Paul, "but the Spirit himself desireth for us with unspeakable
groanings."
And therefore I say, for conclusion of this point, let us never ask
of God precisely our own ease by delivery from our tribulation, but
pray for his aid and comfort by such ways as he himself shall best
like, and then may we take comfort even of our such request. For we
may be sure that this mind cometh of God. And also we may be very
sure that as he beginneth to work with us, so--unless we ourselves
fly from him--he will not fail to tarry with us. And then, if he
dwell with us, what trouble can do us harm? "If God be with us,"
saith St. Paul, "who can stand against us?"
VII
VINCENT: You have, good uncle, well opened and declared the
question that I demanded you--that is, what manner of comfort a man
might pray for in tribulation. And now proceed forth, good uncle,
and show us yet farther some other spiritual comfort in tribulation.
ANTHONY: This may be, methinketh, good cousin, great comfort in
tribulation: that every tribulation which any time falleth unto us
is either sent to be medicinable, if men will so take it; or may
become medicinable, if men will so make it; or is better than
medicinable, unless we will forsake it.
VINCENT: Surely this is very comforting--if we can well perceive
it!
ANTHONY: There three things that I tell you, we shall consider
thus: Every tribulation that we fall in, either cometh by our own
known deserving deed bringing us to it, as the sickness that
followeth our intemperate surfeit or the imprisonment or other
punishment put upon a man for his heinous crime; or else it is sent
us by God without any certain deserving cause open and known to
ourselves, either for punishment of some sins past (we know not
certainly which) or for preserving us from sin in which we would
otherwise be like to fall; or finally it is not due to the man's
sin at all but is for the proof of his patience and increase of his
merit.
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