3. He is not a true patient man, who will suffer no more than he thinks good, and from whom he pleaseth.
The true patient man minds not by whom it is he is exercised, whether by his superior, or by one of his equals, or by an inferior; whether by a good and holy man, or one that is perverse and unworthy.
But how much soever, and how often soever any adversity happens to him from any thing created, he takes it all with equality of mind as from the hand of God, with thanksgiving, and esteems it a great gain.
For nothing, how little soever, that is suffered for God's sake, can pass without merit in the sight of God.
4. Be thou therefore ready prepared to fight, if thou desirest to gain the victory.
Without fighting thou cannot obtain the crown of patience.
If thou wilt not suffer, thou refusest to be crowned; but if thou desirest to be crowned, fight manfully and endure patiently.
Without labour there is no coming to rest, nor without fighting can the victory be obtained.
May thy grace, O Lord, make that possible to me, which seems impossible to me by nature.