God's soveraignty displayed from Job 9. 12. : Behold he taketh away, who can hinder him? &c., or, A discourse shewing, that God doth, and may take away from his creatures what hee pleaseth, as to the matter what, the place where, the time when, the means and manner how, and the reasons thereof : with an application of the whole, to the distressed citizens of London, whose houses and goods were lately consumed by the fire : an excitation of them to look to the procuring causes of this fiery tryal, the ends that God aims at in it, with directions how to behave themselves under their losses / by William Gearing ...

SECT. I.

[ I] Learn to bear them patiently, what the Apostle saith of the distressed He∣brews after the spoiling of their goods, Ye have need of patience, Heb. 10. So may I say to you that have sustained the loss of your houses, goods and pos∣sessions, ye have great need of patience. As Souldiers have need of good Boots or Shooes to save their feet and legs from being hurt with gravel stones, thorn-bushes, sticks, or other impedi∣ments that may either lie or be hurled in their way: so a Christian-souldier be∣ing armed, and having his feet shod with patience, may by help thereof pass the pikes, and go thorow all losses, cros∣ses, and calamities, that may betide or befall him in the warfare of this world. In patience possess ye your souls, saith our Saviour, Luk. 21.19. As faith gives us possession of Christ, so pati∣ence gives us the possession of our selves. An impatient man is so far from possessing himself, that he loseth him∣self, and tearing himself in his passion, throws all reason out of door, where∣upon follows a great loss; the domini∣on

of the mind is not attained but by patience, the soul is not possessed by your deep counsels, nor by your pru∣dence, nor by your wealth, but by your patience. Impatience exposeth a man to the greatest hazards and dangers: if the Waggoner hath not reason enough to guide the Waggon, saith Augustine, but suffereth the horses to have their heads, they will draw both him and it into destruction: The impatient man is void of reason, and so exposeth himself to ruine, he createth a constant trouble to himself, his life is a burden to him, and he enjoyes the possession of nothing with comfort, that hath not the possessi∣on of his own soul: when people are impatient under every petty loss or small cross, the Lord in just judgement lets greater crosses to befall them to dis∣quiet those that have impatient spirits; and let them expect it, they must look for trouble and vexation all their daies, that give way to this evil of impatience. God in his providence hath thrown you out of possession of your houses; what a sad thing were it for you to be thrown out of the possession of your selves by impatience? Impatience, saith one, is the Daughter of Satan, and the Parent

of folly and madness. An impatient man for the loss of a peny will throw away his purse, and if he hath lost but an handful of corn, he is ready to fire the whole field. I have read of a Noble man that was Lord Chamberlain to the Emperour Rodolphus the Second, that bringing some water for the Emperour to wash his face in a Vessel of Chrystal covered, by his default and negligence the cover fell off and was broken; whereupon the Emperour in a great rage took and threw the Vessel likewise to the ground, uttering these words; Let the devil take the horse, since he hath got the saddle: So by one impa∣tient act he cast away four hundred Crowns, for at so much the Chrystal was valued. Thus a light and lesser e∣vil is oftentimes doubled with a grea∣ter, and small losses through impatience do become great and extraordinary da∣mages. Patience sweetens every loss, and takes away the weight and bur∣den of afflictions: Patience to the soul is as the lid to the eye; for as the lid being shut, saves it from many things that would annoy it; so patience com∣ing between the soul and that which it suffereth, is a great safe-guard there∣unto:

Patience is a Sovereign remedy against all losses and crosses, it cureth all; it keeps the heart from envy, the tongue from murmuring, the hand from revenge, it overcometh our Enemies without weapons, it makes a man a li∣ving Martyr without fire or sword; suppose a man be brought very low in his outward estate, yet if he be pati∣ent, he feels the want of nothing; it is all one not to have the world, and not to need it; he that doth not want, hath enough, patience gives contentment in the midst of want, and then a man may be said to abound; it is all one to be without losses and crosses, and patiently to bear them: no affliction, no loss can be heavy to the patient soul, for pati∣ence wheresoever it is, it beareth all.