, thou refusest to be crowned. But if thou desire to be crowned, fight manfully, endure patiently.
Without labour there is no rest, nor without fighting can the victory be won.
O Lord, let that become possible to me by Thy grace, which by nature seems impossible to me.
Thou knowest that I am able to suffer but little, and that I am quickly cast down, when a slight adversity ariseth.
